Blue Jersey - Front Page

Does Christie's budget strategy mean no re-election bid?

the_promised_land — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:46:38 GMT

As interested observer pointed out yesterday, Christie's governorship relies on frequent distraction. And it really relies on distraction in this budget season, with a proposed tax cut for millionaires that can only be funded by ignoring the real revenue projections and, now, massive borrowing to fund transportation projects. Christie is on his way to making Christine Todd Whitman and Jim McGreevey look like masters of fiscal restraint.

Does this signify that Christie isn't running for re-election in 2013? Here's the storyline: Christie declares "mission accomplished" and bows out. The next Governor (likely a Democrat) is left to deal with the bill that comes due and Christie's minions and Christie himself spin it as his or her fault for not following the Christie course. Meanwhile, Christie runs a morning show on Fox News and prepares to run in 2016.

What's the alternative? The bill might not come due soon enough to hurt Christie in 2013. But there's a real risk that it becomes a total mess soon after - and one he can't spin away on the Democrats in the Legislature, while unemployment in NJ remains higher than surrounding states and the Governor's big money in Xanadu goes bust. Even conservative columnists start turning on Christie.

Of course, it doesn't necessarily have to happen that way. But there's significant risk there. Maybe enough so that Christie doesn't run for re-election.

It's all speculation at this point - and we probably won't really know anything until after November. And I could very easily see Christie gambling on a triumphant second term buoyed by a national economic comeback that helps fill the budget holes. We shall see.

News Roundup & Open Thread for Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Rosi Efthim — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:30:14 GMT

ACLU's Deborah Jacobs on her way to a new job

After 13 years as ACLU-NJ's exec director, she's on her way to advocate for women at the Ms. Foundation for Women.

Education

Perth Amboy school board tries, again, to get rid of superintendent Caffrey - will Chris Cerf intervene again?

Really NJMVC?

This seems like it should be an easy fix, maybe you should fix it.

Don't fault Cory Booker for ambition

So says Star-Ledger.

Christie ally & alleged political website hacker has no plans to step down

Felix Roque has no plans to step down as mayor of West New York, says a town official.

Cory Booker's communication director resigns

Would have been a classier move if Booker took responsibility himself for what he said on Meet the Press.

Assorted Christie

Fierce Online Video finds the Gov, an "accomplished self-promoter" ahead of the curve getting himself seen.

Christie using offense to play defense. (Katz, Christie Chronicles)

"Sticks and stones may break my bones"

Bruce Harris says he doesn't care what people say when the question his qualifications for the NJ Supreme Court.

Christie will be holding a "Town Hall" in E. Brunswick at the same time his high court pick Bruce Harris was scheduled before Senate Judiciary.

Primary June 5

CD9: Details of Bill Clinton's Friday stump for Pascrell.

NJ Spotlight Voter Guides for CD10, CD5 & CD7.

Jerseynomics

At least for the short term, consumers are going to pay big subsides for new power plants in New Jersey.

Chris Christie's Budget Calls For $1.64 Billion In One-Shots. (Audio)

Christie administration scores another win, in court this time, against unions, as a judge upholds suspension of COLA increases till about 2040.

That 7.6 mile gas pipeline you probably don't want built through the Highlands you just cleared its last regulatory hurdle.

Sweeney: Compromise on NJ university mergers won't be ready by June 1

There is still very significant opposition.

Trentonia

Want to pay a woman to carry your fetus for 9 month? NJ Senate's going to consider letting you.

Worried your personal documents might still be stored on a machine once used to copy/scan them? So's the Assembly, and a bill now heads to the Senate to address it.

Ken Zisa trial

Judge decides today if the suspended Hackensack police chief must step down.

Heroes and Victims

deciminyan — Tue, 29 May 2012 23:00:00 GMT

Cross-posted from deciminyan.

On the Alex Bennett radio program this morning, its eponymic host discussed the weekend's latest "pants on fire" controversy, this one involving MSNBC talk show host Chris Hayes.

Hayes is a brilliant young man, editor of The Nation, and as progressive as they come. He stuck his neck out with comments on his program on Sunday when he discussed the concept of heroism in the context of today's wars:

"Why do I feel so uncomfortable about the word 'hero'? I feel uncomfortable about the word 'hero' because it seems to me that it is so rhetorically proximate to justifications for more war. I don't want to obviously desecrate or disrespect the memory of anyone that's fallen, and obviously there are individual circumstances in which there is genuine, tremendous heroism, you know, hail of gunfire, rescuing fellow soldiers and things like that. But it seems to me that we marshal this word in a way that is problematic. But maybe I'm wrong about that."

(As an aside, when was the last time you heard a Fox "News" commentator use a turn of phrase as delightful as "rhetorically proximate"?)

During the weekend of barbecues and parades in commemoration of those who died in our endless wars, it was refreshing to read about a dose of reality. On Bennett's show, he made the distinction between "heroes" and "victims." Bennett got it right, too.
No doubt, there are real heroes in the war zone. Men and women who charge up hills to protect their comrades. Pilots who fly into areas defended by surface-to-air missiles to provide air cover for ground troops. Regardless of what you think about the justification for the war, these people are heroes, and some of them will come home in coffins.

But, as Bennett points out, some of those who make that trip to Dover Air Force Base in a box are better described as "victims." The kid who enlisted in the army because it was an employer of last resort in today's shitty economy and was unfortunate enough to step on a land mine is a victim. The teenager who joined the Army to get training because she couldn't afford college and was killed by a sniper attack was a victim.

Whether they were heroes or victims, Memorial Day is a good opportunity to celebrate their lives. Hayes' comments did nothing to denigrate their service. His comments correctly asserted that the overuse of the word "hero" tends to justify and glorify the tragedies of war. How many abused teenagers from urban areas decide to enlist based on an otherwise unachievable steady job and the chance to be a "hero" overseas instead of a victim at home?

Hayes' own profession has had a number of heroes. Edward R. Murrow dared to stand up to the demagoguery of a United States Senator, and was criticized for his accurate but disturbing report on the state of prisoners at the Buchenwald concentration camp. More recently, Marie Colvin was a journalist who gave her life reporting on the turmoil in Syria. By speaking an inconvenient truth, Hayes joined this cadre of journalist-heroes, but unfortunately he kept this status for less than 24 hours.

The day after his pronouncement, Hayes succumbed to pressure from his corporate masters and recanted his remarks. His rationale looks like it was written by the Comcast PR department:

"[I]n seeking to discuss the civilian-military divide and the social distance between those who fight and those who don't, I ended up reinforcing it, conforming to a stereotype of a removed pundit whose views are not anchored in the very real and very wrenching experience of this long decade of war."

Instead of educating the American public about the glorification of war, Hayes said that because neither he nor anyone in his family is in the military, he's unqualified to comment. If that's the criterion, then neither Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney should be commenting about the war.

There are genuine heroes who have served this country in uniform. I'm fortunate enough to know one of them, William Brown, an ex-Navy SEAL who went through the Navy's grueling training regimen not once, but twice. I don't know what Brown did in Afghanistan and Iraq - that's classified information - but I admire him for fighting the war against insurgents the way such a war should be fought, by covert actions rather than by massive bombings that produce collateral damage and anti-American feelings. Yet, Brown, a true American hero, was called an "idiot" by Chris Christie.

Not all heroes are in the military. My friend Marie Corfield is a hero. A teacher and single mom, Corfield is a devout supporter of public education and is sticking her neck out by getting involved in the political process as a Democrat running for State Assembly in a predominantly Republican district. She doesn't need to do this, but she does out of concern for the children of New Jersey. Yet, Corfield, a true American hero, was denigrated by Chris Christie.

Heroism spans many generations. Seventy-seven year old State Senator Loretta Weinberg is a hero. While she could be spending a comfortable retirement with her grandchildren, she chooses to serve the citizens of New Jersey as Senate Majority Leader - a progressive Democrat who is working effectively with the more conservative power brokers in her party while not giving up on her principles. Yet, Weinberg, a true American hero, was the target of Chris Christie's wrath when the governor urged the press to "take a bat" to her.

The moral of this story is that you don't have to be in the military to be a hero. You don't even have to be on Governor Christie's shit list. We have American heroes surrounding us - from the single mother in Camden who works two jobs while trying to keep her kids out of trouble; to the public sector union workers who accede to pay and benefit cuts so that they and their colleagues can continue to serve the taxpayers; to the soldiers and marines who are maimed physically and mentally and are then all but forgotten by a GOP-controlled Congress.

Let's observe Memorial Day for the heroes and victims of our wars. And let's recognize the other heroes in our midst as well.

Disclosure: I am proudly working on Marie Corfield's campaign because she is a hero.

Mastering the art of distraction

interested observer — Tue, 29 May 2012 19:22:47 GMT

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. - promoted by Rosi

Bob Ingle penned a column looking at how distraction works well for Christie:

Let me get this straight: Gov. Chris Christie went into a long-winded put down of budget predictions by the Office of Legislative Services including, as he frequently does, name-calling. And that's big news?

At this point, not only shouldn't it be big news when the Governor throws a temper tantrum, it should be more news when he acts reasonably and responsibly:

While people were, incredibly at this point in his administration, all aflutter that the governor would call someone a name, the real news coming out of Trenton that day was that the state will borrow an extra $260 million for transportation projects instead of relying on cash as Christie had promised.

So the distraction worked, everyone jumped on Christie for going after Rosen, but no one really paid close attention to the further borrowing to fund transportation projects to fix our crumbling infrastructure. This is on top of the borrowing he's already done:

More surprising, however, is Christie's willingness to borrow somewhere between $3.6 billion and $4.378 billion in order to refuel the state Transportation Trust Fund (TTF).

Maybe they figure what's $260 million when you've already borrowed between $3.6 and $4.3 billion. But as Ingle points out, this wasn't the first time Christie has played this game:

The governor is good at diversion, he would fit right in with Penn and Teller, the Vegas magician act. One of the biggest he pulled off was when he announced he was killing the tunnel to Macy's basement. It occurred as his former state education commissioner, Bret Schundler, testified in Trenton under subpoena about how the state lost the federal "Race To The Top" money. Merely a coincidence, of course. Reporters rushed from the committee room where Schundler was to get to Christie's press conference about the rail line. Which story do you remember?

There are alot of "coincidences" in this administration. It's just amazing that after two years, his act still works enough to continue distracting people from the real news he's making. It's time for people to stop going for the head fake and pay attention to the real moves being made.

Why I'm with Bill Pascrell

Mark Alexander — Tue, 29 May 2012 16:50:32 GMT

promoted by Rosi

Voters in the 9th Congressional District are posed with a tough choice. Two capable, progressive members of Congress are facing off in a primary. Only one can stay in Congress. Sometimes in life we face these types of tough dilemmas. But the stakes are too high to make the wrong choice. President Obama needs fighters in Congress to reform our campaign finance laws, pass comprehensive climate change legislation, and protect middle class families.

Bill Pascrell is one of those fighters the President needs back in Congress come 2013.

My friendship with President Obama goes back fifteen years. As a Senior Advisor, State Director here in New Jersey, and member of the transition team I know his values are one in the same with Congressman Pascrell. I know that if Bill were drawn into a congressional district with Scott Garrett - the darling of the Tea Party - he would not back down. He would have brought that fight right to Garrett's doorstep and put another seat in play to regain the majority for the Democrats, just like he did in 1996.

Steve Rothman had that chance, but instead chose to move into Bill's district and waste resources that should go towards defeating Republicans.

I don't take this endorsement lightly. As the campaign unfolded over the last few months, my initial instinct was to stay out of this race. But I couldn't stand idly by any longer. Specifically, I was disappointed by the tenor of Rothman's campaign. Attack ads the Star Ledger called "dishonest, ludicrous, wrong and ridiculous" motivated me to speak up. I applaud Bill Pascrell for running a campaign appealing to the best in people, not the worst. Our focus must remain on the key issues of the day: creating jobs, affordable healthcare, and educational opportunities for our children.

As Democrats, we shouldn't need to worry about dishonest attacks from within the party.

Bill doesn't sit on the sidelines during important political and legislative fights. When President Obama needed help passing healthcare legislation, Congressman Pascrell was there to forge consensus and get the bill passed. As a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, he delivered important funding that improved our infrastructure, created jobs, and protected our environment. Bill is the fighter we need standing arm-in-arm with President Obama.

On June 5th vote Bill Pascrell for Congress.

Poll Wrap Up: Christie's Nomination Of Bruce Harris To The Supreme Court

Bill Orr — Tue, 29 May 2012 15:30:00 GMT

With only eight votes cast in this poll, it is hard to read much into the results. Five of you thought the Senate Judiciary Committee should reject the nomination and three of you voted in favor of the nomination. The committee hearing to consider Mr. Harris is scheduled for Thursday. Given the recent press reports it appears the hearing will be a cliffhanger. It would be highly unusual if the committee votes down two nominees in a row - Bruce Harris preceded by Phillip Kwon, but it might well happen.

Some of your comments included:

"It's a mighty white Court (partly Christie's doing), and of course we've never had a gay Justice. But his decision to recuse himself from cases involving same sex marriage concerns me."

"Harris is basically an unknown quantity - I'm sure Christie chose him on that basis."

"It's the best they'll get. Keep the powder dry for a future nominee."

Personally I consider Mr. Harris' nomination that of a stealth candidate - one nominated under false pretenses. As an African-American and openly gay individual Mr. Harris appears to be an ideal nominee. However, both Christie and Harris have said he plans to recuse himself on marriage equality, and the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus says his legal qualifications fall short of the high standard required of the court's seven justices.

Regardless of Thursday's outcome Governor Christie will have to renominate at least one individual to replace Mr. Kwon, whom committee members deemed not to be a genuine Independent and to have unresolved financial issues. Although one can not fault Christie for seeking nominees who will carry out his agenda as prior governors of both parties have done, there has also been a tradition of governors nominating individuals from opposing parties in order to maintain some parity on the bench. As the Court currently has two Democrats, two Republicans, and one Independent, maybe Christie will nominate one Republican and one Democrat, or at least a true Independent, or a non stealth candidate, or even an African-American and openly gay person who is better qualified and does not see the need for recusal. There are various scenarios more palatable to Democrats and more broadly equitable. Regardless, Christie is back to the drawing board after bumbling his Supreme Court efforts so far.

When You Remove Oversight ...

vmars — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:17:00 GMT

One of the main problems I've always had with charter schools is that they are funded by tax dollars but are not responsible to taxpayers. They are intentionally created that way, largely to be responsible only to the parents of the children who attend the school. They are, by nature, more opaque than other public schools.

And then when you replace that public oversight with state oversight by partisan ideologues things get even worse.

The auditor, an arm of the Office of Legislative Services, also said the state Department of Education was not rigorously monitoring student performance and enrollment at charter schools. Department officials were quick to call the critiques outdated because the report looked at charters from July 2010 through February (2011).

These ideologues want to have schools shut down, teachers fired, principals replaced based on multi-year test results (never mind how flawed the tests and model are) but when they are held to that same standard it's outdated!

The statement also denied there were any problems, yet doesn't refute this

The review found that third-graders in 13 of 40 charter schools underperformed on state tests in 2010 compared with their peers enrolled in traditional schools in their districts.

News Roundup & Open Thread for Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Rosi Efthim — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:57:00 GMT

Big Fiscal Phonies

Paul Krugman covers the 'Jersey Comeback' that wasn't, and Christie's phony baloney response to reality.

Veepstakes

Michael Gerson at Washington Post makes the case for Christie.

Would Christie's ramrod style help or hurt in swing states?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/a...

Doblin: Bruce Harris is about to be "Kwoned"

Al Doblin takes issue with some of the statements on Christie's high court pick, including this from Sen. Ron Rice & NJ Legislative Black Caucus: "The nomination of Mr. Harris sends the wrong message - that we can only achieve diversity on the Supreme Court through lowering the bar for qualifications."

Bringing a bicycle culture to Camden, which doesn't even have a bike shop

This is exactly how part of a city's revitalization can start.

Education

Even with 4,000 empty buildings, Camden charters are at a loss for space; it's complicated.

Facebook fund releases spending plans - with the biggest chunk going to consultants.

More vets of Iraq & Afghanistan have died by their own hand than by enemy fire

18 military veterans commit suicide every day, with the greatest risk to young vets fresh from war.

Rutgers gets $2.4M for military suicide study.

Borrowing takes a toll on Christie's credibility

Mulshine points out Paul Sarlo and Steve Lonegan are on the same side, sort of, on Christie's new math.

Assorted Christie

Charlie Stile tells us how Christie uses name-calling to deflect bad news off himself.

Christie's case for sports betting. (Fifth Down, NYTimes)

Michelle Obama and Chris Christie were both at the Beyoncé concert in AC. Let's hope they didn't see each other.

NJ shore towns raking in millions from beach tags

And may be illegally using that extra cash to trim local taxes.

Primary June 5

Dems fight to stand out in 6-person CD10 race.

A snapshot of the gay marriage debate: Politico zeroes in on NJ-10, pointing out all 6 primary Dems support marriage equality.

So, does that mean Donald Payne, Jr.'s reversed himself from what he said 19 days ago?

Democratic primary in Burlington County freeholder race.

New NJ Spotlight voter guides: CD4, CD5 & CD8.

Booker tells Oprah he can't visualize running for prez

Too bad this was taped in April, before Obama surrogate Cory undercut Obama's message.

Jerseynomics

Any reason to believe American Dream won't be just as big a boondoggle as Xanadu? Nope.

Playing Rush Holt's Jeopardy #3

Rosi Efthim — Mon, 28 May 2012 19:45:37 GMT

A few days ago, as I wrote earlier, Rush Holt got together some of the best known people in politics to play a little Jeopardy.

Players included: Shelley Adler, Candidate for US Congress, NJ-3
Assemblyman Dan Benson, former Dem state Chair Tom Byrne, current Chair Asm John Wisniewski, Gov. Jim Florio, Sen. Linda Greenstein, Sierra Club's Jeff Tittel & Princeton Prof. Sean Wilentz. I've been posting the questions all weekend. Rush Holt wrote them himself along with his staff.

Want to play? So far the pollster is cleaning everybody's clock. Let's see how you do. Here are the next 2 categories, Destination NJ & Diamonds. Still to come tonight, Final Jeopardy and an announcement of which of Holt's political friends won his Jeopardy 2012 event. Please remember to phrase your answer in the form of a question. Jump below the fold.
Destination NJ

100 As this medical drama goes off the air, now there really is a Princeton Plainsboro Hospital.

200 Hindenberg flew from Frankfurt to this air base.

300 After the Battle of Monmouth, the British Army marched to this NJ peninsula to sail away.

400 This USAir pilot had to make a wet landing short of Teterboro.

500 The first blockbuster tranquilizer, made by CarterWallace in the 1950s, was named for this Middlesex town.

Diamonds

200 This President, first to throw out a ceremonial first pitch, put some heft behind the ball at the Washington Senators 1910 Opening Day.

400 This musician wrote, "Diamonds and Rust," describing Bob Dylan as "the unwashed phenomenon."

600 This musician serenaded Caroline Kennedy at her 50th birthday celebration with the popular song she inspired him to write.

800 The real name of the baseball philosopher who said, "I never said most of the things I said."

1000 Of Blue Claws, Patriots, River Sharks, Jackals, Goldfinches, and Thunder, the one that is not a NJ minor league baseball team.

Post your answers in comments. Good luck.

Memorial Day 2012 Open Thread

Rosi Efthim — Mon, 28 May 2012 13:51:23 GMT

Ledger tells us Memorial Day's fading. I suspect it's true. I don't ever miss it. But the crowds are older and fewer even if returning vets are still young, (not as young as before they left). This is an open thread. Do we need to update this? Does it matter anymore?

I learned two things about Memorial Day; one from my father, one from some old guys I never met before.

Turns out, they were the same. My father - Army Air Corps captain, combat intelligence, Pacific Theater, WWII, anti-war activist, veterans advocate - said if you want to know a country, look at how it treats 2 groups; its prisoners and its vets. I'll leave the culture of incarceration for another day; to a degree we put many of the same people at risk for both, each with a whole class of tycoons itching to make a profit off them. Another day.

My father always flew the flag today. Not because he cared about the damned flag, but as a signal that when vets saw it, they'd see support at our house. He was an organizer in the early American Veterans Committee, fighting for jobs, education, desegregation.

After my father died, Joey & I went to Memorial Day in Plantation, FL during Bush's War. These old guys were on fire. Railed against the war, needless risk of young lives, Halliburton raking in a fortune, idiocy of Americans conned into believing Saddam ordered the 9/11 planes. They said: If you really care about the soldiers, don't waste their lives. See to it their families aren't struggling. When they get home, give a damn about their health and their rough patches. Jobs. Education. Training.

So here's the thing for me: I hate war, but I can't think of any better use for my taxes than making sure vets get good health care for the rest of their lives. Including mental health care for those who carry the war home, PTSD research/care, aggressive suicide prevention. Gay people's service must be respected; women can bring value to the military. I wish we had a manufacturing sector to employ people, but we don't make stuff anymore. We do, however, need infrastructure and both vets and non-vets need living wage jobs.

I can't begin to understand what a military family goes through. I do know that patriotism is empty if it never moves beyond pageantry. Priorities, policy and funding are where it lives. Thanks, to all vets.