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[quote="Stop the Whining"][quote="Centrist"]I disagree with that comment that party affiliations have nothing to do with the state. NJ is run by Democrat power brokers and until those individuals are gone or there is a balance of party power between the Governor and legislature then the corruption will continue. We need to vote out the current senators and assembly people if you want change. The Democrats are the ones who hold the power and are blocking many of the bills and reforms that the Republicans want to pass. Some Democrat sponsored and supportive issues that have continued to lead the corruption. - COAH Regulations - Increased sales tax and coverage of sales tax on additional items - Decreased Municipal funding - Elimination of property tax refunds - Extension of the energy tax that was due to be phased out - Union negotiations with Carla Katz and failure to disclose the emails from Governor Corzine to Ms. Katz - The whole NJ Toll plan - The bonding for 3.9 additional more in state debt to add more money for the 31 Abbott districts that already get most of the state funding - Let's not forget that in 2007 Corzine plead poverty and raised the sales tax. He also claimed the tax rebates were not election year politics. Once the budget was passed they found 400 million plus for Democrat Christmas Tree items. In 2008, we're receiving reduced property tax rebates and most are eliminated.[/quote] And who is proposing any solutions to the debt NJ has? I hear you telling us what is broken. Any suggestions to fix it?[/quote]
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<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="100%" class="forumline"> <tr> <th class="thCornerL" width="22%" height="26">Author</th> <th class="thCornerR">Message</th> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>publius</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Fri, Jul 4 2008, 10:03 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Voters highly informed and educated? <br /> <br />OUCH! <br />We're up the creek now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Thu, Jul 3 2008, 10:23 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">For democracy to work well, the voters must be well informed and highly educated. Otherwise, politicians can manipulate voters. <br /> <br />If a country does not have a well educated population, then democracy will not work as intended. <br /> <br />The policy to impose democracy on all the countries is flawed.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>fred thomsen</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Thu, Jul 3 2008, 8:51 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">In reference to the idea of a third party......................... <br /> <br />The average American has the attention span of a flea! <br />If they can't understand a two party system...........a third won't help much. Look at the fleecing that we have gotten over the last several years. They took the worst attack on American soil since the War of 1812, and used it against us to further their own twisted interests. All with the knowledge and complicity of the sheepish American public. You couldn't make this crap up if you tried. Nobody would EVER believe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <br />I am in the camp of the late, great George Carlin. He said,"When you're born, you get a ticket to the freak show. When you're born in America, you get a front row seat".</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Wed, Jul 2 2008, 12:11 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Middletown Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger reacted strongly this week to the passage of legislation that spells an end to the township's use of Regional Contribution Agreements (RCA) to help fulfill its affordable housing obligation. <br /> <br /><a href="http://independent.gmnews.com/news/2008/0702/front_page/002.html" target="_blank">http://independent.gmnews.com/news/2008/0702/front_page/002.html</a></span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>MoreInfo</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Wed, Jul 2 2008, 8:57 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Two Princeton residents launch grassroots Republican drive <br /> <br />Two Princeton residents launch grassroots Republican drive <br /> <br />Tuesday, July 1, 2008 7:15 AM EDT <br />By Lauren Otis, Staff Writer <br /> <br /> Two Princeton residents have launched a statewide grassroots effort to identify, develop and provide funding to local Republican candidates. <br /> <br /> Their toughest challenge may be in their own backyard, with Princeton politics dominated by Democrats, who hold every local elected office in the borough and township. <br /> <br /> The organization is called “Building a New Majority.” <br /> <br /> John Crowley, president and CEO of Cranbury-based biopharma company Amicus Therapeutics Inc. is the organization’s honorary chairman and Bill Spadea, vice president of executive recruiting at Weichert Realtors’ Morris Plains headquarters, will serve as the organization’s president. <br /> <br /> Mr. Spadea ran unsuccessfully against U.S. Rep. Rush Holt in 2004 for New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District seat. Mr. Crowley was recruited to be a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate earlier this year to run against incumbent Democrat Sen. Frank Lautenberg, but ultimately declined to run because of family and work demands. Mr. Crowley gained public recognition for founding a biotechnology company in search of a therapy for Pompe disease, a rare form of muscular dystrophy that was diagnosed in two of his children. His story was featured in the Wall Street Journal and in a subsequent book. <br /> <br /> Before his brief flirtation with being a Republican Senate candidate, “I had never been involved at all in politics,” Mr. Crowley said. At that point he talked with state and national GOP leaders, including Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who also had sought the GOP presidential nomination, Mr. Crowley said. <br /> <br /> More than the calls from these high-level politicians, what impressed Mr. Crowley about that period, he said, were “all the letters and e-mails and phone calls and knocks on the door” he received from New Jersey residents. From this, Mr. Crowley said he learned there was “a deep sense of urgency weighing heavily on people’s minds” in the state, that “we really needed new leadership in the state.” <br /> <br /> Through “mutual brainstorming” he and Mr. Spadea came up with the idea for a grassroots GOP organization as “the best way we can make the most impact,” Mr. Crowley said. <br /> <br /> ”We have a pretty simple mission, the bottom line is to rebuild the Republican Party from the ground up,” said Mr. Spadea. “For example, in Princeton Borough and Township there is a lot of organizing work that needs to be done before the Republican Party can present their case,” he said. <br /> <br /> ”We really need to walk before we run, and the walk starts in the neighborhood,” he said. <br /> <br /> Mr. Spadea said philosophically “there is no litmus test for our organization beyond ethical transparent government.” <br /> <br /> He said the group welcomed participants and candidates who believed in free-market solutions rather than government-mandated ones and in responsible government spending. <br /> <br /> ”Part of it was my own personal experience,” Mr. Spadea said of his own interest is building a grassroots GOP organization. “I ran for Congress in 2004 and I had the experience of having to build a campaign from scratch.” <br /> <br /> ”Building the New Majority” is organized as a continuing political committee in the state, according to Mr. Spadea, with the ability to receive up to $7,200 from an individual or corporate donor, and the ability to give out up to $8,200 to candidates. But simply donating to Republican campaigns is not what the organization is about, he said. <br /> <br /> ”It is tied to activities, this is not about throwing money at a problem, it is about investing in a solution,” he said. <br /> <br /> Mr. Spadea said the organization intends to initially identify one- to two-dozen Republican candidates at the local level, give them schooling in campaign techniques, give modest financial support — $500 to $1,000 — and with an eye on the longer term, looking years not months ahead, help those candidates succeed, rejuvenating the state Republican Party in the process. <br /> <br /> Both Mr. Crowley and Mr. Spadea said the organization was not a vehicle to advance their own political careers, and they had no personal plans to run for political office at present. <br /> <br /> Mr. Crowley said his “focus is not at all about raising money in the pharmaceutical industry,” but rather to develop “a new network of people who are not the traditional supporters of the Republican Party.” <br /> <br /> He said the organization’s message pushing for good government and fiduciary responsibility “will resonate very well” with traditionally Democratic communities like Princeton that have grown disaffected with high taxes and poor leadership by Democrats at the local and state level. <br /> <br /> According to Mr. Spadea, the organization has already been successful in energizing Republicans in Princeton Township, Middletown and North Brunswick over write-in campaigns for township committee seats and other races, and is looking to get involved in local elections in Hopewell. <br /> <br /> He named Princeton residents Dudley and Linda Sipprelle as bright future Republican lights, and called township resident Tom Pyle “one of the great future leaders in the Republican Party.” He also named Cindy Randazzo, who is running for freeholder, and Colin Von Vorys as other area “stars out there that really have potential.” <br /> <br /> Mr. Spadea said “there are dozens if not hundreds of good people that would make citizen statesmen” in communities across New Jersey, and be brought into the Republican fold. <br /> <br /> New Jersey State GOP Chairman Tom Wilson said the Republican Party was “eager and happy” to receive help from an organization like “Building the New Majority.” <br /> <br /> ”There are 566 towns in New Jersey. It’s tough for us to be everywhere,” Mr. Wilson said, adding “we will be working very closely together.” <br /> <br /> Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, New Jersey State Democratic chairman, did not respond to requests for comment. <br /> <br /> Jenny Crumiller, president of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization, said the launch of the GOP organization is a positive development in general. “I think competition is a healthy thing for the democratic process,” she said. <br /> <br /> Ms. Crumiller said she remained confident in the local Democratic candidates in Princeton. <br /> <br /> ”There are a lot of Democrats in Princeton and not very many Republicans. That alone will make it hard for the Republican Party, but I think a strong Republican Party in Princeton would be a good thing,” she said. <br /> <br /> Democratic Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, a Princeton resident, said he also welcomed the advent of the new GOP organization. <br /> <br /> ”At the end of the day, I believe the majority of New Jersey supports the Democratic message,” Mr. Gusciora said, but added that an active Republican Party was good for political discourse in general, “and especially in Princeton because it has a reputation as being a one-party town, and I don’t think that serves the interests of residents and taxpayers.”</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>NJ Repulican Council Prez</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Wed, Jul 2 2008, 8:47 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody"><img src="http://stopencapnow.com/tanelliSM.jpg" border="0" /> <br /> <br />TANELLI BLASTS NEW STATE COAH RULES <br /> <br />By MountaintopMedia - June 30, 2008 - 12:02pm <br />Tags: Steve Tanelli, COAH, <br />Release Date: Jun 30 2008 <br /> <br />Council President Steve Tanelli said he will offer a resolution for the borough council at its July meeting condemning the state’s new Affordable Housing rules as being, “far beyond reasonable and an economic threat to the community and other surrounding communities.” <br /> <br />Tanelli said he will forward to resolution to other communities in the Meadowlands area and other towns in Bergen County, asking them to demand the legislature change the state’s Fair Housing Act and the affordable housing mandates. <br /> <br />Tanelli said the new rules promulgated by the Council on Affordable Housing -- known as COAH Round 3 -- represent radical social engineering that will come at the expense of hard working homeowners who were able to afford a home without government assistance or mandates. <br /> <br />The new COAH regulations will impose a 20 percent low income housing requirement - for every group of five new residences, one must be an affordable unit. A similar calculation is made for non residential development as well. It is estimated that the cost of Round 3 would add billions to the cost of commercial development in New Jersey. <br /> <br />DETER INVESTMENT <br /> <br />Tanelli said COAH-3 will make it difficult to attract commercial tax ratables to the community at critical time when the borough is trying to map a new future for the Meadowlands portion of the community. <br /> <br />“Any developer who wants to invest in a commercial enterprise in our town, whether it be a warehouse or a retail store, will have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in added fees to construct affordable housing,” said Tanelli. <br /> <br />“I can’t think of a bigger disincentive the state could mandate to chase investment out of the region,” added the council president. “I think the legislators in Trenton have become dupes of the housing radicals, who simply don’t understand basic economics,” <br /> <br />OVERCROWDING & TAXES <br /> <br />Tanelli said not only will the new rules inhibit commercial development, but they will inundate already developed towns like North Arlington with additional housing, causing more overcrowding and more traffic congestion. The additional over-development, he said will force taxes to go up to pay for additional services, such as police, fire and schools. <br /> <br />Finally, said Tanelli, the legislature has failed to calculate the impact of the housing requirements on existing homeowners. <br /> <br />He noted that the state housing sales for the first quarter of the year dropped by 30 percent and that home prices are falling throughout the region. “In the face of one of the worst housing recessions in almost a century, the State of New Jersey – in one of the poorest decision it could possibly make -- is going to mandate the construction of hundreds of thousands of units of additional housing. All that will do is drive down the value of homes for existing homeowners, whose life savings are tied up in their property values.” <br /> <br />“Hasn’t anyone in Trenton thought about the senior citizens who are looking to retire and sell their home? It doesn’t appear so,” said Tanelli. <br /> <br />The Council President added that COAH-3 -- which raises income eligibility for subsidized housing to more than $86,000 for a family of four, -- “is a slap in the face to every hard working family that scrimped and saved and worked two jobs to afford a home. The State has created a yet another new entitlement for people earning almost $90,000. The legislature may as well promise to build everyone a house and let’s rename New Jersey the Soviet Union.” <br /> <br />Tanelli said his resolution is calling on the state legislature to completely overhaul the Fair Housing Act and to develop a new way to provide a one time subsidy to moderate income home buyers that does not entail building additional housing. <br /> <br />“The legislature needs to be creative. A revolving loan program for moderate income buyers would do more good than the mess the state has created with COAH,” said Tanelli</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Wed, Jul 2 2008, 8:42 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Speaking of a third party - Look what Ed Koch had to say about NY. The same can be said about NJ. <br /> <br />New York Is a Disgrace, Laughingstock <br />Tuesday, July 1, 2008 9:03 AM <br />By: Edward I. Koch <br /> <br />I have been thinking long and hard about the state of politics in New York. We are a national disgrace and laughingstock. <br /> <br />Our state legislature has been called the most dysfunctional in the country, and most opinion-makers voicing an opinion on the subject have agreed with the description. We have had a most unusual situation with the recent resignation of a governor, Eliot Spitzer, who was in office for a little more than a year, for using hookers and engaging in other possibly criminal conduct. <br /> <br />This followed the resignation of the newly-re-elected state comptroller, Alan Hevesi, for using state resources to provide assistance for his wife. The recent sudden departure of the state senate majority leader, Joe Bruno, followed. <br /> <br />Bruno, before he resigned, apparently called U.S. law enforcement authorities to ask if his resignation would cause them to end their investigation of his business activities then and still under investigation, and was told no. Now we have a state legislature totally dominated by the speaker, Sheldon Silver, who while conducting the state's affairs, allegedly also draws $1 million per year as a law firm partner in a state where the trial lawyers wield great influence on state legislation. <br /> <br />Then there is the enormous influence of the municipal unions on the state legislature and the laws it enacts affecting the relationship of those unions and New York City, particularly with respect to pensions. Those pension increases imposed by the state cost the city of New York billions of dollars in increases, most not agreed to by the city and adversely impacting on city services by causing cuts in service. <br /> <br />While the city has limited the terms of its city council by referendum, the state legislature rarely sees sitting members lose at the election polls, with on average less than 3 percent of the state legislators losing in any general election. <br /> <br />In 1999, we saw city legislators led by Speaker Shelly Silver disgracefully vote to successfully abolish the commuter tax paid by non-residents to the city for the services they receive here including police, fire and sanitation, depriving the city of more than $500 million dollars a year in tax revenues. No city legislator lost support of editorial boards, union support or has been punished at the election polls for that traitorous act. <br /> <br />Using the words of the late Bill Buckley in another context, what to do in this zoo-like atmosphere? <br /> <br />I propose that we use the tactic employed in New York City back in the 1950s through the 1960s and expand it. What was that tactic? <br /> <br />The formation of a reform wing in the Democratic Party. It was led by a group of revered citizens: Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Sen. Herbert Lehman, Mayor Robert Wagner, and others. The reformers undertook primaries against the regulars and beat many of them. <br /> <br />I had the privilege of running against the boss of bosses as he was referred to Carmine De Sapio leader of Tammany Hall, the Democratic organization running Manhattan. I was not the first to beat him in 1963 in a Democratic primary for District Leader in Greenwich Village. He was first defeated in 1961 by James Lannigan. <br /> <br />Those victories led to many reform changes in Manhattan which spread to the other boroughs. Regrettably, as often happens, reform ultimately tires with the return of the regular forces. <br /> <br />What we should do is improve on the reform model and create a new party which will state in its manifesto that it is running against the candidates of both the Democratic and Republican parties and has as its goal the sweeping out of Albany of all incumbents the bad and the good replacing them with the new party's candidates. <br /> <br />After two elections in which the new party is successful, it should agree to dissolve and allow the Democratic and Republican parties to once again take over, vying against one another on a philosophical basis, hoping they have learned their lesson and become functional. <br /> <br />So how do we start? We have to find those five New Yorkers willing to do what Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt and Herbert Lehman, et al., did step forward and lead such an effort. <br /> <br />If they do, we can turn our state of deplorable politics around and once again be proud to be citizens of the great Empire State that produced FDR, Al Smith, and Fiorello LaGuardia, among others. <br /> <br />This need not be a dream. It can become a reality. <br /> <br /><a href="http://www.newsmax.com/koch/new_york_koch/2008/07/01/108867.html" target="_blank">http://www.newsmax.com/koch/new_york_koch/2008/07/01/108867.html</a></span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Stop the Whining</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Mon, Jun 30 2008, 3:38 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody"></span><table width="90%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" border="0" align="center"><tr> <td><span class="genmed"><b>fred thomsen wrote:</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="quote">Democrat, Republican..........they ALL suck! <br />The system is broken, and only a miracle can fix it. <br />GOOD LUCK!!!</td> </tr></table><span class="postbody"> <br /> <br />When will America be ready for a third party?</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>fred thomsen</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Mon, Jun 30 2008, 2:05 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Democrat, Republican..........they ALL suck! <br />The system is broken, and only a miracle can fix it. <br />GOOD LUCK!!!</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Sun, Jun 29 2008, 12:13 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">And let's not forget how small towns like Cranbury are being treated by the Democrats in Trenton and Corzine. <br /> <br />Loss of state aid will be felt by all of us here and less of your taxes are comming back into this community. Cranbury will see an estimated loss of 10.3 percent from the previous year; <br /> <br /> <br />That was the general reaction of several Central Jersey mayors as they talked about estimates from the nonpartisan state Office of Legislative Services on the loss of municipal state aid in the upcoming fiscal year of the state budget. <br /> <br />The budget, adopted by the Legislature on Monday, is on the desk of Gov. Jon S. Corzine. He has until June 30 to sign it. <br /> <br /></span><table width="90%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" border="0" align="center"><tr> <td><span class="genmed"><b>Quote:</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="quote">"Trenton's hypocrisy is so great, I can't stomach it," said Mayor Kennedy O'Brien. <br /> <br />"They impose a spending cap on the towns, they reduce the return of taxpayers' money to the townships, and then they themselves go on a drunken spending spree. If they had any shame, they should feel ashamed. <br /></td> </tr></table><span class="postbody"> <br /> <br /><a href="http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080626/NEWS/806260350" target="_blank">http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080626/NEWS/806260350</a></span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Fri, Jun 27 2008, 4:48 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">I may have taken your post out of context and if I did I am sorry. However, your name stop the whining combined with complaining about people complaining led me to that conclusion. I see a lot of people in my office who blindly support our legislature and governor simply because of party. When questioned they tell me to stop complaining and that these individuals are doing their best. Truth is that they are not. They are looking for their own interests first. <br /> <br />There is nothing wrong with asking for answers. I'd like to see a politician offer a true solution independent of the unions and take on the unions without fear. Truth is a lot of union members disagree with the union stance and the union members don't vote blindly along union lines. I offered what I would eliminate to get the state back in order. <br /> <br />The big solution I do see is not to vote for the current Democrats in office. To me that is the best solution.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>cranbury liberal</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Fri, Jun 27 2008, 4:11 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody"></span><table width="90%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" border="0" align="center"><tr> <td><span class="genmed"><b>Stop the Whining wrote:</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="quote"></span><table width="90%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" border="0" align="center"><tr> <td><span class="genmed"><b>centrist wrote:</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="quote">Okay, you want to support Corzine and the Dems, I get it STW. You do it in a veiled post saying tell us to stop complaining. However, I already did tell you what was wrong when you asked. <br /> <br />......... <br /> <br />Stop the whining, your attitude is exactly what is wrong with the voters in NJ. You'd rather vote for the same crop and argue those who want change and accountability then to oppose the system as usual. Or perhaps you are party blind.</td> </tr></table><span class="postbody"> <br /> <br />So, you are saying my attitude is wrong when I ask about solutions to problems? <br /> <br />Everyone can point to what is broken in a system. There is not much skill involved in that. I can do that! And you did it as well. <br /> <br />Coming up with real solutions is what is important. That I can't do. But I am interested in what others propose. <img src="images/smiles/icon_wink.gif" alt="Wink" border="0" /></td> </tr></table><span class="postbody"> <br /> <br /> <br />The only real solution is for the electorate in this State to start strongly organizing votes against any politician who demonstrates a voting pattern that aligns with members of the political machines in-line with known patrons of the major special interests. The vote on A-500 is a perfect example. The bill isn’t positive for any major constituency in DeAngelo’s district other than a small minority of people who work for developers, etc. So its clear he was being a corrupt loyal soldier for the Roberts machine. Corzine is part of that system too, which he demonstrated when despite his understanding of the economics he knowingly ignored the facts about the township consolidation issue. These are only a couple examples. <br /> <br />I think the problem, as a Democrat who has contributed to it in previous elections, is that most people vote along party lines and NJ is a strongly liberal state as a whole. This isn’t entirely dumb. The reality is even as an informed person, I get to the polls with very little specific background on most of the candidates besides Governor or national Senator. You have to really be diligent to become informed. That’s not equally true everywhere. When I lived in Los Angeles, the LA Times did a spectacularly better job of covering the candidates even for city and county positions, with coverage that started months before the elections. There also was ample literature from most of the candidates and the State itself sent pre-election pamphlets that allowed each candidate to publish position statements and for people to publish counter position statements. Extensively more information. NJ is pathetic by comparison. But the current politicians have no interest in changing that because it works to their advantage for people to be uninformed and receive only the limited information that candidates sponsored by the major parties and special interests can disseminate. <br /> <br />Individuals need to take responsibility to break party loyalty in voting, not in only rare cases but as the rule. If I have a wealth of information on a candidate, I can and will decide by the facts. If I don’t, frankly for now, I will intentionally vote against the candidate sponsored by the current ruling party, the Democrats, because it is a fairly safe bet that said candidate was endorsed and is beholden to the controlling special interests. Now if enough people did this and it actually resulted in a change of control, it would remain to be seen if the Republicans could do any better. But as a whole there would be a clear vibe in the political landscape that the change was a result of voter apathy finally being awakened to voter outrage and if they were smart they would not repeat the same mistakes, at least to the same degree… <br /> <br />I absolutely will not vote for Corzine again, or anyone he endorses. In fact, I know people senior in the Obama campaign and I intend to send them a message that I will not vote for Obama if he gives Corzine any official advisory status in the campaign because it would demonstrate support or apathy against political corruption. And I’ll be true to my word too. I don’t expect my single letter to sway any decision of course, but I need to stand by principles as an individual and hope enough others do too. There is no easy solution that doesn’t involve enough people finally changing their behavior – the electorate is the only body that can change things.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Fri, Jun 27 2008, 4:07 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">A simple rule of thumb: vote for people with integrity, regardless of their party affiliation.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Stop the Whining</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Fri, Jun 27 2008, 3:24 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody"></span><table width="90%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" border="0" align="center"><tr> <td><span class="genmed"><b>centrist wrote:</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="quote">Okay, you want to support Corzine and the Dems, I get it STW. You do it in a veiled post saying tell us to stop complaining. However, I already did tell you what was wrong when you asked. <br /> <br />......... <br /> <br />Stop the whining, your attitude is exactly what is wrong with the voters in NJ. You'd rather vote for the same crop and argue those who want change and accountability then to oppose the system as usual. Or perhaps you are party blind.</td> </tr></table><span class="postbody"> <br /> <br />So, you are saying my attitude is wrong when I ask about solutions to problems? <br /> <br />Everyone can point to what is broken in a system. There is not much skill involved in that. I can do that! And you did it as well. <br /> <br />Coming up with real solutions is what is important. That I can't do. But I am interested in what others propose. <img src="images/smiles/icon_wink.gif" alt="Wink" border="0" /></span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>James</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Fri, Jun 27 2008, 1:08 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Excellent post and my thoughts exactly. I'm a Republican and my wife is a Democrat. Your statements are in line with our views.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>cranbury liberal</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Fri, Jun 27 2008, 11:08 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: Not happy with how Democrats are running NJ, a Cranbury Republican wants cha</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">I am a life-long registered Democrat. My take falls somewhere in the middle here. I agree corruption in politics is a key problem for New Jersey, as is the electorate’s general tolerance of it. I also think corruption itself has no party affiliation and there are plenty of bad Republicans and Democrats. The bad Democrats are causing more problems right now because they are in control. But there are plenty of Republicans taking their share who would do more if they could… <br /> <br />Where I disagree with some posts here is I don’t think that corruption itself is the core issue. I think it is a key ingredient – i.e. if most politicians in NJ were not effectively for sale and willing to cater to special interest patrons to keep their seats and improve their power base, the rest would not be possible. But the core issue for me is that the State, as a result of the opportunity created by the open corruption and conflicts of interests, is truly run by a collection of very powerful special interests whose agendas run absolutely counter to the interests of the vast majority of the population of the State. And sine these special interests are closely aligned with the Democratic party in NJ, the State Democratic party does bear the majority responsibility for the sad state of our State. <br /> <br />In particular, the Democratic power base in this State effectively exists as a slave to two groups: Developers and Unions. In most of the country, developers are actually more associated with Republican special interests, like other big businesses. But NJ/NY is unique because the labor force is much more Unionized than anywhere else in this country (perhaps excepting Chicago). As a result, developers find receptive servants in the Democrats who are already tightly and historically aligned with the Democrats nationally and in the State. As a student of history and a Democrat, I will say that Unions were once necessary. I don’t believe in the simple Republican construct of the ‘20’s that “the business of America is business” and unchecked big business was trampling on human rights and decency and the Unions naturally arose as a free market counter force. But their nobleness and purpose died long ago and now they are a vehicle for corruption. They no longer represent a force to get workers basic, fair treatment but as a force to secure treatment disproportionate to the rest of the workforce and often incompatible with the macro status of the economy. There are very few non-Unionized workers who are still eligible for pensions, for example, or free heath care, or guaranteed raised in excess of inflation. And where unions are strong, like the auto industry, transportation and public services, they are literally leading these industries into near or full bankruptcy, so out of whack their positions are with overall economic conditions. These Unions are no longer the champions of what is “fair and just” for a workforce, they are the strong arm enforcers of absurd prerequisites and rights that are fundamentally at odds with capitalism. They encourage mediocre performance by protecting jobs regardless of performance which be definition is the antithesis of “fair or just.” I could go on, but the point is I think modern Unions are one of the most destructive forces in the Western World today, both here and in Western Europe. <br /> <br />Wayne DeAngelo is a perfect example of this – a Union member who was hand picked as a loyal party member to represent the interests of Unions and developers, not his constituents like Cranbury Township. He is a poster child for everything wrong with NJ’s system. <br /> <br />The net result is between unions and developers, NJ is already the most densely developed state of the Union, yet they want to keep the trend going to feed their own greed until there is nothing left. Corzine cannot accomplish real budgetary reform because the Unions are one of his key patrons. So while the State’s unionized workforce with their pension and make-work requirements is really at the core of our State budget problems, Corzine can only make a show of pursuing measures at the fringes which do little and sometimes actually do more harm but which are compatible with the interests of his masters. The initiatives for mergers into larger townships are perfect examples. It is great for the Democrats because unions and developers have more influence and control in larger cities with bloated bureaucracy, so they win, and the idea looks good on paper because it is easy to say “bigger is better because we will get efficiency of scale and consolidation of services.” The facts prove the opposite, and again it is because of the Unions. The reality is bigger is inefficient. The least cost effective school districts, that all of our tax dollars subsidize, for example, are the largest. Whereas Cranbury manages to self-finance all of our own school, still subsidize those large district with our tax dollars and still have a more efficient tax rate than those large municipalities. <br /> <br />The net result is, while I have no faith that the Republican Party of NJ is any more noble on the whole than the Democrats (though I do like Senator Baroni), it is the Democrats who are currently leading the ruin of the State, and certainly risking the future of Cranbury. So while I have not decided to change my official national party affiliation at this time due to larger political principles, our household has made a definite decision to vote Republican in local and State politics. In the end, we vote for the person not the party, but as a general rule if they are the Democratic “insider” candidate, we will view them skeptically and not give them the benefit of the doubt unless they can demonstrate a clear pattern of opposition to the Union and developer state masters.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> </table>
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