How Corzine Could Lose To Christie...

very interesting (0.00 / 0)

Frank LoBiondo Record and Jon Runyan Watch

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by: Hopeful @ Wed Apr 08, 2009 at 00:20:52 AM UTC

Ever consider... (3.00 / 1)

writing this to the Governor in his recent post, "Your Comments"?  Surprising for most politicians, he's listening to the netroots.

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by: vincent solomeno @ Fri Apr 10, 2009 at 00:40:40 AM UTC

Thanks For The Suggestion Vincent (0.00 / 0)

I'll make a brief comment and include a link to this diary.  

My sense is that the governor and/or certainly "his people" are well aware of my views (and those of many other reform minded Democrats like Tom Wyka et al).

If Jon Corzine were to take what I'm saying here seriously and put forth a positively radical set of proposals to deal with the full spectrum of ethical/electoral reforms that would be required to clean up the state (and set an example/tone for the rest of the nation) it would be resented and resisted by the forces/entities that benefit massively from the status quo...and that pushback would likely be at a national level.

On the other hand, it would energize the whole progressive movement throughout the nation, and just might result in downstream effects that are incalculable (especially in terms of global warming policies etc).

Everything is connected.

Jon Corzine is already an extremely wealthy man.  He doesn't need this job (in the conventional sense).   One wonders what holds him back from truly "going to the mat" for the people of New Jersey.

I believe that making the moves I suggest would result in a massive victory...but even if that turned out to be false (imagine a nationally funded campaign to destroy him)....the fight would shed so much light on the de factor organized criminality that is the status quo....that it would be well worth it.

Also, I dare say that if the progressive movement were to become a bipartisan and progressively POPULIST force in American politics (that means transcending the "leftist" stereotypes/tropes) it would embolden President Obama to aim much higher in his own initiatives/agendas.

New Jersey has a well deserved national reputation (a la Louisiana and Chicago) for being a state where dirty corrupt politics are the norm.   I believe that if a root to branch set of legislative proposals were submitted by our own Governor that the people (from both sides of the aisle/political divide) would rise up and force the legislators to pass them.

We can shoot for 100% public campaign financing (and matching funds in the situation where a wealthy individual tries to totally buy/dominate the process a la Bully Boy Bloomberg in NY).

If the Republican SCOTUS were to strike down reforms using the Buckley v Vallejo decision as their rationale, then repass the legislation with the minimal changes required....and get the process of a Constitutional Amendment started that makes it clear that American democracy is not for sale.

Vincent, I challenge you...and anyone else out there to come up with any issue/problem that isn't (or couldn't be) related to the perversion of pay to play politics.

Republicans and Democrats might always disagree on certain ideological points and that's fine....but surely we can ALL agree that the democratic process needs to be beholden to the qualitative will of the electorate, not the quantitative dollar amounts that can be "contributed" to generate mind numbing/brain washing propaganda.

No doubt that Corzine (and or the surrogates who may be penning his responses) is quite capable of coming up with rational sounding excuses for not going all out in the way I suggest.....but at the core such a rationale is would not be credible.  Why?   Because we are living in times when the vast majority of Americans truly ARE ready for radical, progressively/positively radical change....and that's because so much shit has been hitting so  any fans that scores of millions are really suffering.....and hundreds of millions are anxious/concerned.

The big excuse/argument for failing to propose/push really serious/big change is that "it can't be done" because "the opposition is too strong and they won't allow it   and/or "the people aren't ready for it yet".   Nonsense.  If ever there was a time to implement a trans-partisan progressive populist agenda...that time is NOW!!!

We are still a democracy, right???

The polls show that Americans are ready and even desperate for strong actions to combat corruption and to truly clean up the systematic criminality that dominates our financial system.....and that's with  no real leadership from the top and in spite of mainstream commercial media that does all it can to stifle dissent, distract us from being angry and redirect any discontent towards "bad guys" that do not include our own establishment's power structure.

Having someone like a Governor Jon Corzine actually coming out and leading people would only increase the poll numbers in favor of real, root to branch, positively radical/systemic reforms.

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by: Nick Lento @ Fri Apr 10, 2009 at 15:09:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Ever consider... (0.00 / 0)

writing this to the Governor in his recent post, "Your Comments"?  Surprising for most politicians, he's listening to the netroots.

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by: vincent solomeno @ Fri Apr 10, 2009 at 00:40:40 AM UTC

Here's the thing... (0.00 / 0)

This is not news to the governor. He knows full well the electorate wants the eradication of pay to play and wheeling as well as other ethical measures. This is evidenced by his several speeches referencing the 'toxic mix of money and politics'.

And honestly, I believe the governor supports those efforts personally.

But the governor does not seem to have the will or courage to take on the Codeys, Robertses, Norcrosses, and other advocates for the status quo.

I was impressed when he first took office and went to the mat for the sales tax increase. But it seems he learned his lesson there, and has never 'made waves' since, and that is a shame.

"Where ever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai

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by: William Weber (WjcW) @ Fri Apr 10, 2009 at 01:12:29 AM UTC

[ Parent ]