Dumb and Dumber

by: Paul Aronsohn

Sat Mar 27, 2010 at 10:36:39 AM EDT

Put aside the Blue Law issue.  Put aside their defense of indefensible cuts to social services and education.  And still, Bergen Republican leaders had a banner week - one that underscored a fundamental point:  These folks are not ready for primetime.

First, there was Bergen County Republican Organization Chairman Bob Yudin railing against "patronage" jobs only one day after he accepted a gubernatorial appointment to the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority - something for which he is woefully unqualified.  

That's right - within 24 hours, the appliance store owner, who was appointed to the Board of the state's top sports and entertainment venue, publicly expressed outrage about political patronage.  Unbelievable.  You can't make this stuff up.  If nothing else, Yudin proved that when it comes to patronage, he is clearly an expert....

DUMBER...

But wait.  The Republican week got better ... or at least dumber.

On Thursday, Bergen County Republican Candidate Kathe Donovan responded to the Blue Law fiasco by putting out her own press release - one in which she calls for an increase in taxes and an increase in government jobs.  

That's right - Donovan's response to the state's budget crisis is to increase taxes through a "one-time revenue" squeeze on Jets and Giants fans and to "establish an Office of Asset and Revenue Recovery in the Attorney General's Office."   Didn't she get the memo from the Governor - no new taxes, no "one-shot gimmicks", and no new government jobs?  

Again, you can't make this stuff up.

Needless to say, Bergen Republicans - in fact, all Bergen residents - deserve better.  Much better.