Quote of the Day: "He was elected Governor, not King"

My prediction (4.00 / 1)

Like any smart lawyer Christie is playing hardball and holding out until the last minute to make a deal.  Of course he'll shut down the government over the summer to appease the TNuts on his right flank, but when push comes to shove there are enough moderate Republicans in the legislature, some of them endorsed by the NJEA, to lean on Christie to agree to sone "revenue enhancements" and restore some of the aid, especially to suburban districts which have been hit the hardest.  Keep in mind that many of the suburban districts hit hardest by Christie's cuts are represented by GOP legislators, and I'm sure they'll want to see some of that aid restored.

I don't think Christie will agree to reinstate the millionaires tax but I'm sure he can find enough loopholes and tax breaks he can get rid of to "enhance revenue" enough to restore some of the most draconian cuts.

http://christiegonewild.blogsp...

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by: ken bank @ Sun Apr 11, 2010 at 21:23:10 PM UTC

Christie Is 100% Wrong and Vulnerable On This (4.00 / 1)

Sweeney is correct on this......he must not cave in!

Failing to make the wealthy pay their fair share while embracing draconian cuts for working and middle class New Jerseyans is ugly policy and grotesque politics.

The Democratic majorities MUST force a vote on these issues and get the Republicans to go on record as to whether they are with the asshole would be "King of New Jersey" or they are with the working PEOPLE of our state.

This is a voting issue folks.    The Democrats MUST hang tough on this and EVERY Republican that supports tax cuts for the rich while fucking over everyone else in the state needs to be fired by the PEOPLE of New Jersey!

Not only should the tax on the "super rich" be extended.....but the whole NJ tax system needs to be made MORE progressive.

Making NJ a lousy place to live for working people is NOT the solution to our problems.

If it means shutting down the government except for emergency/essential services until election day in November....then so be it.   Let the elections become a referendum on whether the richest people in the state should get their taxes CUT while everyone else is being told to make major sacrifices!!!

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by: Nick Lento @ Mon Apr 12, 2010 at 04:45:35 AM UTC

State Workers should be saving their money (0.00 / 0)

Sweeney will never back down on this . Never. He might not get his way completely but he will not back down.

This is 100% on Christie. Shutting down the state sounds like a "cool" idea ,but for all you state worker haters, thereare a lot of important and essentail services that are performed.

One serious incident or even a death ,will fall 100% on Christie and his quest to keep the rich even richer.  

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by: firstamend07 @ Mon Apr 12, 2010 at 10:15:34 AM UTC

Is that the Double Dipper (0.00 / 0)

shining in the darkness? And it was Governor Corzine who shut down state government to try and deal with these machine-bossed politicians in his own party. Are these the same slimy creatures?

Personally, I think this is the wrong approach entirely. And locally, it will contribute to the routing of the Democratic county ticket---which is another undisguised insult to public intelligence and integrity. People are looking for the change Obama promised. In NJ at least, it will not come from the same old, same old.

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by: Teedyuscung @ Mon Apr 12, 2010 at 11:25:43 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Like It Or Not...... (0.00 / 0)

...Sweeney is the top Dem dawg.......I want to see him fighting tooth and nail for the people and against the radical Bush Republican that conned his way into the job of governor.    My concern is that Sweeney is just making some populist noise so he can then sell out the people and get more gravy for Norcross et all as compensation for the sellout.

Christie is a total shit........Sweeney ain't no saint......but is likely better than Christie.

Politics (these days) is all about triage and limiting the damage done by flawed "leaders".   I wish it were different.

Until the people of NJ actually take over the Democratic party from the corporate pimps and elected whores that (mostly) now control it......the most we can hope for is to limit the harm/damage.

Nothing truly/profoundly progressive will happen in this state unless/until a MASS MOVEMENT of truly committed progressives takes over the Democratic party.....nothing less will  be able to overcome the hundreds of millions of dollars the corrupt corporate/monied interests can spend on PR bullshit to keep decent folks distracted, divided and conquered.

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by: Nick Lento @ Mon Apr 12, 2010 at 20:49:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

What makes you think not?? (0.00 / 0)

Sweeney is pretty much a Republican, except when it comes to benefits for the iron workers.

He's buckled to conservative interests before, that's why my dad has furlough days and our college's are underfunded.

-Jordan O

http://pinelandsprogressive.blogspot.com

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by: IndependentNJ @ Mon Apr 12, 2010 at 12:37:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

since when is 400K (0.00 / 0)

income for a family or a business owner "super rich"......you really want to tax the "Rich " tax assets not income .....but you might just get a argument from Corzie and his pals on that one .Put a 10 pct tax on assets hell you would raise over 1 billion on a few "super rich " alone ! Leave the incentive alone for people to become rich    

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by: speedkillsu @ Mon Apr 12, 2010 at 14:20:14 PM UTC

To anyone actually working for a living..... (0.00 / 0)

400K per year is super rich.

The more money you have the easier it is to make more money.   Wealth tends to conglomerate.    That's why we need real democracy and effective government.

I believe your idea of a pure wealth/asset tax is a good one that should be placed on top of retaining/increasing taxes on the rich.

This country was very stable and prosperous when the top tax rates were at 80/90% under Republican President Dwight Eisenhower.

Greedy accumulations of conglomerated wealth cause poverty and societal deterioration.  It's a decadent perversion of all that is decent in human nature.

There is such a thing as filthy rich.

Power corrupts......look at Italy under the one man fascistic rule of Berlusconi.

Wealth/power/ego it's all shit.

The truly creative innovative hard working folk rarely get the full measure of the value of their efforts.....being greedy, rapacious and ruthless is a diseased state of being which should not be rewarded.

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by: Nick Lento @ Mon Apr 12, 2010 at 20:38:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

$400K is "comfortable"- enough to pay an extra point (0.00 / 0)

or 2 above that amount in taxes! Add another point over a million and maybe 10 million. how much did Dwek and his family pay in taxes?

"Discrimination caused by ignorance and fear is a tax on human progress" - Barbra Casbar Siperstein

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by: Babs NJSD @ Tue Apr 13, 2010 at 05:18:02 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

It's time for an all out battle with glorious leader christie (0.00 / 0)

Make him shut the government down just like the Republicans did to Corzine.  Do not approach this budget that is robbery from everyone to give money to Christie's rich pals.

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by: rjsnj @ Tue Apr 13, 2010 at 20:11:33 PM UTC