It's Time to Lead

Sweeney /Oliver have been leaders (0.00 / 0)

The Housing tax credit Bill has been passed,Sweeney /Oliver led on that issue. What more can be done? They can't force the Republicans to override the veto.

Same with the millionaires tax.

State Senator Madden ,with the help of Senate President Sweeney has worked extremely hard to keep unemployment benefits at least stable. There has been leadership there but again Christie has the Republican legislators by the throat and a veto override will not be possible if the bill is passed in current form.

" No new Taxes" is what Christie has said. How can the transportation trust fund be fixed without some form of higher gas tax? But a higher gas tax is almost impossible to attain in this environment. What do you expect Sweeney and Oliver to do?

The " haters" of Sweeney /Oliver refuse to recognize reality and they refuse to understand that compromise, not unrealistic battles ,are what is needed. Some of these weak kneed progressives like to pump out their chests on this site and talk about shutting down the State. They would also be the first to complain when state services are not being provided.

Sweeney and Oliver have been leading. They have been making things work in a difficult environment. Without Republican support they cannot beat Christie in this budget year. Fighting windmills like some arm chair progressives would prefer is just wasted time and effort.  

STOP THE HATING AND GIVE SOME CREDIT ONCE IN AWHILE !      

 

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by: firstamend07 @ Sun Jun 13, 2010 at 20:27:21 PM UTC

You ask "What more can be done?" (0.00 / 0)

You are right of course that Christie has the veto. However, we know that before the budget is completed there will be some horse trading. At a minimum there will negotiations over some selected budget items that Democrats want inserted. The governor also has an aggressive and substantial list of additional priorities including pension, the 2.5% cap and other items on which he will need Democratic support. Our leaders are not helpless. They can make their case to the public and negotiate with the governor. They have showed some spine with the millionaire's tax and the the home tax rebate.  They now need to generate more positive, creative solutions and then not just vote on them in a vacuum, but negotiate their passage through old fashioned horse trading. And that is how leaders in a tough position need to operate.  

"The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." - Sen. Ted Kennedy

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by: Bill Orr @ Sun Jun 13, 2010 at 21:29:55 PM UTC

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Not part of the budget (0.00 / 0)

The "tool kit" is another battle. That will happen over the ummer in a special legislative session.

Christie will definitely not get everything he wants but that fight will not start until the middle of July.

It is only fair to judge Sweeney and Oliver at that time, not now.  

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by: firstamend07 @ Mon Jun 14, 2010 at 00:14:36 AM UTC

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What do you think of that strategy? (0.00 / 0)

By waiting until the summer for the special session, there is a question about whether it will be on the ballot this year. If it's not on this year and is on the ballot in 2011, won't that be a defining issue of the campaign? If so, is that good or bad for Democrats? August 2 is the deadline for submission of proposed amendments to the State Constitution to be Voted Upon at the General Election.

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by: Jason Springer @ Mon Jun 14, 2010 at 01:29:40 AM UTC

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Stop the name-calling (0.00 / 0)

I don't see where the original diary criticizes Sweeney or Oliver.  It's a pretty positive piece that gives constructive ways for the legislative to lead better.  

Previously, you've asked for constructive solutions.  Well, here is one, and the only thing you can think of is to twist it into some kind of Sweeney criticism so that you can bring out your non-constructive cliched "Sweeney-haters" rhetoric.

If Sweeney has been half as effective as you think he has been, or been half-as-creative as what Orr posted, no one would be posting diaries on the leadership vacuum in Trenton right now.

Firstamend, I would ask you to practice what you tell others to do.  Put away your non-constructive, destructive rhetoric and propose some ways that the Senate leadership could better lead.   Right now, you seem to be proposing that we have faith that leadership is happening in some type of black-box in Trenton that normal people aren't allowed to hear the details of.   You're pretty close with Sen. Sweeney, so you might accept that.  It's hard to see why the rest of us should accept it.

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by: princetonblue @ Mon Jun 14, 2010 at 01:00:35 AM UTC

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Simply pointing out (0.00 / 0)

The last sentence of the original diary was " its time to lead" all I did was point out that leadership already was occurring.

Sometimes a leader must recognize reality and proceed in a manner that will get the greatest positive result. I was just stating that Sweeney and Oliver, in my eyes,were doing just that.  

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by: firstamend07 @ Mon Jun 14, 2010 at 10:02:58 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

let's not confuse Oliver with Sweeney (0.00 / 0)

And let's please not get into the habit of uttering their names in the same breath as the commenter would like us to.

The two could not be more different and just because the word "sweeney" is mentioned in tandem with the name of a black woman progressive doesn't inoculate Sweeney from criticism IMHO.    

activist for hire.

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by: Jay Lassiter @ Mon Jun 14, 2010 at 10:30:21 AM UTC

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Litmus tester (0.00 / 0)

You have made your decision on Sweeney based on one issue. He did not do what you wanted him to do on ME and therefore he is forever banned in your eyes.

Fine. That is your right.

Just don't pretend to be anything but a litmus tester. Many people do it,the majority it seems are way on the right but you have made ME your test and that will cloud anything and everything Sweeney does from now on.  

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by: firstamend07 @ Mon Jun 14, 2010 at 19:16:38 PM UTC

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Transportation trust fund leadership (0.00 / 0)

You seem to despair that there is nothing leadership can do regarding the transportation fund.  What leadership can do is lead.  Rather than wait for Christie to present his plan, which is likely to be most unappealing to us, let the legislature come up with its own proposal. In the nature of horse trading it might include, for example,  a higher gas tax, which Christie does not want, with pay as you go (no borrowing) which Christie does want. Getting half a loaf is better than no loaf at all, but it will not come to those who only sit and wait.  

"The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." - Sen. Ted Kennedy

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by: Bill Orr @ Mon Jun 14, 2010 at 12:35:48 PM UTC

[ Parent ]