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NJ Democrats: What I want to know

by: Rosi Efthim

Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 02:39:59 PM EDT

What I want to know is why the New Jersey Democrats could spare 10 lawmakers for a Summit in Atlantic City, to spend one entire day chattering about gambling, horses and tourists. And let Loretta Weinberg and Linda Stender walk into a room by themselves to be ambushed by GOP staffers one-upping them with news that women's health funding just lost all key GOP support.

What about this confuses you Democrats, in terms of priority?

Does nobody in the Democratic Party get the disastrous optics of this? All that Dem firepower all day long to rescue gambling industries that on their best day are fun places to spend leisure money and on their worst are a regressive tax on poor saps we tempt into risking their mortgage money while distracting them with half-dressed women, colored lights and booze? While what's at stake for the women of New Jersey is maintaining access to health care for at least 40,000 women? That is necessity, not leisure. Are you kidding me?

Tell me all you want that the AC Summit was about jobs. Union jobs. Good.

Shut the GOP out of your summit because Christie's Hanson Commission was hand-picked and secretive. Whatev.

Suit up to fight off a Christie takeover AC plan that's GOP incursion on your Democratic-controlled city. If you must.

But you did not look good doing this. You let the conversation in the papers be about your decision to shut out the GOP. No less outrageous than the governor's choices, but way more public, and thus more publicly petty. Particularly when you start trotting out old turf wars North v. South, which was some time after the bugler dressed in a red costume get-up opened the summit like he was blowing the start of some race. Do you feel me here?

Legislating with the Governor from Hell must be demoralizing and frustrating. But it's time to get your act together. And leaving two women legislators hanging in the wind to advocate for the most at-risk members of half your citizenry is not it.

I don't know if the Dems have the legislative strength to overcome this veto, now that Christie pulled the leash on GOP senators Diane Allen, Kip Bateman, Andrew Ciesla, Christopher Connors, Sean Kean & Robert Singer, and stopped them thinking for themselves. Is this override just a sinking ship you don't wanna be on? If so, think again. You want to be Democrats, you're going to have to show up for women, and for people at risk. You're not going to do that, you'll have to call yourself something else.

Because the GOP's dominated by the Christies and the Jay Webbers, for whom Roe v. Wade isn't settled law, it's law they don't feel like recognizing. Access to birth control and the prevention of unplanned pregnancy isn't access to health care for them, it's an excuse to inflict their opinions about morality ~~on the rest of us~~ on women, never risking their own lives. Forget pap smears, breast cancer screenings - that's not even on their radar.

We see you Dems who came out for women. Thank you. But, Democrats, for most of you - Your house is burning, and you left your women inside while you went to the track. Get straight.

Rosi Efthim :: NJ Democrats: What I want to know

Tags: Horse Racing, gambling, family planning, women's health, Jay Webber, Chris Christie, Loretta Weinberg, featured, Linda Stender, NJDSC, Atlantic City, (All Tags)

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NJ Democrats: What I want to know | 11 comments

optics and priorities (4.00 / 2)

The Democratic Party as a whole (not just NJ) has a horrible problem with optics (paging the new NJ State Party spokesperson!!!) They can bury a huge victory with some nonsense sideshow, or bury a huge negative for the Republicans with their own sideshow.

Which they have done here, although it is much worse than that. Time and time again over the past year or two, this Party has failed its base, its activists, its supporters in ways that were unimaginable. This issue was a no brainer, and one that was seen as far back as the Primary race last year.

And the way that women's heath issues has been pushed aside (as well as marriage equality to name just one of many others) is a disgrace.

This party better get it's priorities straight and start governing like a majority - call the Governor and the Republican Party on their shameful and shameless behavior. Because letting them pass a budget only favored by Republicans to say "see, this is how bad they are" is, frankly, bullshit and cowardly.

Voters don't like whiny cowards who sell out their base.

Scott Garrett - on the wrong side of, well, everything.

by: Adam L @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 18:50:08 PM UTC

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oops, not primary race (0.00 / 0)

but the Governor's race.

But for the rest....yeah.

Scott Garrett - on the wrong side of, well, everything.

by: Adam L @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 19:10:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

What we have here... (0.00 / 0)

is a failure to communicate.

Blog: http://www.deciminyan.org

by: deciminyan @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 19:03:44 PM UTC

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NJ Dems (0.00 / 0)

Thanks male Dems, showing us once again, business, even a loosing one, trumps values. Gambling,booze/fun trumps womens/childrens health. Is this the means to deal with the excess population? Themes becoming more and more transparent. Good on Rosi to give this issue a what for. Maybe Dem women want to sit out this yrs election in some locations.

by: regnig @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 21:20:39 PM UTC

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business v. values (0.00 / 0)

You know, I didn't frame it that way, because that comparison didn't really hit me till you made it. It's worth considering.

I do believe that some of this concern is about jobs. But it all seems like a house of cards to me - we're creating jobs for middle-class people, and we're seducing other middle-class people to risk money they should have in a savings account, or building for their kids/grandkids college fund. I hear myself sounding like a killjoy, but I'm sorry - the gambling "industry" isn't like building cars, or making clothing. Nothing is created - besides those jobs, which now are going to PA casinos. Nothing is created except profit itself.

Donald Trump lives differently than we do. Why should we help him get rich? Trust me, his wife has health care.

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.

by: Rosi Efthim @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 21:39:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The Democrats (0.00 / 0)

let Boss Norcross call the shots and now the Party of No Spine is getting the short end of the stick.
Whimping out gets you booted out.

Restore democracy and the Constitution for which it stands.

by: The Wizard @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 01:00:28 AM UTC

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Let's Just Get It Done (4.00 / 2)

Rosi: As usual a post that makes us think. To be fair, Linda Stender and I were not "sent in" by ourselves. The press conference was our own idea and, therefore, we went ahead on our own. Did not plan the schedule near the AC "summit".
I think the "guys" just figured Linda and I would carry the message on this one. Perhaps you're right, and we should have heard more from others. However, we will continue to carry the fight, because beside all the Democratic women legislators who signed on to the battle, (along with some good guys), support continues to grow for restoration of funds. Thank you to Assemblywomen Valerie Huttle, Linda Greenstein, Pam Lampitt, Annette Quijano, Mila Jasey, Joan Quigley, Connie Wagner, Elease Evans, Cleopatra Tucker and Joan Voss (among others) who have written their own columns, and their own press releases along with my Senate sisters, Shirley Turner, Nia Gill, Teresa Ruiz, Barbara Buono, and Sandra Cunningham who have stood with us in many prior press conferences!

Our County Executive, Dennis McNerney did a Bergen robo call this evening urging voters to call the Governor's office on family planning dollars. Another help.

Let's just get it done.

by: Senator Loretta Weinberg @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 02:58:15 AM UTC

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Well said! (0.00 / 0)

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

by: carolh @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 14:30:00 PM UTC

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sorry for the names I omitted. (0.00 / 0)

It was late, and I guess I wasn't keeping all names in mind. Of course, my sister birthday celebrant, Assemblywoman Bonnie Watston Coleman, has also been a consistent supporter in this fight. Our Speaker, Sheila Oliver will lead in getting this done.

by: Senator Loretta Weinberg @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 15:47:59 PM UTC

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As will the co-chair of the Women's Legislators Caucus.........Assemblywoman Grace Spencer (0.00 / 0)

Now I think I've covered all the "girls"!

by: Senator Loretta Weinberg @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 15:52:06 PM UTC

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Because (0.00 / 0)

Rosi Efthim is not the state chair. Unfortunately.