Unanimous: Sweeney Senate President, Weinberg Majority Leader

Democratic Party Big Tent Works! (0.00 / 0)

All are invited to work for the greater good.

All might not agree but the spectrum of opinion will be something that the Republican Party can not match.

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by: firstamend07 @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 16:15:14 PM UTC

Beware the 10th of November (0.00 / 1)

As thoughts turn to Caesar and Brutus.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 16:19:36 PM UTC

Stop the bitterness (0.00 / 0)

Come on inside the Big Tent.

Stop being so bitter.  

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by: firstamend07 @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 16:24:55 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Nice chutzpah! (0.00 / 1)

Now repeat after me, "I love the CWA."

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 16:26:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Reunify the AFL-CIO (0.00 / 0)

I WILL love them if they agree to sit down and work out all differences so that the AFL-CIO can again be strong and unified.

The invite is out there !!

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by: firstamend07 @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 16:30:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Now, now (0.00 / 1)

You're not trying hard enough.  Your bitterness is showing through.  

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 16:34:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

As I said in another thread (0.00 / 0)

There are lessons to be learned from Ohio. I am IBEW and I vote.

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by: bluescat1 @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 16:50:55 PM UTC

Primary, 2013 (0.00 / 0)

:-)

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by: huntsu @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 17:17:20 PM UTC

It will All Come Down To How Weinberg Does The Job... (0.00 / 0)

. ...If she caves in to the status quo machine agendas that reinforce the status quo.....or if she goes way beyond what Buono was able to achieve and becomes a geuine threat to the status quo from within.   We shall see.

Clearly our old nemisis FA7 believes that Loretta has sold her soul and is crowing about having recruited her to the dark side......I believe he, and his bosses, will be disapointed. They need her much more than she needs them!  

We shall see how it goes. My sense is that Loretta will choose to retain her moral/spiritual integrity and will fight like an archangel for the progressive agenda and will make the bosses regret letting her in.  AT Loretta'a age there is little tampation in simply acquiring more money/status/power......she's wise enough to understand that it's all about doing the right thing....and if that upsets the bosses apple cart, then so be it.

Ask Mr Ferriero how much respect/fear Ms Wenberg has for machines and the bosses that run them!

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by: Nick Lento @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 18:04:37 PM UTC

Repeat, without the typos.... (0.00 / 0)

..... At Loretta'a age there is little temptation in simply acquiring more money/status/power......she's wise enough to understand that it's all about doing the right thing....and if that upsets the bosses apple cart, then so be it.

Ask Mr Ferriero how much respect/fear Ms Wenberg has for machines and the bosses that run them!  

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by: Nick Lento @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 18:08:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Do you think they would have "let her in" if they feared her? (1.00 / 1)

The whole thing would make no sense if your interpretation is true.  Why would they dump Buono for not being a good "soldier" and then replace her with someone who will not be a good soldier.  Makes no sense.

FA may believe she "sold her soul" so to speak, but given her support of Sweeney two years ago, and now this, where she walked over another progressive to get a leadership post, I think it's pretty clear that she has.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 18:12:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Because they are very very few (4.00 / 1)

politicians who consistently win over 70% of the General electorate vote.   Polticians that stick to their principles rather than just cowtowing to party bosses win over not just Dems but Republicans and Independents, because they know how to GOVERN, not just campaign.  If anyone can unite folks in NJ - it is the new Senate majority leader.

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 19:08:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Huh? (1.00 / 1)

stick to their principles rather than just cowtowing to party bosses

And she does that by backing the bosses' handpicked leadership candidates?  Who turn around and give Christie the support he needs to pass legislation.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 19:47:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Where the heck have you been (0.00 / 0)

for the past 6 years?  Don't make me dig out ALL my Blue Jersey diaries since Loretta has been Senator.  Ask anyone here. I WILL do it and show you what a fool you are making of yourself trying to re-write history....

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 21:36:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

History (1.00 / 1)

Did she support Sweeney for Senate president in 2009?

Did she ally herself with Sweeney, and Norcross, to oust Buono as majority leader in 2011?

That's the relevant history.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 22:29:06 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Buono supported Sweeney... (0.00 / 0)

...in 2009 as well.  Live by the boss and die by the boss.  If we are only willing to stand with elected officials one vote at a time, how can we ever expect them to stand with us on our issues of concern?

Loretta has had a lengthy career as an advocate for progressive issues.  With all due to respect to Buono, she has only been a visible and vocal advocate for progressive issues for the last two years.  Before that, she probably had a very good voting record on issues, but not much of a history as a leader.

She also has a long history as a loyal member of the Middlesex County Democratic political machine, which was as bad if not worse than the Norcross machine back when then-boss John Lynch and Union County boss, Ray Lesniak, built their own North Jersey-Central Jersey empire behind Jim McGreevey's gubernatorial aspirations, funded partially by their handpicked senatorial successor to Frank Lautenberg, Jon Corzine.  As someone who worked for Governor Jim Florio in 2000 against Corzine and the Lesniak-Lynch-Kenny (Hudson)-Ferriero monolith, I know firsthand how bad Norcross was and how much worse his adversaries were.

Unfortunately, now Adubato and Norcross are the monolithic power brokers, but just because Buono is now on the outside and Weinberg is on the inside, doesn't make her better.  We can judge them both by what they do going forward, but for now, Loretta has done more than enough to justify receiving the benefit of the doubt from progressives.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 01:10:52 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Friends and alliances may change (1.00 / 1)

What matters now is where they are, now.  Buono is on the right side.  Weinberg is on the wrong side.  Weinberg sided with the Christiecrats to get rid of Buono, who
had been a thorn in their side.  Thereby grabbing a leadership spot for herself in the process.

To boil it down even further, Weinberg sided with FA.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 01:31:30 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I seriously doubt... (0.00 / 0)

...that she or anyone else who matters knows who FA is.  He is as irrelevant in the grand scheme of things as you or I.

As I said before, if we judge people solely on singular votes and don't look at their entire careers, how can we expect them to take us and our issues of concern seriously?

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 02:24:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Unions are increasingly uncool (1.00 / 3)

And it's whiny anonymous comments from folks who hide behond screen names.  12miles, do you feel increasingly isolated?

Because you should.

activist for hire.

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by: Jay Lassiter @ Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 17:02:02 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The 1% is heard from (0.00 / 0)

You're just pissed because you didn't get to vote for Issue 2 in Ohio.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 17:29:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

C'mon Jay (0.00 / 0)

12M's attacks on Loretta are completely ridiculous, but making a value judgment about whether or not unions are cool is downright pathetic.

Yes, we all know how cool you are with your dance remixes and pot smoking, but that does not give you the right to be judge and jury over whose issues of concern are cool or not, as if that should ever be a criteria for the progressive community to support them or not.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 18:26:55 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Republican activist for hire? (0.00 / 0)

We're going to get rid of unions that created the middle class in this country because they are uncool?

Comments like this from someone who thinks he is a liberal activist that give me no hope for a more progressive future for our country.  

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by: princetonblue @ Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 17:02:44 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I Don't Doubt That There Is An Attempt To "Divide and Conquer" Here.... (0.00 / 0)

....but I also don't beleive that Loretta is so stupid as to fall for it.

As I said, we shall see.  My expectation is that Weinberg and Buono will join forces and kick ass on broad policy...and in the details, where the devil is!  ;-)

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by: Nick Lento @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 19:23:53 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Cryan the next victim of the Christiecrat (1.00 / 1)

night of the long knives.

http://www.politickernj.com/52...

Now, waiting for the spin that this is good for progressives.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 18:20:55 PM UTC

i think 12mileseastofTrenton... (0.00 / 0)

...is an AstroTurfer.  Just a hunch but i can't escape the feeling.

activist for hire.

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by: Jay Lassiter @ Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 17:03:02 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well both your hunch and feeling are wrong (0.00 / 0)

But if it makes you feel any better I can tell you where you can put your 1 ratings.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 17:25:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

This news just made my year!! (4.00 / 1)

My favorite State Senator  once again makes news :)

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 18:57:17 PM UTC

Lucky 13 caucus (1.00 / 1)

13 Democrats who supported Cryan form their own group, which includes Cryan, John McKeon, Valerie Huttle, Connie Wagner, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Linda Stender, Ralph Caputo, Reed Gusciora, Mila Jasey, Jason O'Donnell, Annette Quijano, Tim Eustace, and Dan Benson.

Supposedly, they got Oliver to promise that she wouldn't post a bill unless 41 Democrats supported it.  We'll see on that one.

http://www.politickernj.com/52...

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Thu Nov 10, 2011 at 20:01:18 PM UTC

Sweeney/Weinberg (0.00 / 0)

I think Sweeney should have lost his job as President, he caved to Gov. Christie. Loretta Weinberg should be Senate President, she is progressive and strong! We need a progressive to fight Gov. Christie, and his Corporate privatizing of our schools. Sweeny is BFF's with Christie, IMO

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by: sandinbrick @ Mon Nov 14, 2011 at 19:14:43 PM UTC