Party Democracy Act

disappointing (0.00 / 0)

"The nickname for this particlular bill was jokingly called the "Stick It to the Chairman" Bill to ruefull but knowing laughter."

It is so disappointing for me to see this from candidates I support.  The criticism of the Weinberg slate has always been that they are less concerned with good government than they are with "sticking it to the chairman".

I have always believed that "sticking it to the chairman" and his kind was a happy accident of Weinberg's honest pursuit of good government.  Now you confirm for us that the opposite is true.  These measures are aimed at "sticking it to the chairman" and that good government reforms are just a happy accident.

I still support these measures.  I am happy that someone in Trenton has some reason to push them.  But it is so sad and so disappointing to read your bragging about the reasoning behind it all.

We all know what they say about "seeing how the sausage gets made".  I guess the Weinberg sausage factory is no cleaner than Ferriero's, even if the final product is better for us.

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by: Somewhere In The Swamps @ Mon Oct 29, 2007 at 18:02:15 PM UTC

Do you fail to (0.00 / 0)

see the humor even in the most troubling of times? 
If you knew all the players involved, you would completely understand.  That joke, by the way, was not made by Loretta Weinberg.  It was made by the Republican sponsor of the bill.  I just couldn't help laughing - so sue me.  But don't put the Weinberg camp down like they are only doing this to make Ferriero look bad in some kind of fit of pure vengeance.  You have 3 popular legislators in a fight for their elected lives.  And these are INCUMBENTS who won over %70 of the General vote! 

It's not worth the aggravation to do this for fun.  Trust me.  Keeping tabs on the goings on at the BCDO for you all is as exhausting as watching a two year old.  You can't let them out of your sight for two seconds. 

If there is one thing I have learned by getting involved in Bergen County politics, is that everyone involved typically retains their sense of humor, regardless of the issues at stake and how seriously we take them.  If I DIDN'T occasionally laugh at the antics of our Chairman - trust me - I'd cry. 

None of us are getting out alive.  Lighten up. 

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Mon Oct 29, 2007 at 19:57:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

har har (0.00 / 0)

Okay, so it is the Republicans who view ethics reform as nothing more than a weapon to use against Democrats.  That much we had already ascertained.  Meanwhile, the 'real' Democrats laugh along with the joke.

You can laugh all you want.  I just do not think it is at all humorous to watch the Democratic Party in the most crucial county in the state cannibalize itself, partnering with Republicans like Diane Allen (on Weinberg's side) and Clara Nibot (on Ferriero's) as it becomes politically convenient in the narrow view of their personal vendettas.

I have a great sense of humor, but not about things like this.

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by: Somewhere In The Swamps @ Mon Oct 29, 2007 at 21:19:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Are you defending the political Boss? (3.00 / 3)

Reformation of the state's political system, shutting down Boss style politics and ensuring integrity in the democratic (small "d") political party process is no vendetta.

But if it was a personal vendetta against the likes of Joe Ferriero (which it certainly doesn't seem to be), so what?

Are you defending the political Boss who used forgeries to rig a county committee election? Are you defending the political Boss who used a convicted felon to illegally stack a municipal county committee to rig a party contest? Are you defending the political Boss who had his organization challenge longtime elected county committee people, making them stand up against a wall like criminals, in order to ensure that a special committee election went in his favor? Are you defending the political Boss who tried to change the party's by-laws in order to guarantee himself unprecedented power over the selection of candidates for state legislative office, bypassing the will of local committee members? Are you defending the political Boss who has publicly vocalized against Pay-to-Play restrictions and Clean Elections laws? Are you defending the political Boss who regularly imposes his will on county government? Are you defending the political Boss who tried to stage an aggressive primary this year against the best Democrats in the best Democratic stronghold that Bergen enjoys (that's party building?)? Are you defending the political Boss who spent years trying to protect the controversial private management firm of the County's former public hospital while eagerly throwing the nurses union employed there to the wolves?

I just want to make sure I am clear on who you are defending.

The Party Democracy Act is bipartisan because there are sleazy strongarming overbearing political Bosses in both parties who ride roughshod over our democracy because we allow it. These legislators are committed to cleaning the mess up.

You got a problem with that, Swampy?

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by: TerryMalloy-OnTheWaterfront @ Tue Oct 30, 2007 at 00:41:56 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

change the subject (4.00 / 2)

While I do not need to answer to the likes of you, it would be obvious to anyone reading this that I am absolutely not defending anything Boss Joe has done or will do in the future.  Much of what you said is garbage that has absolutely nothing to do with anything I have ever said or would ever say.  So save your talking points for the likes of your counterparts at 50 Main Street.

Carol's post tells me that you and the people you work for do not care about open and honest government.  You are no better than the party organization you have worked for in the past and hope to take over again in the future.  Refering to this good piece of legislation - which I support - as "the "Stick It to the Chairman" Bill" exposed your sad shenanigans.  Good government is clearly not your goal.  It is the pretext by which you hope to usurp power, only to drop when it comes time to dole out your contracts.

You will have my backing until you topple the machine.  Once that happens, I will support the next round of reformers, and will continue to do so until the Bergen County party is put right.  Do not think for one second that I am alone in this.

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by: Somewhere In The Swamps @ Tue Oct 30, 2007 at 20:03:48 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Right now (4.00 / 1)

we need as many reformers as we can get.  Your help is appreciated, but it is not against the law to laugh once in a while.  It would be sad for you to drop support of Loretta, Valerie and Gordon simply because a Republican made a joke and I laughed at it.  I have been so abused by Joe for so long in so many ways just for trying to get my vote to count, that I think I earned the right to find the joke at least a little funny. 

The Party Democracy Act wasn't initiated to personally "go after" certain people.  It aims to provide needed checks and balances to a badly broken system.  If those particular checks prevent the Chairman I don't agree with from forcing his will on the entire Bergen County Committee, then so be it.  He won't be pleased having his favorite MO taken away from him.

If the system was working properly, you would have the number of women in the state house equal their representation on the County Committee.  Sadly, that is NOT the case currently.  Something needs to be done.

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Tue Oct 30, 2007 at 21:13:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Let's Hang Together Here..... (0.00 / 0)

It seems we have common agendas; but that we are somewhat uncertain about each others motives...and that's not surprising given that we interact in this narrow "wavelength" of cyberspatial pixelation.

Let's pow wow and party after the election. 

Drinking liberally anyone?!?

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Oct 31, 2007 at 04:50:26 AM UTC