Clueless in New Jersey

by: Thurman Hart

Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 10:00:00 AM EDT

The worst thing that can happen to a politician is to get caught on the wrong side of a paradigm shift. Nothing makes a person so outdated as speaking to the electorate that is, quite literally, dying off.

One such paradigm shift is being driven by the technology of the internet. While internet activism is not enough, on its own, to force, change, we have seen here in New Jersey that a community of people who will raise their voices - and who will work offline as well - can change the political landscape of the state. Blue Jersey has always tried to stay on the forefront of that shifting paradigm, and in some cases, we have driven it ahead of us.

But there is no shortage of politicians who just can't see it.

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A Child's Stigma

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The mean streets of Hoboken

by: Thurman Hart

Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 08:31:20 PM EDT

This year, for Christmas, I'm giving Carly Baldwin a big shovel. Or maybe hip waders. Apparently, covering the Hoboken beat requires that one have a certain immunity to bovine feces.

Hoboken, having failed to balance its municipal budget, called upon the state for assistance. Having the cosmic sense of humor that patronage requires, former Bayonne mayor Joe Doria came to town to show people how it's done. The result:

Already in a $10.5 million deficit for the new fiscal year, Hoboken cannot embark on a spending plan without approval from the state Department of Community Affairs, which assumed control of Hoboken's finances after the city failed to pass a 2008 budget.

Yeah - Joe Doria's budgetary leadership put $10.5 million of last year's spending on this year's budget. This, in case you didn't know, is illegal. But it's done.

But don't worry, Hoboken Mayor David Roberts has a plan - tax parking lots, collect parking meter fees, and invite Pepsi to sponsor local events. Either that or lay off 300 people. He's going to let Joe Doria decide.

Make the jump for some of the year's best hyperolic spin - and at least one person who is telling the truth.

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Hoboken considers film festival censorship

by: Juan Melli

Sat Jun 07, 2008 at 02:05:53 AM EDT

I haven't lived in Hoboken very long but I've already gotten a taste for some of the good, the bad, and the ugly. File this one somewhere between bad and ugly.

The Hoboken International Film Festival this past week started off with a bit of controversy when a film shown opening night ruffled some feathers.

"Postal," directed by Uwe Boll, opens with two terrorists on a suicide mission debating how many virgins they'll receive in Paradise. When they discover it's fewer than promised they give up the mission, but accidentally crash into a World Trade Center-like building after passengers storm the cockpit.

You can watch the "offensive" opening sequence of the film here. The only thing I find offensive about this film is the fact that it tries to make up for it's lack of humor with crude jokes. It's just an average/crappy film. It was shown opening night on Pier A park, which is on the Hudson and has beautiful views of Manhattan. The combination of a film including terrorism in sight of New York led to a mayoral boycott and calls for censorship at this week's council meeting from one outraged citizen.

"The fact that it was shown next to the 9-11 Memorial was completely tasteless," said John Branciforte, who spoke against not only the film, but the festival's organizer, Kenneth Del Vecchio, as well. "Certainly the filmmaker has the right to make the film. But does the city have to support it?"

And some members of the council seem to be playing along.

Councilwoman Theresa Castellano suggested that [Director of Human Services John] Pope preview all of the films and ban those he felt were inappropriate. "If a film offends some people then it shouldn't be here."

That's going to take a lot of work, but I suppose she could begin with a list of films that one Christian group considers "extremely offensive". It includes Dude, Where's My Car?, Schindler's List, The Piano and Michael (rated PG). Unfortunately they stopped updating their list in 2003 but I'm sure we can find plenty of other offended people out there. Borat was offensive to some Kazakhstanis. In response to this article, commenter JAYCUBED calls the Temple of Doom "an awful & offensive film". To date, 32 people have signed a petition to boycott Monster's Ball because it "does not represent African American woman well". This is exhausting work, so maybe Hoboken will have to give Mr Pope a raise for all the extra time he's going to have to put in identifying offensive content.

Of course the city doesn't have to sponsor the festival, but unless they want next year's event to be little more than Baby Einstein tapes on a loop (and even those might offend less sophisticated infants) and the laughing stock of creative communities everywhere, they need to let artists do what they do...creatively test the limits of art and push people outside their comfort zones. If they're not comfortable with that, they should let the festival organizers do their own thing (and I imagine Jersey City has some available venues, too).

The amazing irony of all this is that the government's response to an attack on our freedom is the attempted censorship of politically incorrect/edgy content.

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Clear as mud

by: Juan Melli

Mon Jan 14, 2008 at 06:16:21 PM EST

Hoboken Mayor David Roberts explains why he contributed $450 to Rudy 9iu11iani, despite not supporting him:

"I had only been mayor of Hoboken for a couple months when Sept. 11 occurred, and I went over to New York City with some other officials. Fifty-seven Hoboken residents, people who lived in the 07030 zip code, died on Sept. 11. My mom, a very conservative Republican, loves Rudy Giuliani, and when he was speaking down the block from where we have our summer home, I purchased a ticket and I went and I listened. And honestly, there are people within my world who are supporting Rudy Giuliani, but I am not doing that. I am a Democratic mayor in Hudson County, standing alongside Sen. Menendez, Gov. Corzine, Rep. Sires and Maurice Fitzgibbons in backing Hillary Clinton, and I will be helping her every way I can."

I wish all the people who didn't support Blue Jersey would send us large checks, too.

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An Interesting Endorsement

by: Juan Melli

Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:56:15 PM EST

The Clinton campaign is announcing several Hudson County endorsements on Monday (full list of attendees below the fold). They have one funny endorsement, though: Hoboken Mayor David Roberts. His way of expressing support for his favorite candidate is different from how most people would do it. He contributed ~~$500~~ $450 to Rudy 9u11iani's campaign in September, 2007. As far as I can tell, he hasn't contributed to Clinton's campaign yet.

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HCDO, GOP...DFHC?

by: Juan Melli

Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 09:09:34 AM EDT

Hoboken Mayor David Roberts has an interesting set of alliances. During this last primary election he supported Hudson County Democratic Organization candidates like Sal Vega for State Senate. On August 6 of this year, Roberts made a $450 contribution to Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. And on September 25 he gave $500 to Congressman Albio Sires, who backs HCDO's rival organization, Democrats for Hudson County.

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