It was as if the General Assembly chamber in Trenton had a mechitza down the middle. But instead of separating the genders, it separated the festive atmosphere on the Democratic side from the mostly empty Republican side.
The occasion was the opening of the lame duck session, highlighted by the swearing in of the newest member of the body, Troy Singleton.
"If you don't know where you're going,
you'll wind up somewhere else."
- Yogi Berra of Montclair, New Jersey
I've written and deleted six versions of this diary about the maneuvers that discarded two people who distinguished themselves this year by exhibiting core Democratic values, when it wasn't always simple to do so. Frankly, it's hard to think about this without wanting to pick the broken glass out of my teeth; Even with solid Democratic wins, this has been an awful week. A tense week for some people we admire greatly.
It was easier, and perhaps more profitable this year to bind with the Christie collaborationists. To fall in line. To hear Tea Party activists screaming in one ear about the cost of government, and New Jersey's unelected power brokers whispering soft directions in the other ear. Plenty of our Democrats fell in line. On more than one issue. Barbara Buono and Joe Cryan did not.
Unless a miracle takes place this Tuesday and Republicans in LD1, LD3, and LD4 pull off major upsets, South Jersey party boss, George Norcross, will have more than enough votes to replace his primary adversary in the Assembly, Majority Leader Joe Cryan, with his top ally in the legislative body, Louis Greenwald, sending Cryan to the back bench.
What remains to be seen, however, is what Cryan will do once he is sent there. Will he unite with his fellow back bencher in the Senate, Dick Codey, to build an opposition movement that will contend not only for the Governor's office in 2013, but also all 120 legislative seats? As much as I would love to see this, I do not expect that this will happen. It is very possible that Dick Codey will run for Governor in 2013, but it is also possible that Cory Booker, Barbara Buono, and Steve Sweeney will run as well and it is unlikely that any of them will run opposition slates against the party lines that they do not win, which means that regardless of who wins the gubernatorial primary, there will not be much change in the legislative roster or its leadership.
If I am right about this, then Cryan will most likely remain on the back bench for most of the next decade. That is, unless he finds a new office for which to run or that office finds him. There have been times in the past decade when Cryan expressed an interest in running for Congress in the 7th district, but admitted that the current configuration of the district made it extremely difficult for a Democrat to win.
This is very true. Our best chance to win this district came in 2006 when a very popular Assemblywoman, Linda Stender, challenged a very unpopular Congressman Mike Ferguson in a year that Democrats were trending up and Republicans were trending down. However, despite these trends, Stender came a few thousand votes short of victory. Two years later, Stender did not run as strong of a campaign as she did in 2006 and faced a very popular State Senator, Leonard Lance. Despite huge turnout increases inspired by Barack Obama's candidacy, it was not enough for a Democrat to win the 7th and Lance defeated Stender by a much wider margin than Ferguson did two years earlier.
After claiming that she didn't know her kids were getting free lunches, even though she acknowledged filling out the forms for it, it appears Elizabeth Board of Education President Marie Munn has been arrested for stealing from the federal government. And, not for nothing, from the Elizabeth schools she is supposed to be helping.
Last primary day one of the biggest battles were the "reform" Democrats led by the Christie-loving Elizabeth Board of Education and the "establishment" Democrats led by Ray Lesniak and Joe Cryan.
Despite winning the primary, Lesniak actually lost Elizabeth in the primary which has to gall him. It's his home town, and he still lives there even after all his success. And he's friends and support with the Mayor of Elizabeth, Chris Bollwage, the next target.
Recently Lesniak even floated Bollwage for Governor, and idea that had to have originated with Lesniak because pretty much no one ever considered it. But in raising the idea Lesniak also raises Bollwage's image which isn't going to hurt in 2012 when he runs for reelection.
A few weeks ago, I was sitting in the back of the Assembly chamber and witnessed a horrible event - the capitulation of a handful of Democrats that contributed to the elimination of a basic tenet of the American labor movement, collective bargaining.
Listening to the Republicans berate public servants was difficult, but I'm used to hearing the crazy rhetoric that comes from the right. More disappointing was listening to the Nordubato Democrats try to justify their position.
But in between the anti-union rhetoric, there were some enlightened Assemblypersons who stood up to defend the state employees. One such person was Assemblyman Joe Cryan. Cryan spoke from the heart about the impact the Governor's actions would have on working New Jersey families.
This past Sunday, I was privileged to meet the assemblyman at a fundraiser for Marie Corfield, another passionate Democrat who will join Cryan in the legislature next year. Here are some of Cryan's remarks.
Last week was depressing. On Thursday night, I sat in the New Jersey State Assembly chamber for over 12 hours to witness Chris Christie's greatest political victory in his disastrous reign as our governor.
No doubt, he will continue to brag about his "leadership" ability and the "bipartisan" support he got for the stripping of collective bargaining rights from state workers.
I watched as assembly members I like and admire, people like Lou Greenwald, Pam Lampitt, and Herb Conaway, voted to affirm the path taken not only by Chris Christie, but also Scott Walker, Rick Scott, Rick Snyder, and others of their ilk.
(I'm lucky to be here at Netroots Nation which starts today, surrounded by sane and rational progressives. People I've talked to already lament the demise of democratic principals in the Democratic Party. Mr. Liberal's diary hits the nail on the head for the New Jersey incarnation of the new DiNoism. - promoted by deciminyan)
"I do let loose my opinion, hold it no longer"
- The Tempest, William Shakespeare
This is probably the least politic diary I have written on Blue Jersey in the last 5 1/2 years. As a young Democratic activist, I've thought, wouldn't it be politically inane to speak out against the leaders of my own Party? As a candidate for local office in a conservative part of New Jersey, I thought, wouldn't it make more sense to stay silent rather than alienate potential constituents?
Yet I cannot stay silent. I am a Democrat because I believe in the rights of workers - blue collar and white collar, male and female, of all races and creeds - to seek a just and better world for themselves and their families. It is that fundamental freedom - the right to organize - that I see under attack in New Jersey tonight.
Weigh in, especially you Union County folks - Rosi
By Stephen Yellin - I am proud to be on the ballot for the June 7th primary on Column A. I am also a candidate for Township Council in Berkeley Heights.
This isn't a 'me-first' rally - this is a 'community-first' rally...a worker's rights rally!
- Joe Cryan, March 3 2011 (standing with union workers in Trenton)
He's going to do a wonderful, fabulous job as our next Governor.
- Tony Monteiro, November 4 2009 (at Chris Christie's victory party)
On June 7th, Democrats in the 20th Legislative District (Elizabeth, Hillside, Roselle and Union) have a clear choice to make. They have a choice between the regular Democratic ticket, whose Democratic Party credentials aren't in question, and a renegade group called "Democrats for Change".
Just who are these "Democrats for Change", and what do they stand for? Examining the facts paints a troubling picture of this group, and its candidates for the State Legislature in the 20th District. This ticket has managed to combine the 2 worst problems confronting New Jersey today: a corrupt, unaccountable political machine and the enabling of Chris Christie's destructive, divisive policies across our state.
As thousands of New Jersey's first-responders - firefighters, police, corrections officers emergency medical services members & many of the people they protect every day - rallied outside the State House, many of their signs expressed their disgust with Senate President Steve Sweeney, members of NJ's other legislative body were out in force at yesterday's massive rally.
Below, in video shot by the Assembly majority office, Democratic legislators look out at a sea of blue:
The United States Constitution is pretty succinct on the requirements for a decennial census:
The actual enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. (Article 1, Section 2)
This sounds simple in theory, but in practice, this clause requires each state to go through what has turned out to be an often contentious, politically-driven kabuki dance. The “gerrymandering” that we learned about in middle school has been supplanted by “packing” and “cracking” of electoral districts as the maps are drawn. (These terms are explained below.)
It seems like Governor Christie's State-of-the-State oration is posted on a gazillion internet sites, while the Democratic response is difficult to find. Bill Orr posted some responses yesterday.
Below are two videos, one from NJN where Michael Aron interviews Senator Sarlo and Assemblyman Cryan right after Christie's address. The second video is from the Star-Ledger and is a press conference among several Democratic leaders commenting on Christie's assertions.
Here is video of the press conference with Joe Cryan and Barbara Buono that Gov. Christie took such exception to, with his spokesman Michael Drewniak referring to Buono herself as"high-pitched", a comment it's hard to see as anything but sexist, and foolishly personal, as Thurman Hart pointed out last night. Note that Drewniak didn't make any such disrespectful comment about Cryan.
You can see for yourself in this video whether Buono appears high-pitched. She looks pretty calm, well-spoken and in command to me. I don't think it will be as easy for Christie or his front office to get away with as much of their pugilistic, name-calling as they used to. With some loss of their credibility, they need a new bag of tricks.
These are the majority leaders of the legislature. The Christie front office's sneer, so obviously reflecting his own, just makes them all look ridiculous, and unable to have intelligent grown-up conversation with people where some deliberation and compromise are called for. Drewniak had nothing to say about the jobs package the Democrats are rolling out except to restate his boss' own highly divisive p-o-v that everything is somebody else's fault, sidestepping any real response to the ideas being offered.
The 'Back to Work NJ' bills package is due to advance in both houses of the Legislature Thursday. Maybe by then Christie's people will have something a little better thought-out to say about it.
Two very interesting articles about redistricting were posted on PolitickerNJ.com today that could provide anyone interested in the redistricting process with some insight into the developing drama as Republicans appear united in their efforts to reclaim majorities in the State Assembly and State Senate that have been out of their grasp for the last decade against Democratic adversaries who seem to be anything but that.
After a year that has seen the Democrats in Trenton capitulate to our state's Republican Governor on issue after issue, thanks primarily to overly cozy relations between the Governor and acolytes of Steve Adubato and George Norcross, the two most powerful Democratic Party bosses in the state, the unholy alliance between Adubato and Norcross seems to be fraying at the most dangerous possible time for all Democrats, when division could result in a legislative district map that could guarantee Republican dominance in the state for most if not all of the next decade the way that the last map, conceived by then-Senate Minority Leader, Richard Codey, who would go on to become Senate President and Acting Governor before being unceremoniously ousted from his leadership position in a coup, led by his fiercest adversaries, Adubato and Norcross and their acolytes, enabled the Democrats in Trenton to enjoy the majorities that they have held and squandered for the last decade.
A letter came to light today, via politickernj, from a Somerset County Democratic state committeeman to John Wisniewski, suggesting Wisniewski resign from the NJ Assembly, and bylaws be drawn to keep elected officials from serving the state party committee forevermore. And at least one Democratic County Chair - Somerset's Peg Schaffer - is on board with that.
Frankly, that's a hard case to make. Joe Cryan, Joe Roberts and Bonnie Watson Coleman all ran the Party from the Assembly. And Asm Jay Webber runs NJ GOP. That begs the question why the hell the Dems should alter bylaws for what only may be an issue right now - if it's an issue at all.
And the public relations here is dicey. Awful, maybe. I'm sure Joel Shain - former Orange mayor, who once primaried and lost to Dick Codey - didn't intend this, but a letter asking the Democratic State Chair to demote himself and have less power than he is already perceived to have, well ...not cool. Even though, face it, with notable exceptions the Democrats have a serious swagger deficiency, despite their number advantages. That's what Shain's getting at, asking Wisniewski to choose, and pick only the Party. But I think there's another problem.
Transparency & accountability: Try to find the state committee folks who represent your county, people in Shain's position -
Or the wiki. Note: NJDSC parliamentarian Regan McGrory is thorough & very responsive to requests for info. I've asked her for that list, and I expect to post it - but I think those names should be listed on their site, and nobody should have to ask for it.
Who runs the show? The reality is that the state committee is a rubber stamp. In theory, NJDSC's primary function - and Wisniewski's - is to enact the will of its members. And committeemen like Shain are elected to express that will - our will. And the Chair's supposed to be guided, at least in part, by those locally-elected to the state Party. In practice ... very different. The state committee may have power they don't exercise, and at any rate we never hear about it. It's top-down, all the way. We know that the people running the show - really running it - are the professional Dems, the class comprised of high-level state electeds, and Democratic staffers. They're good people - don't get me wrong, from time to time, Blue Jersey even lobs a person or two into the front office - and they're fully committed, good Democrats. It's reasonable that key daily decisions are made by them - they're there every day.
The problem is, in their party capacity they're not answerable - except to each other, and for their jobs. They don't report to you. County & state committee people can be a key to change, and greater accountability, but they have to hear from the rest of us that we expect that. And the beginning of expecting them to exercise their power, is seeing who they are, and locally contributing feedback to them. And I expect the NJDSC to work overtime to promote that.
A good start ...I want more: The Party Democracy Act has been a lever to dislodge centralized control, giving party activists (on both sides) a better shot at tracking what really goes on. It's a good process. And if the state committee is actually nothing more than a rubber stamp - except on rare occasions when they make news, or shock the hell out of the party Chair - then maybe we should be asking why that is, and how actually to have our voices heard when our Party takes action, defines itself, or does battle with an impudent Governor who thinks it's his way or the highway.
I'll post the elected members of the NJ Democratic State Committee, reps from all 21 counties, when I get it. Meanwhile, consider this an Open Thread on Shain's letter to John Wisniewski.
Blue Jersey, what do you think? Text of the letter is after the jump.
No money in Christie's budget for family planning centers! According to what we were told in today's Democratic caucus, the Governor said that whatever and however we reinstate dollars for women's health care, (HIV testing, family planning, cervical cancer screening, etc..) he will VETO that appropriation. How infuriating and disrespectful to the women of New Jersey! I immediately dropped in a bill today to reinstate these important dollars which I hope to get before the Senate budget committee on Thursday and then get passed by the Senate on Monday. When the Governor vetos this expenditure, we in the legislature will have another chance to stand up for women's health care services! Let's hope that this time, some of our sister legislators across the aisle will stand with us, along with a few of those "good guys" who I know sit along side them. Don't make us still fight for our rights in the year 2010. But if need be, this is a women's equality march I'm ready to organize.
Caps and craziness: I was really taken by surprise (and disappointed) at Mayor Cory Booker's embrace of the Governor's "hard" 2.5% cap. I know Mayor Booker must understand the impossibility of functioning under the Christie cap. Why would anyone want to govern any complex community with such restraints? Growing up in California, I know about those property tax caps and what it has done to schools, libraries and the magnificent California University system. Senator Sweeney's proposal allows for certain important cost exemptions to the cap. We will be discussing these alternatives during the next weeks.
Judiciary Committee members approved several judicial reappointments. Among others, we also approved the reappointment of Dr. Kevin Barry to the UMDNJ board. He at least recognized the importance of training physicians in appropriate abortion procedures. The fastest way for women to lose their right to chose is not having access to trained health care providers. By the way, Dr Barry is also from Mendham!
The legislature also moved along a "government transparency" bill sponsored by Assemblyman Joe Cryan and me to regulate costs to the public of copying public documents. We removed any charges for the electronic transfer of documents, and set fixed costs of 7 cents and 5 cents for other public document requests. This will comply with a recent court decision. I am looking at a complete updating of the Open Public Records Act and the Open Public Meetings Act which we hope to have finished by the end of the summer for a Fall introduction.
Schedule as of this moment calls for Budget Committee meetings on Wednesday and Thursday and a vote on the budget on Monday, June 28th. It's certainly not a great time in Trenton, and things are still "fluid". Will try to keep you all updated.
In its reporting of yesterday's whiplash veto of a Democratic package of bills including the millionaires' tax and a restoration of senior benefits, politickernj picked up a killer quote. First the windup:
Someone in the press corps asked Christie about a quote from earlier yesterday, attributed to Majority Leader Joe Cryan, who suggested headlines should read: Christie to seniors: Drop Dead. Now, the pitch. Christie's response is the Quote of the Day:
I long ago stopped caring about what Joe Cryan said about anything.
Yeah, or almost anybody else besides the yuk-yucking yes-men (and women) who bind around him and think his every moment is brilliant. As Adam pointed out, Christie is The Unitary Executive, his way pointed by George Bush, schooled in the art by Karl Rove. And like Bush, Christie not only doesn't care what the other Party thinks, or reporters think, but he doesn't give two figs for you either.
UPDATE: The legislation known to Democrats as the 'millionaires' tax' has just been passed by a Senate working late - 23-17, along partisan lines. Gov. Christie is expected to veto, immediately, tonight.
The Assembly majority office just released this video, below, in which Democratic legislators lay out their case for legislation to raise taxes on income over $1 million to pay for reinstating property tax rebates to seniors and prescription drug benefits to seniors and the disabled, all in defiance of Gov. Christie's economic plans for the state. The state Assembly voted 46-31 to pass the bill this afternoon.
Star Ledger reports the big wooden desk the Governor uses to sign and veto bills was just wheeled into his outer office minutes ago, as the Senate is next to consider the legislation.
Of the legislators you hear in the video, Assembly members Celeste Riley and Paul Moriarty sponsored A-20 to restore the rebates and ensure prescription assistance for more than 600,000 seniors and disabled New Jerseyans. Speaker Sheila Oliver and Majority Leader Joe Cryan sponsored A-10 to restore the new version of the millionaires' tax, which was approved 46-32.
Updated 3:51pm to include statements by Sen. Frank Lautenberg and NJDSC Chair John Wisniewski.
Following is text of Democratic leaders' response to Gov. Christie's budget fix announcement today that he would eliminate his proposed cuts to state pharmaceutical programs for seniors and the disabled.
(For another perspective on this, here's a diary by Bill Orr.) Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Cumberland/Salem)
The Governor may be applauded for listening to the voices of senior citizens from across New Jersey, but this in no way ends the very important debate the Senate will still take up tomorrow.
For someone who famously criticized Trenton for its Alice In Wonderland budgets, the Governor has apparently been staring into the same looking glass. While Democrats have identified a solid revenue source to protect our elderly and disabled, the Governor is cobbling together a mishmash of what-ifs and maybes from the federal government and the pharmaceutical industry.
Countless seniors are still facing property tax increases that threaten to drive them from their homes while the richest New Jerseyans are still going to get a massive income tax cut. Just like the Queen of Hearts, this budget still yells 'Off with their heads!' to too many.
The Governor may be trying to write a new chapter, but it still reads like the same old story.
Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver (D-Essex/Passaic)
It's about time Gov. Christie started coming around to our point of view on protecting senior citizens, and we welcome him to this discussion sparked by the Democratic Legislature.
The governor's plan still shoves at least a $1,295 property tax increase onto senior and disabled residents, and that's unacceptable.
We'll evaluate the governor's proposal, but our plan provides the means through true shared sacrifice to ensure senior citizens get the prescription drug help and property tax relief they need. We will move forward with it as planned to guarantee property tax and prescription drug help is on the way to our most vulnerable residents.
Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex)
I am pleased that Governor Christie reversed his course in response to mounting pressure from the Legislature to restore cuts to prescription drug programs for seniors. There is so much need as a result of these unprecedented economic times.
However, I seriously question the likelihood we will achieve the savings the Governor predicts will pay for this restoration.
The issue remains why half-a-percent, or 16,000 taxpayers, who earn over a million dollars shouldn't be made to sacrifice a little so that others don't have to sacrifice so much.
Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan (D-Union)
While I'm pleased to see the governor begin moving toward the Democratic plan to protect senior citizens, I see no reason for anyone to trust this new plan on face value. This is, after all, a governor who has so far only kept one campaign promise - protecting a tax cut for the rich.
The governor's latest plan still pushes a massive property tax increase onto seniors and is based on questionable assumptions.
Our plan guarantees property tax relief and health care assistance for senior citizens while ensuring everyone joins in the shared sacrifice. I look forward to its passage and hope the governor continues to move in our direction to provide senior citizens with reliable prescription drug and property tax relief.
Senator Frank Lautenberg
Today we see how President Obama's health care reform law is already working to deliver tangible benefits for New Jersey's seniors. Thanks to the health care reform law, New Jersey's seniors will be shielded from the budget ax that threatened to make their prescription drugs more expensive and less accessible. The new health care reform law will soon bring even more benefits to millions of New Jerseyans.
Under the new Health Care Reform law, people with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied coverage by an insurer, and insurance companies will no longer be able to drop people's coverage when they get sick and need it most. In addition, the law will create a Health Insurance Exchange to provide people who don't receive coverage through their employment to choose among affordable health care plans. It will make health insurance policies more affordable and improve access to quality, affordable health care for children and vulnerable populations. The new health care reform law also strengthens Medicare by phasing out the prescription drug coverage "donut hole," and extending the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund. Starting June 15, 2010, seniors who reach the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap or "donut hole" will receive $250 payments to assist them with their drug costs.
NJDSC Chair John Wisniewski
I applaud Governor Christie for finally recognizing that his warped vision of shared sacrifice, when applied to our older residents, would have forced many of them to do without important medicine that enhance and preserve their quality of life. Today Chris Christie, bowing to pressure from Democrats, announced he was reversing course on huge cost increases for seniors in New Jersey's PAAD program. I hope instead of trying to act like a heroic convert, he thanks who is truly responsible for the 'found money'. Most of the funding cited by his office today comes as a result of the passage of the historic Health Care Reform passed by Democrats in Congress and signed by President Obama.
So while he refuses to stand up to his many Republican colleagues in the legislature pushing him to sue the federal government to stop health care reform, he has no problem taking credit for the benefits from the bill."
Hopefully Governor Christie will also come around on our plan to restore property tax rebates to hundreds of thousands of senior and disabled homeowners.
One of the key differences that has emerged resulted from Cryan's push to restore a tax surcharge on the wealthiest New Jerseyans. Cryan is advocating for the so-called "millionaire's tax" both on the merits (it would raise money during a budget crunch) and on the politics (it would give Democrats a chance to portray Gov. Chris Christie as tool of the rich and enemy of the working class). But Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester), The Auditor is told by key Statehouse sources, has told Cryan he doesn't support it and Christie would veto it.
It makes no sense on any level. There is widespread support for a millionaires tax, including among the wealthy. Even Republicans are split down the middle on the issue. Cutting the millionaire's tax is an unpopular move, but it looks like Sweeney is about to give Christie a pass on it. So let Christie veto it and draw the contrast about who everyone is fighting for. I don't get the strategy on a practical or political level.
While millionaires get tax cuts, the working class faces higher bus fares, less funding for schools, and higher property taxes. If the Democrats aren't willing to show they will stand up and fight for the people that put them there and are taking it on the chin, why should those people keep fighting to put them in office? It's time for our leaders to stand up, not down.
