Courier News says for Christie, "the buck stops there"

by: Jason Springer

Mon Oct 19, 2009 at 10:15:00 AM EDT

Earlier in the year Christie appeared a potential shoo-in for victory. He had built a reputation as a corruption-busting U.S. attorney, a resume that resonated with New Jerseyans terribly weary of dirty politicians in their midst. He also carried with him the promise of a cost-cutting Republican who could rein in the Trenton Democratic spending machine devouring the state.

But that message has gotten lost. A few minor skeletons tumbled out of his closet - a poor driving record, an undisclosed loan to a co-worker. But the overriding negative perception of Christie is also entirely unfair, that he's a would-be tax cutter without a plan. Blame a poorly constructed campaign for that, not Christie.

We've had leaders in the history of our country who have said, "the buck stops here." Unfortunately now, even the media is buying into Christie's buck stops there mentality. Throughout this campaign, Christie has:

blamed a motorcyclist for hitting him when he caused the accident

said it was a tow truck operator identified him as US Attorney during a separate traffic incident

blamed his secretary for his lavish expenditures

said he had no knowledge when a long time associate, who he claimed to be just a volunteer, bribed Rick Merkt to get out of the primary

National Popular Vote coming to New Jersey?

by: JRB

Thu Jun 14, 2007 at 11:08:06 AM EDT

The Senate State Government Committee will consider legislation that would require New Jersey's electoral votes to be cast for the candidate who wins the national popular vote, not necessarily the statewide count in New Jersey. S-2695, sponsored by State Senators Richard Codey and Raymond Lesniak, seeks to include New Jersey in an "Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote" ...

Read about the plan in former Senator Birch Bayh's Blue Jersey op-ed, 'A Fifty State Strategy Every Year.' He even mentioned Codey's call to make New Jersey a "Presidential Player" rather than "an ATM machine." The op-ed is pasted below the fold.

Op-Ed: ACLU-NJ Says It's Time to Shake Up the Bureaucracy

by: Deborah Jacobs

Thu May 17, 2007 at 12:30:50 PM EDT

Op-Ed: Earth Day Offers Opportunity to Refocus Environmental Priorities

by: Senator Bob Smith

Sun Apr 22, 2007 at 12:10:11 AM EDT

This year's Earth Day celebration offers a unique chance to engage even more people in thinking green, as well as provide a rallying point for those environmentalists who've been at the front lines of every war on pollution since the holiday was instituted in 1970.

With Al Gore's Oscar win for his documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, to the Live Earth concerts scheduled for this summer to raise awareness on global warming, green has become the new black.  With the celebrity community providing vocal support for efforts to sustain our Earth for ourselves and future generations, environmental causes are benefiting from an unprecedented level of visibility.

As a long-time environmental advocate, I would hope that we can capitalize on that visibility to push for a green agenda, at least on the State level, to improve the immediate quality of life for all New Jerseyans and preserve the Earth for our children and grandchildren.

Serving as chair of the Senate Environment Committee, I know that some environmental battles are easier fought than others.  Sometimes, environmental conscience overcomes lobbying from groups who would prefer status-quo pollution standards and business-as-usual environmental regulations.  Often, when we have the support of the people, we can surmount even the greatest odds to promote a cleaner, greener Garden State.

Such was the case when New Jersey adopted the Garden State Preservation Trust in the 1990's.  With voter approval, we were able to amend the State Constitution to provide dedicated funding for open space acquisition and preservation which was necessary to halt suburban sprawl and development build-out in New Jersey.

This year, we face a difficult challenge, as the Garden State Preservation Trust is drying up, and funds are not available to continue our efforts to conserve open space.  I have sponsored a bipartisan bill, along with Minority Leader, Senator Leonard Lance, to supplement the State's open space funding through a $150 million annual dedication from the New Jersey's sales tax.

Development pressure continues in New Jersey, affecting our drinking water supply, air quality and land quality.  Unless we take the steps to ensure a healthy open space funding mechanism, New Jersey will not have the resources to fight encroaching sprawl and provide parks and recreation areas for all of the State's residents to enjoy.

Another major challenge facing the Committee this year is the impact of global warming.  According to some projections, global warming is the number one threat to the Earth's ecosystem, and if trends continue, much of the Jersey Shore could be under water in the very near future.  Global warming also contributes to changes in weather patterns, with the possibility of storms on the horizon that would put Hurricane Katrina to shame, and would cause untold devastation around the world.  New Jersey has to take an aggressive tack to reducing emissions which contribute to global warming, and we need to convince our neighbors to act as good global citizens and follow suit.

In the New Jersey Senate, we've been pushing a number of legislative measures focused on alleviating global warming.  We're providing State incentives and support for "green buildings," which use clean forms of renewable energy, including solar and wind power, to offset the energy needs from polluting sources, such as coal-burning power plants.  We're working to cap greenhouse gas emissions from power resources and manufacturing plants.  And we're trying to cut emissions from automobiles, by promoting tax credits for cleaner cars, tax penalties for gas guzzlers and more car / van pooling.

These measures must be adopted sooner rather than later, to change the course of climate change in the world.  While the federal government drags its heels on meaningful environmental reform designed to halt the progress of global warming, States need to take a stand, and show that their citizens want real environmental protections, not lip service to polluters.

Earth Day gives us a chance to reassess our priorities and educate our friends and family about the importance of good environmental choices.  Ultimately, State or federal environmental regulations will not make a difference without the support of everyday citizens, pitching in to promote a greener tomorrow.

So how will you spend your Earth Day?  Will you allow the day to slip by without taking time to consider your personal impact on the environment?  Or will you devote yourself to working towards a better future for yourself and your family?  Your decision could have lasting ramifications for the fate of the Earth and humanity in the years to come.

Senator Bob Smith represents the 17th Legislative District in the State Senate, which includes parts of Middlesex and Somerset Counties.  He serves as Chair of the Senate Environment Committee.

Op-Ed: On The Move Towards Cleaner Government

by: Ellen Karcher

Wed Apr 18, 2007 at 11:43:50 AM EDT

Elected officials at all levels of government keep succumbing to a blend of greed and arrogance which tarnishes their office and betrays the public trust.  And the constant parade of those who've made a mockery of elected office in the Garden State can be downright depressing to those seeking to change the status quo.

For too long in New Jersey, the standard perception of government has been of self-serving politicians violating their oaths of office for a quick buck.  To the people we represent, public corruption has become expected.  The average New Jerseyan is predisposed to believe that their elected leaders will fail them, and that greed and graft will overcome even the most honest of public servants.

Unfortunately, we have seen far too many examples of the worst of public life - the predators who seek to make the most for themselves, and not their fellow citizens.  But we're ratcheting up the pressure on those who've abused their offices, and we're seeking serious penalties for corrupt offenders.  And when we put one guilty politician behind bars, the voters tend to replace him or her with a fresh new face who embraces open, honest government.

When I entered the State Senate four years ago, efforts at government ethics reform were seen as futile.  It was widely believed that politicians were never going to police themselves or their friends.  The conventional wisdom was that too many people had a vested interest in the status quo for meaningful reform to take place, and the powerbrokers who controlled state government would crush any efforts at reform before they got off the ground.

Four years later, I am joined by allies on both sides of the political aisle who embrace the need for comprehensive, top-to-bottom ethics reform.  We've been able to accomplish some initiatives that the media, the electorate - pretty much everyone - viewed as impossible a short time ago. I am proud to say that since I was elected in 2003, I have sponsored 16 pieces of ethics legislation that have been signed into law.  Most recently, the Governor signed a bill establishing serious penalties for corrupt politicians and, on the same day, the Senate approved two measures designed to crack down on private interests wasting public grants and corrupt politicians who increase costs to taxpayers. 

We took the first steps towards limiting the effects of pay-to-play, with stronger bans just over the horizon.  In the fight to ban developer money from public elections, I am at the forefront, because I've seen first hand how developers buy favor in a municipality and wreak havoc on the quality of life there. 

We put strong penalties for corruption in place, including mandatory jail time, loss of pension, and possible civil action from the taxpayers who've been defrauded.

We ensured greater transparency and accountability, making our campaign account information accessible to voters via the Internet, and requiring greater financial disclosure from lawmakers.

We've pushed for greater transparency in the budget-crafting process, requiring legislators to stand by any specific budget earmarks or reductions they may advocate. Additionally, we've completely banned the wining and dining of public policy makers and their staff by lobbyists.

We've made significant progress to crack down on runaway benefits and pension abuse by elected and appointed officials.  A ban on dual office-holding, a landmark piece of legislation I sponsored, should be signed into law before we pass a budget this June.

I entered the legislature as a minority voice for change.  It hasn't always been easy, but through pressure, and perseverance we are changing the tide of an entrenched political culture that took the public for granted for far too long.

As the new generation of leaders begins to take its place in the Legislature, and veterans of good government stick around, we're developing the perfect storm for the sort of sweeping reforms that are needed, in Trenton as much as in our hometowns.

I welcome your input, Blue Jersey. I'll be around a little later to respond to your comments and answer your questions.

Senator Ellen Karcher represents the 12th Legislative District, which includes parts of Monmouth and Mercer Counties.

Op-Ed: Back to Basics

by: Mary Campbell, DNC Organizer

Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 09:58:14 AM EDT

That is the idea the NJ Democratic State Committee and the Democratic
National Committee are striving to accomplish; working from the
grassroots up to establish a sense of unity among the Democratic
Party. As part of the DNC 50 State Partnership program, my colleague
and I have been able to truly engage ourselves into the local and
grassroots level of New Jersey politics.

After working closely on the Flemington council special elections and
the two specials in Ocean County -- South Toms River and Lavallette --
it is apparent that there is a strong sense of party for the Democrats
in these typically Republican towns. After winning two council seats
and falling only a few votes short in a mayor's race where Democrats
are outnumbered almost 6 to 1, the sense of accomplishment and passion
to fight against Republican control has grown immensely.

Picking up council seats in Flemington and South Toms River proved to
the Republicans that voters are ready for a change. Voters want to be
heard. They expect their local officials to be responsive and find
solutions for the needs of the communities; to help the people. This
is what the newly elected council members are working to accomplish.

With help from Democracy for America (DFA), College Democrats from across
the State and local and county volunteers the Democratic Party has
been able to make big strides in small areas.

One exceptional volunteer and devoted Democrat, Rosi Efthim, from the
Hunterdon County DFA did not only help in the Flemington Special
Elections but traveled across the state to be an important volunteer
in South Toms River (Ocean County). Without people like Rosi or the
other DFA members that have been beyond supportive of the 50 State
Partnership Program and building Democracy at the grassroots level,
none of this would be possible.

Our next project is a Township Committee special election in Morris
Township where we are working with the dedicated team of Morris County
Democrats to elect Jeff Grayzel. The Republicans have all five seats
on the township committee, but Jeff has been fighting hard for the
past four years, gaining inroads. His tenacity paid off when he won on
Election Day this year. However, his election was then challenged and
ruled to be a tie. Now we face the task of "re-electing" Jeff Grayzel
on May 1.

Because this is a larger race than the past elections, we will need
your help. We need at least 35 to 40 volunteers for weekend walks and
calls, as well as 100 volunteers for Election Day. Please come out and
support Democrats from across the state! As Bill Clinton once said
"There is nothing wrong in American that can not be cured by what is
right in America." It is the little strides we take as Democrats that
create Democracy.

Mary Campbell is a regional field organizer for the New Jersey
Democratic State Committee and a liaison to the DNC's State
Partnership Program.

Op-Ed: Running to Make a Difference

by: Gina Genovese

Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 04:23:36 PM EDT

I am running for the New Jersey State Senate from the 21st district to represent a new kind of politics.  My opponent positions himself as a reformer who stands for clean government, yet runs an extremely dirty campaign.  That paradox, is why too many people of New Jersey have lost faith in the political process.

I am a result of the grassroots movement created by Howard Dean.  His campaign stressed the importance of individual participation in a democracy.  I want to build on that concept of engagement.  This election is about empowerment, not entitlement.  I have worked hard to build a business and a reputation that is based upon empowering my students.  I will carry this same philosophy into state politics.  I want to engage residents in the 21st district who have never been politically active so their voices too, can be heard.

Most people in the 21st district know me from 24 years of guiding their children through their developmental years in my business Gina's Tennis World in Berkeley Heights.  I created a place where people congregate, socialize and develop self-confidence and self-esteem.  This has also been a primary focus in my work as an elected official in Long Hill Township.

I was very proud to have served as the first Democratic mayor of the Republican town, Long Hill Township in Morris County.  Most residents of my town know me as a leader who brings people together and acknowledges the contributions of individuals in our community.  Long Hill Township has continued to be supportive of me and has confirmed that my sexuality has no impact on my ability to serve.

As mayor and committeewoman in Long Hill Township, I organized an interfaith service for peace with various religious leaders in the area.  I developed and taught civics lessons in our local schools.  I cooperatively negotiated a reduction in the police force to save taxpayer dollars without reducing services.  I instituted a business economic forum to support the needs of local businesses.  I worked on both school and municipal budgets to understand the intricacies of how state funding impacts the bottom line.  I opened the budget process to the public so they could understand the costs of services in our community.  

Born into a working-class family and today the founder of a business in Union County, I know what it's like to make ends meet and I know what it's like to make payroll.  I have owned and operated Gina's Tennis World in Berkeley Heights since 1983.  The business began with 10 clients, and today has thousands.  Everyday through my business, while working with their children, I hear the hopes and dreams of the people of the 21st district.  

They inspire me to work for all the residents of the 21st district:  Democrats, Republicans, Independents, the unaffiliated and the uninterested.  I instinctively know how to bring people of various ideas, traditions, backgrounds and parties to the table to hammer out the best approaches to the problems facing New Jersey today.  

Last November we realized the importance of whom we sent to Washington.  This November, it is equally important whom we send to Trenton.  Work with me to build a team that will bring out the best in our state.  I want to lead others to be the best they can be, and together, we will move New Jersey forward.

Op-Ed: A Fifty State Strategy Every Year

by: Birch Bayh

Sat Feb 17, 2007 at 08:33:01 AM EST

Howard Dean's 'Fifty State Strategy' was controversial enough for a midterm election, as some party leaders feared it would "squander" the resources needed to win seats. Now, throw a presidential race into the mix -- a time when both parties siphon their resources into the handful of battleground states that sway the Electoral College. What good is a fifty state strategy when 60,000 votes in Ohio are more influential than 1.5 million nationwide?

This limited strategy requires that candidates running for the nation's highest office completely ignore three-quarters of the states, including the three most populous: California, Texas, and New York. Democrats and Republicans alike should ask, 'Why are our national leaders elected by only reaching out to a fraction of our states?' It seems inherently illogical, and it is.

The Electoral College has outlived whatever positive role it once played as a choice of convenience and compromise. Long overdue, the President and Vice President should be chosen by the same method every other elective office in this country is filled-by citizen voters of the United States in a system which counts each vote equally.

I have felt this way for some time. 30 years ago last month, I introduced a proposed Amendment to the Constitution to abolish the Electoral College and provide for direct election of the President and Vice President. As Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments, I held hearings, received testimony from 38 witnesses (not to mention hundreds of pages of additional statements and academic studies), and amassed nearly 2,600 pages of research on the need for electoral reform.

To me and others involved with this process, it became clear that while the Founding Founders had incredible wisdom and foresight, they were dealing with a much different society. The Electoral College was designed for the realities of their time, not ours.

Highway Robbery - It's Time to Put the Brakes on Selling New Jersey's Roads

by: Senator Shirley Turner

Sat Feb 03, 2007 at 12:32:48 PM EST

Unfortunately, one of the worst ideas presented during this debate has managed to survive even in the face of broad public opposition.  The idea of selling the New Jersey Turnpike was a dud from the beginning, yet it refuses to die.

Any plan to sell or lease the Turnpike, the Garden State Parkway or the Atlantic City Expressway puts the people of New Jersey at risk, both economically and security-wise, and simply changes how New Jerseyans are taxed, rather than getting to the core reasons for our high property taxes.

Any attempt to sell the New Jersey Turnpike or other major highways is simply a quick fix to our current financial woes.  It embraces a "live for today" mentality and jeopardizes the long-term well being of our state's residents.

The Turnpike is both literally and figuratively the backbone of New Jersey.  Many of our leading industries - shipping, oil refining and tourism - rely on safe, affordable, and easily accessible roads like the Turnpike to survive.

Without our highways, the Newark-Elizabeth port complex would not be the busiest port in the Northeast and New Jersey would not serve as the major gateway between the United States and the rest of the World.

Without our highways, visitors would not have easy access to the Jersey Shore, Atlantic City and all of New Jersey's natural wonders and beauty.

Without our highways, tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars would be lost to New Jersey's economy.

The New Jersey Turnpike belongs to the people of New Jersey.  Our money, our homes and even some of our lives went into its construction.  It makes little sense to put it at risk on a scheme that has failed to show success in Indiana and Chicago.

We are at a point where the need to develop a comprehensive transportation plan has become abundantly clear.  Such a plan is not only essential to our future economic security, but also our homeland security.  Abdicating control of the Turnpike to a foreign company would severely hamper our ability to make the type of infrastructure improvements we need.

We need control over our highways so that the State can be sure that the Turnpike grows and adapts to meet the constantly changing needs of the people of New Jersey.  There is no guarantee that these updates will be made if we hand over the reins to a foreign corporation.

In many ways, plans to sell or lease our highways sound a lot like efforts for Dubai Ports World to take over port terminals in Newark and Elizabeth.  I strongly opposed that deal just as much as I oppose any plans to lease the Turnpike - because New Jersey can't afford to have its major assets controlled by a foreign company.

No amount of money is enough for us to put the nation's homeland security at risk by letting foreign companies out for a profit manage the security threats that face our highways and ports.  And in those cases where the safety of our people is threatened, we must have control of our major highways so that evacuations can be conducted quickly and efficiently. This is one area in which we can never be too cautious.

In the end, my greatest concern is the impact that leasing the Turnpike will have on toll rates.

Tolls are for the most part a hidden tax that people must pay simply to get to work every day.  Without a doubt that tolls will go up under any lease plan, because there is no way for a private corporation to make a profit on current toll rates.  New Jersey's working families can't afford this sort of shell game.

When you really consider the possibility of selling the Turnpike, it begs one question - what is the corporation going to do to make the road profitable and what is stopping us from taking those steps to see that profit on our own?

The Turnpike is already a financial boon to the State, taking no taxpayer money to run and contributing $12 million to the Transportation Trust Fund each year. 

If there are ways to make the Turnpike more efficient and more profitable, then we should implement those changes immediately.  But if this is just a way to raise tolls on our highways without having to take the blame for raising tolls, then we must pass on the idea.

Governor Corzine should heed the calls of the people of New Jersey to scrap any plan to sell our roads.  What might seem like a good idea at Goldman Sachs isn't always in the best interests of the public.  The quest for property tax relief shouldn't lead us to make horrible decisions that our grandchildren will pay for even when they are grandparents.

Op-Ed: New Jersey Marriage '08 - Start Your Engines

by: Evan Wolfson

Sat Jan 06, 2007 at 08:37:30 AM EST

Fortunately, we have a lot on which to build. First, thanks to Lambda Legal's case, the unanimous ruling of the NJ Supreme Court, and the creative and constant public education and outreach by Garden State Equality and its amazing array of gay and non-gay organizations and partners - including BlueJersey.com, and its series of engaging ads - it's clear that the people of New Jersey are ready to accept an end to the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage. Had the legislative leaders and the governor stepped forward following the Supreme Court ruling and said that the time is now for full equality, not place-holders, New Jersey would have embraced it (and rapidly come to see, as have the people of Massachusetts, that equality in marriage means families helped and no one hurt; gay couples don't use up all the marriage licenses and there is plenty of marriage to share).

Unfortunately, NJ's political leaders seized on the unsurprising polls that showed that in the immediate aftermath of the decision, a majority was also comfortable with the intermediate step of a parallel, lesser status, and they rushed to that place-holder. Happily, an intense blitz by Garden State Equality, Lambda Legal, and an unprecedented collaboration of movement organizations (the Task Force, HRC, ACLU, MassEquality, and New York's Pride Agenda) and funders made clear to the politicians that those of us committed to equal treatment and full inclusion will not rest until couples have the freedom to marry itself. As a result, Senate President Codey and Assembly Speaker Roberts, along with many other key legislators and leaders, have now acknowledged that marriage itself is the goal, that it is do-able, and that it must be done - soon.  Gov. Corzine has already promised to sign a marriage bill into law.

Garden State Equality has called on all who believe in fairness to hold these leaders to their word, and, with the help of all of us, has pledged a massive effort to win the freedom to marry in New Jersey within the next two years.

As the new year dawns, we begin building on the foundation of civil union already won and the increasing receptivity to marriage equality. We must coax people past complacency or false comfort in the idea that justice is "inevitable" and therefore can wait.  Like Chief Justice Poritz, in her dissent for the three justices who would have finished the job, we must now talk to the people around us about why marriage matters.

The right way to end discrimination in marriage is, of course, to end discrimination in marriage, not repackage it, whether as civil union or any other mandatory other status.

Under American law, marriage, of course, is a civil union (a legal status created by government license) - but civil union is not marriage, and pointedly so.  There are a million songs about love and marriage, but civil union is the words without the music.  We must explain why the separate and unequal status of civil union is insufficient and unnecessary, and ultimately demeaning when offered, as it was last year, in order to perpetuate couples' exclusion from marriage itself.

Person by person, month by month, let's describe how marriage - and only marriage, not civil union - offers a comprehensive array of protections and responsibilities under state, federal, and international law.  As I relate in my book, Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People's Right to Marry, this safety net affects every area of life from birth to death, with taxes in between. The rules relating to marriage (not civil union) have been worked out through courts and legislatures to cover a multitude of contingencies, and cannot be replicated by any other contract, statute, or new invention by the state. No separate status provides that security and economic justice, not to mention the dignity of full inclusion and cultural meaning, to same-sex couples and their kids. Around the world, everyone knows what marriage entails. No newly invented status brings what comes, tangibly and intangibly, with a legal marriage license and the two words, "I do."

To be denied the vocabulary of marriage and its meaningful, resonant, and readily understood statement of love and commitment - and instead, have to fumble for 10 documents, explain a new term that doesn't even have a verb, and, possibly, retain a lawyer just to protect your family in a time of crisis - is not fair and not equal. New Jersey can do better. And now is the time.

So here's a New Year's Resolution for all of us. Join with Garden State Equality and other New Jersey and national gay and non-gay groups dedicated to this just cause. Seize the opportunity to make a difference. Start now by inviting friends, family, and fellow citizens to ask themselves these questions:

Either marriage and civil union are the same, in which case why does NJ need two lines at the clerk's office, or they are not the same, in which case what are you withholding from these NJ families, and for what reason?

Would you be prepared to swap your marriage for a civil union?

Have you shared that news with your spouse?

Evan Wolfson is Executive Director of Freedom to Marry and author of Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People's Right to Marry (Simon & Schuster 2004), now in paperback.

Op-Ed: Changing the Senate, Changing the Course

by: Bob Menendez

Sat Oct 28, 2006 at 03:23:14 PM EDT

But what does it all mean, outside of the political horserace?  Well, here is what it means to me:  From day one, a Democratic Senate would push a positive agenda to change this country’s direction.  It’s just that simple.

And it all starts with stem cell research. Earlier this year, President Bush vetoed legislation to expand stem cell research. I am proud to stand with America’s medical and scientific communities against Bush’s shameful and ideologically misguided stem cell policy. We must help science prevent, treat and cure debilitating diseases and ailments such as Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, juvenile diabetes, spinal cord injury and Lou Gehrig’s Disease.  As someone whose own family has been touched by Alzheimer’s, my commitment to stem cell research is both a personal cause and a pressing policy objective. A Democratic majority in the Senate will act to lift Bush’s restrictions on stem cell research – unlocking, once and for, all the life-saving potential of this groundbreaking science.

Another major change will be the direction we take on the minimum wage - which hasn’t been increased in a decade.  I believe that those who work hard to make a living deserve the simple reward of security in their job and fairness in the workplace.  I’ve repeatedly pushed for increasing living wages. In fact, I co-sponsored the Fair Minimum Wage Act – which would raise the minimum wage to $7.25. In a Democratic-led Senate, that bill would finally become law.

When we take back Congress, we’ll also work towards making college more accessible and affordable for the next generation of leaders. As the first in my family to attend college and law school, I realize how important it is to make this a reality for more young people.  Bush’s budget for next year would eliminate Perkins loans for 14,000 low-income students in New Jersey.  Pell Grants are likely to be frozen for the fifth year in a row.  A Democratic Senate would make college tuition tax-deductible on a permanent basis.  It would work to cut interest rates for student loans and expand Pell Grants.  A Democratic Majority will fight to provide first-rate opportunities and ensure that each and every New Jerseyan has the chance to succeed.

Another major difference – when the Democrats take control – will be making our nation more energy independent. Global warming is more than a mere “inconvenient truth” and a threat to our environment, economy and lives.  It is the issue that will define our generation’s success.  Yet, Bush and his Congressional cohorts continue to stick their heads in the sand.  In fact, loyal Bush footsoldier Senator James Inhofe - who recently repeated his claim that global warming is a giant hoax – currently chairs the committee in charge of the environment. I’ve called for an Apollo-style energy plan to wean our nation off its dangerous addiction to foreign oil.  I do not believe the answer to solving our energy problems lies in drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve or off the Jersey shore, but rather through focusing investments in a diversified energy portfolio.  We must invest in alternative sources of energy – such as photovoltaic and wind – which are the wave of the future.  The Bush administration gave us an energy bill that awarded the oil industry billions in tax breaks at a time when it is already earning record profits. Given a majority in the Senate, Democrats would create a cleaner environment with initiatives for energy-efficient technologies and incentives for domestic alternatives such as biofuels. Our plan would help our country kick its addiction to foreign oil by 2020.

With Democratic control of the Senate, we can protect Social Security from Bush’s plans to privatize it.  Just this week, Bush proclaimed – once again – his pledge to revive a privatization scheme. We will work to eliminate that option once and for all, so we can focus on a productive, bipartisan approach that reinvests in the program. Social Security remains one of our government’s greatest success stories. And a Democratic Senate will work to strengthen it, not dismantle it – so it can continue to serve future generations of retirees, as well as it provides for today’s seniors.

Ultimately, the key to changing the direction of the country is changing the direction in Iraq.  All of our goals – from stem cell research to the minimum wage from energy independence to Social Security – will be possible once America is able to free itself of the yoke of our entanglement in Iraq.  It’s time to bring our troops home – safely and soon.  More than 2,800 American troops have made the ultimate sacrifice to our nation.  We cannot afford to lose one more American life in a conflict whose chief advocates have no clear plan for victory.  Well over $300 billion has been spent in Iraq.  That's money that could have been far better used strengthening our families and communities here at home.

A Democratic Senate will push to begin phased redeployment to bring our troops home.  We will bring international partners together to help address the crisis in that country, so that Iraq can be rebuilt.  This will serve Iraq better by forcing it to take responsibility for its own security.  And it will free our country up to focus on the more immediate threats to our national security, such as neglected vulnerabilities at our ports and chemical facilities.

On the campaign trail, I’m often asked about the first thing I would do if elected.  But that is far too narrow a question to ask.  Anyone wondering what difference a Democratic Senate will make should think instead of the first cure that can be achieved once we lift Bush’s restrictions on stem cell research.  Think about the first minimum wage worker who might breathe a little easier when their paycheck shows a long overdue raise.  Think, as I do, of the first soldier who will be reunited with their family and friends after returning home from Iraq.

We must not lose sight of the fact that this election is about very real issues and the way those issues impact the lives of every single New Jerseyan.

Please stand with me and my fellow Democrats – all across the state and the nation – on Tuesday, November 7th so we can continue standing up to President Bush and standing up for New Jersey.

Ten days from now, we will change the course of our nation.

Op-Ed: WMDs Found - In North Korea

by: Rich Sexton

Sat Oct 21, 2006 at 09:00:00 AM EDT

On October 9th we awoke to find the world had changed – and not for the better.  Nearly five years after George Bush took his one and only step toward addressing the threat by labeling it part of the “Axis of Evil,” North Korea announced it had tested a nuclear weapon.  While accounts vary as to whether this test was successful or not, the facts are clear: North Korea is years closer than Iran and decades closer than Saddam Hussein ever was to possessing an actual weapon of mass destruction. 

Make no mistake.  This is not the error of “faulty intelligence,” like that which brought us to war in Iraq.  No.  North Korea’s nuclear test isn’t a surprise to anyone.  In fact, they told us they were going to do it.  It looks like our president just wasn’t listening.

He wasn’t listening when Kim Jong-Il withdrew from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, when North Korea announced its nuclear weapons program, when it refused to return to the negotiating table and when it launched seven missiles, including one long range, into the Sea of Japan. 

With this mountain of evidence in front of him, all George Bush could hear was Iraq. While our troops were out chasing imaginary weapons in the desert, the president allowed a madman to develop nuclear technology unchecked.

The threat of North Korea is yet another massive failure of George Bush’s “Texas” diplomacy.  While this brutal dictator was openly and publicly pursuing his nuclear ambitions, the president stopped listening and Congress went right along with him.  The call of their oversight responsibilities was drowned out by pork barrel politics.  This Republican Congress consistently chose to ignore their oversight responsibilities in order to curry favor with a misguided administration.

Op-Ed: Federal Funds Are Available to Help Secure Our Schools

by: Steve Rothman

Sat Oct 14, 2006 at 10:39:47 AM EDT

In recent weeks, Americans have witnessed more school shootings-in Colorado, Wisconsin, Missouri and Pennsylvania. Every time these tragedies make headlines, there is a call for action. While there are many steps that we can take, there is already a federal law and funding available to help keep our local schools and our schoolchildren safe.

In 2000, along with my friend Congressman Henry Hyde (R-IL), I authored Secure Our Schools - a federal matching grant program for the purchase of school security equipment and for the security training of local school personnel. The bill passed the House and Senate and was then signed into law by President Bill Clinton on October 28, 2000.

Secure Our Schools is administered by the Office of Community Oriented Policing (COPS) in the Department of Justice. These grants help towns cover the cost of school safety measures, such as metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other crime prevention tools. They also fund security assessments, training for students, teachers, and administrators, coordination with local law enforcement, and other actions that significantly improve school safety. 

Since its first year of funding in 2002, $50 million dollars has been distributed to 48 states under the Secure Our Schools program. More specifically, 756 local law enforcement agencies and municipalities have partnered with over 1,300 schools nationwide to participate in this program to ensure the safety of their local schoolchildren.

In New Jersey, nearly 80 Secure Our School grants have been awarded to our law enforcement agencies and school districts. Those grants were worth over $6 million and helped secure 160 schools.

Op-Ed: The War In Iraq, The Elections At Home

by: Joe Cryan

Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 12:52:06 AM EDT

As the war in Iraq drags into its fourth year, with casualties mounting, the financial cost growing and with no end in sight, the American people are learning more about the deceit and duplicity of the Bush Administration in selling the war to a nation that had experienced the trauma of the terrorist attacks of 9-11. The truth about the war reveals an administration that has sacrificed honesty along with the lives of close to 3,000 American soldiers. In essence, we have been fighting on a lie.

President Bush claimed that Iraq posed an imminent threat to national security, that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction and that Iraq was a battleground in the international war on terror. These were faulty claims in a false premise for war. There were no weapons of mass destruction, Iraq posed no direct threat and terrorists were not welcome in Hussein’s Iraq. This was a war of choice, not a war of necessity. And now we are paying the costs. In addition to the lives lost and those left with horrible wounds, the American people have spent more than $300 billion. This is money that could have been used to close the deficit, fund health care or education, protect the environment or to invest in economic progress.

Instead, we are caught in a conflict that is fragmenting into civil war. The cruel irony is - despite George Bush's false pretense - the war has actually increased the threat of terrorism by fueling antagonisms among Muslims throughout the world. The recent National Intelligence Estimate by the country’s intelligence services confirms this awful truth. The report – which the Bush Administration wanted to keep secret – is a stark indictment of misplaced priorities and failed policies that could haunt us for generations to come.

The war has also distracted resources and attention away from the more legitimate battle against terrorists. In Afghanistan, the Taliban is experiencing a resurgence and Al Qaeda is starting to reemerge. Around the globe, America's prestige has suffered. The belligerent attitude of the Bush Administration in prosecuting the war with complete disregard to international sentiment – not to mention international standards of conduct – belies an arrogance that alienates the United States in the world community.

The more we learn about the conduct of the Bush Administration, the more reasons we have to work for a change in leadership in Washington and a change in direction for the country. The behind-the-scenes account of decision making contained in Bob Woodward’s book, “State of Denial,” confirms the most cynical suspicions of the Bush Administration’s motives and behavior.

We have learned that legitimate warnings about terrorist attacks by Osama bin Laden were not taken seriously. We learned that the decision to go to war was made primarily on the gut instinct of a President who believes he has been ordained to make unilateral decisions and not be accountable. We learned of the disregard for dissenting opinions. What is worse, is the deceit and deception that accompanied these bad decisions. The President refuses to be held accountable. He refuses to tell the truth.

We now have the chance to force the President to face the truth. We now have the ability to make him accountable. We now have an opportunity to impose change. The upcoming election is our next best opportunity to bring change to Washington. George Bush isn’t on the ballot, but his political allies are. In New Jersey, Tom Kean Jr. and Congressman Mike Ferguson – two Republican candidates who support Bush’s war policies – are competing in this year’s election.

Congressman Ferguson and Kean Jr. are unapologetic supporters of Bush’s war policies. Kean Jr. has made some futile attempts recently to distance himself from the President. But his words are too little and too late, they are completely disingenuous. His half-hearted criticism that “mistakes were made” not only states the obvious, it came in the wake of recent public polls.

Senator Robert Menendez stood up to George Bush on the war from the start and he hasn’t backed down. He voted against the war when it was unpopular to do so. He now has a responsible plan for bringing our troops home safely. Senator Menendez has been right all along and he had the courage of his beliefs.

Just as wrong and just as bad as Kean Jr. is Mike Ferguson. He has succumbed to George Bush in every conceivable way. He has marched in lock step with Washington Republicans as they moved further and further away from the mainstream.

The voters in Ferguson’s congressional district have someone else to take his place. They have a Democratic candidate who will replace Ferguson’s Right wing positions – including his obedient support for Bush’s war policies and his belief that abortion should be criminalized – with sensible, responsible mainstream positions.

Linda Stender is that candidate. Linda opposes the war and wants to bring our troops home. She has the courage to stand up to George Bush and she has the strength of character to act in the best interests of the people.

This is an election that can make history. It offers an opportunity to shift the direction and the purpose of America. We should all do all that we can to take advantage of this opportunity and to help make history. 

OP-Ed: Baby Kean Breaks Promise to Military Families

by: Ken Dalton

Sat Sep 30, 2006 at 08:00:00 AM EDT

On August 14 of this year, representatives from Military Families Speak Out met with State Senator Tom Kean, Jr.  During this meeting, in which he looked into the faces of United States citizens who have family members currently serving in the US military, he refused to answer their direct questions about what his plans were for our troops abroad if he were to win the election in November.  Let's make that clear: A man who aspires to the United States Senate refuses to answer the family members of the troops he's willing to send into harm's way.  He insisted at the time that he would put his answers in writing, but later changed his mind about that because he was too sure it would be used against him and MFSO wasn't going to vote for him anyway.  How can we trust Baby Kean to stand up for us in Washington if we can't even trust him to keep a simple promise to answer questions to the families of the people he wants to send away to die?

His refusal to provide answers to the families of those serving in Bush's illegal and immoral war in Iraq is in and of itself ignorant and arrogant on his part. Does he believe that he would not have to represent these people and only represent "Big Money" Republicans from places like Morris and Somerset Counties? Knowing Baby Kean's background, I can see too clearly where his arrogance grows - since neither he, nor people of his "upper class constituency", will ever have to bleed or even make the slightest sacrifice for this country. They just reap the economic benefits of Bush's war and policies. I believe he has only disdain for the class of people who serve in the Armed Forces, whether they enlist for patriotic or economic purposes.

Like many from that strata of society, they believe that being a senator or governor is a birthright, not something they have to earn. It's telling that Baby Kean never has won an election - neither to the State Assembly nor to the State Senate - before he's been appointed to it.  By refusing to deal in good faith with the military families, he is acting like a little Lord Fauntleroy that always had a silver spoon in his mouth. This is certainly not the behavior of someone who deserves to be a U.S. Senator.

Op-Ed: Menendez Tilts Toward Net Neutrality

by: Timothy Karr

Sat Sep 09, 2006 at 09:22:55 AM EDT

The pending legislation does not include any meaningful provision to protect the principle of Network Neutrality online even though more than a million people have signed a petition sponsored by the SavetheInternet.com coalition asking Congress to preserve Internet freedom.

The grassroots movement for Net Neutrality drove home that point the week before Congress reconvened by holding petition drops at senators' offices in 26 cities around the country.

Net Neutrality advocates worry that Internet providers will fast-track content from favored Web sites or companies, while slowing down transmissions from everybody else. To stop companies like AT&T, Verizon, Time Warner and Comcast from abusing our online freedoms, we need to restore the federal law that ensures that we are free to navigate the Web to the sites and service of our choice, and not be pushed to companies favored by these Internet giants.

In Newark, New Jersey activists delivered tens of thousands of petitions to the Senate offices of Robert Menendez calling on the senator to "preserve a free and open Internet by stopping the phone company plan to erect new tollbooths and discriminate against content on the Web." 

August's nationwide petition delivery convinced at least four senators to go on record in support of net Neutrality, bringing the number of senators in favor of Internet freedom up to 26 as of September 7. Fourteen senators are on the record as backing major phone and cable companies' plans to create a tiered and discriminatory Internet. The rest are either waffling or undeclared on the issue.

These numbers are important, especially for New Jersey.

Op-Ed: Bush/Ferguson Hurting Seniors On Social Security, Medicare, Prescription Drugs

by: Linda Stender

Sat Sep 02, 2006 at 10:57:43 AM EDT

Instead of working to strengthen Social Security, improve Medicare, and lower the cost of prescription drugs, Bush and Ferguson are doing the opposite and are catering to special interest groups that look to take advantage of seniors.

President Bush and Mike Ferguson should be ashamed of themselves for their positions on Social Security, Medicare, and prescription drugs. Last year, Mike Ferguson even brought President Bush to Westfield to discuss his proposal to privatize Social Security. 

Mike Ferguson has voted nine times to raid the Social Security Trust Fund. In 2005, he also voted for a GOP budget resolution that will raid the Social Security Trust Fund of more than $1.1 trillion over the next five years.

     

Op-Ed: Say Yes to Parks Funding Referendum Question

by: Assemblyman John McKeon

Sat Aug 19, 2006 at 08:00:00 AM EDT

As the state faces difficult financial times; however, a crisis has been allowed to quietly build in the New Jersey parks system. Lacking a stable source of funding has brought about certain unfortunate results: repair projects have been deferred, a steady decline in services and maintenance has become common, and park hours have been cut. Recent estimates from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) indicate that we need $250 million just to catch up with maintenance and repairs. Governor Jon Corzine, recognizing the great need that existed, proposed that $40 million be allocated in the FY 2007 Budget for this purpose. After budget negotiations and due in part to the looming deficit, it became apparent that the final allocation would be drastically reduced from that figure. A different approach would have to be found.

In 1995 voters approved a constitutional amendment dedicating 4% of Corporation Business Tax (CBT) revenues for important environmental purposes. Some of these included the funding of hazardous discharge remediation; the availability of state grants for the closure, upgrading, and replacement of underground storage tanks; and provision for watershed based resource planning and management.  In 2005 the voters approved a reorganizing of this dedication which would include the usage of these funds for state grants to offset the costs of diesel air pollution retrofit equipment. This equipment is vital in controlling the particular matter released from diesel engines, thereby reducing the emission of cancer causing particles into our air supply. Having achieved this result, the task of identifying a source of funding to address the growing backlog of park repairs became a top priority at the beginning of the current Legislative Session.

We came to the determination that a legislative change within the CBT environmental allocation could enhance the flexibility of these funds for new projects without compromising the existing priorities. Along with Senator Kenny, I introduced legislation which would pose a referendum question in November’s ballot asking voters to approve such a change. Under the proposed amendment, the system would receive $15 million each year through 2015 for improved upkeep and $32 million each year beginning in 2016 for the continued maintenance and development of our state and local parks. These expenditures do not present an additional cost to taxpayers because we would simply be shifting existing revenues.  The measure unanimously passed both houses of the Legislature this past July and awaits approval by the electorate on this November’s ballot.

Over the past 20 years, the population of New Jersey has grown to more than 9 million residents. Combined with the critical component of tourism, our states third largest industry, this growth places additional burdens on our precious landscapes and waterways. From the environmental factors to the economic; from the cultural implications to the recreational; from the historical results to the aesthetic; the future of the parks system now rests in our hands. New Jersey’s state parks are a shadow of what they once were and a commitment to revitalization through stewardship and enhancement is desperately needed. Together we can ensure that from High Point to Cape May Lighthouse, the right of all New Jerseyans to a preserved and protected parks system will be assured. To this end, I ask you to join me in voting “Yes” to the parks funding referendum question on Tuesday, November 7th.

Assemblyman McKeon represents New Jersey's 27th legislative district.

Op-Ed: Young, Female, and Running for Office

by: Dana Wefer

Sat Aug 12, 2006 at 10:12:36 AM EDT

  In the last two years I have attended countless street fairs, candidate forums, and fundraisers; I have knocked on thousands of doors.  No matter what the setting, however, at almost every event I heard at least one variation on “It’s so good to see a young person running for office” and “It’s so nice to see that women are involved.” 

  Politics and government have traditionally been a stomping ground solely for the seasoned white male.  Slowly, our government is becoming more inclusive of women and young people as well as racial, ethnic and religious minorities, but there are still steps that can be taken to speed along the process.

  There's More... :: (8 Comments, 927 words in story)

Op-Ed: Property Tax Promises: NOT Déjà Vu All Over Again

by: Jeff Laurenti

Fri Aug 04, 2006 at 11:59:49 PM EDT

This is small consolation to New Jersey’s residents, gagging on some of the nation’s highest property taxes. Today they are deeply skeptical of politicians’ promises of property tax relief; large majorities told Quinnipiac poll-takers that the Assembly’s adamance on dedicating some of this year’s sales tax increase to property tax relief was just a political gimmick.  Governor Jon S. Corzine has confronted the public’s cynicism head-on in the comprehensive blueprint he set out in his address to a weary Legislature last Friday.  He wants to tackle not just taxes, but spending.