Resolutions in the Trenton Statehouse are often more interesting than the actual votes. Yesterday the NJ General Assembly honored Anna Hoffman for her ground-breaking roll as a battlefield pioneer in WWII.
So before the votes took place (the legislature would pass family medical leave insurance) there was some pomp and circumstance. Truly the most delightful vlog I have ever mashed up.
For the past several years legislators like Nia Gill (in NJ) and Rush Holt (in Congress) have worked tirelessly to ensure voter integrity. Hopefully one day we can realize the fruit of those efforts. Today unfortunately is NOT the day.
We're not talking rocket science here, just an audit-able paper trail. So until then say a few Hail Marys on the way to the polls and if you're living right (and lucky) you just might feel comfortable about your vote actually counting.
The largest deployment of NJ Nat'l Guard troops since WWII is happening very soon. Hopefully the Soldiers come back to their families safe and sound. And in the meantime. hopefully NJ won't suffer any natural disasters while our Soldiers are gone.
If you take a gander to Blue Jersey's slice of YouTube heaven, you'll be amazed at the archive that awaits. Videos range from wonky to funny, touching to infuriating -- with a few stinkers thrown in for good measure. All and all, totally worth the trip.
Eighty uploads on, our vlogs are making a steady march traffic-wise, as well. Our top scorer remains the Mac parody/marriage equality commentary with over 41,ooo hits.
Once you're there, you'll notice a "Subscribe" button at our YouTube space. Go ahead! Do it! It doesn't cost a penny and it boosts our profile in the Vlogosphere.
(Below the fold I pick a few of my personal faves from our YouTube jukebox.)
It's been a long time since the atmosphere in Trenton was this positive, especially concerning Family Medical Leave Insurance.
In addition to the panel vote this morning (update!! 2pm, bill passes Labor panel! DEMS vote yay, GOP -- sans Singer, who abstains -- votes Nay.) the focus is on Monday's Senate floor vote. So it's entirely possible that these pro-family measures will be a done deal before summer solstice. Which just might mean NJ workers won't have to choose between a paycheck and a sick child for much longer.
Today is a baby step. The real battle is Monday, March 3 when the full senate take a vote.
Without political courage from our leaders, cohesion within the progressives and (most importantly) support from straight allies, gays and lesbians will be relegated to the back (or middle) of the bus for a long time.
Thanks to a bi-partisan trio in the New Jersey statehouse (and some AARP lobby muscle) seniors may soon have protections from predatory lending practices.
And if you think the AARP is for old people, you're right.
But where is your Grandma gonna live if she loses her home?
In a week and a day it'll all be over and we can get on with it. But until then, there's still primary to be won here in New Jersey.
Since we do not have a winner-take-all system here in the Garden State, there will be spoils for the second (and possibly third) place finish in next Tuesday's election.
*THE FIRST STEP IS TODAY (Monday)! Weighed in yet?*
If we don't rise up against the onslaught from the big business lobby, we will miss the opportunity to enact family medical leave here in New Jersey.
So far the campaign to allow workers to take up to 6 weeks off with half-pay to have a baby or care for a sick relative has been a tough slog. The progressive side has been thoroughly out gunned by our richer more ruthless rivals.
SO I ask you Blue Jersey to call your reps and tell them how you feel. Doesn't matter if you think they might vote for it so why bother. This time it's important to go ahead and make the call, email, or fax.
After that send this video to every progressive you know in NJ and tell them to do the same. Share it with your friends, networks, and newslists. Put it on your blog or your website and try to help rally the troops.
Otherwise we miss the chance to enact the most pro-family, pro-worker legislation in a generation. It's not about waiting for the next opportunity to make this happen. It's been too long a wait already.
When NJ attorney general Anne Milgram got a five month extension to get her act together, New Jersey voters were left wondering if their vote will be properly counted.
It was Madonna, Lord Byron Juan Melli who once cleverly remarked "we can send a man to the moon in ten years but they can't figure out how to print out a piece of paper in three!"
We have an election three weeks from today. Go ahead and cross your fingers now, watch the video and send it to every New Jerseyan you know.
(Trenton) -- I wanted to share some of the flavor from today's Inaugural festivities.Kinda like the Assembly itself, our latest Vlog is a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.Enjoy!
I had a major video crash today and lost some great footage. Apologies to Grace Spencer and Wayne DeAngelo who were so kind to say hello.
(Note to self: when it comes to video you're NOBODY unless you've had your first painful crash.)
Two things caught my eye in Trenton yesterday. First of all, it's Patriot Week, a chance to celebrate NJ's role in Revolutionary war history. Second, the school funding formula which still has my wee mind reeling.
Since I hate to choose -- and with some time-travel magic -- I morphed the two into one videoblog.
Here are some parting shots from Rome where the NJ death penalty repeal was the big story bouncing around old Europe this past week. And that's just the beginning of the story.
When Governor Corzine signs the bill, N.J. will be the first state in the land to repeal the death penalty legislatively. Nasty criminals face life without parole instead.
Update 5pm. Ten weeks is off the table. A five or six week compromise is still possible.
Since Lameduck started, big business has been lying through their caps teeth to try to kill Sen. Sweeney's family medical leave bill. It's been quite a lobby salvo on their part and frankly it kinda caught me off guard.
Yesterday supporters of the bill --led by New Jersey Citizen Action -- struck back and boy was the statehouse teeming.
There's still time to save this bill but liberals need to get pissed and make this a priority.
So what's your take on the topic? Ever take time off to care for a sick parent? To have a baby? Is ten weeks enough? This is an open thread, so fire away.
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