What Happens in a Bad Economy?

by: The Journeying Progressive

Tue Aug 09, 2011 at 03:26:44 AM EDT

Come to think of it, they like to argue and obfuscate in abstractions, as well. They campaign in abstractions and make abstract pledges until those abstractions turn into something tangible, like a subprime lending crisis or a downgrade from a particular private rating agency.

We spend so much time wading through abstractions that we cannot get to the meat of the issues that face us today. Enough of that.

What really happens in a bad economy? And what is the public's role during these tough times?

Putting Ourselves at Risk: Cutting the EPA budget

by: epicsurvivor

Wed May 04, 2011 at 10:41:04 AM EDT

The basic fallacy of "privatization"

by: Adam L

Wed Mar 02, 2011 at 02:13:11 PM EST

*********************

I put "privatization" in quotes because it is really corporatization, and quite frankly is a much better term for the further theft of taxpayer dollars for the well connected corporate class.

The arguments that the right and the pro-corporate/"free market" crowd make are in direct conflict with the entire rationale for privatization corporatization of public services - regardless of whether it is the school system, toll collecting, motor vehicle inspection (all of which have been done/proposed in New Jersey), or taking it a step further, the fire department.  It goes something like this:

Corporations are supposed to maximize profits and their responsibilities lie with their shareholders and increasing shareholder value.  So, cutting corners (BP, anyone), using cheaper materials (as we have seen in building houses as compared to decades ago, or even in household goods that break down after a few years) or reducing quality control in order to make more cheaper or do more with less.  Even if this isn't all willful and there are just fewer people doing the job, there is inherent quality control issues from less people doing more.  All in the name of maximizing profit and being accountable to shareholder value.

Contrast this with the basic premise of public service - to serve the public.  There is an underlying goal of making sure that the public receives the services that it needs as opposed to the services that a private company wants to deliver based on cost and interpretation of the contract, regardless of needs.

Now, let's take the argument for corporatization of services - it goes something like this:

Christie's pending snowstorm Catch-22

by: Adam L

Tue Jan 11, 2011 at 11:31:22 AM EST

If we get more than a foot of snow in most areas, things run smoother (or hopefully, smoothly) and the towns and state roads that were snowed under are cleared quicker with more coordination and communication between the Governor's office, the Department of Transportation, the county and town officials, would this not have shown how much better it would have run with an active Governor doing the job of Governing and directing the relief and snow removal effort the last time around?

And if things don't go better and there is still the same confusion, same number of roads closed and cars stranded, and people stuck in their homes - what does this say about Christie's approach to government and whether he is equipped to help (and dare I say lead) the people of his state in a time of natural disaster or emergency?

Chris Christie: Economic Genius

by: Ian Reifowitz

Mon Nov 08, 2010 at 04:37:51 PM EST

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's lack of understanding of economics appears to approach the level of John McCain.

Christie, like many Republicans, claims to believe in fiscal responsibility, and says that government shouldn't spend more than it has, just like real families. (I'd like to meet these families). The problem is, these ideas don't work for families and they don't work for our government.

On Meet The Press this past Sunday, Christie said,

I mean, we made real hard decisions, and I cut some programs that we would've liked to have kept...But we're broke. We don't have the money anymore.

more below the fold

Why I love Frank Lautenberg (and hate bogus posturing)

by: Alefa_Zegota

Thu Oct 14, 2010 at 10:33:36 PM EDT

I got a little too worked up in the excitement of Haiku Day, which inspired this tribute to Frank Lautenberg:

Lautenberg Station
looms over the meadowlands.
The man knows transit.

(and how.)

I wrote that before even seeing the news about Lautenberg's brokering to keep the ARC on track (as highlighted in Blue Jersey's morning roundup).

I sometimes forget that even elected officials who serve as my personal stand-ins for Mr. Smith still have to meet the baseline requirement of anyone who hopes to succeed in politics: a sense of cunning when the situation calls for it. It's rare, though, to see flexing of a god-given gift for calculation in pursuit of something meaningful. Usually it's to win one battle in a long, bitter war.

I'm glad Lautenberg essentially said, "We're getting this done one way or another, it's a mistake to throw away billions of dollars for a once-in-a-generation opportunity for something so urgently needed, and if the public funds are obstructed, we'll see what the private sector can do."

find out more below the fold!

More difficulties with mergers and consolidation

by: Jason Springer

Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 03:15:00 PM EST

The consolidation seemed to make sense: The towns already share three regional schools, a construction department and a court system and, served by the State Police, wouldn't have to quibble over police. Plus, the towns had assets (land and utilities) to share. In an unsettling economy, when cutting property taxes is the driving political issue, this one seemed like a rural no-brainer.

According to the Consolidation Study Commission report, the towns - if they merged - could have saved $585,000 in the first year. Future savings could have been greater with even more cost-cutting. That's a nice chunk of change, but it wasn't enough to persuade residents to erase a border - especially those in Sussex Borough, population 2,000.

The budget for the Medford Lakes Police Department is approximately $1.1 million dollars. A consolidation study indicated that Medford Township police officers could provide services for roughly $600,000.

Ten years from now, Medford Lakes predicts its police budget would be approximately $2 million dollars. The study indicated that Medford Township police could provide services for roughly $700,000.

The savings to residents would equate to roughly $1.3 million dollars.

We complain of high property taxes...yet balk at any real opportunity to shrink the government's size and cost.

Of course erasing borders and overcoming the feeling that smaller towns are losing their autonomy as they perceive it will be more difficult, but if we don't start taking steps in the right direction we're not going to be walking at all. And we can't afford to stand still anymore.  

Politics As Usual in Ocean County

by: watcher

Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 01:52:38 PM EST

It is more probable, however, that the other old saying "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" is more appropriate.

Take for example, the campaign last year for Ocean County Clerk:  Jason Verano, the Democratic candidate alleged, that the incumbent Republican had misappropriated funds from a Dedicated Trust Fund under his control; that he had used the money for expensive trips; promotional items, and a 42? plasma TV, among other things.

"No, no, no," the incumbent said during the campaign,  "I wouldn't do anything like that!  Using the taxpayer money from the Dedicated Trust Fund for these expenses was completely legal! Please, believe me."

And, so, the voters of Ocean County did and reelected him, although by a margin almost 2/3 less than the one he had in his first election.

Then, after his swearing in, when he told us that Jason Varano was right; that he had misused the Dedicated Trust Fund money, Ocean County voters learned that he had abused our trust; that he had used our natural desire to believe our leaders for his own self-serving purposes.  "I've changed the way the Dedicated Trust will be used.  Trust me." he said.

Huh?  What about the hundreds of thousands of dollars this official now admits he misappropriated?  How do we, the taxpayers, recoup our money?

Hey, Watcher has an idea: How about he donates his salary back to the county until the debt to the rest of us is paid back?  That would work for Watcher.  How about all of you?  We could even have a public ceremony showing him handing over his $10,000 monthly salary check.  By my calculation, it would only take 2-1/2 years for him to pay back all the money that he used improperly.

Well, we know that won't happen, unfortunately, and that is why Watcher will be watching everything that happens in our government; tracking every expense; examining every contract and cross-checking them with every contribution to the party and telling you what our elected officials won't tell you.

Ocean County residents have the right to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about our government and those who hold the power to spend out money.  We have the right to transparency about every action our elected officials take, every penny of taxpayer money they spend; and every benefit they receive.

To paraphrase the famous line from the movie "Network", "We're getting mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore"

Speaking Up

by: carolh

Thu Sep 27, 2007 at 12:47:15 PM EDT

Being an engineer, not a politician I tend to speak up.  Now, as you all know, that tends to get me in hot water frequently with the power players.  Part of me thinks I landed in this position as a councilwoman because I speak up and God finally found a niche for the troublemaking Muckraker in me.  It ain't easy, though, I gotta tell ya.  When you speak up - you have to be prepared to take the heat, because there will be heat.  There always is.  The hard part is to stand your ground even when you know you practically need body armor to walk in that room and defend your position. 

When you tell another politician looking only to his fame and legacy that his law has a few flaws and needs a little work, be prepared to be treated like you've just told someone their baby is ugly.  In the past few months I have been having my own private little struggle with the power elite in my own Borough.  Why?  It all started with a newpaper article.  Not even an ad.  Just an article and a favorable one at that. 

I had discovered that the actual mathematical equations used to calculate Floor Area Ratio in Tenafly were incorrect and broke down in some zones.  And so I came up with a mathematical solution to fix them.  It worked in every zone, in the entire town on a sliding scale and used only one simple equation rather than three different methods per zone like the Planning Board (actually they made the zoning officer come up with the calcs)  had come up with the year before.

I had just taken a good look at their baby - the one that the current Mayor had pinned all his hopes on to get re-elected.  I had just told them in no uncertain terms that their baby was ugly. 

When I realized I had found the solution that had eluded Tenafly for 20 years, I asked that it be put on the agenda so I could give a presentation to the Planning Board about the new method. 

Silly little naive Carol.  I assumed that confronted with the FACTS, the Planning Board would be thrilled we now had a way forward that the public would be happy with.  Unfortunately, newspapers do funny things to politicians.  The local reporter called me as he usually does about issues in town.  I explained the new method to him so that he would understand it when it was presented at the meeting and that he could educate the public about it so they could ask educated questions. 

Not only did the Chairman and several other members of the Planning Board read the paper that day.  They had cut out the article and highlighted certain passages and had it sitting prominently in front of them during the meeting.  In fact, they read it a lot more carefully than all the Excel spreadsheets I had made to show them exactly where the previously proposed equations did not work.  And so what started as a positive meeting where I hoped to share a success with the Planning Board, turned into a lynching.  And guess who they wanted to hang.  I was later told, that never in his career had the reporter seen a councilmember so badly treated.  In fact, while attempting to give my presentation, I was repeatedly interrupted by the Chairman and not allowed to continue.  He tried to pull a Closed Session while fixing me with the absolute most withering stare.  The reporter, thankfully was the only public person in the entire room and stood up to say that calling the Closed Session was illegal. 

At that point, realizing I was getting nowhere, and that the Chairman had crossed the line, I stood up and leaving my presentation materials behind, I simply walked out.  Not only did the meeting make it into the next paper, but an editorial too, about the Sunshine laws and how what the Chairman had tried to do was reprehensible. 

(The only funny part of this story is that after that meeting, I went to Borders and bought Robert's Rules for Dummies so I could see just where things went wrong.  Turns out, Roberts Rules was written by a Civil Engineer in the 1800's after a really bad presentation like the kind I just experienced.  Guess I'm not the only one this happened to.  I recommend to anyone considering public office - you have to know the rules - it WILL help you. )

I was being harassed and told to be quiet by people who are simply in love with the IDEA of being on the Planning Board, without an understanding of the actual issues involved.  One longstanding member was angry at me for using the term buidling footprint, because he did not know what it meant.  The Chairman himself once asked me what a driveway apron was.  I was stunned and dumbfounded.  What do you do when the Planning Board members are more woirried about who gets more press, or what is in the paper than about how much we accomplish? 

The article was favorable and made Tenafly look good.  The fact that I had a solution was a positive.  Yet they were angry.  Why? They did not want me to speak to the press.  After I left the meeting, I was told, they gave my materials to the Borough Engineer and told him to use them and come back with a new ordinance, so that they could "get the credit".  This is how petty and small some of those involved in government get.  They are more worried about press than policy. 

The Republicans are freaked out after pinning all their hopes on this one military man - Patreus that they can't deal with any bad press.  They put all their eggs in one basket - the PERCEPTION of accomplishments that they care not for actual progress in policy.  I am dealing with this craziness on a tiny level and a safer one, but the craziness is there all the same.  A sane person would think - they are upset about an AD????  They shouldn't be wasting valuable time discussing an ARTICLE or an AD. They should spend time getting results.

Ego, PR, and perception.  I can't make any other sense out of it. 

In Tenafly the hardest part of my Council term so far has been fighting the class issue.  Before it was known I lived in a 4 family house - the other members of the Planning Board would whisper to me on the side during meetings when they assumed- as an engineer that I was on their economic level.  They had no knowledge of my medical expenses or my lifestyle.  I won this election on my engineering skills but my apartment is modest at best.  The Board has been trying to get rid of 2 family houses at the Mayor's request - another issue he is running for re-election on. 

The thing is,  nearly all my neighbors live in two family homes.  The Mayor lives on the East Hill with a pool and tennis court.  He has absolutely no clue who lives in my neighborhood.  And yet every chance he gets he is decrying the proliferation of 2 family homes in MY neighborhood.  He and the other member of the Planning Board who is extremely wealthy and lives on the East Hill.  I try to speak up for my neighbors, many of whom have been here for decades, and it is getting me in deeper hot water.  The Planning Board attempted to pass a new law outlawing 2 family homes in most of the town, but the map did not include homes like my rented apartment - a 4 family.  When I pointed this out and the Council would not pass the ordinance and another article was written in the paper making the Mayor look elitist simply by quoting him accurately, I was again the target of the wrath of the Planning Board Chairman, (who prefers to hypenate his first name - James-Robert - who does that? - One of these days I'll slip and accidentally call him Jim-Bob) except this last time there was no one present from the public or the press to witness the abuse.  He accused me of thwarting the Planning Board for political reasons and he actually sneered that I was catering to MY constituents. 

As elected officials, we are the ones accountable to the public, not political appointees.  I have to speak up for ALL the residents in town - not just those on the East Hill who think the town would be just great if it weren't for all "those people" who live on my side of the tracks.  I have to tell you, sometimes I just want to give up, these folks look at me like I'm a bug now that they know where I live.  But, I am going to try to keep speaking up, because I can't let them waste taxpayers money and time on foolishness like who gets more press or what ad made them look foolish.  Their goal may be to feel important at the country club, but my goal is to get things done.  Besides, I can't afford the country club dues and I don't play golf. 

The Democrats in Congress need to get tough. It isn't easy and it isn't fun, but we didn't elect them to brag about being Congressmen or Senators, we elected them to legislate.  Without staying focused they'll continue to fall into the Republican distraction trap.

I was punished in my town for something POSITIVE written ABOUT me by SOMEONE ELSE.  The Democrats in the Senate were being tarred and feathered for an AD put out by someone else.  I should be held accountable for my actions and my votes.  And we should hold the House and Senate accountable for letting George W. Bush get away with war crimes  Are our leaders in Congress letting themselves get distracted because the established Democrats as well as the Republicans in DC want us to forget how they gave George Bush a free pass?

Democracy Fluorishes In The Sunshine

by: mikeshapiro

Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 08:44:47 PM EST

Governing bodies throughout New Jersey, particularly on the municipal level, are abusing The Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). The purpose of these Acts is to enhance democracy by allowing the public to see government in action rather than permitting the government to operate behind closed doors. While some municipalities televise their meetings or otherwise record them, many do neither so there is no true record of what occurs at most public sessions. In addition, while minutes of these meetings are public documents under the law and must be available to its citizens, there is no requirement that the minutes be thorough or that they accurately reflect the meeting they are supposed to memorialize. Too often a citizen who requests documents, including resolutions and ordinances, is routinely given the runaround until he rescinds his request. In addition, there are few vehicles for the public to use when an OPRA request is denied by a governing body. Fortunately, change may be in the air.

Time to Let the Sun Shine In

by: mikeshapiro

Sat Jan 06, 2007 at 06:22:55 PM EST

Public confidence in our elected officials continues to crater and apathy has become a fact of life in New Jersey politics. Corruption by many of our representatives is no longer a question of "if" but "when." Negative political campaigns are now the norm, further contributing to the cesspool that is New Jersey politics. While we can be all "doom and gloom" and spend our time complaining, the truth is that we can do something to rectify the situation. There is a remedy to our problems with politics in New Jersey: sunshine. That's right, some good old all-natural sunshine. Here are a few simple ideas that we, as citizens, can facilitate to create more open, transparent and accountable government.