Earlier this week the Latino Action Network joined with the Women's Political Caucus, Latinas United for Political Empowerment - Political Action Committee, New Jersey Muslim Lawyers Association, Latino Coalition of Monmouth County, and Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO to file an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief in In re Contest of November 8, 2011 General Election of Office of New Jersey General Assembly, Fourth Legislative District, the New Jersey Supreme Court case in which Gabriela Mosquera's election as 4th District Assemblywoman in November 2011 is being challenged despite her having won more votes than her opponents.
On Wednesday, January 26, 2012 we heard that the Supreme Court has accepted our amicus brief.
One of her opponents, Shelley Lovett, argues that because Ms. Mosquera moved to the 4th District 11 months prior to the election, she violated a requirement in the New Jersey Constitution that all candidates must live in their district for at least a year. However, a federal judge back in 2002 had held that provision invalid under the United States Constitution's Equal Protection Clause. As such the Secretary of State (Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno) had told Ms. Mosquera that she could run for office, without challenge, and in fact every candidate since 2002 has been told the same thing.
"charged with 'manufacturing' 17 marijuana plants that he used to treat his Multiple Sclerosis. Wilson faced 20 years in state prison for this crime. At trial, Superior Court Judge Robert Reed would not let the jury hear the reason that Wilson grew the marijuana plants, essentially removing Wilson's only defense."
Senator Raymond Lesniak, who was a chief proponent of New Jersey's medical marijuana law, had this appeal to Gov. Chris Christie:
"I am disappointed by the recent decision of the Supreme Court to deny the appeal of John Ray Wilson. He was merely trying to alleviate the symptoms of a dreadfully painful and regressive disease. It is unconscionable that this Friday he will be behind bars. Three years ago, I called on Gov. Corzine to commute the sentence of Mr. Wilson. After inaction with the last governor, I was hopeful Gov. Christie would better understand the unfair reality of this situation. Unfortunately, Gov. Christie has been just like Corzine, refusing to use his and only his power to make things right when the true intentions of the law were misapplied. (Ironically) before John Ray Wilson completes his prison sentence, the State of NJ will have its medical marijuana program up and running, and Mr. Wilson may likely be using medical marijuana behind bars or the prescription pain killers he couldn't afford, paid for by the state's taxpayers. Governor Christie should commute his sentence immediately."
"I commend the sponsors for putting forward legislation that seeks to reduce injection-related diseases. Stopping the spread of injection-related diseases in New Jersey is a primary public health concern that requires a comprehensive approach."
--Chris Christie after signing over-the-counter needle exchange legislation.
The following is an extract from a white paper that I sent to selected New Jersey legislators. A link to the complete paper, including references, is at the end of this post.
Pundits are fond of pontificating that "government should be run like a business." What they are really saying is that since businesses answer to shareholders and must squeeze out every cent of profit, those who run a successful business must constantly keep their eye on the bottom line. From there, it's an easy leap to the conclusion that every decision made by a business or government entity should be viewed through a fiscal lens.
Like all simplifications, the pundits' manifesto has some grain of truth, but upon closer inspection one realizes that the real world is much more complex.
First, running an entity "like a business" is not a recipe for success. Remember Borders? People Express? Enron?
Like running a government, running a business requires the use of continually improving tools and techniques. But tools in and of themselves are not the answer.
Take, for example, Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno's "Red Tape Commission." No one can argue that the elimination of red tape is a good thing. Or can they? Some so-called red tape provides the checks and balances necessary to ensure that promoting a good business climate does not have the side effect of destroying the environment or putting unsafe products in the hands of consumers. So while the elimination of unnecessary red tape is a desirable goal, one must wonder if that's the real impetus behind this commission. The Guadagno Commission is a Band-Aid, not a long-term solution. As we will describe later, the real goal is the elimination of waste, not red tape. There's a difference.
If you're one of those political junkie types who can't get enough of the redistricting debate, you simply must tune into this weekend's edition of Power&Politics on News12. The show airs Saturdays AND Sundays at 10am and 3pm.
Several segments discuss the state's new Congressional boundaries, and I get a chance to weigh in as well, debating my (mostly) friendly rival, Chris Russell from South Jersey. Monmouth U. Poll-meister Patrick Murray, Montclair State political scientist Brigid Harrison, GOP lobbyist Tom Wilson and PolitickerNJ's Alan Steinberg guest star as well.
While stumping in your great state for Mitt Romney on Thursday, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie threatened to come back 'Jersey-style' “if you don’t do what you’re supposed to do”. Frankly, I’m appalled.
If by ‘Jersey-style’ he meant the genius of Thomas Edison or Albert Einstein; the literary eloquence of Toni Morrison or Walt Whitman; or the musical chops of Count Basie or Bruce Springsteen (New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees all), then you have much to look forward to. They, and dozens of others who have left their creative, athletic, academic, political and social marks not only on this state, but the world, have given New Jersey, known as much for its foul smelling garbage dump/oil refinery/turnpike corridor as its world class tomatoes and corn, much of which to be proud. But I don’t think that’s what the governor had in mind.
I’m sure he was referring to the other ‘Jersey-style’: the stuff of which Tony Soprano is made. Yea, that New Jersey—where everybody’s a 'cafone', and damned proud of it. I find it reprehensible that the leader of this state would call on the stereotype of the narcissistic sociopaths portrayed on ‘The Sopranos’—the very people that he as a federal prosecutor would no doubt have gone after—as an example of The Garden State. (For the record, I’m half Sicilian and I loved ‘The Sopranos’—as entertainment, not as a how-to for Jersey living.)
While New Jersey can certainly stake its claim to Mafia history, I expect much more of my elected officials. I want my politicians to be politically correct. They can be straight forward and direct, but that should never include bullying, name calling, bashing of women, and possibly worst of all: belittling a senior citizen whose hands were visibly shaking as he stood at a Nutley town hall meeting and asked the governor a reasonable question in a respectful tone of voice (incidentally, the video of this exchange appears to be missing from the governor's You Tube channel).
Political talking heads from coast to coast are buzzing about the possibility of a Romney-Christie ticket. While that may bode well for New Jersey should he be elected (we’d be rid of him), I fear for the rest of the country and the world. There are too many despots with their finger poised above the launch button that would not take kindly to the governor’s insistence that the press ‘take a bat out on’ them.
And so, dear Iowans, do be careful who you vote for on Tuesday. You may just get him.
UPDATE 11:14, motion by Democrats to table map 'till next month fails.
UPDATE 11:06 (Rosi Efthim): I just put up close-ups of the new districts in 3 sections - north, central, south. It's close-up enough that you should be able to look, find your town, and see which district you're now in - Find Your Town - the New Congressional Redistricting Map.
Update 11am, Jeannine Frisby LaRue cites "serious problems" with the map. Specifically the slicing and dicing in NJ-3 and Bergen County. Go girl!
Update 10:57, DuHaime and Roberts playing ping pong. Is the former Speaker planting the seeds for a lawsuit?
UPDATE 10:47 (Rosi Efthim) Here's the map:
UPDATE 10:34 - The status is still listed as Pending, but when things get underway, you can listen LIVE to the session here, from Committee Room 11 at the Statehouse. (keep refreshing) - Rosi Efthim
10:33 Cherry Hill moved to nj-1 is the pre-map chatter. Oy.
10:26 and waiting for the new maps to be revealed.
(pics to follow....)
NJ-3's new Cherry Hill-free configuration. Click to enlarge.
North Jersey map below. Click to enlarge in detail.
New Jersey is one of the few states with a bipartisan redistricting commission. This means that even if one party holds the redistricting trifecta (Governorship and both houses of the legislature,) both parties will have a voice when New Jersey's state legislature and congressional lines are redrawn. At a first glance, a bipartisan commission suggests that the commission will draw a fair map that creates competitive districts that give opportunities for Democrats and Republicans to win. Also, a bipartisan commission would suggest a map with districts that combine communities of interest. The 2002 map that the commission drew though failed to create competitive districts that combined enough communities of interest. There were 13 congressional seats during the 2000s in New Jersey. During the 2000s, only one seat changed hands. In 2008, John Adler (D) gained the 3rd congressional seat for the Democrats and in 2010, Jon Runyan (R) returned the seat to the Republicans. This seat does not combine communities of interest though. The 3rd district combines Cherry Hill, a suburb close to Philadelphia with Toms River, a community on the central Jersey Shore. In my map's new 3rd district, it represents urban areas along the Delaware River instead of crossing the state to connect two different suburban areas connected only by a few roads crossing the rural Pine Barrens. Also, this map creates more competitive districts by making the 7th district more competitive by having Obama win it with 54% but the Republicans winning the district's average. Also, Republicans perform well in local races in New Jersey so they will have a strong shot at a 54% Obama district. Overall, the map should be 8-3-1 Democrats compared to the current 7-6 Democratic delegation. Anyway, here is a link to the current maps: http://nationalatlas.gov/print...
Last month, Governor Christie called on the New Jersey lawmakers to pass his version of education reform during the lame duck session of the legislature. The governor listed four bills as crucial to his reform agenda. Among those bills was the controversial 'Opportunity Scholarship Act' which would provide corporations a 100% tax credit for contributions made to a state run voucher program, which would then distribute the funds. This legislation would divert from $360 million to over $1 billion in tax dollars away from the public education system to private and religious schools. As a result of the governor's announcement, voucher proponents have renewed their efforts to get this bill passed claiming that vouchers would help poor children in New Jersey.
The Latino Action Network opposes the publicly funded voucher bill because we see it as a big gimmick that benefits corporate interests that would do nothing to help poor children stuck in failing school districts. Not one penny of corporate money would fund the scholarships established by this misguided legislation.
Latino Action Network Announces Opposition to Opportunity Scholarship Act
For Immediate Release: December 5, 2011
Christian Estevez, Chair, Education Committee - 973-418-7012
Daniel Santo Pietro, Chair, Public Policy Committee - 732-496-9628
The Latino Action Network [LAN] today announced its opposition to the Opportunity Scholarship Act because it would drain money away from public education and give it to corporate interests so it could be doled out to private schools.
"The Opportunity Scholarship Act is a big gimmick that benefits corporate interests that would do nothing to help poor children stuck in failing school districts," said Christian Estevez, Executive Vice President of the Latino Action Network and Chair of the Education Committee. "Not one penny of corporate money would fund the scholarships established by this misguided legislation. The state would take money from our public schools and hand it to the corporations, who would then claim corporate philanthropy with our tax dollars."
Estevez concluded: "This is an educational gimmick of the worst sort. This legislation does nothing to address the core issues of housing and educational segregation. We pledge to work with legislators to address the real issues that hurt so many children of low and moderate-income families."
Below is the official policy statement of the Latino Action Network with regards to the Opportunity Scholarship Act:
Meet the newest Assemblyman, Troy Singleton, who won tonight along with his running mate Herb Conaway. Troy talked to Blue Jersey at his victory party in Mount Laurel tonight.
Our campaign is going up with our first television commercial tomorrow. And I wanted to give you - my friends at Blue Jersey - a sneak peak before anyone else sees it.
New Jersey is one of the states hardest hit by foreclosure in the country. Irvington is as hard hit as any municipality in the state. We want to do something about it. Let's start with the big picture.
The collapse of the housing bubble began in 2005. First to go was the subprime mortgage market. It all led up to the great financial crisis of 2008.
After that home prices dropped drastically. Now more than ten million mortgages are much higher than current prices, i.e., "underwater." That's because the houses were never really worth what they were sold for.
What did you see, my brown-eyed Son?
What did you see, my darling young one?
I saw a Red Knight, all covered in Armor,
Charge through a Blue Family, Broken Asunder!
I saw Family moaning, and say What a Headache
With heads all pushed, down in the sand
I saw union clans, counciling caution,
As their ranks were pushed so close to the edge...
And its a hard, Its a Hard
Its a Hard Rain Gonna Fall
The Carl Lewis saga continues to play out in the 9-time-Olympic Champ's favor, despite the Burlington Republican machine's concerted efforts to have him throw off the ballot. The BurlCoGOP likes things the quick-n-easy way for reasons too numerous to name here.
Anyway check of this video where Carl discusses issues like education, the millionaire's tax and jobs. Nadia Comaneci and Doctor Freud come as well.
Who wants to go to this tomorrow? - promoted by Rosi
Join the Fracking Ban Caravan and say NO TO FRACKING IN NJ AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY!
In less than one month, the Delaware River Basin Commission could be voting on plans to allow fracking in thousands of acres of land in NJ, NY and PA that are under their control. In addition to destroying open space and polluting the air, this move would put the Delaware River, the drinking water source for over 15 million people, at risk of serious contamination.
Many people from across the region will be convening in Philly on September 7 to rally against fracking. If you are coming from New Jersey, we hope you can join us for this carpool to the demonstration. We will have signs, window paints and stickers you can use to personalize your own anti-fracking message on your car so you can tell the world why you support a ban on fracking!
Like everyone, I'm still dumbstruck by the events of September 11, 2001. I was in Detroit, not here. Detroit, sharing a river, bridge & tunnel with Canada, is the nation's most vulnerable area to illegal entry. City was in lockdown. Travel between the two countries at dead-stop. On Woodward Avenue, National Guardsmen on jeeps with rifles on their shoulders.
But I've always believed that September 11 didn't happen to America, it happened to New York - and also to New Jersey & Connecticut. Because the people who died in the World Trade Center were our people. I can't imagine what it was to be here. In the middle school, kids throwing up whose parents worked in NYC. The flyers. The smoke and steam visible from our cities on the Hudson.
With the 10th anniversary coming, felt as deeply near the Pentagon, Christie's usual bombast seems particularly unwelcome now. In the last few days, Christie has called Mayor Bloomberg, whose city deserves respect right now, a Napolean a dictator and a putz. I realize part of what he's is after is to get recognition for Donald DiFrancesco, who was ever so briefly sitting as governor when 9/11 happened. That he wants a role for David Samson, Port Authority Chair, and not inconsequentially his appointee. That some of it is wanting to make sure NJ has a role in the commemoration, as we certainly had a role in the loss.
But, even giving the Governor that benefit of doubt, most of his embarrassingkicking and screaming is simply typical Christie conduct.
But as we come up to the worst national day in most of our lives, it's time for the Governor to tuck away his tantrums, and show respect - with his own behavior - for that loss. It's not the time for ungentlemanly name-calling or jockeying for position. Gov. Christie is the biggest of big wheels - okay, Governor, we all get it, bully for you. But arguing about the program? People died - try to keep your eye on the ball. Grow up a little before September 11, 2011. Try to remember that not everything is about you.
Postscript: At a presser this morning at Trinitas Hospital in Elizabeth, the Governor denied calling Bloomberg any of those things. I don't believe him for a minute.
I was supposed to be at this training, talking blogs. I had to cancel because of an accident, so apologies to the Monmouth Dems. I heard great feedback on your training - congratulations. - promoted by Rosi
Sometimes we seem to forget what the State Committee, Elected Officials, and County Leadership can do to build our team, write our playbook and foster our talent. More importantly, we often forget our responsibility as democrats to help ourselves! In Monmouth County we are setting ourselves on a track to implement an aggressive countywide organization with well trained party leadership, elected officials and party activists. On Monday, August 8th State Committee Communications Director (and social-media-guru) Jason Springer, Congressman Pallone and myself joined the Monmouth County Democrats for a a free training on how to use social-media to involve young people in the party, organize around a idea and better communicate our message.
Under Chairman Scudiery's leadership, Monmouth County has hosted a series of free trainings for elected officials, municipal chairs, activists and volunteers. Topics have included an ELEC training, candidates campaign training and advance fundraising. Not only were they free for the people attending, but were held at no cost to the county party.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of catching up with one of the best public servants New Jersey has ever produced.
He is not well-known even in Democratic circles, let alone the state of New Jersey, and he last served in public office when Leonid Brezhnev was Premier of the USSR.
Frank Herbert, however is definitely not someone to forget, particularly if you're a New Jersey Democrat or - even more so - a progressive.
You see, Frank Herbert did 2 things that New Jerseyans and progressives should forever be grateful for:
1) He pushed for and got the Legislature to pass the law that created New Jersey Transit, a system that provides business and social lifelines for hundreds of thousands of our residents.
2) He is the only candidate in New Jersey history to win a Federal election as a write-in candidate. In doing so, he saved the Democratic Party from nominating a Holocaust-denying, KKK-loving extremist.
22,439 people were arrested in New Jersey for possessing less than 50 grams* of cannabis in 2009.
FreedomIsGreen.Com, a local blog devoted to advancing more enlightened cannabis policy in New Jersey is reporting an an intriguing new bill on the Assembly docket that would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana in the Garden State.
The bill, which already has 18 co-sponsors (5 from the GOP) was introduced by Assemblymen Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer) and Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris), the same bi-partisan duo that introduced the state's nascent medical marijuana law.
