Palin resigns. What a shame.

Sarah Palin resigned today which is not news to many who follow this blog. What is sad in a way here is that she has become a target of a pathetic political class that includes both Democrats and Republicans. Whether or not you like her (and in the sense of full disclosure I do respect this woman for what she has done), she has handled herself quite well despite some of the most vicious attacks any politician has faced.

I don't blame her for bowing out as she has become a lightning rod for every liberal wacko who has a grudge and standing with a court in Alaska. I am sure Geoge Soros is laughing tonight thinking that he has eliminated another potential candidate against Obama next time around. Maybe if George Soros moves back to the United States, our citizens should take him more seriously but we are stuck with his influence whether we like it or not.

I often wonder if Barack Obama faced a similar level of scrutiny, we would not be referring to President Hillary Clinton. Just wondering.

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Corzine gets EPA for premission to turn NJ in California

From Nj.com:

The Environmental Protection Agency today gave the go-ahead for 14 states, including New Jersey, to adopt stricter auto emission standards to curb green house gases.

Our Governor wants to continue to make his mark in destroying the state New Jersey. You probably remember his insistence on government funded stem cell research after taxpayers rejected his proposal. His new agenda is to make New Jersey just like California:

Gov. Jon Corzine in his tenure has pushed several environmental initiatives, including passing the Global Warming Response Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and setting the goal of having New Jersey produce 1,000 megawatts of power by wind by 2013 and 3,000 megawatts by 2020.

I wish I was a rich guy like Jon Corzine. As politicians go, he is completely dull but in this state he doesn't have to do anything but buy commercials that make him look if not statesmanlike, marginal. The last time he excited an NJ resident she was under his payroll clearly in opposition to state ethics laws. But someone needs to make this guy stop. I can't take any more Corzine prescriptions. They always cost me money and do nothing for the state. Corzine wants NJ to be just like California on this issue. And we now know how that turns out.

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Cap n Trade Jobs Bill - 2,600 up 467,000 down

After Republicans went on the record calling the Pelosi/Waxman Cap and Trade Bill an energy tax, the Democrats went on every television show they could declaring the energy bill a "JOBS BILL". And they, including President Obama touted the big job gains in this bill(from Whitehouse.gov):

Make no mistake: this is a jobs bill. We’re already seeing why this is true in the clean energy investments we’re making through the Recovery Act. In California, 3000 people will be employed to build a new solar plant that will create 1000 permanent jobs. In Michigan, investment in wind turbines and wind technology is expected to create over 2,600 jobs. In Florida, three new solar projects are expected to employ 1400 people.

Today, unemployment numbers were announced and another 467,000 Americans lost their jobs this month. Maybe the President should stop trying to re-invent our country and concentrate on helping hard working Americans who want to work. Every move this White House makes seems to want to support those who "through no fault of their own" find themselve hurting instead of helping those hard working people who want to work and want to earn be successful.

I guarantee you that I have never worked as hard as the average PA coal miner. And I never will. And neither will you Mr President.

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Presidential Shame

What does it say about a United States President who stands idly by while Persian woman and children are beaten by government thugs in the streets of Tehran...fearful that he may be seen as meddling in the messy business of oppression?

And that same President racing to the support of a dictator in waiting who actively attempted to circumvent his country's constitution, got caught and through properly authorized legal channels, was removed from Honduras.

I am not a conspiracy theorist. Yet I see too much emphathy between our President and dictators. And not enough emphathy for freedom and democracy. Just saying.

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New NJ Budget Tax Increases

As predicted here, Corzine's budget that passed this week including a partial restoration of the property tax rebate program due to increase tax amnesty collections of 500 million dollars. Rebates have continued for Seniors and are restored for those making up to 75,000 dollars per year(at a 2/3 rate). It does eliminate the rebate for renters which I never understood anyway.

From the Burlington County Times:

The recession-year budget raises $1.3 billion in new taxes on liquor, cigarettes and the wealthy. It extends a 4 percent surcharge on the corporate business tax that was to expire, and realizes $500 million by suspending rebates to renters and higher income homeowners. Republicans say all that amounts to $2.8 billion in tax increases.

The article goes on to note the increased tax on residents earning over 500,000 dollars per year. In addition, to those making over 250,000 per year, next year you cannot deduct your property taxes. For those under 250,000 per year, your property tax deduction is now capped at 5,000. Check out your tax bill, I bet many of you out there are about to get a tax increase and you don't even know it.

What is missing from this budget is cuts. Real cuts. And that is why Corzine is still doesn't get it. The only people who will get it from this budget is the citizens of New Jersey. And they are going to get it in ways they never imagined.

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Looks like Chris Smith may have motivated his first primary challenger.

While doing some research this evening, I ran across this blog entry:

Until now.

Now, he has not just strayed off the reservation. He has abandoned ship.

His vote to decimate industry and the economy in America was not just some unusual vote for a tax increase or a principled stand on something like abortion or a single national security measure. It was a vote on one of the most transformative pieces of legislation in our nation’s history. It was a defining vote. It was a vote that diminishes any and all other stances that he has ever taken on such things as jobs, taxes and even our national defense. This one vote on Crap-and-Trade defines Chris Smith forever more as a typical Northeast liberal.

As a result, I am contemplating my own run against him for Congress.

Here's hoping he is not the last person who sees this as a chance to make a change here in Central NJ. Read his entire blog post here.

His name is Anthony Del Pelligrino(aka Kempite). Check out his profile here.

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New Jersey's Own - Cap and Traitors (Smith, LoBiondo and Lance)

In case you missed it last night, the Democrat controlled congress pass a massive energy tax bill called Cap and Trade. The vote was close but only made possible by three REPUBLICAN representatives, LoBiondo, Smith and Lance. I have already commented on Smith and will leave to others LoBiondo and Lance. But needless to say, these men knew that NJ Republican voters were against this bill, they knew that the GOP was against the bill and they still made it possible for the Democrats to ram this ill concieved legislation down our throats without even reading the bill.

Thank you gentleman for doing your part to ensure that New Jersey remains the highest taxed state in the country. And should anyone from Chris Christie's office be following, you should make it perfectly clear that these people do not stand with you. They are a disgrace.

Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (R - 02) 202-225-6572 202-225-3318
Representative Chris H. Smith (R - 04) 202-225-3765 202-225-7768
Representative Leonard Lance (R - 07) 202-225-5361 202-225-9460

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