New Jersey Democrats' Weaselly Budget Comments

Here are my reactions to the Assembly Democrats' commentary regarding Governor Christie's budget. When I've commented inline, my comments are in italics.

Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden):

“I thank the acting treasurer for testifying and answering our questions. I had hoped that this would be the start of a renewed bipartisan effort to find alternatives to Gov. Christie’s budget cuts. The governor’s cuts hike property taxes, threaten health care for the middle-class and poor and forsake opportunities for federal funding.

Assemblyman Greenwald, in this statement you have merely (a) pretended that you don't support high taxes, (b) talked about not cutting funding, and (c) made the non-controversial claim that we should try for more federal money where possible. (By the way, "Federal" money is no panacea. It's still paid for by some taxpayer somewhere). Unless you show how you intend to actually make cuts, you're completely unserious about any "alternatives" to Gov. Christie's actual budget cuts.

“We will continue our efforts to slash spending, but we must do it in a sensible way that doesn’t leave us with an even higher property tax burden, more unemployment and a devastated cancer research industry, among other impacts.

Assemblyman Greenwald, in order to continue efforts to slash spending, you first have to actually try to slash spending. And if you want to promote employment and any type of industry, why not try cutting the tax burden on businesses?

“We need to be making educated decisions and taking advantage of all opportunities to obtain federal aid that is rightfully ours and will help reduce the impact on our property taxpayers.

Duh. But what cuts do you recommend?

“Gov. Christie is not doing that here, but the impact on people’s lives is worthy of a greater debate.”

By making us dependent on the New Jersey Nanny State, you and your fellow Democrats have already had a bad impact on people's lives. When someone comes along, after years of devastating Democratic spending, and offers concrete ideas to eliminate a $2 billion budget gap, the "greater debate" that you call for is really just disingenuous partisan obstructionism.

Assembly Budget Vice Chairman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic/Bergen/Essex);

“It is my hope that we can take a step forward and find ways to work cooperatively toward slashing spending but in a way that doesn't devastate our middle class, commuters, college students, seniors and our most vulnerable New Jerseyans. Everyone needs to be involved in serious bipartisan discussions if we're going to right our state's financial ship in the most judicious way possible."

Where was the bipartisanship when Assemblyman Polistina was trying to get you to stop runaway spending two years ago? You just rode over the top of him, spending, spending, spending. And now look -- our middle class, commuters, college students, seniors, and most vulnerable New Jerseyans are devastated because we can't pay our bills. Don't lay this at the feet of Governor Christie. This is your mess.

Assembly Appropriations Chairwoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic/Bergen):

“These hearings have been invaluable in giving the public the open debate and discussion Gov. Christie’s plan initially lacked. Residents have had the chance to hear the impact Gov. Christie’s cuts will have on their lives, and they now expect us to move forward together to find alternatives that won’t hurt education and health care and boost property taxes.”

Governor Christie laid out his planned cuts in the open. What you mean is that these hearings have given you a propaganda platform to lay out anecdotes about people who are being hurt by cuts, in the hopes that these anecdotes will paper over the destructive Democratic policies of the last three administrations.

You're talking like a pro-heroin advocate who, showing a man suffering the symptoms of withdrawal, claims that we need an alternative to going off of heroin.

And again -- if you want to find "alternatives", name them. Actual cuts, please.

Assemblywoman Joan Quigley (D-Hudson):

“Gov. Christie’s plan to withhold adult education payments is just one of many examples of a short-sighted move. Ensuring quality adult education is available to those who need it not only boosts self-confidence and improves lives, but helps keep our economy in step with ever-expanding global competition. This is among the areas I hope to now see get a second-look.”

You know what else improves self-confidence? Having a job. You know how to get a job? Help businesses provide them by reducing taxes.

You know what else keeps our economy in step with ever-expanding global competition? Having more jobs available. You know how to make more jobs available? Help businesses provide them by reducing taxes.

Do you sense a trend?

Assemblyman Gordon Johnson (D-Bergen):

“Gov. Christie’s cuts send the wrong signal to middle-class New Jerseyans, but at least now we can hopefully work together to find alternatives, with the Legislature’s input valued. Cutting the budget to increase property taxes is certainly not the way to go.”

What, then, was the right signal? Was it the right signal to continually live beyond our means? Was it the right signal to continually increase services on the backs of taxpayers? Was it the right signal to put special-interest groups -- I'm thinking here of labor, in the form of Jon Corzine's fornication-toy Carla Katz, for instance -- ahead of the ordinary, non-unionized middle-class New Jerseyan?

Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester/Cumberland/Salem):

“Now that we’ve heard from the acting treasurer, I’m hopeful that we can work together to solve this budget shortfall in a way that doesn’t disproportionately hit the middle-class and people less fortunate with higher property taxes and more job losses.”

I'm hopeful, too. Name a way to cut two billion dollars from the budget without doing that. Christie has. Now it's your turn. Real cuts, please.

Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D-Essex):

“We have to work together – Democrats and Republicans, the Legislature and the governor – to protect the middle-class and poor the best we can so we create as little pain as possible. I hope we will especially rethink any illogical plan to leave federal dollars on the table when hospitals in particular are struggling and NJ FamilyCare is also in line for cuts. Gov. Christie’s cuts will have unintended consequences that hurt the state of New Jersey.”

The pain has already been caused; the addiction is fully in place. Withdrawal symptoms will happen. These were caused by Democratic control of this state. You have put us here.

You may not have intended these consequences, but they are the ones you have inflicted on us. How, then, can you snivel about unintended consequences of someone who is at least trying to wean us off of our addiction?

Assemblyman Peter J. Barnes III (D-Middlesex):

“Government must be leaner and more efficient and we must reduce costs, but Gov. Christie’s cuts would hurt middle-class families and jeopardize the education of our children. Now maybe we can cooperatively find alternatives that do otherwise.”

Interesting that in all of these statements I can't find a single way to "find alternatives." Not one.

These Democrats are simpering whining weasels. Their own words convict them. I despise them.

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NJ Legislature: The Silly Season Begins...

As we have commented in the past, the New Jersey does their best impression of fiddling while Rome burns after election time each year. It is during this time that our elected representatives in the Assembly and Senate take a look at the prevailing issues of the day and then completely ignore them. Prior sessions gave us critical legislation like their apology for slavery. And while you tend to expect a certain amount of legislative stupidity out of Trenton, the stakes right now for our state are high and the citizen's want seriousness.

So what are the silly season highlights so far?

A Democratic state lawmaker has introduced a bill that would force Republican Gov.-elect Christopher J. Christie to select a Democrat to replace New Jersey's U.S. senators - both of them Democrats - if either was unable to complete his term.
(From the Inquirer)

When Republican Chris Christie unseated Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine in the gubernatorial election last month, it gave gay-rights activists more urgency to try to achieve their long-held goal of getting a same-sex marriage bill through the Legislature before Christie takes office Jan. 19.

The reason is simple: Corzine supports the bill. Christie says he would veto it.
(AP)

In summary, our legislators think the most pressing issues of the day are some pre-planning for election gerrymandering and gay marriage. It is interesting that exit polls from our most recent election didn't mention either one of those topics. And to refresh our esteemed legislators minds, here is what the PEOPLE want them to concentrate on:

1. Economy and jobs
2. Property taxes
3. Corruption

Well, it least they are working on continuing the third one. But for some reason, I don't think that's what the voters were looking for....

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Greenstein and DeAngelo get hammered in Hamilton

The Trentonian reported yesterday on a breakfast held by Greenstein and DeAngelo opponents for state Assembly.

Two local Republican businessmen running for state legislative office stopped by the Golden Dawn Diner yesterday morning to launch their eight-point “Common Sense Plan to Fix New Jersey.”

Hamilton residents Rob Calabro and Bill Harvey, the GOP Assembly candidates for the 14th Legislative District, positioned themselves as fiscally responsible working people as they greeted patrons at the diner off Whitehorse-Mercerville Road.

The duo is running against Democratic Assembly incumbents Wayne DeAngelo of Hamilton and Linda Greenstein of Plainsboro.

The platform that the GOP candidates unveiled is largely focused on improving the state’s fiscal health and transforming New Jersey into a business-friendly state. The platform also calls for expanding the state’s democratic process by permitting voters to set and decide policies through initiatives and referendums.

It is no secret that this blog has not had much good to say about Greenstein and DeAngelo. They believe that NJ Politics means they get elected and then go on a spending spree with our money. But that's not what they say:

DeAngelo and Greenstein fired back, saying they’ve cut spending in the budget by $4 billion and that they are responding to the concerns of their constituents — residents of Cranbury, Hamilton, Jamesburg, Monroe Township, Plainsboro, South Brunswick and West Windsor.

“I don’t agree with them. I think we are doing a good job,” Greenstein said. “I’ve been in there for 10 years. I’m proud of what I accomplished.”

I don't recall seeing real evidence of their alleged cutbacks. Nor do I remember them going on the record for any real reductions in spending since they have been in office. However, I rember VERY WELL their ill concieved (business backbreaking) family leave act which doesn't help families. They were so proud to spend our money.

Greenstein thinks she has done a great job. And that is further evidence why she just doesn't get it. And DeAngelo is now embroiled in a probe of illegal campaign contributions from a corruption with an organization called New Frontier...but that is for another post.

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