Democrat Class Part 2 - Michael Moore

From this article in Business and Median Institute:

“I was just thinking, this Gustav is proof that there is a God in heaven,” Moore said, laughing. “To have it planned at the same time – that it would actually be on its way to New Orleans for day one of the Republican Convention, up in the Twin Cities – at the top of the Mississippi River.”

What a sad example of American prosperity.

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Blog respondents 101

I love the read the responses by people to blog entries at various sites. Here is a guideline if you are not a complete social retrograde if you are interested (and if you are not you probably need a dictionary):

1. Name calling is at least pedestrian and generally childish. Avoid it.
2. No one likes a know it all. Especially when you don't know your facts.
3. Punctuation matters. As does spelling.
4. Hate doesn't translate in print. It makes you look illeterate.
5. Don't sound like a loser. You know who you are!
6. Anonymous. Hmmmm.
7. Intelligence matters and emotions don't. Use each of them in proportion.

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Democrat Fowler - a low class act

It has always been pathetic the way the Hurrican Katrina situation was handled, before, during and after the tragedy. It was sad before that years of Democratic corruption siphoned millions of maintenance dollars from the levies. It was sad that a large numbers of citizens were living in near poverty in utter reliance on the government with noone caring whether or not they ever established a self-sustaining life. It was sad that when the storms came, the local, state and federal government all failed these people. It was also sad that the media only had one script-George Bush.

And following in their pathetic footsteps is this gem from a real classy Democrat Don Fowler.



The only saving grace is that outside of bitter and mean spirited Democrat party circles, regular people don't care for this kind of politics.

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What I need to know about Palin

Check it out here.

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What is Obama's Free Speech Problem?

First Barack Obama reacted to a commercial sponsored by the American Issues Project who have attempted to put this commercial out there.



The Obama campaign responded by first threatening any station that would run this add and then second sending not one, but two letters to the justice department to have this group prosecuted. Interesting that I have not seen Obama have the same concern over the outright slander that moveon.org has put out there.

Then yesterday, Obama attacked National Review contributor Stanley Kurtz because he has been researching Obama's relationship with a known terrorist. His campaign went so far as to send its email list these instructions to call a local Chicago radio station to disrupt Kurtz appearance on WGN.

Even with the talking points provided, the Obama crowd didn't have much to say as they really haven't been armed with the facts. And the facts are that Obama has a relationship with a terrorist, is apparently friends with him and doesn't see anything wrong with that. I am okay with that and he should have to be judged on his personal relationships. But don't pretend they don't exist....again.

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Lautenberg - Let them eat cake!

From this article in Newsday:

Sen. Frank Lautenberg is facing some criticism over some comments he made to ABC World News about parties hosted by lobbyists.

In Denver for this week's Democratic National Convention, Lautenberg told ABC News' Brian Ross "with a smile" that it is his "duty" to attend the parties.

"Of course, you must visit, make sure that the food they serve is OK, that it passes the taste test and the liquor is the right vintage," Lautenberg said.

Is it not bad enough the we have a constant wave of Democrat politicians in this state being investigated, indicted and going to jail for influence related criminality? Now we are supposed to laugh off comments made by a Senator that owes his seat to another ethically challenged Senator (remember, NJ politicians don't retire, they go to jail).

Lautenberg does not serve the people in this state. He serves himself. Just as he told ABC.

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DNC Post- Ted Kennedy

Ok. I get that Teddy Kennedy has spent a lot of years in the senate representing his home state. I also respect his families concern over his brain tumor. But I have never been able to get over the fact that he murdered Mary Jo Kopechne's parents daughter and then covered it up with his connections. I believe that many parents would not have accepted his populist message when faced with him committing that tragedy upon their family.

He mentioned in his convention speech that Obama will not engage US armed forces in a war that is wrong. I am sorry on this one. JFK started Vietnam. Pure and simple. I don't believe he was wrong but most Democrats do. And they were responsible for escalating it(LBJ). They only turned against it when Nixon tried to end it.

History doesn't impact liberals like the rest of us.

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NJ Democrats Culture of Corruption Continues

From this article in today's Trentonian:

Federal agents raided the law office of one of North Jersey's most powerful Democrats Thursday, part of their continuing investigation into the dealings of the political powerbroker, Joseph Ferriero, and party lawyer Dennis Oury.

The Record of Hackensack reported that 18 boxes of documents and computer hard drivers were seized.

The inquiry is said to focus on Government Grants Consulting, a consulting firm where the two men were partners. The now-defunct firm held contracts with local governments in North Jersey.

Another day, another Federal raid. The sad thing is that this will probably result in another Federal indictment and conviction. And the voters in New Jersey will continue to do nothing about it. And that is mainly because they will never have the opportunity to vote on candidates that will change anything.

Meanwhile, Assembly Republican leader Alex DeCroce questioned Gov. Jon Corzine's leadership on political corruption issues.

"If Jon Corzine is truly committed to cleaning up New Jersey, he could start by using his clout within the Democrat Party to stamp out the appearance of corruption within the party's leadership."

Neither Ferriero nor Oury have been charged with any crime.

As the head of Democratic politics in the state's most populous county, Ferriero has significant influence. Many officials owe their election to the party's financial backing.

His lawyer said Ferriero still planned on going to Denver for the convention.

Asked about Ferriero's role in Denver, Corzine defended the party boss' right to attend.

"I believe in Constitutional due process, and there is a fundamental issue of him being elected a delegate," Corzine said during a meeting with reporters Friday.

And there you go. Corzine himself is supporting another Democrat who is going down to corruption charges. Afterall, he is a superdelegate. Remember from the primaries what that is, a non-duly elected party boss designee. Corzine is wrong. He wasn't elected by the people at all, he was elected by party insiders. And he is corrupt and corrupts every politician to who he directs funds.

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Obama's Supporters Think The Soprano State's Leaders Are Doing A Great Job

Want Yet Another Reason not to vote for an Obama-nation? How about the fact that his backers think New Jersey legislators are to be commended?

N.J. eco-group backs Obama, gives lawmakers high marks
2 senators, 8 congressmen get perfect scores

A state environmental advocacy group yesterday announced its endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama for president and gave New Jersey's two U.S. senators and eight of its 13 congressmen perfect scores for their environmental records.

Environment New Jersey based its report card on 10 votes between January 2007 and February 2008 that involved combating global warming, promoting clean energy, protecting air and water, and opposing offshore drilling, Executive Director Dena Mottola Jaborska said at a Statehouse news conference.

So if you're interested in the kinds of things that make Obama friends, it's business-unfriendly government. And half-measures aren't enough. You have to really hate business. For example:

Erica Elliott, Garrett's [Rep. Scott Garrett (R-5th Dist.)] spokeswoman, called the congressman's poor marks "an unfair representation," and issued a list of his environmentally-oriented advocacy. It includes his introduction of a bill to expand the National Wallkill Wildlife Refuge in Sussex, and his support of getting a toxic waste site in Ringwood re-listed on the Superfund National Priorities List.

Scott, of course, scored the lowest in the state, which may be good or bad, but I certainly can't tell from the negative picture painted by this environmentalist group. After all, look at who they like:

Voting environmentally friendly 100 percent of the time were U.S. Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, both Democrats, and Reps. Frank LoBiondo (R-2nd Dist.), Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.), Robert Andrews (D-1st Dist.), Frank Pallone (D-6th Dist.), Bill Pascrell (D-8th Dist.), Steve Rothman (D-9th Dist.), Rush Holt (D-12th Dist.) and Albio Sires (D-13th Dist.).

80% or them are Democrats, of course, including some of our worst, and I have to suspect that LoBiondo and Smith are RINOs; especially when you consider who also scored low alongside Rep. Garrett: Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11th Dist.), and Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-7th Dist.). You don't get a Democrat until you tie him with another Republican for a 69% score. Clearly "bipartisan":

"Being green in the Garden State is a bipartisan issue and we applaud our delegation's environmental heroes, especially the leadership from Sen. Menendez and Sen. Lautenberg," Mottola Jaborska said.

Sounds like a lot of Jaborska to me.

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Houses - Forgetting how many you have or Corruption

From Politico:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in an interview Wednesday that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own.

"I think — I'll have my staff get to you," McCain told Politico in Las Cruces, N.M. "It's condominiums where — I'll have them get to you."

Then an Obama add mocking John McCain as out of touch. But what is the bigger crime, forgetting how many houses you bought yourself when you are worth 100 million dollars or getting the million dollar house you live in courtesy of a felon convicted of political corruption. This may be a can of worms that Obama may regret having opened.

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When Obama Loses, apparently McCain cheated!

From Politco.com:

Mitchell reported that some "Obama people" were suggesting "that McCain may not have been in the cone of silence and may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama. He seemed so well prepared."

A McCain aide said that is not the case: "Senator McCain was in a motorcade led by the United States Secret Service and held in a green room with no broadcast feed."

Mitchell made the comment in the context of saying McCain did better, and that the Obama camp was defensive. In response to the campaign's letter, she pointed out that journalists get criticism from both sides.

"I wasn't expressing an opinion," Mitchell said. "I was reporting what they were saying."

So now the mainsteam meadia believes that if Obama stinks in a debate, the other guy cheated. One suggestion to Obama operatives. Get your candidate to take a position....any position. Skip the equivocation. He has to believe in something right. Tell us what it is. And you won't have to embarass your media toadies.

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Really, Governor?

From WBGO News:

Corzine says he is working on a plan for transportation but it will be weeks before he releases it. But the state will still need billions of dollars for it – to pay down debt, widen the Turnpike, and possibly build a new tunnel across the Hudson River. Treasurer David Rousseau has said every governor has needed money for transportation projects but was not willing to risk popularity for the sake of higher tolls.

How about being willing to risk popularity for the sake of reduced spending?

But he couldn't do that. Rousseau is talking about popularity among taxpayers. Corzine doesn't really care about them -- only about being popular among liberals who suck at the teat of big government.

So instead of trying to pull us out of a financial crisis, he's blighting the landscape for employers and taxpayers. Good going, Guv. Way to take the high road.

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Give This Non-Profit More Profits!

What would you do with 7.7 million dollars?

Are your property and state taxes going up by 13%?

The questions are related, and you should be outraged.

Let's put ourselves in Governor Corzine's mindset by reading what he said in his Governor's Statement to the FY09 Budget (many links in this post are in PDF). Emphasis in this text block is mine, to highlight things I'll talk about later.

The $32.87 billion budget I signed today makes a clear turn towards long-term fiscal responsibility, rather than continuing the past practices of pushing tough budget choices off until the future.

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 budget makes an unprecedented cut of $600 million from the budget I signed last year, the largest absolute reduction in State history. It relies on nearly $3 billion of actions to reduce spending to offset the mandatory and inflationary growth in the budget in order to achieve the overall $600 million reduction.

This budget reduces the size and cost of government and allocates necessary reductions in a fair and equitable manner....

In February, when I delivered an austere budget message for Fiscal Year 2009, I stated that we were facing a structural gap of approximately $3.2 billion between our expected revenues...and our anticipated spending..., based on mandatory spending and inflationary increases....

In May, the State Treasurer updated the revenue and spending projections and announced an additional gap of approximately $200 million between spending and revenues. This increased structural gap again was closed primarily with spending reductions and adjustments to areas of the budget that were projected to increase. The most important of those new reductions came from our paydown of $650 million of debt, allowing a decrease of spending on debt service by $135 million.

This budget reduces the cost of State government by nearly $300 million...In this regard, the budget provides for a reduction in the operating funds for every Executive Branch department. Departmental budgets have been directly reduced by approximately $184 million, or by an average of about 5% each.

That $7.7MM I mentioned is .02% of the total budget, or 0.24% of the expected gap in revenues.

It's 1% of the $650MM debt paydown, and 5.7% of the amount that we pay just to service our debt.

It's 2.6% of the $300MM that Corzine cut out of the state budget, and 4% of the departmental budget cuts.

What if you really wanted to spend the $7.7MM instead of using it to be fiscally responsible by paying down debt?

Well, despite the Governor's claims of austerity, there are places in the budget with net increases. He says that the budget "protects vital programs" such as "property tax relief and school funding" and "vital programs that improve public safety, protect vulnerable citizens, and otherwise meet the needs of the citizens of this State."

Like what, you ask? Please note that I am not, for the purposes of this post, arguing against any of the following allocations:

• $2 million for the purchase of 250 new state trooper vehicles


• $3.5 million for a new State Police recruit training class that will graduate approximately 100 new troopers


• $8 million for an expansion of the NJ FamilyCare program


• $12.5 million to DDD to provide community residential placements and home-based services to persons on the Community Services Waiting List


• $15 million to Division of Mental Health Services for housing and support services for 200 people currently residing at five state mental health hospitals and 100 clients currently living in the community


• $15.5 million to annualize placement and day program costs for 100 developmental center clients transitioned in FY 2008.


• $24 million for the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) to transition 125 clients from the seven state developmental centers into community residential placements and day programs


• $52.5 million for the State Rental Assistance Program, $19 million of which will continue support to 2,100 currently subsidized families and $15 million of which will provide vouchers for 1,500 additional families


• $60 million as an additional subsidy to NJ Transit, a 20% increase from the $298.2 million subsidy in FY 2008.

And "vital programs" like Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which received 7,700,000 dollars from the State of New Jersey. Not only did they get to keep their money, they got an increase of a quarter-million dollars from the state.

This is completely free money to them, by the way, because they're a tax exempt organization.

Planned Parenthood's annual report says that they have excess funds to the tune of one hundred fifteen million dollars ($114,800,000), while you're being asked to cope with property tax increases because Governor Corzine wants to pay them eight million dollars ($8,000,000) that he won't give to municipalities.

Don't take my word for it. Download the annual report and take a look at page 14, where it shows Government Grants and Contracts at $337MM (one-third of their operating budget), excess of revenue over expenses at $115MM, and an increase in net assets year over year from $839MM to $951MM, or 13%.

Is the 13% profit that Planned Parenthood had this year more or less than the increase in your property taxes?

This is the "clear turn towards long-term fiscal responsibility", the "unprecedented cut of $600 million", the "mandatory and inflationary growth", an allocation of "necessary reductions in a fair and equitable manner", an "austere budget".

Register your disgust with your assemblymen and state senators, and send a message to the governor here. This was my message:

I understand that almost $8MM is allocated in the state budget for Planned Parenthood, an organization that has profits of $115MM. I further understand that this is an increase of almost a quarter-million dollars from the FY08 budget. This funding should be cut completely, immediately, rather than allow to grow.

At a time when we claim to be working in austerity conditions, and when we are talking about additional taxes being placed on industry to make up shortfalls, and when property taxes are rising to compensate for decreased state subsidies, it's unconscionable that we provide corporate welfare to any organization such that they have excess money and we citizens do not.

Thank you.
Jake Freivald
[Address redacted]

Full disclosure: I hate Planned Parenthood and am firmly pro-life. But this is something that you should be outraged at regardless of your position on abortion.

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Poor Spending Drunk Governors

In this article in the Press of Atlantic City, the story of how poor Northeastern governors got together to discuss how the Federal government should bail them out on transportation.

High fuel prices, crumbling roads and bridges, and how to replace a rapidly vanishing industrial base aren't just New Jersey's problems.
Governors from this and four other Northeast states commiserated about the similar issues facing them and traded ideas for the future at a Monday morning forum in Atlantic City.

Every administration of every state has challenges. But it seems to be a unique perspective that governors in this part of the country accept no responsibility for anything except begging for money from the Federal government.

But as Rendell recounted another scheme that used tax-exempt bonds to encourage private investors to underwrite highways, Corzine said there are a whole series of strategies, adding, "Our challenge is politics."

Rendell said a federal government that drastically scaled back on infrastructure spending was also to blame.

He said at the end of the Eisenhower years, the government spent 11.5 percent of the federal domestic nonmilitary budget on roads, bridges and other improvements. He said that figure is now less than 2.5 percent, with the costs shifted to the states.

Rendell said Pennsylvania started a crash $1 billion program to fix its 411 worst bridges, but it would cost $140 billion to repair them all. Other states are in similar situations. "Its craziness to think the states will be able to handle that alone," he said.

These issues like many facing the states in the Northeast are typical of today's new politics. Since Rendell and Corzine both got into office by pandering to various special interest with freebies and program enhancements, they are part of a "spend the money and hope we find a way to pay for it" mentality. And they are so vested in these politics (yes Gov Corzine-you got it right), they cannot do what is right for the state's citizens without committing political suicide.

Case in point, Governor Corzine was sold to NJ as a brilliant businessman who would fix New Jersey's fiscal issues. What we actually got was a dopey rich guy into social engineering without a trace of fiscal self control. So when this year's budget came around he praised himself for making minor cuts while increasing the burden to most towns (thereby forcing them to look to increase property taxes yet again). He also pushed through a 4 billion dollars in new school borrowing for the very agency whose corruption with money like this in the past is legendary. So cry foul and then spend.

As long as Northeastern states continue to maintain a one party system (in many cases, there is no different between the Republicans and Democrats in these states), the working class will continue to work long hours to support state workers, teachers unions and giveaways that are administered by corrupt individuals looking to line their own pockets. And then they will move south.

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Too Tired of Obama's Weakness being Hillary's Fault

In the election cycle, the Democrats kept attributing Barack Obama's failure to secure the deal on Hillary's cynical attacks on him. I am not nor have I ever been a Hillary fan outside of general respect for her and Bill's Presidency which I respect as I respect any President of the USA. But the creepy thing is that somehow, she gets brought up as a problem for Obama and his failure to get beyond black voters, elitists and the general uninformed. What cracks me up is that Obama is getting beat up by normal folks that don't seem to get his 'holier than thou' rhetoric.

John McCain had a good week. While Obama was on vacation, McCain (who I am still not sure I could ever vote for) acted presidential. And Obama tried to play politics and have it both ways. It is a shame we can't have Lincoln/Douglas style debates between these two. The Obama camp won't have it until it is too late. And McCain wants it until Obama tanks. Either way, the one on top doesn't want to take a chance. If Obama wants real change, he should debate everywhere. Debate in the street, the hills, the mountain top and the workplace. But he won't. Because I suspect he is more formidible as a myth than as a real person. Shame.

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NJ Corruption - Soprano State Update

For those of you who went out and purchased The Soprano State by Ingle and McClure, you will be pleased to know that their reporting doesn't stop on the last page of the book. They have continued keeping notes on the pathetic corruption of New Jersey's politicians at all levels of government. Many of their topics have appeared here on NJ Tax Revolution when they happened but there is a good summary page here.

If you haven't yet read the book, do it. It is well worth your time and if enough of us do it, we may fix this state yet.

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Corzine paying down the debt? Not yet.

In Newsday.com, this article entitled

NJ takes next step in reducing debt

would make one believe that the state has done something significant. If you believed that, you would be wrong.

Less than two months after creating a special fund to pay down state debt, the Corzine administration has taken a significant next step: identifying the bonds that will be paid off early.

Yes. It took state workers two entire months to identify what bonds to retire early. Given that the source of this news if the clearly biased AP, one wonders if this is not just a Democrat fund raising stunt. Look for Corzine to make a commercial out of it soon. But, the joke is, he hasn't done anything. And he decided to keep your hard earned money to pretend to do it.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine created the fund in June, setting aside $684 million in unexpected tax revenue and other savings. Most of the money _ $650 million _ is being used to reduce the state's crushing $32 billion debt load. The rest will go toward other pressing needs, such as improving state prisons and psychiatric hospitals, the administration said.

As I have noted here before, this is OUR tax money. And instead of paying it back, he and his cronies in the legislature kept it to fund additional spending and try to cover up the increase in debt incurred by this and our former DEMOCRAT governor.

The sad thing is that when Corzine runs his commercials in his re-election campaign, he will not mention what he really did.

Republicans commended the concept, but said Democrats' approval to borrow $3.9 billion for court-ordered school construction would erase any gains.

Sen. Leonard Lance, R-Hunterdon, estimated that the new school borrowing would cost $6.82 billion once interest and other costs were included. He has long advocated a plan to subject all state borrowing to voter approval.

Write the check Governor. We are watching.

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NJ Residents Support Offshore Drilling!

As Emporor's Menendez and Lautenberg continue to fiddle at the expense of New Jersey's taxpayers, a new poll sheds some light on what the people in our state think about their policies on energy.

From MyCentralJersey.com:

With the cost of gasoline hovering near $4 a gallon, a majority of New Jersey residents say they would support drilling for oil off the Jersey coast, according to a Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll released today.


Fifty-six percent said they would favor drilling for oil or natural gas off the Jersey Shore, while 36 percent opposed the idea.

So, slightly more that 1/3 oppose drilling offshore but Senator Menendez can send me a letter speaking down to me on energy policy that contained nothing of any substance that would help people. But, out politicians say, "let them eat cake!".

New Jersey's political leaders have traditionally fought against offshore oil drilling, and they said they would continue to do so, in spite of the poll results.

"New Jersey's coastline is the lifeblood of our economy and a fragile environmental treasure that helps shape our way of life, and the governor intends to fight any attempt to jeopardize it," said Sean Darcy, spokesman for Gov. Corzine.

As we continue to say at NJ Tax Revolution, until we threw this entire pack of bought-and-paid-for politicians and replace them with a representative government of, by and for the people of New Jersey, we will continue to feel the pain of their incompetence.

Read the entire article here.

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Why I miss Tip O'Neill - Plastic Pelosi turns off the lights

The House of Representatives has turned into a complete circus. When the Democrats took over the House, they and their leader Nancy Pelosi promised that they would lead through bi-partisan agreement. And the big joke is that they have done nothing of the sort. From the Crypt:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democrats adjourned the House, turned off the lights and killed the microphones, but Republicans are still on the floor talking gas prices.

Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and other GOP leaders opposed the motion to adjourn the House, arguing that Pelosi's refusal to schedule a vote allowing offshore drilling is hurting the American economy. They have refused to leave the floor after the adjournment motion passed at 11:23 a.m., and they are busy bashing Pelosi and her fellow Democrats for leaving town for the August recess.

I get very tired of this Democratic congress who claims to represent the people while the people WANT ENERGY RELIEF. Both Florida and California residents want drilling for the first time in decades. But elites like Plastic Pelosi are not interested in what citizens really want. That is why he book rates so high in Amazon's ratings...NOT.

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