Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Congratulations to Rob Clifton and Jeff Cantor

Heartfelt congratulations goes out to Freeholder Rob Clifton and Marlboro Council President Jeff Cantor for their victory in today's primary. I wish them well throughout the summer and in the fall campaign.

While naturally disappointed that Anna Little was not nominated tonight, and a tinge guilty that my efforts may have contributed towards her choosing not to file for an Independent race, I am proud that we sent a message to the Republican Party. I am hopeful that they hear it when the gloating subsides.

That someone like me, not a political pro, could target the party base...historical primary voters...and wage a campaign in three days, spending less than $3,000 and capture 10% of the vote tells me that voters are not happy.

The competition the Republicans will face this fall is formidable. It is time to adapt the practices of governance as well as the message, or risk losing the opportunity.

5 comments:

Teddy Roosevelt said...

Chairman Puharics's comments in the APP suggest that the ultimate value in his mind is unity.

Too use extreme examples merely to prove a point The Japanese and Germans were united during World War Two.

The real question is united to what purpose. To merely hold the reigns of power a little longer.
United in salving some career politicians ego. United because hey, we are not as bad as the other party. Not very compelling.

We need to be united in a new purpose. The people of this county ney the state and country hunger for a new type of party.

A party that is truly dedicated to rooting out corruption and back room deals. I do not mean the big your going to prison if caught corruption. Every party is against that. I speak of the minor corruption like cronyism and pork barrel spending which infect all levels of government. I speak of the corruption of purpose where what matters is no longer whats best for the public but what is best for getting a politician re-elected so that they can remain powerful and their ego be gratified.

That is the unity of purpose we should be seeking.

However history would suggest that unity can not be obtained without purging those who refuse the call to unity.
You can therefore determine what the purpose of a call to unity is
by looking at the values of those who have been purged.

Anonymous said...

Chairman Puharic wrapped up another victory against Anna's Army and the APP, which actively campaigned for the write-in candidate. I think now it's time for all of those dissatisfied with the outcome to finally move on. For months the Chairman has endured and subsequently defeated all who have sought to unseat or undermine him, and now its time to give it up. I mean, it’s a joke already, I even heard that Puharic was out and about last night and didn't even take this primary challenge seriously. It's clear now more than ever that Monmouth Republicans have embraced a leader as Chairman who can wield the party for good, they have embraced good candidates, they reject the APP muddling in their affairs, and they want to beat Democrats in November.

Anonymous said...

I think Hightaxharry has spent so much on taxes (Does he live in Lucas' Manalapan?) that he no longer has enough money for medication. Here is a list of Puharic's accomplishments:
1. He stopped cold the party's march to a more democratic means of electing candidates (can you say Putin?).
2. He was the first republican chairman to lose a freeholder seat in the political lifetimes of most of the county committeepeople.
3. He embraced Andrew Lucas, who not only caused that loss, but then went on to embarrass the entire Republican party in Manalapan by becoming the personal toy of Drew Shapiro, the most corrupt politician ever in Manalapan.
4. He divided the party to the point where it will never and can never be repaired while he remains the chairman.
5. On the bright side, his conduct has been so offensive, he is the personal cause of numerous blogsites being created like this one.
6. He raised less money than any predecessor in the last fifty years -- despite the fact that he was elected chairman on his promise that he could raise money.
7. He made a laughingstock of the entire Monmouth County Republican Party -- once the pride and joy of the state republicans -- by getting caught violating the Hatch Act and then, in one of the most selfish acts ever witnessed, refused to step down even though his remaining chairman meant that we would have a chairman who was not permitted to engage in fundraising! And remember that fundraising was the only reason he was elected to begin with.
8. He was instrumental in getting Jennifer Beck to switch from the Assembly seat to the senate race, guaranteeing not only that we won't recapture the senate seat, but more likely than not will now lose the assembly seat that would have been as close to a lock as this republican party has left.
9. He replaced Jennifer Beck with Caroline Casagrande, the "attorney" referred to by Manalapan bloggers as Muchogrande, who has embarrassed herself at every meeting in Manalapan, because she is ill-equipped to handle that job. Caroline has no background or experience in any elected position! Yet this is who Adam put up as a replacement for Jennifer Beck. Party veterans are still scratching their heads to think if there is anyone less qualified Adam could have put up.
10. Then, as if the choice of Caroline wasn't ridiculous enough, he puts her "qualifications" on the website, essentially stating that her principal qualification was that she was Andrew Lucas' fundraiser. In one swipe of the keyboard, he managed a) to make public that she failed to follow elect laws by getting the job as attorney in Manalapan without reporting her fundraising for Andrew Lucas -- that will be a violation of law that will probably hit the papers oh, in September or October, and b) managed to point out exactly how inept she was since Lucas clearly was unable to secure a reasonable amount of funding for a freeholder campaign.
THAT'S what hightaxharry is so proud of.

Anonymous said...

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Publication

June 6, 2007

POC: Patricia A. Walsh
Democrat for 13th District Assembly
Website: www.walshforassembly.blogspot.com
Email: walshforassembly@yahoo.com
Tel: (908) 601-1252

WALSH: GOP HAS CAST OUT ITS BEST

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP (MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ): “During
Primary 2007, the Monmouth County Republican Party
demonstrated its not the party for common residents.
Its not even the party for many Republicans,” Democrat
for 13th District Patricia A. Walsh said.

According to Walsh, the approximately 1,000 write in
votes for Freeholder Anna Little represents an entire
constituency from within that party. As a former
Republican herself, who left the GOP because of its
problems in Monmouth with corruption and unethical
conduct by many party officials, Walsh said, “I have
had a much better experience in the Monmouth County
Democratic Party, where both women and independent
thinking are welcomed and not squashed by some
self-serving machine.”

According to Walsh, Anna Little has been a Freeholder
Monmouth can be proud of, regardless of her party
affiliation.

“On this day after the primary, one must acknowledge
the ‘little’ people. Their organizer was Art
Gallagher, who acting unselfishly, defied the odds to
support the candidate who he believed was the best
person for the job of freeholder, Anna Little. Actions
always speak louder than words,” Walsh said.

Walsh applauded Little “for her grace in the midst of
the battle of Monmouth.” Walsh said, “I can understand
why Anna Little garnered this kind of support. It is
clear from the comments in the Asbury Park Press today
that she stuck to the high ground, as did her
supporter Art Gallagher, while others once again
attempted to bury the hatchet in her back.”

Walsh addressed the GOP’s leadership directly: “Mr.
Puharic, you missed the mark and you demonstrated who
is more divisive: Taking a public stand for what
someone believes in, someone like Anna Little, for the
constituents she represents, for the ideals she stands
for, can be personally hazardous. I know this from my
own experience. This is why I people like Anna Little.
It is not the ultimate success of a venture that is
the measure; it is the willingness to take on the
risk, that people remember most. I firmly believe that
we have just witnessed, another definitive step by
Anna Little, who I believe is not at the end of her
political career, but at the beginning.” ?

Walsh concluded, “People often ask me why I decided to
throw my hat in the proverbial political ring. The
answer is simple. You always have a choice, to be the
individual who asks for change or to be the individual
that brings change about. I count myself as more of an
action person. Just like Anna Little, I want to be
that kind of catalyst for change. But today belongs to
Anna Little and for the "little" stand her supporters
have taken for democracy.”

###

Teddy Roosevelt said...

Hightax Harry,

I disagree with the Chairman on a number of issues (although as I have said before I do not view him as evil like some people seem to).

Wether or not he is successful cannot be judged today that must be done the day after the election in November.