Say this for New Jersey Democrats. Despite scandal after scandal, they know how to survive in power so they can continue to suck the vitality out of New Jersey. They survived Toricelli and McGreevey. Now they are preparing to survive Corzine.
Jon Corzine's best hope for a second term as governor is if all of New Jersey's major newspapers go out of business. Given the condition of New Jersey's newspaper industry, he still has a shot. Given the state of the NJ GOP, it won't matter because the Democrats will nominate another tax and spender who will get elected.
With already low poll numbers and the Xanadu story just starting to get legs, Democrats are lining up to run for governor "if Corzine doesn't run."
Dick Codey stepping up on the Diplomagate scandal prompted Corzine's Education Commissioner Lucille Davis to find her authority to prevent school administrators from getting raises and tuition reimbursement for bogus degrees. Codey, who has been the biggest stumbling block to Trenton ethics reform just claimed the ethics issue as his own. Codey's statement, followed by Corzine's cabinet member's action, all while Corzine was talking out of both sides of his mouth on Xanadu is an indication that lame duck syndrome is setting in.
While he didn't say so, he didn't have to. Codey signaled that Corzine is finished and that he will be the Democratic candidate for governor next year.
If Republicans stay true to form, and there is no reason to think they won't, there will be a bruising primary between the moderate and conservative factions of the party and then the losing side will sit out the general election, assuring four more years of economic devastation at the hands of Democrats.
New Jersey's best hope to reverse the economic ruin that the Whitman/McGreevey/Codey/Corzine era has inflicted is for the Christie, Lonegan, Crowley and what ever other factions might pop up, to set their individual egos and ambitions aside now for the good of the people. Come together, craft the message, raise the money, win the election and then govern like Reagan fiscal conservatives.
Is there a Republican leader that can make that happen? A few are trying deep behind the scenes. Let's hope it works. Otherwise, more and more middle class New Jerseyans will be spending their golden years under the arches repeating the phrase "would you like fries with that" six days per week. The Democrats won't care because the fries will be trans fat free.
The Legacy of Thomas Lifson
20 hours ago
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The problem is that moderate Republicans don't govern like fiscal conservatives. They talk a good game but end up advancing big government, more spending, and debt. Just look at Whitman for example as well as the Republicans in the legislature who claim to be fiscal conservatives yet still vote for more government hand outs and expanded programs.
The ONLY answer is someone who has a RECORD of fiscal conservatism, advocacy for limited government, lower taxes, reduced debt, etc., AND who has shown he can hold the line on spending as well as reduce debt, AND has shown he puts the taxpayers first, will not pander to special interests, will stand up to the Democrats and expose their misguided ways, can raise significant amounts of money, can attrack support from ALL parts of the Reagan coalition (from fiscal conservatives, to pro-lifers, to small government advocates), and has shown he can attrack large areas of support across party lines (and the independents) to motivate people to act and stop the Democrat agenda (as he has done over the past several years). That person is Steve Lonegan!
The others whose names are mentioned either have no record, are one issue candidates (and it is not an issue that can be carried to victory; particularly when they have baggage of their own), or have records of a big government agenda (or living of such programs).
You can't have a Reagan fiscal conservative who advocates for more Trenton control (which leads to more spending and more government), expanded programs that will lead to more spending and more government (such as more government funded health care or clean elections or the new socialist style school funding formula), and who isn't willing to stand up to the Democrats and expose their socialist ways. Unfortunately Republicans in Trenton think to the contrary, will not learn from the past, and will continue to promote candidates who will advance the very things (more spending, Trenton control, and government funded programs) they need to eliminate; they want it both ways but such is impossible.
www.draftlonegan.com
That's an example of what I'm talking about. We're doomed.
We are not doomed .... This is what primaries are about; advocating for the best candidate. If you don't want a debate, differences of opinion, or advocacy for one candidate over another then we should just remove the process from Republican voters (forget free will, choice, and individual liberty), and allow some elites to corronate a candidate. ... But - while some in the party may believe such should be done - that is not the traditional Republican way. ... So we let the voters decide and they can only decide when they have all the information and reasons for (or against) each candidate.
We are only doomed if the ultimate nominee is not able to get everyone on the same page and fighting against the Democrats rather than each other after June '09, or if one part of the party doesn't support the nominee as moderates did to Schundler in '01 and conservatives did with the Democrat Forrester in 2005.
I hope you are right.
Given how bad things are, I would rather the potential primary opponents themselves form a leadership coalition, spare us the primary spending and bloodletting, and get to work now on winning back the state.
Art, you say "I would rather the potential primary opponents themselves form a leadership coalition, spare us the primary spending and bloodletting, and get to work now on winning back the state."
I think the people are tired of back room deals and political power brokers making decisions for them. That is how things have gotten to the point they are; and that is how liberals/Democrats do things, not Republicans ... It is time for the people to be given a full and fair opportunity to decide who their nominee should be.
I think the people are tired of back room deals and political power brokers making decisions for them. That is how things have gotten to the point they are; and that is how liberals/Democrats do things, not Republicans ... It is time for the people to be given a full and fair opportunity to decide who their nominee should be.
What makes you say so? There have been primaries for every statewide election since Jeffery Bell beat Clifford Case.
Your arguments are the same old shit that got us where we are.
We're doomed.
A rip-roaring Republican Primary is the best thing that could happen.
The Republican Party doesn't need "unity" but instead cleansing out the stale old wimpy weak "leadership" that is content with eating the crumbs off Corzine's plate. That can only happen in a primary where both sides make their case and afterwards the losers get off the stage.
If a candidate can't take the heat in the primary, they'll never stand up to Corzine's money in the fall. Anyone who can't handle that shouldn't run.
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