The question is driving them batty

Where in New Jersey are Democrats doing a better job governing than Republicans are doing in Middletown and Monmouth County?

I've been asking that question on this blog since July.

I've been getting lots of responses but no answers.

The responses have ranged from the attempted destruction of my reputation to silly name calling.

It is not a trick question. It is an important question. Our way of life in Monmouth County is under attack. From Trenton with COAH and from Washington with FEMA maps.

On the county level, Freeholder Director Lillian Burry is fighting back the feds and holding FEMA, The Army Corp of Engineers and the state accountable for broken promises over the safety of the Bayshore. John Curley is flexing his maverick muscles attacking cronyism, even when it puts him at odds with his fellow Republicans. The Democrats are offering nothing more than fancy pictures of themselves.

In Middletown, Republicans continue to do a fine job governing. Once again they are rated one of the top 100 places to live in the United States of America. Once again they have a AA bond rating. They are fighting back the urbanization that will happen if the new COAH rules forced on us by Trenton Democrats are implemented.

Middletown Democrats are offering the same old tired BS. They say the Middletown GOP township committee members are nothing more than puppets doing what they are told by Peter Carton. I don't believe that is true, but even if it is, so what? Things are pretty good here and they will get terrible if Dick Codey and Joe Roberts start pulling the strings. How can we count on Democrats fighting back the coming urbanization dictated by Trenton?

Democrats Pat Walsh and Jim Whatshisname say Middletown government should be more transparent and efficient. I'm not aware of anything Whathisname has done, but Walsh has been on the Board of Education since the Eisenhower administration (not really, but it has been a long time). Let's take a look at the transparency and efficiency of the BOE. I've asked correspondent JJ Sullivan to work on this, and to do so objectively. Let's see how it shakes out.

I like Pat Walsh personally, and I like bi-partisan government. If Pat were on the Township Committee now, rather than Patrick Short, I would be fine with that.

But I think it is too risky to give Democrats control, especially now. Pat's apologists/supporters, probably expecting scrutiny of the BOE have been saying "she's only one of nine on the board." In other words, give her credit for the good stuff but not the bad. But, if her platform is "I'm only one of nine" that tells me she admits to not being an effective leader.

If we're going to have followers on the Township Committee, I don't want Jon Corzine, Joe Roberts, Dick Codey or Joe Caliendo leading.

I'll take Peter Carton over them any day. Fortunately we don't have to.