Friday, September 05, 2008

Signs of the season



The leaves haven't started to turn yet, but campaign signs are up in Middletown.

With good reason.

New Jersey Democrats have launched an all out assault on the quality of life in Monmouth County.

Corzine is floating another toll raising scheme. The new COAH/RCA law, if not overturned in court, will lead to massive housing projects and the urbanization of Monmouth.

The federal bureaucracy is seeking to raise a flood tax, calling it insurance, on the Bayshore because the Army Corp of Engineers and FEMA can't get their signals straight.

War has been declared on Monmouth County and the assault is coming from multiple fronts.

It is essential that the Monmouth County Freeholder Board and the Middletown Township Committee stay in control of Republicans.

Middletown Democrats will run the same old tired campaign they have run for years: The GOP is corrupt, Peter Carton is a puppet master, and the Middletown GOP borrows and spends too much money to line Carton's pockets. The Middletown Dems will say they are the fiscal conservatives who will reign in spending.

This message has had some success over the last two years, with the Dems picking up two seats and now on the verge on control. Republican scandals after two decades of unfettered control helped the Dems pick up those seats. The same has occurred on the county level.

To the chagrin of many of my Republican friends, I prefer divided government. Show me where one party rule has not lead to excesses, be it in Monmouth, Trenton, or Washington. Maybe if John McCain and Sara Palin's message of service before self changes human nature I'll favor all Republican government again. For now, I'm all for them and what McCain and Palin stand for. It is what I've been calling for on this blog for almost 3 years. I am proud of their message and thrilled that they are the Republican standard bearers. But the disappointment of how the Republican party went on a spending orgy in Washington for most of the Bush administration, all of the Whitman administration, and the corruption of the Monmouth GOP of only a few years ago keeps me appreciating the competition and watch dog nature of a minority party thwarting the excesses.

In Middletown and Monmouth County we have divided government that leans Republican. This year it could tilt Democrat. We can't let that happen. Given what Democrats have done to the rest of this state, we can't give them Monmouth. I travel throughout the state often. I have lived in Bergen, Essex, Mercer. We can't let what the Dems have done to those counties happen here.

Monmouth Dems can't take Monmouth County without Middletown.

The Monmouth GOP is reforming. It hasn't regained its virginity yet and there are still some trough swillers amongst us. There always will be, on both sides. But the Monmouth GOP reformers are a stronger force and better at governing than the Monmouth Dems.

Despite what you read in The Courier Caliendo Crier, Peter Carton is not a puppet master. I might pass on having a Chardonnay with him, but I want him on my side fighting back the assault that is coming. Middletown Dems can protest that they are the true conservatives all they want. They are not, and they can't fight their own who are leading the assault.

Middletown is again ranked as one of the top 100 places to live in America. Turning that over to Democrats who are ruining the rest of New Jersey is too risky.

Show me where Democrats are governing in New Jersey better than Republicans are in Middletown and Monmouth County.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

When we stop getting butterflies and candidates that can't tell the truth if their lives depended on it ,then the republicans might be ok in Middletown. Right now that's not the case.The professionals run this town where it counts,that's why Middletown ranks as a good place to live not because the dictatorial politicians have any virtue !!!!

Art Gallagher said...

Show me a place in New Jersey where Democrats are governing better than Republicans are in Middletown and Monmouth County.

Who do you think hires the professionals?

Anonymous said...

Look what the democrats did for Red Bank after the stagnation of the years directly preceding the Mc Kenna years It was becoming Dead Bank if the newspapers are correct. Red Bank today is much better off economically if the business district is any measure of BETTER !!! As for politics...who knows..Art,,do you know when you can tell a politician is lying......you can see his lips move!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Compare the budgets of any similarly sized municipality in new jersey and middletown's is--by far--the lowest--by 10s of millions of dollars.

Art Gallagher said...

Look what the democrats did for Red Bank after the stagnation of the years directly preceding the Mc Kenna years It was becoming Dead Bank if the newspapers are correct. Red Bank today is much better off economically if the business district is any measure of BETTER !!!

Red Bank is a good example, in the early McKenna years. But better than Middletown? I don't think so.

I'm sure John Curley and Jen Beck could chime in about the later years, after former Republican McKenna became a real Democrat.

Anonymous said...

Just think how much lower it could be if the taxpayers weren't paying for unnecessary lawsuits ,Arts Center to subsidize,political patronage on the sewage authority,politicians and entertainers with farm assessments.Funny Jen Beck shut her mouth about her former compadre who used to host fund raisers for her but used that theme against Ellen Karchcher. Wait until re-election time comes around for Jennifer.Dirty pool. Ellen complied with what is the same law that grants those other farm assessments in Middletown.Remember it was a democrat at the county level that was the driving force against pay to play.And can we disregard what Middletown's Republicans tried to do to a friend of yours. When we elect representatives that serve the people and not themselves there will be hope for Middletown,Monmouth County and N.J. .In the meantime politics here is a toilet tank and it will be until people assume their obligation to learn the issues and VOTE !!! Vote for the person not the party.

Art Gallagher said...

Yes, I realize all of what you are saying, but show me a place in New Jersey where Democrats are governing better than Republicans are in Middletown and Monmouth County.

Anonymous said...

All the unecessary lawsuits in Middletown that have cost taxpayers dearly have been brought by well known democratic activists.

Anonymous said...

That's a crock of you know what !!! what about the town clerk against the township committeeman,( didn't the republicans hire her?? What about the problems over the revaluation????? $250,000 more in expenses to Reality Appraisal and Reilly was in Freehold with Heck ( it was stated he acted alone ).. What about all this trouble on the HRC??? Carolyn Schwebel's plight is not political . It is injustice.Middletown Republicans be aware we are all sick to death of your crap ! That means many of the former party faithful also......

Art Gallagher said...

Yeah right, but where in New Jersey are Democrats doing a better job governing than Republicans are doing in Middletown and Monmouth County?

Anonymous said...

The Republicans DO NOT GOVERN in Middletown ALONE.Today there are checks and balances on the committee...There are now two democrats on the committee.Come January there will be at least one ,possibly two more democrats. Bipartisan government is HEALTHY and in Middletown and in Monmouth County it has been refreshing....not all done behind closed doors....but the republicans still try at least in Middletown.The caliber of the person has a lot to do with good government not the party label they have and never forget that.There is not substitute for honesty or integrity,regardless of party and where it exists,there's better government.

Art Gallagher said...

Yeah right, but can you tell me a place in New Jersey where Democrats are doing a better job governing than Republicans are in Middletown and Monmouth County?