There are a few applause lines, but mostly what you see is silent frowns. These folks are being taken to the woodshed, they know it, and they know there's no way to avoid it.
There's a line in there I really like, right after the "one term" quote you gave, about needing to make the government work for the people, not for the "political class".
He also says something about there being forces opposed to what he's about to do. "They're armed," he says, "and they're ready to get us."
He's speaking metaphorically, but I won't be surprised if it turns more literal than we want to think. He won't be surprised either, I think.
And not all of those gunning for him will be from the state of New Jersey, either. This is a dangerous man who could set a very bad example in the eyes of those who would rule us.
As I said, Kevin, Citizen Kane Clap all the way! God, I wish Jan Brewer was a politically brave and would undo all of Mulletano's spend, spend, spend (tho' the legislature really helped, too)..
Since Governor Christie is a self-avowed one term governor of New Jersey, do you think anyone would mind if, after the end of his term, I encouraged him to come to Oz to help us out?
If it helps any, Hooters is opening soon at two locations here in Western Australia. Of course, our anti-discrimination laws will mean that half the staff are flat-chested males.
Having escaped from NJ with my spirit, family, and meager fortune, I'm not so hopeful about NJ's long term chances. They have a historical pattern of augering in to the point of disaster plainly visible to the electorate, and their response is to elect an "emergency Republican" to bring them back from the brink. Once the disaster's driven underground and out of view, they'll start to thinking that they have enough leeway and resources to start digging the same hole in a different place.
sound and fury - every word of it true, not that it matters - signifying nothing. reagan was wildly popular, and he was going to shrink government, cut spending, and shutter the departments of commerce and education. none of it happened, and the federal budget went up every year he was prez, just like it has every year since....what...1955? 1960?
even if a miracle occurs, and christie "shrinks" the state budget by a draconian 3%, or even a savagely cruel 5%, it won't matter. i'll bet big BIG bucks that in 20 years, 1) the NJ state budget will be at least triple what it is now 2) NJ state income tax rates will be even higher and 3) there'll be *at least* 500 new taxes instituted, maybe even a statewide VAT. if this does not happen, it will be ONLY because the state defaults on its obligations.
after a certain point, government exists solely to perpetuate and grow itself. the desires of the proles are immaterial. if they don't like it, they can move - which would suit the state just fine, since they undobtedly have real estate transfer taxes. the analogy is like being a psychic roman citizen in the waning days of the republic: you KNOW, with absolute certainty, that the republic will collapse and your beloved - if rigged - democracy will become a military dictatorship. but you can't do a thing to stop it - even if you're from a rich & well-connected senatorial family. the rot has been allowed to sink in too deep, there's too much money to be made by contributing to the rot, and all you (we) can do is watch it happen.
Very, very good speech. He seemed honest and frank about the problems, and showed no indication of sugar coated them. Exactly what the mayors need to hear. Wish he was the gov here in PA.
Back in '05, the State Police went on "strike" in NJ. With complaints of "profiling" in car stops, they just stopped writing tickets. This lasted for months. I was there, saw it first hand. As always happens, the crash/fatality rates dropped. But, the big news was all those towns were going broke! Seems that a large portion of their operating funds come from their share of tickets written by the State Troopers locally. (NJ has the highest concentration of radar in the Union.)
This form of taxation is rarely mentioned by politicos. What is really stupid is that the increased insurance rates that result take even more money out of the local and state economy than the tickets generate. Plus, they start out with some of the highest insurance costs of any state. (I no longer live there, so I don't have actual numbers to post. Left long ago.)
There's a teeny little municipality -- Linndale -- tucked into the southwestern corner of Cleveland. Three quarters of the municipal budget comes from the mayor's court, funded by a speed trap on a quarter-mile stretch of I-71 that goes through Linndale (Linndale doesn't even have an exit in the village limits -- the nearest is W. 130th, which is Cleveland). Lot of little wide spots in the road downstate run the same way, one hears.
Having lived there, I can vouch for the plausibility of that.
Some anecdotes: NJ was the *last* state to raise any speed limit above 55. When they did, the posted up whiny little bitch signs about "zero tolerance for speeders" and "fines doubled in 65mph zones". Clearly their mentality was "OH, FINE. We'll raise the limit, but you better watch your step!" I've also heard it proposed that the purpose of the fine doubling was to keep the revenues consistent with their pre speed limit rates.
I can also vouch for the ridiculous number of infrastructure NJ has dedicated to handing out tickets on the turnpike: the average is 1 cop for every 10 miles of highway. In the 1200 miles from NYC to Orlando, NJ and MD are the only states I saw cops in.
I live in NJ (since '92), and I think Christie's going to push much harder than el coronado might think. Unlike Whitman, he owes nobody nothing, and has no skeletons in his closet. He's jumping up and down on the third rail of NJ political power already, and what are his opponents going to do? Run attack ads against him (NJEA is doing so already and flat-out lying in them - it's not helping their cause). Threaten to stop donating to him? They never did. The political powerbrokens have no leverage on him.
Plus, we have a new Senate President and a new Speaker in the Assembly, both of whom are more "moderate" (lighter blue).
Finally, we have a brand new office of Lt. Governor; occupied by another career prosecutor. They've said her job is pretty much going to be to clean up the bureaucracy. Christie made his name perp-walking and CONVICTING crooked pols - think the Lt. Gov isn't going to want to get a piece of that glory? And as the "boss" she's got more (legal) access ot records than a cop with a warrant...
I find myself kinda hoping that his ambition extends beyond Trenton, to tell the truth...
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JS-Kit/Echo comments for article at http://smallestminority.blogspot.com/2010/03/got-27-minutes.html (14 comments)
Wow. So that's what leadership sounds like.
There are a few applause lines, but mostly what you see is silent frowns. These folks are being taken to the woodshed, they know it, and they know there's no way to avoid it.
There's a line in there I really like, right after the "one term" quote you gave, about needing to make the government work for the people, not for the "political class".
He also says something about there being forces opposed to what he's about to do. "They're armed," he says, "and they're ready to get us."
He's speaking metaphorically, but I won't be surprised if it turns more literal than we want to think. He won't be surprised either, I think.
And not all of those gunning for him will be from the state of New Jersey, either. This is a dangerous man who could set a very bad example in the eyes of those who would rule us.
As I said, Kevin, Citizen Kane Clap all the way! God, I wish Jan Brewer was a politically brave and would undo all of Mulletano's spend, spend, spend (tho' the legislature really helped, too)..
Since Governor Christie is a self-avowed one term governor of New Jersey, do you think anyone would mind if, after the end of his term, I encouraged him to come to Oz to help us out?
If it helps any, Hooters is opening soon at two locations here in Western Australia. Of course, our anti-discrimination laws will mean that half the staff are flat-chested males.
I read a speech from him. May have been his inauguration speech. It looked pretty good.
It would be pretty awesome if New Jersey turned into a place fit for human habitation.
I'll have to listen to the speech later;
Having escaped from NJ with my spirit, family, and meager fortune, I'm not so hopeful about NJ's long term chances. They have a historical pattern of augering in to the point of disaster plainly visible to the electorate, and their response is to elect an "emergency Republican" to bring them back from the brink. Once the disaster's driven underground and out of view, they'll start to thinking that they have enough leeway and resources to start digging the same hole in a different place.
Of course, our anti-discrimination laws will mean that half the staff are flat-chested males.
Well it could be worse. Surely you're not going to tell me that you'd be happier being served by males with big boobs?
sound and fury - every word of it true, not that it matters - signifying nothing. reagan was wildly popular, and he was going to shrink government, cut spending, and shutter the departments of commerce and education. none of it happened, and the federal budget went up every year he was prez, just like it has every year since....what...1955? 1960?
even if a miracle occurs, and christie "shrinks" the state budget by a draconian 3%, or even a savagely cruel 5%, it won't matter. i'll bet big BIG bucks that in 20 years, 1) the NJ state budget will be at least triple what it is now 2) NJ state income tax rates will be even higher and 3) there'll be *at least* 500 new taxes instituted, maybe even a statewide VAT. if this does not happen, it will be ONLY because the state defaults on its obligations.
after a certain point, government exists solely to perpetuate and grow itself. the desires of the proles are immaterial. if they don't like it, they can move - which would suit the state just fine, since they undobtedly have real estate transfer taxes. the analogy is like being a psychic roman citizen in the waning days of the republic: you KNOW, with absolute certainty, that the republic will collapse and your beloved - if rigged - democracy will become a military dictatorship. but you can't do a thing to stop it - even if you're from a rich & well-connected senatorial family. the rot has been allowed to sink in too deep, there's too much money to be made by contributing to the rot, and all you (we) can do is watch it happen.
Very, very good speech. He seemed honest and frank about the problems, and showed no indication of sugar coated them. Exactly what the mayors need to hear. Wish he was the gov here in PA.
Back in '05, the State Police went on "strike" in NJ. With complaints of "profiling" in car stops, they just stopped writing tickets. This lasted for months. I was there, saw it first hand. As always happens, the crash/fatality rates dropped. But, the big news was all those towns were going broke! Seems that a large portion of their operating funds come from their share of tickets written by the State Troopers locally. (NJ has the highest concentration of radar in the Union.)
This form of taxation is rarely mentioned by politicos. What is really stupid is that the increased insurance rates that result take even more money out of the local and state economy than the tickets generate. Plus, they start out with some of the highest insurance costs of any state. (I no longer live there, so I don't have actual numbers to post. Left long ago.)
There's a teeny little municipality -- Linndale -- tucked into the southwestern corner of Cleveland. Three quarters of the municipal budget comes from the mayor's court, funded by a speed trap on a quarter-mile stretch of I-71 that goes through Linndale (Linndale doesn't even have an exit in the village limits -- the nearest is W. 130th, which is Cleveland). Lot of little wide spots in the road downstate run the same way, one hears.
Having lived there, I can vouch for the plausibility of that.
Some anecdotes: NJ was the *last* state to raise any speed limit above 55. When they did, the posted up whiny little bitch signs about "zero tolerance for speeders" and "fines doubled in 65mph zones". Clearly their mentality was "OH, FINE. We'll raise the limit, but you better watch your step!" I've also heard it proposed that the purpose of the fine doubling was to keep the revenues consistent with their pre speed limit rates.
I can also vouch for the ridiculous number of infrastructure NJ has dedicated to handing out tickets on the turnpike: the average is 1 cop for every 10 miles of highway. In the 1200 miles from NYC to Orlando, NJ and MD are the only states I saw cops in.
It's funny that radar detectors are legal in NJ. They're illegal here in VA, but my buddy has one on his dash in south Jersey.
I live in NJ (since '92), and I think Christie's going to push much harder than el coronado might think. Unlike Whitman, he owes nobody nothing, and has no skeletons in his closet. He's jumping up and down on the third rail of NJ political power already, and what are his opponents going to do? Run attack ads against him (NJEA is doing so already and flat-out lying in them - it's not helping their cause). Threaten to stop donating to him? They never did. The political powerbrokens have no leverage on him.
Plus, we have a new Senate President and a new Speaker in the Assembly, both of whom are more "moderate" (lighter blue).
Finally, we have a brand new office of Lt. Governor; occupied by another career prosecutor. They've said her job is pretty much going to be to clean up the bureaucracy. Christie made his name perp-walking and CONVICTING crooked pols - think the Lt. Gov isn't going to want to get a piece of that glory? And as the "boss" she's got more (legal) access ot records than a cop with a warrant...
I find myself kinda hoping that his ambition extends beyond Trenton, to tell the truth...
Note: All avatars and any images or other media embedded in comments were hosted on the JS-Kit website and have been lost; references to haloscan comments have been partially automatically remapped, but accuracy is not guaranteed and corrections are solicited.
If you notice any problems with this page or wish to have your home page link updated, please contact John Hardin <jhardin@impsec.org>