On the NJ Governor Election

I support Chris Christie. Yes, I do. Is he perfect, certainly not. I do always agree with him, in manner or policy- again certainly not. But, he has some terrific accomplishments in a very, very blue state. We here in NJ have a history of very weak Governors after all: Kean (strong), Whitman (weak), Florio (beyond weak..into Carter-land), {DiFrensesco, Farmer, Benett, Cody} (stand-ins, immaterial, although I liked Cody), McGreevy (state security to his gay lover after 9/11...wow.wow. wow, (oh his lover was unqualified) (and he sucked, no pun intended), then Corzine, (you remember him...lost ONE BILLION DOLLARS of his investors money- illegally!!!!!!) Pretty sad really. 

Star Ledger Endorses Chris Christie

WEAK OPPONENT
Why then, are we endorsing him for a second term? Because his challenger, state Sen. Barbara Buono, is a deeply flawed candidate.

Begin with education. Buono’s close alliance with the teachers union is a threat to the progress Christie is making in cities such as Newark and Camden. She is hostile to charter schools, which now educate nearly 1 in 4 kids in Newark.

An authoritative national study showed that students in the charters are learning more, which explains why 10,000 Newark families are on waiting lists. Yet Buono cannot bring herself to acknowledge that the charters have helped. She sponsored a bill that would basically slam the brakes on new charters by requiring voter approval of each one. She is making a status quo argument in the face of persistent failure.

Buono opposes the Newark teacher contract, which freezes the pay of the worst teachers and grants bonuses to the best. She wants a traditional union deal, in which no distinction is made. She would return control of the schools to Newark, which would spell the end of Superintendent Cami Anderson’s promising stewardship.

The endorsement of Christie comes with the hope that Democrats hold control of the Legislature to contain his conservative instincts.

Understand that President Obama endorses the reforms Christie has pushed. This is not a right-wing conspiracy; it is a bipartisan movement that’s based on promising results for disadvantaged kids. Buono would stand in the way.

Her alliance with the unions would also threaten progress made in containing the cost of public workers. She voted against the pension and health care reform, and supports the practice of allowing public workers to accumulate pay for unused sick days. She would cap the total at $7,500, but even that reveals a mindset that is discouraging.

Another big concern: Buono lacks the strategic savvy to be a successful governor. She commands little respect among fellow Democrats, who have abandoned her in droves, with nearly 50 elected officials endorsing Christie. She is a loner in the Senate who derides political bargains as “back-room deals.”
read the rest of it here:


NJ is challanged, for sure.

New Jersey's tax climate nearly the worst for businesses, Tax Foundation finds

http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2013/10/new_jersey_nearly_the_worst_st.html



So, in one of the top three highest taxed, highest regulates States in the Union, I'll vote for the Candidate that believes less is more. CC.