After taking the heart of the election season off, this is pretty much a forgone conclusion, but I figured I would make it official. Blog the Fifth, for now, is going on the shelf. I have a number of reasons, but I leave it feeling a sense of accomplishment.
The first goal of Blog the Fifth was to hold Representative Scott Garrett accountable, and I did. He and his staff went from making stuff up to sticking by his beliefs without spinning like crazy. In a sense, he's been rewarded, absolutely crushing all comers. I'm not saying I agree with the man, but he's earned my respect for not wavering and not resorting to the distortions so many of his fellow Republicans did in recent months.
Even though he may no longer be my Congressman after redistricting, there is something to be said of knowing exactly where your guy stands and that he usually gets about 60-65% of his constituents to support him.
The second goal was to shine light on the corruption in Bergen County. When I started this thing, Papa Joe and his cronies were running everything and making an open mockery of what good government should be. Papa Joe and his chosen officials are all but gone now, and that's something everyone in Bergen County should be happy about.
County Executive-elect Kathe Donovan is someone I met back in '96 when I was interning at the BCRO, and she was as genuine then as she is now. She was endorsed by Democrats and Republicans alike, and hopefully will lead a thoughtful course correction in the way Bergen County has done business for far too long.
This whole thing isn't to say that I'm going to stop writing.
I've already reserved a new address for a new blog: Mighty Moderate
I plan to start posting over there soon, but for now, thanks to everyone who encouraged this project, read, and commented. Until next time...
Showing posts with label BCRO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BCRO. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Blast From The Past
Charles Stile of The Record has a great profile of a pillar of the BCRO, Eleanor Nissley. Ms. Nissley was instumental in my attending and one of the people I got to know a bit when I went to San Diego in 1996. Granted, she probably wouldn't know me if she fell over me at this point, it was great to see she's still involved and still stands for the principles Bergen Republicans stood for back in the day.
Here's a bit of her wisdom she shared with Stile:
I hope enough young Republicans, and Democrats for that matter, will look at Nissley's example as how politics used to be and can be now thanks to people like her.
Here's a bit of her wisdom she shared with Stile:
Despite the past battles, Nissley said politics were far more civil and less partisan than they are today. County chairmen from both parties often socialized and collaborated on relief efforts for a family who lost their home in a fire, for example.
"I feel people are getting lost in the process," she said. "Today it's more about, 'Can I get a job for Aunt Tillie?' " she said. "Patronage is not the name of the game. People are the name of the game."
I hope enough young Republicans, and Democrats for that matter, will look at Nissley's example as how politics used to be and can be now thanks to people like her.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Congrats Sen. O'Toole
PolitickerNJ reports that State Senator Kevin O'Toole has been tapped to lead the NJ Republican County Chairs. Maybe he'll be able to help out new BCRO Chair Bob Yudin finally break the lock of Joe Ferriero.
No one doubts it's an uphill battle. Ferriero used his pay-to-play mastery to raise over $300K to squash the challenge of the Real Bergen Democrats this spring.
No one doubts it's an uphill battle. Ferriero used his pay-to-play mastery to raise over $300K to squash the challenge of the Real Bergen Democrats this spring.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Same As the Old Boss?
Well, in a statement re-posted on Blue Jersey, the Real Bergen Democrats have called for the resignation of BCDO Chairman Joe Ferriero and Attorney Dennis Oury:
For those with a memory of Bergen County politics, this isn't the first time a party chairman has been faced with calls for his resignation. BCRO Chairman Berek Don was forced to resign following his involvement in a money funneling scheme to former Senator Torricelli.
From the NY Times circa 1997:
Unlike Don who pled guilty in 1999, it's important to mention, again, that there have been no indictments in the Ferriero situation.
However, US Attorney Chris Christie seems to have been more prudent when issuing his subpoenas since the Menendez debacle. It should be interesting to see how this plays out.
The time is now for the Bergen County Democratic Organization to remove Ferriero and Oury from any positions of authority within the party's structure. We're calling upon the Chairman and the Party's chief counsel to put the integrity and the good name of all Democrats ahead of their individual personal and professional agendas of wielding their positions of power for their own gain.
For those with a memory of Bergen County politics, this isn't the first time a party chairman has been faced with calls for his resignation. BCRO Chairman Berek Don was forced to resign following his involvement in a money funneling scheme to former Senator Torricelli.
From the NY Times circa 1997:
Mired in personal and professional scandal, the leader of New Jersey's largest county Republican party has resigned, party officials said.
[snip]
The county Republican vice-chairwoman, Rita Kirk, said that Mr. Don, who resigned Monday, wanted to avoid bringing negative publicity to the county organization.
Unlike Don who pled guilty in 1999, it's important to mention, again, that there have been no indictments in the Ferriero situation.
However, US Attorney Chris Christie seems to have been more prudent when issuing his subpoenas since the Menendez debacle. It should be interesting to see how this plays out.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Filing Day Fun
Well, those hoping Representative Scott Garrett might face a challenge in the Republican primary have been disappointed. Garrett will be running unopposed in June. However, there were a lot of interesting occurrences:
On the Congressional level, previously announced candidates Camille Abate and Dennis Shulman were joined by Roger Bacon of Phillipsburg. This permitted Wally Edge to make a joke.
Bergen
On a more local level, the Real Bergen Democrats are mounting a challenge to Joe Ferriero's BCDO. Here's how The Record explained the situation:
No, I'm fairly certain it's a reflection on the BCDO and how it's run, and by extension how the county is run.
Carol Hoernlein, for one, has been fighting the fight against Papa Joe for a long time. I highlighted a blog post by her last year, and good government types on the Democratic side of the aisle should be happy to have her on the ballot.
I write about the ills of pay to play, probably not enough, and anyone who signed up for the Democratic primary to vote for either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton should think about voting in the June primary. When I was on the trail in 2006, I would often say the corruption people were furious about down in Washington was going on right here, but with Papa Joe playing the role of Tom DeLay.
Should the Real Democrats fail at knocking out Freeholders Bernadette "EnCap" McPherson or David Ganz, the Republicans will have their own slate going in November. However, it won't be decided with out a primary of their own. Once again, The Record:
It should be interesting to see how this all plays out. The Record has a complete list of people filing to run in the June primary in Bergen.
Sussex
Both candidates for Freeholder, current Republican Freeholder Phillip Crabb and Democrat Donna Griff will be running unopposed in June.
When I find info regarding Passaic and Warren counties, I'll post it.
On the Congressional level, previously announced candidates Camille Abate and Dennis Shulman were joined by Roger Bacon of Phillipsburg. This permitted Wally Edge to make a joke.
Bergen
On a more local level, the Real Bergen Democrats are mounting a challenge to Joe Ferriero's BCDO. Here's how The Record explained the situation:
Freeholder incumbents David Ganz, Bernadette McPherson and Vernon Walton, backed by Ferriero, will face a challenge from former Hasbrouck Heights Councilwoman Carol Skiba, Tenafly Councilwoman Carol Hoernlein and newcomer Aishaah Rasul.
In the county clerk race, former Westwood Councilwoman Gail Frasco of the Real Bergen Democrats will go up against Diane Testa, Fairview's borough attorney and administrator. Republican incumbent Kathleen Donovan does not have a primary challenger.
[snip]
"This is not a reflection on the [BCDO's] county candidates, since this is being done purely for political purposes to get as many county committee seats in the 37th District," said Bill Maer, a spokesman for the BCDO.
No, I'm fairly certain it's a reflection on the BCDO and how it's run, and by extension how the county is run.
Carol Hoernlein, for one, has been fighting the fight against Papa Joe for a long time. I highlighted a blog post by her last year, and good government types on the Democratic side of the aisle should be happy to have her on the ballot.
I write about the ills of pay to play, probably not enough, and anyone who signed up for the Democratic primary to vote for either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton should think about voting in the June primary. When I was on the trail in 2006, I would often say the corruption people were furious about down in Washington was going on right here, but with Papa Joe playing the role of Tom DeLay.
Should the Real Democrats fail at knocking out Freeholders Bernadette "EnCap" McPherson or David Ganz, the Republicans will have their own slate going in November. However, it won't be decided with out a primary of their own. Once again, The Record:
Republicans are not immune to a primary contest as two freeholder candidates aligned with U.S. Senate candidate Murray Sabrin, including his wife, will face off against a slate endorsed by the Bergen County Republican Organization.
Florence Sabrin and Paul Mladjenovic will vie for the two seats against Christopher Calabrese and Jeffrey Heller.
It should be interesting to see how this all plays out. The Record has a complete list of people filing to run in the June primary in Bergen.
Sussex
Both candidates for Freeholder, current Republican Freeholder Phillip Crabb and Democrat Donna Griff will be running unopposed in June.
When I find info regarding Passaic and Warren counties, I'll post it.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
News & Such
I haven't been able to blog much, but that doesn't mean there isn't news to report. So here's a round up of stuff going on around the Fifth:
*The Daily Record gives Representative Scott Garrett a "nudge" about his vote against the Economic Stimulus package:
Here's a random thought: If Shulman were to win this year and Lonegan next year, those of us in the Fifth would likely be the first constituency in the nation to be represented by two legally blind individuals. It's an unlikely scenario, but interesting thought none the less.
*The Daily Record gives Representative Scott Garrett a "nudge" about his vote against the Economic Stimulus package:
Unfortunately, that urgency was lost on Rep. Scott Garrett, R-Wantage. Garrett, whose district includes Sussex and Warren counties, was one of 34 House members and the only one from New Jersey, to vote against the stimulus package. Such a stance is not new for Garrett, who seems to believe that the federal government should do nothing at all.
*The NJ Herald covered the fact that potential Democratic challenger Dennis Shulman outraised Garrett last quarter. They highlighted his use of the Giants as a metaphor for his own potential for success; which Hillary Clinton used the other night on 60 Minutes. Shulman was the first to use it, but it seems John Bresnahan's nightmare is coming to fruition.
*Eric Boehlert over at Media Matters writes about how Rush Limbaugh is trying to tear apart the Republican Party. He notes Garrett and others rushed to Limbaugh's defense last year during the "phony soldiers" controversy.
*The folks over at Inside Bergen profiled new Executive Director of the BCRO, Matt Mowers.
*Phillip Crabb was selected to replace Assemblyman Gary Chiusano on the Sussex County Board of Freeholders.
*The Record profiled Steve Lonegan's work against Corzine's toll plan, and spoke of his aspirations for Governor.Here's a random thought: If Shulman were to win this year and Lonegan next year, those of us in the Fifth would likely be the first constituency in the nation to be represented by two legally blind individuals. It's an unlikely scenario, but interesting thought none the less.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Garrett Spotted in Bergen
Work's been brutal, so I'm trying to catch up.
In a lengthy piece speculating about County Clerk Kathe Donovan's absence at the BCRO meeting last week, Inside Bergen made another observation: Representative Scott Garrett took the stage.
One would hope the BCRO would hold Garrett accountable, so as to really challenge the pay-to-play BCDO, for all of our sake.
In a lengthy piece speculating about County Clerk Kathe Donovan's absence at the BCRO meeting last week, Inside Bergen made another observation: Representative Scott Garrett took the stage.
Also notable was Congressman Scott Garrett's presence at the meeting. Garrett took the stage with Ortiz and presented his update from Washington. Their joint appearance allays some of the rumors of a pending feud between the BCRO and Garrett.That's really too bad. As I noted earlier, Bergen County received 6% of the earmarks Garrett fought for in the appropriations process, while sending 70% out of District. Bergen represents 60% of the District's population. Garrett popping into a meeting once in a while doesn't change the diminished stature of the BCRO in the county since Garrett took office. Part of that is that he doesn't fight for us.
One would hope the BCRO would hold Garrett accountable, so as to really challenge the pay-to-play BCDO, for all of our sake.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Not As Broke As They Thought
Well, Bergen County Republicans have something to be happy about today. The Record is reporting that they are only $38,000 in debt. This is welcome news to those of us hoping they get back on their feet in order to fight Papa Joe and the BCDO.
To avoid problems for them in the future, I picked up on something in the article Chairman Rob Ortiz said that could cause problems for them down the line:
Here is the IRS's way of explaining the Independent Contractor vs. Employee
I'm sure with all the lawyers they've got, the BCRO can figure out a way to structure the contract for some exceptions. However, does an organization trying to come back from a near death experience, where reestablishing credibility is key, really want to also be seen trying to skirt tax laws?
To avoid problems for them in the future, I picked up on something in the article Chairman Rob Ortiz said that could cause problems for them down the line:
The party failed to pay federal and state income taxes on its executive director's salary in 2003. It owes a combined $6,040 to the IRS and to the state of New Jersey. Ortiz said that the future director, a full-time position, would be paid as an independent contractor and not a salaried employee subject to the payroll tax. The post was vacant as of last week.
Here is the IRS's way of explaining the Independent Contractor vs. Employee
Who is an Independent Contractor?
A general rule is that you, the payer, have the right to control or direct only the result of the work done by an independent contractor, and not the means and methods of accomplishing the result.
[snip]
Who is an Employee?A general rule is that anyone who performs services for you is your employee if you can control what will be done and how it will be done.
I'm sure with all the lawyers they've got, the BCRO can figure out a way to structure the contract for some exceptions. However, does an organization trying to come back from a near death experience, where reestablishing credibility is key, really want to also be seen trying to skirt tax laws?
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Blog the Fifth Is Back
Well, the last week showed why I should get some other people writing on this little blog of mine. Life can get in the way of blogging at times. Here's what went on:
In Washington:
Representative Scott Garrett voted against making our nation more energy independent and was one of only 55 Representatives to vote against providing funds to clean up the water supply in the North Bay. This bill will help prevent all those little e coli breakouts we've been having, so I'm not sure what Garrett was voting against.
On a positive note, Garrett did vote with nearly all of Congress to fight child porn and child abduction, as well as make funds available to reservists and veterans to start businesses and for small businesses who hire reservists and veterans.
Garrett has largely panned the President's sub-prime interest rate freeze, but we have to remember he feels the housing market is in good shape. On Bloomberg television he seemed almost pleased with the way the housing market is going. Garrett does say that when there is fraud, the government should step in. However, Garrett places all of the blame on the mortgage holder as opposed to the product they were told they could take.
I may have only done it for eight weeks, but I'd be happy to discuss how a largely sub-prime mortgage broker house works with Garrett, or any of his staffers. The interest was on developing a spread of loans, from good to bad, to sell investors. I ended up quiting because it didn't seem right to try and sell people loans they couldn't afford. I never did close a loan because I'd tell people they didn't need us.
On the campaign trail:
Camille Abate got some press for a breakfast she had with several union leaders. There's some confusion in the press as to whether she was or was not endorsed by the group. This is understandable, as her press release about the event is similar in verbiage to that of Aronsohn's back in February announcing Corzine's "endorsement."
Herb Jackson is reporting that Rabbi Dennis Shulman is going to be down in DC talking with various fundraisers, including the DCCC.
In the 39th:
Assemblyman John Rooney is pondering retirement. Eric Sedler of Red Jersey has "started" his campaign to succeed Rooney. PolitickerNJ.com speculates that Bob Schroeder, Lisa Randall, Old Tappan Mayor Victor Polce, Norwood Mayor James Barsa and Ramsey Mayor Chris Botta as possible Republican candidates.
Why doesn't my name ever make these lists?
Just for fun:
A big congratulations to Oradell's Jim McGovern on his return to the PGA. He's worked really hard for this, and it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
In Washington:
Representative Scott Garrett voted against making our nation more energy independent and was one of only 55 Representatives to vote against providing funds to clean up the water supply in the North Bay. This bill will help prevent all those little e coli breakouts we've been having, so I'm not sure what Garrett was voting against.
On a positive note, Garrett did vote with nearly all of Congress to fight child porn and child abduction, as well as make funds available to reservists and veterans to start businesses and for small businesses who hire reservists and veterans.
Garrett has largely panned the President's sub-prime interest rate freeze, but we have to remember he feels the housing market is in good shape. On Bloomberg television he seemed almost pleased with the way the housing market is going. Garrett does say that when there is fraud, the government should step in. However, Garrett places all of the blame on the mortgage holder as opposed to the product they were told they could take.
I may have only done it for eight weeks, but I'd be happy to discuss how a largely sub-prime mortgage broker house works with Garrett, or any of his staffers. The interest was on developing a spread of loans, from good to bad, to sell investors. I ended up quiting because it didn't seem right to try and sell people loans they couldn't afford. I never did close a loan because I'd tell people they didn't need us.
On the campaign trail:
Camille Abate got some press for a breakfast she had with several union leaders. There's some confusion in the press as to whether she was or was not endorsed by the group. This is understandable, as her press release about the event is similar in verbiage to that of Aronsohn's back in February announcing Corzine's "endorsement."
Herb Jackson is reporting that Rabbi Dennis Shulman is going to be down in DC talking with various fundraisers, including the DCCC.
In the 39th:
Assemblyman John Rooney is pondering retirement. Eric Sedler of Red Jersey has "started" his campaign to succeed Rooney. PolitickerNJ.com speculates that Bob Schroeder, Lisa Randall, Old Tappan Mayor Victor Polce, Norwood Mayor James Barsa and Ramsey Mayor Chris Botta as possible Republican candidates.
Why doesn't my name ever make these lists?
Just for fun:
A big congratulations to Oradell's Jim McGovern on his return to the PGA. He's worked really hard for this, and it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Randall vs. Garrett?
According to Sussex Steve over at NJ.com, Ho-Ho-Kus Mayor Thomas Randall is considering a challenge to Representative Scott Garrett next year. Randall appears to be a moderate, having endorsed the team of Kathe Donovan against the Guy Talarico/Todd Caliguire ticket.
I've said before that the best thing for the BCRO to do would be to get rid of Talarico & Garrett. A strong Republican candidate with name recognition and views in line with the District, coupled with a growing understanding of how awful a representative Garrett is, could make this a great campaign.
More to come...
I've said before that the best thing for the BCRO to do would be to get rid of Talarico & Garrett. A strong Republican candidate with name recognition and views in line with the District, coupled with a growing understanding of how awful a representative Garrett is, could make this a great campaign.
More to come...
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Websites of Interest
Update: best4bergen.org is back up.
Well, a number of new websites have come to my attention related to our District.
First, Camille Abate has a new website for her 2008 bid to be the Democratic Party nominee to take on Representative Scott Garrett. It's complete with blog and upcoming events sections. With several fundraisers planned for this fall, Abate seem to be working to widen her lead in cash on hand over 2006 challenger Paul Aronsohn.
Aronsohn hasn't updated his website in about a month, despite still generating interest in a rematch.
The Bergen County Republican Organization has a new site (h/t Red Jersey), less than a month after new Chairman Rob Ortiz pledged to make better use of technology. It is a really good site, although having a little more info on the candidates would be beneficial to voters.
In related news, it seems the website that had be running for the Bergen County Republican slate of candidates (best4bergen.org) has been taken off-line.
And, when seeing if Steve Oroho had finally gotten his website up and running for his bid for to represent the 24th District in the State Senate, you get the most basic of welcome messages. This is a bit behind his opponent Ed Selby.
Well, a number of new websites have come to my attention related to our District.
First, Camille Abate has a new website for her 2008 bid to be the Democratic Party nominee to take on Representative Scott Garrett. It's complete with blog and upcoming events sections. With several fundraisers planned for this fall, Abate seem to be working to widen her lead in cash on hand over 2006 challenger Paul Aronsohn.
Aronsohn hasn't updated his website in about a month, despite still generating interest in a rematch.
The Bergen County Republican Organization has a new site (h/t Red Jersey), less than a month after new Chairman Rob Ortiz pledged to make better use of technology. It is a really good site, although having a little more info on the candidates would be beneficial to voters.
In related news, it seems the website that had be running for the Bergen County Republican slate of candidates (best4bergen.org) has been taken off-line.
And, when seeing if Steve Oroho had finally gotten his website up and running for his bid for to represent the 24th District in the State Senate, you get the most basic of welcome messages. This is a bit behind his opponent Ed Selby.
Monday, July 23, 2007
BCRO elects Ortiz
PoliticsNJ has a good article about the new head of the Bergen County Republican Organization, Rob Ortiz. This was a good move, not only for the Republicans but for Bergen County as a whole. The decline of the BCRO has led to one party rule, which is never a good thing.
While there are only a few short months before the election, the idea of having new leadership to take on Papa Joe's pay-to-play happy Freeholders is a good thing I commented on months ago. If nothing else, the ability of Republicans to mount a credible campaign may lead Democrats to better governance. For our system of government to be effective, there has to be alternatives. Hopefully, Ortiz can restore the BCRO to being a contender for the sake of all taxpayers in Bergen.
While there are only a few short months before the election, the idea of having new leadership to take on Papa Joe's pay-to-play happy Freeholders is a good thing I commented on months ago. If nothing else, the ability of Republicans to mount a credible campaign may lead Democrats to better governance. For our system of government to be effective, there has to be alternatives. Hopefully, Ortiz can restore the BCRO to being a contender for the sake of all taxpayers in Bergen.
Monday, July 2, 2007
God Bless Your Loyalty, DBeck
Even though I find myself a man without a party, I respect those who are loyal to their party and their party's public office holders. One such blogger is DBeck over at Red Jersey. S/he wrote a lengthy piece about how Representative Scott Garrett can help bring the Republicans in Bergen County back. When I argued that for the BCRO to make a comeback they needed to dump Garrett and Talarico, I wasn't joking. From DBeck's piece:
First off, Garrett is not Marge Roukema; nor does he want to be. People genuinely loved Marge, because they trusted her to do no harm. She voted Republican, but she wasn't going to be in lockstep with the leadership when they did things that would harm the families of our District. She was more pragmatic and infinitely less of an ideologue than Garrett. As opposed to Garrett's rigid partisan mentality that leads him to attack fellow Republicans, the voters here respected Marge for bi-partisanship and bucking authority when appropriate. Marge also didn't misrepresent her voting record. After two terms, people are starting to realize Garrett is no Marge.
It's (mostly) the social beliefs, DBeck.
Garrett is true to his beliefs, however many of those beliefs fly in the face of the moderate or classic conservative mindset of so many here in Bergen. The hard right turn of the national agenda by the Republicans has already been cited by Stuart Rothenberg and others as being a problem for the BCRO. Making Garrett the poster child for the BCRO would put local candidates in his spotlight: Intelligent design in public schools? Global warming doesn't exist? Terri Schiavo? What about reaching out to theocracy proponents or contributing website content that brings in advertising dollars to pay for the bandwidth to host murder fantasies? I'm sure most would agree that this is what the BCRO doesn't need, and Papa Joe would like nothing more than to see it happen.
Garrett is who Garrett is, and although he has his ardent backers, the more time he spends in office the less people in Bergen seem to like him. It really has very little to do with some bias against him or conservatives. It has to do with those votes he makes on our behalf where he is among 5-17% of the House voting against a bill. Ten years of tax cuts for small businesses, he votes no. Restoring funds to community policing programs, he votes no. Renewing the Voting Rights Act, he votes no. Reducing interest on student loans, he votes no. The list goes on.
Garrett almost lost Bergen in '06, and the Dems are going to have a field day reporting his voting record against so many of the issues so many moderates and classic conservatives support. Many Republicans and Republican leaning independents still vote for Garrett because they don't want to lose the seat, not because they support him personally. The longer he serves, and the more super minority votes he makes, the less support he's going to have. As a loyal campaign staffer, I respect DBeck believing this is the man who can help save the BCRO. However, I couldn't disagree more.
Clearly Ridgewood voters are losing confidence that the Republicans stand for what they believe in, but we can win them back with the right message.
Another fact is that the home base of Marge Roukema voted for the bumbling, McGreeveyite Rotarian Democrat Paul Ahronsohn over an incumbent GOP congressman by a margin of 4,814 to 3,820! This margin is probably partly frustration with Iraq and other issues, but it also means that work is cut out for Republicans. Yet I believe we can rise to the challenge.
First off, Garrett is not Marge Roukema; nor does he want to be. People genuinely loved Marge, because they trusted her to do no harm. She voted Republican, but she wasn't going to be in lockstep with the leadership when they did things that would harm the families of our District. She was more pragmatic and infinitely less of an ideologue than Garrett. As opposed to Garrett's rigid partisan mentality that leads him to attack fellow Republicans, the voters here respected Marge for bi-partisanship and bucking authority when appropriate. Marge also didn't misrepresent her voting record. After two terms, people are starting to realize Garrett is no Marge.
His stands on the economic and national security issues of the day are with the voters in these towns and against the welfare state values many in the NJ Democratic Party support, but sadly the Ferriero-Cryan regime has tried to define the Congressman as an extremist which is not the case.
It's (mostly) the social beliefs, DBeck.
Garrett is true to his beliefs, however many of those beliefs fly in the face of the moderate or classic conservative mindset of so many here in Bergen. The hard right turn of the national agenda by the Republicans has already been cited by Stuart Rothenberg and others as being a problem for the BCRO. Making Garrett the poster child for the BCRO would put local candidates in his spotlight: Intelligent design in public schools? Global warming doesn't exist? Terri Schiavo? What about reaching out to theocracy proponents or contributing website content that brings in advertising dollars to pay for the bandwidth to host murder fantasies? I'm sure most would agree that this is what the BCRO doesn't need, and Papa Joe would like nothing more than to see it happen.
Garrett is who Garrett is, and although he has his ardent backers, the more time he spends in office the less people in Bergen seem to like him. It really has very little to do with some bias against him or conservatives. It has to do with those votes he makes on our behalf where he is among 5-17% of the House voting against a bill. Ten years of tax cuts for small businesses, he votes no. Restoring funds to community policing programs, he votes no. Renewing the Voting Rights Act, he votes no. Reducing interest on student loans, he votes no. The list goes on.
Garrett almost lost Bergen in '06, and the Dems are going to have a field day reporting his voting record against so many of the issues so many moderates and classic conservatives support. Many Republicans and Republican leaning independents still vote for Garrett because they don't want to lose the seat, not because they support him personally. The longer he serves, and the more super minority votes he makes, the less support he's going to have. As a loyal campaign staffer, I respect DBeck believing this is the man who can help save the BCRO. However, I couldn't disagree more.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
BCRO Looking for a Leader
The Record reported on the race to replace inept Guy Talarico as Chairman of the Bergen County Republican Organization. Here's how they summed up each candidate's reason to pick them.
As the early front runner, Rob Ortiz is racking up the endorsements. He has all of the candidates for the legislature in the 40th, current County Clerk Kathe Donovan (the only county wide Republican), former Freeholder Lisa Randall (who Talarico primaried out of office), and former County Executive Pat Schuber (on par with Roukema in terms of wide respect) just to name a few.
It should be very interesting to see how this plays out, and what impact it has in the fall.
More than 100 county committee members assembled at party headquarters in Hackensack to hear briefly from the early favorite, 35-year-old Ridgewood lawyer Rob Ortiz, as well as two party veterans, 57-year-old political consultant Bill Thomson of Washington Township and 64-year-old Ben Focarino of Garfield, who owns a leather-coat business.
[snip]
All three candidates for county chairman pledged to jump-start the party's anemic fund raising and to reunite its factions.
Focarino said he would do that by getting back to the basics, making better use of technology and fielding candidates who can run in every community.
Thomson cited his grass-roots experience and his track record for raising money and mobilizing the votes of such groups as the Christian Coalition.
Ortiz said he had raised a lot of money for both national and state Republican candidates and would do the same in Bergen.
As the early front runner, Rob Ortiz is racking up the endorsements. He has all of the candidates for the legislature in the 40th, current County Clerk Kathe Donovan (the only county wide Republican), former Freeholder Lisa Randall (who Talarico primaried out of office), and former County Executive Pat Schuber (on par with Roukema in terms of wide respect) just to name a few.
It should be very interesting to see how this plays out, and what impact it has in the fall.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
I'm Back
So, now I'm home again. Here's what I missed:
Representative Scott Garrett took the opportunity to follow the news that the GDP grew at the slowest pace in five years to send out a Garrett Gazette saying how great things are with the economy thanks to the tax cuts. Not mentioned in the Gazette were the facts of the unfair competitive advantage the cuts provide foreign companies, or the fact that there is growing concern within economist circles that phantom GDP may be artificially inflating the strength of the economy. Also, Garrett neglected to mention his vote against 10 years of tax cuts for small business owners.
Representative Scott Garrett took the opportunity to follow the news that the GDP grew at the slowest pace in five years to send out a Garrett Gazette saying how great things are with the economy thanks to the tax cuts. Not mentioned in the Gazette were the facts of the unfair competitive advantage the cuts provide foreign companies, or the fact that there is growing concern within economist circles that phantom GDP may be artificially inflating the strength of the economy. Also, Garrett neglected to mention his vote against 10 years of tax cuts for small business owners.
On a positive, it seems the hotly debated Homeland Security funding bill will have an amendment to allocate funds based on risk, a primary recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, and Garrett sponsored the amendment to get it in there.
Both Kevin O'Toole and Steve Oroho won their primaries. O'Toole's victory was the straw that broke the camel's back as far as Guy Talarico's time as Chairman of the Bergen County Republican Organization. Oroho notched his second victory against Garrett's preferred candidate, and has built a strong coalition of moderates and classic conservatives that is reshaping the power balance in Sussex. Assuming O'Toole and Oroho both win, they have very big shoes to fill in the State Senate for their respective parties and constituents.
And on a final note, Garrett's press secretary Will Holley has been hired to handle media for Mitt Romney in South Carolina. One of the biggest gripes since I first started following Garrett was that you could almost never find quotes or statements or anything regarding his thinking when voting on our behalf. Basically, before Holley came on board Garrett's website was about as useless to constituents as ice cubes are to Eskimos. I'm not sure when Holley will be leaving Garrett's office, but Holley's work was light years beyond what we had before (even when he was spinning) and he will be missed.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Talarico vs. Commonsense
A few weeks ago, when I talked about the BCRO getting Rudy Giuliani to come speak, I said if the Republicans were smart they could pick up some Freeholder seats in Bergen County this year. Never in my wildest imagination would I think that Guy Talarico would start another inter-party fight. However, as first reported by PoliticsNJ, Talarico unilaterally kicked two sitting state officeholders (David Russo and Kevin O'Toole) off the Bergen County Republican Organization's line for the June Primary. Here's his reasoning:
So basically, he's given up on my State Senator, Gerry Cardinale, and has decided to divide the party on his own. The result has been guys from the Red Faction splitting with Talarico, and two of the three Freeholder candidates splitting with Talarico.
The BCRO has been in a tailspin since former BCRO Chairman Berek Don pled guilty to laundering money to former Democratic Senator Robert Torricelli's campaign. That betrayal probably explains why Talarico detractors feel he's conspiring with Papa Joe. The descent hit warp speed with the retirement of Marge Roukema. What Sussex sees as its gain is definitely Bergen's loss.
On that note, it was also pointed out to me that it's a little ironic that Talarico's waving the off-white flag about Cardinale and he kicked David Russo off the the county line. Both were challengers to Representative Scott Garrett back in 2002. Without a strong BCRO, there's less of a chance a moderate Republican in the Marge Roukema mold would be able to build a base to take on Talarico's fellow Mountain Man.
Conspiracy theories aside, the fact remains that because of Talarico's ineptitude as a leader, the BCRO gets slaughtered every Election Day. The immediate result is that Bergen County property taxpayers are getting soaked for more than they need to be because of the BCDO's institutionalization of pay-to-play at all levels of government.
It's a vicious cycle, and in all likelihood won't be remedied until Talarico and/or Garrett are gone. By Talarico's own logic, it's harder to build the party without the Congressman being from Bergen. How many no-bid contracts to donors and patronage jobs will be handed out by the BCDO in the meantime is anybody's guess. The Record pointed out after Election Day the need to rebuild the Republican Party for all of us, not just Republicans, yet Talarico keeps ripping it apart.
If Bergen County surrenders this Senate seat to Essex County, the largest county in the state would be reduced to ONE Senator. In addition, this situation may potentially jeopardize Bergen’s only remaining Senator, Gerry Cardinale. Democratic Chair Joe Ferriero has promised to spend millions of dollars to defeat State Senator Cardinale. Such a defeat will mean the Democrats possess total control of senatorial courtesy in Bergen County. This will mean no Republican appointments in Bergen County and greater future difficulties for Bergen County Republicans to reclaim municipal, county and state offices in the future.
So basically, he's given up on my State Senator, Gerry Cardinale, and has decided to divide the party on his own. The result has been guys from the Red Faction splitting with Talarico, and two of the three Freeholder candidates splitting with Talarico.
The BCRO has been in a tailspin since former BCRO Chairman Berek Don pled guilty to laundering money to former Democratic Senator Robert Torricelli's campaign. That betrayal probably explains why Talarico detractors feel he's conspiring with Papa Joe. The descent hit warp speed with the retirement of Marge Roukema. What Sussex sees as its gain is definitely Bergen's loss.
On that note, it was also pointed out to me that it's a little ironic that Talarico's waving the off-white flag about Cardinale and he kicked David Russo off the the county line. Both were challengers to Representative Scott Garrett back in 2002. Without a strong BCRO, there's less of a chance a moderate Republican in the Marge Roukema mold would be able to build a base to take on Talarico's fellow Mountain Man.
Conspiracy theories aside, the fact remains that because of Talarico's ineptitude as a leader, the BCRO gets slaughtered every Election Day. The immediate result is that Bergen County property taxpayers are getting soaked for more than they need to be because of the BCDO's institutionalization of pay-to-play at all levels of government.
It's a vicious cycle, and in all likelihood won't be remedied until Talarico and/or Garrett are gone. By Talarico's own logic, it's harder to build the party without the Congressman being from Bergen. How many no-bid contracts to donors and patronage jobs will be handed out by the BCDO in the meantime is anybody's guess. The Record pointed out after Election Day the need to rebuild the Republican Party for all of us, not just Republicans, yet Talarico keeps ripping it apart.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
BCRO Strikes Back
I discussed in an earlier post the jockeying for influence that goes on during the run up to the Presidential election between county organizations within a party. Following the Sussex County Republicans getting Anthony Carbonetti, a key Rudy Giuliani aide, the Bergen County Republican Organization scored a victory of their own: Rudy Giuliani himself is speaking at the BCRO's Spring Fundraiser.
It will be interesting to see if this can help springboard the BCRO from the position of weakness they've been in for the last few elections. With three Freeholder seats up for election in a year that has seen a number of large property tax revaluations in large towns like Hackensack taking effect, as well as another increase in property taxes proposed by the Democrats in charge, if the BCRO's smart they should be able to pick up a seat or two, maybe even all three. If they could get all three, they'd still be in a minority on the seven person Board, but that is better than having no check against Joe Ferriero's ability to use county taxpayer dollars to reward campaign donors with no-bid contracts.
The Republicans message last election cycle was to tear down the County government, which turned out to be a disaster. Folks would rather pay too much for services than not have them, and if the Republicans have learned from their mistake they may stand a chance. We won't be able to tell what direction the party is going until they announce their Freeholder slate in the coming weeks. However, attracting the biggest star in the Republican universe at the moment is a very good thing for the organization.
It will be interesting to see if this can help springboard the BCRO from the position of weakness they've been in for the last few elections. With three Freeholder seats up for election in a year that has seen a number of large property tax revaluations in large towns like Hackensack taking effect, as well as another increase in property taxes proposed by the Democrats in charge, if the BCRO's smart they should be able to pick up a seat or two, maybe even all three. If they could get all three, they'd still be in a minority on the seven person Board, but that is better than having no check against Joe Ferriero's ability to use county taxpayer dollars to reward campaign donors with no-bid contracts.
The Republicans message last election cycle was to tear down the County government, which turned out to be a disaster. Folks would rather pay too much for services than not have them, and if the Republicans have learned from their mistake they may stand a chance. We won't be able to tell what direction the party is going until they announce their Freeholder slate in the coming weeks. However, attracting the biggest star in the Republican universe at the moment is a very good thing for the organization.
Monday, March 5, 2007
A Hat Tip to Rep. Garrett
After watching his CPAC presentation(Afternoon session, 22 minutes in), I was ready to rail against Representative Scott Garrett again. In five minutes he managed to show his loathing for New Jersey's Congressional Delegation, show his ignorance of the importance of the Interstate highway system on commerce, and announced his dead before drafted legislation to gut funding for the Department of Education's Title I (poor children) and No Child Left Behind programs. Gathering facts and figures, I listened to the speech again, wanting to add something about how he's relegated one of the Districts that contributes the most in taxes (ours) to the minority of the minority and his actions are costing us influence in any real discussion of the issues. Armed with a full bottle of Diet Coke and my usual over-sized jar of peanuts, I listened to the speech one more time to see if I had missed anything, and thought to myself: Damn this guy is good.
It's not a defense of his positions, it's a political observation showing appreciation for his skill at rallying the base. I had the same thought after he beat Aronsohn in their radio debate. Here Garrett is, standing in front of an audience of the only people who didn't trip over each other to go see Rudy speak (the moderator asked those leaving to keep the noise down), and he had them cheering at points. Anchoring a group railing against earmarks, in a matter of fact manner he attacked the President and the big government conservatives who cost the Republicans the Congress. In front of his audience, it didn't matter how unproductive his legislation would be or how high our District's property taxes would go if they were passed. In front of that crowd, he was the valiant hero.
This isn't an endorsement of what he does or how he thinks, I'd prefer someone who takes pragmatic steps toward lowering taxes by making government more efficient, as opposed to floating "going nowhere" resolutions. The Bergen County Republicans' shellacking last November proves that voters would rather pay more for services due to corruption and inefficiency than have no services at all. I'd hedge a bet that if you showed his speech to the majority of voters in our District, and they have a true conservative alternative, Garrett might actually lose an election. However, I'm a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due. Garrett's a rising star to his base and when given the opportunity to talk just to them, he shines.
It's not a defense of his positions, it's a political observation showing appreciation for his skill at rallying the base. I had the same thought after he beat Aronsohn in their radio debate. Here Garrett is, standing in front of an audience of the only people who didn't trip over each other to go see Rudy speak (the moderator asked those leaving to keep the noise down), and he had them cheering at points. Anchoring a group railing against earmarks, in a matter of fact manner he attacked the President and the big government conservatives who cost the Republicans the Congress. In front of his audience, it didn't matter how unproductive his legislation would be or how high our District's property taxes would go if they were passed. In front of that crowd, he was the valiant hero.
This isn't an endorsement of what he does or how he thinks, I'd prefer someone who takes pragmatic steps toward lowering taxes by making government more efficient, as opposed to floating "going nowhere" resolutions. The Bergen County Republicans' shellacking last November proves that voters would rather pay more for services due to corruption and inefficiency than have no services at all. I'd hedge a bet that if you showed his speech to the majority of voters in our District, and they have a true conservative alternative, Garrett might actually lose an election. However, I'm a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due. Garrett's a rising star to his base and when given the opportunity to talk just to them, he shines.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Lincoln Day Dinner Season
So the annual Lincoln Day meal fundraiser season is upon county and local Republican organizations across the nation. For those who don't know, these are the annual dinners to celebrate the Republican party and tip their hat to the party's first President, Abraham Lincoln. It also serves as a chance for candidates or their surrogates to state their case for the nomination. In 2000, Gov. George Bush was coming to the Ottawa County Republican Organization's Lincoln Day dinner in Michigan.
I was asked to write the radio ad which was part of the marketing package being supervised by one of my professors. We framed the ad as hearing Bush's thoughts on the New Hampshire primary, had it read by Rep. Pete Hoekstra (who is as beloved in my old Michigan district as Marge Roukema was for us here), and I walked into a sold out event. My ads had nothing to do with the sell-out. Even though he had lost New Hampshire, Bush was still the odds on favorite for the nomination and people came from all over the state to see him speak at Grand Valley State. Part of the reason they got him was Ottawa County's massive Republican machine. If Bush was going to compete in the primary in Michigan, he had to carry Ottawa with big numbers.
Yesterday, Anthony Carbonetti showed up in Sussex County for their Lincoln Day Brunch to stump for Rudy Giuliani. The event was attended by Representative Garrett and most of the elected officials of Sussex. This was a bit of a coup for the Sussex crew in GOP positioning, however it makes sense as the New Jersey Herald quoted toward the end of the article about the event.
I think the demise of the BCRO is greatly over reported, they're just going through a bad spot. Actually, with the Presidential primaries being moved up, it could be the shot in the arm the Republicans in Bergen need. Instead of using the county simply as an ATM, candidates may actually show up.
Jefferson-Jackson Day is the equivalent fundraising season for the Democratic Party. It should also be interesting to see who Papa Joe gets to come to Bergen.
I was asked to write the radio ad which was part of the marketing package being supervised by one of my professors. We framed the ad as hearing Bush's thoughts on the New Hampshire primary, had it read by Rep. Pete Hoekstra (who is as beloved in my old Michigan district as Marge Roukema was for us here), and I walked into a sold out event. My ads had nothing to do with the sell-out. Even though he had lost New Hampshire, Bush was still the odds on favorite for the nomination and people came from all over the state to see him speak at Grand Valley State. Part of the reason they got him was Ottawa County's massive Republican machine. If Bush was going to compete in the primary in Michigan, he had to carry Ottawa with big numbers.
Yesterday, Anthony Carbonetti showed up in Sussex County for their Lincoln Day Brunch to stump for Rudy Giuliani. The event was attended by Representative Garrett and most of the elected officials of Sussex. This was a bit of a coup for the Sussex crew in GOP positioning, however it makes sense as the New Jersey Herald quoted toward the end of the article about the event.
Sussex County Freeholder Director Susan Zellman said she is supporting Giuliani, and said the largely Republican county, in an otherwise Democratic state, had the potential to have a strong influence in the upcoming election.That "in the past" part is talking about Garrett beating Gerald Cardinale in the primary to succeed Roukema. With all the news reports of the imminent demise of the Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO), it should be interesting to see the caliber of speaker they get for their dinner. The organization still doesn't have someone listed on their website. It will be of more interest to see if Garrett actually shows up to the Bergen dinner.
"We certainly, as a county, need to be thinking about the next election," Zellman said. "We've certainly shown, in the past, that we have the ability to tip the scales in our favor, and we should do that."
I think the demise of the BCRO is greatly over reported, they're just going through a bad spot. Actually, with the Presidential primaries being moved up, it could be the shot in the arm the Republicans in Bergen need. Instead of using the county simply as an ATM, candidates may actually show up.
Jefferson-Jackson Day is the equivalent fundraising season for the Democratic Party. It should also be interesting to see who Papa Joe gets to come to Bergen.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Garrett "should...be in significant trouble"
It comes as no surprise that Representative Scott Garrett is garnering special attention from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for the 2008 race (Presidential campaigns aren't the only ones that start a year early). This comes from The Hill:
With all the loathing for Garrett I heard from Republicans while I was campaigning, I'm sure the consultant quoted is already talking to someone interested in taking Garrett on in the primary.
In the state’s 5th district, Republican Rep. Scott Garrett should, by all traditional measures, be in significant trouble heading into 2008.
Garrett won last year with 55 percent of the vote, and a consultant familiar with the district said he has continued to be successful largely because of historically Republican Bergen County, part of which Garrett represents.
The problem, or problems, for Garrett lie in a county GOP that was once consolidated and strong, but in recent years has fallen into near-total disarray — the Rothenberg Report recently noted the party’s county headquarters was padlocked earlier this year because of failure to pay rent.
The phones at the county headquarters are apparently disconnected; repeated calls to the number listed on its website were met with an operator’s message.
That “collapse,” as the consultant put it, could lead to a primary challenge for Garrett, opening the door to an early-funded Democrat riding the strength of a county Democratic Party that has grown in influence.
With all the loathing for Garrett I heard from Republicans while I was campaigning, I'm sure the consultant quoted is already talking to someone interested in taking Garrett on in the primary.
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