HORY CLAP..!!!


That rag from North Jersey, the Newark Star Ledger, which traditionally has been nothing more than the leftist broadside and, in more recent history, the Jon Corzine Fan Club Bulletin, has endorsed Independent Chris Daggett in the race for New Jersey's next Governor. Daggett's a freaking lunatic, with a property tax reduction plan that will increase the scope of the NJ Sales Tax to include items not currently taxed and will probably end up raising that sales tax in the end. He is also ready to accept the 2 billion dollar stimulus handout being offered to New Jersey, which will be used to patch the current deficit, doing nothing to lower it the following year or years. He is also very pro-choice and pro-gay marriage. I am steadfastly against the first and the second is a non-issue for me, one way or the other.
I really thought Daggett was dragged into the race and partially financed behind the scenes by the Corzine machine, to take votes away from Christie, but this makes me rethink that. He is running as an independent, but has very, very left leaning ideas. Plus, I think he's a loon. He scared the crap out of me during the so called debate a few weeks ago. I'm no fan of Christie, I was planning on voting for him just to break the Democratic hold on the Governor's office. If elected, Christie will come into office already a lame duck. Given the choice between Daggett and Corzine, I'd almost prefer seeing Corzine get re-elected, based upon already knowing what I'm in for and the outside chance that he may, as a true lame duck, put his money (and ours) where his mouth was four years ago and start coming round on some of those first term campaign promises.
Corzine is also pro-choice, pro-gay marriage and in favor of using some of the stimulus money, supposedly to shore up the crumbling infrastructure in the Garden State, but he's not so enthusiastic, as least publicly, about any of those issues. He supports them, but they're on his side burner, from what I can gather.
The one thing that has always mystified me about Corzine is his deep attachment to the unions in the state. He is a self made billionaire. It's not like he's looking for any returns on his favorable leaning in matters of state that involve the teacher's union, state employee's unions or the construction unions. I just don't get it. Maybe it was to get elected the first time and maybe he kept it up to get re-elected on this go around, but once he's in, what would he have to lose by throwing them under the bus and doing what should have been done years ago to cut state costs and property taxes. The school systems in the state are grossly over funded, with most of the money going to the administrative offices and union coffers, hardly any trickles down to the class rooms where it's needed. The teacher's union has a strangle hold on the school systems and the state that needs to be broken. I don't blame the majority of the teachers, most I know, actually all the teachers I know, are genuinely interested in trying to help their students understand the need for an education in this day and age and do what they can to keep the kids interested and hungry for learning, but I blame the union leadership for sucking the residents of this state dry with the ridiculous amount of money pilfer from property taxes, some of which go to fund school districts with no schools in them, who's few students are bussed to neighboring district's schools, but there are administrators who are making well over the six figure mark to over see that. The Abbott school districts need to be closed and the kids redistributed to other schools, that whole system is a cash sucking monster that has shown no positive results since it's inception. Charter schools need to be endorsed and better funded and school vouchers need to be revisited and the property tax code needs to be re-written to give at least some minor relief to people who do not have kids in any school system. I personally don't like seeing my money thrown away on failing school systems, no matter how nice their facilities are or how great their football programs are. If the majority of their students are being pushed through the system just to keep them moving and make the school district look good by padding the graduation figures, the let someone else pay for it.
Gah. Jersey politics. All I can say is that Drumthwacket is probably humming this morning...


go ahead, make your day...