As you may have heard, it appears that NJ governor Jon Corzine will not call an early election to fill the vacancy in New Jersey’s 13th congressional district. The seat became vacant this month when Corzone promoted Bob Menendez to his senate seat. This means New Jersey’s delegetion in the House of Representatives will be short one member for almost a full year, and the residents of the 13th district won’t have anyone to go to in Washington.

The seat is expected to go to West New York mayor Albio Sires. Sires is also an assemblyman, so the move to the House of Representatives would open up two offices, mayor and assemblyman.

This article in the Hudson Reporter says Sires is probably happy that there isn’t an early election because it will allow him to run for re-election as West New York mayor and the two months between the November 2006 election and his January swearing-in will also help him select his replacements.

The article also notes that with Menendez and Sires in Washington, the Hudson County machine may be up for grabs. The writer predicts that Union City mayor Brian Stack is poised to make a move with an assist from Jersey City mayor Jerramiah Healy. He’s got Stack challenging Senator Bernard Kenny in a primary, and picking his own two assembly running mates to challenge Kenny’s ticket. Yes, political intrigue!! Hudson County politics is great!! I’ll bet that Hoboken’s Mr. Snitch and Thurman Hart at Tammany on the Hudson will have lots more on the behind the scenes moves.

I spent last night replacing the router I use for my family’s home computing. I replaced my conventional 4-port D-Link DI-704 router with a D-Link DI-524 Wireless router. I got it working right away.

My computer and my wife’s computer are still using wired connections, and I installed a wireless network adapter in my kid’s PC. I’m not 100% sold on giving my kids internet access, but I set up short cuts for them for their sites and hid the address bar so they can’t type in URL’s. That might work for awhile until they figure out how to unhide the address bar.

I was afraid of going wireless because I had heard about security problems. I hooked up the wireless adapter on my kid’s PC first and I was able to connect to someone else’s wireless connection. Not sure who, but once I was on their connection I was able to log into their router because they hadn’t changed the default administrator password. I made sure I changed mine when I configured my router. And I set up MAC filtering so the router will only allow the three PC’s in my house to connect. So far, so good.

Well, I hit on 75% of my predictions on how NJ Senators Bob Menendez and Frank Lautenberg would vote on the nomination of New Jersey native Sam Alito to the US Supreme Court.

Of course they would both vote against Alito, and I predicted that Bob Menendez would also support the filibuster. For some reason, I had a feeling that Lautenberg might not support a filibuster, considering he had introduced Alito to the senate and said some fairly complimentary things about him. But I obviously underestimated Lautenberg’s ability to fake sincerity. To borrow an old phrase, “Nobody every went wrong assuming the worst of Frank Lautenberg”.

Wendy Long at National Review slices and dices the NJ senators over at National Review with Pathetic Menendez and Laughable Lautenberg. Long notes that Lautenberg again complimented Alito, “He’s a good, decent man, an ethical man, and I don’t think he has any bigoted views” before voting to obstruct an up or down vote.

Senor Menendez was even more pathetic in his pandering, saying he “… takes pride in the honor that’s been bestowed on a fellow New Jerseyan,” noting that he too is the “son of immigrants” and that Judge Alito’s “story of seizing opportunity and working hard” is “a story close to my heart.” Seconds later, he too votes for obstruction, joining Kennedy, Kerry, Hillary and 21 other far out left wing democrats.

As of 2:00PM, still no “official” word on where New Jersey Senators Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez stand on the nomination of NJ native Sam Alito to the US Supreme Court.

Yesterday, DailyKos has listed Menendez as YES on the filibuster but then today I see they have him crossed out. Seems like Ted Kennedy is organizing the filibuster and has listed Menendez and Lautenberg as UNDECIDED.

They do seem to realize that they are probably not going to be able to sustain a filibuster. The second piece I linked to talks about achieving a “moral victory.”

Scanning through the news, I haven’t found any announcements on where New Jersey’s two senators stand on the confirmation of New Jersey native Sam Alito to the US Supreme Court. Neither has said whether they will support Alito or whether they support John Kerry’s filibuster attempt to deny Alito an up or down vote that he will win based on already committed votes.

Frank Lautenberg has been silent on the issue. Bob Menendez said last week he was “troubled” by some of Mr. Alito’s testimony in front of the Senate judiciary.

Menendez’s likely opponent in the November 2006 race for the senate, republican Tom Kean Jr., went to Alito’s hometown and held a media event where he chided the two NJ senator’s for their failure to support the Jersey native in his Supreme Court bid [link].

The filibuster issue was decided back when the gang of 14, 7 democrats and 7 republicans, signed the agreement to avoid a filibuster unless there were “extraordinary circumstances” and there aren’t any. Polls show there is no widespread opposition to Alito. See Rasmussen where a recent poll shows only 28% of New Jersey residents are against Alito versus 53% in favor.

<sarcasm>Here’s a bold prediction</sarcasm>: Lautenberg and Menendez are not going to vote for Sam Alito. The filibuster question is different since support for the obstructing move is symbolic. Lautenberg may not support a filibuster, only because he did say such nice things about Alito when he introduced him to the senate. Just a hunch on my part. Menendez needs all the help from the liberal/progresives he can get in what may be a close race in November. My guess is he will support a filibuster.

On January 27th, 2006, I have declared that the Jon Corzine honeymoon is over. There are a whole bunch of scandals and problems that need immediate attention. Instead, we’re getting proposals for needle exchange programs.

At less than two weeks, this honeymoon is shorter than the Darva Conger-Rick Rockwell honeymoon after the two got hitched on “Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire”.

Going through the news today, I’m finding nothing but gloom and doom for New Jersey’s newest governor:

1. The proposal to balance the budget with huge tax increases on the already over burdened NJ taxpayer. NJ GOP chairman Tom Wilson, perhaps borrowing from my post yesterday, compares the governor to Jim Florio (”Are more taxes in N.J.’s future?“). Democrats like Senator Bernard Kenny are also distancing themselves from the report issued by one of the governor’s numerous advisory committees. And part of the report mentioned union layoffs, pension reform and give backs which must have had CWA president Carla Katz rolling on the floor with laughter.
2. The NJ Transportation Trust Fund is still broke. The only proposal on the table, raising the gas tax by 10 or 20 cents a gallon, will not be greated very well by taxpayers. I haven’t heard any other solution, and something needs to be proposed in the next 4-6 weeks.
3. The UMDNJ scandal. The state medical school has been taken over by a federal monitor and they’re going to send in some serious auditors with criminal backgrounds to check the books. The school was given $37 million last year by acting governor Richard Codey, but they have no records of where the money was actually spent. This could make the Enron scandal look chump change. And the headlines about fired employees with golden parachutes and free SUV’s and chauffeurs is making it worse.
4. DYFS. The state is fighting off court efforts to seize control of the troubled child welfare agency.
5. The NJ School Contstruction Corporation. State Inspector General Mary Jane Cooper testified yesterday before the state assembly that her investigation of the NJSCC may lead to a criminal probe [link]. She did not get specific, but said some of what she has found in her audit of the NJSCC would be refered to the attorney general’s office. Good luck.
6. The state investigation of JCA and “The Norcross Tapes”. US Attorney Chris Christie has looked at the state investigation into corruption in South Jersey and has said the state so bothched the case that it will be nearly impossible for him to prosecute anyone. He accused the state of “..protection of political figures and the manipulation of evidence”. [link].
7. Attorney general Zulima Farber. Except for the Star Ledger editorial page, just about every other newspaper has criticized Corzine for appointing Farber to the top crime fighting job in the state. Between her driving record, her close ties to Bob Menendez and the Hudson County political machine and her lack of criminal prosecution experience, Ms. Farber will need to show some results real fast or she’ll get the same disrespect as was shown to her predecessor, the feckless Peter “See No Evil” Harvey.
8. Polls show NJ voters have no faith the bearded wonder from Goldman Sachs will accomplish anything. A majority, 53%, doubted Corzine would deliver on his promise to reduce property taxes [link].

I’m trying to be as pessimistic as possible, but I haven’t found too much optimistism in the media or blogosphere. Good luck Mr. Corzine, and did I forget your promise to lower my property taxes???

Jon Corzine inaugurated as New Jersey governor: January 17, 2006.

Plans to increase taxes on the already over-taxed New Jersey residents: January 26, 2006.

I think Jim Florio took at least a month of posturing before initiating his tax increases. Corzine has done the same in less than two weeks.

The Press of Atlantic City newspaper obtained a the six page report prepared for the incoming governor by his “budget and re-engineering government” policy group.

They call for increasing the sales tax, applying the sales tax to services (including cable TV), applying a sales tax to clothing, increasing the gas tax. And for the kicker, a “temporary tax-rate surcharge” to balance the 2006-2007 budget, a one-time only hike in the sales and/or income tax. Folks, pardon my typing this in bold, but THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A TEMPORARY TAX INCREASE!! Name me one temporary tax that has ever been eliminated?? Do you realize that we are still paying a temporary telephone excise tax that was passed during the Spanish-American War??

For balance, the report also rehashes the same ol’ government speak B.S. about “hiring freezes” and “across the board budget cuts”. Most hiring freezes still allow new hiring under extraordinary circumstances which for state bureaucrats is easy to justify. Most of the state workforce is unionized and any reductions in pay or benefits would have to be handled under collective bargaining. The unions didn’t support Jon Corzine for governor because they thought he would skewer their pay or benefits. And when it comes time for budget cuts, we’ll be told that some 70 or 80 percent of the budget can’t be cut, it’s “mandated”. The report talks of “sacrifice” which should always be interpreted to mean “tax hikes for the middle class”.

Jim Florio thought that if he raised taxes early in his administration the voters would forget about it by the time he was up for re-election four years later. He got that wrong, and democrats paid for it by being swept from office in the next assembly and senate elections, and NJ voters were so pissed they made Senator Bill Bradley pay for it when he ran against the unknown Christie Todd Whitman.

New Jersey GOP strategy should be straight forward. Make Corzine and the democrats negotiate some give-backs and compromises from the state worker’s unions first. Salary, pensions, health care, everything. Then let’s see some real budget cuts, not phoney baloney budget efficiencies and implied savings. If not, the NJ GOP should refuse to even discuss any tax hikes. Let the democrats pass everything on straight party line votes. Then make the 2006 Senate race a referendum on the tax hikes. This will set up the NJGOP nicely for the 2007 races when the senate and assembly are both up for election.

As expected, former NJ assembly Speaker Albio Sires has announced that he will be a candidate for the US House of Representatives seat representing NJ’s 13th district [link]. This is the seat that’s vacant now that Bob Menendez has been promoted to senator.

Sires is a double dipper, serving as mayor of West New York and member of the state assembly. His opponent for the seat will be Joe Vas also a double dipper as mayor of Perth Amboy and member of the state assembly. Whoever wins cannot be a triple dipper and would have to give up the two NJ jobs for the seat in Washington.

The question right now is whether there will be an early election to fill the seat or whether the seat will remain open until the November 2006 election when all 435 seats of the house of representatives are up for election. The thought is that governor Jon Corzine is assuming he can order and early election, but it’s not sure if he will do it.

The 13th district is almost two thirds Hudson County, so Sires would have the geographical advantage along with the blessing of the party bosses. And thanks to his job as speaker he has piled up huge campaign contributions. The advantage for Vas is that the turnout for a primary would probably be low, so if he can get his voters to the polls in big number he might be able to pull off an upset. Possible, but not likely.

As I read back through my old posts, I realize that I am in serious need of a spell checker. My blogging software, b2, has a spell checker but it’s really lousy. A lot of times when I’m blogging I’m in a hurry and I don’t catch all my mistakes. Plus I do a lot of cutting and pasting which if done incorrectly makes for sentence fragments and mismatched verbs and nouns. I apologize all for the bad spelling.

I’m considering upgrading to “b2 Evolution” which hopefully has a better spell checker.

The headline is “Liberals Lose”.

I wish that was the headline from last November’s New Jersey gubernatorial election, but unfortunately the liberals won that one. The headline is from yesterday’s national Canadian elections, where the liberal party lost enough seats so that they are no longer the ruling party. The conservative party is now the majority party for the first time in 12 years. Canada’s new prime minister will be conservative Stephen Harper.

Of course, Fausta has links and commentary as does Dan at Riehl World Review.

If you’re keeping score, Canada’s liberal, USA hating PM Paul Martin was one of America’s biggest opponents to the Iraq invasion. Paul Martin … OUT!! Germany’s Gerhard Schroeder … OUT!! France’s Jacques Chirac … On the way OUT!! Meanwhile our two biggest allies in the coalition of the willing are England and Australia, and Tony Blair and John Howard both defeated liberal oponents, as did George Bush. Spain was the only exception, but you could make the case that the loss by Jose Maria Aznar was due to the weak performance after the Madrid bombings rather than any great campaign by the weasel like Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

If you remember after the 2004 US presidential election, upset liberals threatened to move to Canada. Now what are they going to do?? My suggestion would be to move to Cuba, since the odds of Fidel losing an election are about the same as me being selected winner of “American Idol”.

Jon Corzine has been governor of New Jersey now for one week.

The good news is nobody in his administration has been indicted. Hey, I think it was during the first month of the McGreevey administration that we heard about Taffet and Levinsohn and “Billboardgate”.

The bad news?? Corzine hasn’t lowered my property taxes yet. You’ve got another week, Mr. Corzine.

The first few weeks of any administration is the time to put new people in place and also time for confirmation hearings for those posts which require approval by the state legislature. Cabinet appointees require hearings and confirmation votes by the senate and assembly. With most cabinet appointees in state government, after the confirmation hearings you very rarely hear about them. Unless of course they get in trouble or do something stupid. Who heard of Secretary of State until McGreevey appointed Regana Thomas to the job??

Probably the two most high profile appointees are treasurer and attorney general. For treasurer, Corzine went into the Rolodex from his Goldman Sachs days and came up with Bradley Abelow. Abelow is a political outsider who got rich during the go-go 90’s and retired young. For attorney general, Corzine went the insider route, selecting Bob Menendez crony Zulima Farber.

Farber first made the news back in 2003 when Jim McGreevey floated her name as a possible selection to the NJ Supreme Court. At the time, the only black justice on the court had just retired and it was expected that McGreevey would appoint another black justice. Ms. Farber is a black woman of Cuban descent, and that did not go over well with the democrat special interest groups. In diversity-speak, Ms. Farber is “Afro-Caribbean” while the demand was that McGreevey appoint an “African-American”. So McGreevey then threw Ms. Farber overboard and instead selected John Wallace. Rather than telling the truth, something that McGreevey was genetically incapable of doing, McGreevey pointed out that Ms. Farber had a lousy driving record, over a dozen moving violations and at least one bench warrant for failing to pay a speeding ticket. Read the details in this article.

But it’s a new era in Trenton, and Ms. Farber is back as attorney general nominee for Jon Corzine. Out goes Peter “See No Evil” Harvey. In comes Zulima “I Can’t Drive 55″ Farber.

Her confirmation hearing was yesterday, and the senate committee questioned her for about four hours before her nomination was approved with only two “no” votes (Republicans Cardinale and Kyrillos voted “no”). Details here.

Many have observed that Ms. Farber does not have much criminal experience on her resume. Given the rampant corruption in this state and the abysmal performance by her predecessor, Corzine should have picked a tough, no nonsense law and order type with a background in criminal prosecution experience. Farber has mostly been a corporate lawyer though she did work in the Byrne administration and had a short stint in the Bergen County prosecutors office. Of even more concern for New Jerseyans should be her liberal political beliefs like being against minimum sentencing, the death penalty and such. She was the state public advocate, a job that uses state tax dollars to sue the state. Hey, Corzine is a liberal and he gets to pick as many liberals as he wants for state office. Too late for NJ residents to complain.

Maybe Ms. Farber will surprise me and start coming down hard on corruption in this state. Yeah, maybe.

Super Bowl 40 is set, the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Seattle Seahawks. I think my team, the Oakland Raiders, was mathematically eliminated back in September, but the Super Bowl is an event even when your team doesn’t make it.

I’m making predictions, not about the score of the game, but about what you’ll be hearing about over the next two weeks.

• Comparisons between latte-sipping liberal high tech Seattle versus beer-swilling gun-toting Steeltown Pittsburgh.
• Steelers running back Jerome Bettis returns to his hometown of Detroit to (maybe) play in his final NFL game.
• Seattle WR Joe Jurivicius because he’s playing for his third Super Bowl team and because he had a premature child die a few years ago and has the child’s name tatooed on his arm.
• Explaining that Super Bowl XL does not mean “Extra Large” though there will probably be some jokes about it.
• Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger having to prove something because he was the third QB taken in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft (after Eli Manning and Philip Rivers).
• The half-time show entertainment. Expect lots of references to “wardrobe malfunctions”.
• And of course the TV commercials which are going for $2.5 million per 30 seconds of airtime

And speaking of commercials and wardrobe malfunctions, a highlight of last year’s Super Bowl commercials was the spot from internet registrar GoDaddy. The ad featured a rather buxom brunette testifying in front of a Senate sub-committee and having difficulty keeping her shirt secured. CBS got so many complaints after the first showing that they pulled all of GoDaddy’s spots from the rest of the broadcast. This year, GoDaddy wants to show another ad (featuring the same lady???) but GoDaddy president Bob Parsons is saying in his blog that the TV network and the NFL is refusing to run the ad. According to Parsons, ABC has rejected ten different versions of the commercial. If Parsons is trying to build interest in the ad, mission accomplished!! Are you ready for some football ?!?!

Three writers at the New Jersey’s finest tabloid paper, The Trentonin, voice their opinions and observations from the first few hours of the Jon Corzine reign.

DynamoBuzz favorite Charles Webster writes about the Corzine inaugural speech in Woodrow Wilson-laced words ring hollow. He didn’t like the speech. Webster is really upset that Corzine is asking Susan Bass Levin to be his commissioner for the Department of Community Affairs, calling her a “Norcross/McGreevey crony. Levin is part of the old regime, the McGreevey years, and she ticked off environmentalists everywhere by turning the Highlands Protection Act into the Leave No Real Estate Developer Behind Act by adding goodies to the bill that would give free reign to build just about anywhere in the state. And it was just this past July that the FBI announced they were investigating possible campaign finance vioations from when Ms. Levin was mayor of Cherry Hill (see story here).

Columnist Alex Richmond is upset that the new governor will be splitting time between his Hoboken luxury bachelor pad and the official governor’s mansion at Drumthwacket. In her piece, “Yo, Gov. Don’t you like us here?” she hints that it might be a North Jersey - South Jersey thing. She lives in Trenton and, except for the crime, the gangs, the general dinginess thinks it’s an OK place.

If you just want a news piece with a review of the inauguration, Jeffrey Gold’s article Corzine given capital controls is as good as any other.

You know you’re getting old when the head coach of the football NY Jets is nine years younger than you are. That’s the case today because I’m 43 and the just hired coach of the NY Jets, Eric Mangini. is 34 though he’s turning 35 later this week. A Generation X’er as football coach. I was a senior in college while this guy was in grammar school. Geez, I am old. When can I join AARP??

Kellyanne Conway and her husband have a blog on Blog Row over at National Review Online, Reconcilable Differences billed as “Two Conways, Two Takes”. The most recent post “Badlands” features Kellyanne’s take on current state of New Jersey politics and stuff.

Kellyanne is a conservative newsbabe, often feature on FoxNews, so she’s not too fond of our new governor and has a good recap of his liberal/progessive history, Carla Katz, etc. She also mocks the recently enacted smoking ban. And she notes her hubby got a junk mail solicitation “…referring to “far-right extremists” and a “small, but increasingly powerful faction” that believes that “they alone can decide what it means to be a Republican.” No, it wasn’t a Hillary fund raising letter but a plea from Christie Todd Whitman who is taken seriously by at least a few people in media. Whitman is still pushing the tired old “the republicans need to abandon those knuckle dragging neanderthal right wingers and go with moderate candidates” line. Note to Christie: NJ republicans selected a moderate for governor, Doug Forrester, while passing over several more conservative candidates including Bret Schundler. Result: double digit loss. Now, please Mrs. Whitman, go away.

Kellyanne has the right to take shots at New Jersey. She’s a native of South Jersey, I think Bridgeton, and in her youth was a New Jersey Blueberry Princess.

I don’t really like linking to the big-time liberal/progessive blogs but there were some very interesting comments on the lefty blogs concerning Bob Menendez and the Senate seat for New Jersey. Both DailyKos and MyDD have posts up with great approval and joy that Representative Rob Andrews will not be challenging Bob Menendez in a democrat primary for the senate seat, basically letting Menendez save his energy and money for the expected race in November against republican Tom Kean Jr.

For the first 150 years or so of our democracy, voters didn’t select candidates. Instead they were selected by party bosses and monied interests in smoke filled rooms. It wasn’t until the 20th century that senators were elected in popular votes. Up until then they were selected and sent to Washington by the ruling party in the home state. Then in the 20th century there was a revolt against party bosses. The voters, the citizens should select the candidates. So we went to primaries where candidates would appeal to the party faithful in order to earn the right to run in the general election.

Now in 21st century we are reverting to the party bosses picking candidates but not in smoke filled rooms since smoking is now a no-no. Primaries are now bad, and the liberal/progressive bloggers would rather not let the voters pick the candidates. There could have been a democrat primary for governor in 2005, but Jon Corzine “convinced” acting governor Richard Codey that it wasn’t a good idea to run. Indications are that the voters may not have selected the bearded wonder with the Goldman Sachs resume, but too bad democrats, the party bosses had spoken. Get back on the plantation you rank and file democrats, the mansion dwellers will pick the candidates for you.

Now in 2006, the democrats don’t want a primary for the Senate and Menendez has been annointed the candidate. Lots of debate in the comments on the DailyKos post. There are at least a few liberal/progressive in New Jersey who are not happy that Mr. Hudson County party boss, Bob Menendez, will be representing the democrat party in November. One commenter even put up a link to this story at NJ Jewish News “In judging Robert Menendez, can voters ignore the machine?” which summarizes very nicely all the Menendez baggage.

Many commenters at DailyKos note that primaries can be a good thing for a party, but it looks like New Jersey democrats would rather not let the democrat voters pick candidates for statewide office.

Jon Corzine was sworn in today as New Jersey’s 54th governor. I couldn’t watch the swearing in live, but thanks to the magic of the World Wide Web, a fast internet connection and NJN I just finished watching the ceremony and Mr. Corzine’s speech.

If you have an hour and a half to kill, you can check it out here at NJN’s website. If you just want to read his speech, I found a copy here.

NJN’s coverage was hosted by Michael Aron and Kent Manahan. They seemed to be a bit bored waiting for the festivities to start. Guests included Democrat consultant Rick Thigpen (Note to Rick: The election was two months ago, stop with all the campaign rhetoric) and the thoroughly annoying David Rebovich.

Of the past few elected governors, only Brendan Byrne and Jim Florio were in attendance. No Christie Whitman, no Tom Kean Sr, and …. who was that guy from Woodbridge who was being sworn in just 4 years ago?? Forgot his name. Also there were a few of Mr. Corzine’s old senate colleagues, including Delaware Senator Joe Biden. Luckily Biden wasn’t given an opportunity to speak or they’d still be sitting in the auditorium this evening waiting for the swearing in.

The ceremony featured an introduction by outgoing governor Richard Codey followed by three of my least favorite people: NJ Supreme Court Chief Justice Debbie Poritz, former Attorney General Peter Harvey and former Secretary of State Regena Thomas, who presented Corzine with the official seal of the State of New Jersey. Hey, we finally learned what the secretary of state is responsible for in state government!!

The Corzine speech was dominated by themes and phrases like “tough choices”, “balance the books”, “the hand we’ve been dealt”, “live within its means” and, of course, “sacrifice”. He didn’t mention tax increases but sort of hinted at them. Lots of talk about ethics and reform. Several remarks aimed at the state legislature, scolding them for their inaction the past few years on budget/tax reforms, relying on “one-shot budget fixes”. Talk about growing the economy and adding high tech jobs. And he finished with the line “Hold me accountable”.

Corzine will be facing problems right off the bat with taxes and the budget while the other stuff will take time. Corzine is committed to the constitutional convention idea to solve the property tax crisis. As I’ve noted before, the convention process is long and drawn out. At best, New Jersey homeowners wouldn’t see any property tax relief until 2008 or 2009 if we have to rely on the property tax convention, and at any point the process could be derailed. And ethics reform will not be immediate, if at all. Meanwhile we’ll be discussing gas tax hikes in just a few weeks, along with questions about funding the New Jersey School Construction Corp. Corzine has to present a balance budget to the legislature in the spring. If he’s against “one-shot budget fixes”, does that mean the mother of all one-shot budget fixes, selling or leasing the Parkway and or Turnpike, is off the table??

What should the NJ GOP do?? Democrats have a big majority in the assembly but in the senate it’s only 22 democrats and 18 republicans. I’ll have more thoughts about NJGOP strategy at a later date. Today was Mr. Corzine’s day, and he can enjoy the glow of the inauguration for a couple of days.

Sometime tomorrow afternoon, NJ governor elect Jon Corzine will drop the “elect” and become governor Jon Corzine. While it’s fairly known all the problems he’s facing over the next few years he’s got one thing going for him. The public has almost no expectations that he will be successful. With such low expectations, he only needs to avoid major gaffes and scandal in order to be judged a success.

Sunday’s Bergen Record has a story “Inaugural uncertainty” with some rather depressing opinion poll results. Only 44% of NJ residents expect life to get better during the next four years. On the ability to stand up to party bosses, it’s 43% who are confident Corzine is up to the task compared to 45% who are not confident. On the ability to improve ethics in government, it’s 48% confidence he’ll make a difference versus 46% who say he won’t.

The low expectations should be an opportunity for the new governor. Unfortunately, the first problem he’ll probably be facing will be to find money to finance the transportation trust fund. On that question, the over-taxed New Jersey resident is against a gas tax hike. Even a five cent a gallon increase is opposed by 55% of the public compared to 37% who are in favor. Good luck.

If you haven’t read about it yet, disgraced ex-New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey is blogging!! Well, sort of blogging. It’s over at the Huffington Post, and it’s advertised as being co-blogged by McGreevey and David Minter. Check it out here if you are so interested.

Don’t expect any behind the scenes commentary about his days at Drumthwackett. There are only three posts so far, and all are about the disgraced ex-governor and his trip through Appalachia to check out the poor folk in West Virgina. I only clicked on the first post, and right off the bat he violates rule #1 of blogging. The post goes on for far too long. More interesting are some of the comments, which have some back and forth between McGreevey supporters and detractors. And, no, he has not suffered enough.

Frequent DynamoBuzz visitor and commenter Honest Abe of the Monmouth County Republican Blog has a nice write up in The Courier, a small Monmouth County newspaper. The piece is titled “Honest Abe” is living up to the name so far, and the writer tries to figure out the identity of the mysterious Honest Abe. See some debate about the article at Abe’s blog.

Abe is troubled by some of the nonsense going on in Monmouth County republican circles and is only trying to be helpful. Good luck Abe!! Keep up the good blogging.