Muslims celebrate Eid al-adha at Brookdale Community College

I thought this was interesting but wonder if some people with small minds would be offended to know that a community college right in their backyard, would help the local Muslim community celebrate one of it's most holy events of the year - Eid al-adha - a celebration of Abraham.

For all of the talk about how diversity in Monmouth County is cherished and respected, the simple fact of the matter is that minorities make up only about 5 percent of the population. I don't think that a majority of residents would see this celebration at Brookdale as a positive .

I think they would rather dwell on the negative by saying how could a higher learning center that is taxpayer supported, reach out to a community that is perceived to be so opposed to their Judeo-Christan beliefs.

It's a shame that a few people would have to feel this way. I think it is a good thing that Brookdale would support such an event as this and lend a hand at helping residents understand that diverisity and understanding of others is a good thing, not something that should be feared or looked down upon.

Asbury Park Press
MIDDLETOWN — Millions of Muslims from around the world celebrated their most important holiday this week with the Hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The culmination of the ritual was its Eid al-adha, a celebration to Abraham.

At the Collins Arena at Brookdale Community College in Middletown, about 1,000 people attended the Islamic Society of Monmouth County's celebration on Friday morning.

A pillar of the religion for adherents is to go on a pilgrimage to the holy land.

Ibrahim Naboulis of Marlboro, a member of the society, fulfilled his obligation to his religion five years ago.

"I was one of the lucky ones," he said, referring his opportunity to go on the pilgrimage as a fate from God.

"I cannot describe the experience," Naboulis said, referring to his pilgrimage. "There are no kings, no presidents. Everyone is equal, you do not know who is standing, praying next to you. Everyone is the same."

The Hajj is for Muslims a chance to cleanse themselves of sin, and to be a good person, said Mohamed Meshal of Tinton Falls. He has had the privilege of going on the pilgrimage five times.

For Muslims in this area, the society celebrates each year with an Eid al-adha.

The celebration at the college included chanting to God, praying, donations for the society and the poor, and a festival that included games for children, food and trivia games.

Mohammad Hugh, 17, of Middletown said someday he would make a pilgrimage to Mecca, but for now he is grateful for attending this event.

Patty Samy Degheidy of South Amboy also attended the religious event.

"We are here to celebrate Abraham," she said. "This is our day to celebrate the miracle of God allowing Abraham to sacrifice a lamb and not Ismael (Abraham's son).

Saturday Morning Cartoons: Jerky Turkey

Thanksgiving may be over but there is plenty of turkey and cranberry sauce left over for sandwiches this afternoon.

It's time right now to just sit back and relax after a big Black Friday with a bowl of Corn Flakes and enjoy a cartoon.

President Obama's Weekly Address: 11/28/09 President Obama Delivers Thanksgiving Greeting

President Obama calls to our attention the men and women in uniform who are away from home sacrificing time with family to protect our safety and freedom. He also talks about the progress of health care reform, the Recovery Act, and job creation to ensure that next Thanksgiving will be a brighter day.

Video: SARAH PALIN BOOK SIGNING - Interviews with Supporters

The Following is from New Left Media and to appreciate what is being said you have to watch the video below. It is simply unbelievable and scary to think how misinformed and ignorant some people are:

On November 20, 2009, Sarah Palin visited Columbus, OH as part of her book signing tour for "Going Rogue." When her supporters were asked broad questions about why they why they thought she should be president, the responses were vague: She's "real." She'll "stick up for America."

THERE ARE UNINFORMED OBAMA SUPPORTERS, TOO
It has been said in comments that we would find similarly talking point-driven, substance-less supporters at an Obama rally, and we agree. But no politician has emerged on the national stage as undefined and unqualified as Sarah Palin, and her public persona--which is anti-intellectual by definition--discourages substance. Instead, we get winking. One could hardly imagine her giving a complex speech about race in America, or speaking eloquently about our country's relations with Islam. Not just because she couldn't write such a speech (Obama has speech-writers, of course) but because she wouldn't--such necessarily academic discussion is antithetical to the persona she's created for herself and that her supporters have come to love.

CHERRY-PICKING
As for accusations of cherry picking, which are commonly thrown at interview-based videos, it simply isn't what we did. We interviewed only a few more people than ended up in the video, not hundreds, and what was cut was done for time purposes. The people were selected at random--some offered to be interviewed--and we were only there for about 90 mins (it gets dark early and fast in Ohio right now). What didn't make it into the video was just more footage of people talking generically or about taxes/spending, drilling, and abortion, and we constructed blocks in the piece to represent those issues. Of course the piece was edited to be entertaining (this is YouTube, after all, where the currency is cat videos) but we don't believe we misrepresented the attitudes of the people at that signing in any way.

The President Gives His Thanks To Me

When I opened my email a short while ago I found that President Obama had sent me a message of Thanks Givings.

I know that this message of thanks was more than likely sent to thousands of his supporters and is not unique to me, but I am happy to receive it none the less and share it with all of you.

Michael --

Tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, Americans across the country will sit down together, count our blessings, and give thanks for our families and our loved ones.

American families reflect the diversity of this great nation. No two are exactly alike, but there is a common thread they each share.

Our families are bound together through times of joy and times of grief. They shape us, support us, instill the values that guide us as individuals, and make possible all that we achieve.

So tomorrow, I'll be giving thanks for my family -- for all the wisdom, support, and love they have brought into my life.

But tomorrow is also a day to remember those who cannot sit down to break bread with those they love.

The soldier overseas holding down a lonely post and missing his kids. The sailor who left her home to serve a higher calling. The folks who must spend tomorrow apart from their families to work a second job, so they can keep food on the table or send a child to school.

We are grateful beyond words for the service and hard work of so many Americans who make our country great through their sacrifice. And this year, we know that far too many face a daily struggle that puts the comfort and security we all deserve painfully out of reach.

So when we gather tomorrow, let us also use the occasion to renew our commitment to building a more peaceful and prosperous future that every American family can enjoy.

It seems like a lifetime ago that a crowd met on a frigid February morning in Springfield, Illinois to set out on an improbable course to change our nation.

In the years since, Michelle and I have been blessed with the support and friendship of the millions of Americans who have come together to form this ongoing movement for change.

You have been there through victories and setbacks. You have given of yourselves beyond measure. You have enabled all that we have accomplished -- and you have had the courage to dream yet bigger dreams for what we can still achieve.

So in this season of thanks giving, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to you, and my anticipation of the brighter future we are creating together.

With warmest wishes for a happy holiday season from my family to yours,

President Barack Obama

Remarks by the President on Pardoning of the National Turkey

The White House

For Immediate Release

November 25, 2009

North Portico

THE PRESIDENT: Happy Thanksgiving, everybody. Welcome to the White House. On behalf of Sasha and Malia and myself, we're thrilled to see you. I want to thank Walter Pelletier, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, and Joel Brandenberger, its president, for donating this year's turkey. His name is "Courage," and he traveled here from Goldsboro, North Carolina, where he was raised under Walter's own precious care.

(Turkey gobbles.)

THE PRESIDENT: There you go. (Laughter.)

Now, the National Turkey Federation has been bringing its finest turkeys to the White House for more than 50 years. I'm told Presidents Eisenhower and Johnson actually ate their turkeys. You can't fault them for that; that's a good-looking bird. (Laughter.) President Kennedy was even given a turkey with a sign around its neck that said, "Good Eatin', Mr. President." But he showed mercy and he said, "Let's keep him going." And 20 years ago this Thanksgiving, the first President Bush issued the first official presidential pardon for a turkey.

Today, I am pleased to announce that thanks to the interventions of Malia and Sasha -- because I was planning to eat this sucker -- (laughter) -- "Courage" will also be spared this terrible and delicious fate. Later today, he'll head to Disneyland, where he'll be grand marshal of tomorrow's parade. And just in case "Courage" can't fulfill his responsibilities, Walter brought along another turkey, "Carolina," as an alternate, the stand-in.

Now, later this afternoon, Michelle, Malia, Sasha and I will take two of their less fortunate brethren to Martha's Table, an organization that does extraordinary work to help folks here in D.C. who need it the most. And I want to thank Jaindl's Turkey Farm in Orefield, Pennsylvania, for donating those dressed birds for dinner. So today, all told, I believe it's fair to say that we have saved or created four turkeys. (Laughter.)

You know, there are certain days that remind me of why I ran for this office. And then there are moments like this -- (laughter) -- where I pardon a turkey and send it to Disneyland. (Laughter.) But every single day, I am thankful for the extraordinary responsibility that the American people have placed in me. I am humbled by the privilege that it is to serve them, and the tremendous honor it is to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the finest military in the world -- and I want to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to every service member at home or in harm's way. We're proud of you and we are thinking of you and we're praying for you.

When my family and I sit around the table tomorrow, just like millions of other families across America, we'll take time to give our thanks for many blessings. But we'll also remember this is a time when so many members of our American family are hurting. There's no question this has been a tough year for America. We're at war. Our economy is emerging from an extraordinary recession into recovery. But there's a long way to go and a lot of work to do.

In more tranquil times, it's easy to notice our many blessings. It's even easier to take them for granted. But in times like these, they resonate a bit more powerfully. When President Lincoln set aside the National Day of Thanksgiving for the first time -- to celebrate America's "fruitful fields," "healthful skies," and the "strength and vigor" of the American people -- it was in the midst of the Civil War, just when the future of our very union was most in doubt. So think about that. When times were darkest, President Lincoln understood that our American blessings shined brighter than ever.

This is an era of new perils and new hardships. But we are, as ever, a people of endless compassion, boundless ingenuity, limitless strength. We're the heirs to a hard-earned history and stewards of a land of God-given beauty. We are Americans. And for all this, we give our humble thanks -- to our predecessors, to one another, and to God.

So on this quintessentially American holiday, as we give thanks for what we've got, let's also give back to those who are less fortunate. As we give thanks for our loved ones, let us remember those who can't be with us. And as we give thanks for our security, let's in turn thank those who've sacrificed to make it possible, wherever they may be.

Now, before this turkey gets too nervous that Bo will escape and screw up this pardon -- (laughter) -- or before I change my mind, I hereby pardon "Courage" so that he can live out the rest of his days in peace and tranquility in Disneyland.

And to every American, I want to wish you, on behalf of myself, Malia, Sasha, and Michelle, the happiest of Thanksgivings. Thank you very much, everybody. (Applause.)

Keyport candidates to face off in run-off

From the Asbury Park Press-

KEYPORT — It's back to square one in the razor-thin election between Democratic incumbent councilwoman Christian Bolte and Republican challenger Edward Burlew after an official recount by the Board of Elections Tuesday afternoon shifted one of provisional ballots over to Burlew, creating a dead heat tie at 1,064 votes apiece, officials said.

The result: According to Monmouth County election law, requires a brand new election be held for the Keyport Borough Council seat.

Keyport Borough Clerk Valerie Heilweil must now set a new election date - likely to be set on Jan 12.

Keyport will be required to foot the bill, said Leah Falk, chairwoman of the Monmouth County Board of Elections, who oversaw the election re-count at Board of Election headquarters in Freehold Tuesday.

Preview of White House Turkey Pardoning

On November 25, 2009, one lone turkey will walk the hallowed halls of the West Wing... and leave a free bird.

Local Food Pantries In Need Of Donations

With Thanksgiving just 2 days away and Christmas right around the corner, local food pantries that serve the Bayshore region are in need and are seeking donations for the holiday season.

Nonperishable items, such as pasta, canned vegetables, rice, cereal and canned soups are in great demand. The economic recession has created a greater need for the services of local resources like the Keyport Ministerium.

Many food pantries are associated with the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, the largest pantry along the northern Jersey Shore. Visit the FoodBank website at www.foodbankmoc.org for information on local pantries and how to contact them.

Food And Toy Drive at Middletown Thanksgiving Football Game

The Middletown Touchdown and Booster clubs and the Middletown PBA will hold a toy and canned goods drive to benefit needy families in the Middletown area during the annual High School South-High School North Thanksgiving day football game Thursday at High School South, 900 Nut Swamp Road.

Kick-off is 10:30 a.m.

The school district asks that toys be unwrapped, and that gift cards in denominations of $25 or less are appreciated.

To coordinate early drop-offs, call Tom Bunge at (732) 809-3055 or e-mail him at tbunge@fdmmarketing.com

HOLT SUPPORTS “TERRIFIC” EDUCATE TO INNOVATE INITIATIVE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 23, 2009

President Announces New Effort to Increase Hands-On STEM Activities for Students

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12), a professional physicist most of his career, today supported President Obama’s announcement of a new campaign to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The new science education initiative includes increased community-based collaborations between scientists, engineers, teachers and students.

One component is a National Lab Day tentatively set for early May 2010. Middle and high school students will benefit from hands-on, discovery-based laboratory opportunities. Additionally, National Lab Day will provide schools with an opportunity to assess and upgrade their current lab facilities. Nearly 200 organizations representing STEM professionals and educators are supporting National Lab Day. More information can be found at www.nationalabday.org.

“This is a terrific initiative that comes at a time when we need an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ mentality to provide our children with a first-rate math and science education,” Holt said. “Why is this important?

“We still don’t know how to cure cancer or AIDS, or completely ease the suffering of those with mental illnesses. We still have tremendous challenges regarding energy consumption. And we still don’t know all we should about our planet and the people who live on it. The answers to these important questions are beginning to be formed in our classrooms with young students who one day may go on to investigate these issues and make advances that will benefit all of us.”

Holt, a former educator who sits on the House Committee on Education and Labor, has been a leader in efforts to improve STEM education. He helped establish the TEACH grants program, which provides up to $16,000 over four years in college aid to students who commit to teaching science, math, and foreign language. He also was a member of the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century, which published “Before It's Too Late: A Report to the Nation from The National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century.”

“The push for improving the public competence in science and mathematics is more than just for reasons of economics, national security, and democracy. It should also be for personal well being. Mathematics and science bring order, harmony, and balance to our lives. They teach us that our world is intelligible and not capricious. They give us the skill for lifelong learning, for creating progress itself. This initiative recognizes that.”

NJPP Monday Minute: 11/23/09 Thanks and Giving

New Jersey is one of the richest states in the nation and certain counties are among the richest places in the world to live; and yet about 10 percent of households in this state face hunger. We want to believe that hunger only affects people in developing countries or in poor southern states. But two percent more households in New Jersey were hungry in 2007 than were hungry in the preceding 4 years. This is an alarming trend.

The holiday season is associated with family gatherings and big meals where people eat more than they should then sleep in front of the TV only to start eating again when they awaken. For many New Jersey families hardest hit by the poor economy this won't reflect their holidays.

A new report released by the United States Department of Agriculture found that the percentage of American families who don't have enough to eat is at its highest level since the agency began food surveys in 1995.

Food banks throughout the state have been struggling to meet a higher demand as the poor economy triggers greater unemployment and/or reduced work hours. One food pantry in particular, the Crisis Ministry of Princeton and Trenton, is serving 40 percent more households at its Trenton location than a year ago and 50 percent more in Princeton. The median monthly income of families who seek food assistance at the Crisis Ministry is $980 per month--clearly not enough to make ends meet in New Jersey.

Donations and aid to food banks are down--perhaps because the bad economy has reduced everyone's ability to give. Last winter the Legislature and Governor Corzine sent $3 million in emergency funding to the state's food banks. This year the state will have to do something again to help. In a country and a state with such wealth we cannot allow people to wonder when and where their next meal will arrive.

The state must continue to provide support for those who need it most. But in this Thanksgiving season, all of us should give thanks for what we have and give whatever we can to those who need it most.

Click >>> Here for a list of food pantries in New Jersey.

Click >>> Here for an additional link to Feeding America

It's Payback Time In Middletown: Emergency Appropriations Needed to Pay Bills

One of the more interesting pieces of information to come out of last Monday nights Middletown Township Committee meeting was the fact that the Middletown can't pay its bills.

Resolution No.09-263 which passed unanimously, authorized the borrowing of approx. $1.5 million to pay the interest on a $10 million Tax Anticipation Note.

This emergency appropriation needed to be made because funds were not made available to pay the interest on the note in the 2009 township budget that was passed in August.

This just goes to show you what another fine mess the Middletown GOP has gotten us into. The GOP majority members couldn't negotiate in good faith with Democratic members on the committee to come up with a budget that was responsible and would not have included a 9 % tax increase, instead they turned over the budget to the State and succumbed to pressure to put off pension payments and reduce surpluses to get an approval for a 5.2% increase while in the process they forgot that appropriate money for the interest on the $10 million Tax Anticipation Note.

Great Job!

I bring this up because it Looks like the Feds are going to have problems servicing debt payments on their bills soon.

Below is the resolution:

EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION

NJSA 40A:4-48

WHEREAS, an emergency has arisen with respect to the interest due on the $10,000,000

Tax Anticipation Note authorized pursuant to Resolution 09-205 adopted on August 3, 2009, and no adequate provision was made in the 2009 budget for the aforesaid purpose, and NJS 40A:4-46 provides for the creation on an emergency appropriation for the purpose mentioned above, and

WHEREAS, the total amount of the emergency appropriations created, including the appropriation to be created by this resolution is $51,334.00 and three (3) percent of the total operating appropriations in the budget for 2009 is $1,478,267.00 and

WHEREAS, the foregoing appropriation together with prior appropriations does not exceed

three (3) percent of the total operating appropriations (including utility operation appropriations) in the budget for 2009,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, (by not less than 2/3 of all governing body

members affirmatively concurring) that in accordance with NJS 40A:4-48:

1. An emergency appropriation is here by made for: 9-01-45-935-200-200 – Debt Service – Interest on Tax Anticipation Note

2. That said emergency appropriation shall be provided for in full in the 2009 budget,

and is requested to be excluded from CAPS, pursuant to NJS 40A:4-53.3c(1)

3. That two (2) certified copies of this resolution be filed with the Director of the Division of Local Government Services

President Obama's Weekly Address: 11/21/09 Traveling Abroad for Our Economy at Home

In an address recorded in Seoul, South Korea, the President discusses his trip to Asia. He talks about his push to stop nuclear proliferation in North Korea, Iran, and around the world. He talks about promoting America's principles for an open society in China while making progress on joint efforts to combat climate change. And talks in-depth about the primary objective of his trip: engaging in new markets that hold tremendous potential to spur job creation here at home.

Saturday Morning Cartoons: Commander McBragg Ace of Aces

Just what I need on a Saturday morning, a bit action and adventure to get the day started.

Pip-Pip, pass the cheerios please.... Commander McBragg is about to tell one of his fantastic stories.

Christie Tells Local Officials to Expect Pain

Does this mean that Middletown's Gerry Scharfenberger and his fellow Republicans will now stop blaming Trenton Democrats for their own failures and tax increases in Middletown and now point their finger at one of their own in the future? Some how I doubt it.

N.J. Governor-elect Christie tells local officials to expect 'a continued period of pain'

Gov.-elect Chris Christie sent a strong message to an audience of municipal politicians and workers gathered at the luncheon at the annual League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City today: Stop thinking about yourselves, or you'll will be voted out. (Video by Brian Donohue / The Star-Ledger)

A Football Friday Double-Header: Princess Picks Pariots over Jets, Giants Over Falcons

For this week, Princess the Camel is doubling-down and picking picking two teams to win on Sunday after her pick of the Jets came up short in the final seconds against the Jaguars last week.

For some reason Princess's handler John seems to want to stick with local teams this week even though her choices for the New York teams haven't worked out very well so far this season.

In the first of her picks this week, Princess has chosen the New England Patriots to beat the Jets in the early game in New England, then changes gears and picks the Giants to clip the wings of the Falcons as the swoop down into Giants Stadium.

When questioned about her pick's Princes responded " Well, if the NE coach doesn't make any blunders like he did last week in the loss to the Colts they should roll over the Jets. The Giants - I hope they learned a lesson from the Jets and used their extra week off to get their act together and prepare for the Falcons.".

Well Princess, so do I.

Princess's predictions now stand at an even .500 , 5-5 for the season.

Friday Morning Humor: How I Learned to Mind My Own Business

I was walking past the mental hospital the other day,

And all the patients were shouting, '13....13....13.'

The fence was too high to see over, but I saw a Little gap in the planks,

so I looked through to see what was going on.....

Some idiot poked me in the eye with a stick!!!

Then they all started shouting '14....14....14'...

Bob Brown Back On Strategy Room This Morning At 11:00

Former Democratic Candidate for the 13th legislative District, Bob Brown, will be making another appearance on the Fox News online web program, The Strategy Room, this morning at 11 am.

This will be Brown's first appearance on the show since the November 3rd election and should be interesting to hear his insights about the before going on to discuss the days topic for which he is a panelist for.

Bob Brown,is a retired Old Bridge NJ police office who was shot in the line of duty and who now pratices, law will make his 10th appearance on the program and will be discussing with other panelist "Cops and Cases".

Organize for America Announces Winner of Health Reform Video Challenge: I Deserve Health Care

After nearly 1,000 submissions, 20 amazing finalists, and more than 3 million views, Organizing for America supporters and a panel of experts have picked the winner of the OFA Health Reform Video Challenge.

The winning video produced by Eric Hurt is titled "I Deserve Health Care" and features children speaking about what will happen to them in the coming months and years and the effects it will have on them and their families if their parents do not have or can not afford health care.

Check it out

In Reversal, Panel Urges Mammograms at 50, Not 40

What a crock of crap, I really can't believe this. So many women in their 40's get breast cancer and now some group with ties to doctors and insurance companies say it is ok not to have mammograms until your 50! How many women would be dead right now if they waited until 50 to have an examination:

Most women should start regular breast cancer screening at age 50, not 40, according to new guidelines released Monday by an influential group that provides guidance to doctors, insurance companies and policy makers.

The new recommendations, which do not apply to a small group of women with unusual risk factors for breast cancer, reverse longstanding guidelines and are aimed at reducing harm from overtreatment, the group says. It also says women age 50 to 74 should have mammograms less frequently — every two years, rather than every year. And it said doctors should stop teaching women to examine their breasts on a regular basis.

Just seven years ago, the same group, the United States Preventive Services Task Force, with different members, recommended that women have mammograms every one to two years starting at age 40. It found too little evidence to take a stand on breast self-examinations.

The task force is an independent panel of experts in prevention and primary care appointed by the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

Its new guidelines, which are different from those of some professional and advocacy organizations, are published online in The Annals of Internal Medicine They are likely to touch off yet another round of controversy over the benefits of screening for breast cancer.

Read More >>>Here

NJPP Monday Minute: 11/16/09 House bill would provide a safety net for those losing health insurance

Over the last seven years, New Jersey employers dropped insurance coverage for workers at a rate faster than the national average, according to economist Elise Gould in her new report Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Erosion Continues. The nearly seven percent drop (from 75.6 percent to 68.7 percent) is the 14th largest percentage decline in the nation.

"No demographic or socioeconomic group has been spared from the erosion of employer sponsored insurance over the 2000s," states Gould, Director of Health Policy Research at the Economic Policy Institute. "Workers across the wage distribution, in small and large firms alike, and even those working full time and in white-collar jobs have experienced losses."

Although all income groups across the country have experienced some loss of benefits over this time period, lower income households have been the hardest hit: the coverage rate for the bottom 40 percent of income earners dropped by about ten percentage points, while for the top 40 percent it declined by three percentage points.

In New Jersey, children covered under a parent's insurance experienced the greatest decline. That number fell to 67.1 percent in 2007-2008 from 76.2 percent in 2000-2001, a 9.1 percentage point drop. Fortunately, many of these children were able to obtain health coverage because of recent improvements in Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare that expanded outreach and eliminated some barriers to the programs.

Unfortunately, adults without children are not eligible for NJ FamilyCare, no matter how poor they are. In addition, only parents with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level ($44,100 for a family of four) are eligible to receive NJ FamilyCare benefits for themselves, although children in the same size family are eligible when parents earn up to 350 percent of the federal poverty level ($77,175). Even though most are employed, about half of all New Jersey's low-income non-elderly adults do not have insurance, compared to a quarter of low-income children who are uninsured. These adults must usually purchase health insurance on the private market, but often cannot afford the high cost.

These are some of the reasons why national health reform is critical for New Jersey. Many small businesses want to provide insurance to attract qualified employees, but the cost is often prohibitive. The health reform bill that passed in the House (HR 3962) would address these problems in several ways by:

• Requiring large employers to provide health coverage or pay a fee
• Limiting how much insurance companies can increase premiums each year
• Providing health insurance subsidies to low and middle-income households, including childless adults
• Establishing a public insurance option in every state which would create more choice and competition
• Providing tax credits to small employers as an incentive for them not to drop coverage

People's health should not depend on who they work for or how much money they make. Individuals should have more opportunities for affordable coverage, but large businesses must also share in the responsibility to effectively and equitably provide coverage to their employees as detailed in the House bill.

Ethics Board Can Head Off Another Operation Bid Rig

The following commenatry appeared int he Asbury Park Press yesterday. It was written by Arthur Z. Kamin of Fair Haven who is an independent journalist and who has written about Monmouth County politics before.

In his commentary he states that the idea for the newly created Monmouth County Ethics Board is a good one that is long over due and that and ethic board could prevent another Operation Bid Rig from happening again in Monmouth County:

Now that the election is over, the five-member Monmouth County Board of Freeholders — in a split vote along political lines — finally adopted a strong ethics structure to give the county the watchdog agency it needs to help ensure honest government. The long-overdue action came Tuesday night. Three Democrats voted for the resolution. The Republicans opposed it.

The two GOP freeholders had been battling efforts by the Democrats to establish an ethics board that would promulgate and administer a county ethics code. The recommendation for the board and code originated with a blue-ribbon ethics review committee appointed by the freeholders.

Freeholder Robert D. Clifton was the biggest stumbling block, arguing that the ethics board would be too powerful and too costly to run. Freeholder Lillian G. Burry picked up the chant, claiming it would create another level of government that the county can't afford.

What they did not say is that many Republicans still don't like to bring up the touchy subject of county ethics because it dredges up memories of the Operation Bid Rig scandal four years ago when more than two dozen Monmouth County and other officials were arrested in an FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office corruption sweep.

That sweep also netted the late longtime former Republican Freeholder Director Harry Larrison Jr. The freeholder board was all Republican at the time and county government was loaded with patronage, cronyism and favoritism.

It was a shameful period in county history. And Monmouth County still bears the scars of those terrible days. The county, as a result of that nightmare, is still referred to statewide as "Hudson County with lawns."

To prevent another Operation Bid Rig from happening and to establish an ethics agency with teeth, the county appointed a first-rate ethics review committee that carefully examined existing policies, procedures and an employee manual. It concluded: "The existing structure is in need of revision."

Thus, the freeholder majority was wise to approve the recommendations of the ethics review committee, including the creation of a six-member nonpartisan, independent ethics board that would serve without compensation. Monmouth County residents should be served well by this arrangement.

Continue reading >>> Here

Mulshine: N.J. Suburbs Still Get No Respect

The Star-Ledger's Paul Mulshine had a pretty good column today, he points out how Chris Christie is making a big mistake by trying to court urban voters at the expense of the suburban voters. Mulshine points out that it was Monmouth and Ocean Counties that pushed Christie over the top, not Essex or Hudson. Why would he expect to make inroads in counties that are clearly opposed to his ideals?

Also of interest to residents in the 13th District, Mulshine gives another shout-out to Bob Brown. Brown ran as a Democrat in District 13 against Amy Handlin and Sam Thompson and did a better than expected job at the polls.

According to an internal Republican opinion poll that was leaked, Brown actually was leading Thompson with a week and a half left in the race but was done in by the anti-Corzine tsunami that washed over the bayshore area.

It's a good read, check it out:

After I wrote a column last week critical of Gov.-elect Chris Christie’s transition team, which is packed with Trenton insiders and McGreevey administration retreads, I got an e-mail from Bob Brown.

"Where is the average Joe, the taxpayer from the suburbs?" Bob asked.

Nowhere, that’s where. If Christie was in the mood to put Democrats on his team, then he might have considered a Democrat like his old Seton Hall Law School classmate Brown. Brown is an ex-cop from Old Bridge who ran for the Assembly as a Democrat more conservative than the incumbent Republicans.

Brown didn’t win. But he did succeed in highlighting the issue that should be the No. 1 priority of the incoming Republican administration. And that’s the need for property tax relief for the suburbs.

A Rutgers-Eagleton Poll released Friday revealed that "New Jerseyans want their taxes cut; no other priority comes close," in the words of the poll directors. And the tax they most want to see cut is the property tax, the poll showed.

But Christie made it clear immediately following his victory that the cities, not the suburbs, are his first priority. He spent the day after the election visiting Newark to kiss the ring of Democratic party boss Steve Adubato.

After paying his respects to Essex County, which went for Gov. Jon Corzine by a 65,000-vote margin, he blew a kiss to Hudson County, which went Democratic by a 46,000-vote margin. He included on his team a member in good standing of the Hudson Democratic machine, state Sen. Sandra Cunningham.

As for the aforementioned "average Joe from the suburbs," Christie will be making the transition without him, even though it was the suburbs that gave Christie his victory, specifically the suburbs in the middle of the state.

Patrick Murray of the Monmouth University Polling Institute notes that turnout was down this year in every county except Ocean and Monmouth. And those two counties voted Republican by unprecedented margins, 70,000 and 64,000 respectively. But Republicans can’t count on that happening again, Murray said.

"It’s not clear this was a sea change in the way in which Jerseyans vote," said Murray. "It was clearly just an anti-Corzine vote."
In Murray’s view, and mine, Corzine committed political suicide with that ill-fated 2007 tour of the state to win support for his plan to borrow $38 billion against future tolls. That was the main factor in his losses in Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties, all of which are heavily dependent on the toll roads.

Another factor was Corzine’s decision not to go on radio station 101.5 FM, which hosted that "pigs will fly" Statehouse rally in early 2008. That decision meant that Corzine got bashed without rebuttal by the station’s always amusing talk-show hosts for two months leading up to the election.

This permitted Christie to win despite his strategy, which was to focus on the cities rather than the suburbs. That strategy was a failure.

"Look at Newark, they were upside down 32,000 for him," said Steve Acropolis, who is mayor of Brick Township in Ocean County. "East Orange was upside-down 10,000 for him."

What saved Christie were the big suburbs in the 101.5 listening area such as Brick, where he piled up an 11,000-vote margin, and Toms River, where he got his biggest margin, more than 12,000.

Yet in a post-election meeting with the Ocean County mayors, the governor-elect told them they can’t expect to be getting more state aid as a result of their support. Acropolis said the suburban mayors don’t want special favors, just an equal share of state aid.

"I don’t want him to say we gave him the second highest vote total so we’re going to get extra stuff," said Acropolis. "I just want what’s fair for our residents."

Suburban residents realize next year will be a tough one because of the budget problems facing the state, he said. But their patience has a limit.

"He’s got four years and if he doesn’t do anything, he’ll be a one-term governor," said the mayor.

That’s not a threat so much as a cold reality. The new map of New Jersey politics is not a promising one for Republicans. Bergen County used to ring up Republican margins as reliably as Ocean or Morris. But Christie managed to lose Bergen by a small margin. As for the cities, Christie is now the third Republican gubernatorial nominee in a row to fail miserably in a try at breaking the Democratic stranglehold on the urban vote.

That leaves those midstate suburbs as the battleground for any future elections. And they produced those huge margins not out of any great love for Christie, but out of intense dislike for Corzine, said pollster Murray.

"Nothing motivates a voter like anger," said Murray. "And Christie had better hope they’re not angry in 2013."

If he keeps up the way he’s going, they will be. And not at the Democrat.

The Overlooked Story of The Week In Monmouth County: Freeholders Create Ethics Board

With all the of the attention being given to Governor-Elect Chris Christie this past week, it is no wonder that one of the biggest stories coming out of Monmouth County last week was the creation of an Ethics Board by the Board of Chosen Freeholders.

The Democratic majority voted to create this watchdog panel over Republican opposition, who thought that it was not necessary.

The creation of this ethics panel fulfills a pledge by the democrats to bring responsible and honest government back to Monmouth County four years after Operation Bid Rid rocked the foundation of the County.

Republican opposition to the ethics board is astounding considering that Operation Bid Rig happened under their watch and along with about two dozen county officials that were arrested, long time Freeholder Director and "Godfather" of the Monmouth County GOP Harry Larrison Jr., was also indicted for corruption. At the time the Freeholder Board was governed by all Republicans and the county government was comprised of people who owed their positions to patronage, cronyism and favoritism.

So it is no wonder that Republicans Rob Clifton and Lillian Burry, think that the idea of an ethic board is a bad one. They say that it would be too costly and have too much power over county operations that would be better left to the County Prosecutor or State Attorney General, preferring instead to leave the ethics policing to the Freeholders themselves.

Just as astonishing is the fact that the Asbury Park Press is not totally on board with the idea of an ethics board being created.

After all, it's not like they did such a bad job watching over themselves before, do ya think?

The ethics board is a good idea, one that should have happened a couple of years ago but the County GOP was and still is against the idea, that someone else will be watching over there shoulder.

It will be interesting to see come January if the newly formed, GOP controlled, Freeholder Board will rescind the resolution that created the Ethics Board. It wouldn't suprise me in the least if they did.

Saturday Morning Cartoons: The Pink Panther - The Pink Phink

What else do I have to do this morning other than watch a cartoon? I have to paint.

Give me some Corn Flakes and toss me a brush, it's time to get down to business

President Obama's Weekly Address: 11/14/09 Veterans Day and Fort Hood

The President looks back at a week where we honored those who serve on Veterans Day, and mourned those we lost at Fort Hood. He discusses the review he has ordered into the Fort Hood incident, and pledges to stand by our servicemen and women, as well as our veterans, as his most profound responsibility.

Football Friday: Princess Picks The Jets over Jags in Week 10

This week's Princess pick is posted a little later than normal so I hope you still have time to get to your bookies.

It's week 10 in the NFL and Princess is on a winning streak, she has chosen game winners each of the past two weeks to bring her record to 5-4, does she continue her winning ways this week? We'll have to wiat til Sunday to find out.

For her week 10 NFL prediction, Princess the Camel has chosen the Jets to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Meadowlands.

So Princess do you really think that the Jets can pull it off this week?

..."they had a bye last week so that gave them two weeks to straighten that mess out. I think coach Ryan will have them ready...."

Well Princess, we'll just have to see about that!

If you enjoy reading about Princess's NFL picks each week or your just an animal lover, the Associated Humane Society and Popcorn Park Zoo could use your help. Make a donation to a worthy cause and support the good work that the people at the Humane Society do to take care of abused and neglected animals. Any donation is appreciated and can be made by clicking >>>Here

In Rahway; "Broken Hearts" For the Fallen

In Rahway, artist Jim McKeon is remembering fallen soldiers from the Iraq War with an unique war memorial to honor those killed and to mend "Broken Hearts"

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Video: President Obama Honors The Fallen Of Fort Hood

This afternoon President Obama spoke at the memorial service for the 13 fallen soldiers of the Fort Hood massacre. The President spoke each name and told a personal story for each of the fallen soldiers.

It was one of the most eloquent and moving speeches that the President has ever given.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

H1N1 Clinic At Middletown High School South

The Middletown Twp Health Dept will be holding an H1N1 Influenza Clinic on Thursday, November 12 from 5: 00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Middletown High School South, 900 Nut Swamp Rd.

Please note that we have limited vaccine and the clinic is subject to closure prior to 8pm if supplies of vaccine are depleted.

Flu Mist only will be offered to persons ages 2 years through 49 years of age with no chronic or acute illness, no exceptions. Injectable vaccine will only be available for pregnant women and those that have medical conditions, illness or weakened immune systems.

The following groups are invited:

Pregnant women

Primary caregivers of children under 6 months of age

EMS/Health Care workers with direct patient care

children/young adults ages 6 months through 24 years old

adults with chronic illness or weakened immune systems ages 25- 64 years of age.

There are no seasonal influenza clinics scheduled at this time.

To download a consent form or to learn more about measures you can take to protect yourself from germs and prevent the spread of germs click >>>Here.

Are Republicans too giddy?

By Julian E. Zelizer

Princeton, New Jersey (CNN) -- Republicans have been downright giddy following the off-year elections in Virginia and New Jersey. In a swing state and a blue state, Republicans pulled off significant victories with Chris Christie's defeat of Gov. John Corzine and Robert McDonnell defeating Creigh Deeds.

Just two days after the election, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, who had boasted of the results as evidence of a "Republican Renaissance," issued a stern warning to his colleagues. Steele said that his message for the 2010 midterm elections was that Republicans should remain loyal to the party principles, or "we'll come after you."
Republicans certainly can take some comfort in this election. It is clear that some of the excitement about the Democratic Party has faded since the beginning of 2009. The so-called jobless recovery, with unemployment now at 10.2 percent, is not sitting well with many Americans.

But Republicans should be cautious. Both political parties have a history of over-reading election results and seeing mandates where none exist. The leaders of each party have often thought that the electorate sent a clear message endorsing a new direction in public policy only to learn that voters were relatively comfortable with the status quo.

Republicans have made this mistake at several important moments in recent history. After the 1980 election, Republicans gained control of the White House and the Senate and viewed their victory as a strong endorsement of conservative ideas. The Reagan administration moved to reduce Social Security benefits in 1981 as part of its budget reform. House Democrats seized on the proposal and mobilized against the president.

Reagan learned the public was not so eager to overturn New Deal programs. The administration backed off from the reforms and became more sober about how much of a "conservative revolution" had actually taken hold.

The bruising battle over Social Security in 1981 constituted the first real blow to President Reagan. Budget Director David Stockman observed that after Reagan's loss, "the centerpiece of the American welfare state had now been overwhelmingly ratified and affirmed in the white heat of political confrontation."

In 1994, Republicans made a similar mistake. The GOP felt very strong after winning control of the House and Senate for the first time since 1952. But then in 1995 and 1996, Republicans pushed for deep cuts in domestic spending. President Clinton took a stand against the GOP. The federal government temporarily shut down in a dramatic standoff between the president and House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

While Gingrich would win Republicans support for fulfilling the message of the election, voters turned toward Clinton as they saw stories of visitors arriving at a closed National Zoo or unable to receive their passports.

Elderly voters were not happy about the proposed cuts to Medicare. However, the members of Congress in the Class of '94 refused to allow Newt Gingrich to compromise. The Republican freshman, said President Clinton's senior advisor George Stephanopoulos, "had become Newt's Frankenstein's monster -- and my new best friends."

The public started to turn on the Republicans, questioning whether they were capable of governing. The clash diminished some of the fervor for the GOP and forced it to moved away from many goals.

After the 2004 election, President George W. Bush and Republicans felt emboldened. President Bush spoke about the "political capital" that he now had and how he intended to spend it. But when he tried to move forward with his most ambitious domestic proposal, privatizing Social Security, the plan fizzled. Like Reagan, Bush discovered that he misread the public.

What should concern Republicans today is that last week's gubernatorial elections offer even thinner evidence that there has been a sea change in public opinion. The particularities of two off-year elections make it difficult to connect the results to any national trends. President Obama still enjoys strong approval ratings, and Democrats have solid majorities in the House and Senate, although they face potential losses in next year's midterms.

Only a few weeks ago, a CNN Opinion Research poll found that the number of respondents who had a positive view of the GOP stood at only 36 percent. The Gallup Poll reported in October that 55 percent of those polled trusted President Obama to make changes to the health care system, 48 percent trusted congressional Democrats and only 37 percent trusted congressional Republicans.

While those numbers are not much for congressional Democrats to celebrate (52 percent said they didn't have much trust in congressional Democrats to do the job), they are even worse for the GOP.

Just as important, there is a major disconnect between the kinds of ideas the national Republican leadership has focused on and the kind of pragmatic, centrist campaigns that the Republicans in Virginia and New Jersey ran on. The outcome in New York's 23rd congressional district, where the candidate pushed by the national leadership over the local Republican moderate lost to a Democrat, should be a strong warning sign that Steele might not want to come after Republicans who stray from the party line.

Rather than misread the message of the elections, Republicans must turn to the difficult job of rebuilding their party by finding a new generation of leaders and ideas, while broadening rather than narrowing their reach. If they don't, their response will leave their ranks in even worse shape than before.

Lessons Learned By Governors Races

The following commentary was published on Politico this past Friday and was written by DGA Executive Director Nathan Daschle. It's an interesting take on what the results of last Tuesday's election really means for New Jersey and Virginia as well as, the rest of the Democratic Party in general.

Spend enough time in politics, and you will have your share of good election nights and bad election nights. The key to surviving the bad is learning from the results without dwelling on them; look forward, not backward.

Reflecting on Tuesday’s elections, I am disappointed, but not discouraged. The losses came from two electorates with an affinity for demonstrating their independence from the White House. For 24 and 36 years straight, New Jersey and Virginia, respectively, have elected governors of the opposite party of the president. Couple that streak with the worst recession since the Great Depression, and it would have been an unprecedented upset if we had won either of these races.

Democrats need to sift through the data, analyze it, and pull out lessons that are instructive for moving forward. At the same time, it would be a costly mistake to simply assume that the Republicans’ talking points about this election are valid. There are several things that Tuesday night’s results do NOT mean:

1. They do not signal that a Republican “comeback” is imminent. Virginia and New Jersey have gone against the White House for 24 straight years. Unless there’s been some under-the-radar comeback every four years since 1985, there is no more indication of Republican resurgence today than there was last week.

2. They do not indicate that President Obama has been politically weakened. Exit polls indicate (and common sense shows) that these were isolated races that, while subject to historical trends, were not a referendum on our president.

3. They do not mean that Democrats are in trouble in 2010. To the contrary, we found some encouraging evidence in the exit polls. In New Jersey, for example, voters embraced Gov. Jon Corzine’s agenda on the economy by a 58-36 margin. He was defeated because other local issues superseded his economic agenda, but we are encouraged that voters preferred our economic message to the Republicans’ attempt to return to economic policies that put Wall Street ahead of Main Street.

There are, however, some important lessons that Democrats should take to heart:

1. Democrats still carry a burden of proof with independents and surge voters. These voters don’t want to let Republicans give tax breaks to the wealthy while working families struggle, but our incumbent governors and challengers need to underscore how they’re creating and saving jobs. There’s no question that Democrats have the right vision and plans for restoring prosperity to this country – our charge is to get our message out and, for incumbents, show results.

2. While Republicans with no solutions will continue to use federal issues as red herrings in state races, we must show at the national level that we can govern. The American people expect results. They need to see how they’re better off with Democrats in charge. I am confident that we’ll make significant progress on health reform and the economy. And in the meantime, our gubernatorial candidates must know that when their opponents try to box them in on federal issues, it’s because they have no ideas on the issues that matter.

3. The Republican Party is in disarray and not remotely ready to lead. If this year taught us anything about the other side, it’s that they remain a house divided. Who are their leaders – Michael Steele, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin? What do they stand for? Bob McDonnell is a conservative who campaigned as a moderate. Chris Christie won despite himself; certainly not because of a compelling philosophy or agenda. In NY-23, the GOP civil war was on full display. A party still groping for an identity won’t attract voters to put them over the finish line.

Tuesday night was the opening battle; now starts the war. We have 37 races next year, including contests in marquee states like California and Florida. Fortunately, Democrats are well-prepared for the fight to come. In part, this is because we used our resources effectively this year: the DGA made record investments in both New Jersey and Virginia, but we resisted pressure to overspend and draw down our 2010 account.

More importantly, however, we are prepared because we have placed Tuesday in the appropriate context; the results are instructive but not foreboding. Democrats have a lot to accomplish, and so long as we continue to advance our agenda and get real results, voters will keep us in power.

Nathan Daschle is executive director of the Democratic Governors Association.

Assemblyman Thomspon's Attempt At A Smackdown Results In A Returned Jab

Below is an email exchange that was sent to me, between 13th District Assemblyman Republican Sam Thompson and former Independent Candidate Sean Dunne.

Dunne ran as an Independent for the State Assembly this year and took exception with how Thompson presented himself during interviews with the Asbury Park Press and the local Independent and the subsequent endorsements by those papers of Sam Thompson and his running mate Amy Handlin.

Mr. Dunne wrote a scathing letter to the Asbury Park Press (which I posted) that addressed their overtly biased favortism for Mr. Thompson's candidacy in the 13th District. The letter went on to say how Thompson supported the construction and delpoyment of Liquid Natural Gass (LNG) terminals along the bayshore and how one of Thompson's secrataries, Lucille Panos, is a classic pension fund double dipper.

Mrs. Panos is an elected Councilwoman in Old Bridge who earns a $6,000 stipen for that position and as a member of Sam Thompson's staff earns another $27,500 a year towards her State pension.

On a personal note, it is also an affirmation of this blog's influence and readership. The MiddeltownMike blog was the only place that Mr. Dunne's letter was published.

I feel that the email is very telling, it show the level of entitlement in which Sam Thompson feels is owed to him as an assemblyman:

November 7, 2009

Dear Mr. Dunn:

A blog that you had posted and a flyer that you had distributed in the campaign has been brought to my attention.

Sir, if you choose to attack in any way, that is your prerogative and I rarely bother with responding to opponents’ distortions relative to myself. However, I will not tolerate statements that print distorted pictures of my employees in and attempt to take a shot at me.

Your inferences with regards to Lucille Panos are totally unjustified and border on defamatory.

It is true Lucille Panos is employed by my office, but at a rate of $27,500. She is not employed for “Special Services.” I assume you use this term to suggest this may be a no show job. Ms. Panos is one of three Legislative Aides employed by my office as well as one full-time unpaid, volunteer aide. She is a full-time employee and you will find her in my office from 9-5 Monday thru Friday, the same as all State employees. She is not entitled to “Special Projects.” Nor is anyone else in this office. Instead, she and all staff members devote all of their time to providing constituent services, responding to correspondence, telephone calls and working one-on-one with constituents to resolve their problems which run the gamut of homestead rebates, property tax freeze, enrollment in prescription drug plans, ascertaining the most suitable Medicare Part D plan, resolving disputes with healthcare plans, assistance with utilities, etc.

Ms. Panos, as well as al of my staff members, do an outstanding job of providing all of these services, far and above the level you will find in any other legislative office in the State.

As for her salary, it is actually $27,500 not $29,500. As none of my employees had received any raise for several years due to unavailability of funds, this year I was able to persuade leadership to provide and additional $5,000 on a one time basis to distribute to my staff but this did not increase their base salary and there is no guarantee that I will be able to get it again next year.

As you had this information, you obviously have access to the State payroll data, probably from the APP web-site. If you will check it further, you will find she is the lowest paid of my threes employees – not because of the quality of her work but simply because she was hired years after the other two and that was all the salary funds I had left. I assure you, her performance merits a much higher pay. If you go further and compare her salary with that of staffers in other legislative offices, I have no doubt it will be among the lowest.

As for the “handsome pension” at taxpayer expense that she is in line for, if she continued in government employment until she reached 27 ½ years of service her $29,500” State salary plus her gigantic $6,000 council stipend would entitle her to a “handsome” pension of $17, 750/year. WOW!

Should you doubt the above statements about her work, we do have a database some 17,000 constituents we have serviced one–on–one. Further, I would be delighted to take you to any of several locations where you can wander around on your own and inquire relative to the quality of the services of Lucille Panos and my office. If interested, let me know.

You owe Ms. Panos an apology.

Sam Thompson

Dunne's reply:

Dear Sam,

I do not know of the blog you are referring to, as I don't run a blog. My campaign did include a website and a Facebook profile, but we didn't use a blog. However, perhaps someone has taken information I have sent out and published it on their own blog.

Just to be clear, I have no doubt your office fills out forms and provides other advice to consituents. NJ runs confused government services that many people are very frustrated with. Many taxpayers want this improved, because accessible services are the least they should get for their money. Instead, we have offices like yours that have three full-time employees that must decipher forms for people. This is very symbolic of New Jersey fiscal policy. Why save money and make government services easy to access, when we can instead pay three full-time people in one District office to translate the confusion?

As for the other information that you discuss in your email to me. I would suggest you examine the Data Universe section of the Asbury Park Press site. If you feel that the information is a distortion, you should immediately contact them. Go to the section and conduct a search for Lucille Panos.

It states the following:
PANOS, LUCILLE THE LEGISLATURE LEGISLATIVE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS, STAFF SERVICES SPECIAL SERVICES $0.00 $0.00 $29,500.00

This does not appear to include the bonus you obtained for her, as it refers only the year 2008, so as you said, her earnings from your office are actually $32,500. If you do not like the work she provides for your office to be defined as "Special Services", then I would once again advise you to contact the Asbury Park Press. Perhaps you feel that readers of the website will think that the title, "Special Services", implies a no-show job. If so, you might be able to persuade them to change that label.

I do not follow your claim regarding Lucille Panos and Special Projects, so I am unable to comment on it. I don't even understand what "Special Projects" are. I can only say that I have never mentioned anything regarding "Special Projects".

You have made it clear in your email that you would like Panos to have a much higher pension, as you want to increase her salary even more. I'll therefore wait, along with other taxpayers, to see how handsome her pension might become.

Your claim that I make distortions regarding your own positions is totally false, and I consider that an insult. You stated in our meeting with the Asbury Park Press that you have no problem receiving nearly $50,000 a year. You also called yourself a full-time legislator in the Independent. I wish this were a distortion, but unfortunately for taxpayers, it is not. I cannot think of one other area of employment where someone would say with a straight face that they deserve a full-time salary for a part-time job because they consider their work a full-time job. But again, this is New Jersey.

You told me twice that you supported the construction of Liquefied Natural Gas Terminals off the Jersey Coast. First at Hazlet Day, and second at the meeting with the Asbury Park Press when others were present. Again, I wish this were a distortion, but unfortunately it is not. I hope you reconsider this position on this project, because it is a terrible plan.

To claim that I distort your positions on any of the above is an outright lie, and you now owe me an explanation.

I do not take lightly an accusation that I lie, which is why I immediately responded to your unfounded claims. It's amazing that providing information to voters is considered an "attack", but I guess that's one more part of the problem in New Jersey politics.

I have no doubt that you could take me to places where people are pleased with the services your office has provided. I'd be more than happy to take the tour you suggest, as I am always eager to learn. However, this should be a two-stop tour. First, we'll have a meeting with people your office has helped. Second, we'll meet with taxpayers that I've met who are absolutely sick of this kind of politics. I'm sure we both could learn something from that tour.

I look forward to hearing your explanation of how I have distorted anything about your positions or political beliefs. When you realize that your claim is unfounded, you can then issue your apology.

Yours sincerely,
Sean Dunne

Corzine Accomplishments Tempered By Tough Times

Here is a very nice article that appeared over the weekend on the Philadelphia Inquirer website that I thought i would pass along. It talks about Governor Corzine's accomplishments while in office and what kind of legacy he can point to in the future:

As Gov. Corzine heads into what are likely to be the final weeks of his political life, following the failure of his reelection bid on Tuesday, it's unclear whether the bearded Midwestern native with the down-to-earth demeanor and the sweater vests will be remembered more for his legislative accomplishments or for the car wreck that nearly took his life in 2007.

Will people recall that the former Wall Street maven spent over $120 million of his own money on his campaigns and poured millions more into party coffers? Or will his legacy be the work he did for New Jersey's schoolchildren?

"I think a good part of his legacy will have something to do with his car accident," said Mary Forsberg, interim president of New Jersey Policy Perspective, a left-leaning think tank. "It's really a sad thing. From our point of view, he did a lot of good, progressive things."

Corzine's accomplishments - or lack thereof - must be viewed in the context of a brutal nationwide recession, say many observers.

"Legacy changes as time goes on," said Senate President Dick Codey, who preceded Corzine as interim governor after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned. In the end, he said, Corzine "will be known as a man who tried to do the right thing for the state of New Jersey and got caught up in a very, very horrible recession."

Among the campaign pledges Corzine was forced to abandon was a promise to increase property tax rebates by 40 percent over four years.

Ross Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers University, characterized Corzine's governorship as one of "unfulfilled promise." Corzine waded into the muck of New Jersey politics and was unable to make much headway, Baker said.

"Democratic governors as a group tend to be trapped in the feudal politics of New Jersey," he said. They depend so heavily on county and regional political bosses, legislative bosses, and public-employee unions that they have trouble standing up to them, Baker said.

In his efforts to trim state spending, Corzine won significant concessions from public-employee unions. He forced workers to contribute to their health insurance for the first time, increased the retirement age from 55 to 62, and cut 8,200 jobs from the government payroll through attrition.

But to a skeptical public, those accomplishments were overshadowed by Republicans' questions concerning his romantic relationship with Carla Katz, then head of one of the state's largest public-employee unions.

Corzine's relationship with the Legislature, controlled by fellow Democrats throughout his tenure, has sometimes been torturous.

In his first year in office, he faced off against Assembly Democrats over raising the sales tax. The battle resulted in a historic shutdown of state government. Corzine spent many nights on a cot he ordered wheeled into the Statehouse in a grand gesture intended to push lawmakers toward a resolution. Though he was successful in getting the tax increased to 7 percent from 6 percent, the 2006 incident foreshadowed many more periods of tension with the legislative branch.

On issues where Corzine was able to find allies in the Legislature, he was able to effect significant change, particularly on social issues. In 2007, New Jersey became the first state to abolish the death penalty since the Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976.

Last year, the Garden State became the third state to adopt paid family leave, which grants workers up to six weeks to care for sick family members, newborns, or newly adopted children.

In 2006, Corzine signed the civil-unions law, which extends to gay couples most of the rights of married couples. He also helped expand medical coverage for children in New Jersey, resulting in 100,000 more children being enrolled in the state's health insurance program, according to the administration. Implementing court-ordered preschool programs in poor school districts was another achievement.

According to Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr., those accomplishments reflect Corzine's priorities.

"He has been front and center in fighting for people who needed someone there for them, and I don't think he got the credit for it," the Camden County Democrat said.

Battered by a withering economy and the nation's highest property taxes, New Jersey voters on Tuesday said they believed Republican Christopher J. Christie would do a better job of reining in spending and helping the state recover.

"Gov. Corzine's legacy will be that his ambitions exceeded the state's ability to support them," said State Republican Chairman Jay Webber. "He wanted to spend more and raise taxes to spend more, and on Tuesday people said that they want to go in a different direction."

But Ingrid Reed, New Jersey project director at Rutgers' Eagleton Institute of Politics, said Corzine deserved credit for cutting the state budget.

"He really did reduce the state budget, which really has not happened before in New Jersey," she said. He "has set a kind of standard for being responsible about the state budget."

Corzine often pointed out that during his administration, he put more money into the state pension system than the previous three governors combined.

His efforts to change the school funding formula also will impact state spending for decades. Under the new formula, state aid is directed to any district with poor students rather than just the poorest districts.

Corzine took no time to tout the revised funding formula, instead diving into his 2008 proposal to pay down state debt and fund transportation by raising tolls up to 800 percent over more than a decade. The governor famously abandoned the plan midway through a scheduled 21-county road show to sell it directly to residents.

Likewise, the governor's progress in ethics reform - which admittedly fell short of his ambitious goals - often was overshadowed by high-profile arrests of politicians by Christie, the U.S. attorney.

Corzine all but did away with the Trenton tradition of "Christmas trees," earmarks inserted into the state budget at the last minute without public scrutiny. And he shamed the Legislature into accepting a ban on dual office-holding, though the measure grandfathered in a number of politicians who earn multiple paychecks.

But those accomplishments meant little to the public when Democratic State Sens. Sharpe James and Wayne Bryant were convicted, or when 44 people were arrested in July and accused of international money laundering and political corruption.

Joseph Marbach, a political analyst at Seton Hall University, believes it is unfortunate that people may focus on Corzine's missteps rather than his accomplishments.

"Politics doesn't necessary come naturally to him," Marbach said. "That hindered some of the possible accomplishments he might have been able to achieve."

Former Democratic Gov. Brendan T. Byrne said he called Corzine several times to urge him to trumpet some of his achievements, but Corzine declined.

"It wasn't his nature," Byrne said. "I don't think he's the kind of politician who's built for this business."

In the final assessment, Byrne said, history will be kinder to Corzine than voters were this week.

"He had no money to do anything, but he had good instincts, and I think that he'll be remembered for that," Byrne said.

Saturday Morning Cartoons: Atom Ant Meets Karate Ant

Pass the Fruity Pebbles, it's cartoon time.

President Obama's Weekly Address: 11/7/09 The Tragedy At Fort Hood

The President condemns the despicable attacks at Fort Hood, honoring those who were killed and injured. He also commends those who stood up to help and console those affected: even as we saw the worst of human nature on full display, we also saw the best of America.

Football Friday: Princess Picks The Chargers over The Giants

After a one week lay-off due to other matter, it's time to check back in with Princess the Camel to see how she is doing. To recap, until last week Princess was on a 3 week losing streak with her pick but righted her way by picking the Dolphins to beat the Jets.

This week she has decided to revist the Giants for some reason , maybe she feels it's an easy pick with the way the Giants have been playing of late.

"...Since they're playing like ... (for lack of a better word for a G rated audience) Poop! I have the perfect cure -- the coach can send the team down here and clean up after me in my barn and my yard and after a couple days of that they will realize how bad they stink and get back to playing football the right way...." Princess stated before her pick.

With last week's winning pick, Princess record now stands at .500

The Governor Thanks His Supporters

I received the following email last night from the Governor Corzine. It was sent to all of those that supported him and his campaign this year. I thought that I would share it with you all:

You've stood by this campaign through thick and thin, and I wanted to take a few moments to thank you for all your support and encouragement throughout this campaign.

We may not have prevailed in the vote count, but we stood up for our common commitment to making this state the kind of place where all of our kids and grandkids can grow and prosper.

For that, I am truly grateful to each and every one of you.

Whatever our political differences, I believe that Chris Christie is going to work hard for the people of this state, and I wish the Governor-Elect success, patience, and good fortune as he leads our state forward.

I got into public life because I truly believe that government can be a force for good, and I am proud that we focused on the issues that matter most to working families like jobs, education, health care, and economic security.

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your Governor, it has been the high honor of my life.

Jon Corzine

New Feature -Politics and Faith; The Christian message is a political one that is both complex and straightforward

I am happy to announce a new feature to this blog, from time to time there will be a column about how faith and politics or often interlinked.

The columns will be submitted by a dear friend of mine that many in the Northern Monmouth County area know well, former publisher of the Courier, turned Baptist minister, Mr. Jim Purcell.

I hope that all will find Jim's addition to this blog insightful and at times inspirational. Let me know how you feel about it.

His first colum is titled: The Christian message is a political one that is both complex and straightforward.

There is politics within the message of Jesus Christ, and it is the stuff of powerful controversy. Born a poor Jew within Roman-occupied Palestine, God made a choice to introduce Himself physically into the history of mankind in a purposeful, guided way.

He did not decide to arrive as an earthly king, or a noble of Rome or even as a clergyman locked away from other people. Christ arrived where He was needed most – to people who were desperately in need of salvation and, above all, redemption.

During the 1st century AD, Palestine was expecting a savior, but not exactly the kind that appeared. Many occupation-weary Jews hoped the savior would come from the model of the Maccabees, the militaristic Jewish family that led a rebel army and vanquished the Seleucid Army during the 2nd century BCE. Upon victory, the Maccabees went on to found the Hasmonean dynasty, which was in power from 164 to 63 BCE. So, the experience many Jews had with salvation was not of the kind that Jesus brought. Prior to Him, salvation was seen in militaristic, even nationalistic ways.

Then came Jesus, and His message of peace, tolerance, good will and the work of God. He did not ever say He was here to found a new religion. Commonly, Jesus instructed upon reforming the Jewish Law, and informing perspectives about the will of God.

He had politics and they were amazingly simple, and hard, all at once: Love God, care for the widows and the orphans, heal the sick, feed the hungry, look after the poor, welcome the stranger, care for your neighbor as you would yourself, and liberate one's self and others not with violence and war but with peace, love and determination.

The God that Jesus spoke of did not believe in creating earthly empires, nor of watching people oppressed and left to cruel fate or, worse yet, being exploited by others. Jesus informed us that each of us has a personal relationship with our Creator, and that He is our link – our bridge – to God the Father.

Where's the controversy in this? Simple enough: No one was ever killed, harmed or even berated for preaching war. War is the easiest thing to preach, because the orator can wrap him or herself within a flag and play a catchy tune and the crowds do tend to love that show. Yet, to speak of God and His intent in a way that runs counter to the music and the great speeches by allegedly honorable men and women is seen as a so-called "perversion of religion" because God doesn't have a team, a flag, a nation or even a favorite football jersey.

Peace is a political problem. War is an activity that people seem intent to engage in, and try to rationalize it and discover the God in it. But there is no part of God in it.

Just as controversial are ideas about giving voice to those who are marginalized, even oppressed by the politics of hate and derision.

If there is a Devil, it does not seek the physical, psychological, spiritual or social health of humans or their communities. It would revel in dissent, epidemic, social stratification, exploitation of peoples and the demonization of groups for the sake of division alone. And, this is the state of politics today.

The common ground that is needed in government and politics is not the agenda or platforms of parties, but rather the agenda of God as made apparent in the Word. And, that agenda is caring for the health, welfare and physical/spiritual development of not a few people, or some people, but just people. It involves tolerance and, dare I say, something better than is being commonly offered by or to each of us.

God is neither Republican nor Democrat and favors nor advocates for either party, and for good reason. But, as community leaders and allegedly people of conscience, it should be the business of people to adjust their agenda to faith and not use faith to market what is not about faith –greed and evil.

If God is to bless America, it will not be because that saying is emblazoned upon a bumper sticker in red, white and blue, but because it is America that observes its alleged relationship with God. That begins not at political rallies but with long looks in the mirror.

(Jim Purcell is a former journalist who is a licensed Baptist minister. His book, "Faith Outside the City," is available for purchase on Amazon.com for $14.95. He also operates a website focused on Christian faith at: www.FaithOutsidetheCity.blogspot.com.)