Phil Murphy Town Hall Meeting in Port Monmouth

This Sunday, you're invited to a town hall in Port Monmouth hosted by Democratic candidate for governor Phil Murphy. Join us as we discuss the opioid epidemic, Sandy recovery, sustainable energy, and the creation of a New Jersey that is strong, fair, and works for every New Jersey family.

The event will take place on Sunday, October 29th at 6:00 PM in VFW Post 2179, located at 1 Veterans Lane in Port Monmouth. Doors open at 5:00 PM.

RSVP at https://go.murphy4nj.com/page/event/detail/grassrootsevent/wrvz

NJ District 4 Town Hall, Feb. 22nd

District 4 Collation For Change is having a town hall meeting with or without Congressman Chris Smith, Wednesday, February 22nd at the Manalapan branch of the Monmouth County Library.

Chairman Currie Reacts To Governor Christie's Monmouth County Town Hall

(Trenton) -- John Currie, Chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, reacted to Governor Christie's so-called town hall meeting in Belmar, New Jersey today. The troubled governor again used the event as a platform to talk himself up and to blame others for the state's problems.

"Superstorm Sandy survivors were left out in the cold, literally. Many are carrying mortgages on homes they have had to abandon. Meanwhile, the Christie administration dodged legislative hearings, skirted monitoring laws, ignored public records requests, and concealed the termination of a multimillion dollar contract. Monologues full of excuses, quips and spin may entertain the media, but with so many lingering questions about multiple ongoing scandals, Governor Christie's credibility is completely shot."

Frustrated Biz Owners Speak Out Before Gov. Christie's Belmar Town Hall

NJ Main Street Alliance & Frustrated Small Business Owners Speak Out Before Belmar Town Hall to Respond to Christie’s Dismissive Remarks on Stronger NJ Business Grant Program Failure

Belmar – Today, NJ Main Street Alliance (NJ-MSA) and small business owners spoke out before Governor Christie’s latest Town Hall to call on Christie to investigate the problems with the Stronger NJ Grant process. They called on the governor to do his job and distribute the program’s $85 million out to businesses.

Last Thursday, at his previous Town Hall in Flemington, when questioned about the low disbursal rate of Sandy grants, Christie defended the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s (EDA) handling of the Stronger NJ Business Grant Program. Christie claimed there was little demand for the program. This is simply not true.

In fact, from May to December of 2013, more than 3,300 small businesses requested approximately $167 million in grants. As of March 24, 2014, New Jersey has awarded a mere $15.2 million to 314 businesses – leaving thousands of businesses in limbo and out of luck.

“Governor Christie's dismissive words were an outright insult to the thousands of small business owners who applied for the Stronger NJ Business Grants months ago. These constituents are still stuck in limbo as they try to get the money they need to restore their businesses,” said Corinne Horowitz, Business Representative at NJ-MSA.

Kristen Scalia, is the owner of Kanibal Home, a retail shop in Jersey City. She’s spent so much money and time on the application in the last nine months that she says she would’ve been better off getting a part-time job. "My jaw dropped when I heard that somebody claimed there was no demand for the Stronger NJ Business Grants,” said Scalia. “I was outraged when I heard it was the governor himself. He should know better.”

The experiences described by applicants to the Stronger NJ Business Grant program are remarkably similar. The NJEDA changed their point of contact and didn't respond to their inquiries for months on end. When applicants finally did get through, their paperwork was often lost, requiring them to resubmit it over and over again.

“I have spent every Saturday working on this for months, and my case has been transferred about five times. I am tired of calling and emailing with no response…I have just about given up” said Kenny Akerman owner of Ocean Towers and Welding in Point Pleasant Beach.

Many business owners reported misinformation from official sources, including Governor Christie’s office itself. Business owners in Seaside Heights and Seaside Park affected by the recent boardwalk fire were told they’d be eligible for Sandy money, even if they weren’t hurt by the SuperStorm. These business owners later found out this was not true, but only after countless wasted hours and frustrating phone calls.

“Governor Christie should have consulted HUD before speaking to us, as it gave many businesses false hope. He wasted a whole lot of people’s time and money,” said Joe Jerabek. “I literally emailed the Governor's office every other week for months, but have still never received a response.”

“This is just another example of how out-of-touch this administration is with every day people in New Jersey,” concluded the MSA’s Horowitz. “Governor Christie needs to hold his administrators and their private contractors accountable instead of blaming the victims.

Christie Town Hall Canceled Again Due To Weather

At this rate maybe I will be able to attend this Town Hall meeting. I'll have to RSVP soon.
From the Asbury Park Press:

Gov. Chris Christie’s Tuesday morning town hall in Middletown has been canceled once again due to anticipated inclement weather.

The meeting had been scheduled for last Thursday, but was rescheduled due to snow.

The Governor’s Office will release details for the rescheduled Town Hall and Mobile Cabinet on Tuesday. It is anticipated the event will be rescheduled for a date later this week.

You're Invited to Join Governor Chris Christie for a Town Hall In Middletown

The Governor Christie sideshow, better known as a Town Hall meeting, will be coming to Middletown this Thursday. It will be the110th Town Hall meeting that Christie has held since taking office in 2010 but more importantly it will be the first Town Hall meeting since the Bridgegate lane closure scandal and accusations of  using Hurricane Sandy aid money to extract political endorsements from Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer and others, engulfed his administration last month. 

According to the various news reports and the invite below, the main focus of this Town Hall meeting will be on Superstorm Sandy relief and recovery efforts. While we may now know what Governor Christie intends will be talking about Thursday morning, it's what he won't be talking about that will be a lot of people's mind.

I wish I could be there but unfortunately some people have to work:

You are invited to attend a town hall meeting with Governor Chris Christie in Middletown on Thursday, February 13th. In order to ensure adequate seating for our attendees, please RSVP to TownHall.Middletown@gov.state.nj.us

We encourage you to include family, friends and neighbors in these open public forums with the Governor.

Town Hall Meeting with Governor Chris Christie

DATE:

Thursday, February 13th

WHAT:

Town Hall Meeting

WHEN:

11:00 AM

Doors Open at 10:00 AM

Mobile Cabinet at 12:30 pm

WHERE:

VFW Post 2179

1 Veterans Lane

Port Monmouth, NJ 07758

Seating is on a first come, first serve basis and open to the public. No bags of any kind are permitted in the venue.

Personal items are subject to search.

Please RSVP to TownHall.Middletown@gov.state.nj.us to allow us to do our best to accommodate demand for seating (note that space is limited, and many town hall events reach capacity quickly, so we encourage you to arrive early to ensure your seating).

We look forward to seeing you at this event!

Newsletter: "203"

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:

At the President’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday, I was joined by Mark Wetherbee – a two-tour Vietnam veteran, a Ewing community leader, and one of the multitude of New Jerseyans struggling with unemployment.

Mark, who volunteers for the Ewing Township Green Team, the Kiwanis, and HomeFront in his free time, was laid off in October from his job as a property and facilities manager.  Since then, he has sent out 203 resumes.  He has had one interview.

The fact that someone as qualified and hardworking as Mark can’t find work speaks volumes about the need to extend long-term unemployment insurance, a program that Republicans canceled at the end of last year.

I invited Mark to attend the State of the Union this week, not because he is unique, but because he isn’t.  When the unemployment insurance extension expired in December, 90,000 New Jerseyans were immediately kicked off the program.  To put that in perspective, that’s enough people to fill every seat at this weekend’s Super Bowl – with another 7,500 people attending a job fair on the football field.  Another 90,000 New Jerseyans will lose their unemployment insurance prematurely in the months ahead.  Mark Wetherbee could, unfortunately, be one of them.

As the President said in his address, “They need our help, but more important, this country needs them in the game.”

Upcoming Town Halls in East Windsor and Milltown

On Saturday, February 15, I’ll be hosting town hall meetings in East Windsor and Milltown.  I hope you’ll attend to share your views and hear updates on issues affecting the community.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

10:00 a.m.
East Windsor Senior Center
40 Lanning Boulevard
East Windsor, New Jersey
1:00 p.m.
Milltown Borough Hall
39 Washington Avenue
Milltown, New Jersey

The C.I.A. Should Be an Intelligence Agency

This week the New York Times reported the concern of intelligence agencies that, as the Afghanistan war winds down, they will lose the bases from which to launch drone rocket strikes.

The Central Intelligence Agency should not be launching deadly military strikes. We would be better off if the C.I.A. returned to being an agency that collected and analyzed intelligence and stopped being a secretive paramilitary organization.

With rare exceptions, if America cannot justify military action publicly, we should not be taking military action.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

Research Works

From the E-Newsletter of Congressman Rush Holt:

An entire generation may not remember the terror that AIDS created in the early 1980s.  Back then, people would show up in the emergency room, sick and confused, and die within hours or days.

Since then, medical science has made astonishing progress.  Antiretroviral drugs allow millions of people with HIV, in the United States and throughout the world, to lead normal lives and enjoy near-normal life expectancy.

Congressman Rush Holt

This progress is not an accident.  It is a major achievement of medical science and, just as importantly, a major success of public policy.

In 2003, President Bush embraced an idea initially offered by the Congressional Black Caucus to invest $15 billion in the prevention of AIDS worldwide – an effort that I have since worked to renew and expand.

Last year alone, the U.S. provided lifesaving drug treatment to nearly 4 million men, women, and children worldwide.  We also provided HIV counseling and testing for more than 40 million people, including 10 million pregnant women.  Mother-to-child transmission has been greatly reduced.

These investments in global health have not only saved lives; they also have built tremendous international goodwill toward the United States, and they have restrained the spread of HIV in ways that have prevented more infections here at home.

Much remains to be done.  There are 50,000 new HIV infections in the U.S. each year and many more worldwide.  Many people still carry tragic misunderstandings and misconceptions about HIV and AIDS.  The disease remains incurable, and it still cannot be prevented by vaccine.  These are among the challenges that international leaders will address later this month when the International AIDS Conference meets in D.C.

But through bold, effective, and measurable public policy interventions, the United States already has saved many lives and fought the scourge of a terrifying disease.

Next Week: Town Halls in Franklin Twp., Old Bridge, and Over the Phone

Next week, I’ll be hosting several forums to share news from Congress and to hear directly from you.

On Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., I’ll hold a telephone town hall open to all residents of central New Jersey.  Many of you will automatically receive calls on Tuesday evening inviting you to join; to ensure that you are called, please visit http://holt.house.gov/townhall or call 1-87-RUSH-HOLT.

Then, on Saturday, I’ll host in-person town halls in Franklin Township and in Old Bridge:

Saturday, July 21, 2012
10:00 a.m.
Franklin Municipal Building Council Chambers
475 DeMott Lane
Somerset, New Jersey

1:00 p.m.
Municipal Court Chambers
Old Bridge Municipal Building
1 Old Bridge Plaza
Old Bridge Township, New Jersey

The Higgs Boson, Almost Certainly – Well, Possibly

Last week, a team of thousands of scientists from around the world,including about 15 from Princeton University, announced the long-expected discovery of a new elementary particle.  They appear to have found the Higgs boson, or something very much like it.  This could be the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle that is the so-called Standard Model of particle physics, which explains how the basic building blocks of the universe fit together – everything you see and much that you don’t.

Several people have commented to me that they were struck by how tentatively scientists announced the news.  One physicist, for example, told the Associated Press, “We’ve discovered something which is consistent with being a Higgs.”

To me, this serves as a reminder that science is based on probabilistic reasoning.  Scientists are trained to be comfortable with uncertainty – more so than non-scientists, and certainly more so than politicians.

The process of science leads to knowledge that is more and more reliable, but always tentative.  It might be good if more people, especially politicians, kept in mind – at least in the back of their minds – that they might be wrong.  Do you think we could make more progress in society then?

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

Hearing from You

From the E-Newsletter of Congressman Rush Holt:


I appreciated the chance to hear the thoughts, ideas, and concerns of Central New Jerseyans when hundreds joined me for a telephone town hall meeting on Tuesday evening.  A recording of our conversation is now available online.

Among the questions raised:  Leonard in Somerset asked about the legal authority behind the President’s decision to defer deportation actions against certain undocumented immigrants.

Congressman Rush Holt

As you may have heard, the President’s action applies only to immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and who are now productive and law-abiding residents:  those who have, for instance, graduated from school or been honorably discharged from the U.S. military.

As I expressed on the call, the executive branch has the authority to determine America’s law enforcement priorities, and I believe that it is sensible to focus our limited resources where they can do the most good:  securing our borders and deporting violent offenders.  But the President’s actions are only a stopgap measure.  I am a cosponsor of the DREAM Act to make similar provisions permanent and have called for meaningful, comprehensive immigration reform.

Bill in Holmdel asked, “What’s going on with student loan interest rates that… we’re going to be burdening our kids with?”

I explained that, a couple of years ago, I helped write legislation to greatly reduce the interest rates that students pay for federal college loans.  But now there is trouble looming.  The House majority has failed to act to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling from 3.4 to 6.8 percent on July 1.  If nothing changes, 150,000 New Jersey students will face sharply higher college costs – on average, about $1,000 in additional loan payments each.  The Republican majority must act to support students.

Other issues raised on the call included the Supreme Court’s pending ruling on health care reform, the expiration of tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and campaign finance reform.

Please stay tuned over the next few months for information on how to join further town halls, both over the phone and in person.

Stopping Flooding Before It Occurs

When Hurricane Irene hit New Jersey last year, it cast more than 10,000 people from their homes and left more than 190,000 utility customers without power.  We saw firsthand that the best time to address flooding is before severe weather occurs.

Earlier this month, the House of Representatives took a step toward preventing flooding in New Jersey and across the nation.  I offered, and the House passed, an amendment to increase funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide flood protection.  Many Corps projects are already underway across the nation to ensure disaster readiness, including New Jersey projects at Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay in Middletown Township and at the Green Brook Sub-Basin of the Raritan River Basin.

Visit Ready.gov to make sure you are prepared in case of future hurricanes or other natural disasters.

Visiting Washington, D.C.

If you are planning a visit to Washington, D.C., I would be glad to offer assistance in arranging tours of the U.S. Capitol, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Pentagon, the Library of Congress, and other popular sites.

Please note that many of these sites offer tours on a first-come, first-served basis, so the sooner you contact me, the greater the likelihood that I can help.  When possible, it is best to plan your trip three to six months in advance.

For further information or to request a tour, please visit my website.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

Fighting for NJ Jobs and Our Energy Future

From the E-Newsletter of Congressman Rush Holt: 

Congressman Rush Holt

It is very important that our country conduct research and development for sources of energy that are alternative to fossil fuels. The research is important for jobs today and jobs for the future. With our national economy for energy well over a trillion dollars a year, it is wise to invest at least a few percent of that amount in developing clean, abundant, environmentally attractive energy sources for the future.

Fusion energy research is showing as much promise and progress as ever. As a result, a number of other countries around the world are investing more and more in fusion, both in their own national research programs and in the multi-billion-dollar international research project ITER, under construction in Europe. They see this research as crucial for their energy future and also enormously valuable to their present overall research infrastructure. The U.S., once the clear international leader in the field and still the home to many of its best scientists and engineers, plays only a fractional role in ITER.

Earlier this year, the President, who often has advanced a wise vision for America’s energy policy, now faced with real budget constraints, made what I considered a misguided decision. In his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2013, he proposed increasing US contributions to the ITER project (a good idea) at the expense of the domestic research program (a bad idea).

In effect, the President proposed underfunding U.S. fusion energy research by $48 million, which would result in closing the MIT fusion research project, curtailing other university and corporate research, and laying off more than 80 people – about one-fifth of the workforce – from the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), the leading U.S. center for research in the field. These workers – some of the best in the world – come to work in suits, in lab coats, and in jeans and hardhats. They are, in other words, a broad cross-section of the kind of workers we want and need in New Jersey. If these cuts became law, they would debilitate the U.S. fusion program, jeopardizing America’s role as a leader in researching clean, sustainable sources of energy.

We should participate vigorously in the international research program, but if we allow our domestic program to atrophy, we can neither contribute much to the international program nor derive much benefit from it. We should be in a position to sell energy technology to other countries, not to have to buy it. It is a big energy market out there, and growing!

As the former assistant director of the PPPL, and as someone who cares deeply about scientific research, I brought together 48 bipartisan members of Congress to oppose the fusion energy cuts. Writing to New Jersey Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen, the chairman of the US House Subcommittee on Appropriations for Energy and Water Development, we said, “Clean energy is an area in which our government can ill-afford to fall behind.”

When his committee wrote the Energy Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2013, he chose to restore nearly full fusion funding, which would preserve these jobs in New Jersey and would keep the research underway around the country. On Wednesday this week, I joined Rep. Frelinghuysen and leaders and workers at the PPPL to thank him for his leadership. More work still remains to be done; the Senate must pass an energy funding bill that retains this new funding.

Sharing the Constitution

The U.S. Constitution is, to my mind, the greatest invention of humans: an ingenious system of checks and balances that harnesses the power of individual initiative and enhanced community that has enabled America to grow into the most powerful and beneficial nation on earth.

For many decades now, members of Congress have shared the Constitution with students and citizens by distributing pocket-sized Constitution booklets, containing the entire text of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. I like to tell students it is their copy of both our statement of purpose and the operating manual for the government they are called to run. I point out that the real ingenuity of the Constitution is that it is based, not just on fixed procedures, but on ever-dynamic mechanisms of self-correction and progress toward our ideals of liberty and equality.

Last week, I went to the House floor to point out the ironic fact these booklets are out of print (for reasons political, budgetary, and procedural, beyond what I can explain easily here). I proposed an appropriations amendment, accepted by the Republicans and Democrats, to print again these pocket Constitutions. I will let you know when printing is completed so that you can request a free pocket Constitution of your own; I carry one with me all the time.

Next Week: Telephone Town Hall on Tuesday, Senior Forum on Friday

Next week, I’ll be hosting two forums to share news from Congress and to hear directly from you.

On Tuesday evening at 7:45 p.m., I’ll hold a telephone town hall open to all residents of central New Jersey. Many of you will automatically receive calls on Tuesday evening inviting you to join; to ensure that you are called, please visit http://holt.house.gov/townhall or call 1-87-RUSH-HOLT.

Then, on Friday, I will host a Senior Forum in Monroe to discuss Social Security and Medicare – how they work, how they can work better, and how we can protect these crucial programs from deterioration or attack.

Senior Forum on Social Security and Medicare
Friday, June 22, 2012
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Monroe Township Public Library
4 Municipal Plaza
Monroe Township, New Jersey 08831

I’ll be joined by Max Richtman, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. I hope you will join us and share your questions and concerns!

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

Will Your Vote Count?

From the E-Newsletter of Congressman Rush Holt: 

When we headed to the polls for this week’s New Jersey primary elections, most of us took for granted that our right to vote would be protected and that our votes would be counted. But the truth is that federal law does too little to guarantee these rights. 

Last month, I joined Reps. Jim Clyburn, John Lewis, Steny Hoyer, Judy Chu, and others to introduce the Voter Empowerment Act (VEA), a comprehensive voting rights bill that aims to protect the integrity of our democracy.  It combines key components of my past voting rights legislation with new initiatives to improve access to the ballot box, ensure the integrity of the election process, and protect the accountability of the results.

VEA includes provisions that I wrote to require voter-verified paper ballots while preserving voter privacy, to allow independent verification of vote totals, and to prohibit knowingly misleading any voter in order to prevent him or her from voting.  It also improves access to the ballot by modernizing the voter registration system, assisting people with disabilities, banning discriminatory practices, and making voting more convenient by allowing voters to cast their vote before Election Day.

More than a century ago, the Supreme Court described the right to vote as the most fundamental right in a democracy, because it is “preservative of all rights.”  In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson said that “the vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice.”  I will continue to work to protect this most fundamental of rights.

VEA has been referred to several House committees, including the committees on Judiciary and Administration, for further consideration.

24 Days to Prevent Student Loan Rates from Doubling

Last month, I wrote to you that the House had only 57 days to prevent America’s student loan interest rates from doubling to 6.8 percent.  Now, only 24 days remain.  If Congress fails to act, 143,892 New Jersey students will face an additional $115 million in borrowing costs over the next year alone.

Unfortunately, the Tea Party majority in the House has not and does not plan to take action to prevent these rate hikes.  The news in the Senate is also grim:  although a majority of senators voted in late May to stop the rate hike, Republicans filibustered the bill, preventing it from moving forward.

Time is running short.  I wrote to the Majority Leader on Wednesday to urge him to bring responsible legislation to the floor to prevent the rate hike.  We must not delay any longer.

Town Hall Meetings in South River and Princeton Township On Saturday

This Saturday, I’ll be hosting two town hall meetings to hear directly from you about issues affecting you and our community, such as job creation, health care, education, hometown security, and any other issues that you want to raise.  I hope to see you there!

Saturday, June 9, 2012

10:00 a.m.
South River Council Chambers
61 Main Street
South River, New Jersey

1:00 p.m.
Main Meeting Room
Princeton Township Municipal Complex
400 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, New Jersey

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

Join Congressman Rush Holt For Two Town Hall Forums On Medicare

Congressman Rush Holt will join federal Medicare officials to host two town hall forums in central New Jersey. Please join him to share your thoughts, ideas, and concerns about the future of Medicare.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011
1:00-2:30 p.m.
Monroe Township Public Library
4 Municipal Plaza
Monroe Township, NJ 08831

Wednesday, May 18, 2011
6:00-7:30 p.m.
East Brunswick Senior Center
2 Jean Walling Civic Center Drive
East Brunswick, NJ 08816

"Last month, the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives passed, over my objections, a radical and far-reaching national budget for 2012. The proposed budget would end Medicare as we know it. Under this plan, if you are under 55 years of age, when you retire you would receive a voucher from the federal government and then fend for yourself on the private insurance market. The value of these vouchers is designed to shrink, relative to the cost of health care, each year – so seniors would be required to pay ever-growing out-of-pocket costs in order to maintain the same quality of health care.

Fortunately, the Senate has not voted on the Republican Medicare privatization plan, so there is still time to protect Medicare. I firmly believe that we need a national budget that strengthens our middle class, not weakens it, and I look forward to hearing your ideas at this week’s forum on how we can best achieve that goal. "

- Congressman Rush Holt

APP Video: Christie tells Middletown audience NJ needs fiscal discipline, reform

As I mentioned earlier, I couldn't attend today's Town Hall meeting with Governor Christie in Middletown this morning so i am glad to see that the Asbury Park Press posted this video on-line a short while ago along with their report on the event.

The video portrays an exchange between a police officer who says that he can't afford to pay for a third of his healthcare and pension costs when all he received in his paycheck after his most recent raise was a $4 increase in his take home pay, and the governor who told the officer that the State and local municipalities can no longer afford to provide cadillac benefit packages to public workers.

On a side note:

It's nice to see so many dignitaries sitting int he front row behind the Governor. There were State Assemblymen Sam Thompson and Declan O'Scanlon, Monmouth County Freeholder John Curley, former Highlands Mayor Anna Little, Fair Haven Mayor Mike Halfacre, members of Middletown's Township committee and the State's Director of the Office For Planning Advocacy Gerry Scharfenberger! Who must have taken time off from his busy schedule to attend today's festivities on the tax payers dime. It's a good thing that his boss was there to keep an eye on him, to make sure that his time off was justified and not an undue burden to us taxpayer that pay his salary.

Governor Christie To Hold Town Hall Meeting In Middletown On Wednesday

According to a post on Redbankgreen.com

Governor Christie will be holding a Town Hall Meeting in Middletown next Wednesday, January 26th. The meeting will take place at the Port Monmouth VFW on Hwy 36 and will begin around 11 am.

According to Redbankgreen, the meeting is free and open to the public. It is expected that 300 or more people will show up to hear what the Governor has to say.

Video:Town Hall Crowd Cheers On Man Confronting GOP Rep Over Repealing Health Care

I think that before the Republicans in Congress had voted to repeal the health care law, they should have watched this video first.

It shows a Town Hall meeting where a Republican Congressman from Ohio, Jim Renacci, is confronted by an audience member asking him if the Republicans in Congress intended to repeal the newly enacted health care law, what did they have to replace it with?

Congressman Renacci had no answer and tried to deflect the question by stating how the law was a "jobs killer". When this was disputed by the questioner Renacci stated that he knew of 3 or 4 people that had lost their job because of it.

He didn't give a very convincing argument for repeal and this just goes to show Republicans are not concerned for the average Americans well being. They really on care about the corporate well being of big business.

Video: Sean Byrnes discusses Transparency and Televising meetings

Middletown Democratic Committeeman Sean Byrnes discusses transparency and the need to televise Township Committee meetings over the Township's public access channels during the Byrnes and Mahoney Town Hall Meeting that took place on September 27,2010 in Middletown.

Since this video was taken Mayor Scharfenberger has stated that he would not be in favor of televising meetings to the public at any cost because he doesn't see the value in it.

Sean Byrnes & Mary Mahoney Town Hall Meeting Oct. 20th

(click image to enlarge)

If you have not had the opportunity to meet Sean & Mary, there is still time. Stop in at the

American Legion Post No. 338

Hwy 36 Leonardo NJ, 07737

at 7pm this Wednesday, October 20

Township Committee Candidates Sean Byrnes & Mary Mahoney will be giving a presentation on the issues that directly affect Middletown.

Video: Sean Byrnes on Planning for Budgets and Projects

Middletown Township Committeeman Sean Byrnes discusses the Planning (or lack thereof) of Township budgets and projects that drive up the tax rate and cost local tax payers, at a Town Hall Meeting which took place at Panera Bread on September 27,2010

Byrnes & Mahoney Town Hall Meeting Was a Big Success

Last nights Sean Byrnes and Mary Mahoney's Town Hall Meeting at the Middletown Panera Bread location was a big success. It was better than hoped for with over 50 people in attendance, many of then Republicans, who voiced their concerns over the lack of transparency shown by those down at Town Hall and how those in charge have been running the Township over the past several years which has resulted in the largest tax hike in Monmouth County this year (nearly 14%).

Overall, it was a very informative meeting that Sean Byrnes tried his best to make as non-political as possible, which I believe those in attendance appreciated. Many of them were there to be informed about what was happening at Town Hall and what possible solutions they could expect to their problems if Byrnes and his running mate Mary Mahoney were elected. They didn't want to hear them slam or complain their opponents.

Committeeman Byrnes chose to highlight 3 topics of discussion last night; Planning (or lack there of), the Execution of Government and the Inefficiencies that are associated with the "business as usual" way that Middletown has been run, which has lead to tax increases of over 42% during the last 5 years.

Byrnes's running mate, Mary Mahoney, introduced herself to the crowd and spoke about how and why she became interested in running for the Township Committee. She told those in attendance that she became involved back in December of last year when the Township decided to install an artificial turf fields complex with concession stands and lighting across the street from her house at the West Front Street Park, with no notification or discussion with the residents of the area that would be affected by such a complex. Mahoney went on to tell those in attendance how she helped form the citizens group SONIC, that defeated the sports complex at West Front Street and how she came to realize that the Mayor (Gerry Scharfenberger) and others were more interested in themselves and getting elected than doing what's right for all the residents of Middletown.

The floor was then opened for a Question and Answer period, where attendees asked Sean Byrnes questions that ranged from the Governor's "Tool Kit" and civil service rules, recording and televising Township meetings and what it would mean for residents if the Township Committee reverted back to it's old make-up of a 5-0 super majority of all Republicans and no Democrats.

I recorded over an hour worth of video last night that will take me a few days to edit down for posting. When I do, readers will be able to see and hear for themselves how well the Town Hall Meeting went and decide whether or not Byrnes and Mahoney deserve your votes.

Middletown Dems - Byrnes & Mahoney To Hold Town Hall Meeting

Middletown Democratic Committeeman Sean Byrnes, a long with his running mate Mary Mahoney, will hold the first of two planned Town Hall meetings Monday night September 27th at 7pm. The meeting will be held at Panera Breads, 776 Hwy 35 Middletown,NJ.

"The Status Quo Is Not Good Enough, Have You Had Enough?"

(click on image to enlarge)

Hear about and discuss issues affecting your quality of life in Middletown.


A second Town Hall meeting will be held on Wednesday Oct.13th in Leonardo.

Further details will be release as the date draws near.