
EDISON – Fighting upside-down poll numbers as usual and wading into an election year budget battle with Republicans who say he’s a remote and rudderless Wall Streeter intent on doling out further pain to the middle class, Gov. Jon Corzine on Wednesday night gave an arms-flailing, podium-pounding address long on defiance, short on patience with the opposing party, and layered generously with narrative slices from his own life.
“I read the polls – I don’t like these things, well, it’s early – but I come from a 120-acre farm in the middle of nowhere,” cried Corzine, who told the Middlesex County Democratic Organization (MCDO) that he fought Hank Paulson, former co-chairman of Goldman Sachs, before Paulson ousted him from Goldman and became secretary of treasury under President George W. Bush.
In case anyone doubts his work ethic as governor, he added, “I got out of bed after a car crash, I don’t know if any of you saw me – and went back to work in three weeks time.”
Standing in the Pines Manor in this 25-town, Raritan River rust belt county where Democrats outnumber the GOP 3-1, the $61,000 median income hovers close to the statewide median and a sizable chuck of party committee members hold county government jobs, Corzine defended his controversial $29.8 billion budget proposal as a reflection of middle class priorities.
“We have to remember the people who fought for us. Our seniors! Are they middle class, or what? Damn right. We’re fighting for them.”
Suggestions by his Republican opponents, including gubernatorial frontrunner Chris Christie, to cut workers from the public payroll triggered an infuriated response from Corzine, who said from a base of roughly 100,000 state employees, his administration has excised 7,000 jobs over four years, mostly through attrition, and “gently and thoughtfully found more efficiency.”
Corzine said he would have to cut 10,000 state workers in this cycle to reach the figures he has attained through cuts in other areas to produce a budget $1 billion less than the first budget he submitted as governor in 2006.
“They obviously haven’t run a single number,” Corzine said of his opponents.
Sporting a lapel pin of back-to-back American and Irish flags, Corzine marched in several St. Patrick’s Day parades over the last few days – at least one of them in blue collar Middlesex - and on Wednesday night he praised his street-level colleagues, insisting he’s one of them.
“You win from the bottom up,” Corzine told the crowd. “You lead because people are close. (Mayors) have a sense and a feel for what the pulse is really about. That’s why I’m in politics. I do believe I’m doing the right thing because that’s what I was taught. That’s why we’re going to win in the fall, because we’re doing the right thing. We’re struggling for the right thing, and tough choices end up being right choices.”
A cross section fusion of Italian, Brit and Irish, Latino, Asian, Pole and Hungarian offspring from Woodbridge, Edison, New Brunswick, Perth Amboy and the smaller towns in between, this mostly old guard party committee that unanimously threw its support to Corzine didn’t appear to be at even half strength.
Those rank and file convention players among the empty seats in the room offered him at least two standing ovations.
“That guy’s damned cuddly, you know?” said the governor, after embracing MCDO Chair Joe Spicuzzo, the county sheriff.
Moments later, “We are so diverse,” Corzine cried. “We don’t always come from the same place, but our values are absolutely the same.”
During his time in office, violent crime has gone down 7-8% and for two to three years in a row, New Jersey has experienced the lowest level of life-ending traffic accidents since 1947, Corzine boasted.
He drew a national contrast too in an effort to affirm his case for the Democratic Party. During the Bill Clinton era, Corzine said, America created 23 million jobs, while “under George Bush there was an abrogation of responsibility as we spent ourselves into oblivion.
“Republicans ruin it and Democrats rescue it,” the governor said to applause.
In a nod to a tanking economy and nose-diving poll numbers for Corzine, “It’s easier to be president than Governor of New Jersey,” said state Sen. Bob Smith (D-Pscataway), who seconded Corzine’s nomination. “We have a fiscal basket case. At least at the federal level, you can borrow against the future. In New Jersey, you can’t do that. You can’t spend one more dollar than you take in. We touted him (Corzine) as a fiscal expert. …(Four years later) we’re still going to hell in a hand basket, but were going a lot slower than 49 other states.”
Assemblyman Pat Diegnan (D-South Plainfield) initially nominated the governor for reelection. In doing so, he praised Corzine’s opposition to the War in Iraq when he served as senator.
“Our governor voted ‘no,’” said Diegnan to mounting hand clapping. “If only this country had listened to Jon Corzine, today we would be much better off.”
Garden State Equality fires new broadside at Dems Smarting over the state Senate's refusal to pass marriage equality and disillusioned at the moment with the Democratic Party majority, Garden State Equality’s 85-member Board of Directors unanimously decided against giving financial contributions to political parties and their affiliated committees. ...
“We will work harder and smarter to protect consumers, to preserve civil rights, to effectively regulate the alcoholic beverage industry, to ensure that the integrity of New Jersey’s casino gaming industry continues, to keep drives, passengers and pedestrians safe on our streets, to assist victims of crimes, and to remember always the importance of juvenile justice on issues affecting the state." -- Attorney General-designate Paula Dow, at her Senate confirmation hearing.
- PolitickerNJ.com, 02/08/10Press releases are submitted by PolitickerNJ users, not by staff. They do not represent the viewpoint of PolitickerNJ.com.
Damn Right
I have been a fan and a critic of JC's. I will be voting for him in the fall, and I would have with or without the rarely seen fire in his belly that he demonstrated in Middlesex. I cant wait for Christie to try and outfox Corzine he just doesnt have the chops. As for the Republican minority in the statehouse, Corzine has them licked too. Republican leadership in the Leg is terrible, and the state chair is hapless. Corzine was born middleclass, served in the marine corp reserves, became a selfmade millionaire, was a powerful 1 term senator, and has been a sobering and sincere governor. The Republicans just dont have all that in them
Basket-Case Bob
Bob Smith sez “We have a fiscal basket case. At least at the federal level, you can borrow against the future. In New Jersey, you can’t do that. You can’t spend one more dollar than you take in. We touted him (Corzine) as a fiscal expert. …(Four years later) we’re still going to hell in a hand basket, but were going a lot slower than 49 other states.”
Eh, Bob. We're going to hell in a hand basket case because you and your corrupt Democrat cronies have taxed and spent us to oblivion. Furthermore, despite what you think, NJ is regarded as the worst state in America in terms of business-friendliness and among the most taxed in the nation. People are heading to the border in alarming numbers and taking their jobs, businesses and taxable middle-class incomes with them.
At least Bob Smith admits that Corzine and his Dem-dominated legislature has not fixed the problem in his four years.
"We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work!"
- FDR's Treasure Secretary, Henry Morgenthau, in 1939, on 8 years of New Deal spending as an attempt to end the Great Depression.
Joe
You are a broken record my friend. Dems this Dems that Dems ruin everything. Stop being so miopic. NJ has a broekn political system that cannot be fixed by Dems or Reps, it has too many towns, too many chiefs. Reduce the needless existance of so many municipalities and school districts you will get real savings. Everyone in NJ thinks that they are experts and that no one can educate their kids except them. Look at Maryland (county wide schools) and look at Florida (county police forces that have teeth and budgets unlike ours). Homerule makes this state unaforable, Whitman's nonsense with pensions broke the state govt and McGreevy and Codey did nothing to fix it. Consolidate consolidate consolidate.
SJFool
Firstly, SJ, you are not my friend.
Secondly, I have asked you time and again to stop responding to my posts because you lack the intelligence to understand anything written above a 6th grade level.
Thirdly, Democrats have controlled the governor's office for 8 years and the legislature for more than a decade. Dem's have also held almost all of the mayor's seats in our cities for decades. Far too many of their leaders, from Sharpe James to John Lynch to Wayne Bryant, are now locked-up in prison (or under investigation, Joe Vas, etc.). Clearly you're not smart enough to see who has played the overwhelmingly large role in getting us into this mess, so you ought to just put your keyboard away and stop showing everyone how much of a fool you really are.
Finally, the system is not broken. Too many voters are just completely ignorant of what democracy, freedom, government and capitalism are supposed to be about.
"We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work!"
- FDR's Treasure Secretary, Henry Morgenthau, in 1939, on 8 years of New Deal spending as an attempt to end the Great Depression.
Thanks Friend
If you want to ignore do so, but I wont insult you. Just refute you.
"democracy, freedom, government and capitalism are supposed to be about."
We dont live in a Democracy. We live in a Democratic Republic.
Freedom. Pure freedom as in the state of nature doesnt exist. There is no pure concept of freedom or justice only what man ascribes to it (I'm not sure if you've read Hobbes). We give up certain freedoms in exchange for the security of a nation state. Nevertheless I fail to see how I am not free.
Government. Government's only authority is the people and if the people grant the government authority (otherwise known as "power") the government, having the support of the people is entitled to make certain decisions (as is the case in Democratic Republics). As long as the voice of the people are heard (elections, right to petetion etc..) and as long as the people maintain their right to vote the government is operating exactly how the founders envisioned it.
Capitalism as a concept the way we understand it was not what was understood by our founders. This takes too long to explain.
Your right though I think I did learn this stuff in 6th grade.
Now no reason why we cant be civil. Till next time friend.
Too Many Workers
In 2001 there were approximately 60,000 state workers. After McGreevey left office there were 85,000 and the number has not gotten any lower. How is it that the private sector has to lay off people because because no one is buying their products and the government not only lays off no one, but continues to give them raises?
Cut 20,000 now. Tell every municipality that does not eliminate 10% of their budget through work force reduction they simply will not be getting any money and finally, stop paying those assholes in the Supeme Court. If the state is broke, they should be the first ones to be laid off for incompetence. They make us spend billions more in failing urban districts to produce results that show that this system doesn't work and never will.
One columinist had it right. Even Obama said we have to stop rewarding failure. If the private sector, AIG, not withstanding, is not rewarded for failure, then why are these urban schools?
The definition of insanity is to continue to do the same thing and expect different results. Fits Corzine, his pals in the legislature and our Supreme Courts to a tee.
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SJ Blue UR Nuts
Corzine was able to become a millionair under different tax codes and now he is preventing me the same opportunity that he had. Don't you get it we will never be able to do better than his generation with his socialist views. I want to hold on to my hard earned gains and share them with my family and friends not some slacker. Don't forget that Corzine is cut from the same cloth as all the other Wall Street thieves accept he got out just in time. He is a bad guy who does not want anyone to have the same advantages as he has had. Ask yourself this question why would anyone want to put obstacles in the way of someone's progress?
You've created a false comparrison
Corzine is not setting up obstacles for anyone. He is creating a system that honors hardwork over investment, taxes excess luxury (that he would be subject to) and end dublicative government I'm not sure how that ruins opportunity