A Vote for Chris Daggett is a Vote For...

A Vote for Chris Daggett…? 

A vote for Chris Daggett is nothing more than… a vote for Chris Daggett. 

The continuing whines from both the Corzine and Christie camps bemoaning their contention that voting for Chris Daggett is a waste of a vote and won’t mean anything is pretty juvenile and self serving.   I would strongly disagree.  The only waste of a vote, would be not voting at all. 

While Chris Daggett is no Jesse Ventura, he is rapidly becoming the most successful independent candidate for statewide office in the history of New Jersey. It is often said that in order to accomplish something great, it is born out of a number of factors and perhaps the most important one, in this case, is catching the perfect political storm. 

Conventional wisdom would say that an independent candidate in a statewide election in New Jersey would have no chance, except, perhaps this year. So why is Chris Daggett continuing to gain strength? 

Is it because he has unbeatable plans for New Jersey?  Is it because he actually has a plan?  Is it because there are a lot of democrats who can’t bring themselves to vote for Jon Corzine?  Is it because Chris Christie has proven not to be the alternative to Jon Corzine disenchanted democrats and angry republicans that they thought he was? 

Or, is it that as this campaign progresses to its merciful end, he is the benefactor of the general public just being fed up with both political parties, their candidates and their campaign tactics? I would suggest that it is most likely some combination of the above. 

Daggett’s plan for a tax shift is neither unique nor new.  Unfortunately, any time any tax is being increased or expanded in order to provide relief to those being over burdened someone will paint such a tax plan as a tax increase.  That is what Mr. Christie has tried to portray the plan as.  Mr. Corzine has said little about it. 

This becomes an interesting dichotomy to say the least. Unfortunately no matter how fair someone wants to be, when it involves the increase of any tax or fee on anyone no matter how well intentioned is it, it will be portrayed as tax increase. The problem is convincing the voting public that in any particular instance the change in tax strategy is aimed at fairness. 

To date, Mr. Daggett has not done a great job in explaining the fairness of what he is proposing.  I am not saying that it is a bad plan, but any plan that lacks wide spread acceptance is going to get more than its fair share of criticism and justifiably so.   

On the second consideration, there are clearly a lot of “soft” democrats that cannot bring themselves to vote for Gov. Corzine for a whole host of reasons, mostly 8.9 Billion of them.  I believe that initially many of them looked to Chris Christie as their golden boy and were willing to move in that direction. However, they have been waiting to hear something, anything that sounds like a genuine plan as to how he will accomplish anything. 

A list of fifty, sixty or 88 items listed that need changing are a great start, but the deal has to be closed.  Without any specific as to how a single item is going to be accomplished it becomes nothing more than a set of empty promises which the general public, republicans and soft democrats are just not going to accept. 

That brings us to Chris Daggett.  If the soft democrats are not returning to their democrat roots and are not migrating to Chris Christie, Chris Daggett becomes the logical benefactor in this race and a wild card of immense proportions. 

No matter what the national economy is doing, New Jersey is responsible for its own decisions and policies.  Increasing taxes and fees in the face of the current economic situation is a fool’s strategy.  Not taking advantage of that glaring mistake simply becomes lan even bigger mistake. 

And now, Mr. Daggett looks like an arms supplier to both sides.  He is able to take a shot at both major party candidates and do it with a light touch as to endear him to the public.  The public is clearly looking for something that really represents a change from the status quo. 

The status quo is the two major parties and their respective candidates.  The New Jersey voter anger is palpable and working its way into this race in ways never seen. It is entirely possible that no candidate will surpass 45% in this election which could go even lower and the next governor will be elected with the lowest vote total in New Jersey history.  This is all because there is a viable 3rd party candidate in this election and it is Chris Christie who made him viable. 

So, no one’s vote is wasted, no matter who they vote for.  My strong suggestion is vote your conscience and don’t let anyone sway you from your personal preference. 

Remember, it is your vote, not someone else’s. If you vote for Chris Daggett you are not wasting your vote.  You are simply exercising your right as a member of the voting public and don’t let anyone tell you that you are wasting it.  The only waste would be if you don’t vote at all.   

The net next effect of not voting is that you are leaving the decision as to who the next governor will be to someone else, not yourself.  So, if you want a say in this, the best thing to do is vote and vote your conscience. 

Don’t allow someone else’s comments to sway you from doing what you want to do.  Remember it is your decision and your vote.  Use it wisely.