Thursday, January 13, 2011

Chris Christie's Jersey Attitude

By Alan Caruba

It’s the curse of having sat through too many local town council meetings and too many speeches by politicians; it’s taking notes as they speak because you want to keep what’s said fresh in mind. Regular folks don’t do this, but anyone who has spent any time as a reporter will tell you it is a hard habit to break.

So, on Tuesday, January 11, I found myself taking notes as New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie, gave his first constitutionally required State of the State speech. He will be back in February with a speech about his budget. It was delivered to the members of the New Jersey Senate and Assembly, mostly Democrats; all of whom had learned in the previous year that the Governor was a jolly, fat buzz-saw who just loves a good fight.

Gov. Christie was preceded by two of the worst Governors in current times, Jim McGreevey who discovered he was gay after he put his boyfriend on the payroll and the whispers in the statehouse became a raging storm. He was followed by Jon Corzine, a limousine liberal. Together they increased taxes and fees 115 times in eight years! In a single term in office, Corzine raised taxes $9 billion!

I am New Jersey born and bred. I have traveled to nearly every other State in the Union with the exception of Alaska, Maine and Vermont. Do you really think I would ever leave a state that was the fictional home of Tony Soprano and the actual birthplace of Frank Sinatra? You gotta be kidding me! Forgetaboutit!

Two days after Gov. Christie took office, the state treasurer informed him that Corzine had left him and everyone else in New Jersey with a $2.2 billion deficit! Did he immediately raise taxes to cover it? No. Instead, he and the treasurer scoured the budget and found $2.2 billion in projected spending. What he did next stunned a state legislature almost as profligate as California’s. He impounded the $2.2 billion by executive order.

Goodbye old world order in New Jersey. Hello Chris Christie new world order in the Garden State. As Gov. Christie put it, to create real change, “you’ve got to show a little attitude.” If there is one thing New Jerseyans have and love, it is attitude!

So it should come as no surprise that, when Gov. Christie turned 18 and was eligible to vote, he voted for Ronald Reagan. In a talk in November at a Goldwater Institute event, he recalled how “then-Governor Reagan spoke to me. He talked about smaller, less intrusive government that was going to open up our country to exploit the entrepreneurial spirit that has always built and made it a unique place.”

“He talked about less spending, so that less money would come to Washington and more money would stay with the people who knew how to spend it best. He talked about a government that didn’t regulate every little bit and piece of your life.”

“And he talked about lowering taxes so that people could feel the economic freedom that comes from not having a government in your pocket every 15 minutes.”

Christie’s State of the State speech reflected the values that Ronald Reagan espoused and, in this centennial year of his birth, I think he would have loved every word of it. “I believe in a culture of truth,” said Gov. Christie. The voters liked what they heard and happily replaced Corzine with a man who had gained recognition by putting corrupt New Jersey politicians in jail.

On Tuesday Gov. Christie told the assembled legislators, “We cannot spend money we don’t have.” Do I dare hope that Chris Christie will someday run for President?

The latter part of his State of the State speech was a dissection of how retrograde the state teacher’s union is and why the state’s pension and benefits system had to be changed because it was hideously under-funded by billions and because he wanted to ensure that policemen, firemen, and other civil service employees would actually have a pension when they retired.

Last year he spoke to an initially hostile meeting of firefighters. By the time he got through they all crowded around him, eager to shake his hand and get their picture taken with him. Christie is no ordinary politician. “This isn’t about politics,” he said, “This is about their lives.”

He is passionate about reforming the school system in New Jersey and would, one suspects, take delight in crushing a teacher’s union that exists for nothing other than political power. Last year, when he urged New Jersey voters to demand 4% to 5% pay cuts, 59% of the school budgets were defeated.

Ronald Reagan stood six foot, two inches tall. He had literally been a movie star! Chris Christie is short. He is fat. And he is completely comfortable with that. He is a good public speaker and when he speaks, you know he really means what he says.

He’s not some cookie-cutter version of Ronald Reagan, his inspiration. He is Gov. Chris Christie and New Jersey is loving every minute of it.

© Alan Caruba, 2011

13 comments:

joetote said...

Alan,

Having lived in NJ (My son is still in A.C.)for over nine years I fully agree with everything you say here. As I was at the time in a job that afforded me ample opportunities to interact with government entities (in my case the Racing commission and Gaming), I more than aware of the situation as to the taxes, pensions and basically corrupt teacher's union.

I would be the first to agree that Christie has the Jersey "attitude" as you put it. There is however one thing that has always bothered me.

I lived in Galloway Township outside A.C. At the time and up until he was elected, it always seemed to me that there was not a tax hike or fee that the citizens of N.J. would not vote for. If there was a tax on the ballot, the voters were for it. Then, the outcry would begin when they got socked.

I always attributed this to the fact that it seemed to me that everyone pretty much knew everybody in the state (it amazes me to this day how within 6 months of getting involved in the racing industry there, it seemed like everyone in Trenton knew who I was. For what it's worth, I got there when one of the Codys was part of the Racing Commission) and as such, it was really just one huge dysfunctional family. LOL!

Seriously, I had to get away from it because I couldn't afford to live there anymore.

What I've seen from Christie so far, I like. The man not only practices what he preached but speaks to the electorate as equals which in itself is strange for N.J.
And as you say, after the previous 2 governors, almost anything is an improvement.

It's going to be great fun to watch as Cody and the rest of the Dems try to fight off this threat to their up to now absolte power. If he can do it, the citizens of N.J. will be better off and the nation as a whole will hopefully be able to learn from the example.

I would in most cases put this idea off as no more than a pipe dream, but I sense something different with this guy. i hope I'm right.

Pitch said...

Certainly one can understand your exuberance for your present Governor Chris Christie, based on the past two you have had to endure. With that said however, let me point out a few glaring deficiencies in this mere mortal you have put on a pedestal for all to admire and cherish:

1. He is an attorney. That is THREE STRIKES against him. Before you get all uptight you need to understand that I come from a long line of Attorneys and I understand how their minds work Alan. It is a totally foreign world than the average citizen has even the slightest inkling and what was once a proud and reputable profession has slithered and sunk into a dark stench filled cesspool of crime, corruption, no-speak, under the table deals, double talk, deceit, lies, scams, shams and perversions of justice that defy the imagination. Attorneys as a group are the “WORST SCUM” on earth with but few exceptions.

2. Your Governor does not believe that Illegal Aliens in America are Illegal unless they are here in the USA again after being deported at least one time…What the F___, In other words, he advocates OPEN BORDERS to allow as many illiterates and terrorists of all ethnicities as possible. The man is a “STUPID RETARD” if he cannot comprehend the present laws as they are written: ILLEGAL is ILLEGAL…and that includes the first time some drug dog or Muslim Islamic terrorist that sneaks across our border to do harm or become a part of the growing anti-American population! It is AGAINST THE LAW. PERIOD!!!!

3. He apparently does not understand the “Perils of Diversity!” I would gladly debate your retarded Governor anytime on this subject matter.

4. Your Governor is a FAT-OBESE slob! In other words, he is very sick. Obesity is dead give-away that he has emotional and psychological problems as well as self induced health problems. He is probably diabetic, has high blood pressure and already has advanced coronary artery disease. In other words, he could have a massive coronary occlusion at anytime because he is so emotionally unstable he cannot control his intake of bad calories and couple this with all his wild hysterical tirades and inappropriate emotional outbursts which raise his bad hormone blood levels through the stratosphere…a massive stroke is always just around the corner with this emotional basket case. I am reminded of the simple “AXIOM” that states: “GLUTTONY IS ONE OF THE FEW VICES THAT SHOWS!”

5. He has questionable beliefs about Gun Laws and the second amendment.

6. He has a history of standing in line for “PAY-OFFS” as a lobbyist. This is one of the most sordid and sorry professions in the entire world with vast numbers of shady deals cut on a daily basis.

7. And last but not least: He is nothing more than a sorry ass Politician that will say and do anything to get elected and get his piece of the pie by hook or crook…your Governor is blowing smoke on you Alan…he sounds great when one only watches his right hand…but you better damn well watch his left hand too as he is no different than any other Narcissistic, Egotistical Tyrannical Politician in our era of decline as a civilized society!

Unknown said...

If only we had someone like Chris Christie here in Illinois. Instead, we have a governor who congratulated lawmakers after they passed a 67% income tax increase less than 12 hours before the new class of representatives was to be sworn in.

Alan Caruba said...

@Pitch: Sorry, but too many huge and innappropriate assertions being made here. Take a deep breath.

I didn't say he walked on water. I did say he is off to strong start that New Jerseyans generally support.

TexasFred said...

Looks like Pitch threw a BALL on that one... LMAO

Rich Kozlovich said...

Pitch,

So one is either physically or emotionally sick if they are obese? My grandmother was a very heavy, happy, smiling all the time, and a well loved grandmother. Especially by those who did business with her.

Although you may be right, because he only lived to be 90.

I will say this. You do seem to have a lot of issues.

Pitch said...

@ Texas F___ & Alan:

Reality is synonymous with truth, and truth is unyielding. One can choose to ignore it, scorn it, curse it, or even laugh at it but all to no avail Texas F___; in the end, truth impassively stands its ground in the face of the most overpowering attacks. I threw you guys a curve BALL and you missed it a mile.

This repulsive FAT LARD ASS (SICK) SLOB that was just elected Governor of NJ is campaigning for Prez 2012 at this very moment and going through all the motions of doing and saying the things he thinks the folks want to hear; all to generate a huge ground swell of potential sheep, lemmings’, voters/supporters that still believe in the Fairy Tale that a sorry ass Politician is the answer to everything...when in reality they are the only problem America ever had...

My prediction is that no one or nothing can stop the crushing avalanche of Socialism/Marxism and anti American sentiment that is snow balling across the entire American Landscape...

We have just learned today that Citi Group is just too damn large to fail and will be given special considerations and that there will be even many more home and commercial foreclosures in 2011 than the one million in 2011.

LMAOAYT!

Alan Caruba said...

@Pitch:

Here's a truth to wrap your mind around--You are herewith BANNED from posting on my blog.

Dave's Daily Day Dream said...

Let's keep an open mind and follow the money and follow the power.
How about another update in three months Alan?

Alan Caruba said...

@Dave: the NJ Governor still has to present a budget to the Dem legislature, so it will take some time to see how much of it they will go along with...I get the feeling they are rather cowed by him at this point.

rick says said...

Hi Alan,

Great post - reminds me of the new, short, fat mayor in Toronto. I love the guy! He sounds just like your man Chris.
In fact, during the Toronto election, there were many who sounded just our friend Pitch, spewing hatred & nonsense, but my guy got in & he is doing what he said he'd do!
Is there a cloning machine out there?

Travis sez said...

This is the best news I've seen in a couple of blue moons. Greetings from Foggy California, where Governor Moonbeam is facing the music, by dancing, straddling and doing everything but saying, in WWII style, "tell it to everyone, but be sure and tell it to the Marines!".

LarryOldtimer said...

The guy sounds darn fine to me. There are attorneys and then there are attorneys.

Having worked for government, state and local (director of public works level local)I know that government can not be run as a business. I also worked as a project manager in the private sector.

Spending other peoples' money (OPM) foolishly is common, as is corruption in government.

I made sure that any OPM I spent went to the betterment of the taxpayer, and made sure that no OPM found its way into my pocket or the pockets of any I supervised/managed.

The problem of government is a lack of personal ethics in both politicians and in particular, heads of departments in the bureaucracy. Corruption can begin "at the bottom" but can't continue without approval from the top.

It is hardly impossible to find an attorney with a strong sense of personal ethics. Cristie seems to be an attorney with a strong sense of personal ethics, as Ronald Reagan was. You are indeed fortunate to have him as Governor.