Happy Festivus, New Jersey!

Happy Festivus, New Jersey!

It's that time of year again to get out your unadorned aluminum pole, and celebrate Festivus.

For those of you unfamiliar with the holiday of Festivus, "the holiday, as portrayed in the Seinfeld episode and now celebrated by many, includes practices such as the "Airing of Grievances," which occurs during the Festivus meal and in which each person tells everyone else all the ways they have disappointed him or her over the past year. After the meal the "Feats of Strength" are performed, involving wrestling the head of the household to the floor, with the holiday ending only if the head of the household is actually pinned.

And so, in the spirit of the holiday of Festivus, I share with you today how people in New Jersey politics have disappointed me over the past year 2010:

Gov. Chris Christie: How could anybody expect this Governor not to be on the list of any Democrat in New Jersey celebrating Festivus?

Losing $400 million in Race To The Top Funding. Vilifying NJEA. Yelling at teachers and reporters. Stopping the ARC Tunnel. List too long to list here. No wonder his tide is turning more than the Jersey Shore's.

Bear Hunters: What's the matter? Hunting and killing Bambi not macho enough for you? So, you need to go after Yogi and Boo-Boo?

State Senator Loretta Weinberg: For not getting elected Lieutenant Governor. I know it is heaven to have you in the Senate where you still give them hell. But, I know as Lieutenant Governor you would have done so much more than just look adoringly over the shoulder of the Governor as he vetoes bills.

Senate President Steve Sweeney: For his abstention on Marriage equality, and lack of leadership in general. Has not lived up to all the leadership hype as of yet, and is pale in comparison to his predecessor. Lots more will
be expected in 2011.

Assemblyman Alex DeCrocce: For his Scrooge-like opinion about the unemployed work force in NJ being lazy: ("I'm one of the few people here ... who feel that benefits are too good for these people,"). And he is the Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Leadership Committee? What a moron.

Wally Edge for revealing himself: This is a secret that would have survived just fine, like Dear Abby or the Dread Pirate Roberts.

The entire Republican Congressional Delgation from NJ: For being on the wrong side of history and not voting to repeal "Don't Ask/Don't Tell"---Including my own Congressman Leonard Lance. Land mines don't make distinctions based on sexuality and neither should you. Shame on you all.

The 44 folks indicted for corruption: The electeds and rabbis who went to trial this year did nothing to enhance the reputation of New Jersey corruption, and just served to help the folks who produced "The Soprano State" make some bucks.

Cast of "Jersey Shore", "Real Housewives of New Jersey": Not quite as bad as the Corrupt 44, but you are enablers of the Jersey jokes written for late night hosts Leno, Fallon, Letterman and Ferguson. Snooki, please go back to NY.

Statue of Lou Costello: For not coming to life and making us laugh all year. We needed some good laughs this year, and you were not on First.

Mayor Anna Little: For distorting Frank Pallone's record over and over again in your campaign for Congress. And for your wacky ideas on governance.

Future Ex-Congressman John Adler: For voting against the healthcare bill because he thought it would give him a win in the second term; and for having a hand (if true) in running a fake Tea Party candidate. While I was proud of State Senator Adler, Congressman John Adler disappointed me.

The entire New Jersey population at large: Over the last decade New Jersey's population grew, but at a rate much more slowly then either Texas or Florida. I am very disappointed that the New Jersey population could not distract itself more often from watching the Jets or Giants, reading the Star-Ledger or the Asbury Park Press or listening to Jon Bon Jovi or Bruce long enough to schtup more often to increase your numbers. Now the very Republican states of Texas and Florida will have more influence in Congress.

And I am sure you can add your own.

Now, on to 2011, and the Feats of Strength. Between being a legislative election year, and a year we lose a Congressman, we will need all the strength we can muster.

A Festive Festivus

A Festive Festivus for all!

We are a Festivus Nation

Just about a year ago, the wife of a current member of the Flemington Borough Council wrote a letter to the Hunterdon County Democrat newspaper, condemning what she described as the “attack on Christmas”. Her letter was entitled “Christmas Traditions”, and her analysis resulted in her declaration that “we are a Christian nation”, that “tolerates all others”. Her assertion was that since the majority of America is Christian, then we are a Christian nation.

Her belief that “majority means identity” was wrong on so many levels, I didn’t know where to begin to address the issue.

We get our national identity not from the ethnic, religious, racial, gender, or sexuality of the majority of our people. Our identity arises out of the principles of governance as written by the Framers in the US Constitution and those values are clearly laid out in the First Amendment:

• "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

And in his second term, President George Washington signed the the Treaty of Tripoli, which in Article 11 stated, "As the government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian Religion...".

However, IF we are to be judged on our ‘identity’ with ‘majority’ as the sole criteria, then we are a Festivus nation, if anything at all.

Festivus is the holiday invented by the Seinfeld TV show –the holiday for the rest of us. Festivus is celebrated annually on December 23, but many people celebrate it at other times, often to avoid the Christmas rush. The holiday includes novel practices such as the "Airing of Grievances", in which each person tells everyone else all the ways they've disappointed him/her over the past year. The decor for Festivus includes a simple unadorned aluminum pole. Also, after the Festivus meal, the "Feats of Strength" are performed, involving wrestling the head of the household to the floor, the holiday only ending if the head of the household is actually pinned.

More people watched the final Seinfeld episode ---78 million people---than go to church on any given Sunday. A National Election Studies poll showed that only 25% of adult Americans claim to attend church, synagogue or temple every week. With a population of about 300 million, only about 75 million people go to church on a weekly basis. Seinfeld and Festivus trumps the church goers.

Therefore, if we are to judge our national identity purely by who is in the majority, then we are a Festivus nation.

So, this season, please remember to wish everyone you see a Festive Festivus!