Chris Christie and Warrantless Seraches.

Our Mensch of The Week this week goes to Deborah Jacobs and the fine folks at the ACLU for reporting that Chris Christie, while US Attorney---apparently taking his lead from the Bush Admnistration----approved the use of cell phone tracking without warrants for probable cause.

What did Chris Christie have to say?

"There was no policy in place that said to us you have to get a search warrant. Chris Christie wasn’t sitting around wondering where everyone was."

Well, yeah---there is a 'policy in place'!

It's called the US Constitution. Brought to you by the fine folks at the 1787 convention. Here's the link to it online. And you can check it out in Washington, too----now that Bush-Cheney-Rove et all are out of there, and it's back in style.

And I think it's funny that Christie referred to himself in the third person, like the 'Jimmy' character on Seinfeld....

Comedy in Bernardsville

Stand-up comedy in New Jersey started in Bernardsville. Really, they were the first.

Every night on late night talk shows, there is at least one joke about New Jersey. We are tough, and we can take it. But, our much maligned Garden State has something to be really, really proud of when it comes to the world of stand-up comedy: this is the place where audiences so appreciated the talents of people like Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Murphy, Rosie O’Donnell, Paul Reiser, Chris Rock and dozens of other now-famous comedians that they actually paid to see them.

Yup, while the Comic Strip, the Improv and Catch A Rising Star merely gave these comedians stage time ----and nothing more---there was a bar/restaurant in New Jersey that saw the value of these very talented future stars, and paid them to come and do their shtick. That bar/restaurant was called Freddy’s back then---and it was in Bernardsville. Freddy's is even mentioned in a biography of Seinfeld---on page 180 of "Seinfeld, the Making of an American Icon."

The birthplace of paid stand-up comedy in the New York metropolitan area was in Bernardsville. In New York, these comedians got bupkis. In New Jersey, they got fifty bucks, a dinner, and----respect. In the world of future Rodney Dangerfields, respect was very much appreciated. Sometimes even more than the dinner.

There was a small back room at Freddy’s that held maybe 75 people. The bar was in the back of the room, and the comedians took the stage in the front of the room. The ‘stage’ was only six inches from the floor, and maybe 4 square feet total. But the magic was palpable. Imagine that! A club owner who valued comedians enough to pay them money.

The success of the Sunday nights at Freddy’s were a combination of location ---being across from the New Jersey transit train station, which is how most comedians could get there---no New York acts had cars in those days. Timing---it was 1980, and disco was so over it would make your teeth hurt, and audiences were looking for something different. And baby boomers were laughing hard at Saturday Night Live, and so live comedy had come in to its own.

The owners of Freddy’s had all the comedians sign their 8 x 10 black and white photo---there were shots of Jackie “The Jokeman” Martling, Seinfeld, Gilbert Gottfried, Eddie Murphy, Paul Reiser, Bob Nelson, Rosie O’Donnell ---and countless others less famous all over the walls. Who knows where those pics are now.

Today, that place is a micro-brewery, I think---the Stone Tavern Inn. But back then, the funniest people in the world entertained.

All in Bernardsville.

Rudy: He's gone. You feel stupid.

Jerry Seinfeld on magicians: "What is the point of the magician? He comes on, he fools you, you feel stupid, show's over ... It's like, 'Here's a quarter. Now it's gone. You're a jerk."

Same thing with Rudy 911liani’s run for President. What was the point of his run for president? He comes on stage, squawking over and over about 911. He fools you, he ignored Iowa, New Hampshire, he tanks in Florida, and now the show’s over. And it is like, “I’m America’s Mayor, and I’m gonna be the president. 911! 911!” Now he’s gone. If you supported him you’re a….well, you get the idea.

Back in the late spring, I had the opportunity of running in to the Chairman of the Hunterdon County Republican Committee, Henry Kuhl. Now, Henry must be a smart fellow, with more than just a scintilla of political smarts, since he has been the chairman in Hunterdon for more years than I can remember.

When I inquired of his choice on his side of the ailse, Henry told me “the next president and vice president of the United States will be Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson”.

[He did not spell Rudy Giuliani for President with "911", by the way.]

“Hmm”, I said. “Do you really think that Giuliani will be able to survive the southern conservative Republicans? Will they really vote for someone who is pro-choice, pro-gay rights, twice divorced, and an Italian Catholic New Yorker?”

Without hesitation, he declared an emphatic “Yes, because they want a winner.”

So, the Southern conservative Republican right-wing Christian fundamentalists will be willing to compromise their core values to support a “winner”. Good trick, I thought.

As it turns out, those folks won’t even get a chance to have their core values tested.

And in NJ, the Repubs must all feel stupid, being fooled that way Rudy ran his campaign and dropped out.

On the Democratic side, Rudy’s magic tricks did not fool anyone. So it goes.

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!

New Jersey Congressional Delegation Marches Lockstep on the War

“When House lawmakers on Thursday passed a bill that would compel President Bush to start withdrawing troops from Iraq after four months, only four Republicans supported the measure, while 10 Democrats opposed it. All six New Jersey Republicans voted against H.R. 2956, which would require Bush to effect "a transition to a limited presence" in Iraq by April 1, 2008. The Garden State Republicans, however, did not come to the floor to defend Bush's policy in Iraq, including the president's determination to surge 30,000 additional American soldiers and Marines into Baghdad, al Anbar Province and Diyala Province.” (Cahir, Gloucester County Times).

Duncan. Emerson. Gilchrest. Jones.

These were the Republicans who supported H.R. 2956, which would require the president to effect "a transition to a limited presence" in Iraq by April 1, 2008. The vote in the House except for these four Republicans [and the ten Democrats who opposed the bill] went pretty much along political party lines. And while the Republican New Jersey Congressional Delegation marched in lockstep with Bush on the War, at least four Republicans showed good sense and opposed President Bush war policies.

As Seinfeld might say, “Who ARE these people?” And why did they vote against their president?

John James Duncan Jr. was elected as a Republican to the One Hundredth Congress, by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his father, John J. Duncan.

He represents the Second Congressional District in Tennessee, which is mostly made up of citizens residing in the Knoxville metropolitan area. He has been named among the five most fiscally conservative Members of Congress by the National Taxpayers Union and is one of the few Members of Congress to receive the Citizens Against Government Waste Super Hero Award.

√Perhaps Congressman Duncan is a 'thinking conservative' --- and does not want to waste taxpayers dollars on the Iraqi War.

Jo Ann Emerson represents the 8th District in Missouri, from the Mississippi River valley, through the Bootheel flatlands, and to the timberlands and clear streams of the Ozarks. Agricultural products including cotton, corn, rice, grapes, trout, forest products, and livestock are produced there. Over 90% of America's lead production is located in the Eighth District. She is very strong on support for her rural district, made up of many family farms.

√Ms. Emerson is a mother and grandmother. Perhaps she does not wish to see her children's children pay for a long-term war with their lives or tax dollars. And she is from the 'Show Me State'. That says it all.

Congressman Wayne Gilchrest [1st District of Maryland] is most often described as an independent voice for his constituents on Capitol Hill. His willingness to champion issues and vote his conscience regardless of party affiliation has earned him respect from both sides of the political spectrum. He continues to be a strong advocate for fiscal responsibility and environmental protection. His consistent support for reducing federal spending and eliminating the deficit has won him accolades from many taxpayer watchdog groups since his first term in 1991.

Gilchrest serves as a senior member of the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

√ Perhaps it is Mr. Gilchrest's independence that is his hallmark on the issue of the war.

Walter B. Jones represents the 3rd District in North Carolina, home of the world famous Outer Banks --- the home of the world's first airplane flight, Kitty Hawk. His dedication and commitment to providing tax relief for American families, retirement security for our nation's seniors, a strong national defense and a quality education for every child has earned him respect among his colleagues on both sides of the political aisle.

As a member of the Armed Services Committee, Jones has concentrated on safeguarding the well being of our nation's veterans and our men and women on active duty. His concern for Vietnam-era veterans led him to introduce the War Crimes Act of 1996, which allows prisoners of war, the opportunity to bring their persecutors to justice in U.S. courts.

√ Congressman Jones concentrating on the "safeguarding the well being of our nation's veterans and our men and women on active duty" may have something to do with his willingness to support a time table for withdrawal.

So while New Jersey’s own Republican congressional delegation has traveled lockstep with their president on this insane war policy, at least these four Republicans have shown independence, intelligence and insight. They vote their conscience first before their party.

So, a big thumbs up to these independent thinking Republicans from this lifelong Democrat. The NJ Repubs could learn a thing or two.

“Phone calling. It’s not just for Governors anymore.”

Maybe the governor is trying to set a good example for us all by giving up email and only using his cell phone. Maybe it's the wave of the future.

I think people rely way too much on email. It's tough in email to communicate complex ideas. Negotiate multifaceted deals. Have emotional blow-ups. Be sarcastic. You can't tell someone's 'tone' in an email. No matter how well you bold, capitilize, or ITALICIZE words. The problem, of course, is it's tough to do anything other than share the most basic information with emails. Short quick thoughts and ideas that people can read and say “Yay” or “Nay” to.

We taught my 81-year-old mother how to use email. She would email me and then immediately call me on my cell phone asking, “So, did you get my email?”

She'd email my Aunt Lilly, and then call her to see if she received the email. “Let me get off the phone and look,” Aunt Lilly would answer.

So, my Aunt Lilly would get off her phone, unplug her phone, hook up the computer modem to the phone line, go online with her very slow dial-up modem, go to AOL, get her email, and then see my mother’s email listed. Then she would just as dutifully, unhook the modem, re-connect the phone, and call my mother back.

“Hello, Pearl, this is Lilly, your sister,” she would say.

They have been sisters for 81 years, and they still identify each other by name and title when they call. The conversation would continue:

“So, did you get my email?”
“Yes, I did.”
“So, do you want to go?”
“Go where?”
“To play Mah Jong with Gertie? It’s in the email. Did you read the email?"
"Oh, I didn’t read the email. You just asked me if I got the email. I got the email."
“But you didn’t read the email?”
“No, I didn’t. What time did you want to go and play Mah Jong with Gertie?”
“ I don’t have time for this. That’s why I put it in the email. Go back and read the email."

So, Lilly goes back to read the email. She gets off the phone, unplugs the phone, hooks up the computer modem to the phone line, goes online with her very slow dial-up modem….

And it goes on and on like this. By the way, my mother and Aunt Lilly live just four doors down from each other.

Gotta love Florida. It’s like living in a Seinfeld episode.

Maybe Governor Corzine has the right idea:
“Phone calling. It’s not just for Governors anymore.”

"The Sopranos" have been whacked

Tonight, they tell us, will be the last episode of "The Sopranos".
I wouldn’t borrow money from Tony to bet on it, ----if there is more money to be made in the future, I am sure he will be back ----but let’s just assume this to be true, that tonight is the end of it all.

"The Sopranos" have been whacked.

Final episodes always have a way of disappointing us. The bigger the show, the bigger the let down. The last episode of “MASH” engendered nationwide parties in homes, bars, even on the streets of NY. The ratings were phenomenal. The show? Pffsst. A big nothing. “Seinfeld”? One of the best sitcoms of all time [second or third to “I Love Lucy” and maybe “The Dick Van Dyke Show”] in its prime, had a last episode that truly bit the big one in a major way.

I think it’s because the writers are responding to the historical moment, rather than being inspired by what brought them there ---true to life experiences. So, they write what they think the public wants to see, and they fail. The hostilities in Korea never really ended. We’re still there after 50 years. Neurotic and self-absorbed comedians still live on the Upper Eastside. I know; I've worked with many of them.

Maybe “The Sopranos” will be different. David Chase seems like a very talented guy, who writes from his gut of inspiration, rather than from what he thinks the public wants to see.

I am a transplant to NJ [from Brooklyn, NY] as well as to “The Sopranos”. I never really watched the show on HBO. We never had HBO or cable for a long time. When I was in law school we did not watch that much TV. So, we cancelled cable as a cost cutting measure.

So, I got to know Tony, Paulie, Big Pussy, Christopher, AJ, Dr. Melfi, Silvio, Carmella, and Meadow all by rented DVD and all out of order.

Chase has whacked a lot of people over the years. Adrianna. Big Pussy. Cousin Tony. Christopher. Bobby. But never Paulie Walnuts. He was not very bright. He was completely without scruples or ethics of any kind. So why does he survive and others get whacked?

Paulie Walnuts: He is loyal to a "T"... and loves his mother.

He's the guy I will miss the most. Loved the name. Loved the hair. The always clueless guy, loyal to a T [literally] and loyal to his mother, real and adopted. He would just as soon shake down a guy for the extra ‘fig’ he owes from a lost sports bet by breaking his knee caps, as break a guy’s leg for not giving his mother the best room in her nursing home.

While Tony’s relationship with his mother sucked and was the basis for his therapy with Dr. Melfi, Paulie loved his mother, and visited her every chance he could. And how can you not love a crime thug who loves his mother? Will he ever rise above ‘capo’ in the family? No, Paulie Walnuts will never be a ‘don’, but he was fun to watch just the same.

Good night, Paulie. I know Chase will never whack you in the last episode. You are a survivor because you love your mother.