As Dan Qualye said, “The future will be better tomorrow.”

Years ago, my dad and I drove to the 1964 World’s Fair in our 1954 Buick Special.

Upon arrival, we made a bee-line for the Ford Motor Car Company exhibit to see what the cars of The Future would look like.
In the 21st century, Ford told us, American-made cars would dominate the world.

They’d zoom at 75 mph along a massive connection of complex highways that would get Mom & Dad & the Kids anywhere in the country virtually traffic free.

Cars would have fins and look like rocket ships. Satellites would guide your Ford car with directions to grandma’s house. From your car telephone you could call anywhere in the world. And gas would always be about 30.9 cents a gallon.

But the single thing that impressed this 11 year-old from Brooklyn the most was a TV in our car.
The thought of being able to watch “My Mother The Car” on car trips was more excitement than I could bear. Who cared about my dad getting us lost yet again, if I could be watching “Get Smart” on long Sunday trips to Long Island to visit my Rosentraub family cousins.

And for Bernie Novick, the most impressive feature was having a phone in the car. This way, he could call my Uncle Philly to let him know we’d be late ‘cause we were lost yet again.

“Are driving you on the Belt Parkway or the BQE?”, my Uncle Philly would yell in to the phone.

As Dan Qualye said, “The future will be better tomorrow.”
Just not in New Jersey.

Flash forward to 2007: Gas is over $3.00 a gallon. During rush hour, we don’t so much ‘zoom along’ the Turnpike as ‘creep along’. Kids in the backs of Japanese-made mini-vans can watch Shrek The Third over and over again.

But if my dad, gets lost in New Jersey, can’t call or text message my Uncle Philly to let him know we're gonna be late. Not without incurring the wrath of the New Jersey State Police.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer from last week:

The state Assembly and Senate are expected today to approve legislation that would allow police to pull over and ticket drivers for talking on handheld cell phones or text messaging on the road.

Yup. The state has ratcheted up the penalties on text messaging and cell phoning in the car while driving in NJ. And made it a primary, rather than secondary offense. I guess it makes sense.

Most of the people I know from NJ politics are always calling or texting from their cars.

“I can get lots more work done in the car that way,” one of them told me. And he’s a guy I know from the PoliticsNJ List of the Top 100 Most Powerful Pols. Probably got there as a function of deals he was able to cut while driving in the car on the cell phone.

The bill would make New Jersey the first state to make cell phone use and texting while driving primary offenses, meaning drivers could be pulled over for doing either.

So, if you’re lost on the NJ Turnpike with your kids and you’re trying to call your Uncle Philly to get directions, wear a headset. Or call hands free.

Or the next cell or text message you may receive may be from that State Trooper near Turnpike Exit 14 stating, “Pull over”.

“You have ‘inner-clout’, dear.”

Do you remember when you’d ask your mother, ‘Mom, am I good looking? Am I smart?’ And she’d say in her sweet motherly way,“Dear, you have 'inner beauty'. And the kind of intelligence they can’t teach in school. You have street smarts.” And you’d think to yourself, ‘Great. I’m ugly AND stupid.’

And that is, perhaps, solace to those who did not make The List.

Almost one hundred percent of the people I predicted to be on the “PoliticsNJ Top 100” made it to The List. Of course, I included several elected officials, not recognizing that they were not to be included. I told you yesterday that the criteria was ‘hush-hush.’ So, I stand corrected.

So, who was I right about? Racist frat-boys from 101.5, Carton & Rossi at Number 9; Juan Meli of BlueJersey.com in at Number 17, well ahead of Donald Trump at Number 20. It's the hair, Donald.

Lobbyist Dale Florio of the Princeton Public Affairs Group is on the list once again, no surprise. Steven Goldstein of Garden State Equality is there, too, as I thought.

However, I was wrong about Bill Dressel of NJ State League of Municipalities, someone who has a great deal of clout with municipalities. I was equally wrong as well with the omission of the “Voters of New Jersey” --- as a list choice with real muscle.

I was pleasantly surprised to see my former Seton Hall law professor and current chair of the New Jersey Ethics Commission Paula Franzese clocking in at Number 18. She is a good law professor, has a great sense of humor --- and is very ethical, too.

The thing I am impressed with the most is that if you’re in the Top Ten of The List , you get a drawn caricature of yourself. Now that is privilege, as well as power. Who was the artist?
Probably a police sketch artist, figuring, after all that this is New Jersey. If you're in politics in
New Jersey, having a picture like that already can be a real time saver later on.


The caricature of Carla Katz [left] makes her look like a joyous Howard Stern [right].




In his caricature, George Norcross looks a little ‘too happy’ about being 'Number Two'.

And Joe Ferriero looks like he’s cackling to himself, “I’ll get you yet, Loretta Weinberg....and your little dog, too”.

I was, however, just a touch miffed at the spot I was placed on the list. We folks down at The List Number 452,034 found it difficult to spot those in the top 100, with so many taller people blocking my view.

Fortunately, I did happily find out just now that I ranked higher this year than some very important people: I beat out 1985 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Peter Shapiro; former NJ Homeland Security guy Golan Cipal; and the third-string catcher for the Camden Riversharks. That’s progress in my book.

So, to those of you who did not make The List and do not have the clout of the Top 100:

"You have the kind of power that does not come from being on any dumb old PoliticsNJ list. You have’ inner-clout’, dear."

Those of us not on The List will just have to go on thinking that.

Want to know who in politics in New Jersey has been eating their spinach...

... and wields a great deal of political muscle?

This morning at 10:30am on the nose, PoliticsNJ will release The List of “100 Most Powerful People in New Jersey Politics”. Prepare to have their site crash because of all the folks who will log on right at 10:30 on the dot.

The criteria for The List is kept very hush-hush. And The List is probably only important to (a) the folks at PoliticsNJ who actually make up the list, (b) the folks who actually get chosen for the List, (c) those who wish they were on the list, and (d) the folks who get to comment on The List. For the rest of New Jersey’s working class families, it’s a big yawn.

However, since I fit somewhere between between (c) and (d), I am making my predictions about The List --- the night before.

I am sure the folks on The List will include Gov. Jon Corzine [duh], and the former [and possibly future] Acting Governor/Senate President Richard Codey [double 'duh'] ---they certainly deserve it. Also, our two Senators Lautenberg and Menendez wield a great deal of power. Democratic Congressmen Holt, Pallone, and Andrews should find their way somewhere there. And perhaps Loretta Weinberg, Susan Bass Levin, Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson-Coleman and retired NJ Supreme Court Chief Justice Deborah Poritz.

Also, my guess given the state of the Repubs these days nationally, fewer Repubs will be on the list this year statewide. Undoubtedly, Chris Christie [United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey] and Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance will make the list. Where on the list, who knows ---but I predict that Christie will place higher than Lance. Christie is the clear choice [if he so chooses] to challenge Gov. Corzine in 2009, while Sen. Lance will be challenged by Tom Kean, Jr. for the Senate Minority Leadership post. Maybe Jr. will be in the top 100, but he won’t be higher than 50. As far as Mayors go, look for Cory Booker of Newark and Jun Choi of Edison.

There will be a smattering of hired guns here and there in the top 25 ---the usual suspects including Dale Florio, Brad Brewster, Judy Shaw, Hazel Gluck on the Repub side. On the Dem side, certainly Karen Kominsky and Paul Matacera.

There will be some non-governmental players in the top 100, too. In spite of their racist frat-boy antics, Craig Carton and Ray Rossi of 101.5 may be in the top 100. Their show reaches so far and wide, and they have such a powerful drive time listening public, that they wield enormous influence.

It’s a more sure thing than a blackjack bet at any Trump Casino that Juan Melli of BlueJersey.com [named Politician of the Year for 2006 by PoliticsNJ] will be in the top 20, if not the Top 10.

Other non-elected players in the top 100 will be Steven Goldstein of Garden State Equality [who engineered the civil unions in to law, and vows marriage equality to follow within two years]; and Bill Dressel of the NJ State League of Municipalities for his no-nonsense common sense approach advocacy for NJ’s 566 towns.

Who won’t make The List? Well, me, for one. I am fairly certain of that, but who knows.

Also, Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow and Raritan Twp Committeewoman Chris Harcar for their Sunday night fisticuffs. Assemblyman Mike Doherty’s name will be missing--- hard to put someone on The List who does not believe in evolution or global warming or stem cell research.

But the most glaring omission from The List ---and perhaps really the most powerful entity in all of New Jersey --- is the New Jersey voting public. After all, without the voting public, no one on The List would need to be on the Any List at all. And they are no dummies.

Heckuva job, Bloomie!

With Mr. 28% at lower than a 28% approval rating in New Jersey, Republican voters are leaving their party by the score. And this is especially true in the Big Apple, where Repubs are now taking smaller bites.

Across the river and through the tunnel, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced that he, too, is leaving the party of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Reagan to become an ‘independent’. Hell, if Lincoln and Teddy were around today, I am sure that would say good-bye to the GOP, too. If Reagan were around, I am not sure he would ever really know what was going on anyway.

Now, an argument can be made that Bloomberg was a lifelong Democrat, and never embraced the neo-con values of today's Repubs, anyway. However, he did stand shoulder to shoulder with Bush and other Republicans while in office and embraced their support and as well as their good will.

And that makes him the beneficiary of the Repubs in my book.
I guess when you have a couple of billion dollars, you can play fast and loose with your core values.

What does this mean for New Jersey? That Republican days are numbered here and they may very well become 'the third party' they were back in 1856.

Repub core values will be in the back of voters’ minds on Election Day, not helping Repubs in close races. While no doubt property taxes, auto insurance, sprawl, school funding, open space, etc. --- will always be the issues at the heart of every New Jersey voter ----Repub stands on national issues that reflect the core values of the Bush/Cheney regime in DC will be in the back of voters’ minds at the polls in November.

Voters will be lots smarter this year: The Repubs' stand on such issues as abortion, marriage equality, the war in Iraq, torture, spying on Americans, the suspension of habeas corpus, Alberto Gonzalez… [The list is endless!] will help the Democrats pick up seats in the NJ State Legislature.

This is at a time when the Party in power usually loses seats, during the mid-term election.

Two races to watch closely:

Senator Ellen Karcher vs. Assemblywoman Jen Beck in the 12th and Senator Tom Kean, Jr vs. Gina Genovese in the 21st. Both races will be very expensive and provide opportunities for the Democrats to solidify even more strength in the Senate.

Prediction:

Karcher, in a close race, will retain her seat.

Right now, an even money coin toss for Jr. He’s probably focusing too much on his Minority Senate Leadership race against Senator Leonard Lance, and not enough on his race in the 21st. I have met Gina and she is a contender.

The Big Apple: First, a cover charge, and now a minimum, too.

For years, it cost a cover charge to get in to the Big Apple from New Jersey. The “Bridge and Tunnel” crowd from NJ [and the surrounding boroughs, of course,] would make their way in to Manhattan by those very bridges and tunnels, and pay a hefty fee for the privilege of being in NYC.

Those 'bridges and tunnels' are the ones named for former presidents Lincoln and Washington, and the one-not-named for the nickname for the Netherlands, Holland. We love the folks from Holland very much, but not so much to name a tunnel after them. We like Clifford Milburn Holland, the guy who designed the tunnel much more than we love the Dutch folks, so we named the tunnel after him.

For just six bucks, payable in cash or EZPass, you, too can gain access to the very exclusive land the Indians called ‘Man-hat-tan’ ---from Algonquian word meaning “isolated thing in water”--- [and possibly from ‘land needing hyphens in the name’].

Oh, so accurate were the island natives back then with their naming skills. The thing was such an ‘isolated thing’, that we had to build tunnels and bridges to keep them connected to the rest of the nation. While NJ is actually part of the American continent, Man-hat-tan is not. Their only attachment to the rest of US are those very bridges and tunnels.

Besides the cover charge of six bucks, now Mayor Bloomberg wishes to charge a ‘minimum’ in the form of a ‘congestion fee’ --- charging cars $8 and trucks $21 to drive into Manhattan below 86th Street between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the privilege of just being present in the Big Apple. This is a plan the Mayor was inspired to consider because of its use in London. And we are amused that the Mayor is inspired by what the folks across the pond are doing to control the riff-raff that makes its way in to London town.

The scuttlebutt/gossip/rumor-mill is that Gov. Corzine is not thrilled with the Mayor’s idea just yet. “I have some concerns, which I have expressed, about how it will impact New Jersey commuters. . . . We don't have the capacity to handle dramatic surges in additional riders on our mass transit system, which is what congestion pricing is going to," he told the folks at Gannett.

So, just like everything else with New York City, when they have a problem, they dump it on us. It’s like having a big, fat party animal John Belushi-type friend, who is fun to have around, but always makes us be the designated driver when we go out partying.

Save $$$ in Property Taxes: Become a diplomatic mission to the UN

The folks in Mongolia hate property taxes as much as NJ does:

The US Supreme Court sided with Bloomberg and NYC last week --- that the government of Mongolia must pay the $ 2.1 million in property taxes their nation of 2,594,100 owes the Big Apple for buildings where they operate diplomatic offices.

Come on, Prime Minister Miyeegombyn Enkhbold: youse guys can certainly come up with that in either dollars or tögrögs, your official currency.

That’s less than a buck a head for every Mongolian man, woman or child! And certainly much less than we pay per head in New Jersey. You guys have a bargain in the Big Apple.

New York City has been trying to collect property taxes from nations that house their employees in the same buildings where they operate diplomatic offices. And there are plenty of these around Manhattan, given the United Nations building in town. Those “countries have tax exemptions for the diplomatic mission section of the properties, but the city says they must pay taxes for the space that houses employees,” according to Fox News.

Mongolia owes a little over a cool 2 mil. India owes over $16 million. And that's a lot of tögrögs or Indian Rupees any way you slice it.

We all have to pay property taxes. Even Mongolia and India. But tax exemptions for the diplomatic mission section of the properties?

This gives me a great idea for NJ property tax payers: Rent your house to a diplomatic mission. They get out of NY, and you get a tax break! It's win-win.

Let’s say you get a small nation to house their diplomatic mission to the UN in your house? That should get you some property tax relief in the form of the diplomatic exemption. Certianly not China, India or Russia ----they probably have huge delegations to the UN and need lots of space. But maybe Chad, Tuvalu, or San Marino can use the help. After all, how many delegates to the UN can a nation of a few thousand have? One, maybe two guys? And they’re probably at the UN most of the time.

So, maybe you can offer the rep from the Palau Islands in the Pacific Ocean near the Philippines your garage or the folks from San Marino your back bedroom for a few nights a week. And I am sure the folks from Tuvalu would not mind putting their feet up on your coffee table, chugging down a cool BudLight after a hard day of diplomacy, and listening to the Tuvalu national anthem. So, become an official diplomatic office ----complete with the property tax exemption it comes with.

I am sure you can easily explain that to your town tax collector.

So, Mongolia and India: I am certain that while NYC can give you a little more time to pay your property taxes ---- but after that, we folks in the Garden State will lend them the Sopranos to collect. After all, they're not busy in New Jersey any more.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

In honor of my father, Private First Class Bernie Novick, I repeat my blog from Memorial Day:

What did you do in the war, Dad?

That was the question that Miss Connor, my 4th grade teacher at PS 277 in Brooklyn ,wanted each kid in our class to ask their dad. We had an entire sheet of questions that Miss Conner handed out---you know, printed on mimeograph paper that had that rich chemical smell.

"What rank did your father have?" "What was his job in the war?" "What countries did he go to?" were some of the questions we had to ask. We were assigned to do an oral report for the class; this was to be a school project for Veterans Day in early November 1963.

I had heard many of my father’s WWII stories told over and over again. There was the story about his train ride from New Jersey to the training camp Alabama, the train ride where he walked up and down the train cars saying hello and meeting everyone. There was the story about how he hid a bald man’s cap, and the man got mad at him. There was the story behind an old photograph, where he met his lifelong friend Irving in Paris and how they went AWOL.

But his experiences in the war were never analyzed with an academic approach. I had never written the stories down and told them to anyone outside our family. So, I sat down with my dad, and began to ask the questions, telling him about my project. My dad, Bernie, answered with a bit of whimsy, in his playfully humorous way.

“Well, I helped beat the Nazis in World War II. I won the war. I used to meet regularly with Roosevelt, Stalin, Churchill and all the Generals, Eisenhower, Patton,----and I advised them on what plans we should make for winning the war. We made plans to invade Normandy in France. I was the one who called ahead to see which day would be best to invade Normandy, and made the appointment. The person I talked to had a very thick French accent, and he said, 'De best day vould be June 6th, Zat day we are free. Zat should be De day’. And the name ‘D Day’ stuck.”

I was very impressed. I believed all of this to be true. At the age of nine, I was not the world’s most skeptical child.

I reported these findings to my class in my oral report, and Miss Connor stated sternly in a disapproving tone, “Mr. Novick, that sounds quite improbable. What rank was your father?”

“A Private. First Class,” I said proudly.

"Hmmph. Then it is not possible that he met with Roosevelt and Churchill and the Generals, young man. Chris Link, your report please.”

Miss Connor dismissed me just like that, moving on to Chris' story of his dad as a SeaBee in the Navy.

I returned home completely dejected, not knowing what to believe. Had my father really made all that up? Did he really not win the war? Did he not really meet with Roosevelt and Churchill?

My dad cleared up the mess.

“No, no. I was a Private First Class. That was the rank for someone who met with the Generals and President Roosevelt almost everyday. You see, we had to meet in PRIVATE. That was the point. You couldn't go off and tell everyone when and who you were invading, could you? That information had to be PRIVATE."

"No, you would have to keep that info PRIVATE," I thought. "Seems logical to me."

"And the places we met were always the best. We met in FIRST CLASS hotels and restaurants. So, my rank was PRIVATE - FIRST CLASS. Now, you go back to school and set that teacher straight.”

Made sense to me. Never again did I doubt my dad, Private First Class Bernie Novick. The man who won World War II.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

Doherty: Out of Touch now, Out of Time --- come November

It’s that time of year again folks!

Time to let the people of New Jersey know just how out of touch the values of Assemblyman Mike Doherty really are. And there is no better way to expose the values of our right-wing Repub rep than to give a sampling of the bills he has sponsored. Let’s begin!

Civil Unions

Right-wing Mike sponsored bill A1398, a bill that “Includes same sex marriages among marriages declared void”. The bill also “provides that New Jersey will not recognize marriages in other jurisdictions which are void in New Jersey.”

Doherty even wants to change the New Jersey Constitution with ACR250 which “Proposes a constitutional amendment to provide that only the union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as marriage.”

Other right-wing Repubs joining Doherty in sponsoring this type of legislation include Assembly members Richard A. Merkt, Alison Littell McHose, Alex DeCroce, and Guy Gregg.

Doherty also voted against the Domestic Partnership law, and Civil Unions, in spite of the Lewis v. Harris New Jersey Supreme Court ruling making civil unions legal.

What is it exactly about civil unions that so scares Doherty? If he has a religious objection, the law does not force religious institutions to perform civil unions. And civil unions will not dimish marriage in New Jersey one bit.

If Mike were a true conservative, rather than a neo-con, he would support civil unions as an institution because it is the law, and oppose the Defense of Marriage Act as an infringement of states' rights. He is first and foremost a 'situational conservative', and espouses all the situational ethics that results.

Stem Cell Research

Doherty was the primary sponsor of two bills --- A3949 and A3950, which would have a devastating impact on stem cell research in New Jersey. A3949 “Repeals the statute setting forth public policy of State on stem cell research.”

Even more harmful to stem cell research would be A3950, which “Prohibits use of public funds for embryonic stem cell research.” New Jersey needs to be at the forefront of the nation in this research because of the enormous economic and medical benefits.

If Mike were a true conservative, rather than a neo-con, he would support stem cell research as the result of good scientific research, for the many economic benefits for New Jersey, and for the many possible medical benefits for those with dibilitating disease. However, one cannot expect much from someone who says it does not matter if you believe in the science of evolution or in 'creationism'. Once again, Doherty is first and foremost a 'situational conservative', and espouses all the situational ethics that results.

The working families of New Jersey should not let the "out of touch" perspective of Doherty win the day on these issues.

Doherty wants to run for Senate? Just let him try.

The First Rule of Fight Club...

It has been more than two weeks since the fisticuffs erupted between Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow of Flemington and Raritan Township Committeewoman Chris Harcar on the Sunday evening before the June 5th primary. The Hunterdon County Republican Party was running phone banks at the Kuhl Corporation when the incident happened.

The issue is being investigated by the County Prosecutor’s office, and probed by top newspaper reporters throughout the state. Although all other primary races in the state have been settled by the will of the people, there is still no clear winner in this match as of yet.

“ The whole thing is surreal…if this goes on much longer, the Court should declare a no-contest, and demand a new brawl. The people deserve better than that and should have a clear winner,” said Mayor Peter “Petey” McPeters of Jersey Shore, NJ. McPeters is a fictious character and does not really understand any New Jersey governmental issues anyway. “I don’t care if I don’t exist, I think this whole fight thing is just nuts. Karrow and Harcar should shake hands like men and get it over with," continued McPeters.

There is precedent for courts calling for special elections to settle these issues. In Flemington, Democratic Councilman Mark Legato won a special election over his Republican opponent in February. And in May in Morris Township, Jeff Grayzel won his special election over his Republican opponent, also.

Those special elections were between members of opposing parties. “If another brawl is ordered by the court to settle the Karrow-Harcar matter, this would be the first time such an incident occurred in New Jersey,” continued the non-existent Mayor McPeters.

Meanwhile, back in real-life NJ, Karrow must definately understand the first rule of "Fight Club". The 911 tape of Karrow’s call to the police, had her stating that she wished "this whole incident dropped”. Harcar's real-life lawyer said he found such a statement "troubling".

More later as this surreal story continues.

Some Mayors have trouble with E.D.

“Hi, I am Mayor Peter “Petey” McPeters of Jersey Shore, N.J. And I have trouble with E.D. First off, I have no idea what E.D. is.”

Some mayors are not the brightest bulbs on the tree.

Mr. Mayor: E.D. is eminent domain, and it’s in the New Jersey Constitution as well as the US Constitution. The Mayor is the chief executive officer in a town, and has the power to appoint members of the various zoning boards, planning boards and boards of adjustment. And the Mayor must have a working rudimentary understanding of eminent domain in in order to appoint the right people to those boards.

Without that knowledge, the town can get themselves in to a mess o’trouble. This is especially so with yesterday's New Jersey Supreme Court ruling on eminent domain.

The Court made it tougher for towns to take land through eminent domain for private development. In the Star-Ledger today Public Advocate Ron Chen said, "It is going to go a long way to preventing eminent domain abuse." The story even made papers outside of NJ.

Some in the Senate disagreed, though, such as Senate Majority Leader Bernard F. Kenny Jr. (D., Hudson), who argued, “that eminent domain has long been used, especially by urban areas, to promote redevelopment” and that the rulling will “create a litigation nightmare in the state that will paralyze redevelopment."

As my Jewish grandmother would say, “Both are a little right. Let’s meet in the middle.” But she would say it in Yiddish, trying to break up a fight between two children.

In my town of Flemington there are several projects that could develop in one of two ways. One of them is the Flemington Cut Glass property, currently owned by Hunterdon County Freeholder George Muller. It could be torn down to make way for more condos, with more people, more families, more children, more traffic, and higher property taxes. That would make Freeholder Muller a nice payday, but impact the neighborhood negatively.

Or it could be turned in to a railroad station with a light rail that connects eventually to the New Jersey Transit Line to Newark and New York. That plan would include commercial development, parking, and a way directly in and out of Flemington --- that would increase the value of our residential properties.

Should eminent domain be used for such a project?

As my grandmother would say, “Both are a little right. Let’s meet in the middle.”

New Jersey and Stem Cell Research: Perfect Together.

New Jersey and Stem Cell Research are Perfect Together. But no thanks to Assemblyman Mike Doherty.

According to the Star-Ledger today, "New Jersey's drive to become a center for stem cell research advanced on two fronts yesterday: The state authorized $9.1 million to launch construction of a stem cell research lab and lawmakers agreed to ask voters to approve $450 million to bankroll research grants.”

However, Republican Assemblyman Mike Doherty voted to oppose the plan.

This is a man who questions the existence of global warming. He says that it “does not matter” if we believe in the science of evolution or creationism. It is disturbing that we have a representative in Trenton who does not believe in science.

In the past, folks such as Doherty would have been considered harmless crackpots who sometimes wrote letters to local newspapers or stood on street corners shouting at passersby that the world was ending next Thursday. But today, the Republicans nominate him to run for Assembly, and the folks in Warren and Hunterdon Counties actually elect him to represent our interests in Trenton. Yes, I am proud to say this is one of the people representing me in the state legislature.

NJ can be and should be a leader in the effort to make the benefits of stem cell research a reality. The economic benefits for New Jersey are many, too many to list here. The possible medical benefits of stem cell research are also too many to list here, but can be found on the website of Dr. Fred Ferrari, a local Republican and a stem cell research activist. Yes, folks, there are some thinking Republicans out there.

However, Mike Doherty is not one of them.

I, Robo-call

"Hello, this is Bill Clinton. I am supporting Democrat Melvin Smendrovich for Borough Council in Jerseytown because Melvin shares my values on the 'kitchen table' issues that...."

"Hey folks this is Joe Piscopo. We both know that New Jersey needs Republican Petey McPeters to be the next governor. He'll work hard everyday to...."

We've all received the dreaded robo-calls come election time. Automated phone canvassing calls that come day and night. They come with increasing frequency as we get closer and closer to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

They block our phone service. They are annoying, coming at the most inconvenient time. Dinner. In the shower. During love making. However, they serve a purpose of re-minding voters over and over again to support Melvin in his race for Jerseytown Borough Council. That Melvin is the best person for the job. If Bill Clinton can take the time out of his busy day to call you [albeit automatically], then Melvin is the person you should support.

Unfortunately for the hapless Jerseytown resident, robo-calls are a part of campaigns because they’re cheap and they work to election advantage. So, what if robo-calls tick off a voter or two? If they get your candidate elected, they will be part of the campaign strategy.

Legislative Effort in Trenton

There is an effort in Trenton to curtail robo-calls or ban them altogether. While such legislation may run afoul of the First Amendment, several states have enacted laws impacting the practice.

For guidance in dealing with this issue, perhaps Trenton should turn to science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. In his novels Asimov developed the following Three Laws of Robotics ----[most likely not written by a lawyer from NJ]:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

These seem to be clear rules regarding what criteria the state legislature should use in adopting an anti-robo calls bill.

“No harm to a human being?”
Sounds good to me.

“Robots must obey orders”?
This will work just fine.

“A robot must protect its own existence”?
Well, maybe that one will get fixed in committee.

If you and your robot support such a bill, call your legislator's office over and over again----but wait until he or she is eating lunch or in the shower.

One to a customer, please!

Trenton Democrats have finally put an end to a practice that has plagued NJ for years: Dual office holding. And sometimes, triple and qradruple office holding. Both parties have been guilty of this practice. Tom O'Neill wrote about this back in June of 2006 for New Jersey Policy Perspective.

Here is a blurb from an article from the Star-Ledger about the issue:

"After a year of political wrangling and false starts, legislation to make it illegal for public officials to land more than one elected post after next February easily cleared the Assembly yesterday. Assembly members argued for about an hour before passing the measure 69-3 with eight abstentions. The bill (A4326) is scheduled for a final vote in the Senate later this month."

In our own County of Hunterdon, Repubs will squawk that this bill does not "do enough". It is a compromise for sure, but it does address the issue just the same. Now that dual office holding will be illegal in NJ, those who do hold more than one office will be pressured come election time to make a choice. Indeed, their feet will be held to the political fire by their opponents in both the primary and the general election.

Of course, many in the Repubs Party have held dual offices themselves:

George Melick was on the Tewksbury Twp Committee very early when he was freeholder.

Marcia Karrow was a Raritan Township Committee woman, and freeholder at the same time. And then she was freeholder and Assemblywoman at the same time.

Melick and Karrow gave up their offices, and now hold just one elective office.

Ron Sworen is the mayor of Frenchtown and a freeholder --- and he is running again for Mayor. Dual office holding should most definately be an issue in his race in November.

Now it will be phased in as the law. It is a good start to handle an old problem.

Next: Those seeking office should have to pinpoint where they take money from developers on their ELEC filings, regardless of the amount.

It's My Party!

I am taking the day off: It's my birthday. That should be a state policy --- that you get the day off on your birthday to spend with friends, family or just by yourself. Thinking about the year that just passed, and the year to come.

So far I have received birthday messages this morning from my mother, my brother's girlfriend and three automated emails from websites I registered with the last year. And it's still early.

Not sure if it was a good idea to give them such personal information like the day I was born, but at least they did wish me a Happy Birthday.

So, I am off today for a day of fun and adventure. Happy birthday to all the others today who also share my birthday!

Happy Birthday:
Jacques Cousteau, even though now you're swimming with the fishes.
And Vince Lombardi, too ---Winning isn't everything, birthdays are more important.
Gene Wilder. Thanks for the great laughs in "Young Frankenstein". I miss Gilda, too.
Joe Montana and Adrienne Barbeau. Happy Birthday to you both, and for all you've done for football and B-movies.
Shia LaBeouf. Good starring role in "Disturbia".
Steve Sashen, Steven Goldstein.

"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.

Governor's Gala raises a couple of mil

I arrived at the Governor's Gala at NJPAC last night pretty late. Most of the big names were already out the door, but they tell me the fund raising was a couple of million. That's very strong funding for Democrats this fall --who oppose this president, this war, support a pro-choice platform, and value the working families of New Jersey. Very impressive. Tip O'Neil said that money is the mother's milk of politics. And, until someone thinks of a better system---publicly funded elections, maybe ----it's what we have to get out our Democratic message in a democratic society.

On the other side of the aisle, the Repubs raised just 600K last week when Bush came in to Edison. Top Repubs, not wanting a picture with a guy who has a 28% approval rating in NJ, stayed away in big numbers.

Our guy President Clinton raised 2 million. Their 28% guy raised 600K. That's the fact, jack.

The Republican Ideological Merry Go Round.

Yesterday I ran into a Republican friend on Main Street in Flemington, who said he had been reading my recent blog entries. He said that he was offended by my assertion that Republicans had no consistent ‘core values’. He said that while our values differ in our respective parties, that Republicans were by and large more conservative, and consistent in those conservative values. This is a conversation we have had time and again, so it was not new for either of us.

“Ok, so what are the so-called conservative values you claim the Repubs have?”

“We want smaller government; the Democrats want a government to control everything. And we are pro-family values.”

“Nope, you only want a smaller government ----one small enough to fit in to our bedrooms and homes so gays and lesbians cannot enjoy true civil marriage. Or a government small enough to fit in wombs so no woman can ever have an abortion, no matter what. And, actually, you want the government large enough to take away some of those basic rights, but small enough to not have to fund social programs ----the same programs that support families and children."

This guy supports the war and is solidly anti-choice, as if you could not tell. Neo-cons are SOOO predictable.

“Well, we’re the party of fiscal conservatism and fiscal accountability. We're better at being watchdogs over money.”

“Again wrong, chief. When Clinton was in office, the federal government had a surplus. Now, Bush has created a huge deficit. What’s so conservative about that?”

“We want to put more power in the hands of the people.”

Nope again. ‘Power in the hands of the people?’ Give me a break! Under this president, civil liberties ---under the Patriot Act --- have been severely curtailed, in the name of 9/11. The suspension of Habeas Corpus. America citizens being held as ‘enemy combatants’, who may not see an attorney. This is an administration that has advocated the use of torture to interrogate prisoners. This is an administration that has advocated secret military tribunals to deal with American citizens. How is that putting ‘Power in the hands of the people?” And so on.

This went on and on for almost an hour on Main Street. Reminded me of the the lyrics from Phil Och’s “Flower Lady”:

“And they argued through the night; black is black and white is white, walked away both knowing they were right.”

“Last Republican Standing”: The new reality show

Apparently, we don’t have the only Republican representatives who are slapping each other around. Guess what?

They do it in Alabama, too.

Could this be the start of a national trend? Is New Jersey at the forefront of the new cool thing?

Maybe this can be a new reality show. “Last Republican Standing”:

We put 16 Republican elected officials in a House [or Senate], and they battle it out by slapping each other in the face, punching each other in the nose, groin kicking, back-stabbing, or whatever. Each week another one of them gets indicted, sentenced, loses in a primary, or resigns from office. Until only one of them is ready to run for President.

That would be the “Last Republican Standing”.

We need to call Mark Burnett (producer of 'Survivor)' or Jay Mohr, the host and executive producer of Last Comic Standing, and set up a pitch meeting.

Could be huge by '08.

A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both. President Dwight D. Eisenhower

A quote from perhaps the last really good Republican president. The general who won WWII [along with Private First Class Bernie Novick, of course] said some really smart things about the military industrial complex, and about “values”.

And ‘core values’ is what the national Republican Party is so bereft of these days. Here’s an example:

I ran in to Henry Kuhl, Hunterdon County Republican Chairman tonight at a local event on Main Street in Flemington. I asked him who he thought would win the Republican nomination for president. “Giuliani. Rudy Giuliani will be the next president of the United States. And Fred Thompson will be the Vice president.”

Interesting, I thought.

“Do you really think the Christian Conservatives in the South will vote for a pro-choice, pro-gay liberal Italian Catholic from New York? Someone who has been divorced and dressed in drag kissing Donald Trump?” I inquired. “Those southern primaries will be tough for him in your Party.”

“Well, you don’t understand something. The Republicans want to win.”
Thanks for the news flash, Henry.

“So, the Christian right-wing Republicans in the south want to win so badly, that they are willing to give up their core values and support Giuliani ---someone who shares so little with them politically?” Of course, this is assuming that someone like Giuliani, who also supports President Bush on the Iraqi War can win, period.

A resident who was standing with us then asked him about the Harcar-Karrow incident. Henry looked flummoxed at both questions, but continued. “I need to get to a meeting. And I am not going to say anything bad about anyone. I am a positive person who says positive things.”

Huh? Sounds pretty valueless to me.

I still think that any Democrat in this race can take on any Republican and win. Those are my values, and I am sticking to them.

Sunday Night World Wide Republican Wrestling

"In this corner, the former three time Raritan Township Committee woman, former Hunterdon County Freeholder, and current junior Assemblywoman representing Hunterdon and Warren Counties, please welcome, Marcia 'I Hate The Highlands Act' Karrow!"

"And in this corner, the former Mayor of Raritan Township, current Raritan Township Committee woman, please welcome Chris 'I am the only Republican Committee member ever to have voted for a Democrat for Mayor in Raritan' Harcar."

Sunday night fights:

That's what happened at the Kuhl Corporation last week in a 'scuffle' between Assemblywoman Marica Karrow and her former running mate and fellow Raritan Township Committeewoman, Chris Harcar.

Harcar went to the Kuhl headquarters [the family business of Hunterdon County Republican Chairman Henry Kuhl] to join in the phone banking for the primary. According to newspaper sources, Karrow ripped a phone script out of Harcar's hands, and expressed her desire to have Harcar leave the premises. The police were called in to break up the fight. More tax dollars well spent by Republicans, I guess.

Anyway, Karrow claims that Harcar was "intoxicated". Harcar claims that Karrow used "her body" to push her down, breaking her arm in the process.

Either way, each now has a lawyer and the incident was reported to the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office. Prosecutor Pat Barnes told the press he was looking in to the matter. So, what will happen now? It's anyone's guess.

"Will Karrow win in Court? Will Harcar file charges? Will Henry Kuhl ever pay off his $50 bet to me for the 2005 Gov race?"

Tune in next week, same Repub-time, same Repub-station!

There’s gonna be a new sheriff in town: Can’t the Republicans get along part II

The surprising winner of the hotly contested Republican primary in Hunterdon County for sheriff was Deborah Trout, a 16 year veteran of the Hunterdon County sheriff’s office, and one of four former officers who sued soon-to-be-former Sheriff Bill Doyle for harassment. How did she win? Who’s support did she have?

Well, let’s see:

Buzz Howell had the endorsement of current sheriff Doyle.

Tony Critelli, another former sheriff’s officer who sued for harassment, had the party line next to winners Lance-Karrow-Doherty.

George Muller, the freeholder who gave up his safe freeholder seat to build up his pension years in the state system, had the first line on the ballot,-- not a bad place to be. He lost by a handful of votes.

What spot did Trout have? Next to last, below everyone else but Howell. That’s where County Clerk Melfi placed her on the ballot. Even Trout was surprised at that. She told the Hunterdon County Democrat newspaper that she did not know that the County Clerk was going set up the ballot reflecting who filed their petitions first. Had she known that, she said, she would have filed earlier.

Dolye said some pretty nasty things about both Critelli and Trout, in his endorsement of Howell.

So, who’s support did she have? The support of the people. Shows you what good campaigning will do.

However, she will face a tough campaign in the fall against Bruce Cocuzza, the current Police Director in Lambertville and former NYC Police Captain. His background will be very formidable to run against for Trout.

"First things first, but not necessarily in that order." Doctor Who

I love walking around on Main Street in Flemington. You run into the most knowledgeable Republican people there:

“Leonard doesn't speak up enough for the Republican Party”, said a local Republican in Hunterdon County of Minority Leader Leonard Lance, ---a local Republican who shall remain nameless. “That’s why he will be challenged for his leadership position in the Senate by Tom Kean, Jr.”

Let’s just say that my Republican source was a former leader of the Hunterdon Republican County Committee, who knows how to come clean when it comes to washing dirty laundry of politics.

So, Jr., fresh off his defeat last year in the US Senate race, and facing a very active opponent in Gina Genovese, former Mayor of Long Hill Township in Morris County is already planning to challenge Senator Leonard Lance to be the Minority Leader in the Senate. My advice to Mr. Kean: Put first things first.

Now, I do admit that the 21st Legislative District, which covers parts of Union, Morris, Somerset and Essex Counties, is a fairly Republican district by and by. And Jr. does have the edge there. But, Gina is no slouch, either.

She is a Democrat, elected in a predominately Republican town. She was one of the first [if not the first] openly gay Mayors in New Jersey. She is very progressive, in a part of New Jersey that is rapidly becoming more and more progressive itself.

She has run a tennis instruction camp for more than a quarter of a century in Morris County, and has lots of name recognition. And she will have much support from the Morris County Democrats [fresh off their great win in the Morris Township special election], the gay and lesbian community in NJ, and volunteers from New Jersey for Democracy. And of course, the New Jersey State Democratic Committee is likely to make her race a priority ---- seeing that her opponent is Kean, Jr.
So, Tom, before you plan to take on Senator Lance, you’ve got to get by Gina first. And, that, ain't gonna be easy.

Can’t we all just get along? Republicans slap each other around in Hunterdon

And so, now the Republicans, frustrated over their inability to win nationally, in the state of New Jersey, and in special elections in Flemington and Morris Township ----have started to fight amongst themselves.

Now the Republicans have started slapping each other around---literally: Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow, someone known for her passionate stands on such issues as the Highlands and open space, is being accused of assaulting fellow Republican and former Mayor of Raritan Township, Chris Harcar. Seems that they got in to a scuffle at a phone bank at the Kuhl Corporation, and Karrow ripped a phone script out of Harcar’s hands, bumping her or hitting her in the process ---according to who you believe. I hope these two don’t require more tax money from Hunterdon residents to settle out their bout.

And, as usual, Republican chairman Henry Kuhl could not be reached for comment by the press. But even if the press could reach him, he never has much to say. Still owes me $50 from our bet in the 2005 governor's race.

And that’s not all.

Last month, it was the Hunterdon County Republican Party suing County Clerk Mary Melfi [and fellow Republican] over ballot position when they could not decide in-house who was to get the best ballot spot in the Sheriff’s race. [Check the link to see their completely updated website ----showing Doug Forrester running for governor!]

County Clerk Melfi was authorized to hire Republican election law attorney John Carbone to advise her office on the matter ---for legal fees for up to $15,000 on the backs of Hunterdon County taxpayer. This is in spite of the fact that County Counsel Guy DeSapio already is on the payroll, and is a very knowledgeable lawyer, and already on the County payroll. Did I mention that Guy was already on the Republican payroll?

In that fight, Melfi gave the top line in the Republican Primary for freeholder to her good buddy Frank Fuzo, trying to get his seat back on the Freeholder board after losing in a primary two years ago to Marcia Karrow in the Assembly race. Fuzo is challenging long-time Freeholder George Melick for his spot. Fuzo and Melick have battled for years while on the all-Republican freeholder board. It will be interesting to see if these two actually have to run together in November.

Melfi’s ‘reason’ for giving Fuzo the top line: she said that she gave the top slot to the candidates who filed earliest. Really! While the state gives county clerks wide discretion in how to set up the ballot, clerks cannot make up rules 'out of whole cloth' --- without telling the candidates. New clerk Mefli certainly knows how to pay back her supporters. And she didn’t need to pay John Carbone $15,000 to tell her how to do that. Earth to Melfi: It’s not good to get sued by your own party in your first six months as county clerk.

Also, Freeholder George Muller gave up his seat to run for sheriff, and he has opponents in Tony Critelli [a former sheriff’s officer], Deborah Trout [another former sheriff’s officer], and Buzz Howell [another former something-or-other Republican.] So, while the future former Freeholder expected the top line on the ballot in the sheriff’s race, he got it. However, the party line went to Critelli. Only in some parts of the County in the 23rd, Muller is bracketed with Senate candidate Leonard Lance, and some parts he is not. It was a compromise they no one liked, few understood and cost taxpayers money in legal fees to Carbone. Really.