Reversal of Misfortunes

Money is called ‘cash’. They also call it “dough”. Or moolah, coin, bucks, loot, scratch, bread, ducats, wampum and dead presidents.

While the Eskimos are known for having hundreds of words for ‘snow’, we in America have many words for ‘money’. As Danny DeVito's character, Mickey Bergman, in the David Mamet film “Heist” says: "Everybody needs money. That's why they call it money.”

They just don’t call it ‘returnable’. But that is what seems to be the new trend in NJ.

In what seems to be a stunning reversal of the usual ‘fortune’ in New Jersey politics, people all over New Jersey are returning money. That’s right ---they’re giving money back. Yup, "return to sender", stamped right on the envelope.

I guess the first time it was done this political season was when Senator Clinton returned about $850,000 received from a fundraiser who was wanted by the law. This year, Linda Stender returned $6000 received from Assemblyman Neil Cohen, who recently resigned from the State Assembly amidst allegations of child porn being on his office computer. And earlier, the GOP demanded that Ms. Stender return money she received from Congressman Charlie Rangel---when the NY Congressman was accused of improprieties regarding apartments he is renting in Harlem.

Now, not to be outdone, the Stanhope Board of Education wants its bucks back from their former superintendent [Nicholas Brown] --- $65,125 paid out to for unused sick and vacation days when he left for a new job.

What’s next? Oil companies with huge profits returning money to drivers?
Trenton giving money back to towns? Wouldn’t that be something.

Three times the Senator

In 1996, the price of a gallon of gas was just $1.23. The median price of an average home was just $144,200. And in 1996, the cost of running for Senate in New Jersey was much less than it is today.

But don’t tell that to Dick Zimmer, ‘cause he is running as if we’re still at 1996 prices. Shhhh! Mum’s the word.

The last time lobbyist/lawyer Dick Zimmer ran for Senate, it was 1996. He spent alot less money in that race than he will have to spend to win in 2008. However, because of the Repuplican primary and his very late start, he is very far behind Frank Lautenberg in fundraising.

Nearly three times as far behind as of the last reporting deadline with the Federal Election Commission.

Senator Lautenberg has $1.29 million cash on hand. While lobbyist/lawyer Zimmer has just $411,029 at the end of June.

While primaries in both parties were costly, Lautenberg spokesperson Julie Roginsky told the Star-Ledger, “The campaign is confident that we will have the resources necessary to win this November.”

The late great Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neil said that money is the mother’s milk of politics. Zimmer is going to have to really start milking those cash cows, if he is going to compete with Lautenberg.

The Star-Ledger reported that there is a $1000 per head fundraiser for Zimmer at the National Republican Senatorial Committee in Washington later this month. Hope they’re serving milk.