An Intriguing Late Summer/Fall Could Become Exciting

The main Republican contenders are Rudy, John and Mitt. On the Democratic side, they are Hillary, Barack and John. Polls reveal that Democrats are more content with their frontrunners than Republicans are with theirs. However, there are nagging doubts whether any of the three main Democratic contenders can win a general election and serious reservations regarding a Clinton general election run, mostly for that reason. The Republican field is regarded as weak, with no candidate gaining support of the Party's base. In both races, there is significant intrigue building as to whether other candidates will run. In addition, a third-party candidate could have serious repercussions for the major party nominees and perhaps win more support than any third-party efforts to date in our nation's history.

It is becoming more apparent every day that former Senator and "Law & Order" actor Fred Thompson will enter the race. In polling, presupposing Mr. Thompson does run, he either finishes second or tops the field. Given that he has yet to enter, the polling results show not so much core support for Thompson but disenchantment with the current Republican field. Thompson is not a well-known commodity, outside of his acting career. Therefore, he may be initially greeted with skyrocketing poll numbers but they could change significantly once voters begin to learn more about him and his politics. Thompson has played his cards perfectly to date, obtaining positive free publicity throughout the nation without entering the race or spending a dime. Given Mr. Thompson’s right-of-center views, he will likely be able to obtain and keep the support of the Republican base, leaving Giuliani and McCain fighting over the Republican middle and significantly undermining Romney’s chances. If Thompson does run, he will place well in many primaries, will win at least several, and may secure the Republican nomination for President.

Senator Clinton has increased her lead over her Democratic rivals but her general election numbers are still not where they need to be, given her incredibly high name recognition and the fact that most voters have already made up their minds regarding her candidacy. Meanwhile, Barack Obama shows signs of fading, while John Edwards can’t seem to break out of the pack, though he still leads in Iowa. Should their positions remain the same in the Fall, expect another Democrat to enter the race, most likely Al Gore. With the former Vice-President's experience, fundraising ability, and activism with reference to the environment, he can enter on a moment's notice and catapult himself to run in a significant amount of primaries and would win a number of them. Should Al Gore enter the race, he will secure the Democratic nomination for President.

The buzz this past week was the announcement by billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg that he was leaving the GOP to become an Independent. While he has said he is not a candidate for President, the positive publicity he has received, his increasingly high name recognition, and his billions make him a formidable candidate in a third-party run for the White House. Mayor Mike could not only frame the debate on many issues, his candidacy would impact the major party nominees. Given Mr. Bloomberg’s executive skills, his popularity as Mayor of New York, and his wealth, whether Bloomberg runs will be determined by who the nominees are for each of the major parties and the mood of the country. If the national mood remains, in which the President and the Congress are receiving record low approval ratings, a third-party run becomes more likely. If the parties nominate Hillary and Rudy, Mike is likely in. If Al Gore is the Democratic nominee, Mayor Mike will probably sit this one out.

As late summer and fall approach, the political intrigue will increase. Expect to see at least one new candidate enter the Presidential race. The more new faces, the more exciting the quest for the White House will become.

Michael M. Shapiro, founder of ShapTalk.com, is an attorney who resides in New Providence, New Jersey. He currently serves as the Chairman of the New Providence Democratic Party and as Editor of The Alternative Press Contact Mike at mike@shaptalk.com

The 2008 Budget: False Philanthrophy Continues

Murray Sabrin

The State Legislature passed the $33.5 billion budget on Thursday along party lines. Spending will be $2.7 billion higher than the budget that ends on June 30th. There will be no drama this June compared to last year’s state government shutdown after lawmakers and Governor Corzine failed to reach an agreement on the budget by the June 30th deadline.

From a fiscal conservative perspective, the only good news about the budget is that business taxes will be cut $275 million and consumers will no longer have to pay sales tax on nonprofit health club memberships. In addition, property tax rebates will total $2 billion. Most of the rebates will go to non-senior homeowners earning less than $250,000, senior homeowners and renters. Upper income homeowners get zilch. In short, the redistribution of income is currently cemented in the tax-and-spend philosophy of the Governor and the Democrat controlled Legislature. This brings us to an observation that needs to be debated and discussed in New Jersey and around the nation, namely, what is the underlying philosophy of the tax-and-spend policies of government?

Retiring state senator Bernard Kenny was ecstatic about the budget’s passing:
"Today, we are presenting a budget plan for the coming year that contains record amounts of property tax relief and compassion for those in need.” (Emphasis added)

Why is the State of New Jersey sending the people back some of their tax money? If the people want all the “services” and social spending of state, county and local governments, then the people should be happy to pay all the property and income taxes they are forced to pay to their municipal government and Trenton. By complaining about high taxes, people are really complaining about high spending. Yet, state of local spending rarely declines. And if it does, it is only for one year, at best.

So politicians being the opportunist that they are have come up with gimmicks to placate taxpayers. For example, half of last year’s one percent jump in the sales tax was dedicated to property tax relief. This year voters will be given the opportunity to vote for a constitutional amendment that would dedicate all of the sales tax hike and more to property tax rebates. In other words, government taxes money from one pocket of taxpayers (sales tax hike) and then returns some of it to them in another pocket labeled “property tax rebates.”

This charade will continue as long as the public buys the tax-and-spend philosophy of Corzine and others from both parties. After all, spending skyrocketed in Whitman’s last term (1998-2001) and DiFrancesco’s (2001-2002) one year as acting governor. Republican governors and the GOP controlled Legislature at the time were as culpable as the Democrats for the state’s fiscal mess.

Finally, Senator Kenny’s assertion that the state budget provides “compassion for those in need,” reflects the underlying political culture of our era: redistribution of income. Compassion cannot be expressed by a government budget. Compassion is a human act using peaceful means by individuals and groups. The coercive power of the state for noble ends is not compassion. In fact, more than 150 years ago Fredric Bastiat identified the problem: perversion of the law by the principle of false philanthropy. (See his classic, The Law)

Until the people say No to false philanthropy of the political class, politicians will continue to pose as “compassionate” public servants using other people’s money. And the welfare state will grow and create more dependency on the state, i.e., taxpayers, for false compassion.

Murray Sabrin, Ph.D., is professor of finance in the Anisfield School of Business, Ramapo College of New Jersey, where he is executive director of the Center for Business and Public Policy.

Automated Calls in New Jersey Politics: Mend Them, Don’t End Them

You’ve received them. I’ve received them. I’ve even recorded and used them: those automated calls that emanate around election time. As annoying as they may be, they are a quick, efficient, and cost-effective way for a candidate or a resident to bring an issue or a candidacy to the public’s attention. A ban on automated calls amounts to greater incumbent protection as it is usually the incumbent officeholder who has the wherewithal and campaign donations to be able to send out glossy mailings, run radio and television commercials, and afford a sophisticated door-to-door operation. Candidates who take on incumbents have few tools at their disposal to get their message out, especially in areas where the local press is either nonexistent or “bought and paid for.” As a result, the automated call is one of very few equalizing forces in New Jersey politics, allowing all candidates to reach voters without a significant monetary expenditure. That said, restrictions on automated calls are necessary to curb abuse.

Most reputable vendors have systems in place to prevent automated call misuse. However, many systems are low-budget and gerry-rigged and have no procedures to protect the public. While the New Jersey State Legislature is considering various restrictions on automated recordings and some legislators are considering banning such calls altogether, a comprehensive, practical approach would best serve the interests of New Jersey residents.

First, a “do not call” list regarding automatic calls should be established by the State that would enable residents to use a toll-free number or go to a website to be put on this special do not call list. If any resident or candidate makes an automated call to someone on the “do not call” list, serious fines should be imposed and the possibility of disqualification from the election should be considered. Second, automated calls should only be allowed during reasonable hours, perhaps from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Automated recordings made outside this time period should similarly result in fines that will cause abusers of the system to take notice. Third, while this is already supposed to be done, all calls should clearly identify the person or entity paying for the communication and a legitimate address for that person or entity, at both the beginning and end of the message, so that residents know whose interests are being promoted and have a method to report improper calls. Lastly, the aspects of the automated recording including the text of all automated calls should have to be part of the required financial filings of any candidate running for office. Therefore, on a candidate’s Election Law Enforcement Commission forms, there should be disclosure if a candidate uses automated calls (including the address and phone number of the automated call vendor as well as the amount of money spent on the call). These filings should be made available to the public both in person and over the Internet. This will ensure accountability and transparency of the automated calls being made. Failure to disclose or fraudulent disclosure should result in stiff penalties, up to and including disqualification.

A ban on automated calls amounts to a restriction on speech that undermines the ability of residents and non-incumbents to communicate their message to the public in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Restrictions on such calls can be narrowly tailored to meet the objectives of holding abusers of automated recordings accountable and protecting the public from unwanted intrusions. When it comes to automated calls, mend them, don’t end them.

Michael M. Shapiro, founder of ShapTalk.com, is an attorney who resides in New Providence, New Jersey. He currently serves as the Chairman of the New Providence Democratic Party and as Editor of The Alternative Press Contact Mike at mike@shaptalk.com

Department of Human Services and FY2008 Budget

by Senator Joe Vitale

The Department of Human Services is possibly the largest department in State government administering such diverse programs as group housing for the mentally ill, early intervention for the developmentally disabled, and rental and heating assistance for the working poor.
Without a strong sense of conscience guiding the ship, the task of leading the Department of Human Services can be daunting. Luckily, the Department has an effective advocate and Commissioner in newly appointed Jennifer Velez.

While we recognize that resources are scarce in this year’s budget, we are continuing to provide State assistance to the programs that mean so much to millions of New Jerseyans. We’re moving forward with expanding FamilyCare health insurance to the uninsured by once again expanding coverage for low and moderate income parents who earn 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. We’re providing a needed Cost of Living Adjustment for the community providers who work with the State’s mentally ill or disabled. We’re increasing community residential placement for those living with developmental disabilities, and we’re improving conditions at our State’s developmental centers.

There’s always room for improvement, and I hope that, as more resources become available, we can do more to help the most vulnerable citizens served by the Department of Human Services. But in a lean budget year, I’m glad to see that New Jersey is honoring its commitments, and meeting its obligations to those in need.

The Left Marches on Part II: Universal Pre-K: The Governmentalization of Nursery School

by Steve Lonegan

The liberal left wing administration of Governor Jon Corzine and the NJEA Teacher’s Union have leveled their sights on the private nursery school business and have it squarely in their crosshairs, itchin’ to squeeze the trigger. A bull’s eye scores a 20% increase in the membership of the most powerful political cartel in the state and a cost to taxpayers so devastating it will be necessary to pawn off the Turnpike and Parkway to jump start the take-over. They call it “Universal Pre-K," the biggest expansion of the government school system in over a hundred years.

Taxpayer funded nursery school began in 1998 when the state’s liberal activist supreme court “ordered“ the funding of nursery school programs in the Abbott Districts. Armed with the court’s mandate, the central planners began plotting the expansion of this social engineering scheme into suburban school systems. Last year, the cost of these programs in Abbott Districts exceeded twelve thousand dollars per student, funded by the redistribution of income from suburban taxpayers. The inevitable expansion of these programs into the suburban school systems was apparent from the beginning.

The corrupt School Construction Corporation promoted the incorporation of nursery school facilities in suburban schools that managed to grab a piece of the pie. The steady progress of this dangerous scheme was crystallized in Governor Jon Corzine’s transition team report on education dated January 10, 2006 that calls for a “lifting of all local spending caps so all suburban school districts can expand nursery programs.”

This agenda stems from the core socialist dogma that government must provide all possible services for the “benefit“of the “common good.” Financially, the taxpayers of New Jersey cannot afford this costly expansion. Hence, Governor Corzine’s comment during his budget address that, “If we want Universal Pre K, Universal Health care... we must asset monetize our toll roads.” The irresponsible consequence of this statement is that once the proceeds from the pawning of our toll roads is squandered in a few years, the entire cost of the Central Planner’s new program will be born on the backs of property taxpayers.

The social impact of this Central Planner’s wet dream is disturbingly more destructive. Hundreds of parishes, synagogues and other non profit community based organizations rely on Pre-K programs for financial survival. The government’s hostile take over of this private business segment will result in the loss of many community based entities that provide irreplaceable social benefits. Parents who once chose voluntarily to send their kids to a nursery school will be saddled with the additional tax burden and forced to give up even more of their personal income, as will the legendary “seniors losing their homes.” It will be only a short time before voluntary enrollment into government Pre-K will become compulsory. Remember, you heard it here first.

Families across the state are suffering the consequences of high taxes and should not be forced under the yoke of this expansionist agenda. The catch 22 is that more pressure will force mothers and fathers to work harder to pay the Taxman, pushing their children into the government nursery schools, while they are marched off to work to harvest more revenue for the Planners.

As has been the pattern of the Social Engineers in laying the groundwork for these expanded entitlement programs, the left will introduce a series of half baked studies by liberal academicians or government bureaucrats masquerading as academics. They will “demonstrate conclusively, at least in their small minds, the “success” of government Pre- K in improving test scores later on in Kindergarten. They will fail to tell you that after one or two years into elementary school, test scores equalize. Just an inconvenient truth.

Their strategy will be as follows. Across suburban communities, public schools will roll out taxpayer subsidized Pre-K programs that will undersell the private sector. It is happening already. This is no less than taxpayer subsidized predatory pricing practices designed to drive the private sector out of business. There are over 250,000 nursery age children in this state. At an average cost of $12,000 per student, the impact on taxpayers will be overwhelming. The consequence of a 20% increase in the ranks of the NJEA Teachers Union will have the effect of creating a political power second to none.

This profoundly destructive social engineering initiative should be a rallying cry for taxpayers and anyone who believes in limited government, freedom, and liberty. The family is the cornerstone of any stable society. This government intrusion into the most formative years of a child’s life is another left wing attack on the family unit.

Indoctrination of our children into an education system designed by nameless, faceless bureaucrats using manipulated child psychology studies as the premise of their doctrinaire social experiment is unacceptable. With the Democrat leadership in lock step with the left wing extremist’s puppeteers and most Republican legislators frightened silly of the NJEA, citizens will be left on their own to see this insidious program doesn’t come to fruition.

Steve Lonegan is the Mayor of Bogota, NJ, and Executive Director of Americans for Prosperity - New Jersey. Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFP Foundation) are committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. He is a prolific writer, having been published in newspapers and blogs. He currently has a book in pre-publication on the impact of New Jersey state government on the well being of the taxpayers of the state, where he offers solid and workable solutions.

Incompetence

By: Murray Sabrin

Last Monday, we moved to Ft. Lee after living in Leonia for nearly 25 years. The move went smoothly because we hired a firm (Peter Ferraro & Sons) that has experience moving families into our co-op. The four young men were efficient and competent. They did a Herculean task of moving us in less than six hours.

Before we moved, Florence took care of all the address changes online, from the banks, money market funds, brokerage accounts, credit card companies to the Motor Vehicle Commission.

The online form for an address change is easy to complete, even a “caveman could do it.” The other day I received the Address Change Acknowledgement from the MVC with three stickers, one of which is to be placed on the back of my driver’s license. However, there are two errors on the sticker. The correct town and zip code at our new address is Ft. Lee, 07024. The stickers, however, are printed Ford Lee, 07605-1805, which was our zip code in Leonia. I asked Florence to check to see if she entered our new address correctly, and sure enough she did.

Why do I bring this up? If a government agency cannot get something as simple as an address change correct, do we really want them to be in charge of healthcare, education, and all other services that could be better provided in a market economy, where both private and nonprofit organizations are held accountable by consumers and donors?

The evidence, not just the “ideology” of free enterprise, demonstrates that government agencies do a mediocre job, at best, in satisfying taxpayers. But there is a more compelling reason to downsize government. Government uses force to achieve its objectives, that is, government says to the people, “your money or your life.” If you don’t believe me, don’t pay your federal or state income taxes, or local property taxes.

A free and prosperous society requires limited government. As we get closer to July Fourth, remember the Founders’ sacrifices they endured to create a free society for themselves and generations to come. What a legacy they left. Unfortunately, the American people are letting that legacy die, because they have allowed more power to flow into the hands of the shysters, hacks, and incompetents in Washington D. C. and Trenton. In short, we have seen the enemy… and it is us.

Murray Sabrin, Ph.D., is professor of finance in the Anisfield School of Business, Ramapo College of New Jersey, where he is executive director of the Center for Business and Public Policy.

The Demise of Sharpe James?

Recently, Sharpe James, former Mayor of Newark and State Senator, was notified that he is the target of a grand jury investigation. James, who served five terms as Mayor of Newark, recently chose not to run again for either the Mayor's Office or the State Senate. While vestiges of his former power remain, Mr. James finds himself in a difficult position: corruption charges loom over his head and many of his political allies are no longer by his side.

From lavish trips allegedly at taxpayer expense to shady city real estate deals that apparently favored friends and relatives, Mr. James has been accused of treating the public treasury as his own personal piggy bank and practiced a brand of vengeful politics that offended many. He supped at the public trough for many years, amassing a small fortune through large government salaries, the employment of close relatives, and taking advantage of all that was available, from sick and vacation time to expense accounts.

Now, his largesse is coming home to roost. Should he be charged with corruption, a guilty plea is expected that will result in a relatively short jail sentence and an imposition of fines. Should Mr. James be charged, fight the allegations and lose, he may spend the rest of his life in jail. A jail cell would be a harsh reality for a man who has dined at the finest restaurants, vacationed at the most exotic locales, and run a government like his own personal fiefdom, allegedly at taxpayer expense. The public deserves a full accounting of Mr. James’s activities and, if he has committed misdeeds involving public funds, those funds should be returned in full with interest. Should he be guilty of criminal acts, a lengthy jail sentence may send a message that desperately needs to be heard in New Jersey politics: political corruption and/or misconduct will not be tolerated and will be rigorously investigated and punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Michael M. Shapiro, founder of ShapTalk.com, is an attorney who resides in New Providence, New Jersey. He currently serves as the Chairman of the New Providence Democratic Party and as Editor of The Alternative Press Contact Mike at mike@shaptalk.com

Paid Family Leave: The Left Marches ON

by Steve Lonegan

“Democratic Despotism” is a term coined by Alexes DeToqueville to describe the threat of the majority using its voting ability to dominate the minority. Many scholars have bemoaned the concept of a democratic society realizing they could vote themselves more and more entitlements, to the point of eventual destruction. They must have anticipated New Jersey.

The state legislature has adopted the dangerous practice of buying votes through expanded and radical entitlement programs. There is no worst example than the Paid Family Leave (PFL) bill that has just been released by the Senate Budget Committee. This socialist diatribe takes feel good politics to a new level. Proponents are so prepared to tug at the heart strings of the public that they paraded breast feeding advocates in front of the committee to pitch the desperate need for government to provide for “family bonding”. How could anyone disagree with taxpayer subsidized breast feeding?

The PFL is a fraud on two fronts - financial and philosophical. The financial fraud is the claim a .001% payroll tax will fund ten weeks a year off costing $4,800.00. This benefit would require 160 workers earning an average of $30,000. This to support only one entitlement package. The Disability Trust Fund, the mechanism being proposed to fund this scheme, has already been raided this year to the tune of $75 million to balance the states bloated budget. The deliberate ignorance of the socialist proponents of this bill is the failure to consider the impact of the deadbeats and sluggards who will scam this program for every dime they can get. This grossly under estimated cost destines the PFL to join the ranks of the state’s pension and benefits programs with massive unfunded liabilities.

The philosophical fraud is the pathetic cries from the leftists supporting PFL that families need this government program to promote parents’ “bonding” with new borns. Liberal academicians parade in front of the media calling for the government to fund this junk program so single mothers can raise their kids. The fact is, this liberal entitlement is not limited to single mothers or anyone else.

While single moms are the foil for the program, any worker can take ten weeks off if they claim some “family “member needs their “psychological comfort.” So the basic argument for this socialist propaganda is the necessity for big brother to subsidize an army of Breast feeding single mothers. The reality is this scam is tailor made for government employees to take ten weeks off each and every year.

This truth is revealed in the amendment quietly affixed to this legislation allowing employees with lots of accumulated sick days to keep these days for their sweetheart retirement packages and only be required to use ten such days before PFL kicks in. This will add to the plethora of mandates that have driven New Jersey’s property taxes through the roof as local municipal governments are required to absorb the cost of replacing those using this program with overtime or temporary workers. Hail, union bosses.

Now that the liberal left has established the chronic need for a whole new under funded entitlement program essential to the survival of our families, they can fill this newly established need by a program to buy more votes. Ultimately, the inevitable impact of the cost of PLF will fall on the shoulders of the ever diminishing minority-those who build the businesses and create the real jobs that sustain our economy. You know, the ones moving to Florida.

Steve Lonegan is the Mayor of Bogota, NJ, and Executive Director of Americans for Prosperity - New Jersey. Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFP Foundation) are committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. He is a prolific writer, having been published in newspapers and blogs. He currently has a book in pre-publication on the impact of New Jersey state government on the well being of the taxpayers of the state, where he offers solid and workable solutions.

The Anti-Christian Christian Republicans

Murray Sabrin

During the GOP presidential debates stark differences between the gang of nine—-pro-war, pro-spending, pro-regulation—-and Ron Paul, the proponent of limited government and a noninterventionist foreign policy, has become more and more evident, so much so that even the obtuse members of the mainstream media (MSM) should realize that only the Texas congressman carries the Reagan mantle…“getting government off our backs.”

At the June 5th GOP debate, Ron Paul achieved another glorious moment in the history of presidential debates. The moment came after a philosophy professor asked the following question: “My question is a simple one: In your opinion, what is the most pressing moral issue facing this country today? And, if you're elected president, how would you address that issue.”

Contrast Ron Paul’s response with two other second tier “conservative” candidates.
PAUL: "I think it is the acceptance just recently that we now promote preemptive war. I do not believe that's part of the American tradition.

We, in the past, have always declared war in defense of our liberties or go to aid somebody. But now we have accepted the principle of preemptive war. We have rejected the just war theory of Christianity. (Emphasis added)

"And now, tonight, we hear that we're not even willing to remove from the table a preemptive nuclear strike against a country (Iran) that has done no harm to us directly and is no threat to our national security." "I mean, we have to come to our senses about this issue of war and preemption and go back to traditions and our Constitution and defend our liberties and defend our rights, but not to think that we can change the world by force of arms and to start wars."

Former Governor Huckabee responded with the following: “I really believe that, if you define it a moral issue, it is our respect, our sanctity and our understanding of the value of every single human life. Because that is what makes America a unique place on this planet: We value every life of an individual as if it represents the life of us all. Many of us who are pro-life, quite frankly, I think, have made the mistake of giving people the impression that pro-life means we care intensely about people as long as that child is in the womb. But beyond the gestation period, we've not demonstrated as demonstrably as we should that we respect life at all levels, not just during pregnancy."

“We shouldn't allow a child to live under a bridge or in the backseat of a car. We shouldn't be satisfied that elderly people are being abused and neglected in nursing homes. It should never be acceptable to us that people are treated as expendable -- any people. But the unique part of our country is that we elevate and we celebrate human life. And if you look at us with a contrast to the Islamic jihadists, who would strap a bomb to the belly of their own child, march him into a crowded room, set the detonator and kill innocent people, they celebrate death; we celebrate life." “It's the fundamental thing that makes us unique, and it keeps us free. I pray we never, ever abandon that basic principle.”

Senator Brownback continued with the same mantra: “I think it's the life issue clearly, and I'm pro-life and I'm whole life. And one of the things I'm the most -- the proudest about our party about is that we've stood for life. We've been a party that has stood for a culture of life. And it was in our platform in 1980, and it continues today. And with that respect -- and I have respect for my other colleagues -- that's why I don't think we can nominate somebody that's not pro-life in this party, because it is at our core. We believe that every life is beautiful, is sacred, and is a child of a loving God from natural -- from conception to natural death. And that applies not only here and in the womb, it applies to somebody that's in poverty, it applies to the child in Darfur. And that philosophy, being pro-life and whole life, is something I think can really help move us forward as a country and as a party.”

Pro-life also means the U.S. government should not be taking the lives of innocents overseas. Yet both Huckabee and Brownback, in shamelessly appealing to social conservative voters, expressed their pro-life credentials, except when it comes to the sanctity of life in Iraq. Moreover, they imply that being pro-life also means supporting a comprehensive welfare state here at home. In addition, the “pro-life” Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, and, according to some estimates, about 70,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed in the sectarian violence that has been unleashed in the past four years. Bush’s immoral legacy will not be altered by the DC spinmeisters of both parties and GOP candidates like Rudy Giuliani who think the invasion of Iraq was a good and necessary act.

But September 11th changed that, we have been repeatedly told by the propagandists in Washington and in the media. Now, we have to “fight them over there, so we don’t have to fight them here.” This cartoonist slogan is more pap for the great unwashed in our country who think preemptive war is a glorious adventure.

As Ron Paul has pointed out in the GOP presidential debaters, the U.S. government’s Middle East policy has lead to blowback for decades, and the bombings against American targets are the consequences of America’s bipartisanship interventionist foreign policy. Slowly, the American people are beginning to embrace Ron Paul’s message. By early 2008, if enough anti-war GOP voters and independents go to the polls, Ron Paul will be the GOP presidential candidate.

In the meantime, the nine GOP candidates who have been wrapping themselves in the cloth of their faiths, are being exposed by Ron Paul for their anti-Christianity, at least when it comes the most important moral issue of our time, war and peace. If most Christian GOP primary voters are true to their faith, they will vote enthusiastically for Ron Paul. If they reject Ron’s candidacy, they will demonstrate once again that hypocrisy has no bounds.

Murray Sabrin, Ph.D., is professor of finance in the Anisfield School of Business at Ramapo College, where he is executive director of the Center for Business and Public Policy.

How Low Can Politics Go?

Recently, the Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO) developed and funded campaign literature that stated that Deputy Minority Leader/State Assemblyman Kevin O’Toole (R-40) was “the Republican Al Sharpton.” The paid mailer claimed that when it came to redistricting, O’Toole’s seat was protected because of his “Asian/Korean” descent. The mailer included a grainy, black and white side by side photo of Assemblyman O’Toole and Reverend Al Sharpton. The photo of Mr. O’Toole is one that showed him a bit unshaven, so that his facial hair was comparable to Mr. Sharpton’s.

Besides the literature making little sense, it was one of the most gratuitously inflammatory and racist campaign mailings ever distributed in New Jersey. Even more unbelievable than the mailing itself was that it was sent and paid for by the BCRO against a sitting Republican Assemblyman, who was seeking the District’s Senate seat (being vacated by State Senator Henry P. McNamara) against BCRO-endorsed former Bergen County Freeholder and State Senate candidate Todd Caliguire. Assemblyman O’Toole defeated Mr. Caliguire in last week’s Republican Primary and thus is the Republican nominee for the State Senate seat in November. Shortly after the election results were announced, BCRO Chairman Guy Talarico announced his resignation.

Is it any wonder that the BCRO under Chairman Guy Talarico had a track record of evisceration by the Bergen County Democratic Organization (BCDO) under current Chairman Joe Ferriero? What kind of Party Chairman would resort to such tactics against a sitting Assemblyman of his own Party? Furthermore, what kind of political organization would allow such a mailing to go out under its name? Considering the large number of Asian-Americans in Bergen County, this campaign strategy was one of the most foolish tactics in recent times.

The mailer and the people who sanctioned it brought politics to a new low, and that’s a difficult feat to accomplish. The mailer was not only an affront to Asian-Americans throughout New Jersey but was offensive to all residents of New Jersey -- Republican, Democrat and unaffiliated, of all races and religions. It has no place in politics. Assemblyman O’Toole and the residents who received this abhorrent mailing deserve an apology.

Michael M. Shapiro, founder of ShapTalk.com, is an attorney who resides in New Providence, New Jersey. He currently serves as the Chairman of the New Providence Democratic Party and as Editor of The Alternative Press Contact Mike at mike@shaptalk.com

The Free Market Thrives in the Most Unlikely Place…The Liberal Film Industry

by Steve Lonegan

Kenneth Del Vecchio is an unapologetic, and unabashed, conservative. He has also taken the lead in advancing the most liberal of all business sectors in the country, the film industry, right here in New Jersey. DelVecchio has conceived, produced and delivered the state’s most successful film festival in the most anti-business state in the union, the Hoboken International Film Festival. Without a single government subsidy, tax rebate, or a governor acting as “Chief marketer and economic planner,” he has managed to gather the forces of many of the country’s best filmmakers to produce the Hoboken Film Festival.

Ironically, while the Trenton planners ponder a proposal to provide $30 million in subsidies to attract film makers into our state through another taxpayer funded corporate welfare program, DelVecchio has managed to achieve just that, at no cost to taxpayers. Trenton’s Central Planners should take a lesson from this terrific little success, but they won’t.

You see, these types of successes are alien to the planners. They are often confused when an individual with nothing more than an idea, guts, and the drive to push such a dynamic project over the finish line. How could he possibly do this without the government’s help? What, no eminent domain abuse? No “tax credits?” Egads! If this keeps happening, people might just remember we don’t need the planners to produce and prosper.

Besides, Kenneth Del Vecchio was my Finance Chairman in my primary race for governor (this is the point in the story where “moderate “Republicans cringe and liberals, well, cringe, too.). So, as I gloat over the success of my guy, Ken DelVecchio, please recognize the consistency. The state government is not the answer to our problems, it is the problem. Get off our backs and there is no limit to what we, the people, can accomplish.

Opening night at Baccia Hall at Steven’s Institute was a true testimony to the strength of free-market forces and initiative in bringing people together. Hundreds came from all over the country to meet the producers, stars, and watch their films. Howard Stern’s side kick, Artie Lang, chatted with admirers and “Rescue Me” dad Charles Derney hung out in front with the smokers (politically incorrect, sorry). Just the beginning, Artie Lang’s film “Beer League” sold out months ago, as did Danny Aiello’s “Twenty Ninth Street.” At the screening of “Beer League,” moviegoers got all the Stella Artois beer they could drink.

Fortunately, those not in attendance included stars of the Department of Environmental Protection, OSHA, and other government regulators. Just a bunch of filmmakers who had taken the risk of producing movies that may or may not succeed, festival producer Ken Del Vecchio, who risked a lot of money and effort on the hunch he would make a profit, and those who came to enjoy the experience.

Boy, are the Trenton Planners confused. How could this happen? None of these organizers or producers is in the state pension system or receiving taxpayer funded medical benefits. Certainly, there has got to be a way they can mess this up. Let’s wait for the taxpayer funded sequel. Coming next Week.

Anyone looking to have a good time and join a winning team should attend the festival the rest of this week, and especially the closing night awards. Yes, the best films will be rewarded and the worst will fail. Hey, maybe the state planners can supply psychological counseling for those losers whose self esteem is destroyed. Gee, I knew there was an angle.

Check out the Hoboken International Film Festival.

Steve Lonegan is the Mayor of Bogota, NJ, and Executive Director of Americans for Prosperity - New Jersey. Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFP Foundation) are committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. He is a prolific writer, having been published in newspapers and blogs. He currently has a book in pre-publication on the impact of New Jersey state government on the well being of the taxpayers of the state, where he offers solid and workable solutions.

Can a Minority Ruin it for All?

In an October 25, 2006 Internet broadcast following the New Jersey Supreme Court’s decision to allow gay couples to enter into civil unions, Hal Turner, former Congressional candidate for the 13th Congressional District, told his audience: "I fully expect now that I gave out the home addresses and phone numbers of the New Jersey Supreme Court that I will have the New Jersey State Police here tomorrow again. Well, I'm not going to shut up. I am not going to stop putting these ideas in people's heads because violence solves everything. And if some very angry people were to go down to some of those judges' houses and tune them up, oh sure, they might get thrown in jail, but that would send a shockwave to the rest of those (expletive) in black robes that they can be gotten to." Mr. Turner did not stop there. He later mused that in the time it would take to have the police respond to a violent attack. “How many times you think you can bash someone in the head with a sledgehammer in two or three minutes?” he asked.

Mr. Turner’s sick rants are not alone on the Internet. While there are millions of websites that provide valuable news and information to our citizens, there are also thousands upon thousands that can be harmful. From websites that teach people how to make plastic explosives and engage in suicide bombing to those that are white supremacist and preach hate and violence towards others to still others dedicated to underage prostitution and child slavery, the Internet is littered with websites that could be deadly if visited by certain people.

Can we protect the freedom and breadth of the Internet while appropriately dealing with the minority of sites that have the potential to cause great harm? How can we balance the freedom of speech with the spewing of hatred and inciting of violence? Will there come a time when the Internet is regulated similarly to radio and television?

While these questions are not at the forefront of debate in American society at this time, they may not be too far off. As terrorists continue to use the Internet to facilitate their deadly campaigns and reveal gruesome footage of their exploits for all to see, it is only a question of time before calls for content regulation will become deafening. Add the concern for our children’s welfare and the proliferation of websites dedicated to sex and violence and a potent constituency that is currently latent can become energized and active, causing our elected officials to consider internet regulation. Should a particularly horrific act take place on the Internet during the heat of the upcoming Presidential campaign, do not be surprised if the nominees of both parties endorse a form of internet regulation. Hopefully, any sort of regulation will somehow be pinpoint targeted and will not bureaucratize the Internet, as a whole.

Michael M. Shapiro, founder of ShapTalk.com, is an attorney who resides in New Providence, New Jersey. He currently serves as the Chairman of the New Providence Democratic Party and as Editor of The Alternative Press Contact Mike at mike@shaptalk.com