Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Progressive Economics (Jersey Style)

And about those toll hikes (shhh! don't complain! they might track you down and give you the "Tiananmen Square Treatment" ) - guess whom gets beat up most by this liberal shakedown scam:

An analysis of E-ZPass data reviewed by Gannett Newspapers and Millennium radio shows many middle- and lower-income workers will be disproportionately hit by Corzine's planned toll increases. The analysis was conducted by Jonathan R. Peters, a finance professor who studies transportation costs at the City University of New York, Staten Island. The planned toll increases are so high that residents will make major life decisions, such as where to work, based simply on the tolls. "This may drive some people out of the workforce," Peters told my colleague Jason Method of the Asbury Park Press.

Low- and middle-income areas would see workers paying a disproportionately higher amount of their income to the toll roads, according to Peters' findings.

A governor's spokesman responded with typical Corzine gobbledygook:

"Any analysis that focuses on the toll component of the governor's initiative in isolation is one dimensional and incomplete ... The benefits of debt reduction, programmatic funding of transportation improvements statewide and ending New Jersey's chronic and structural budget problems will pay dividends for all New Jerseyans many decades in the future."

I guess we'll need the money for paying out unemployment benefits that will skyrocket by magnitudes of order. And, prey tell, where will the money come from once the traffic on the toll roads declines due to the oppressive costs?

I think I know who's gonna get hit up....time to stock up on mason jars and a good soil-digging shovel....

Incidentally, the above statement from the governor's spokeman was the stupidest thing uttered by Corzine (or one of his flacks) since he blamed the citzens of New Jersey for the Newark Massacre...

Who'd ever thought one could miss Jim McGreevy?

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Hugo Corzine's Jackboot...

....lands on the neck of any whom dare oppose his proposal to make New Jersey toll roads the world's most expensive. From Land Line, a trucker's site:

Apparently, no one told the police in Middle Township, NJ, that freedom of speech is a constitutional right.

On Saturday, Jan. 19, police arrested two men who had leaflets and signs protesting Gov. Jon Corzine’s plan to drastically increase tolls. The setting was the town’s high school where Corzine was scheduled to appear at a town meeting to make his case for raising tolls.

Before the governor arrived, some 10 toll increase opponents began distributing flyers and displaying signs that read “No toll hikes.” Among those were former Bogota, NJ, Mayor Steven Lonegan and Seth Grossman, an attorney.

Lonegan and Grossman told “Land Line Now” that when they got to the sidewalk near the school, they were confronted by a dozen or more police officers.
“I was surrounded by seven officers,” said Lonegan. “They told me the governor did not want me to hand out flyers.”

Lonegan said he was told it was a “private” meeting.

With more than a dozen years experience as a public official, Lonegan explained to the officers it was actually a “public” meeting, paid for by taxpayers. Lonegan told them it was his right to pass out flyers protesting the toll increases.
“They cuffed me and put me in the patrol car,” he said.


Grossman was also arrested. Both were detained for about an hour after being charged with trespassing.

A retired superior court judge who witnessed the arrests said it was “very scary.” Various media sources quoted him as saying it reminded him of movies he’d seen about Russia and Germany.

“My run-in with freedom of speech in New Jersey was a chilling, oppressive experience,” said Lonegan.

Well, that's what you get in a one-party system. Whether it is the willingness of New Jersey liberals to give up their freedom of speech to avoid voting for a (gasp!) Republican, or the state Republican party's sheer ineptitude in failing to bring more awareness to these increasingly ugly incidents (and failure to recruit any decent candidates), the Democrats of New Jersey know that they are operating securely in a single-party system - a la Communist Russia, China, etc. - and act like it.

And thanks to the good police force of Middle Township for gleefully stamping out free speech with the force of their weaponary and badges. They have no fear either; after all, Corzine and his Democratic ilk has made sure that the citizens of New Jersey are completely unarmed and unable to fight back against his fascist government (and NO, this site does not - DOES NOT - condone violence of any kind against police officers, BUT this is exactly why the framers wrote the Second Amendment into the Constitution - to avoid the usurping of inaliable rights by small-time thugs like Corzine and his paramilitary partners in the local and state police departments.) What next for the Jersey police - herding the Jews to the train stations? Well, if Herr Corzine asks...

The Asbury Park Press sounds the alarm:

With each passing day and each release of new information, Gov. Corzine's plan to hike tolls on New Jersey's toll roads to help pay down state debt makes increasingly less sense. At the same time, his refusal to release details about the plan for months before finally unveiling it three weeks ago becomes easier to understand: The more people know about it, the less they like it.

...a bipartisan committee should be established to consider alternatives to Corzine's monetization of the state's toll roads. Corzine insists no one has come up with a better idea yet. We've offered plenty. And we've heard plenty of sensible ideas from others. Corzine doesn't seem to be listening.

Corzine's attempt to ram through monetizations...must be stopped. It's clear his chief motivation for reducing debt is to free up room for new debt to be used to fund his endless list of costly initiatives — not to reduce the state's oppressive taxes.

But will any heed the call? The "progressives" of New Jersey would rather sink the state into third-world status before rethinking any of their faulty presuppositions. Rolling blackouts, pepper spray, state brutality, and insane spending on extremist liberal causes, here we come....

See below for Mr. Logan's arrest on the charge of.....opposing Governor Corzine's schemes? (hat tip: More Monmouth Musings)




UPDATE: Welcome, friends of Michelle Malkin ! Alas, this blog contains many more True-Life Jersey Horror Stories like the one above; simply search the site using the keyword "Corzine". But be warned: Not for the faint of heart....

Monday, January 21, 2008

Princeton's Lack of Diversity

To "progressives", diversity is only skin-deep. To these deep-thinkers, the color of one's skin determines identity, and a colorful mix of such within your social strata insures you the greatest accolade any liberal can be granted - that of "multiculturalist".

But do diversity of ideas matter? If it does, then Princeton University is the most single-tone dogmatic University in New Jersey; and likely tops in the nation. The Daily Princetonian reports thusly:

All Princeton faculty members who have given to 2008 presidential candidates so far have donated to Democrats, according to federal records of donations to presidential campaigns from Princeton University employees. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is the runaway favorite candidate among those donors, having received $12,050 from Princeton employees. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) drew the second-highest total contributions from Princeton faculty and staff with $5,600. Other donations have gone to candidates including former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), Gov. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.) and Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.).

Princeton employees' overwhelmingly high support for Democratic candidates — 90 percent of donors who listed the University as their employer gave to a Democrat, and no professors donated to the GOP — outpaces its peers. The Harvard Crimson reported that 86 percent of Harvard professors' contributions went to Democrats, while according to Georgetown's student newspaper, The Hoya, 75 percent of the donations made by the school's employees went to Democratic candidates.

Why Obama is the clear favorite of the ivory-tower types (the race thing again? Or the willful ignorance of those whom enjoy a sheltered academic existence about how the outside world actually works) is something that would take more space (and time and effort and research) than I can afford. But it is this type of moral blindless and close-mindeness that leads to horrors such as this.

Which of course makes it no suprise that Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ), one of the most off-the-cliff liberals in the House, is an old Princeton hand himself. It also explains why the the latter link provides us with goodies like this:

Representative Holt supported the interests of the Americans for Democratic Action 100 percent in 2005.

According to the National Journal - Liberal on Economic Policy's calculations, in 2006, Representative Holt voted more liberal on economic, defense and foreign policy issues than 91 percent of the Representatives.

That's what you get when you elect a Princeton alum...living in a gilded cage does not qualify one to govern the birds flying free. Because you will find that what they really want is for you to get into the cage as well....all for your own good, of course.

Friday, January 18, 2008

It's a joke, OK? Jeebus....

The Detroit Red Wing's scout recruits a young Iraqi. The Red Wings sign him to a one year contract and the kid joins the team for the preseason.

Two weeks later the Wings are down 4-0 to the Leafs with only 10 minutes left. The coach gives the young Iraqi the nod and he goes in.

The kid is a sensation - scores 5 goals in 10 minutes and wins the game for the Wings!

When he comes off the ice he phones his mom to tell her about his first day of NHL hockey.

"Hello mom, guess what?" he says. "I played for 10 minutes today, we were 4-0 down, but I scored 5 goals and we won. Everybody loves me, the fans, the media, they all love me."

"Wonderful," says his mom, "Let me tell you about my day."

"Your father got shot in the street and robbed, your sister and I were ambushed, raped and beaten and your brother has joined a gang of looters.....all while you were having such great time."

The young Iraqi is very upset.

"What can I say, mom? I'm so sorry."

"Sorry? You're Sorry?" says his mom. "It's because of you we moved to Detroit in the first place!”

Monday, January 14, 2008

Only in New Jersey: A Loyalty Oath

Want to attend Bergen Comunity College up in Northern Jersey? Better be ready first to swear your life on the PC Code:

In the full knowledge of the commitment that I am freely willing to undertake as a student, I promise to respect each and every member of the college community without regard to race, creed, political ideology, lifestyle orientation, gender or social status sparing no effort to preserve the dignity of those I will come in contact with as a member of the college community. I promise to Bergen Community College that I will follow this code of responsibility.

1. Honesty, integrity and respect for all will guide my personal conduct.
2. I will embrace and celebrate differing perspectives intellectually.
3. I will build an inclusive community enriched by diversity.
4. I am willing to respect and assist those individuals who are less fortunate.
5. I promise my commitment to civic engagement and to serve the needs of the community to the best of my ability.


Optional? Not according to a college spokeswoman:

"The pledge would not be optional .... If you don't agree, it is President Ryan's vision that you cannot attend the school."

More:

She said students who violated the code would be subject to judiciary hearings now reserved for offenses such as assault.

As Glenn Reynolds says:

They told me that if George W. Bush were re-elected, college students would be forced to sign loyalty oaths. And they were right!

Wow. So was Orwell...

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Orwell Was Right...

....If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—forever.

-George Orwell (1903–1950). O’Brien to Winston Smith, in "Nineteen Eighty-Four"

Ezra Levant is on trial before the infamous Canadian Human Rights Commission, for daring to publish the Mohammed Cartoons back in 2006.

See part of his Kafka-esque interrogation below. His interrogator - "human rights agent" Shirlene McGovern - is evil incarnate, and perfectly represents its banality:




This is the second of a three-part series; go to LGF to see the rest. The first clip is equally stunning as Mr. Levant opens by denoucing the court and mocking its legitimacy (transcript here).

Wait 'till Hillary wins in '08, and the perpetually aggrieved are running the show....

UPDATE: Alas, Mark Steyn already knows the drill; and he puts forth:

Thus the unending valse macabre of our times, as the supposedly progressive forces of tolerance are whirled around the floor by the avowedly intolerant. Ezra is rightly contemptuous of these "human rights commissions". Canadians should be ashamed of this show trial.

UPDATE II Sun 430P: Ezra Levant, our real-life Joseph K., posts on his trial:

The worst part is that there is no deterrent to spurious complaints -- there is no cost to making false accusations. That's where the "human rights chill" comes in: why would any rational publisher or editor report on sensitive subjects (read: radical Islam) if they knew they would be tagged with a no-win complaint?

That's the point I was making. And after I made it, Officer McGovern said "you're entitled to your opinions, that's for sure."

Well, actually, I'm not, am I? That's the reason I was sitting there. I don't have the right to my opinions, unless she says I do.

His site contains addition video clips as well. This should be the trial of the century; but the media seems to be ignoring it, maybe 'cause it raises the veil on our "progressive" Canadian neighbors that we should always be looking towards?

Well, maybe if there was some genital-flashing involved...

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Racist Democrats Dragging Down Obama ?

So the polls were wrong - way wrong - and the empty suit took a "shocking" defeat at the hands of the harpy in New Hampshire.

The media, calling this wrong as usual, are loathe to find fault within their bandwagon-jumping souls. So who to blame for this tremendous failure in tea-leave reading? Why, the racist residents of this little Northern state, that's who ! Telling the pollsters they would vote for Obama, and then gleefully pulling a lever for the Wicked Witch of Westchester - how shameful !

One problem with this narrative, however - it is the textbook definition of "pissing into the wind" :

It's worth underscoring, though, that this was a Democratic primary, and that (if exit polls are to be believed) registered independents went heavily for Obama. If Mrs. Clinton benefited from antiblack prejudice, then, it was antiblack prejudice on the part of Democrats.

That's gotta hurt. Truth does that, though...

Funny too that some of the most vile accusations whispered against Obama were by his primary foes...coincidentally, also Democrats:

...Actually, it was (Democrat) Bob Kerrey doing the whole secret-muslim thing and (Democrat) Bill Shaheen doing the sold-cocaine thing and (Democrat) Andrew Young doing the Bill Clinton's-slept-with-more-black-women-than-Obama thing.

Methinks once the media realizes what the warm liquid splashing into their face is, they'll tone down the "race angle" for a while. But it'll come back. Once they believe they can work it to their advantage again...

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

A Bad Day, Even by New Jersey's Low Standards

Billionaire Jon Corzine decides to balance the state's budget by cutting spending, reducing the outlandish benefits enjoyed by state employees, and by cutting taxes in the hope of spurring revenue growth !

Nah. Not really. Instead he's going to rape the poor and middle class:

Tolls on the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike and Atlantic City Expressway could rise by more than 50 percent in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 under a plan Gov. Jon S. Corzine unveiled today in his State of the State speech to the Legislature.

"I want to be clear and honest up front: My plan involves significant toll hikes. Those toll hikes will be predictable, fair and reflect increases in the cost of living, past, present and into the future," Corzine said.

Yeah. I guess when you are constantly riding in the back of a limo, and never have to reach into your pocket at the toll plaza, a 550% increase would seem fair!

A 70-cent toll on the Garden State Parkway now could cost between $3.65 and $4.10 in 2022, depending on how the plan factors in inflation. National inflation has averaged 2.6 percent over the past 15 years.
Likewise, a $1 trip on the New Jersey Turnpike could cost between $5.50 and $6.50 by 2022, depending upon inflation. For example, a trip from exit 9 on the Turnpike to exit 15E could see tolls rise from $2.20 today to around $12 in 2022.

Unreal.

And while Corzine gets ready to do the nasty to the willing victims of New Jersey, the legislature is busy creating new avenues of liberal guilt....

New Jersey officially apologized for slavery Monday, becoming the first Northern state to do so.

Red Generation points out what the leftist whores refuse to acknowledge:

2,578 New Jersey soldiers were killed in combat during the Civil War.
2,415 New Jersey soldiers died of disease while serving during the Civil War.
419 New Jersey Soldiers died in prisoner of war camps during the Civil War.

In addition, the hard service of combat and the mind-wrenching horrors of battle also saw 67,500 New Jersians....


That speaks louder than any apology, no? But one thing we all know about liberals: They would rather apologize than fight.

Can you stomach more? Bob Ingle of the Park-Press describes how the shamefully wasteful new state school aid plan passed; I'll give you his lead paragraph:

At 1:06 AM today, the Assembly finally shut up and called it a day in a legislative session in which both the lower house and Senate demonstrated what a mostly sorry collection of trough-swillers they really are -- the best lawmakers money can buy.

Want to know what the result of this liberal utopia is? Enlighten lays it out:

New Jersey had a net 2006-2007 internal migration loss of 69,160 people [4th highest in the nation - ed.]

And as he so eloquently puts it:

The state’s actions also has the side benefit of encouraging people who pay taxes to leave.

And there's the fault in the liberal's plan, one that they refuse to acknowledge: Their punative tax codes and interest-group giveaways are only effective if there are enough people willing to be victimized by their scams. If the victims decides they have had enough, and walk, the Ponzi scheme collapses.

Unless, of course, Corzine and his Democratic ilk build one of those walls, or "fences", used so effectively in the past by "People's States" to prevent their subjects from leaving....

Argh. See, this is why I quit blogging in the first place....

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Agents of CHANGE ?

Reminds me of Maxwell Smart's KAOS....

Two theories of CHANGE, from NRO:

I love it every time Hillary says "I've been an agent of change" - it makes CHANGE sound like some deeply sinister SMERSH-type acronym. Was she like Valerie Plame? A covert agent of CHANGE?

CHANGE defined:

....on Hillary's covert work as an agent of C*H*A*N*G*E, Mark and Jonah just figured out what the acronym stands for: Corporate Hatred And New Government Expenditures.

Scarier than KAOS, indeed....



KAOS. An International organisation of evil formed in 1904 in Bucharest to forment global unrest and revolution. Agent 86, Maxwell Smart, disputed the inception date, claiming it was more like 1957. I don't think anytone really knows if the letters individually stand for anything or whether it's just intened to be a play against its nemesis, good-guy spy organization CONTROL. Maybe the artist meant to letter CHAOS but missed it by 'that' much!

Saturday, January 05, 2008

You Learn Something New Every Day....

....even if it is from a link close to six years old. Yeah, Hillary was booed off the stage the other night at a Democratic gathering, but if you didn't know this was not the first time, well, there is a reason for that:

Senator Clinton was booed when she walked on stage last October at a rock concert in Madison Square Garden to benefit 9/11 victims. It was shown live by VH1 but, as ABC's John Stossel illustrated in a July 20/20 special on media distortions, when the Viacom-owned cable channel replayed it sound technicians replaced the booing with cheering and applause. And that version is the permanent record VH1 put onto its DVD of the event.

Wonder if we'll start to see the same courtesy extended to their newest darling...

That Wacky Iowa Caucus !

I guess if I still blogged, I would feel compelled to write about it. Still, this guy has the right idea...