Governor Christie of NJ

[Guest]

I don't know a lot about Governor Christie but from what I have seen he is a no nonsense, straght shooting guy. I have heard talk of him running for President at some point. I am going to start really paying attention to this guy. he is working hard to cleanup the mess in NJ. Here he is confronting a heckler at a Meg Whitman town hall in California.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N35wN9Di2ZQ

[Guest]

Here's one of my favorite Gov. Chris Christie responses at a town hall meeting. He seems like a no-nonsense guy:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkuTm-ON904

[Guest]

From this limited exposure it seems like he is on the side of applying right or wrong.
Not political correctness, or political politeness. or smiling and making promises he can't keep. And using facts in a discussion....no notes....no tele prompter......a real person.

I am now a fan and will pursue reading more about him.

btk

[Guest]

Here he is on Oprah with the founder of Facebook and the mayor of Newark, NJ, making an announcement about a new plan to reform the public schools in Newark.

There are two videos. Watch both.



http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/247777/worlds-collide-chris-christie-meets-oprah-daniel-foster

[Guest]

Here's one of my favorite Gov. Chris Christie responses at a town hall meeting. He seems like a no-nonsense guy:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkuTm-ON904

After years of frustration with the Democrat leadership that was causing my state to nosedive and my taxes to explode; I escape, upon retirement, to TV and the state elects the best, no nonsense conservative Governor in my lifetime. Oh well; but I'm so happy for the change in leadership in my former state and will keep an eye on this, so far, outstanding public servant as he inevitably is drawn to the national stage.

[Guest]

After years of frustration with the Democrat leadership that was causing my state to nosedive and my taxes to explode; I escape, upon retirement, to TV and the state elects the best, no nonsense conservative Governor in my lifetime. Oh well; but I'm so happy for the change in leadership in my former state and will keep an eye on this, so far, outstanding public servant as he inevitably is drawn to the national stage.

He still may end up somebody you have a chance to vote for. He has said he is not ready yet to be President when people ask him about running n 2012 but we'll see.

[Guest]

After years of frustration with the Democrat leadership that was causing my state to nosedive and my taxes to explode; I escape, upon retirement, to TV and the state elects the best, no nonsense conservative Governor in my lifetime. Oh well; but I'm so happy for the change in leadership in my former state and will keep an eye on this, so far, outstanding public servant as he inevitably is drawn to the national stage.

We lived in Jersey for four years and politics was the number one reason we had to get out of there...it literally made me sick to my stomach! Corzine was nothing but a puppet, the double-dipping was out of control, not to mention the number of illegals and the benefits that they received.

Like you, in a way, I wish I was still up there to experience the changes...naw, nevermind...I WILL NEVER live anywhere but the Bubble again!

[Guest]

gov christie's halo has tarnished quite a bit in my eyes - enuf so that he could be responsible for my husband and i becoming florida residents!

his reforms include rolling back our pensions by 9% and will require us to pay at least 30% of our medical insurance costs...he had the legislature approve a bill that revised the state's current year contribution from 3 bil to 1 bil and then only required that a payment of a half mil be paid to the treasury...he has made no effort to reduce the payments that employees are required to have deducted from their paychecks though...so what's good for that goose is not good for his flock!

he has targeted the pension and benefit plans of the public employees and teachers but is not touching the plans that belong to the state police, regular police and fire or prosecutors or judges...judges retire at full pay - which is over $150,000 and supreme court judges earn over $200,000.

i accepted an early retirement incentive when i left the state2 yrs ago - and i had to sign a contract when i did. it made me swear not to seek state/municipal emplmt for a minimum period of 3 yrs from the date of the retirement. in exchange for that i was granted a reduced pension amount, and health/dental/prescription ins which i pay for - which health insurance will cease when i am 65 and required to enroll in medicare and pay for that.

gov. christie rails against the public employees and the retirees, yet he fails to criticize the previous govs who failed to make payments to the state pension funds [between 1993 and 2008], he fails to criticize the previous govs whose staff negotiated the public employee contracts [they all bowed down to the unions in hopes of getting their support and votes], and he rants that the taxpayers of nj can't afford to pay their taxes because of the union contracts and pension fund deficiencies!...yet he is playing the same bloody game of underfunding his pension contribution like the other govs did!...and he fails to recognize that the public employees/retirees he is screaming about are also nj taxpayers!!!!!

he is just another politico who has been thrust into the limelight and is loving every minute of it. he is just another politico who speaks to whatever crowd is listening. and he is just another politico who speaks out of both sides of his chubby little mouth.

i wish he would run for president - so we could get him the he** out of jersey!

Get Rid of Incumbent Politicians

[Guest]

[QUOTE=njbchbum;295075]gov christie's halo has tarnished quite a bit in my eyes - enuf so that he could be responsible for my husband and i becoming florida residents!

his reforms include rolling back our pensions by 9% and will require us to pay at least 30% of our medical insurance costs...he had the legislature approve a bill that revised the state's current year contribution from 3 bil to 1 bil and then only required that a payment of a half mil be paid to the treasury...he has made no effort to reduce the payments that employees are required to have deducted from their paychecks though...so what's good for that goose is not good for his flock!

he has targeted the pension and benefit plans of the public employees and teachers but is not touching the plans that belong to the state police, regular police and fire or prosecutors or judges...judges retire at full pay - which is over $150,000 and supreme court judges earn over $200,000.

i accepted an early retirement incentive when i left the state2 yrs ago - and i had to sign a contract when i did. it made me swear not to seek state/municipal emplmt for a minimum period of 3 yrs from the date of the retirement. in exchange for that i was granted a reduced pension amount, and health/dental/prescription ins which i pay for - which health insurance will cease when i am 65 and required to enroll in medicare and pay for that.

gov. christie rails against the public employees and the retirees, yet he fails to criticize the previous govs who failed to make payments to the state pension funds [between 1993 and 2008], he fails to criticize the previous govs whose staff negotiated the public employee contracts [they all bowed down to the unions in hopes of getting their support and votes], and he rants that the taxpayers of nj can't afford to pay their taxes because of the union contracts and pension fund deficiencies!...yet he is playing the same bloody game of underfunding his pension contribution like the other govs did!...and he fails to recognize that the public employees/retirees he is screaming about are also nj taxpayers!!!!!

he is just another politico who has been thrust into the limelight and is loving every minute of it. he is just another politico who speaks to whatever crowd is listening. and he is just another politico who speaks out of both sides of his chubby little mouth.

i wish he would run for president - so we could get him the he** out of jersey!



As a public union employee I can understand why you don't like the Governor of NJ, but tough decisions had to be made and it can't just be the private sector employees who are out of work and with declining salaries to keep paying for the state employees who don't want to give an inch.
I know it's personal to you and hence you hate the idea of living with less real income, but plenty of the rest of us have the same problems and it's just the new reality. The age of entitlement has to end.
I'm sorry for your financial downturn; nobody likes is when it happens to them. The market will bear only what the market will bear.
It's a brave politician who will stand up to the public unions who wield so much political power, and pump so much of the union's money into Democrat coffers.

[Guest]

to either return to solvency or avoid it will always be doing things and taking actions that are not popular. The actions needed will always be in spending. And it is always the case where wages, salaries and benefits are one of the bigger categories.

Just like at home when we bump into not making ends meet....we trim down, cut back, eliminate, raise revenues.....etc.
Guys like Christie stand out because he is doing what financially needs to be done to the best of his ability ( I assume?).
If he is hitting employees for paying more of their share of health insurance, it likely is over due. The business sector has been doing it for years now and it is a category that politicians avoid because it is unpopular. And it will affect their multitudes of you owe me.
I am not saying I agree with the action, however, I do strongly support anyone who takes fiscal responsibility....does something about the problem...and tells folks like it is.

The complete absence of the above in Washington DC is why there will be a flushing in November.

btk

[Guest]

Richielion, BTK -
It is not that I dislike the gov - I dislike the selective administration of his proposals.

I have said for years that something had to change and I am glad that the state has someone who is willing to confront the state's problems...BUT...

apply the solutions across-the-board...apply the cutbacks to all retirees and pension plans, not just the public employees and teachers...include the state police, police/fire, prosecutors and judges...

stop hiring your political cronies while you continue the hiring freeze in other areas...

fulfill the state's requirement to fully fund their pension contribution rather that have a bill passed that changes the amount the state owes and further reduces the amount the state must pay this year...

make whatever payment the state is required to make rather than hold it hostage until the other party controlled legislature sits down with you to discuss future pension plan revisions...

and accept the fact that as long as all state workers are required to join a union you have to honor the labor relations/negotions concept rather than blow so hard as to place your policies beyond that practice.

this gov has possibilities, but he still has a lot to show me - after all, i am a nj taxpayer, too [at least for a little while longer ;)].

[Guest]

You wrote
"...If he is hitting employees for paying more of their share of health insurance, it likely is over due. The business sector has been doing it for years now and it is a category that politicians avoid because it is unpopular. And it will affect their multitudes of you owe me. ..."

And it made me think how great it would be if we could get government to govern as if it, too, were a business so that:
...it would operate on a for profit basis;
...the employees/citizens would accept lower pay, fewer benefits and fewer services in order to get a profit sharing check/tax rebate at the end of the year.

Now wouldn't that be a hoot!
LOL to myself ;)

[Guest]

Government at the Federal, State and local levels have promised 'benefits' in exchange for votes since the start of the New Deal. Unfortunately we, as a people, have bought the idea that there is really a free lunch.

In order to get our house in order we must do the following as a start:
1. Means test Social Security.
2. Increase SS retirement age.
3. Means test Medicare.
4. Eliminate COL adjustments in all Federal, State and Local pensions. (This must include the military)
5. Over a period of ten years, change all Federal, State and local pensions to a defined contribution rather than defined benefit plans.
6. Eliminate all non-funded Federal mandates and terminate the people who were there to 'oversee' them.
7. Eliminate pensions for elected officials at all levels.
8. Freeze all Federal pay scales/benefits until they become comparable to those in private industry. At this time they are 150% to 200% higher than comparable private industry jobs.
9. Eliminate government grants for arts and other programs whose benefits occur on a local level. If the people of DC want a performing arts center, let them pay for it.
10. Eliminate all earmarks.
11. Cancel Medicare Part D.
12. Repeal Obamacare.
13. Require a cost/benefit analysis for programs at all levels including existing rules put in places by agencies such as the EPA.
14. Implement strict term limits at all levels.

These are some of my ideas of how we must come to grips with reality. Our time is extremely limited as shown by today's explosion in the price of metals. The international marketplace is starting to believe that the United States and the EU are going the route of the Weimer Republic.

Governor Christie has started down the right path, but his work must be emulated and advanced at all levels of government.