When you think of a Republican "moderate," what positions or what politicians come to mind? I for one think of the stellar former Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chaffee, who is against the death penalty and courageously voted against the Iraq War. Almost invariably, though, the New Jersey media states that GOP State Senator and NJ-07 Congressional Candidate Leonard Lance is a "moderate," yet the facts on the ground and his record indicate otherwise. Part of the reason for this, of course, is that the candidates who Lance faced in the Republican primary were somewhere to the right of Bush on several issues, and Lance is, by comparison, indeed a moderate compared to those right wing extremists.
I'm sure many of you have heard the news: Republican Congressman Mike Ferguson is not seeking re-election in 2008. While New Jersey's 7th District won't be seeing the rematch everyone expected, I'm still moving ahead at full-steam with my congressional campaign regardless of who my opponent will be.
First, before anything else, I just want to say that I respect Congressman Ferguson's decision not to run again. As the mother of three children, I understand all too well the difficulty of juggling the demands of public service and family. Along those lines, one of my strongest motivations for running for Congress is the well-being of all families and the future of all our children.
I also want to make it clear that this doesn't change my outlook on the race. I was never running against Mike Ferguson. All along, I've been running for my neighbors in New Jersey's 7th District. Here are just a few of the reasons why:
New Jersey voters told pollsters this summer that they supported embryonic stem cell research by a margin of 71 percent to 19 percent.
Those are numbers you normally find only when you ask people if they love their mothers.
So the fact that those same voters soundly rejected the stem cell initiative on Tuesday's ballot was a shock, maybe even a turning point.
The meaning was unmistakable. Voters no longer trust Democrats to handle their money.
They're not ready yet to switch partners and hand power to Republicans. But they want their Democrats to sober up.
This vote was a warning shot from the voters, and perhaps a sign of things to come. They weren't ready this time to abandon the Democrats, but they know something is very wrong with the budget and they're tired of gimmicks and further debt.
Vote.
Take your next door neighbor with you. Offer a ride to that lady across the street who doesn't walk very well anymore. Ask that guy at work who always complains about the conservative pundits if he voted before work or is going after. Remind people that voting is the most important thing we do in a democracy. Don't let something so silly as rain make a difference. Get out the vote!
Our Fair State's health is getting worse, and our health care system needs some work. We have low rates of prenatal care and increasing numbers of uninsured compared to the rest of the country. Truly a painful embarrassment.
It won't be formally announced until next spring, but the 511 system for traffic information is fully operational. It's a free call, too!
The U.S.-Peruvian trade agreement heads for a full House vote tomorrow. Proponents say Our Fair State stands to benefit with a high concentration of Peruvian-American and Hispanic businesses; others see our jobs being exported.
Check back with Blue Jersey all day to read stories from the field, and to tell your own. This is an open thread: Tell us what you're seeing out there!
"As a psychologist and rabbi, I encounter people struggling with Alzheimers and so many other potentially curable debilitating diseases," said Dr. Shulman. "Out of touch politicians like Scott Garrett are blocking research that could lead to cures for my patients and congregants. For me, this issue is personal."
Tom Moran chides New Jersey's legislators for turning good ideas - investing in stem cell research and preserving open space - into fiscally irresponsible choices which will plunge our state further into debt:
Which means that the poor, abused New Jersey voter will again face a rotten choice on Election Day.
You can oppose these good causes, allowing the bulldozers to have their way next year, and crippling a promising effort to fight disease. Or you can vote for them, and make yourself a minor accomplice in the state's financial ruin.
A Rutgers-Eagleton poll finds that by a 56%-37% margin, likely voters would support a $450 million bond referendum question to fund stem cell research. Catholics support the measure by 48%-41% and evangelicals and born-again Christians do so by a similar 48%-42% margin. The breakdown is 62%-22% for Democrats, 57%-32% for independents, and Republicans are split 45%-46%.
But even among those who disagree, only a small minority do so on moral grounds. Of those opposing the referendum, 58% say the state can't afford to borrow the money while 26% say it's for moral reasons. Tim Vercellotti, director of polling at the Eagleton Institute of Politics, says "the margin favoring approval of the stem cell research bond issue is typical for recent ballot questions about state uses of public funds, despite public controversy surrounding this type of research. That some of the key constituencies expected to oppose the ballot question, such as evangelical Christians and Republican voters, are narrowly in favor or divided speaks to the strength of public support for the bond issue."
By a much larger 70%-21% margin, voters support the ballot question which would dedicate the entire penny increase in the sales tax towards property tax relief.
The poll shows a steep drop in Governor Corzine's approval rating from 57% in August to 47% today. Two thirds of voters now think there is a lot of public corruption in the state, up from 47% in August, 2004.
And while approval of the Democratic-led legislature has dropped from 37% in 2004 to 30% today, Democrats may not suffer much at the polls. By 10 points, likely voters prefer Democrats to Republicans for the Assembly (42%-32%) and Senate (44%-34%). In both cases, the split is similar to the results from 2003 (41%-32% for Assembly, 43%-33% for Senate).
Among likely voters, 28% said reducing property taxes was the top issue the next governor should address. Overtaking corruption as the #2 issue in 2005, 21% said reducing the budget crisis should be the top priority, while corruption registered a close third at 19%.
I know I don't have to remind anyone here that two weeks from today is Election Day. However, while the discussion - both offline and offline - often focuses on the candidates running for office, I want to make sure you're also aware of a very important stem cell initiative that I've fought to get put on the ballot.
When you step into the voting booth on November 6th, you'll help decide whether New Jersey should invest $450 million over the next decade on stem cell research facilities. By voting YES, you'll be casting a vote for hope and for cures.
I know that many of you read the blog post put up here last week by New Jersey for Hope - a group passionately working to promote passage of this very important public question. For more information about them and this ballot question, please visit www.njforhope.org. I hope they can count on your support to make New Jersey THE LEADER in the search for life-saving cures through public funding of stem cell research.
Not so long ago, the mere thought of treating diseases like polio and small pox was a dream of the future. Today, due to our society's commitment to discovering treatments, these diseases are a thing of the past. I truly believe that stem cell research holds the keys to unlocking the cures for cancer, as well as spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer's, M.S., diabetes and a whole host of other debilitating diseases and chronic conditions.
On Election Day, I hope you'll join me in supporting stem cell research. I hope you'll join me in advancing medical treatments. And I hope you'll join me in attracting leading scientists and research companies to our state. That is what it means to vote YES on this very important ballot question on Tuesday, November 6th.
I'm proud to steadfastly support stem cell research, and I remain unwavering on this issue.
While George Bush and his right-wing cohorts in Congress have sought to stifle progress, it is the states that are stepping up to make real and lasting change. In the state legislature, I've pushed for laws to make New Jersey a national leader in stem cell research through the construction of new research facilities paid for with cigarette tax securitization bonds.
Together, let's make sure New Jersey continues to lead the way in finding tomorrow's cures today. Let's do all we can to make sure this public question passes on election day!
Just yesterday I wrote about New Jersey's upcoming referendum on Stem-Cell research, and why the proposal is an excellent one for New Jersey both economically and as a step in a progressive direction for the state. But while the voters of New Jersey will have their say on November 6th on the issue, they'll also have their say on 40 legislative districts across the Garden State. One of the most competitive ones that will be decided is one I have covered extensively before - New Jersey's 39th Legislative district, located in Bergen County. And one of the biggest opposition leaders in Trenton to the Stem-Cell referendum is Gerald "Gerry" Cardinale, the GOP's State Senator in NJ-39. Think Mitch McConnell as a purely New Jersey-style legislator, and you've got Cardinale. And like Mitch McConnell, Gerry Cardinale must be defeated.
In my last diary (on New Jersey's 39th legislative district), I briefly discussed how New Jersey has the potential to be what Wisconsin was under "Fighting Bob" LaFollette 100 years ago - a progressive laboratory for the United States. To do this will require in part the election of more Democratic and progressive leaders to serve in both the state legislature in Trenton and on the county and municipal levels. However, there is another factor apart from elections that can make a state truly progressive: the support of the public for a progressive vision for their state and country. LaFollette introduced the concept of the initiative, the referendum and the recall to Wisconsin, and some states still follow that legacy. Now, New Jersey's Democratic leaders are trying to make New Jersey a progressive bastion as well - through a ballot referendum this November on Stem Cell Research.
A few days ago, I introduced you all to New Jersey's 39th Legislative District, and why it matters to New Jersey and the country at large in 2007. You can read the article at http://www.bluejerse... . Today, I want to start tackling the opposition; for, even though NJ-39 has moved leftward, the incumbents have stayed on the far-right of the political spectrum. And that is especially true of Gerald "Gerry" Cardinale, the district's State Senator since 1981. In many ways, Cardinale is a New Jersey version of Mitch McConnell; arrogant, divisive, out of touch with political and social changes and blindly loyal to the special interests who back his campaigns. Cardinale's platform and values better echo 1907 than 2007, and today I'm going to show you why.
When it comes to supporting stem cell and cancer research it's not enough to just talk the talk. You have to walk the walk. That's why I'm excited to let you know of an upcoming opportunity to do just that... literally.
Like all of you, I pray for a cure to cancer. That is why I support stem cell research.
In stem cell research we hold the hope of curing deadly and debilitating diseases. In the Assembly, I've pushed hard for laws making New Jersey a national leader through the construction of research facilities paid for with cigarette tax securitization bonds. I'm also calling for a ballot question this November to authorize $450 million in State bonds to provide grants to stem cell research institutions.
Not so long ago, the mere thought of treating diseases like polio and small pox was a dream of the future. Today, due to our society's commitment to discovering treatments these diseases are a thing of the past. I truly believe that stem cell research holds the keys to unlocking the cures for cancer, as well as spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer's, M.S., diabetes and a whole host of other debilitating diseases and chronic conditions.
When compiling their fascinating list of New Jersey's top 100 political power-brokers, PoliticsNJ intentionally leaves off elected officials - the very people whose power the folks on the list are supposed to be brokering.
Their rationale is that all electeds have power. And, of course, they all do.
But, I think REAL power is what you make of it. So, I've compiled my own top 5 electeds who have used their power to show real leadership. This is what REAL power can mean:
Dick Codey
- his outlandish popularity aside, New Jersey's funniest sometimes-governor has grabbed the reins on what in other states has been a controversial issue - stem-cell research - and made New Jersey one of the top 5 centers for funding cutting edge medical research with stem-cells. While President Bush is busy vetoing federal funding, Codey continues to advocate for real dollars to find real cures for real diseases. Kudos.
Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts - it's easy to say you support marriage equality, or promise you will support it when the time rolls around. But, last week, Roberts went a step beyond when he acted on his own in sending letters to the NJ Chamber of Commerce and to private businesses urging them to follow the not just the letter, but the spirit of the civil unions law in treating all couples equally. Bravo.
Senator Nia Gill - say what you will about her temporary hold on the Chief Justice nomination, but Gill is a leader who didn't need permission (or support) from party leaders to hold onto her senate seat, and doesn't ask permission to continue to lead on a range of issues affecting her constituents, from civil rights to clean needle exchange. Power.
Mayor Meryl Frank - the reformers say she's too close to the machine, the machine says she's too much of a reformer. She must know something they don't know. Maybe that's what gives her the courage to push Highland Park out front on issues like banning dual officeholding and becoming NJ's first environmentally "cool city." Winner.
AssemblymanSenator-in-waiting Brian Stack - County Machine? I don't care about no stinkin' County machine! The uber-popular mayor of Union City uses genuine people-power to defy conventional wisdom, race, backroom politics and the old rules of the game, pushing aside the vaunted Hudson County power structure like they were tiny toy soldiers. Juggernaut.
This morning in North Brunswick, Senator Menendez and Representative Holt urged the President to sign a bill supporting life-saving stem cell research. Menendez and Holt spoke at Chromocell Corporation Technology Centre of New Jersey, where such research is conducted.
Embryonic stem cell research is supported by more than 500 organizations, including the American Medical Association, AARP, Association of American Medical Colleges, Parkinson's Action Network, American Diabetes Association, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and Paralyzed Veterans of America.
The House passed legislation promoting research last week, and the Senate is expected to do so soon. As Rep. Holt said, "The only one standing in the way of progress on this issue is President Bush, and we're all here today to say plainly: put down your veto pen."
Minutes ago on NJN, Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce was asked what he thought about Governor Corzine's State of the State address. He replied by attacking Governor Corzine's proposal for state funding of stem cell research, but he went a step further, attacking stem cell research itself. DeCroce said we'll be spending money on something "that won't give us true research."
Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance, who was also appearing with DeCroce on NJN, quickly distanced himself from his Assembly counterpart. Lance said that his opposition to the stem cell proposal is "not philosophical."
Embryonic stem cell research got a push forward in Our Fair State yesterday, with Gov. Corzine announcing $10 million in state funds for research, and he plans to sign a bill tomorrow with $270 million for a stem cell institute. He also plans to sign the needle exchange bill today and the civil union bill Thursday.
Our Fair State has joined a dozen others yesterday in suing the EPA to lower soot levels from smokestacks in order to improve our respiratory health and save lives. Also in environmental news, yesterday the Bush administration changed the rules on releasing detailed info on the toxic chemicals that companies emit into the air, water and on land, a move Sen. Frank Lautenberg said "puts the interests of corporate polluters ahead of the health and safety of the American people."
Yesterday was the busiest mail day of the year for the USPS and FedEx. Wednesday is the last day to ship priority mail at the USPS and have your package arive by Dec. 23rd- better finish your shopping today!
Today, Governor Jon Corzine stopped by Hoffman La Roche in Nutley and spoke to an auditorium full of Roche employees. Luckily, I was on hand and was even able to ask a question of the Governor. (I asked about property taxes and got the same old schpiel.)
The Governor talked about alternative energy, windfarms, solar panels, and nuk-ya-lar energy. He said he would like to put Solar panels on all the warehouses in NJ. Corzine also talked about enlightening moments in his political career and how he takes the same entrepreneurial approach to politics as in business.
What stood out, however, was a promise to have $300 million for stem cell research guaranteed by the end of the year. The governor followed that statement with "mark my words." Those of you keeping count he has just over 2 months from now to do it.
This is like a "read my lips" moment.
This is great news for NJ who has consistently led the United States when it comes to biotechnology and scientific research. It is also good news for all the people suffering from diseases such as Parkinson's who have placed their hopes in stem cell research.
Of course now all he needs is the sluggish Legislators to put it on his desk.
Hi All. This may be the shortest diary ever. PLEASE head over to this diary here and then to the one over at the Menendez blog. I hope we can get enough people together to call for an event where all of our NJ Dems can show their unity on the stem cell issue. Post a comment! Show your support!
The Washington Post reports that Michael J Fox is supporting candidates who favor stem cell research:
In addition to the Cardin ad, Fox filmed 30-second spots for Senate candidate Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat who is seeking to unseat Republican James M. Talent, and for Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D), who is seeking reelection. He has also made plans to appear at events for two Democrats, Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Tammy Duckworth, a candidate for Congress from Illinois.
"He wants to take on races and get involved in races that involve a pro stem cell candidate against an anti embryonic stem cell candidate," said John Rogers, a publicist for Fox.
