New Jersey’s Big Fat Governor Shows How It’s Done
Welcome Instapundit Readers!!
In an editorial today (via Instapundit), the editors of the New York Post lavish praise on the Garden State’s Republican Governor for “doing what he was elected to do — getting the budget under control, without reflexively raising taxes.” In so doing, he becomes a model for chief executives of other states (and one federal government) in similar fiscal straits.
Chris Christie is making cuts across the board and “has let it be known that he’ll stick to his campaign promises and oppose any gas-tax hike.” Good for him, the problem is not that governments have been taking in too little money, but that they have been spending too much.
Given the squeals of protests for Democrats and special interest groups, it’s important that folks who understand that governments, like homeowners, must live within their means, stand up and defend this good man. Perhaps, Tea Party activists in New Jersey could rally on behalf on the aggressive executive, with signs, saying, “We’re with you, Chris,” “We support your plans to hold the line on spending,” or some such.
For now, I’ll just repeat praise from a prior post, Kudos, Governor. I’m proud to call myself a member of your party. And commend you for standing strong against special interests and for fiscal discipline.
18 Comments
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Great point. We can’t fight to get (real) reformists elected and then abandon them to the forces of the status quo once they’re in office.
Tea Partiers, maybe a rally in support of the spending cuts will help Christie keep fighting the good fight.
Comment by Duke — February 14, 2010 @ 7:20 am - February 14, 2010
We’ll see if he gets away with it. Already, he is being attacked for cutting money to schools and hospitals, with no one asking how the money is being spent in the first place.
Comment by Charles Collins — February 14, 2010 @ 8:01 am - February 14, 2010
Gov. Christie is testing a crucial question: will voters stand with pols who actually deliver spending cuts? Will they stick with him when it comes to reducing “the rate of increase” in the school lunch program? What about when the media highlights the sleigh ride driver in Yosemite whose job is on the chopping block?
Christie is pushing many of these difficult budget issues back down to the local level. It goes without saying that the local agencies and boards will whine and demand they must have higher taxes. It’s up to local voters to get in their face and demand SPENDING cuts. If they won’t comply, run against them.
I’d like to see “protests” with signs like: “We’ve got your back, Guv!”. But it remains to be seen how vigilant voters will be when the cuts are portrayed in the media as cruel and harmful. Will they have his back then? I hope so. Otherwise, we’ll never get any other pols to tackle the obese bureaucracies in every level of government.
Comment by jeanneb — February 14, 2010 @ 8:11 am - February 14, 2010
Now, that’s a change I can believe in!
Comment by The Nose on My Face — February 14, 2010 @ 9:47 am - February 14, 2010
Hurrah for Chris Christie! Three cheers! If every government official did this, instead of spending other people’s money uncontrollably, we would be in a lot better shape.
Comment by Mick Langan — February 14, 2010 @ 9:51 am - February 14, 2010
That *is* what the Tea Party should do. Having protests about govt spending is great, but moot unless one is willing to sacrifice some comforts themselves. If we as the American people want to live within our means then we may have to wait until 70 for medicare and SS and have a reduction in public services.
The tea partiers can be the popular front in this and give inspiration to non-partiers like myself to show that the masses and not cruel mean conservatives are wanting a better future for us and our children, and that means some sacrifices. Like that one Allstate commercial which shows people working within their means (like the doc and the construction worker eating lunch from home)we need this to be stressed on as a good thing, not a failure. Failure is to keep spending like we do. And I’m a public servant
Comment by Rachel — February 14, 2010 @ 10:01 am - February 14, 2010
Good for him, but once the goodies stop flowing, will the citizenry rally behind him. That is my concern. He will be limited in what he can do unless the legislature “fears” the wrath of the people.
Notice how the federal government’s leadership doesn’t appear to “fear” the people after all of our TEA Party activity. What really worked was the 1999 Tennessee Tax Revolt when the people got in the face of the legislature; mostly peaceful, but determined to prevent the state government from imposing an income tax. They still don’t have one. The Battle of Athens in TN also showed the people can stop corruption. Love those Tennesseeans; they show their love of freedom with action.
Comment by Al Reasin — February 14, 2010 @ 10:06 am - February 14, 2010
Democrats and special interest groups just want your money. It’s simple. In what party are most welfare recipients, ex-cons, prisoners, mentally ill, disability retirees, carnival barkers and teachers found? Do the math.
Comment by Wintoon — February 14, 2010 @ 10:14 am - February 14, 2010
[...] That GOP Governor in NJ shows how it is done, reports Gay Patriot [...]
Pingback by Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup » Pirate's Cove — February 14, 2010 @ 10:46 am - February 14, 2010
Rachel, you are basically correct but don’t mention a very important point.
Re: SS & Medicare and waiting till 70. What about those people, like myself, that have planned all their lives based on the promises made by the gov’t?
Are we to now have our financial safety net yanked out from under us when, at 60+, we are unable to get a job? I worked hard and saved a lot but this last crash cost me my career when I was given early retirement.
My IRA/401K diminished by 25%, but even with that I had enough put aside to make it, counting on the promises I had been made. What now for the likes of me if those promises are broken?
The key to successfully dealing with this mess is how to unravel 50 years of insanity without stomping on those who had nothing to do with it. This mess cannot be fixed quickly. Cuts need to be made in such a way as to minimize the immediate pain.
E.G. I’m all for free trade and fair markets, but, you can’t honestly say that there is no pain for workers when the one major industry in the area closes. Sure, some will be able to move; others will be able to get new skills. But that all takes time and you can’t cut their income to 0 overnight and say that in 10 years all will be rosy. At a 10,000 foot level sure; at a 1 foot level not so much.
So go ahead and plan to save the system, just remember that promises were made and need to be kept for those most vulnerably situated.
Comment by Alan Cramer — February 14, 2010 @ 11:04 am - February 14, 2010
Rachel — “cruel mean conservatives”? You mean if you resist spending money you are cruel and mean?
It is so tiresome for liberals to talk like conservatives are either 1) stupid or 2) evil.
Comment by Mick Langan — February 14, 2010 @ 11:41 am - February 14, 2010
Not saying SS shouldn’t be changed, but how’s this fair? SO many govt retirement programs allow full benefits after 20 or 30 years of service, this could be age 42 (for policemen) or 52 or 55…..so common for govt ‘ees…….but SS system must be reigned in by raising the full ret age from 67 to 70? Something’s wrong here. We need to shine the light more clearly on the egregious costs of govt pension plans. See http://www.pensiontsunami.com !
Comment by steve bourg — February 14, 2010 @ 12:18 pm - February 14, 2010
Pls Gov Christie, run for Gov in CA!
We remember Ah-nold promised to cut up the state gov’t credit card. Does not appear to have happened.
Comment by Jim,MtnViewCA,USA — February 14, 2010 @ 12:40 pm - February 14, 2010
“We remember Ah-nold promised to cut up the state gov’t credit card. Does not appear to have happened.”
How’s that working out for him now?
Comment by bill — February 14, 2010 @ 1:11 pm - February 14, 2010
Al Reasin:
the goodies are going to the unions that work for the various government agencies. They are getting killed by the taxes as are the rest of us. Many of the rank and file know it has to break but the leadership is out of control. The problem is breaking the cycle in a way that makes sense for all. But the first step is breaking that cycle. AS in all guaranteed pension and benefit plans it was never envisioned that the people would have salaries that are comparable to private industry and so the benefits and pension was a way of making up for that. With salaries they way they are the pension and benefits are totally out of wack.
Comment by Rich — February 14, 2010 @ 1:23 pm - February 14, 2010
Make no mistake, Christie is testing whether we will actually allow an elected leader to cut expenses, including programs that directly or indirectly benefit us.
We voters and taxpayers are so accustomed to the crazy-quilt of government finance to take from Peter to give to Paul that we are all both Peter and Paul now. I want Christie to succeed, even if some of my ‘bennies’ disappear in the bargain. To shrink government and its insatiable need for revenue, we all need to see that it will affect us.
I allow that nearly every program enacted is worthy (an over-the-top assumption if there ever was one). But to believe that we can endlessly raise taxes and sell debt to fund every wish is madness and comes with failure built into it.
The founders knew that government needed to be small and not even to try a lot of things. That is why they granted enumerated powers to government and left everything esle to the people. Well, that’s reversed now.
This is a test America! Will you allow government to shrink and get back to a handful of things to do? Or do you want to pretend that you are always Paul and sacrifice Peter to fund your ends?
Robert Fuller
Hopewell, NJ
Comment by Robert — February 14, 2010 @ 2:20 pm - February 14, 2010
Go Gov. Christie!
Alan Cramer: the truth is that everyone had something to do with it, even the people who didn’t want to. First, learn the term “means-testing.” You’ll need to know it soon. Second, the Government’s excuse will be, “you had lower taxes since we spent the Social Security money, so you’ve already received your benefit.
Only the really poor will be getting SS, and there is no other way around it except hyperinflation and the ruination of the currency. Believe me, I wish there was.
I suggest you start making preparations for finding some kind of other work or growing some of your own food. You’ll need both. Don’t feel like you’re alone, either. There are lots of people like you out there. I now doubt that I will ever be able to retire, and I fully expect to die on the job.
Comment by mac — February 14, 2010 @ 6:53 pm - February 14, 2010
You are very right Alan. I’m 40 and in relatively good health, so seeing the medicare et al to 70 does not affect me now.
However, it is those exact issues that the fed govt will have to contend with. I agree with you that those who pay into the system should get it, but something tells me there will be age increases, more taxes, and means testing for these retirement/entiltlement programs.
Though Corzine has to deal with state and local level issues, the issues of SS et al are going to be major in the upcoming years.
Comment by Rachel — February 14, 2010 @ 8:49 pm - February 14, 2010