newjerseynewsroom.com

BY IRWIN STOOLMACHER

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

COMMENTARY

A day does not go by lately without me getting ticked off about something. Here are four items in the news that have really gotten my dander up:

On top of my list is the complete lack of leadership shown by New Jersey Democrats. Where is the Democratic vision for New Jersey? Drew Westen in an enlightening new book entitled The Political Brain: the Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation, wrote that nationally, Democrats need to "develop a master narrative, an ideology that stands for something and stands against something." Similarly, New Jersey Democrats have failed miserably at developing a narrative on their vision of New Jersey.

Given the Governor's current high level of popularity in the polls, there has been a dearth of Democrats willing to confront the Governor's failure to address the underlying causes of New Jersey's fundamental problems, e.g., property tax reform, the failure to educate the children of our cities, the inability to provide affordable housing and address the structural deficits that are plaguing our cities and forcing them to ravage essential services to make up for cuts in state aid. They are, no doubt, fearful that they will be labeled as big spenders, pro-union, pro-city, anti-business, pro-tax or worst of all, pro-Abbott school districts.

The actions of many Democrats, such as Senate President Stephen Sweeney, suggest that they are watching the polls and have decided that the only way to run against the Governor is to run as Christie-lite, a slightly less conservative version of the Governor. That's not going to do it. Progressives like me will not be activated by a candidate of that ilk.

Given the ineptitude of New Jersey Democrats their only hope is that the electorate over time will grow tired of the Governor's across-the-board bully-like approach and come to the realization that there are consequences from his divisive approach to everything. Without getting into the well-scarred battlefield of the Bret Schundler fiasco, it's quite possible that New Jersey would have had an additional $400 million to develop academies and experimental schools set up by teachers had the Governor decided, at least for the time being, to cool it with the New Jersey Education Association.

The next on my list of aggravating current events is being played out on the national level. I am absolutely stunned by the Republican Party's reluctance to extend unemployment beyond the current 99 weeks for the long-term unemployed because of their concerns about the growing national debt. The measure under consideration to temporarily extend unemployment benefits would add $9.2 billion to the $1.5 trillion projected deficit (that would be increasing it by a little over 6/10th of 1%).

According to Bloomberg.com, Representative John Linder of Georgia, the ranking Republican on the Ways and Means Committee said, "We have study after study that shows people are more anxious to get a job after they run out of benefits.... Continuing to extend this isn't helping them or us."

I don't get it. On Labor Day there were nearly 15 million Americans unemployed (and we are not even going to talk about those who have given up the search for work or who are working part-time because they can't get full-time work). Are things so different in Congressman Linder's district than they are in here in New Jersey? People are out of work; they are looking for work and they cannot find work. We need to help these folks weather the storm, they need to feed their families today; wishing and hoping for better times won't put food on their tables. I wonder if there is anyone in America who seriously believes that people who used to have full-time employment would rather have unemployment benefits than a job.

Aggravation number three: the arrogance of Congressman Charles B. Rangel, considering the number of ethical charges he is facing, is beyond appalling. He should resign his office, drop his bid for reelection and save us all the time of a long, drawn-out hearing so that Congress can move ahead to address the nation's economic crisis.

Congressman Rangel was chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, the chief tax-writing committee in Congress. Among the numerous accusations against him was a failure to pay taxes on a beachfront villa in the Dominican Republic. I guess he forgot. That is the definition of chutzpah. Additional charges against Rangel include acquiring four rent-stabilized apartments in Harlem and misusing his office to raise money for a college institute being built in his honor. Please Mr. Rangel, just go away.

The fourth of my current peeves is the inconsistency that we face between the public right to worship and the private right to grieve. I am generally a huge proponent of free speech and for this reason favor the mosque at Ground Zero. I am not, however, in favor of allowing anti-gay activists, or any other activists for that matter, to picket at private funerals of soldiers returning from Iraq or any other war. I think there are some things that are sacred and one of these is protecting the rights of grieving families at a funeral. In my opinion, picketing at a funeral is always inappropriate.

Someone who is burying a son or daughter at a military funeral should be allowed to do so in peace. While I am always deeply concerned about any action that will thwart freedom of expression, I do not feel that someone has the right to invade and destroy the serenity of any family's private memorial service.

Irwin Stoolmacher, President Stoolmacher Consultant Group, consultants to nonprofit sector.

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