Garden State Patriot

The latest Corzine-Weinberg campaign e-mail is so chock full of lies, deceipt and manipulation I couldn’t let it go. The e-mail begins by touting Corzine’s 5-point lead in a ‘widely-respected poll.’ So respected is it that the name of the poll isn’t mentioned, nor is a link provided.

Next, Corzine-Weinberg attempt to demonize Christie on the issue of health insurance mandates. Their campaign has been banging the drum on the mammogram issue for some time now. But their e-mail is a clear attempt at the politics of fear; attempting to manipulate people into thinking that no government mandate would mean insurance companies would not offer coverage of mammograms and autism screenings at all.

Likewise, they attempt to scare people by claiming that Christie would let hospitals discharge moms 24 hours after giving birth. Again, the impression Corzine-Weinberg want to create is a scenario in which a mother and newborn child would be pushed out the door even if they were in no condition to be discharged – as if any well-respected doctor or hospital would allow such a thing. The irony, of course, is that this is exactly the kind of rationing of healthcare we will see if Obamcare becomes the law of the land. 

As for paid family leave, what Corzine-Weinberg won’t tell you is that it is a tax for a benefit that most workers will never use in their working lifetime. Paid family leave also puts more pressure on businesses who have to compensate an inactive – and thus unproductive – employee. Moreover, paid leave is unfair to those who work in small companies – something I documented here.

Corzine-Weinberg claim Christie supports a constiutional amendment to ban abortion. I’ve never heard him say such a thing. I have heard Christie say he’s pro-life, but that’s about it. Moreover, even if Christie supported a constitutional amendment, he would have no say in the matter. Such an amendment would have to be passed by Congress and then ratified by the state legislatures.

The Corzine campaign also continues to perpetuate the falsehood that he has cut property taxes. NJ remains worst in the nation for property taxes. Corzine all but elininated our rebates. State aid has been cut to places like my hometown of Hackensack, resulting in considerable increases (when I moved here in 2005 my taxes were over $2500 less than they are now).  

On top of this, the Corzine team would have us believe they took stimulus funds and used them to keep property taxes from escalating further. The reality is they took the funds and used it as a one-shot gimmick to plug a gaping budget hole. In other words, Corzine put off the tough choices and, now, the state is staring at a $8B hole next year. And at the same time he raised taxes by a billion dollars! But the idea promulgated here – that rejection of the stimulus funds would result in a $2B increase in property taxes – is pure bunk.

Of course, none of this should be too surprising. When your record is one of abysmal failure, resorting to outright lies and distortions to get re-elected is probably the only card left to play. 

Cross-posted at Red County and Conservatives with Attitude!