Garden State Patriot

This quote appeared in yesterday’s e-mail from Assembly Republicans called ‘The Pulse.’ When I first saw it I was a little taken aback. It seemed to me to be a bit of a slap at conservatives and typical of a party that continues to stake out the moderate/Dem-Lite/RINO territory. Well, I wasn’t the only one with a reaction.

Steve Lonegan also questioned its intent. Here is his e-mail response today:

Conservatives were surprised to read the following quote from “The Pulse”, the official newsletter of the Assembly Republican Caucus:

“The middle of the road is all of the usable surface. The extremes, right and left, are in the gutters.”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower, Quoted in The New York Times, November 10, 1963

This quote was not accompanied by a link to the entire New York Times story of November 10, 1963, so we don’t know the context of President Eisenhower’s remarks.  Perhaps he was talking about the planned speech by Malcolm X, scheduled for later that evening.

What we do know is that this quote was unearthed and published at a time when tens of thousands of our fellow Americans are protesting at town meetings and “tea party” events, against attempts by a Democrat administration to enact socialist health care and the cap & tax energy scheme.

These Americans have been called “extremists”, all summer, by the liberal media and left-wing politicians like Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

For decades conservatives in New Jersey have been marginalized and treated with disdain by the Republican establishment.  This pattern continues.

In light of current events, the thought process behind including this comment is questionable, and the judgment, poor.

We expect more from people who call themselves “Republican leaders”.

Frankly, I couldn’t agree more. I’d like to hear someone in the Assembly try to explain this one away.

Cross-posted at Red County and Conservatives with Attitude!

Steve Lonegan is returning to the organization he helped build before his run for governor, Americans for Prosperity. As an active AFP member, I am happy to Steve return to this important conservative organization.

LONEGAN REJOINS AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY FOUNDATION

Former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan is returning to the Americans for Prosperity Foundation as a senior policy director for the New Jersey chapter.

“I welcome this opportunity to educate citizens about the dangers of Washington and Trenton’s socialist policy agenda,” Lonegan said.  “Big government has one goal and that’s replacing individual initiative and excellence with collectivism and overall mediocrity.  Americans need to know what’s at stake with Washington’s plans for our nation,” Lonegan added. “Their policy ideas will destroy our nation and, like Rush Limbaugh, I hope they fail.”

Lonegan sees the current policy debate over health care reform as the top priority.

“If advocates of government-run health care get their way and put one-seventh of our economy under government control, there will be no turning back and America, as we knew it growing up, will be dead,” Lonegan boldly said.  “I am committed to making the case for the free market in health care and making sure government does not come between our families and our doctors.”

“No one understands the challenges our state and nation face better than Steve Lonegan.  His profound knowledge of economics, budgeting and entrepreneurship is unique,” Colette Campbell, state director, said. 

Steve Lonegan released the following letter to his supporters today, his first since losing the primary last week. Here is the letter in its entirety followed by my comments.

Dear Friend,

Something unexpected happened over the course of the campaign for the Republican nomination for Governor – the candidate of the GOP establishment announced he had become a conservative.  That happened because of you, the grassroots activists of the conservative movement throughout New Jersey.  You have moved your party to the right.

If you caught one of the debates you were treated to the remarkable experience of seeing every Republican gubernatorial candidate trying to claim the conservative mantle.  Just four years ago, I was chastised for even mentioning COAH, the taxpayer-subsidized program of Trenton mandated low-income housing.  By the time June 2nd had arrived, every Republican candidate for Governor was promising to “abolish,” “eliminate” or “gut” COAH.

The GOP establishment used to call Republicans like Bret Schundler and Murray Sabrin, “right-wing extremists.”  This election, they adorned establishment literature and gave credibility to the establishment candidate.  In order to win last Tuesday, the “moderates” who run the New Jersey GOP had to get in touch with their “inner Republican” and embrace the conservatism of Ronald Reagan – 20 years after he left office.

But there’s a big difference between the movement conservatives of today and those who fought with Reagan (and later with Newt Gingrich).  The new breed of conservative doesn’t trust the GOP.  Anyone attending a “tea party” last April picked that up and who can blame these voters, with the way conservatives were betrayed by Christie Whitman and George Bush?

Today, there’s a strong network of conservative organizations with tens of thousands of contacts and, thanks to the advance of the Internet, a ready means of getting out our message.  This wasn’t around in 1993.

The decline of special interest, money-driven politics has been mirrored by the rise of grassroots, issues-oriented politics. 

You are the conservative grassroots future of the New Jersey Republican Party.  You proved that, when you collected the most signatures in our state’s history, to place me on the ballot.  You proved that again, when thousands of you made contributions – both large and small – to outstrip the number of donors to the GOP establishment by a large margin.  There are just a handful of elected conservatives now, but from those thousands of signatures, thousands of contributors, thousands of activists – more will come forward as candidates and will be elected.

Chris Christie won the Republican nomination for Governor, and I am supporting him over Democrat Jon Corzine.  Chris Christie was once a moderate to liberal Freeholder and legislative candidate.  That was fifteen years ago.  This year, he ran as a conservative and mirrored many of the same positions I have championed for years: school vouchers, opposition to COAH, pro-Life and the defense of marriage to name a few.  As the Republican nominee Chris Christie will put some details on the policies he talked about and I would be happy to work with him on that.

As the Republican nominee Chris Christie will also have to maintain his positions on the issues that convinced many Republicans he was a conservative, and convince many in the GOP establishment to go with him.  Our Republican legislators and the leadership of their caucuses need to join Chris Christie in his professed conservatism and stop promoting the leftist agenda of Assembly Speaker Roberts and Senate President Codey.  I’m happy to help with that too.

While the Christie campaign surrounded itself with the likes of Schundler, Sabrin and Forbes, the legislative caucuses have provided the votes for every single left-wing piece of legislation passed since Jim McGreevey took the oath of  office and continuing through Governors Codey and Corzine.  This must end.

However, the responsibility to ensure the advancement of the conservative movement falls upon us all.  It is our responsibility to stay politically active to make sure the Republican Party is the party of conservative policies, and that candidates who embrace those policies are elected to public office.  This will be done through traditional grass-roots efforts as well as becoming involved as a county committee member and as a Republican club member.

Our nominee for Governor has openly embraced conservatism and if he continues on that path, all of us should work hard for his election.  Our Republican legislative delegation must embrace our message or they will remain in a hopeless minority.  Finally, our unelected far-left judiciary in New Jersey has corrupted the democratic process and robbed the elected branches of government of the powers given them by the voters.  Until this imbalance is addressed, the systemic changes New Jersey needs to prosper will never be made.

Nationally, Republicans are holding an open debate about the future of our party.  Some say it should become more like the Democrats.  Most argue for a return to core principles.  In New Jersey – because of you – that discussion is over and the latter argument won because both Mr. Christie and I campaigned on a message of conservative leadership putting taxpayers first.

That is the message that will take back our state, before it’s too late.  There’s a lot of work to do.  Don’t stop now, we have just begun.

On to Victory,
Steve Lonegan
June 9, 2009

First I’d like to say that Steve’s campaign is the first I have personally supported and given money to. Personally, I feel more comfortable giving directly to candidates I believe in rather than the party. I was proud to support his candidacy and would do so again if Steve ever chose to run again for office.

I think Steve’s message above is gracious in defeat and also on point in saying that it is up to us to continue the fight. Conservatives will not be able to change the party in one cycle. We must take the party back little by little, from the ground up. Steve’s loss in the primary was not the end of our movement in this state.

I came across an interesting article by Jim Geraghty of National Review. Thought I’d pass it along as it is pretty on target and also has some interesting quotes from Lonegan insiders about the primary.

Here’s a tease:

From the perspective of Steve Lonegan supporters, New Jersey voters just offered a clear verdict that will doom their state to another miserable four years of Gov. Jon Corzine. They rejected a full-spectrum conservative for a lightweight political neophyte, a wannabe white knight with mud on his boots, who will be hoist with his own petard and painted as a laughable hypocrite.

From the perspective of Chris Christie supporters, Republican voters offered a clear verdict: They rejected a fire-breathing ideologue who would repel independents as few other statewide candidates ever had before, and nominated a tough guy who has the street cred to clean up Trenton and who is already well ahead of a strikingly unpopular incumbent.

Over the next five months, we will see who is right.

Check out the rest here.

Tried to call in to Sean Hannity’s show today to ask him why he had Christie on and not Lonegan. Here’s how it went:

Call Screener: Hello, Sean Hannity Show

Me: Yes, I just heard Sean say that he doesn’t like being lied to. Then why did he lie to the conservative voters of New Jersey?

Call Screener: (chuckle) You must be a Lonegan supporter. Click.

So, Sean Hannity’s call screener is clearly under orders to not accept any calls about the primary in New Jersey; one in which he clearly stuck his nose into it and sided with the moderate Chris Christie by having him on his program multiple times (radio and TV) while not even inviting the conservative Steve Lonegan.

Way to go Sean. You are now officially a coward.

Tomorrow will be a time to reassess things and carry on the political dialogue. For now, I would like congratulate Chris Christie for winning the nomination. I would also like to congratulate Steve Lonegan and Richard Merkt for running solid campaigns. They fought the good fight and carried forth the conservative message with class and dignity.

No matter how one may feel about each candidate, I think that anyone who throws their hat in the ring and is subject to the scrutiny that comes with that is worthy of respect for having done so.

So, congrats again to each of these three men.

My friends, the Republican Party is currently adrift. Shellshocked from the past two elections on the national level and bewildered by the radical turn of Obama’s America, the party is desperate for conservative change and conservative leadership.

I only see one viable candidate in this primary who would provide us with the conservative change and leadership we need and that is Mayor Steve Lonegan.

I first met Steve when I joined Americans for Prosperity, a grassroots organization that Steve helped build into a powerful voice for disenfranchised conservatives. Since then I have met Steve a number of times and heard him speak eloquently about the state he loves. There is no person I know who understands the issues confronting the state better and who has put forth clearer solutions on how to tackle them.

As Mayor of Bogota and State Director of Americans for Prosperity, Steve not only demonstrated that he was a man of ideas, but a man of strong leadership. Where other Republican politicians have cowered and acquiesced to special interests and the Democrat machine, Steve stood up to them and often times emerged victorious such as in leading the fight against Corzine’s scheme to monetize our roads.

While my friend, Mr. Rooney at SaveJersey rightfully points out that there is a fight within the Republican Party for its future direction, I disagree with his assessment that this is between liberal Republicans and ‘liberterian-leaning’ Republicans. This is a pure choice between a moderate and a conservative. It is also a choice between reform and revolution.

Throughout this primary, I have said that Mr. Christie has an admirable record as a prosecutor. However, as a candidate for Governor, Mr. Christie owed us more than platitudes and generalizations. He told us he was going to ‘gut COAH’ but never told us what that meant. When asked about his plan to cut income taxes, he could not give a number. When he was asked how he could cut income taxes and keep the property tax rebates, he was evasive and did not answer.

We Republicans pride ourselves on being deep thinkers. We expect our candidates to speak with us openly and be specific on their plans. We also pride ourselves on promoting serious candidates while objecting when people treat elections as a popularity contest. For many Christie supporters, I fear they have succumbed to this mindset. When we ask why they are supporting Mr. Christie, we are simply told ‘he is electable.’

Well, I am not seeking someone who is merely electable. I am seeking a conservative candidate who will face the voters squarely and will explain to them what is ailing our state; then boldly pursue the right course to fix the problems. I am certainly not seeking someone who is capable of winning but will fail to govern according to these principles. I do not want a governor who will not stand tall because the polls tell him otherwise or because he feels he must ‘cooperate’ with the Democrats in the legislature. I fear this is what Mr. Christie will do.

We the people deserve better than that. New Jersey is in dire straits. Our problems are serious and require more than inconsequential reforms; they require drastic changes. We don’t need to gut COAH, we need to end it. We don’t need across-the-board tax cuts, we need a new system. We don’t need to change the Abbott District formula, we need to deconstruct it.

If you agree that this is the kind of agenda New Jersey needs, then there is only one candidate in this race truly committed to doing so. There is only one candidate up to the task and that is Mayor Steve Lonegan.

I hope he has your vote.

Cross-posted at Conservatives with Attitude! and Red County.

Alice’s Restaurant Blog has done a nice job of summarizing each candidate’s positions on the issues. While I am supporting Mayor Lonegan, and urge my fellow Republicans to do so as well, if you are still trying to decide then I would suggest taking some time and reading Alice’s posts.

Chris Christie appeared on NJ 101.5 to answer questions about John Inglesino. During the campaign, Mr. Christie has called for the end of pensions for part time state workers. However, Inglesino collects a state pension while working for State Senator Joe Pennacchio while also volunteering on the Christie camapaign.

The Lonegan campaign, also, has been quick to jump on this. Mayor Lonegan had this to say about the matter:

“The fact that one of Christie’s closest associates is double dipping from the same part time pension funds that Christie promises to end is not only alarming but also insulting to the taxpayers of New Jersey,” Lonegan said in a statement.  “If he can’t prevent this type of disingenuous behavior within his own campaign, he cannot expect the voters of New Jersey to believe that he will follow through with his promise to end it in the state. 

So, Christie called in to NJ 101.5’s Jersey Guys and defended his decision to keep Inglesino on as a volunteer on his campaign. The Jersey Guys would have none of it, though. Here is the audio of the interview:

NJ 101.5 Interview with Chris Christie

As I mentioned over the weekend, I had a chance to catch up with Mayor Lonegan after his appearance at the Arena Diner in Hackensack. During my interview with Steve, we touched on a number of issues including his tax plan, school funding and eminent domain. Additionally, we talked about his position on Gitmo terrorists and his being snubbed by Sean Hannity. To the Mayor’s credit, no question was out of bounds and, as you’ll see, Steve is as always direct in his responses. With that I will let the interview speak for itself. And I would like to once again thank Steve for allowing me this time to speak with him.

Cross-posted at Conservatives with Attitude! and Red County!