Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans
by Veronique de RugyThe debate agitating many in New Jersey right is whether or not the state’s Governor, Chris Christie, is actually doing much to reform the state as it needs to be. I have to say that I wasn’t impressed with him during his campaign for the Republican nomination against Steve Lonagan. Having no interest in the politics of politic, he sounded like a big government Republican to me.
With that in mind, I was nicely surprised by the turn that Christie’s campaign against Corzine took and by some of his policies. He talked about small government, the need for reforming New Jersey, rejected the millionaire tax, capped property taxes and proposed budget cuts. But now that I am catching up on New Jersey reforms, I am skeptical again.
Let’s start with by comparing Christie’s FY 2011 $29.3 billion budget to Corzine’s FY 2010 budget of 29.8 billion. Given today’s economic climate, a 1.5% cut is not one that deserves immense praise. However, for a second I thought, “spending cuts are spending cuts and better that than nothing.”
That’s until I came across the alternative budget prepared by Americans for Prosperity called New Jersey Taxpayers’ Budget FY 2011. The AFP budget adds up to $25.9 billion. That’s $2.4 billion less than what is proposed by Governor Christie. Plus, they did this, without raising taxes. Unlike Christie’s budget.
That’s right, as part of a compromise on the budget, Christie made a deal with Democrats: he will put back millions into his budget (to buy things such as keeping open Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital in Hunterdon County, funding for cultural sites including the Battleship New Jersey and the Newark Museum, more funding for projects in Urban Enterprise Zones) in exchange for a series of new tax and fee hikes are being put forward as supplemental bills.
Here are the new tax: a tax on insurance premiums, a tax on health care, a tax on new businesses.
But the best tax us is a tax on consumers that will confiscate more than 28 million dollars of gift cards purchased in New Jersey. The AFP New Jersey Blog explains:
That’s right. If you do not use a gift card to your favorite restaurant after one year, the State will confiscate the money!
Okay so now I am totally confused by the governor’s plan. His plan barely cuts spending, his cuts mainly target suburban aids (which, if done right would be a good thing), yet he keeps the taxes that funds this programs and uses the money to fund programs in the cities. Let me recap this: So Christie is cutting aids to places where the people who got him elected live, keeping the taxes that funded these programs, and funds more programs for the people who voted against him. Politicians in New Jersey are strange.
A friend, very active in New Jersey’s politics, explained to me the consequences of Christie’s budget.
His “cuts” were in suburban aid. While I don’t agree with the suburban aid scheme — cutting that alone means almost all of us will have to bear increased property taxes. [Of course,] Christie’s proposed tax cap are encouraging. However, given Christie has done almost nothing relieve the cost pressure on cities, I don’t see how this can positively play out. In fact, Christie has let stand prevailing wage mandates passed in December 09 that truly limit cost savings.
I don’t think that now is the time to find excuses for the policies that come out of political compromises that are bad for taxpayers. It is no secret that I am not over President Bush’s many betrayals of free-market ideas throughout his eight years in office–no matter how terrible the current president is–and I would hate for the same thing to happen all over again. I understand that many people are excited to have a Republican governor in New Jersey. But, that’s no reason to cut him any slack especially if he behaves like a democrat.
Plus, the state doesn’t have the luxury to wait for true reforms.
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106 Comments
Ouch.
I agree.
Just because someone is a Republican, that does not automatically earn them a free pass. It is not the word Republican that interests me. It is the word Conservative. That is where the importance is. Anything else is a RINO.
But that's the thing. We always critize our side. But the left were trained NOT to critize their party. Instead, they will agree with their side with everything.
New Jersey, being a cesspool of democratic corruption for decades has to be cleaned up over a period of time. I'm with the author and want this crap fixed yesterday but am also a great fan of Chris Christie. For the time being, I will
give him the benefit of the doubt and my total backing, BUT…..we're watching closely. It's no longer business as usual.
The thing I cannot figure out is that they have already demonized him, so why compromise at all?
If his convictions tell him the cutting government programs thereby relieving the pressure on both business and the individual will create economic growth then where is the downside?
If the Dim's dont go along, fine make sure everyone knows that things are going to get horribly worse because of them, lose no opportunity to make them out as the corrupt, self serving, wastes of skin that they are and lay the blame of the coming catasrophe at their feet.
If things get better under tax-and-spend then I guess we should lose, this 1/4 measure stuff is a waste of time for everyone.
I hate politicians
[...] as he said good, tax-saving, job-supporting things. Now, I see that I should be digging a bit deeper: Let’s start with by comparing Christie’s FY 2011 $29.3 billion budget to Corzine’s FY 2010 [...]
He's saying the right things. Let's see if he does the right things.
Christie represents the early stages of political evolution, but he's not the apex of that change – yet. The voters have to re-acclimate to the ideas of personal responsibility and of ethical, accountable government before we see politicians follow suit.
No matter what, the trend toward more understanding of "what's government's role" that Christie is at the forefront of is one that we can't afford to let ebb. We as citizens need to take the lead, and make darn sure that those elected know they serve US.
Good article. Every conservative in NJ should call him to the carpet.
It does say he cut $820 M in school funds and $183 M of other programs were added back but offset with taxes or cuts. I don't know about the programs added back but if people want services they have to pay for them just like when you go out for lunch.(ie.no free lunch) The spending is the problem , taxes or fees are just the mechanisms to pay for what you want. Lower spending allows the possibility of lower taxes which is good. Comparing a fantasy budget to what happened leaves me with a lot of questions. Anyone who goes after the teacher's unions and government employee pensions seems like they are going in the right direction. I still like him because no one else seems to even talk a good game at this point. As I said I just am not all that familiar with NJ budgets and everyone should be held up to the light of day since we can no longer trust anyone in office.
RiNOs don't deserve criticism. Rather, they earn defeat at the polls.
The biggest problem with "cutting" state and federal budgets are the "budgetary baselines" and until baselines actually fall the "cuts" are absolutely meaningless. Budgets are in reality nothing more than "wish lists" the trick is to cut out the "more is less" mentality and restore the meaning of "doing with less" to meet budgetary constraints. I have to do it month after month, why should it be any different in the halls of power than it is at my dinner table..? One of the biggest idiocies of government budgeting is the so called "projected expansion enumerator" when calculating the next year's expenses. The departmental budget managers are granted new spending authority basically by spending their entire year's budget even when they do not need to. These "managers" use the "projected enumerator" as justification for MORE SPENDING when the money is eaten up in the current fiscal year. In effect if the current budget is 100 million for department A and all of that money is spent for that year the budget manager can base the next year's budget on the previous year or biennium's rate of increase plus the following year's projection. So if the previous year's rate of budget increase is 4.5% and the next year's projected enumerator is 5.2% then the baseline budget would automatically expand by 4.5 million dollars in the next budget cycle at the very least and the baseline request would be 5.2 million. The conclusion is that the "baseline budget" always increases based on the current year's enumerator and therefore every step toward a lower baseline is always seen as a "cut" when it is in fact nothing of the sort.
The only way to nip this mathematical trickery in the bud is to diminish the baseline numbers overall and require budget managers to spend less than their baseline figures or lose their jobs. That is how frugal people cut their personal budgets and live within their means but who ever accused the government of understanding basic math or logic…?
Simply "freezing" the rate of increase is NOT a cut!
If you lose wages this year would you spend the same amount of money next year even though you make less or buy clothes less often, skip the new car, go out to dinner less or skip the big vacation? In the real world real people make real cuts in their spending habits when their incomes fall rather than getting a new credit card to cover the already maxed out card.
Stop the insanity, gut the baselines.
Gov. Christie is doing a great job. The author is trying to sow seeds of doubt, she has an agenda that is suspect to say the least. Beware of the commie / progs they have many schemes to discredit conservatives and thousands of willing agents to do their bidding. Think before you believe this crap.
That's what they count on for our side. They are willing to wait for their individual causes so they stick together and support anyone with a (D) next to their names, while let us take ourselves apart. They have their little scuffles, but their main goal is taking down the Republicans and conservatives. Alinsky's rules # 3, 4, and 11.
Woops ! Veronique, that's gonna' leave a maaaarrrrrrrk ! As others have stated so well,
CONSERVATIVE is the word, …………………to Hell with the R party !
How come no one else has cited these same things?
Is it November yet?
DTOM! http://RightWingStuff.com
Check out Ms. de Rugy's bio at the Cato institute: http://www.cato.org/people/rugy.html
politics is like a scab…pick at it and it returns only smaller…keep at it and finally…..
How do you argue with Americans for Prosperity? Really the budget numbers do not lie. I think question "Is shaving a little over one 1% is enough?" is a very good question. We are likely to see a double dip thanks to Obama policy so larger cuts would put NJ is much better shape to stay solvent.
Her most recent publication listed is in 2004. That doesn't say much in favor of her current stance.
If you are suggesting that Veronique de Rugy is a liberal plant, than you should familiarize yourself with her writings at the American Enterprise Institute's web site (www.american.com). She is a clear-cut by the books conservative economist.
When dealing with the New England states, it is pretty difficult for a Republican to come out guns blazing. This is deep liberal territory and he would immediatly be attacked by the MSM as starving children and wanting old people to die and hating blacks and hispanics. To suggest that he actually cut the budget by 20% in one year is really a fantasy. The best we should hope for in these Democratic bastions of luancy is to constrain growth and allow Tax Revenues to grow over time to cover them.
I can not be hard on Christie's actions as he navigates through the mine-field of leftist canards.
I like Christie. Will just have to wait and see. However, I also believe any state government can cut spending if the legislatures are serious about balanced budgets and doing what is best for the citizens rather than for themselves.
Kudos, Veronique! You are one of the few out there willing to get the facts out there about this governor. His budget is a disaster for New Jersey. As I write there are two conservative holdouts refusing to vote for the tax increases and the governor and the NJGOP are putting unimaginable pressure on them to cave. Shame on this governor! He's a RINO fraud.
Looks like she is now at Reason :http://reason.org/authors/show/veronique-de-rugy
Big Gubberment lawmakers deserve criticism ESPECIALLY if they are republicans.
Bingo on spot, Missy.
"If I were King for a day…" I would make any and all governing authorities use the PREVIOUS years income as next years budget. Period. You can't spend more than you took in LAST year. If you take in more money that you budget that you – you RETURN it to the people. That would mean all governing bodies who have to LIVE with what they have – and none of this "anticipated" or "projected" bovine manure. If you spend more than you took in last year, they all go to JAIL.
I second that, and whoever thumbed Hesed down is a …..
As I stated earlier they have thousands of willing agents and tools to discredit the right. The left is in the gutter and ready to do what it takes to win. See the above comment all of a sudden "He's a fraud". We will never stop the commie / progs if we attack and eat our own. Think?????
I'm pretty sure that if most people realized that state and federal budgets are based on year over year increases and not "actual" operational needs, they would understand just how badly they are being ripped off.
Our own? You are not "our own" when you increase spending and raise taxes.
http://www.gopusanj.com/wordpress/
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans – Big Governme… [...]
Perplexing, indeed. Come on Christie – make your words have meaning. You wanted this position and urged the voting pubic that if elected you would restore faith in their State government and stop the wasteful spending. Time to man up with your rhetoric.
Two items to remember:
1. Where his election was seen as a huge victory, and it was, it was also an indictment on Obama and his 2 stooge drones i.e. Reid/Pelosi.
2. This is Jersey after all folks. Where it is not like the tree fairy singing idiots in Frisco, they are just as stupidly driven by progressive socialism.
From the Frisco fairies to the Jersey mobsters, I don't care who they are whether repub or dem vote them out. If you fail to, then it is your own fault.
At least now, there IS NO QUESTION where the dem/progressive socialists' stand. RINOs are right equal with these turds and can go to hell. Keep them off the ballots and vote them out.
Hey, maybe we all should come up with group of like minded individuals to combat both republican's and democrat's who have and still are spending us into oblivion….. Oh wait a minute, we already did and it's called the TEA Party. They are all expendable.
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans – Big Governme… [...]
We've got to lean on them ALL to stand by conservative principles after they get into office. Call their offices on a regular basis, make sure they know that WE ARE WATCHING.
As is always the case in New Jersey…a TRUE Un-compromising Conservative did not receive the backing of the NJ GOP. Lonegan was the perfect choice for taxpayers…but totally incorruptible, and therefore, unsuitable for the NJ GOP which, along with the Dems prize "compromise". Knowing this, we in New Jersey are crazy grateful for ANY amount of small government conservatism at all.
Agreed. I think alot of RINOS are going to take advantage of the anti-Democrat mood and run as conservatives, even if they are the opposite of. All I can say is "Research your candidate people".
Thats because we have principles that we stand by, while the left has nothing holding them together BUT their party.
When I worked for the State of California as an intern, I saw that happen alot. Our budgetary department was ahead of the game and we saw less spending than the previous year, so they bought all of the higher-ups second computers and new bigger monitors and a $10,000 electronic easel that never got used. I was shocked…
The mentally disturbed socialist guy currently running for governor of Oregon again this year (he was the last governor ten years ago) is well known around these parts for telling county budget managers to spend all of the money to avoid decreases in funding back in the 1998-2000 biennium. THE GOVERNOR told them to keep spending so their baselines wouldn't fall so they could justify INCREASES, that is beyond crooked and corrupt!
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans – Big Governme… [...]
While I agree that we should hold EVERY politician's feet to the fire, your article comes off sounding like a hatchet job on Republicans. The reasonable tone of the title does not hide the fact that you are basically "eating your own". IMHO, you should redirect your fire where it will do the most good. That would be at the proglib Democrats…just in case you're still confused.
"Let me recap this: So Christie is cutting aids to places where the people who got him elected live, keeping the taxes that funded these programs, and funds more programs for the people who voted against him. Politicians in New Jersey are strange.'
Nothing that strange. It's the same thing done by FDR in 1936. Assume your friends only listen to your words and win over your enemies with bribes.
Veronique – Thanks for paying attention to what was going on. This big spender had me completely fooled. Between you and Amity Shlaes I'm getting quite an education.
Regardless of the little letter in front of any politicians name……they should definitely be held accountable.
Sounds like he is trying to play nice nice with the democrats……….Don't be suprise when they burn his fat @ss.
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans – Big Governme… [...]
Oh, man, my bubble be burst.
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans – Big Governme… [...]
I haven't seen any comments from trolls on any posts that came out today, but I have seen a couple of threads where someone has gone through and thumbed down everyone on the thread. If they thumb down people, you'd think they'd have enough guts to at least leave a comment. Typical progressive cowards.
Edit: Found a couple at the Weigel post.
All of the conservatives caved under pressure from the governor. They are all about to vote for massive property tax increases. This is a bad day for New Jersey. Christie ought to be recalled. Bum!
http://www.politickernj.com/
I never was politically active.
Now that this current regime is ignoring everyone that elected it to power, I am compelled to spread the truth about what is happening.
And you know what? Most already agree with me and are aware of what's going on and plan to do something about it.
Common sense runs contrary to those in power in Washington.
There is so much work to be done to undo the damage. FCC, bailouts, welfare state, power grab by the potus, etc.
I look forward to writing a lot of emails and letters, and to being a face to those emails/letters with my local, state, and national political representatives from now on.
He has, for intensive purposes, kicked the can forward,……………..
in New Jersey, I would call that an accomplishment.
As far as being critical of him,……….
the Dem. frontal assaults are expected,……….however,…………….
the assaults from the rear are the important ones,………..but this one,…………
is a tad premature,……..
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I think the perpetrator was a 'Progressive' Republican, aka RINO. I hate these traitors more that the Democrats who've lost their party to the lefties.
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans – Big Governme… [...]
More power to you. I may be in the bluest of the blue states and all my representatives are to the left of Lenin.
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are … [...]
Exactly. We'll never prevail if we're always having to watch our backs. That's why, historically, traitors are dealt with the harshest of punishments.
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans – Big Governme… [...]
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans – Big Governme… [...]
The problem is that no one is willing to entertain the idea of cutting services. Until Americans as a whole are serious about that, it will be almost impossible to actually do. We have to stop telling ourselves that we're entitled; simple as that.
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans – Big Governme… [...]
The new jersey state senate is stacked 23-15 democrats and the assembly is even worse. He's not going to be able to go in there and slash and burn in his first year. Give the man some time to work.
Actually, dear, he is kicking azzzWadds like you welfare rats out of town…nice try, moron…we need more like him…
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are … [...]
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans – Big Governme… [...]
Listen Veroneque…(you can't even spell your own name correctly) Christie is cleaning up Corzine's mess…you think you can do better? Then why don't you run for office…twit..
All too often Republican prove themselves to be no more than Dem-lites. This piece makes it sound like the highly touted Gov. Chrisie is one of them. It's a shame the Republicans can not come up with true smaller government, cut spending, and regulation repealing, candidates.
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans – Big Governme… [...]
Actually, I have met her in the flesh, and I believe she is a libertarian economist.
But I'll let her give the final word on that.
Is this the same NJ that had a body parts scandal meshed in with Isreali Rabi nationals….there's so much to criticise about NJ, you would need to start a seperate blog just to cover it all!
Christie fooled me completely. It seems we are faced with a George Bush clone, a big spender pretending to be a small government guy.
This is enormously disappointing but it shows that the Republican party is beyond hope. First, they try to sell us Scott Brown as the man who will save us from Obamacare and what we get is a senator whose first words upon arriving in Washington are "I intend to work with the Democrats", and he has.
Next we were sold the "courageous fighter against public employee union extortion" but what we got was Jon Corzine without the Goldman Sachs diploma. How can you hold Christie's feet to the fire when the Jersey democrats can give him anything he wants in return for looting what's left in the state?
New Jersey is doomed. It looks like the only border fence that we will ever see will be built by New Jersey…to keep people from escaping. I guess that leftist John Carpenter will get to make one more bad movie (except this time Snake Plissken will be stopping escapees).
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are … [...]
I'm confused. The article states that:
" Christie’s FY 2011 budget was $29.3 billion, and The AFP budget adds up to $25.9 billion. That’s $2.4 billion less than what is proposed by Governor Christie".
Where i went to school, that's $3.4 Billion less………………….not 2.4.?
Somebody help me out here. Did i miss a billion dollar palm greasing somewhere?
Talk is cheap…Very disappointing!!
I agree, there are certain areas of the country that we may never get true conservatives…And,
all we'll get is RINO's…I think we have to come to terms with that!!!
Oooo, I slipped and thumbed you down! Sorry.
Who can pressure the gov and the NJGOP? It's time to go to work if you are a small govt. New Jersey resident.
Your reply was incoherent in relation to the post above. Clarify?
Don't we need watchdogs everywhere we wish to see the Laws of the Country upheld and the people unburdened by wearing the yolk of the Govt Mule?
CR, you so often have really useful things to say. I find it hard to read your posts because of the double-spacing. Any relief in sight? Not criticizing…just older eyes.
Certainly, we do. I just don't see how engaging in this type of circular firing squad mentality is going to further that goal. The big issue is that Gov. Christie cut the budget, but not enough to suit the author. The man hasn't even been in office that long. I'd say he is deserving of some latitude…especially in light of the fact that he's starting to move in the right direction.
I think this kind of criticism is healthy for the purpose of debate, but misses the point. As the author admits, Christie's budget reduces government spending in New Jersey, not a small feat. If he has to compromise in order to achieve his Cap 2.5 initiative and convince the teacher's union to pay more into the system then on balance this will be better than more taxing and spending.
It seems that this round of budgetary matters is just the first fight that is being fought. Christie mentioned in his State of Financial Emergency speech that this round of cuts is only the first, and that the next cuts will be even greater. Christie is not another Bush (at least literally), so let's not blind our eyes to the progress he's making.
If he can prove to New Jerseyians that he can win on the issues he's fighting for hen maybe he can build a momentum that will lead to further fiscal stability and prosperity for his state.
[...] » Big Government Lawmakers Deserve Criticism-Even If They Are Republicans – Big Governme… [...]
Until this article, I used to think highly of Christie. Hopefully this isn't the whole story.
I am working on it, maybe I will try one today,..sorry
You're right. Give the guy a break. He stopped the budget from growing AND he cut it a little bit. I wish we could do some of that in NY—somebody, please nuke Albany.
Red, thanks for the follow, I know I'm a little late but I was sleeping when I got the notice.
Totally agree cardon. All democrats are going to vote for whoever has the (D). If we do not understand that we will have to compromise in some races and accept a RINO, we are only hurting ourselves.
If we could get a RINO to replace Boxer, Waters, Frank, Dodd, Reid, Pelosi, etc, IMO most thinking people would consider that a good first step.
Just a selfish little niggle from me.
I like your style when I see it, so I figured I'd make it easy on myself.
Appreciate it, it's a skill I honed over many years of raising two daughters and fighting with architects and engineers!
I'm still fairly new to the Bigs so I'm still trying to figure out the system and who I like. It's nice to see converts from liberalism, you guys seem to be very passionate. I guess everybody has a breaking point.
Whao ! This came out of far left field and I do not understand why ?? Trackback and you'll read where I overwhelmingly support Gov. Christie, and I still support him. Thanks for the off-handed remarks, I laughed. Do you always go around lashing out at people who applaud conservative values ??
Red47, this is what I mean. It is preplexing, indeed.
Okay. I see both sides.
Preplexing, incoherent and someone took my thumbs up!
how is budget that is LOWER than last year's a spending increase??
how many states have lowered their budget for 2011 AT ALL when compared to 2010?
Last year Corzine's budget was $29.8B. This year Christie's is $28.3B. One would think that's a $1.5B cut until you understand what Christie has actually done. He has taken $2.56B in constitutionally dedicated property tax relief (money derived from all of the income tax and a half cent of the sales tax) and used all of it to fund other programs.
ms. de rugy a true conservative like; d.weigel and k. parker? Think !!!!!
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