On Voters and Power
It’s interesting that some local politicians say they chose not to seek changes in the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority’s operations until “after the election,” meaning the primary. The implication is that now everything is settled, so the actions of politicians cannot be construed as political.
It’s true that the winner of a Democratic primary normally goes on to win the November general election, but must we believe that it’s all over now? Another assumption that came up at the Democratic Party’s reorganization after the primary was that Rashid Burney will get the line next year for the 2nd and 3rd Ward at-large seat and all good Democrats would pledge allegiance now to that outcome. And of course the biggest foregone conclusion in the minds of Regular Democrats is that all loyal troops will back Gov. Jon Corzine for re-election.
The only problem with these scenarios is that people are human and may not in their hearts wish to be slotted in to a role assigned by party bosses. Does our hard-won franchise mean nothing more than a chance to become somebody’s bobblehead in the voting booth?
A thinking person must wonder what the party stands for after learning how an orchestrated set of moves deprived Roselle’s chief financial officer of his job. It brought to mind the way Plainfield’s former chief of police was stripped of his status – first a layoff of one, followed by abolishment of the title in favor of a new one that has yet to be established by a title and salary ordinance. Luckily for the city, the police director doesn’t mind working for nothing, as he already receives a department head’s salary here and a pension from another jurisdiction.
Those who benefit from the party’s machinations may do good work. In and of themselves, they may meet the highest standards of public service. It’s just how they got there that is bothersome. And who is to say that the displaced person lacked the highest motivations? It’s not about good will or competence in the end, it’s just about what the party wants. The chute narrows and narrows until there is only one way to move – the party’s way.
One of the most damning epithets that elected officials hurl at each other is that the target is nothing more than a rubberstamp to those in power. And yet when there is a major challenge in an important race, the dominant party expects blind allegiance. And once power is or appears to be secured once more, the powerful ones may think they have been given carte blanche to act in any way they see fit, without regard to what their constituents may think. What they are forgetting is that the people do think – and as the chant goes, they are liable to “remember in November.”
--Bernice Paglia
It’s true that the winner of a Democratic primary normally goes on to win the November general election, but must we believe that it’s all over now? Another assumption that came up at the Democratic Party’s reorganization after the primary was that Rashid Burney will get the line next year for the 2nd and 3rd Ward at-large seat and all good Democrats would pledge allegiance now to that outcome. And of course the biggest foregone conclusion in the minds of Regular Democrats is that all loyal troops will back Gov. Jon Corzine for re-election.
The only problem with these scenarios is that people are human and may not in their hearts wish to be slotted in to a role assigned by party bosses. Does our hard-won franchise mean nothing more than a chance to become somebody’s bobblehead in the voting booth?
A thinking person must wonder what the party stands for after learning how an orchestrated set of moves deprived Roselle’s chief financial officer of his job. It brought to mind the way Plainfield’s former chief of police was stripped of his status – first a layoff of one, followed by abolishment of the title in favor of a new one that has yet to be established by a title and salary ordinance. Luckily for the city, the police director doesn’t mind working for nothing, as he already receives a department head’s salary here and a pension from another jurisdiction.
Those who benefit from the party’s machinations may do good work. In and of themselves, they may meet the highest standards of public service. It’s just how they got there that is bothersome. And who is to say that the displaced person lacked the highest motivations? It’s not about good will or competence in the end, it’s just about what the party wants. The chute narrows and narrows until there is only one way to move – the party’s way.
One of the most damning epithets that elected officials hurl at each other is that the target is nothing more than a rubberstamp to those in power. And yet when there is a major challenge in an important race, the dominant party expects blind allegiance. And once power is or appears to be secured once more, the powerful ones may think they have been given carte blanche to act in any way they see fit, without regard to what their constituents may think. What they are forgetting is that the people do think – and as the chant goes, they are liable to “remember in November.”
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 8:48 AM
8 Comments:
Bernice, this is one of your best articles, and you have written many.
I agree wholeheartedly with your comment. How can any thinking voting being blindly pull the lever in the D column knowing what has happened in Roselle, PMUA and countless other events in this city and county (being counted under 50K - having no accountability to the tazpayers).
I put a large blame on the people. How many voted in this primary vs. how many are eligible to vote. Don't complain if you do nothing, and remember, there is an ELECTION in November.
Bernice...unfortunately people do simply vote by party as a rule. That is why we have the mess that we do in NJ. No one will stand for fiscal responsibility because they don't want to be pointed out as "not caring" for education when they say I think some school districts spend money like drunken sailors. People do blindly walk into the voting booths and pull the levers down one line, pat themselves on the back for "choosing" and then complain when things stay the same. I as a registered Republican have voted for Democrats, Republicans, Green Party Candidates, Conservatives and Idependants..I haven't quite found anyone yet to convince me to pull the Socialist lever yet. I have always voted on issues and their individual platform. Bill Clinton got my vote 2x and I would vote for him again. He knew how to get change accomplished and delivered. I didn't agree with everything he did or said, but he was the best choice..and again, this from a registered Republican. To many people naively believe the good ole boys of their own party are always the best candidates when sadly, NJ and NY are shining examples of the idiocy of the masses. Sad for us when so many people in so many other countries would love an opportunity to have a choice. As much as I hate saying it, Sharon will win the election in November, Jerry will still be sitting on his throne looking down on us and Plainfielders will throw their hands up and wonder "WHY" there is no change from the way it is. I love being right, but this is one time I PRAY I am wrong...
Corzine
Florio
McGreevey
Well maybe having Tom Kean was not such a bad choice .... even though he was .. dare I say it ... A Republican
GB
Bernice, You are absolutely right. Of course you will get slammed by Jerry and his minions for speaking honestly and pragmatically. (Tough for them.) But don't let that stop you. Thank you for being a public WatchCat!
Yes, Bernice, it's that presumptuousness of Burney's that residents find so offensive. There is still an election this fall. Burney is a follower, not a leader. Plainfield needs a strong city council president. That he would think that the residents of Plainfield won't see through his blind political ambition and so-called "transparency" shows how he feels about us. Being weak as he does the bidding of Jerry Green and the mayor and expecting to be rewarded for that is his modus operandi. Its funny that Green would expect that the committee would support Burney when Burney didn't even bother to campaign himself. Burney himself has said that he doesn't want to pick a side because if he does, in his words "I'm out." That kind of cowardice does not serve the people well. The majority of Democratic city committee members in the 2nd and 3rd ward rejected Burney as Green's rubber stamp candidate. He, like every other candidate who would like the line, has to work for it and it won't be given until March of next year. In the meantime, many other candidates with real strengths and ideas may make themselves known.
I agree with your comments Bernice as well as the previous person's "9:01".
"The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again, expecting different results". Einstein
I am running against Jerry Green and Linda Stender in November to provide an opportunity for "Real Change". I don’t even mind being a "one term" Assemblyman if it means putting an end to the wasted opportunities here in the 22nd District.
I know that it will be an uphill battle because, as you have noted, the overwhelming number of voters in the 22nd district are Democrats.
However, if we can look for a minute at the nature (source) of our lack of progress, we will see that it's not about Republican or Democrat...it’s about individuals and their motivation.
We all want better schools, safer streets, more jobs, lower taxes and higher property values. The real question is who can get us there.
Jerry Green has been in the State Assembly for almost 20 years...what does he have to show for it...Muhlenberg? We hear him tell us how powerful he is...but why didn’t he stop the hospital closing? Perhaps if it wasn’t all about politics of retribution and more about reconciliation, we could actually get somewhere.
Linder Stender has been in the State Assembly for 7 years...what does she have to show for it...the Raritan Valley Line? Perhaps if she stopped running for higher office long enough to actually do the job she currently holds...we might actually get somewhere.
I am a Republican...and I am sure I will be demonized for being one. But...I want to make a real difference in the lives of people in the 22nd district...not just a few "party bosses" and "cronies".
I ask for your support so that we can all move forward. However, it might mean looking beyond “party labels” into the character of the people who want to serve you...not be self-serving.
Ask yourselves…are things better or worse than they were when the two incumbents took office. Remember…all politics are local…despite the fact that Jerry and Linda would rather blame Bush.
I think a lot of people will be voting against Linda Stender and Jerry Green. Linda Stender came to Plainfield once and that was for a photo opportunity at the downtown condo building that has some space reserved for seniors (which is still not open). Stender is not liked in the other towns because she has been absentee since she first tried to run for Congress. The people don't forget that she has done nothing and did nothing on behalf of Muhlenberg. She had to give up her double-dipping county job and now she is looking to be appointed to the BPU, a nice cushy job. Is that the kind of assembl representation we need? And Jerry Green, he has given Plainfield away and has suggested that with the Connolly scandal the tenants form a tenants association, big whoop. Its time for new representation in the 22nd and at the state level. Corzine is desperate, which shows, since Obama has to come to try to prop him up. Given the issues with GOldman Sachs, I don't think Corzine, its former chairman, will be re-elected. And Obama knows it, which is why he's coming early on a weekday in the middle of summer. Corzine won't get much of a bump from Obama's presence. Look at how Stender LOST while being on the ticket with Obama. The same thing will happen to Corzine, especially since he doesn't have anyone with Obama's stature on his ticket. Jerry and Linda don't cut the mustard, and neither they NOR Corzine even supported Obama during his New Jersey primary run. I am a lifelong Democrat but I will NOT be voting for Green and Stender or Corzine.
Bo, I wish you all the luck and you have my vote. You are absolutely right - people need to look beyond the WORDS of Republican or Democrat. We need a PERSON to do something for us.
Keep hammering that point and show JG and LS records and you are in guy! Good luck.
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