New Jersey Teachers Caught on Video: NJ Teacher Unions Gone Wild

James O'Keefe has new investigative videos out: New Jersey Teachers Gone Wild, which he says was taped by "citizen journalists," some of them actors, inside a meeting of the New Jersey Education Association. The videos are said to be undercover audio and camera footage from the NJEA summer leadership conference at the New Brunswick Hilton, as well as a phone conversation with a school principal regarding an issue of race. See the videos below.

James O'Keefe

 A spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association, Steve Baker, appears briefly in the video twice, says "the whole thing is a complete fabrication, built on lies." The most shocking thing to me is in the first video, you hear that in collective bargaining, the NJEA "fixed some of those things," they did not agree with, after the "bargaining" was closed. The speaker said Christie was not aware that the bargaining had been "fixed," [changed].

You hear a man say he was educated at Rutgers, could be a principal, and could F**k with the kids!

In the video, you hear this chant, among others:

"Let's have a whiskey and get a little misty. Join me now and slander Chris Christie"

A woman seen in the video (and identified as a teacher from Passaic) is playing a video game:

"That's why we're laughing here, we're playing video games on their dime."

Another woman who identifies hereself as a teacher from Passaic, says:

"It's really hard to fire a teacher."

"like you have to seriously be in a hallway F-ing somebody." 

"...a tenured teacher would need to perform a sex act in a hallway in order to be fired."

You can also hear a chant, part of which is inaudible, but you clearly hear the group saying they will "kick Chris Christie in the toolbox."

If you have a child, or a grandchild, a niece or nephew in New Jersey schools, this has to make you both physically sick, as well as saddened that our schools employee teachers who are delighted knowing the taxpayer is funding their "play time," would call a child the "N" word, would illegally change an agreed upon contract, and use the "F" word in the same sentence with the word "kids."

These videos will be intensely scrutinized for editing and audio verification. It will be interesting to see how it shakes out, Governor Chris Christie said the videos are "distressing - and revealing - to say the least."

(James O'Keefe is one half of the Pimp and Prostitute videos which busted ACORN from shore to shore, along with Hannah Giles).

James O'Keefe - New Jersey Education Association (Video 1)

James O'Keefe - New Jersey Education Association (Video 2)

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

Content Scrapers: Until I can figure out what to do about your confiscation of my work for your own website, please be sure to give a link back as shown above.

Bomb Found on UPS Flight From Yemen to Chicago: Worldwide Terror Plot Underway?

Fox News has just reported an "ink toner cartridge" converted to a bomb, was found on a UPS flight from Yemen to Chicago, via London and on the ground there. Fox's Rick Levanthall says "investigators are seeking to stop a planned terror plot. Early reports said two UPS cargo flights are on the ground and being checked in New York and Newark, New Jersey. A "suspicious package" was removed from a UPS flight on the ground at Philadelphia's International Airport - the flight number is believed to be 218. A crew member of the Philadelphia flight reported a possible "radiological" package. A UPS truck has been quarantined in Queens, New York. On one of the flights, a pilot reported a package that was possibly "radiological." All the info is fast and incomplete. Continuing updates as they break.

See reporting on United Arab Emirates Flight 201 escorted by F-15's today into JFK airport in New York.

Update: Fox 10:35 AM CDT:
AP report: A package removed from a flight in Birmingham England is now said to be no threat.

Portland, Main - suspicious package (backpack) found outside federal court house. Court house was evacuated. Bomb squad on seen investigating a hazardous device.

SkyNews Heathrow and UK offices of UPS deny reports that any kind of bomb or any suspicious packages found today.

Newark, New Jersey flight has been released and is on its way to Kentucky.

Update Fox: Greg Palcot 10:45am:
UK East Midlands Airport: Police at 3:28 a.m. found a suspicious package in the distribution area of the airport. This is a small airport, and is one of two distribution centers for UPS.

Several suspicious packages removed from Philadelphia and and Newark.

Several suspicious packages originating in Yemen in Philadelphia and Newark. The "ink toner cartridge" converted to a bomb - maybe several.

Update 10:50 a.m.
Chicago's O'Hare Airport is also reported of concern now.
Flights on ground in Philly originated from Paris and Cologne.

Update 11:07 a.m. CDT:
Investigation now in Paris.
Toner cartridges were of clear casing, with white powder inside, in a UPS box.

Fox's John Scott: Off-record report: there was some kink of radiological component aboard a flight in Philadelphia. This report is now believed to be false.

One flight originated in Cologne, Germany.

Suspicious package in Brooklyn.

Update 11:11 a.m. CDT:
John Scott says the off-record report of a radiological component found is false.
UPS has no flight "originating" in Yemen.

Update 11:16 a.m. CDT:
Harris Faulkner is confirming that Portland, Maine officials say a suspicious package was found outside the Federal Courthouse at the corner of Market and Federal street. The Portland airport says have no UPS flights landing there today.

Update 11:50 a.m. CDT:
Trucks in Brooklyn and Queens have both been cleared.
In England the situation has been elevated

AP: Suspicious packages are a "dry run mail bomb plot."

Update 12:02 p.m. CDT:
Fox's Katherine Herridge reports, there is a possible link to al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Christmas Day bomber.

Update 12:07 p.m. CDT:
Synagogues under high alert after warning.
Suspicious packages in or from Dubai at a FedEx facility - the first time FedEx has been mentioned.
2:20 p.m. AP reports explosives WERE in a package destined for the U.S., and confiscated in Dubai today (Shep Smith - Fox News)

Update 12:18 p.m. CDT:
UPS with Fox would not confirm that the flights in Philadelphia have been cleared.

All flights from Yemen into U.S. have been stopped.

Update 12:28 p.m. CDT:
Baltimore: a "situation" with a bomb squad in Ann Arundel County - not at the airport.
The Baltimore story is that a woman came into a facility to "return" a package. She was told the facility could not accept a package for "return." The woman became frustrated, left the package on the counter and walked out. Authorities believe this incident will be nothing to do with terrorism, but out of an abundance of caution, it is under investigation.

All shipments from London to U.S. have been "embargoed."

Update 1:00 p.m. CDT:
Homeland Security has just increased security on passenger planes, as well as cargo planes.

Chicago found two 2 suspicious packages addressed to "religious" destinations.

A suspicious package is being investigated in San Francisco.

Update 1:11 p.m. CDT:
San Francisco: A passerby noticed a suitcase at the corner of Battery and Market. Police identified it as a suspicious package. The area has been closed to traffic. A bomb robot is on the seen. 1:40 p.m. The San Francisco situation has been cleared.

Chicago's Jewish community was warned of incoming packages. To be aware that harmful packages may be in-coming.

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook
Content Scrapers: Until I can figure out what to do about your confiscation of my work for your own website, please be sure to give a link back as shown above.

Chris Christie Reconsiders Killing Hudson River Tunnel Project

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced this week that his final decision was to kill the Hudson River Tunnel project, because...you know...the state and New Jersey-ites simply cannot afford it at this time. Oh but wait! The feds got to him and now he says he will reconsider, after meeting with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Hudson River Tunnel Project

LaHood put some options on the table, don't cha know. No doubt, none of them assure New Jersey residents there will be no increased costs via the tunnel. Projected cost overruns from $2.3 billion to $5.3 billion are predicted, for the project known as ARC. Still yet, Christie said this:

"The fact that the ARC project is not financially viable and is expected to dramatically exceed its current budget remains unchanged," the governor said in a statement today.

"However, this afternoon Secretary LaHood presented several options to potentially salvage a trans Hudson tunnel project. At the secretary’s request, I’ve agreed to have executive director of NJ Transit Jim Weinstein and members from his team work with U.S. Department of Transportation staff to study those options over the next two weeks.” 

At a news conference this afternoon following the stunning development, U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) said the governor and the U.S. Department of Transportation will come to the negotiating table to revive the tunnel project.

Apparently, the Hudson River Tunnel will be home to two rail tunnels and will lead to a new train station in New York City, 200 feet below 34th Street between 6th and 8th Avenues.

Tunnel Station Below Penn Station under 34th Street

Increased bridge, tunnel and rail fares are funding the project. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in June 2009.

The feds (taxpayers everywhere, you...me) supplied $3 billion in federal funding earmarks. I do not live in New Jersey, but fellow blogger, Chris at WyBlog does. Read what he had to say about the tunnel cancellation, before this "reconsideration" was announced.

Chris Christie on Public Employees and Pensions: Thank Me in 10 Years Video

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie predicts public employees will thank him for being the governor "who saved their pensions.






Chris Christie on Public Employees and Their Pensions (video)
The Lonely Conservative has some short and pithy commentary
Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

Derek Fenton Koran Burner Fired

Derek Fenton burned pages of the Koran outside the old Burlington Coat Factory location of the proposed Ground Zero mosque. Fenton was fired by the New Jersey Transit, where he has worked for the last eleven years. Please try to vote in the NYDaily News poll below. Conservatives are not winning.

Derek Fenton Koran Burner

Fenton was "ushered" from the Mosque protesters by the police for questioning but was not charged.

He said, 'This is America,'and he wanted to stand up for it, in a Tea Party kind of way," a police source said.

Another police source said Fenton described himself as a "loyal American" exercising his "right to protest."

Several neighbors in Fenton's town stood up for his right to express himself with flames.

"Good for him for burning the Koran," neighbor Jacqui Marquez, 40, said.

"Everybody's entitled to their opinion ... by firing him, they're sending a message that there's no freedom of speech. They're completely wrong for doing this."

"He's a family man," neighbor Randy McConnell, 43, said.

"He loves his kids and he loves trains. I don't agree with what he did, but he shouldn't lose his job over it. That's his right."

If Fenton was fired for burning the Koran while off-duty, his First Amendment rights probably were violated, Chris Dunn of the New York Civil Liberties Union said.

"The Supreme Court has recognized a constitutional right to burn the flag. As reprehensible as it may be, burning the Koran would be protected as well."

NYDailyNews poll - please visit and voice your outrage that a man can lose his job for expressing his First Amendment rights. Vote in Fanning the Flames. Tell the NJTransit you don't give a fig for Islam's tender sensibilities.

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

Chris Christie: Another Teacher Assault Video

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie faces another teacher's assault, and is more than capable of answering her. Christie obviously knows his stuff. This is an incredible face-off.  "I stood here very respectfully and listened to you. If you want to put on a show, and giggle every time I talk, please sit down and I'll call on someone else."I don't know who the audience is, but they are supporting Christie with their applause.

Chris Christie Addresses New Jersey Teacher

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

Chris Christie Mike Castle: Christie Endorses RINO Castle: Good Faith Pledge in Order?

So, there are few problems here: Senator Mike Castle is a RINO - yes, he is. He voted for cap and trade and he voted for the DISCLOSE Act. What more do you need to hang the RINO sign around his neck? Those watching the race closely, however, believe Christine O'Donnell is a conservative, but...some of those watching closely do not believe O'Donnell can beat the Democrat opponent. I suggest Republican House leadership secure a good faith pledge from Castle that he will never, ever again vote to silence us with the DISCLOSE Act, or any similar legislation, and never, ever vote for a Democrat version of cap and trade. And do this before the election. Doing so defines the meaning of "House Leadership." But please read on, there are other considerations.

Mike Castle's political leanings

From Ace:

I do not know why it is that Mike Castle is running 12 points or so ahead of his Democratic rival. It could be partly due to his despised RINOism, of course. And it's also due to personal characteristics which he alone possesses and cannot be transferred to O'Donnell -- like, as the state's only at-large Representative (the state has only one Rep.), he knows everyone in the state, has campaigned statewide nine times before. For whatever reason, the voters trust him, seem to like him. (Well, "like" as much as one can like a politician.)

For whatever reason, they've decided he's okay by them. And preferable to a Democrat. And so he polls 10-12 points ahead.

Meanwhile the latest Rasmussen poll puts O'Donnell ten points behind Coons.

And on that point, I ask, where is the plausible pathway to candidate growth? What is the realistic plan for getting O'Donnell up from ten points down to at least even?

Castle's Republican challenger is Christine O'Donnell. She is not a politician, but is a conservative activist. We have non-political activists running across the country, and that is a good thing, but this one is particularly problematic.

The other side of this is the GOP Fossils who are trying to denigrate O'Donnell and force her to drop out of the race, and are apparently paying people to "stalk her." From TheOtherMcCain:

Let me repeat the question I asked over the weekend: How many pro-life voters in Delaware? Castle’s pro-choice, O’Connell’s pro-life, and that life-or-death issue ought to be decisive in a GOP primary.

If the bottom line is O'Donnell cannot win (and polls are not always the last word) let's tell the Republican leadership to demand a few promises from Mike Castle or they will move to O'Donnell's camp.

In the video below, Christie says a vote for Castle is a vote for "smaller, smarter government." What? Even GovTrack shows Castle only barely Republican (see the graphic above). See Castle's past voting record, which sides with Democrats far more often than with Republicans. However GovTrack also says in the current Congress he has voted with Republicans 87.3% of the time. Sigh. I can't tell you how  comfortable it is to live in a Conservative, very red state. See the Christie endorsement below.



Governor Chris Christie Endorses Mike Castle (video)
Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

Neal Cavuto Chris Christie: New Jersey Loses $400M Education Grant - Payback for Removing a Democrat Governor

Perhaps you heard last week that the State of New Jersey lost a $400M education grant due to a clerical mistake. New Jersey's 'Race to the Top' application included one incorrect piece of paper. The New Jersey Department of Education erroneously submitted 2010 to 2011 numbers, rather than the requested 2008 - 2009 numbers. Out of 1,000 pages of application and 700 pages of indices, there was a one-page error. Christie asks "does anybody in Washington D.C. have a lick of sense?" Of course, the answer is "NO." This is what happens in a Democrat administration when you have the audacity to remove a Democrat governor from office. Watch the video for an incredible display of governmental incompetence, idiocy and bias and some analysis by Fox News' Neal Cavuto.

Neal Cavuto and Governor Chris Christie on Race to the Top Program

Joseph Charles a Judge for Muslim Men: New Jersey Judge Joseph Charles Respects Muslim Man's Right to Sexually Abuse His Wife

A Muslim woman in New Jersey has received a divorce from her Muslim husband, but Judge Joseph Charles has denied her request for a restraining order. The husband sexually abused her and forced repeated sex. The Judge respected the man's right as a Muslim to behave according to Muslim belief.

Muslim Woman

Judge Charles was overturned in July 2010 in an Appellate Court ruling that the husbands religious beliefs were irrelevant and the judge "was mistaken" in his assessment.  At least some in this country understand that Islam is first and foremost a tyrannical and misogynist government.

The woman's attorney, Jennifer Donnelly, said this Appellate Court ruling may help Oklahoma's law which will be on the ballot in November, banning judges from considering "international law or Shariah Law in their rulings. I'm in Oklahoma and I can hardly wait to mark my ballot for banning both.

When Judge Charles leveled his ruling, this was his wrong thinking:

In considering the woman's plea for a restraining order after the couple divorced, Charles ruled in June 2009 that a preponderance of the evidence showed the defendant had harassed and assaulted her, but "The court believes that [defendant] was operating under his belief that it is, as the husband, his desire to have sex when and whether he wanted to, was something that was consistent with his practices and it was something that was not prohibited."

Get this: the husband's imam testified for the man:

"The imam testified regarding Islamic law as it relates to sexual behavior. The imam confirmed that a wife must comply with her husband's sexual demands, because the husband is prohibited from obtaining sexual satisfaction elsewhere.

"However, a husband was forbidden to approach his wife 'like any animal.' ... he acknowledged that New Jersey law considered coerced sex between married people to be rape."

Judge Charles is unavailable for comment. "The husband has been indicted on criminal charges and will face trial in the fall." It is unclear whether the criminal charges are related to the divorce.

Chris Christie on Pension Reform and Tough Choices Video

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) says he wants a healthy pension system, but the system today must be repaired before that can happen. Christie says today's environment has people believing the government will "fix it" for them, but that isn't going to happen. Governor Christie - once again making the tough choices that Democrats refuse to touch. Here's the video:

Governor Chris Christie on How to Make the State's Pension System Healthy (video)

Chris Christie Matt Lauer : Chris Christie on Sacred Cows: Teachers Unions Cops

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie interviewed with Matt Lauer yesterday. When asked about the fallout of taking on the "Sacred Cows," teachers, unions and police, and if he feared them, Christie said "I don't think you can lead out of fear." Christie could have added, "because I'm doing the right thing," an unknown concept to the mainstream White House Propaganda Squad. This is a very interesting video interview, with a Governor who understands his job.

Christie quote:

The Teacher's Union in New Jersey has demanded 4% and 5% increases in a zero inflation world. They pay nothing in, the majority of them, for family health benefits, from the day they are hired, to the day they die.

Matt Lauer Interviews Gov. Chris Christie (video)

Chris Christie Privatizes New Jersey

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is proposing a massive privatization program for the state. A 57-page report gives the steps necessary to save $210 million a year by putting many services in the hands of private enterprise. Finally we have an outspoken public champion of the private sector.

Governor Chris Christie

Two thousand state employees may lose their jobs.

From North Jersey.com [my formatting]:

(1) State parks, psychiatric hospitals and even turnpike toll booths could also be run by private operators, 


(2) Preschool classrooms would no longer be built at public expense,

(3) state employees would pay for parking

(4) private vendors would dish out food, deliver health care and run education programs behind prison walls.

The most controversial loss to privatization is the state withdrawing entirely from the state vehicle inspections:

New Jersey would close its centralized car inspection lanes and motorists would pay for their own emissions tests....

But the car inspection proposal is sure to stir up controversy in a state with a tortured history of privatizing emissions testing.

Currently, New Jersey pays for the complete inspection process.

Ten Buck Friday Blogs Send Their Bucks to Anna Little Week 2

RightKlik announced at Midnight EDT that Anna Little, the current mayor of Highlands, New Jersey, receives Ten Buck Friday donations with  42.1% of the vote for Week 2. Ms Little is running for New Jersey's 6th Congressional District.

Anna Little (R-NJ)

A word about Anna's Democrat opponent, Frank Pallone Jr. Pallone has been in the House since 1988. Anna Little is the one that can send him home, and we need this big spender to go home. 

In 2009 and 2010 Pallone voted for every spending bill with the exception two; he voted against the prohibiting of funds to ACORN.  He voted against prohibiting federally funded abortion services, he voted against prohibiting partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion, when Bush was President he voted against Defense Authorization. With Obama as President, he voted to fund defense authorizations. To end this litany of Frank Pallone shame - in 2006 he voted against the Immigration Law Enforcement Act, against the Secure Fence Act of 2006, against the Border Security Bill of 2005, against the Real ID Act of 2005. Check out Pallone's voting history here.

VOTE ANNA LITTLE, AND SEND FRANK PALLONE, JR. HOME

About Anna Little:


From reading blogs that are supporting Anna Little, I see there is great excitement about this women who is characterized as a true conservative.

It appears that Anna was not the odds-on favorite to win the primary against her Republican challenger, who outspent Little more than ten times. Anna's "literal shoestring budget of $19,503 is remarkable.... According to Terry Hurlbut at the Essex County Examiner, Little's opponent was the Republican Party pick; she had their endorsements and conceivably their monetary support. Hurlbut says the area's Republican Committee accused the leadership of being "far too dismissive of Little's candidacy."

 Here is information about Little from her website, and it is obvious this woman has proven to be a fiscal conservative"

Anna is a wife, a mother of three children, and currently serves as Mayor of the Borough of Highlands, New Jersey. As Mayor, Anna has proven her ability to manage a fiscally responsible municipality by reducing the budget, and implementing an economic growth vision for her hometown. 

From 2006-2008, Anna served as a Monmouth County Freeholder, bringing her vision of responsible government to the county by establishing the Continuous Budget Review Committee, and by hosting an Economic Development Summit. 

She is committed to improving her community as a trustee for the Frielinghaus Memorial Scholarship Fund, and as a member of the Historical Society of the Highlands. Anna also enjoys singing with the Choir at her local church.

Anna attended Seton Hall University where she earned her Law Degree. She is admitted to practice in The State of New Jersey, in The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and before The United States District Court and has handled cases nationwide. 

Anna is fluent in Spanish and French, and has a working knowledge of Japanese and Russian. As an Immigration Attorney, Anna has represented clients from many countries throughout the world, including: Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, The Dominican Republic, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Venezuela, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Hungary, Israel, Greece, India, Iraq, Egypt, Pakistan, Congo, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, Mongolia, Tibet, and Thailand. Anna was born at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, and is a native of Middletown, New Jersey.

Little is endorsed by the New Jersey Tea Party, the Jersey Shore Tea Party Patriots, the Bayshore Tea Party Group, The Conservative Party of New Jersey, The Independence Hall Tea Party PAC, and the New Jersey Right to Life, among others.

This quote comes from the New Jersey Tea Party:

Some say the politically conservative Tea Party movement stands for “smaller government, fiscal responsibility, and safety and security for the US.” Others say it is just as well to add “support for Israel and disdain for the way the Obama administration has approached the war on terror.” 

With that in mind, the New Jersey Tea Party movement and many members of the observant-Jewish community have endorsed Anna Little, a candidate running in the NJ Sixth District Republican Primary on June 8th. “Anna Little is the only true conservative seeking office in the Sixth Congressional district,” said Jeff Weingarten, president of the NJ Tea Party.

So this week, in theory, Ten Buck Friday bloggers will be sending their donations of $10 each, and maybe more, to Anna Little. We have about 45 Ten Buck Friday blogs, but from the voting, we have many readers participating.

If you are disappointed that your own candidate did not win this week's poll, we just encourage you to think about what it means for Anna Little to be in the U.S. House of Representatives, rather than the progressive Frank Pallone. At least for now, when a candidate wins they are no longer on the next weeks polls. As we get closer to November that may change. 

When donating on this Ten Buck Friday, look for a spot on the donation form to write in: "Donation made with Ten Buck Friday Bloggers," or something similar. On Anna's donation form it gives you the option to pay through PayPal or send in a check. Just click through and the credit card option is there.

Ten Buck Friday Week 2 Winner 

Anna C. Little

Donate @ Anna C. Little for Congress 

For information on Ten Buck Fridays, see this post. If you want to get in on next week's poll and donation, contact RightKlik or Polemicon linked in the list below. Just leave a comment on any post and you will be added to the list - or leave a comment here and I'll pass it on.

A new nomination period begins at RightKlik on Sunday, and the poll comes out shortly after.

Ten Buck Friday Blogs:

1) Conscientiously Conservativetarget="_blank"
2) RightKlik
3) The Conservative Lady - where I first read about Ten Buck Fridays
4) Mind Numbed Robot
5) Left Coast Rebel
6) Lady Cincinnatus
7) The War Planner
8) Hack Wilson
9) Libertarian Advocate
10) Polemicon

11) Proof Positive
12) Maggie's Notebook
13) JBlog Central

14) Right Truth

15) The Camp of The Saints

16) AmericanNation

17) GeeeeeZ!
18) Stop the ACLU
19) Just a Conservative Girl
20) Randy's Roundtable
21) The Other McCain
22) Old Line Elephant
23) Spartanburg Tea Party
24) Anthropocon
25) MerrieMarie
26) Conservative Scalawag
27) 20/10 blog
28) Fuzzy Logic
29) Before It's News
30) Action for Liberty
31) Reaganite Republican
32) Adrienne's Corner
33) The Lonely Conservative
34) Michigan Blogger
35) Nice Deb
36) Pirate's Cove
37) That's Right
38) Potluck
39) Rightosphere
40) Caught Him With a Corndog
41) The Resistance
42) IOwnTheWorld
43) Gulag Blog
44) MoreMonmouthMusings
45) Right, Wing Nut!
46)World Daily News
47) Lilac Sunday
48) At the Point of a Gun
49) WyBlog
50) Red Virginia Conservative Railroad

Candidates Supporting Ten Buck Fridays:

Ed4Congress
Liz Carter for Congress
Anna Little

Supporters:
Smart Girl Politics
Resist Net
TCU Nation
Team Sarah
Freedom Works
Free Republic
USA Today

Chris Christie Budget Passed by Democrat Congress

New Governor Chris Christie's (R-NJ) budget, cutting "hundreds of millions of dollars" has been passed by the Democrat Congress.

Chris Christie

New Jersey was facing an $11 billion deficit:

The budget, approved by the Assembly early Tuesday morning and by the Senate hours earlier, is close to the one Gov. Chris Christie introduced in March amid some blunt talk about the state’s bleak finances. He said New Jersey was facing an $11 billion deficit and needed to cure its addiction to spending.

Democrats got just $74 million in programs and services restored to the budget out of roughly $400 million sought. They insisted that Republicans sponsor the budget bills, so the GOP would own the bare-bones budget.

Christie was scheduled to sign his first budget Tuesday afternoon. The fiscal year starts Thursday.

In the Senate, Democrats supplied the four votes needed for the budget to pass. All 17 Republicans supported the budget, and it was approved 21-19.

Family-planning is big with Democrats in New Jersey. Most of us plan our families without the help of the state, but:

One of the most unpopular budget cuts among Democrats wes the elimination of $7.5 million in state funding to 58 family planning centers. 

In the end, Dems got their $7.5 million. They did not get their one-year surcharge on millionaires.

The tough lesson is, most of us have to pay for our irresponsible spending eventually.

NJ Governor Christie Puts Reporter in His Place

This is too good to miss. NJ Governor Chris Christie is showing the kind of leadership the American people are looking for. Straightforward, honest and bold. You must watch this video. It is only two-and-a-half minutes. Christie puts a reporter firmly in his place.

Gov Christie calls S-L columnist thin-skinned for inquiring about his 'confrontational tone'

Governor Christie speaks my kind of English! (video)

Linked by Frugal Cafe Blog Zone - thank you!

George Washington Crossing Park Closed in Pennsylvania due to Budget Cuts

Pennsylvanians and Americans around the country are coming to the aid of the historic George Washington Crossing Park, which memorializes General George Washington and the Continental Army and militia crossing the Delaware River on Christmas night 1776. While money is being raised, so far it isn't enough. While this magnificent piece of American history sits idle, and school buses coming for the reenactment of the Crossing, no longer fill the parking lot, for lack of $1.5M, we have only to think about the waste and fraud in the Stimulus bill to know we have our priorities horribly skewed. See a beautiful video below.

George Washington Crossing Park

Stimulus money funded a study on how "paying attention" improves performance at a cost of $850,000, there was $880,000 to pave a "back-up" runway for the John Murtha Airport, which averages 20 travelers a day, and $11M to Microsoft for a bridge to connect two buildings. This list could go on and on. The waste and fraud of taxpayer monies is incomprehensible, yet an important monument to America's founding is shuttered.

The visitor center and and the programs offered at George Washington Crossing Park are closed due to state budget cuts. The grounds are still open to the public. Read the history of Washington crossing the Delaware here and more here.


George Washington Crossing Park closed (video)

Joe Coppola New Jersey Teacher Union Head Prays for Chris Christie's Demise

A New Jersey teacher walked out on a conversation with New Jersey governor, Chris Christie...or the Governor "showed her the door." What's the truth? No one seems to know. A New Jersey teacher, Joe Coppola, who is the head of the Bergen County Teachers Union, circulated this pithy memo:

Chris Christie

Dear Lord this year you have taken away my favorite actor, Patrick Swayze, my favorite actress, Farrah Fawcett, my favorite singer, Michael Jackson, and my favorite salesman, Billy Mays. I just wanted to let you know that Chris Christie is my favorite governor."

The story goes that Barbara Keshishian, the president of a state teacher's union, asked to rendevouz with Christie to offer an apology on behalf of Coppola, and was apparently asked to fire him. She refused. A spokesman said Keshishian does not have the authority to fire Coppola.

Governor Christie is not viewed in a favorable light by New Jersey School districts which will be seeing some cuts to their budgets because his predecessor, John Corzine, left the state in a deplorable financial mess. Teachers have been asked to embrace a one-year wage freeze to avoid necessary layoffs. Hmmmm. Teachers are having none of that nonsense:

More than 100 districts have achieved some type of salary freeze when administrators and staff are included. However, only a fraction of those include teachers, according to the governor's office.

The source for this story, The Trentonian, has some interesting comments.

Chris Christie Accepts 375 of 378 Options to honor New Jersey Budget

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie spoke for almost 30 minutes to the New Jersey League of Municipalities yesterday. Christie laid out the fiscal problems of his state, said "this is the job that I asked for and I am prepared to do it." Of his early meeting with the State Treasurer, Governor Christie said he was presented with 378 possible freezes and lapses to honor the budget. He accepted 375 of the 378! He said we have made every" quick fix" possible, and now we are "left holding the bag."

"We have no room left to borrow, no room left to tax." The option is to be shot in the back [by the troops of the decades of over-borrowing and over-spending], or hold hands and jump off the cliff. We will land and we will land fine. It does not mean that it won't be scary." This Governor means business. Christie actually offers "hope and change" and plans to bring it.

The video is the entire speech, or read a partial transcript at Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis.

Governor Chris Christy - honoring New Jersey budget

Linked by And so I go: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Shamshiddin Abdur-Raheem Throws Baby from NJ Driscoll Parkway Bridge

Shamshiddin Abdur-Raheem, is charged with abducting and throwing his 3-month-old baby daughter from the Garden State Parkway's Driscoll Bridge into the Raritan River. Updates as available. See a video below. See Update 2-17-10 below. Latest Update 2-27-10.

 

Kara Malani-Lin Abdur-Raheem 

  

Shamshiddin Abdur-Raheem

The mother, Venetta Benjamin, filed a restraining order against the father the same day the baby was abducted. Abdul-Raheem and Benjamin are not married. She is a graduate student in her mid-20's. Abdur-Raheem is from Camden County, 21 years old and has no custody rights to his daughter.

He barged into the grandmother's apartment, hit her in the face,  grabbed little Zara Malani-Lin Abdur-Raheem, and ran to a minivan waiting outside with a male driver. The grandmother tried to grab the baby, and then threw herself on the hood of the car, before falling off.

Police found the man, Shamshiddin Abdur-Raheem, sometime after 8 p.m. Tuesday at a family member’s residence in the Sicklerville section of Winslow Township, Camden County, according to Winslow police Lt. Michael Hoffman. There was no sign of his young daughter Zara Malani-Lin Abdur-Raheem, whom East Orange police claim he kidnapped late Tuesday afternoon...

...he told them he had thrown the young girl off the Driscoll Bridge and into the Raritan River while driving along the Garden State Parkway southbound, according to Dielmo.

Authorities began an immediate search of the river, but so far there is no trace of Zara. Temps dropped to 28 degrees F in the area Tuesday night. An Amber Alert was issued.

Abdul-Raheem told police that after he dumped his little girl in the river, he drove to see an imam in Atlantic County. Is this a new kind of "honor killing?" The mother, perhaps, disrespected him...and he killed his daughter? Or did he stash her somewhere? What does the imam have to say? No news on that, as yet.

Thanks to a reader who notified me about this abduction and, perhaps, murder, who just left the following information in comments:

He is being held on $700,000 bail and scheduled for a court appearance Thursday morning.T State Police have 17 divers, multiple boats and helicopters searching the banks and waters of the Raritan River in Middlesex County. 

Dow said Abdur-Raheem kidnapped the infant at 4 p.m. Tuesday after punching the girl's grandmother in the face and choking her at an East Orange apartment. When the grandmother tried to block his escape, Abdur-Raheem tried to run the 60-year-old woman down with a minivan, Dow said.  

Abdur-Raheem fled south, stopped at the Driscoll Bridge, and threw the infant from the span, Dow said. He then continued to Atlantic County and met with an Imam, who drove him to a family member's house in Winslow Township in Camden County. Police were called to the residence and he was taken into custody there at 8 p.m.

There is also controversy over an Amber Alert which apparently took over 4 hours to be processed.

Update 2-17-10:

See additonal information on Shamsid-Din (Shamshiddin) Abdur-Raheem: Raheem Visits Two Mosques After Throwing Baby off Bridge

Update 2-27-10:
Abdur-Raheem's 3-month old daughter has not been found. He is charged with the attempted murder of his daughter and aggravated assault against the baby's maternal grandmother. Shamsid-Din Abdur-Raheem is reported today to be under suicide watch. Thanks to reader wtd for the tip!

 

Shamshiddin Abdur-Raheem Throws Baby from NJ Bridge (video)  

Gov. Chris Christie Freezes Spending - "Really Freezes Spending" in NJ

Chris Christie, the new Republican governor, moved into the New Jersey Governor's Mansion and froze all spending...that's all spending. It is not a make-believe freeze. It's a real freeze.

Gov. Chris Christie announced Thursday he is immediately freezing all state spending.

Saying New Jersey is on the verge of bankruptcy, Christie declared a fiscal emergency, announcing drastic cuts. Among them, aid to school districts that have excess surpluses.

"Today we are going to act swiftly to fix problems too long ignored. Today I begin to do what I promised the people of New Jersey I would do," Christie said.

The move had Democrats in an uproar, angry the governor used his executive powers instead of working with the Legislature.

"What that's going to mean is that those school districts without that money are going to be raising property taxes in the upcoming year to make up for that shortfall," said Assemblyman John Wisniewski, D-19th District.

Christie sends a love letter to the Transit union:

The governor also cut state subsidies to New Jersey Transit, saying it needs to become fiscally efficient.

"Revisit its rich union contracts," Christie said. "And they may also have to consider service reductions or fare increases."

"It's really foolish. It undermines not only the environment but our economy because people need transit to get to work," said Jeff Tittel of the Sierra Club.

But one tax group applauded the governor.

"Yes it's going to be difficult to make some of these choices as were highlighted today, but education, health care and these things tend to be sacred cow and they need to be taken out of that category," said Jerry Cantrell of the Taxpayers' Association of New Jersey.

Fellow Republicans said some school districts have been abusing the money they get and it's about time a governor called them on it.

"I think the record indicates that there are a number of school districts that have been overspending, misappropriating," said Assemblyman Joe Mallone, R-30th District.

The governor said he doesn't anticipate schools cutting programs or jobs right now, but sources within the administration said there are no guarantees for the next fiscal year.

Christie warned lawmakers that next year's budget may include even harsher cuts in spending and aid.

Linked by Sultan Knish - The Fall of the House of Kennedy -  Thank You!