Balut Is Still Running
Democrat Ken Balut is still working to get elected as New Jersey's next Governor.
"Jon Corzine cannot be trusted and he is irresponsible with money," Balut says, pointing to several examples without raising the obvious and obscene campaign spending for which the former Wall Street CEO is known.
"Gambling away NJ's pension funds," is one of Balut's complaints that will resonate with many Democratic constituencies, as will, "Closing hospitals," in a state that has lost a quarter of its acute care medical facilities.
Balut also faults Corzine for, "Ignoring rampant corruption," and "Protecting Secret Emails," which make the incumbent appear more like something out of the Bush administration than a choice for change that Democrats are likely to embrace.
At his blog -- http://balut4governor.blogspot.com/ -- Balut makes a strong case for independents and others who may currently be routing for one of the four GOP contenders, most notably former US Attorney Christopher Christie.
"No Republican is going to be elected governor of New Jersey, where Democrats have won 15 of the last 17 statewide elections," says Balut. "The gap between Democrats and Republicans is greater than ever. George Bush left the GOP so near death, it's almost surprising there are enough Republicans in New Jersey to have a four-way primary."
Ken Balut is the only challenger waging a serious primary campaign to defeat multimillionaire Jon Corzine, and he is calling on Garden State Democrats to rise to the challenge.
His fledgling campaign is already rooted on Google and Facebook but supporters say a full-blown website is in the works that will seek to garner 10,000 individual contributions of just $34 each -- to give Balut the magic number that will qualify the campaign for public matching funds.
Is New Jersey ready for real democracy and a real Democrat?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Unethical Lawmaker Seeks New Complaint Hurdles
One of New Jersey's most unethical lawmakers has proposed a bill that would require any complaint filed with the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards to be in writing and signed by the complainant with a notarized certificate of acknowledgement.
In addition the legislation, Assembly Bill 2713 sponsored by notoriously unethical Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, would bar the committee from accepting a complaint that is submitted by fax.
Cryan, who has been the subject of numerous ethical allegations, reportedly accepted a $2,000 cash contribution that never turned up on his campaign finance reports.
Cryan also has another government job as a top deputy to Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich, who is constitutionally prohibited from holding a seat in the General Assembly.
Besides holding two apparently conflicting jobs at taxpayer expense, Cryan is chairman of two Democratic Party committees, each serving a distinct level of jurisdiction.
As state party chair, Cryan is the chief apologist for the ethically-slow Gov. Jon Corzine, while Cryan hand picks members of the Union Township Committee as that municipality's political boss.
The Union Township Committee awarded two charitable organization taxpayer-funded no-bid grants, one for $17,000 and another of $26,000, on Sept. 13, 2005 -- just weeks after each of the groups made illegal political contributions to Cryan's election fund.
The Center for Hope Hospice made its donation to Cryan on Aug 8, 2005 and the Boys & Girls Clubs delivered a check for the political committee on Aug. 1, 2005.
In another apparently corrupt political deal, Union Township's governing body granted a developer rights to build housing on a parcel of land owned by somebody else, just days after he hosted a $75,000 fundraiser for Cryan.
By making it more onerous to file charges with the ethics committee, Cryan clearly hopes to create opportunities for the panel to dismiss accusations on technical grounds instead of holding lawmakers to account for their actions.
The ethics panel was recently the subject of reform because, as it was previously constituted, the committee overlooked such acts as those for which former Sen. Wayne Bryant is serving federal jail time.
The most recent ethics complaint against Cryan, filed on Jan. 9, alleges that the politician abused his office by having a legislative aide perform work related to the assemblyman's role as state party chairman.
"There is no less an ethical conflict to employ legislative staff at taxpayer expense in performing political tasks related to Mr. Cryan's role as chairman of a partisan organization, than it would be for a mayor to have a city public works crew repair his home driveway," said James J. Devine, a Democratic strategist and author who has been a frequent critic of corrupt politicians.
Froehlich appointed Cryan , although he has no law enforcement experience, to the $97,138 a year job as undersheriff just weeks after Cryan lost his job at a Metuchen bar owned by his father. Cryan's Sheriff's Office salary has since increased by more than $15,000 a year.
To see the legislation, please visit the official State of New Jersey website at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/A3000/2713_I1.PDF
One of New Jersey's most unethical lawmakers has proposed a bill that would require any complaint filed with the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards to be in writing and signed by the complainant with a notarized certificate of acknowledgement.
In addition the legislation, Assembly Bill 2713 sponsored by notoriously unethical Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, would bar the committee from accepting a complaint that is submitted by fax.
Cryan, who has been the subject of numerous ethical allegations, reportedly accepted a $2,000 cash contribution that never turned up on his campaign finance reports.
Cryan also has another government job as a top deputy to Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich, who is constitutionally prohibited from holding a seat in the General Assembly.
Besides holding two apparently conflicting jobs at taxpayer expense, Cryan is chairman of two Democratic Party committees, each serving a distinct level of jurisdiction.
As state party chair, Cryan is the chief apologist for the ethically-slow Gov. Jon Corzine, while Cryan hand picks members of the Union Township Committee as that municipality's political boss.
The Union Township Committee awarded two charitable organization taxpayer-funded no-bid grants, one for $17,000 and another of $26,000, on Sept. 13, 2005 -- just weeks after each of the groups made illegal political contributions to Cryan's election fund.
The Center for Hope Hospice made its donation to Cryan on Aug 8, 2005 and the Boys & Girls Clubs delivered a check for the political committee on Aug. 1, 2005.
In another apparently corrupt political deal, Union Township's governing body granted a developer rights to build housing on a parcel of land owned by somebody else, just days after he hosted a $75,000 fundraiser for Cryan.
By making it more onerous to file charges with the ethics committee, Cryan clearly hopes to create opportunities for the panel to dismiss accusations on technical grounds instead of holding lawmakers to account for their actions.
The ethics panel was recently the subject of reform because, as it was previously constituted, the committee overlooked such acts as those for which former Sen. Wayne Bryant is serving federal jail time.
The most recent ethics complaint against Cryan, filed on Jan. 9, alleges that the politician abused his office by having a legislative aide perform work related to the assemblyman's role as state party chairman.
"There is no less an ethical conflict to employ legislative staff at taxpayer expense in performing political tasks related to Mr. Cryan's role as chairman of a partisan organization, than it would be for a mayor to have a city public works crew repair his home driveway," said James J. Devine, a Democratic strategist and author who has been a frequent critic of corrupt politicians.
Froehlich appointed Cryan , although he has no law enforcement experience, to the $97,138 a year job as undersheriff just weeks after Cryan lost his job at a Metuchen bar owned by his father. Cryan's Sheriff's Office salary has since increased by more than $15,000 a year.
To see the legislation, please visit the official State of New Jersey website at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/A3000/2713_I1.PDF
Friday, December 26, 2008
New Jersey's hard working people deserve an honest government.
That's why Democrats must nominate an alternative to Jon Corzine in the 2009 primary election for governor.
Corzine's name is attached to inaction, failure and corruption and that reputation was earned by the former Wall Street CEO during his foray into politics.
The politics and the problems facing our country are very different today than they were when this political speculator got booted out of the board room decided to buy himself an elected office.
The mentality of Wall Street and Washington and Trenton has been revealed as being in conflict with America's main stream thinking.
In democracy, we have a political system that holds everyone is equally valuable and entitled to basic rights. Capitalism is an economic system that rewards those who exploit people the most and gives inordinate advantages to those who are already better positioned financially.
Our common people have lost faith in politicians and corporate thieves like Corzine and his ilk because they have betrayed our trust.
Those arrogant people who once believed themselves to be Master of the Universe are no longer respected. They are masters of lies and greed and they offer society nothing.
Putting government back to work for people requires that we eliminate the influence and control of greedy, sinister forces. This is the change Americans want.
New Jersey's hard working people deserve an honest government and the Democratic Party must rise to the challenge of giving it to them.
That's why Democrats must nominate an alternative to Jon Corzine in the 2009 primary election for governor.
Corzine's name is attached to inaction, failure and corruption and that reputation was earned by the former Wall Street CEO during his foray into politics.
The politics and the problems facing our country are very different today than they were when this political speculator got booted out of the board room decided to buy himself an elected office.
The mentality of Wall Street and Washington and Trenton has been revealed as being in conflict with America's main stream thinking.
In democracy, we have a political system that holds everyone is equally valuable and entitled to basic rights. Capitalism is an economic system that rewards those who exploit people the most and gives inordinate advantages to those who are already better positioned financially.
Our common people have lost faith in politicians and corporate thieves like Corzine and his ilk because they have betrayed our trust.
Those arrogant people who once believed themselves to be Master of the Universe are no longer respected. They are masters of lies and greed and they offer society nothing.
Putting government back to work for people requires that we eliminate the influence and control of greedy, sinister forces. This is the change Americans want.
New Jersey's hard working people deserve an honest government and the Democratic Party must rise to the challenge of giving it to them.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Is any real Democratic leadership left in NJ?
The election of Barack Obama only reinforces my belief that Gov. Corzine can be defeated in a Democratic primary next year. Let's face it, there may be something wrong with turning the Democratic Party over to former Wall Street CEOs who spent their lives vigorously pursuing money until they decided to buy an elected office.
Obama is not going to spare New Jersey of its disastrous governor and if he is not challenged by a Democratic candidate who actually shares the values of this party, then we are handing the GOP a chance to regain power in this state.
Three problems face America under all the talk about economic crisis and war in Iraq and terrorism and health care...
One, too much wealth is concentrated in fewer and fewer hands. This upsets the balance of things necessary to maintaining the nature of capitalism and it allows the rich and powerful to undermine democracy. America faces a risk that democracy will be lost unless our government acts to balance the scales. The rich should pay their fair share in taxes to support the state, which enabled them freedom and security to become rich.
Two, the instrument for containing "the moneyed interests" -- government -- seems dominated by ideologues who profess that this concentration of wealth is a good thing and others, who seem only interested in their own status. Aside from the evil or corrupt, there are a large number of cowards who won't take on battles so big that they can make a difference, for fear of offending the rich and power or their greedy counterparts.
Three, Democratic Party leaders have become much like the Republicans, leaving the large majority of people unrepresented in the halls of power. A former Wall Street CEO like Jon Corzine cannot share the values of common middle-class and poor people who should be the bedrock of the Democratic Party. Do you have the capacity to understand and sympathize with billionnaires?
Corzine promised an ethical performance, but instead he bought himself the loyalty of power brokers and political bosses with our tax dollars. Corzine promised financial wizardry, fair taxes and education reform, but he delivered only band aids and proposals for digging NJ deeper in debt while discarding our assets.
Corzine has been an empty suit when it comes to real ethics reform. We have elected officials benefiting from public contracts and holding multiple taxpayer-funded jobs, which puts them at the mercy of those who control such contracts and jobs.
When did the Democratic Party become the party of aristocrats and crooks? More than 100 political figures have been indicted or convicted of corruption but no real law enforcement action has come from the state.
After Jim McGreevey led what may have been the most corrupt administration in NJ history, people want a change. Corzine promised that change and he cheated us by being just like McGreevey.
You know, my dog could be remembered as the greatest governor in history if we put him in the State House and let him borrow $40 billion, but someone who followed would suffer for it along with all the residents remaining when the bills came due. Corzine failed to hoodwink us the first time around but whether he may do it in a second term unless a Republican replaces him.
Either way, New Jersey deserves better. New Jersey deserves real Democratic leadership. The only question is, 'Is any out there?'
A candidate who challenges Jon Corzine in the 2009 Democratic primary would be entitled to two dollars in public funding for every qualified dollar raised from grassroots supporters (once the threshold is reached). While Corzine may again write a $60 million check to fund his own campaign, he cannot escape from his record and a Karl Rove style campaign will only make him look more like a George Bush clone.
With the $4 million-plus available to a Democratic challenger who is successful at maximizing public funding, the smaller and more sophisticated primary electorate may be reached in a way that levels the playing field and gives real people the chance to take back out party. Remember when Hillary Clinton was the inevitable nominee?
These are times of great change, but people better avail themselves of this opportunity.
The election of Barack Obama only reinforces my belief that Gov. Corzine can be defeated in a Democratic primary next year. Let's face it, there may be something wrong with turning the Democratic Party over to former Wall Street CEOs who spent their lives vigorously pursuing money until they decided to buy an elected office.
Obama is not going to spare New Jersey of its disastrous governor and if he is not challenged by a Democratic candidate who actually shares the values of this party, then we are handing the GOP a chance to regain power in this state.
Three problems face America under all the talk about economic crisis and war in Iraq and terrorism and health care...
One, too much wealth is concentrated in fewer and fewer hands. This upsets the balance of things necessary to maintaining the nature of capitalism and it allows the rich and powerful to undermine democracy. America faces a risk that democracy will be lost unless our government acts to balance the scales. The rich should pay their fair share in taxes to support the state, which enabled them freedom and security to become rich.
Two, the instrument for containing "the moneyed interests" -- government -- seems dominated by ideologues who profess that this concentration of wealth is a good thing and others, who seem only interested in their own status. Aside from the evil or corrupt, there are a large number of cowards who won't take on battles so big that they can make a difference, for fear of offending the rich and power or their greedy counterparts.
Three, Democratic Party leaders have become much like the Republicans, leaving the large majority of people unrepresented in the halls of power. A former Wall Street CEO like Jon Corzine cannot share the values of common middle-class and poor people who should be the bedrock of the Democratic Party. Do you have the capacity to understand and sympathize with billionnaires?
Corzine promised an ethical performance, but instead he bought himself the loyalty of power brokers and political bosses with our tax dollars. Corzine promised financial wizardry, fair taxes and education reform, but he delivered only band aids and proposals for digging NJ deeper in debt while discarding our assets.
Corzine has been an empty suit when it comes to real ethics reform. We have elected officials benefiting from public contracts and holding multiple taxpayer-funded jobs, which puts them at the mercy of those who control such contracts and jobs.
When did the Democratic Party become the party of aristocrats and crooks? More than 100 political figures have been indicted or convicted of corruption but no real law enforcement action has come from the state.
After Jim McGreevey led what may have been the most corrupt administration in NJ history, people want a change. Corzine promised that change and he cheated us by being just like McGreevey.
You know, my dog could be remembered as the greatest governor in history if we put him in the State House and let him borrow $40 billion, but someone who followed would suffer for it along with all the residents remaining when the bills came due. Corzine failed to hoodwink us the first time around but whether he may do it in a second term unless a Republican replaces him.
Either way, New Jersey deserves better. New Jersey deserves real Democratic leadership. The only question is, 'Is any out there?'
A candidate who challenges Jon Corzine in the 2009 Democratic primary would be entitled to two dollars in public funding for every qualified dollar raised from grassroots supporters (once the threshold is reached). While Corzine may again write a $60 million check to fund his own campaign, he cannot escape from his record and a Karl Rove style campaign will only make him look more like a George Bush clone.
With the $4 million-plus available to a Democratic challenger who is successful at maximizing public funding, the smaller and more sophisticated primary electorate may be reached in a way that levels the playing field and gives real people the chance to take back out party. Remember when Hillary Clinton was the inevitable nominee?
These are times of great change, but people better avail themselves of this opportunity.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
More of the same with Sen John Complain
Why would any American believe Sen John Complain can effect 'change' after 26 years in Washington, DC? Consider this Republican records and ask yourself if America can afford more of the same with John Complain:
• Perpetual War with Death, Chaos, and Destruction
• Mismanaging Federal Treasury Funds
• Fear Mongering at Home
• Increased Governmental $pending while cutting Taxes to the Wealthy
• $11 Trillion Dollar National Debt
• Privatizing Profits while Socializing the Bailouts of failed Corporations
• Unfair Taxation of the Middle Class
• High prices for GASOLINE, Electricity, and Everything Else!
• High Medical Costs and Prescription Drugs
• Bank Failures and Record Home Forclusures
• Pollution
• Invasion of Privacy and disregard for our Constitution
• Corruption, Corruption, Corruption!
• Religious Hypocrisy
• Politicalization of the Justice Department
• Degradation of our Infrastructure
• Continued overseas export of American Jobs
• Slave Labor
• Decline in US stature and respect among the World Community
Why would any American believe Sen John Complain can effect 'change' after 26 years in Washington, DC? Consider this Republican records and ask yourself if America can afford more of the same with John Complain:
• Perpetual War with Death, Chaos, and Destruction
• Mismanaging Federal Treasury Funds
• Fear Mongering at Home
• Increased Governmental $pending while cutting Taxes to the Wealthy
• $11 Trillion Dollar National Debt
• Privatizing Profits while Socializing the Bailouts of failed Corporations
• Unfair Taxation of the Middle Class
• High prices for GASOLINE, Electricity, and Everything Else!
• High Medical Costs and Prescription Drugs
• Bank Failures and Record Home Forclusures
• Pollution
• Invasion of Privacy and disregard for our Constitution
• Corruption, Corruption, Corruption!
• Religious Hypocrisy
• Politicalization of the Justice Department
• Degradation of our Infrastructure
• Continued overseas export of American Jobs
• Slave Labor
• Decline in US stature and respect among the World Community
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