Why did Christie go so easy on Tea Party in Sandy aid squabble?

[Buster]

http://blog.northjersey.com/thepolit...-aid-squabble/


The Governor is walking a tight rope

Why did Christie go so easy on Tea Party in Sandy aid squabble?

Posted on Friday, January 4, 2013 5:56 pm

by Charles Stile


Governor Christie held House Speaker John Boehner personally responsible for scuttling a vote for $60 billion in superstorm Sandy disaster aid.

But the Tea Party activists in the Republican caucus, who held Boehner hostage with their implacable, never-compromise zeal, were given a pass. Christie didn’t want to touch the subject.

“I’m not dealing with the Tea Party, next,” Christie said, cutting off the rest of my question Wednesday afternoon during a State House news conference.

And when another reporter asked if Tea Party fury for just approving tax hikes for the wealthy without spending cuts forced Boehner to withdraw the Sandy aid vote, Christie bobbed and weaved his way around the question.

“You guys have this fascination with the Tea Party. I’m not going to sit here and be a pundit for you guys. It’s not my job,” he said.

Christie’s bashing of the hapless Boehner was refreshing and justified. Boehner’s spine buckled under the backlash from the Tea Party hardliners and their ilk from the South and the Midwest. Instead of standing up as a national leader, Boehner slinked away, a captive of his caucus.

But it was somewhat surprising that Christie didn’t take aim at the 800-pound gorilla in the House Republican caucus wearing a Revolutionary War-era tri-cornered hat.

The angry Tea Party ideologues – or the conservative hardliners, the party’s “grassroots” activists, whatever euphemism you prefer – are the ones who snubbed New Jersey in its time of need. It is their inflexible, knee-jerk thinking that classifies all government spending as government waste, even emergency spending for desperate people digging out of a devastating crisis.

Boehner didn’t pick up the phone and return Christie’s phone calls because the Tea Party tied his hands behind his back.

Christie refusal to discuss the issue is also surprising given that their never-bend orthodoxy is the complete antithesis of the pragmatic conservatism he extolled in his keynote speech at the Republican National Convention last year. Christie, in effect, says its okay to bend and broker a deal every once in a while.

“We believe it’s possible to forge bipartisan compromise and stand up for conservative principles,” he said during his speech.

So why did Christie refuse to go after the Tea Party members?
It’s because Christie realizes that the same Tea Party types that dominate the House caucus also dominate the Republican primaries. Christie will need their support if he is to run for president 2016. Lashing out at them now could undercut his own campaign later on.

Christie, whose resume includes a fair mix of moderate positions, has taken steps in the past few years not to antagonize the Tea Party crowd. He’s refused to create a health care exchange, a requirement under President Obama’s Affordable Health Care Act, the law which galvanized the Tea Party fury into a potent political force. Christie opted out of the regional compact designed to reduce carbon emissions. He’s refused to raise any major taxes.

And now he’s refused to publicly scold them. He needs them carrying “Christie For President” signs not pitchforks. But at some point, Christie, who also cast himself as the one with the courage to make the tough, unpopular decisions, has no intention of making one involving the Tea Party. They have something that Christie recognizes and respects: real power.

[detjetsfan]

No he's not. There isn't a tight rope in the world that could hold Chris Crispy.

[Jungle Shift Jet]

I don't want him
You can have him
He's too lib for me

[Apache 51]

Because he is a smart politician.

[WestCoastOffensive]

Originally Posted by Jungle Shift Jet

I don't want him
You can have him
He's too lib for me

You'll vote for him.

[sackdance]

Originally Posted by Apache 51

Because he is a smart politician.

He cried when Bruce Springsteen finally acknowledged him. He could be the most dangerous politician in America.

[Tucker134]

I can't stand Christie..arrogant blowhard. Freaking out about the pork filled Sandy bill was all about politics...as was his a$$ kissing of Obama the day after the hurricane.

[Jetworks]

Originally Posted by Tucker134

I can't stand Christie..arrogant blowhard. Freaking out about the pork filled Sandy bill was all about politics...as was his a$$ kissing of Obama the day after the hurricane.

So, having an issue with politicians trying to exploit a bill for their own self-interests at the expense of his constituents and playing it soft-shoe with someone who is more powerful than him for the sake of his constituents was about politics? You're a loon blinded by your bias.

[Apache 51]

Originally Posted by sackdance

He cried when Bruce Springsteen finally acknowledged him. He could be the most dangerous politician in America.

Good we need to instill fear in people here or soon we will all be speaking Arabic.

[DDNYjets]

There is a media fascination with the Tea Party. If they spent half the time they spend on trying to make conservatives look bad on actually reporting and holding everyone's feet to the fire then maybe something would get done.

The first bill was filled with pork. INo the important thing is securing the money and making sure it goes to those who need it. No red tape and wasting time. Too much time has already been wasted.

[quantum]

Julie Newmar's ass >>>>>>>>>> Christy

[Warfish]

I sure hope Christies security detail is aware of Buster. Stalkers are just not cool.

[chiefst2000]

Christie and the American people as a whole should be outraged at the scumbags in the Senate that filled the Sandy relief bill with Pork and pet projects which have nothing to do with Sandy. They figured that the media and the sheeple like whoever wrote Buster's article would deamonize anyone that "slowed the Process" in order to actually read the bill. They were spot on as that is exactly what was done.

[Tucker134]

Originally Posted by Jetworks

So, having an issue with politicians trying to exploit a bill for their own self-interests at the expense of his constituents and playing it soft-shoe with someone who is more powerful than him for the sake of his constituents was about politics? You're a loon blinded by your bias.

he should have gone after Schumer...who allowed the friggin bill to get filled w BS pork, & not attacked Boehner like a caged animal...same goes for Peter King from Long Island. Obviously we need to take care of the storm victims, I grew up in Massapequa, LI & have seen it firsthand-

[Jetworks]

Originally Posted by Tucker134

he should have gone after Schumer...who allowed the friggin bill to get filled w BS pork, & not attacked Boehner like a caged animal...same goes for Peter King from Long Island. Obviously we need to take care of the storm victims, I grew up in Massapequa, LI & have seen it firsthand-

Who's the Speaker of the House again? You know, the guy in charge?

[MnJetFan]

Did you happen to see all the pork included in the bill? Money to Nascar, Hollywood, Puerto Rican rum and god knows whay else.

[Buster]

http://www.northjersey.com/news/Chri...aster_aid.html

Christie renews vow to press Congress on Sandy disaster aid

BY MELISSA HAYES

Governor Christie renewed his vow to continue pressuring the members of Congress who have yet to approve disaster relief, as he repeated the theme from his State of the State address that rebuilding from superstorm Sandy is bigger than politics.

“We are New Jerseyans and we are together on this, we’re working hard,” Christie said Wednesday, standing in the middle of Ocean Avenue in Belmar.

Belmar was the first place Christie visited when he toured damage after the Oct. 29 storm and he returned to celebrate the start of work to rebuild the boardwalk.

Christie detailed the challenges ahead – reconstructing miles of boardwalk that washed out to sea; removing 1,400 vessels and dozens of homes from the Barnegat Bay, and establishing statewide regulations to govern the rebuilding effort. But the immediate hurdle to overcome is securing federal aid, Christie said.

“You can be sure over the next week I’m going to be working the phones pretty hard,” Christie said. “As you might recall, I helped a lot of people get elected to Congress over the last few years and now they’re all going to hear from me. And say, ‘You wanted to be in Congress, now I need a little something from you.’ We need that help. We deserve that help.”

It was just one week ago that Christie chastised members of his own party, publicly blaming House Speaker John Boehner and “toxic politics” for delaying disaster relief. The House is now set to vote Jan. 15. The Senate must also reconsider the package, now split into three bills.

Boehner pulled a final vote on a $60 billion aid package at the last minute on Dec. 31, a move that outraged Republicans and Democrats alike. Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, had been lobbying members of Congress to get the measure cleared.

Christie, as a prominent Republican, had campaigned directly for several House members, including Minority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, as well as for key Republican organizations. Several new Republican House members, sworn in last week, also counted Christie as a strong campaign supporter.

But even though it is an election year for him, Christie said politics should not cloud the recovery effort. And he shot back at Democrats who accused him of using Sandy to ignore unemployment and revenue concerns.

“I spoke yesterday about the things that I think are most important,” he said. “Not that there aren’t other important things but the things that are most important right now to the people of this state is that we rebuild and recover from this storm.”

Belmar resident Daniel Soemer, who lost his job when the restaurant he worked in was destroyed and saw his home flooded, said he’s happy to see progress being made, but he’s still concerned about other issues facing the state.

“Putting a lot of focus on this is a good idea, but you can’t forget the other things,” he said. “Can’t forget about the guns, can’t forget about the crime in the streets, can’t forget about funding for schools — that’s all important because that’s what’s going to make a difference for next year. This will take care of this few years but once this is over we’re still going to have all the other problems. So you have to make sure you still cover everything.”

Christie and members of Congress who visited Belmar on Wednesday said towns shouldn’t have to wait to get repaid because of inaction in Washington, D.C.

“I think that towns have been hesitant to put out the money to rebuild the boardwalk, fix the streets, to do a lot of things because they don’t know whether that federal reimbursement is going to come forward and come forward quickly and that really makes it more difficult to rebuild the shore in time to open and have everything available at Memorial Day,” said Rep. Frank Pallone, D-Long Branch.

Rep. Chris Smith, R-Robbinsville, has a personal connection with Belmar, it’s where he vacation as a child and proposed to his wife. Smith said he also wants to secure money for long-stalled Army Corps of Engineers projects, like plans to engineer the beaches.

“The record shows clearly up and down the Jersey Shore and everywhere else that Sandy did her dirty work that the damage was less severe where such projects were completed,” Smith said.

Christie said New Jersey has had to wait seven times longer than the victims of Hurricane Katrina for federal assistance, but he kept his demands lighthearted by injecting humor.

“Contrary to our image around the country, we have been patient, patient,” he said, getting laughs. “New Jerseyans have been patient, but we are running out of patience and so am I.”

Email: hayes@northjersey.com

[Piper]

Originally Posted by Jetworks

So, having an issue with politicians trying to exploit a bill for their own self-interests at the expense of his constituents and playing it soft-shoe with someone who is more powerful than him for the sake of his constituents was about politics? You're a loon blinded by your bias.

+1

[Jetworks]

[Buster]

Sounds to me that Governor Christie is counting on a windfall of Federal dollars to fuel the "Jerzy Comeback"




http://www.northjersey.com/news/stat...tml?c=y&page=3

N.J. faces $2B budget shortfall, but Christie holds out hope

Monday, January 14, 2013 Last updated: Monday January 14, 2013, 7:38 PM

BY JOHN REITMEYER

STATE HOUSE BUREAU

The Record


With six months left in the fiscal year, New Jersey needs a nearly 12 percent growth spurt in tax collections to stave off possible cuts in education aid, property tax relief or the public employee pension fund.

But that kind of economic growth hasn’t been seen in eight years, according to an analysis by The Record. And it happened then only because borrowing gimmicks and a host of tax increases by Gov. James McGreevey generated a huge revenue spike.

Governor Christie — whose current budget features tax cuts, not tax hikes — is still holding out hope that tax revenue from corporate bonuses and Wall Street gains will combine with the rebuilding effort from superstorm Sandy to create an economic burst.

New Jersey’s budget — built on tax projections portrayed as highly optimistic as soon as Christie introduced them in early 2012 — is on pace for a $2 billion shortfall. But Christie is not talking about spending cuts — cuts that would be distasteful to any officeholder in a reelection year.

Waiting deep into the fiscal year to confront any revenue shortfall could leave only a few unpopular options or open the door to one-shot financial stopgaps that end up costing taxpayers more in the long run.

“I think it’s all too early to be pushing the panic button,” Christie told The Record in a recent interview when asked about a revenue shortfall that his own administration measured at $451 million last month.

Rebuilding from Sandy could serve as a much-needed stimulus in New Jersey, where unemployment was near 10 percent, among the highest of all states, before the storm hit. So far only $9.7 billion, to cover flood insurance claims, has been cleared by Congress heading into this week’s voting sessions.

A significant factor in a possible recovery built in large part on Sandy is how much of the expected $60 billion federal aid package will ultimately make its way to New Jersey.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated much of Louisiana in 2005, officials lowered that state’s revenue outlook. But President George W. Bush signed a $51.8 billion federal aid bill, and Louisiana eventually ended up experiencing a growth spurt that lasted for a few years.

“You had not just insurance settlements but federal aid,” Jan Moller, director of the non-partisan Louisiana Budget Project, said in an interview last week.

“Louisiana, which had been on a kind of modest upward path, all of a sudden had billion-dollar surpluses,” said Moller, a former newspaper reporter who covered the recovery efforts there.

Christie said it’s too early to determine how much of an impact the Sandy recovery would have on New Jersey’s economy and when it might kick in. But he predicted it will provide a boost.

“We’re in this situation where Hurricane Sandy has happened, which has closed businesses and caused people to leave neighborhoods. On the flip side, we’re now starting to have rebuilding going on that’s going to cause more materials to be purchased, sales tax, and more people to be employed to do all this reconstruction,” Christie said in the interview.

Just as he needs the Sandy effect to help save his budget, Christie is relying on high-earning Wall Street traders and corporate executives to help prevent spending cuts that could hit the state’s middle class while he’s running for a second term.

The governor said he remains confident that income tax returns can rescue his budget, which called for revenue growth of more than 7 percent. The state has seen revenue grow by less than 1 percent since the fiscal year began last July.

“Usually January and April are the big months on income tax because of the payment of Wall Street bonuses in January and then everybody squaring up their taxes in April, so I think there’s no question that we’re going to wind up being ahead of our projection on income tax,” Christie said.

Yet just as it’s unclear how much New Jersey will receive for the rebuilding effort, it’s still too early to say how much Wall Street gains and corporate bonuses will help. The outlook at this point is mixed.

Corporate profits are at an all-time high in the U.S. But one recent estimate of 2012 Wall Street bonuses projected only 5 percent growth. And a more negative prediction came from New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who said late last year that “trends suggest that the total cash bonus pool for work performed in 2012 is likely to decline for the second consecutive year.”

David Rosen, a non-partisan budget analyst for the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services, said this month that Christie will need nearly 12 percent growth across all major revenue streams to meet the administration’s budget projections. Though Treasury has tracked the state’s overall revenue shortfall at $451 million through the end of November, Rosen said it is actually $705 million when a revenue gap from the prior fiscal year is rolled in.

If the current trend holds, New Jersey is on pace for a $2 billion deficit by the end of June, Rosen said during a recent Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee meeting.

“Where revenues have grown at 0.2 percent for the first five months, they would need to grow by 11.9 percent over the remaining seven months,” he said.

New Jersey hasn’t seen such widespread growth since the 2005 fiscal year, when revenues surged well over 10 percent thanks to McGreevey’s creation of a “millionaire’s tax” — which actually hiked income-tax rates on those making over $500,000 — and his borrowing against future tobacco tax proceeds.

McGreevey, a Democrat, had generated a similar spike in revenue during the 2003 budget year by increasing corporate taxes and borrowing against New Jersey’s share of a federal tobacco settlement. His creative use of *borrowing and financing from Wall Street to generate immediate revenue was later interpreted by the state Supreme Court as a violation of the state constitution’s balanced-budget clause.

Christie has enacted no such tax hikes or borrowing gimmicks during his time in Trenton, a point he drove home during last week’s State of the State address.

Instead, the governor’s current budget sacrifices an estimated $347 million in revenue to business tax cuts. And he is still pushing for an income tax cut, which was his signature issue in 2012 even with the budget uncertainty.

When asked by The Record about the revenue goals and the potential |for spending reductions, Christie said only that his administration will act *responsibly in 2013, as it has in the past.

“We’re certainly not so far off that we’re talking about drastic things needing to be done,” he said.

Democrats who control the state Legislature disagree, saying it’s time for Christie, a Republican, to stop talking about the ways his budget projections could still work and instead figure out where he will cut spending if they do not.

“What we do know is that the budget gap is growing by the month and the governor continues to avoid facing up to this reality,” said Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo, D-Wood-Ridge.

Email: reitmeyer@northjersey.com