Posted on 01/11/2008 2:10:30 PM PST by Clemenza
1. The old line WASPs were replaced by nouveau riche Catholics, Jews, and even black folks who did not have the ancestral allegiance to the GOP.
2. As the GOP moved right on social issues, many "liberal Republicans" went independent or over to the Dems.
3. The more humble places like Norristown and (yeah, I know its in Delaware County) Darby became extensions of Philly's urban blight.
The same trends occurred on Long Island and in Bergen County.
Nevertheless, the pattern in NJ has remained. The wealthy, white collar (and heavily white and gentile) counties vote GOP, the cities vote overwhelmingly Dem, while the blue collar areas vote Dem, albeit not as heavily as the cities. The exceptions to the latter are places like Toms River, which have ALOT of police officers, who tend to lean right.
The "inner suburbs" (Tenafly, Fort Lee, Montclair, etc.) vote Dem largely due to their large Jewish, Asian, and ex-Manhattanite populations. Outside of this small strip, however, the GOP is strongest among the white, affluent, and gentile in this state.
I know the Jersey Cops can earn up to $80,000 per year - depending on the municipality - as patrolmen. They can retire in 20 years and a college degree isn’t required. Theoretically they can retire at 38 - 40. Their retirement is based on the last year’s EARNINGS, not salary. So in their last year they scoff up as much overtime in their last year’s pay as possible to boost their pensions. THEN they double-dip in another pension system.
In Jersey the Cops are bigger crooks than the crooks.
The average civil servant in Jersey doesn’t earn that much and they have to work until they are 55 or 60 to retire (?) not sure on the age, to get full bennies. Their pensions are a much lower percentage rate than the cops’ and they don’t get the same retirement perks.
The BIGGEST scam in the “Soprano” State is appointing career politicians who have held part-time “jobs” as elected officials to highly paid positions on select state commissions like the Parole Board where they often earn over $100,000 per year. Based on the old retirement system they only have to “work” in the appointed positions for three years and their “retirement” is based on their three highest years of service - the last three in the appointed position. I have seen some of the clowns apointed to these posts and there is no apparent qualifications on their part for them to hold these slots and I can’t POSSIBLY conceive of what they do there as “full time”.
Your assessment of Montgomery County sounds right.
My impressions of the Main Line were based on the people I met and knew there, all of whom happened to be white and Democrat and most of whom were either Catholic or Jewish. That fits your description. More than likely, I just never came across the majority Republicans there. Or maybe all those supposed Dems were voting GOP secretly...
When I moved 20 years ago, the Dems were just beginning to take control of the county seat, Norristown, where, up into the ‘80’s, mostly everyone registered Republican because the courthouse hired only Republicans. I always figured the local Republicans were responsible for that policy, but maybe the policy was county-wide... I don’t know.
Norristown, though, is not a recent victim of urban blight. It turned into the pits almost 30 years ago. Over the last 15 or so years, it has improved dramatically. Crime is high, but revitalization has been ongoing, and builders have been buying land and investing in it, so it may turn around yet. There’s a large population of illegal immigrants there now, though.
I know little about NJ and its people, even after 11 years. I don’t feel much loyalty to this state, either. All I know is the Dems have so much power over our town that the local GOP doesn’t even bother putting anyone on the ballot anymore.
Correction: almost 40 years ago. I keep forgetting how old I am.
Excuse me but are you degrading Italians?
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