Posted on 06/24/2011 11:50:53 AM PDT by mandaladon
We may never know how he did it. It could have involved some sort of broad scale mind control experiment. Perhaps he brought in somebody from over the border in Delaware to cast a spell on the state legislature. But in New Jersey – a state generally defined by partisan warfare between liberal Democrats and really liberal Democrats – Governor Chris Christie has met the public workers unions on the field of battle and sent them running like pigs from the gun.
New Jersey lawmakers on Thursday approved a broad rollback of benefits for 750,000 government workers and retirees, the deepest cut in state and local costs in memory, in a major victory for Gov. Chris Christie and a once-unthinkable setback for the state’s powerful public employee unions.
The Assembly passed the bill 46 to 32, as Republicans and a few Democrats defied raucous protests by thousands of people whose chants, vowing electoral revenge, shook the State House. Leaders in the State Senate said their chamber, which had already passed a slightly different version of the bill, would approve the Assembly version on Monday. Mr. Christie, a Republican, was expected to sign the measure into law quickly.
In a statement released after the vote, Mr. Christie said, “We are putting the people first and daring to touch the third rail of politics in order to bring reform to an unsustainable system.”
What were the horrible, unreasonable, punishing changes the governor demanded in this reform effort? Public union workers will need to kick in a bit more for their benefits, on par with private sector employees. The retirement age will need to go up slightly. There will be a temporary suspension of cost of living increases for current retirees. Oh, and the collective bargaining rights of the unions over benefits packages will be curbed. (Any of this sounding familiar?)
The guy who used to be governor before Christie must have been abducted by aliens...he has totally vanished..off the radar..
Good luck with that...
One positive move. But it had to be done. New Jersey is in horrible financial shape, and I think their underfunding of public pensions is the worst in the country.
Even Governor Moonbeam is struggling to balance his budget.
Still a lot of negatives for Christie, like that move yesterday to nominate a Muslim terrorist to be a judge.
*smiles*...Chris Christie when asked what Dumbo should do about budget talks, quip “first of all,show up”
Greatest healine in a long time!
..along with the 100 million he said he left Christi with...there wasn't any
Not even close. The NJ law ends in 4 yrs. If the Rats have regained control they can put everything back in place through negotiation with the unions. In WI it is state law and requires a new state law to repeal it.
“Still a lot of negatives for Christie, like that move yesterday to nominate a Muslim terrorist to be a judge.”
You have any links to that?
Ueah, like “You know what?? Non uh yurh business!!” To a civil question from the public when asked why he sends his kids to private school.
He has a way with words all right.
Just the right governor for New Jersey - but nothing else.
Corzine?
He’s off somewhere enjoying his millions after bankrupting the State.
Another loser from the New Jersey Executive Mansion.
Probably.
Fiscal Conservative.
Pro-Illegal Alien advocate.
Islamophile.
Anti-Second Amendment guy.
Etc.
Still a lot of negatives for Christie, like that move yesterday to nominate a Muslim terrorist to be a judge.
Not only that, he approved of the firing of a New Jersey Transit Employee who burned the Koran ON HIS OWN TIME to protest the Mosque at Ground Zero. Not only that, he referred to that act as “disgusting”. On the other hand, when questioned about the Ground Zero Mosque he said only it was a “local issue”.
I might trust Christie with my wallet, but I wouldn’t trust him with anything else.
I can’t find the article I saw, but here’s a couple of earlier articles. I think it’s the same judge, although I’m not sure:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/search?m=all;o=time;q=quick;s=christie%20muslim
START with:
http://www.toberight.com/2011/01/chris-christie-ties-to-terrorism-a-closer-look/
Then Google “Sohail Mohammad”.
If you find this unacceptable, “YUH NO WHAT? ITS NUN OF YUR BUZNESS!!!!” (Chris Christicism)
Can’t the State Law in Wisconsin also be repealed if legislators want to?
Christie was right; it was none of Gail’s business where his children go to school.
He pays $38K a year in property tax and he and wife choose to send their children to a school that offers religious training in the curriculum, so they go to parochial school.
I say good choice!
Sure, but the bill would have to pass both houses and be signed by the Gov. IOW, all the pols would be on record. In NJ the law goes away after 4 years and no one has to vote so they can all say they want the law extended without doing it.
Quote: “Not even close. The NJ law ends in 4 yrs. If the Rats have regained control they can put everything back in place through negotiation with the unions. In WI it is state law and requires a new state law to repeal it.”
You are right but honestly, what else could Christie do? This is not WI where Walker has the legislature. The legislature is firmly in hands of the democrat party. NJ will remain the same old state. Vote democrat until the bus crashes off the cliff, then and only then vote in a Republican to clean up the mess (gov only, God forbid we vote Republican across the board to make the changes permanent). Immediately after the mess is cleaned up vote democrat again and again and again and again until the bus is once more off the cliff. Wash rinse, repeat, wonder why the State is going down the toilet.
But for right now, it is law, correct? If NJ were to have a conservative legislature they could vote this into state law, just as WI can vote it out if they regain control. To me, Christie did what needed to be done for now.
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