Governor Chris Christie Defending Democracy, No Matter What the Cost

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie found himself caught between a rock and hard place recently, on the death of Senator Lautenberg, a liberal who served as a senator from 1982 to 2013 barring a two year break from 2001 to 2003. 

Frank Lautenberg was a real man of the people; gutsy and principled, he made an enemy of Richard Nixon in 1972 when he donated $90,000 to George McGovern’s campaign for president. He fought for his seat against some pretty powerful people, and often came in from behind to win. He was pro-choice, pro-environment, in favor of gun control, same –sex marriage. He played a big part in raising the minimum drinking age and banning smoking on planes. He was one of those politicians who loved his job and who wasn’t in it for power. 

When he died, Christie had to choose between filling the seat with someone of his own choice, or calling a special election a few months ahead of the national gubanatorial elections.

Most opinion seems to agree that Christie has his sights on being the Republican nominee for president and that his strongest argument will be that he was elected and re-elected governor in a blue state. He’ll be running against Democrat Barbara Buono who currently doesn’t appear to have much of a chance against him. He’s a popular guy.

But if he nominated a senator now, New Jersey voters would be voting for a Senator in November. So Cory Booker, a Democrat, would then be on the same ballot as Christie. And he’s a very popular guy too, but with Democrats, who are likely to come out in droves to vote for him. And then also vote for Buono. In a state that is a Democratic stronghold that’s a big risk for Christie and clearly he decided not to take it. Whether it was his primary motivation for choosing a re-election for the Senate seat before the November gubanatorial elections or not is hard to say.

What is clear is that his choice cost the taxpayer in the region of $24 million. He didn’t help his case when he snapped at a reporter accusing him of wasting taxpayers’ money “I don't know what the cost is and I frankly don’t care".  

This from a Republican who, just over a week before, had vetoed a proposal to establish early voting - and he knew what that cost was. It was $25 million. He also cut $8.6 million from college subsidies, $12 million from hospital charity care and $10 million from children’s after-school programs in poor areas. It’s hard to understand how he could have rationalized that as caring about the electorate. 

He, however, insists that all he cares about now is that New Jersey voters get to choose who they want for senator as quickly as possible, and that he will not allow party politics to override democracy.

That may be his primary motivation. It’s impossible to say. But actions have a way of speaking  louder than words. He also said that you can’t put a price on democracy. But you can put a price on a poor person’s health and education and child care. 

As to winning the Republican presidential nomination, would he give up on his values and shift with the wind like Mitt did? Time will tell. 

Right now he’s governor and has the right to do what he did. He still has to nominate somebody for the Senate seat until October. So far he’s been mum on that. 

Republicans Back Off, Afraid of Backlash

Accusations against President Obama and his administration that seem based more on theory than fact are flying around thick and fast. Republicans gather like hungry vultures around their pet illusion, the carcass. But they don’t dare get too close. They have memory, it seems, of moving in with sharp beaks and beady eyes too soon on what they were sure was the Bill Clinton carcass. Impeach! Impeach! Only he wasn’t dead. And it lost them the election.

At first, this time round, good sense didn’t prevail. Republicans went crazy hawking and squawking. First Benghazi. What hasn’t made the headlines, according to Nancy A. Youssef, McClatchy Foreign Staff, is that Benghazi embassy officials drafted a cable on August 16 stating that US Mission Benghazi would request extra security from the Tripoli US Embassy. Army General Carter Ham read the cable and didn’t wait. He called Ambassador Stevens immediately and offered a special US military security team. Stevens turned him down. Ham offered again a couple of weeks later when the two met in Germany at the headquarters of AFRICOM. Again, Stevens said no. 

Hilary Clinton has insisted she didn’t read that cable or know that Stevens had turned down help. Which Republicans refuse to believe. She caustically commented that thousands of emails had gone through her office every day and that she didn’t personally read every single one.  

Even if she had, though, what are the chances that she would have been able to persuade Stevens if General Carter Ham hadn’t been able to? Doesn’t Stevens have any responsibility in this at all? Of course he does. But he’s the dead hero and this is just about electioneering in any case. In truth, that carcass has truly been picked to death.  

The furor over IRS officials targeting Tea Party members has been blown totally out of proportion. Obama has expressed his outrage; there’s an already an investigation, and there’s no proof at all that he sanctioned the misdeeds. And the other side of the story isn’t reported on. Tax officials’ job is to find defaulters. It’s a pretty rational step to single out people who openly rage against big government and paying tax. I have never seen any objection to exactly the same tactic being used to take down Mafia. If those investigated had been Muslim, African American or Latino, would any Republicans care?

While we're building conspiracy theories about the anti-social, corrupt, devious President and his administration why not add another - that the IRS officials targeting Tea Party members were paid by moderate Republicans who need to get rid of the Tea Party in order to have any chance in the next election. Or that some Tea Party members offered themselves up as a sacrifice and did a kind of suicide bombing act: persuaded a loyal IRS official to target them. Ridiculous? Of course it is. Conspiracy theories usually are, no matter what side of the fence you’re on.

Republicans are good at manufacturing dirt and now seemed to be their opportunity. Republican Senator Orrin Hatch compared Obama to Nixon. Utah Representative Jason Chaffetz (Republican) and Michelle Bachman called for Obama to be impeached.  

But just when it looked like the feeding frenzy was peaking, they pulled back. Californian Representative Darrel Issa, the Republican who’s been outspoken in his condemnation of Obama and is leading a couple of investigations, suddenly calmed down and said he was working with the President. Jim Boehnor also calmed down and so did Louisiana Representative Charles Boustany Jr., (Republican) who has been driving an investigation of the IRS. He said “I’m being very cautious not to overplay my hand.” (nytimes.com). It’s unusual for Republicans to act sensibly. But they’re on thin ice and they know it. And they’re terrified of backlash.

Ultimately, here’s the thing: when you’re telling the truth and you can back it up with fact, you don’t need to back down. They didn't back down over Richard Nixon, did they?