WolfeNotes.com

ACLU Map Underestimates Threat – Access is more than laws and state legislatures

(Source: ACLU)

[Update below]

The ACLU reports: “States Where They Think We’re Stupid”

During the 2012 state legislative sessions more than 300 abortion restrictions were introduced by lawmakers across the country– including some of the most extreme we’ve seen in years.  This map shows the states that saw major threats to, and new laws, restricting abortion access. (see above map)

Well, we’re not stupid and we know that effective access to abortion is more than a function of laws and what legislatures are doing.

NJ, under Gov. Christie’s iron fist, should be added to that map.

Access to abortion is under threat in “Blue State” NJ – as attested by Christian Press screaming headlines like this:

NJ Governor Christie Halts Funding For Planned Parenthood

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has vetoed another attempt to restore funding for Planned Parenthood in his state. Christie rejected the legislation on June 30, citing New Jersey does not have the money within its budget.

The New Jersey Senate ruled in favor to restore $7.5 million in funding for the abortion giant, but Christie knocked the measure down. He vetoed a similar measure last year and two Planned Parenthood clinics shut down soon after.

The ACLU also must know that NJ Right To Life is seeking to defund Planned Parenthood.

Thinkprogress recognizes the threat and has reported the Christie threats as well:

CHRISTIE’S CUTS CLOSE SIX WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTERS | 

When New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) issued a line-item veto of $7.5 million in funding for women’s health services he claimed he was vetoing the money over “duplicate services.” But the cut has caused significant damage, forcing six of the state’s 58 family planning centers to close. Christie has repeatedly vetoed attempts to restore the funding.

And the Star ledger has editorialized about it.

We clearly are not Misssissippi, but the ACLU should put Chris Christie’s NJ on the map!

[Update below]

The Star Ledger ran a killer editorial today: Are Democrats who endorse Christie really Democrats?

I love the fact that the Ledger bundled various key liberal/progressive issues and chose to include and emphasize – in a box quote – Governor Christie’s radical record on dismantling climate change programs:

He pooh-poohs climate change, withdrew from the regional treaty to cut emissions, and depleted the state’s clean energy funds by a staggering $1 billion. He removed the only African-American justice on the state Supreme Court for no good reason. He reduced aid to cities, forcing police layoffs that increased criminal violence. He is still trying to grab money set aside for affordable housing

But, aside from the climate change emphasis and the sharp partisan edge, what I really appreciated was its devastating critique, in the  laser beam kick in the balls conclusion on the corrupt core of NJ politics:

The polite term for guys like these is “transactional politician.” They are guided by a simple calculation of benefits they provide against benefits they receive.

The impolite term for them is much shorter.

That language echoed in my head.

I used that “polite term” exactly 2 years ago today, in this post on the Christie endorsement by NJEF:

I told [APP reporter Bob] Jordan that it originated in and emanates from a corrupt core, which I described as the “transactional”, deeply unprincipled, and raw political nature of the Christie endorsement, which was driven by NJEF’s own organizational self interest.

For those who don’t follow the inside game, it’s no secret that NJEF endorsement was a quid pro quo. NJEF agreed to endorse if Christie agreed to support certain pet projects for NJEF.

The way the game is played is that NJEF basically agreed to praise Christie on these organizational pet projects, and withold criticism and run interference on others (or else Christie would not deliver on his part of the bargain).

Not only were those NJEF pet projects chump change, they were used to support a highly questionable political candidate, provide green cover, and undermine other groups.

At the time of NJEF’s endorsement, Christie lacked an environmental track record, his generally conservative politics and pro-business philosophy were well understood, and his environmental platform was insignificant and dwarfed by far more important political and policy priorities that would compete directly with environmental concerns.

All this was obvious from the get go to anyone who was paying attention.

So it should be no surprise that the brazenly and transparently unprincipled nature of the NJEF endorsement – and what necessarily since has ensued from that endorsement – has undermined the credibility of the entire NJ environmental community in the public’s eye, in media, and in political circles.

Let me be specific: the endorsement debacle was followed by months of media shilling by Dave Pringle and various other backstabbing episodes.

We are supposed to be issues based advocates and voices of scientifically grounded public policy, not shills for political candidates.

Yes, the ” impolite term for them is much shorter” – I’ve written about that too.

But, getting back to the Democrats –

As I’ve been suggesting for some time now, can Buono’s campaign reframe and capitalize on what the conventional political wisdom views as her abandonment by the party (e.g. Charlie “default candidate” Stile has written several such columns that built that frame), to be a GOOD thing and position her as the real democrat fighting a corrupt and dying machine? 

Flip the switch – fight the dominant  narrative!

[Update: Here is a stunning example of hypocrisy – same day news cycle:

Gov. Christie blasted the League of Municipalities and local officials as criminally corrupt – “who care only about themselves” and are “more interested in taking envelopes of cash from contractors than they are in actually doing something good for the people”

In a scathing rebuke of a New Jersey State League of Municipalities task force report on a proposal to reduce property taxes, Gov. Chris Christie today lambasted the league, saying it runs “corrupt’ conventions and is led by “a whiner” whose organization should go out of business.

“So it would be a great benefit to our state if the League of Municipalities went out of business. It would lower the corruption work by the U.S. Attorney’s Office by about a quarter,”

While accepting “transactional” political endorsements from Democratic Mayors – an endorsement issued on the basis of taking money doled out on a discretionary basis by Gov. Christie

“Look, Frank [Pallone] is a Democrat who supports only Democrats,” Schneider said. “I’m a mayor who supports whoever helps my town the most.” 

Now the question becomes: if Christie’s balls get any bigger, will they explode? – end update.]

No Buzz on Coastal Commission, as Rebuild Madness Grows and Summer Beach Season Starts

It’s no secret that I have been a long time (pre-Sandy) advocate for coastal land use planning and a Coastal Commission with regulatory powers, so it also should be no surprise that I write this today in frustration and disappointment, bordering on contempt.

Today marks one month since Assemblyman Barnes’ proposed legislation (A3920) to create a Coastal Commission was approved by the Assembly Environment Committee.

The case for a coastal commission has only grown since.

I closed my May 14 post on the release from Committee with this observation:

The bill drew praise and strong support from virtually all of NJ’s environmental groups, including the typically more moderate coastal and conservation groups that have been close to Governor Christie, including Clean Ocean Action, American Littoral Society, and NJ Audubon Society. Tim Dillingham of ALS gave particularly articulate and compelling testimony.

Going forward, it will be interesting to see if these groups mobilize their members in a serious effort to back the bill, which is a heavy lift and will require a major battle to pass (and overcome a likely veto by Governor Christie, if Democrats can get on the same page before the election).

Summertime makes for excellent environmental campaigns – as thousands flock to the shore, there are opportunities for petitions, fundraising, press events, and organizing – and with all the Sandy free media focus on the shore, it would seem like an ideal time to mount a major public campaign in support of a coastal commission.

Are coastal advocates capitalizing on this huge opportunity and making a serious effort in support of the Barnes bill?

The available evidence is – at best – deeply disappointing.

It’s almost as if the bill doesn’t exist and is being given the silent treatment or even undermined in some quarters.

The silence is deafening (with the exception of a Sierra Club press release and an Op-Ed by Barry Chalofsky, consultant and former DEP storm water program manager).

I have not seen any Op-Ed’s, Letters to the editor, public events, “Action ALerts”, newsletters, fact sheets, or any other public statements in support of the Barnes bill by the primary coastal advocacy groups active along the shore, such as Clean Ocean Action, American Littoral Society, NJ Surfrider, Save Barnegat Bay, or NJ Audubon Society.

There is nothing on COA website, COA “Issues and Campaigns“,  or COA’s  blog, despite the fact that COA testified in support of the bill.

A word search of the COA website did find “Barnes”, but not the Assemblyman or his bill, but “Barnes and Noble”.

A similar story emerged from the American Littoral Society website with respect to a lack of support for the Barnes bill.

ALS has a website page “After Sandy” and organizational focus  on damage assessment and restoration, but nothing on a Coastal Commission. Despite this focus, ALS apparently does not view the Barnes bill or a Coastal Commission as a “hot issue” (and there were no hits for a word search of “Barnes”).

Curiously, ALS is looking to hire a “policy advocate” to work on coastal resiliency and doing “grassroots restoration” work, right up the alley of a Coastal Commission.

Ditto NJ Audubon (a group with a priority with focus on shore birds) and land preservation and stewardship), where all we could find on a coastal commission was a March 10, 2000 report by Bill Neil and Save Barnegat Bay, where all I could find was a blank page on“Hurricane Sandy Relief”.

So, it looks like no one is working on the issue or the bill.

And that’s a cowardly, irresponsible and shortsighted damn shame – bordering on corrupt given state funding to and political support for the Governor by some shore groups.

But I could be wrong –

The enviro’s secretly could be planning their fast and furious “D-Day” campaign, to blitz the shore this summer in support of the Barnes bill with a public demand to get it on the Gov.’s desk before the fall election.

So someone, please do something to prove me wrong.

Cartoon by Mr. Fish – please stop by his gallery  and spend some cash to acquire great works.

Everything is a Promotional Opportunity

Can the Christie DEP do anything without either a commercial hook or self serving political promotion of the Governor?

I refer of course to the references in DEP’s press advisory below to the shop and the Governor’s controversial “sustainable parks strategy“, which are DEP’s code words for commercial revenue production.

Can’t they do the issue straight up?

This tawdry garbage taints the historical significance.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 11, 2013

Cntact:   Lawrence Ragonese (609) 292-2994
Bob Considine         (609) 984-1795
Lawrence Hajna       (609) 984-1795

MEDIA ADVISORY
***June 13, 2013***
10 a.m.

COMMISSIONER MARTIN TO ATTEND RIBBON CUTTING FOR NEW,
STATE-OF-THE-ART VISITOR CENTER AT MONMOUTH BATTLEFIELD

TRENTON – On Thursday, June 13, at 10 a.m., Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin will keynote a ceremony for the opening of the new $8 million visitor center for Monmouth Battlefield State Park in Manalapan.

The state-of-the-art visitor center boasts interactive exhibits, artwork, timelines, maps and excavated artifacts from the day-long battle, as well as a souvenir and book shop. It is an example of the Christie Administration’s commitment to sustainable parks that enhance the visitor’s experience. 

The center will be opened to the public on Friday, June 14. This Saturday and Sunday marks the 235th anniversary of the Revolutionary War battle. More than 1,000 re-enactors are expected to participate in battle and encampment re-enactments during the weekend.

Location: Monmouth Battlefield State Park is located at 16 Business Route 33 Manalapan, NJ 07726.

Directions: From the New Jersey Turnpike, take exit 8 for Business Route 33. Follow Business Route 33 east for approximately 12 miles to the park entrance.

From the Garden State Parkway, take exit 123 to Route 9 south for 15 miles to business Route 33 west. The park is located 1.5 miles on the right.

For full schedule of events, visit: http://www.friendsofmonmouth.org/reenactment.html

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