I’m not sure what to make of this response to Gov. Jon Corzine’s ethics reform package from a group calling itself GOP STRONG — a Passaic County conservative group. The organization issued a press release Monday that called for legislators and officials in the state’s counties to “reject Gov. Corzine’s new ethics proposals because they will further tilt the balance of power in New Jersey toward public unions and that will ultimately lead to higher taxes.”
“The reforms we need are more immediate reporting of contributions, an open and fair contract process and severe limits on donations by public employee unions – the unions that Corzine has been protecting since he got elected,” said Ramaglia. “Jon Corzine isn’t a governor; he’s union leader.”
Corzine’ plan proposes to limit donations and end wheeling the practice of a political organization in one county from donating to a political organization in another county. But Corzine proposes no limits on donations from public employee unions.
“Corzine’s plan will take money out of the political system from the private sector leaving public employee unions with a bigger say in the outcome of elections. That will be a disaster for the taxpayers,” says Robert Fass, a GOP Strong co chair and a business owner.
“The last thing New Jersey taxpayers need is for public employees to control politicians even more than they do now. The reason taxes are so high in this state isn’t because of pay to play from the private sector, it’s because of salaries benefits and ridiculous pensions given to the public employees that taxpayer are forced to pay for,” added Fass.
The group is oposed to the governor’s proposed ban on wheeling — a practice that allows money to be contributed to one candidate but moved to other candidates running for other offices — because it would make “it nearly impossible for party building because it would outlaw donations across party lines.”
The key to understanding the group, I think, is its harsh and constant rebuke of the state’s public employee unions — an obsession that seems to be its entire reason for existing. Consider this comment from the press release:
“Gov. Corzine’s plan is another sham designed to protect the public unions that are driving up the costs of property taxes in New Jersey,” says GOP Strong co-chair Mike Ramaglia.
Or this:
“The reforms we need are more immediate reporting of contributions, an open and
fair contract process and severe limits on donations by public employee unions –
the unions that Corzine has been protecting since he got elected,” said
Ramaglia. “Jon Corzine isn’t a governor; he’s union leader.”
Or this:
“Corzine’s plan will take money out of the political system from the private sector leaving public employee unions with a bigger say in the outcome of elections. That will be a disaster for the taxpayers,” says Robert Fass, a GOP Strong co chair and a business owner.
“The last thing New Jersey taxpayers need is for public employees to control politicians even more than they do now. The reason taxes are so high in this state isn’t because of pay to play from the private sector, it’s because of salaries benefits and ridiculous pensions given to the public employees that taxpayer are forced to pay for,” added Fass.
Apparently, the unions are more powerful than the business community, according to GOP STRONG — a thought so absurd it boggles the mind.
Hank Kalet 
How about the moderator of the VP debate for an example of the liberal press\’ \”situational ethics\”? I\’m a;ways surprised that all the left \”liberals\”, especially in the media, (like yourself), don\’t have any shame. No sense of \”fair play\”. That\’s why liberty lovers just would like to be left alone. Unimpeded by all your screwy ideas. 🙂 We\’ll be happy to give you the same space. But I forgot, you all think you\’re better smarter and more \”entitled\” to lead us peons. Where\’s Zorro when we need him?
We have been \”lead\” by the radical right wing GOP corporate shills who have sold us out. How much worse does it have to get before people wake up to the failed conservative philosophy of trickle down BS nonsense? We are in this current financial Armageddon due to the right wing deregulatory, privatize everything and hate government manias. Right wingers are anti-union, any union. Right wingers love laissez faire social Darwinism which allows the corporate royalists to kick us peons around like some deflated soccer ball. It is so amusing to see working class right wing dolts sticking up for super rich right wing hedge fund managers making a billion a year.
The right wing loud mouths are whipping up a fake controversy over Gwen Ifill\’s book. They are trying to make a cover story for that pathetic Palin. So if Palin makes a fool of herself, then they will blame Ifill. It\’s all a right wing smoke screen to protect the incompetent Palin. Even conservatives Kathleen Parker and George Will think that Palin is out of her league and not qualified to be VP. Ifill is very fair and objective unlike Fox News or Drudge which are crazily biased. Ifill\’s book has been in the news for months, the McCainiacs had plenty of time to raise objections.