Has anyone noticed a particular rhetorical trope being used by our governor, one designed to belittle, demean and demonize his opponents by attributing unsavory motivation to anyone who disagrees? It isn’t just that he and the teachers union are on other sides of the school aid issue, but that they are using students, making them “pawns” in a game of political chess. Opponents are special interests. Opponents are the old guard, defenders of the status quo, etc.
It is a tactic used by most politicians, but there is something particularly aggressive and divisive about the way Chris Christie is using it. Prepare for a particularly ugly four years.
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Hank Kalet 
Yes, yes and yes. CC is a ruthless Machiavellian demagogue. The teachers and the NJEA certainly did not encourage those HS students to go on strike (a brief strike during their lunch time). In fact, a teacher pleaded with them to not go on their \”strike.\” But Governor demagogue never passes up a chance to lie and to inflame an already nasty situation. With absolutely no evidence, he is casting aspersions on the finances of the NJEA. If he has actual proof and actual evidence of malfeasance then he should disclose the data and press for charges. But this amoral bully has no evidence, just smears, lies and demonizing. In fact, NJEA has to disclose all its finances to the IRS, the books are open but never mind the facts. In several schools districts, the teachers have indeed opted for a wage freeze. He claims he's not bashing the teachers, just the evil all controlling NJEA. Hey, Mr. Bully governator, teachers are not stupid idiot zombies who would allow themselves to be controlled by anyone or any union. Most teachers overwhelmingly are glad to have a strong advocate like the NJEA. They do support the NJEA and their local associations. He's trying to cause a rift between the teachers and the NJEA in his pursuit to destroy the union.If the NJEA was as powerful as CC is intimating, they would have their own army, navy and air force. But he has set up a whipping boy and straw man to divert attention from his hateful decisions, (in the fashion of the big brother propaganda ministry in \”1984\”).He pulled the same crap in 2006 against Menendez during the US senatorial race. Innuendos, and baseless allegations that lead no where and were dropped after Menendez won. CC had nothing, it was just a ploy to smear Menendez during the campaign or to just cast doubts upon his character. He's doing the same as governor. He's purposely inflaming a lynch mob, he's dividing union workers against non union workers, private against the public sector, and sadly even a little friction between the various public sector workers. He has made a very conscious and calculated decision to go the extreme low road and to roil all kinds of class and work place hatreds. I think because he is fat, he learned how to look and go for the jugular at an early age. Forget the notion of the happy fat person, he's the prototypical angry, vengeful and spiteful obese person. He's ready to launch his verbal nuclear tipped ICBMs at a nanosecond's. notice.NJ public schools are presently in the top tier of US schools (I believe 2nd after Mass schools). After CC gets done slicing, dicing, cutting and gutting, NJ public schools will rank in the low quarter along with Mississippi or Nevada. But a lot of people genuinely do not give a damn about our public schools. I really do despise such know nothing Neanderthals.
DO you think there may be a small problem with: (1) People, who never have had any children, being required to pay to educate other people's children? (2) People, who don't agree with what is being taught to their children and how it is being taught, being forced to both pay for and submit their precious children to the State's indoctrination masquerading as \”education\”? AND (3) Inner city minority parents being subjected to substandard schools that sap most of the chance for an opportunity out of their children?All while politicians — on either side of the supposed \”aisle\” — and bureaucrats get rich?Politics aside, this makes me sick!