By Seth Grossman, Political Columnist
“If we have a civil discussion, we will get better informed”
(Governor Jon Corzine at Atlantic Cape Community College, February 7, 2008).
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??? That is why Corzine did not allow real discussion on his $38 billion borrowing scheme.?? He did not want us to get too informed.?? Corzine will never debate his plan with qualified opponents.?? He instead came up with controlled “Town Hall” meetings.
??? At his first four meetings (Essex, Bergen, Morris, and Cape May), only the governor’s literature could be distributed.?? Anyone handing out opposing literature was threatened with arrest.?? The Governor allowed citizens to only ask questions after he spoke.?? The microphone was shut off when anyone challenged the Governor’s incomplete, evasive, or dishonest answers.?? When “useful idiots” rambled on about unrelated issues like sex education in schools, better programs for autistic children, etc … they were allowed to run the clock as long as they wanted.??
??? The outrage over last month’s unconstitutional arrests of me and Steve Lonegan forced the governor to let us hand out our literature and talk to citizens at these public events.?? And when these citizens got informed, they became very angry at the next three Town Halls in Camden, Ocean, and Monmouth counties.
??? Last week, Governor Corzine used a heavy police presence, and a large cheering section from Local 54 and highway construction union members to control Atlantic County’s Town Hall meeting at Atlantic Cape Community College.?? But the Governor did not win much support for his plan.??
??? The Governor’s elaborate charts showed that New Jersey government today owes $115 billion in debts and unfunded pension and free medical care for retired government employees.?? That debt now costs taxpayers $4.8 billion a year.?? But it will soon cost a whole lot more.?? Corzine said that half our teachers and government employees are more than 50 years old and are ready to retire.?? NJ debts and obligations are $16,000 for every man, woman, and child in the state, or $45,000 per household.???
??? When questioned, Corzine was forced to admit that another $6 billion of unconstitutional debt by dummy state corporations was already approved, and ready to be borrowed.?? And Corzine did not tell us that about one-fourth of NJ’s poorest households pay little or no state taxes.?? The remaining households that pay taxes owe state debt of about $60,000 each.?
??? The Governor did remind us that we also owe a big chunk of the $9.2 trillion federal debt, and hundreds of trillions more in unfunded social security and Medicare obligations.
??? The governor blamed this mess on “unwise” decisions by Republicans and Democrats during the past 18 years.?? He said they let government spending grow faster than the economy.?? They set up dummy corporations to borrow billions.?? By not directly voting to borrow the money, they avoided the public vote required by our state constitution.?? Instead of fixing the problem of too much spending, they just “kicked the can down the road’ to him.
??? Then Corzine came up with his plan to do exactly the same thing!
??? Corzine’s plan sets up three new dummy corporations to borrow $38 billion.?? This would allow him to also avoid the public vote required by our constitution for borrowing done directly by the state.?? That money would be paid back with interest and huge administrative fees through 800% toll hikes over the next 99 years.
??? With Corzine’s plan, NJ’s debts and obligations would grow to roughly $153 billion, or $74,000 of state debt for every taxpaying household in New Jersey.
??? Corzine said the new borrowing of $38 billion is not state debt, because it will be owed by a separate corporation.?? (It is like borrowing $38,000, and letting the bank install pay toilets in your bathrooms, rather than take a second mortgage.)
??? Corzine said the people of NJ can walk away from this new $38 billion in debt because it was borrowed by a separate company without a vote of the people.?? When I asked him to first repudiate the $27 billion that was previously borrowed without a vote in the same way, Corzine said this was “unthinkable”.
??? But what really scared me was Corzine’s claim that 45% of the 800% toll hikes will be paid by out of state motorists.?? George Washington demanded a new federal government to stop states from doing this stuff in 1787.?? If the feds do not step in and stop it now, other states will start doing it to us.?? If Corzine destroys the entire country, and not just NJ, where will we be able to move?
For more information, visit www.libertyandprosperity.org or contact Somers Point attorney Seth Grossman at grossman@snip.net or 609-927-7333.