It Pays To Support Corzine. Just ask Freeholder Alisa Cooper.
By Seth Grossman, Political Columnist
??? Last July 1, Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Cooper (Democrat) demanded a public vote before borrowing $40 million for a new county vocational-technical high school in Mays Landing.?? Two weeks later, she switched, and cast the deciding vote to borrow the money without voter approval.
??? (State government promised to pay $16 million for this project, but the state is broke and is trying to come up with its share by borrowing $3.9 billion without voter approval.?? Former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan claims this violates the NJ Constitution and is suing to stop it.)
??? One week after Cooper switched sides on this issue, Democrat Governor Jon Corzine announced her appointment to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.?? Cooper called this “a great honor”.?? But it is a whole lot more.
??? Alisa Cooper now has enormous statewide political power, and is a key part of Corzine’s pay-to-play political machine.
??? The NJ State Council on the Arts is a 20 member board that works with the New Jersey Department of State.?? For 150 years, the NJ Department of State registered and supervised private corporations.??? But in the 1990’s, Republican Governor Christie Whitman took those duties away, since the State Treasurer did the same thing to collect taxes.?? But Republican Whitman never got rid of the Secretary of State or his department and staff.
??? Now they run a multi-million dollar arts and entertainment racket with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.?? This year alone, Cooper’s Council will dish out $17 million of state tax money to whomever they please-as long as they say they are doing something for arts, entertainment, history, or culture.?? Sometimes the money pays for concerts, plays, or museums that nobody goes to.?? Sometimes the money pays for dinners where officers of “arts” organizations give each other awards, or honor the politicians who voted to give them money.
??? Alisa’s Cooper’s Council on the Arts will also help divvy up NJ’s share of 145 million of federal tax money funneled through the National Endowment of the Arts, and income from the $24 million “New Jersey Cultural Trust”.??? Millions of dollars of “private” donations are also involved.?? NJ’s biggest utility, banking, casino and insurance companies all need permits and approvals from state politicians.?? They also make generous gifts to arts and entertainment “charities” supported by those politicians, and Cooper’s Council on the Arts.
??? If you think I exaggerate the political power of the NJ State Council on the Arts, go to its website,? www.njartscouncil.org.?? Then click the link to? www.artpridenj.com, which shouts this message:? “NJ Arts Lost $5.9 million in state dollars!?? TAKE ACTION.?? Click on Action Alert”.?? The “Action Alert” tells you who to lobby for more “arts” money, and how to get a nice chunk of that money for yourself.
??? Five years ago, Democratic Governor Jim McGreevey tried to cut the arts budget.?? But the Council on the Arts had so much power, it bypassed the Governor.?? It then got the Legislature to give it the full $24 million it wanted by doubling the hotel-motel tax from 6% to 12%.?
??? Also think of Julius Caesar, the first Roman Emperor.?? Caesar was a brilliant orator, soldier, and prosecutor.?? But his political went nowhere until he got elected to the “minor” post of “curule aedile” (Director of Public Buildings) at age 35.?? This put him in charge of Rome’s biggest stadium, the Circus Maximus.?? Caesar then produced lavish sports and entertainment spectacles there.?? He admitted every Roman citizen/voter free of charge and instantly became the most popular politician in Rome.
??? Caesar borrowed a fortune to pay for this.?? How would he pay his debts??? Caesar used his political clout to get command of an army.?? Caesar then used that army to conquer most of what is now Spain, France and Switzerland.?? Caesar taxed the people there so much, that he could now afford to pay his debts, his soldiers, and still provide the best in free entertainment to the voters back home.
??? When Caesar’s term of office ended, the Senate refused to reappoint him.?? The law and Constitution were with the Senate.?? But the well-paid soldiers, and the well-entertained voters were with Caesar.?? Caesar killed, silenced, or exiled every person who opposed him.?? The Roman Republic, with its Constitution and laws lasted about 200 years – about as long as our republic.
For more information, visit www.libertyandprosperity.org or contact Somers Point attorney Seth Grossman at grossman@snip.net or 609-927-7333.??? Seth Grossman hosts a two way talk radio program every Saturday from 8am – 9am on WVLT Vineland, 92.1 FM.
Also-Remember Richard Somers on September 4!? Details to be announced.
