tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42772523530948641732024-03-02T20:47:03.369-05:00deciminyanEst'd 2009Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.comBlogger389125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-78671773732256573242024-03-02T14:28:00.000-05:002024-03-02T14:28:00.360-05:00The Political Opportunism of Tammy Murphy<p> The First Lady of New Jersey, Tammy Murphy, is challenging three-term Congressman Andy Kim in the June 2024 Senatorial Primary. This is a prime example of raw political power (supplied by the Governor), nepotism, and political payoffs.<br /><br />The Governor still has almost two years left in his term (he is then term-limited) and wields tremendous political and patronage power. Consequently, the New Jersey political bosses are all in for the Governor's wife, while those politicians with integrity like former Congressman Tom Malinowski support Kim.<br /><br />But guess who else supported Kim? None other than the governor's wife, Tammy Murphy. Even before Kim won his first term, Tammy Murphy was actively promoting his candidacy. The only thing that caused her to change her mind was the seduction of political power.</p><p>Here's a very short video - an extract of a speech she gave in Burlington County, NJ, in October 2018 where she lauds Kim.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WSKfAAMNCpE" width="320" youtube-src-id="WSKfAAMNCpE"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-32265301921902302542021-12-31T11:44:00.002-05:002021-12-31T11:44:34.526-05:00"We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." - Benjamin Franklin<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Ever since the end of World War II, the United States has been more-or-less in a constant state of armed conflict somewhere in the world. (Thank you, President Biden for working to stop this foolishness). But unless you have a loved one in the military, most Americans have been pretty complacent about these wars because they garner no inconvenience upon them. Sure, a large portion of their taxes go to the military budget, but many Americans would rather rail against their taxes feeding the hungry or educating their offspring. The point here is that endless wars are not an inconvenience for most Americans.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Similarly, for the past century, Americans (granted: along with China) have been at the forefront of destroying the Earth through the burning of fossil fuels. But unless their homes have been destroyed by forest fires or floods, this has been a minor inconvenience for them.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This has not always been the case. During World War II, my parents’ generation sacrificed a lot. Many enlisted in the military to fight fascism. The inconvenience of rationing was a price most were willing to pay toward that end.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But the thing that most exemplifies the change from “community” to “selfishness” has been Americans’ reaction to the pandemic. Fueled by right-wing (i.e. fascist) propaganda from outlets like Fox “News”, even among those Americans affected by the virus, many remain anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My hope for 2022 is an epiphany among that one-third of Americans such that they realize that their actions are deleterious to society as a whole. It’s a false statement to posit that America was built on rugged individualism. Our continued good fortune depends on working together, respecting ALL of our fellow Americans, and - yes - occasionally sacrificing for the greater good in order to provide safe and prosperous lives for our children and grandchildren.</span></p>Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-77631765517615422232020-01-18T11:17:00.000-05:002020-01-18T11:17:54.311-05:00Repairing Our Presidential Elections - Without Making them Worse<div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of us would say that we have been living in a political nightmare since Donald Trump was inaugurated and that if he wins a second term, that nightmare would be orders of magnitude worse.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But there’s an even more scary scenario that could happen, based on a case that the U.S. Supreme Court recently adopted.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Imagine that in November, once again Donald Trump loses the popular vote and even loses the Electoral College to his Democratic opponent by a small margin - say three electoral votes. After the individual states certify their results, the end of the Trump nightmare is not assured. I would not put beyond his cabal to bribe, coerce, or otherwise force three Democratic members of the Electoral College to change their votes and give Trump a second term.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Do you think this is outlandish? I don’t. After all, Trump and his abettors stole a Supreme Court seat from Barack Obama. What’s to prevent them from stealing the presidency? Arguably, his party stole the 2000 election by shutting down the vote counting in Florida.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">While some states prohibit “faithless electors”, in other states members of the Electoral College are free to thwart the will of their voters. In the past, some faithless electors have been fined while others have prevailed in court cases. If this nightmare scenario were to come to pass, I have no doubt that today’s Supreme Court would vote in favor of Trump. Their rationale would be in line with their strict interpretation of the Constitution where the Founding Fathers inserted the Electoral College as a bulwark to provide additional judgment on the outcome.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So what’s the solution? Many people have proposed a direct popular vote where the candidate with the most votes wins. But this approach has inherent problems, also.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Given that the popular vote is easier to manipulate than the electoral vote, unscrupulous state officials could jack up the numbers to give their states more influence. Voter suppression would become an even more powerful tool when raw vote totals determine the outcome. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What’s even more egregious is that a candidate whose support is not universal could win. For example, in a five-way race, a candidate who receives slightly more than twenty percent of the popular vote could conceivably win the presidency.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So if we are to adopt a national popular vote, it should come with safeguards and fairness.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ranked-choice voting would help ensure that candidates whose policies most align with that of the electorate have a better chance of winning. Federal monitoring of presidential elections is essential to ensure complete and accurate vote counting. Restoration of the Voting Rights Act should be a priority. And as in any election, unless and until we can demonstrate that machine voting is 100% hacker-proof, paper ballots should be mandatory.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By implementing a national popular vote with appropriate safeguards and ranked-choice voting, we can help ensure that the will of the people is heard every four years and it will allow us to sleep better.</span></span></div>
Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-44520285658091731402019-12-05T13:18:00.001-05:002019-12-05T13:18:11.549-05:00Thoughts on Impeachment<div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #292f33; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
Republicans are fond of positing that the attempt to impeach Donald Trump reverses a legitimate election. Nothing could be further from the truth.</div>
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Certainly, the legitimacy of the 2016 election is in question. That indeed is part of this Constitutionally-mandated inquiry. The legitimacy comes into question when you consider the aiding and abetting of foreign interference and the rampant voter suppression that was done by Trump and his cult political party. And while the fact that Trump badly lost the Electoral College vote is not part of the impeachment consideration, it certainly raises questions about our electoral process in general.</div>
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The Republicans’ point about overturning an election is equally as specious. Does anyone of either party think that the Democrats are doing this in order to install Christian evangelist and homophobe Mike Pence in the Oval Office? Impeachment is just as much a part of the U.S. Constitution as the Electoral College. The current impeachment is a textbook case of what the Founders feared and how to remedy the situation. By not impeaching, the House of Representatives would be shirking their oaths of office.</div>
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I have no issue if Republicans want to try to defend Trump on his record or on facts. But obfuscating the process with falsehoods is immoral and Anti-American.</div>
Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-57261681849427815162019-12-03T07:16:00.000-05:002019-12-03T07:16:06.300-05:00Mount Laurel Town Council - Dec 2, 2019 - Unedited voice to text rough transcroptKurt Focher: I'm calling the meeting to order. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance and a traditional moment of silence.<br />
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All: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Thank you.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Roll call.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Present.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
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Kareem Pritchet: Present.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
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Stephen Steglik: Here.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
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Linda Bobl: Present.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
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Kurt Focher: Present.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Public announcements?<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: In complince with the Public Meeting Act in the State of New Jersey, adequate notice of this meeting at the town's council is provided in the following manner on January 13, 2019. Advancement notice of this meeting was posted on the bulletin board in the Municipal Center and copies were sent to the Burlington County times, the Mt Laurel Sun and the Courier-Post.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Thanks Meredith. May I... Approval of the bill list. May I have a motion to approve the bill list?<br />
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Irwin Edelman: I'll move to approve the bill list.<br />
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Kurt Focher: May I have a second?<br />
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Stephen Steglik: I'll second.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Motion by Councilman Edelson. Second by Councilman Steglik. May I have a roll call please.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
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Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
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Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
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Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
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Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved. May I have a motion to for the approval of the minutes?<br />
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Kareem Pritchet: I'll make a motion to approve the minutes.<br />
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Kurt Focher: May I have a second?<br />
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Stephen Steglik: I'll second.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Motion by Councilman Pritchett. Second by Councilman Steglik. May I have a roll call please?<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
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Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik.<br />
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Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
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Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
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Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Resolution 19 R dash 2 2 1.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Resolution authorized for Mount Laurel township to sell surplus on govdeals.<br />
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Kurt Focher: May I have a motion?<br />
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Linda Bobl: I make a motion to approve.<br />
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Kurt Focher: May I have a second?<br />
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Irwin Edelman: I'll second.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Motion by Deputy Mayor Bobo second by Councilman Edelson. May I have a roll call, please.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Major Bobo?<br />
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Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
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Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
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Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
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Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Resolution 19 R dash 2 2 2.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Resolution authorizing the refund or cancellation of property taxes block 1 3 0 2 point 0 3 lot 8.<br />
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Linda Bobl: Make a motion to approve.<br />
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Kurt Focher: And second?<br />
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Kareem Pritchet: Motion by Deputy Mayor Bobo, second by Councilman Pritchett. May I have a roll call, please.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
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Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
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Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
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Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
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Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Resolution 19 R dash 2 2 3.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Releasing performance bond for landscaping improvements upon the posting of a maintenance bond for Rancocas Pointe, section M F dash 1.<br />
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Kurt Focher: May I have a motion?<br />
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Kareem Pritchet: I'll make a motion to approve.<br />
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Kurt Focher: May I have a second? I'm making a move to have a second.<br />
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Linda Bobl: I'll second.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Motion by Councilman Pritchett, second by Deputy Mayor Bobo. May I have a roll call, please?<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
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Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
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Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
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Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
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Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Resolution 19 R dash 2 2 4.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Releasing performance bond for landscaping improvements upon the posting of the maintenance bond for Rancocas Pointe section S F dash 1.<br />
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Kurt Focher: May I have a motion?<br />
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Irwin Edelman: I'll move to approve 19 R 2 24.<br />
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Kurt Focher: May I have a second?<br />
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Linda Bobl: I'll second.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Motion by Councilman Edelson, second by Deputy Mayor Bobo. May I have a roll call, please?<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
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Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
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Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
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Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
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Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Resolution 19 R dash 2 2 5.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Releasing performance bond for landscaping improvements upon the posting of a maintenance bond for Rancocas Pointe, section S F dash 2.<br />
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Kurt Focher: May I have a motion for 19 R 2 2 5?<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Ill move to approve 19 R 2 2 5.<br />
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Kurt Focher: May I have a second?<br />
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Kareem Pritchet: I'll second.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Motion by Councilman Edelson, second by Councilman Pritchett. May I have a roll call, please?<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
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Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
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Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
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Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
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Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved.<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Meredith, question.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Sure.<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Anymore bonds for Racocas Pointe?<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: I don't believe so, this is it.<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Yeah. Very good.<br />
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Kurt Focher: Resolution 19 R dash 2 2 6.<br />
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Meredith Tomczy: Resolution approving the person to person transfer of consumption license 0 3 2 4 dash 3 3 8 dash 0 2 1 dash 0 0 4. This is Don Pablo's that claimed bankruptcy. It's reverting back to East Gate. It was in their lease that it went to the owner of the property if they defaulted.<br />
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Irwin Edelman: Can the owner of the property put it out to bid?<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: They can use it to get a new tenant, but you can't lease a license. So, if they get a new tenant it will probably be in lease. Same thing if McDonald's sell it to their new tenant.<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Right, Don Pablo's. [inaudible 00:05:17].<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: May I have a resolution for 19 R 2 2 6?<br />
<br />
Kareem Pritchet: I'll make a motion to approve.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: May I have a second?<br />
<br />
Stephen Steglik: I'll second.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Motion by Councilman Pritchett, second by Councilman Steglik. May I have a roll call, please?<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
<br />
Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
<br />
Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Resolution 19 R 2 2 7.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Award 2019 the local bird program phase launch. This was part of the capital this year. These are roads that will be done, but they will not start until next year after winter. The schedule would be post on the township's website once American Asphalt give it to us.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: May I have a resolution for 19... I'm sorry, may I have a motion for 19 R 2 2 7?<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Ill make a motion to approve.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: May I have a second?<br />
<br />
Stephen Steglik: I'll second.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Motion by Deputy Mayor Bobo, second by Councilman Steglik. May I have a roll call, please?<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
<br />
Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
<br />
Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Resolution 19 R dash 2 2 8.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Resolution authorizing public sale of hotel motel consumption license. This was discussed at the last council meeting. It's set with a minimum bid price at 275,000 decided by council at the last meeting.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: May I have a motion for 19 R 2 2 8?<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: I'll move to approve 19 R 2 2 8.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: May I have a second?<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: I'll second.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Motion by Councilman Edelson and second by Deputy Mayor Bobo. May I have a roll call, please?<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
<br />
Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
<br />
Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: All right, so we're through the resolutions. These ordinances are going to be a second reading. Public hearing and second reading, excuse me. Resolution to 219 dash 34.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: An ordinance amending chapter 74 of the code of the township of Mount Laurel entitled fees to adjust the fees for the summer camp program.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: I am going to open this to the public comment. Please, if you have something to say about this ordinance, and this ordinance only, feel free to come to the microphone.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: Brian Sharp, 19 Biddle Way. [inaudible 00:07:49], I never get the chance to come up and actually look at this with you. But, my question is still stands, is do we truly need to go this high in order to make the payroll for the summer?<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Sure. So... yes, and like I said, feel free to stop in anytime to see it. You'll see, I had it going up on a scale. Obviously we have different types of counselors. We have were considered senior counselors, which are actual teachers from the school district, and then we have college counselors, and then we also have high school counselors. So, unfortunately once the minimum wage does go to 15, I'm not going to be able to get certified teachers for 15. So with... I've done a scale where the high school students would make 15, the college students would make a little bit more, and the teachers would make a little bit more too. I've... There's a few moving factors which make it a little bit hard.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: One, we're one of the few camps that actually take part-time campers. The part-time kids actually we lose money on because they take all of the services such as busing to the field trips, the field trip costs. We normally, if we have an activity coming in, we plan it for the morning so they can experience it before they get picked up half day. But, they're only giving us half of that price and that's a variable that moves.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: So I took an average over the last five years of how many part time kids we've had verse how many full time kids we've had. I did for a 1 to 2 percent increase on events because, for instance, the trampoline park is not going to stay 10 dollars.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: [crosstalk 00:09:29] inflation.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Yes. So, I built all of that in with the moving and also there's another moving variable. Minimum wage isn't just 15 dollars, it's 15 dollars plus cost of living, which we don't know. I don't want to have to change fees yearly so I've tried to look at what the average of that's been over the last 5 years.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: Well, no, the 15 actually doesn't go into effect yet. So where are we going to go with 15? Or we going-<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Right, so, now we're going to go up on a scale.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: Okay.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: So, I did it all the way until-<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: Now, if there's excess money in this fund, what happens?<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: It stays into a trust fund, and it's just reused into camp. Because for instance, some years we've lost money because of those part-time kids and some years we haven't. Camp is not paid by tax payer money, it strictly goes into a fund, which is money that is received from the people that are paying for camp. It stays in there. And it's just used for the next year either for supplies, field trips, t-shirts, water bottles, all the stuff that's associated with camp.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: And we're still... I think it's still cheaper than a lot of other camps.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: It is-<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: But do we run the risk of having a much lower...<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: So, I have been in contact with the YMCA and the school district. So, if you pay prior to April, our fees going to be 1900. The school district told me they're going to be raising fees to 2100. So, we will still be the cheapest camp in... Normally it's us, the school which does Larchmont, and then the YMCA, which is also ran out of the one other schools. We will still be the cheapest camp of the three.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: Thank you, Meredith.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: No problem.<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: And Brian, I saw one of your emails.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: Yes.<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Copy of council on it. And one other factor you are taking into consideration is the taxes you have to pay. So, it's not just 15 dollars now, [crosstalk 00:11:16] payroll tax on top of that and all of the other associated state taxes.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: No, I understand. But I was under the impression this was strictly because of the 15 dollar an hour increase. Because that's what the Merit said. And I think there's a lot of other factors, the 15 is not the only reason why we have [crosstalk 00:11:32].<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: I think that is.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: We're paying the teachers more money, which I think is a good thing.<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Well, we have to pay them. You have to graduate [crosstalk 00:11:40] because now a high schooler is now elevated to the same rate of pay as one of the professional teachers. So, now you have to increase their pay. Right?<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: Well, I think it's good that they're all making a decent living for taking care of the kids over the summer. I think that's a good-<br />
<br />
Stephen Steglik: But the parents are now paying double.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: But the people that are doing it are getting paid a fair living wage. And sorry, I just think people getting paid a fair living wage is the appropriate thing to do. Thanks.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Anybody else would like to come up and comment about this ordinance and this ordinance only? Seeing nobody, I will now close it and ask for a motion.<br />
<br />
Stephen Steglik: I'll make a motion.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Motion by Councilman Steglik. May I have a second?<br />
<br />
Kareem Pritchet: I'll second.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Second by Councilman Pritchett. May I have a roll call, please?<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
<br />
Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
<br />
Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: 2019 dash 35.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Amending the route 38, Ark Road, Fostertown Road redevelopment plan standards.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: I'm going to open up this resolution, I'm sorry, this ordinance for a second reading to the public. If anybody has a question about this ordinance, and this ordinance alone, please come to the microphone.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Seeing nobody, I will ask for a 2019 dash 35, I'll ask for a motion?<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Mr Mayor, I move to approve to 2019 dash 35.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: May I have a second?<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: I'll second.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Motion by Councilman Edelson, second by Deputy Mayor Bobo. May have a roll call, please?<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
<br />
Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
<br />
Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Ordinance for second reading 2019 dash 36.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: An ordinance amending and supplementing chapter 121 or the code of the township of Mount Laurel entitled rental property.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: I will now open up this ordinance for second reading. If anybody has a comment about this ordinance and... I'm sorry, this ordinance and this ordinance alone, please come to the microphone.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: Well, unfortunately, I wasn't here last month when this was first read. So, I guess I just have some questions. It appears what we're trying to do is make sure hotels aren't allowing people to rent longterm?<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Yeah. So, some of the hotels are not set up for long term stays. They don't have kitchens. So, we have always had an ordinance on the book that says that you can't stay longer than 15 days. Very good. 15. And she's back there. One of the issues we ran into was the hotels were not not complying with the ordinance. So, this just implementing if they... Where they can be-<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: I travel a lot for business. I know I've stayed at some of the Marriott's for 30, 60 days at a shop.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Are they long term stays?<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: They are the extended. So it's [Crosstalk 00:15:03] extended stay.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Yep, because they have the kitchen and they're set up for that. This is more of the motels that we've been having problems where people are going in, staying for a few days and then decide that they don't want to pay anymore.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: No. Some of the hotels get services from the state to allow lower income people to stay.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Right. And they have to be set up in a long term stay that allows for that.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: Okay, so there are restrictions already? So, this rule isn't changing anything? It's just re...<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Yeah.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: Okay.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Just issuing the fine.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: Thank you.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Anybody else has a question about ordinance 2019 dash 36, feel free to come to the microphone. Seeing nobody, I will now ask for a motion for 2019 dash 36.<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Move to approve 2019 dash 36.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: May I have a second?<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: I second.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Motion by Councilman Edelson, second by Deputy Mayor Bobo. May I have a roll call, please.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Edelson?<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
<br />
Kareem Pritchet: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Councilman Steglik?<br />
<br />
Stephen Steglik: Aye.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Mayor Folcher?<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Aye. So moved.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: I'll now open the microphone up for full participation. If somebody speaks to an issue that you have a concern or a question about, please don't repeat what has already been said, just add on to what's already been mentioned. So, at this time if anybody would like to come to the microphone, feel free to do so.<br />
<br />
Stephen Steglik: I knew you wouldn't disappoint, Brian.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: I was waiting, I waited to see if somebody else wanted to come up and speak. All right so my questions are along the lines of I appreciate the work we're doing on Union Mill Road. But is there any way... Is there like a calendar or something so we know when the construction trucks are going to be there so we can avoid Union Mill those days? Because it seems to be hit or miss.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Sure. So, it should be on the website. It's due to be done.. It's supposed to be done by the 6th of December. But, obviously, weather today heard off, we lost a day. There's two factors going on out there. The metal plates are actually not the township or have anything to do with being Union Mill Road. There's a developer that's putting two homes up. The plate covers are covering him connecting into the sewer and the water, the piping. So, we're told he's supposed to be done and the metal plates are supposed to be removed by Wednesday. Obviously, weather wise. And then the paving of Union Mill Road should be done by the sixth, depending on weather.<br />
<br />
Brian Sharp: On the weather, okay. Thank you.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Anybody else would like to come to the microphone, please do. Seeing nobody, I will close the pulpit for participation and open up comments by council. Meredith?<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: No comments at this time.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Councilor?<br />
<br />
Councelor: Nothing.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Councilman Steglik?<br />
<br />
Stephen Steglik: Drive safe.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Councilman Pritchett?<br />
<br />
Kareem Pritchet: No more comments this evening.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Councilman Edelson?<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: That's Friday night, black Friday, we had a wonderful event when Rancocas Woods had their tree lighting and open house and whatnot there. We said that was two years in the making. That's the new ownership there. Actually it's been going on for a lot of years. Spencer's, the houses along that, did the same thing multiple times for every year. [inaudible 00:18:34], at least 15, 20 years. And with that said, Meredith, something to think about. Because the Jewish boy I went to the Christmas parade in Collingswood on Saturday morning. I think we should think about a Christmas parade. That would be very nice. Yeah.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Okay.<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Whether it's on Creek road, whether we do it in our park around the Lake, because there's plenty of parking or something. Just to watch the bands come out, mummers, the kids. I think Mount Laurel deserves a Christmas parade.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: I will pass it on to [inaudible 00:19:09] and he will bring it up at the [crosstalk 00:19:11]. The Rancocas Business Association.<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Yeah, and back in the day when Spencer's, the houses ran it, they had a horse and buggy running up and down. They had the [inaudible 00:19:23] and stuff.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: I like it.<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: I'd love the [inaudible 00:19:27] to be there again with us for that. So, let's think about that and maybe put some plans together.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Okay.<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Thank you. And be safe getting home tonight.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Deputy Mayor Bobo?<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: We do have Santa coming to town.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: [inaudible 00:19:42].<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Next week, the twelfth?<br />
<br />
Kareem Pritchet: The twelfth.<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Four o'clock, is it? Four o'clock?<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Five.<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Five o'clock.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: We pushed it back a little bit so the kids could actually get home from school and see Santa.<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: Okay. So, it's always a favorite over at the community center. Make sure you bring your little ones. There's, aside from Santa's coming to town, there's all kinds of crafts and hot chocolate and fun things. Games.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: Face painting.<br />
<br />
Linda Bobl: And face painting for the kids. That's it.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: So, today's meeting we went a little bit quick. The reason for that is, council gets the agenda and we have... You know what's going on. So, we're trying to move this thing forward a little bit for right now because the weather is pretty bad out there right now. So, people, as you go heading home today, we want to make this a meeting where our town business got done, voices were heard, but at the same time people can get home nice and safe. So, please folks, drive home safe and be careful because the weather is pretty bad.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: So, with that I will make a motion to adjourn. Or I'll ask for a motion to adjourn?<br />
<br />
Kareem Pritchet: You can make it.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: I'll make a motion to adjourn. I'll do that too.<br />
<br />
Irwin Edelman: Somebody second it.<br />
<br />
Kareem Pritchet: I'll second.<br />
<br />
Meredith Tomczy: All in favor?<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: All in favor?<br />
<br />
All: Aye.<br />
<br />
Kurt Focher: Please go home safe folks.Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-80118426023057365832019-12-01T12:42:00.001-05:002019-12-01T12:45:56.319-05:00On ImpeachmentThe right-wing media is fond of characterizing the current impeachment proceedings as an attempt to reverse a legitimate election. Nothing could be further from the truth.<br />
<br />
Impeachment of the president was included in the Constitution for situations exactly like those we are facing today. True, while our president lacks moral decency, that is <b>not</b> grounds for impeachment. What <b>is</b> a legitimate reason is his disdain for the rule of law as outlined by our Founding Fathers. Our founders put in bulwarks against the type of tyranny that is currently being practiced in the White House. The put in the Emoluments Clause as a firewall against the type of pay-for-play actions that are being exhibited ty the incumbent every day.<br />
<br />
Where were these Republicans who claim we are reversing an election when they voted to impeach Bill Clinton for a far-lesser crime? It should be noted that Clinton was elected exactly twice as many times as the current president and without foreign interference.<br />
<br />
These same Republicans showed a modicum of decency 45 years ago when they went to the White House to urge Richard Nixon to resign as that president faced certain impeachment – again for crimes that were more serious than Clintons, but pale in comparison to those of the current incumbent.<br />
<br />
It should be obvious that the current proceedings are not being held to reverse an election, if they are successful since Mike Pence is just as radical – if not more so – than the incumbent. Instead, people need to understand that while impeachment is a political process, “political” is not a derogatory term. What Pelosi, Schiff, Nadler, and Schumer are doing is defending the Constitution – as they should.Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-3062050906645579962019-02-18T09:38:00.000-05:002019-02-18T09:38:42.351-05:00What we need in 2020<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #151719; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ever since that horrible night on November 8, 2016, we have been yearning for the day when the misanthrope who “won” the election would be out of office. Now that we’re halfway through the Trump administration, the battle to challenge him is heating up.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #151719; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We can’t just settle on someone better than Trump. After all, any person who can construct a grammatically correct sentence would be better. Whoever replaces him has the dual challenge of running the country and repairing the damage that was caused by his kakistocracy.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #151719; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Yet, while it’s necessary to make Trump a one-term president, we also need to fix the root cause of the dismal 2016 results. This means returning the U.S. Senate to Democratic control, reforming voting laws to make them more inclusive, and drowning out Trump TV (Fox News) with a positive progressive message aimed at all demographics.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #151719; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It means supporting Senator Booker’s re-election (assuming he’s not on the national ticket) even if you disagree with certain aspects of his voting record, as I do. Voting for a third-party contender is a vote for a Republican, and voting for a Republican is tacit approval of Trump’s draconian agenda.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #151719; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It means supporting good Democrats running for state and local office because they are the farm team for future high office holders, even if your favorite candidate fails in the primaries.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #151719; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It means supporting progressive out-of-state candidates for the House and Senate because whether we like it or not, money talks.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #151719; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It means getting involved in the political process, whether through the party or through advocacy groups.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #151719; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It means setting a better example than the GOP does by purging the Democratic Party of those who engage in sexual misconduct and racist actions, even if these occurred years ago.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #151719; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What Ousting Trump will require a presidential candidate who not only appeals to a broad base and who not only has impeccable unblemished credentials, but also who can inspire and motivate. Someone like JFK or Barack Obama. We shouldn’t settle for anything less.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-703852757888054922018-08-28T09:33:00.000-04:002018-08-28T09:33:59.627-04:00A Bridge Too Far<br />
I'm an ardent proponent of the separation of church and state. But even further than that, I support the premise that a person's religious beliefs (or non-beliefs) are a personal matter and should not be tainted by pressure from the government or from proselytizers. If you come knocking at my door carrying a Bible and literature, you'll be promptly and courteously turned away. But this works both ways. If you're a non-believer, I respect your position. But don't try to convince people of faith to abandon their beliefs.<br />
<br />
There was a full-page ad in the New York Times today from an outfit called the Freedom From Religion Foundation (below). It urges Catholics to leave their church because of the pedophile scandal. I find that ad distasteful at best.<br />
<br />
Yes, the Church has a serious problem and it's not being adequately addressed by their bureaucracy. And I support the government's prosecution of religious leaders who break secular law.<br />
<br />
But the problem infecting the Catholic church will not be resolved by urging people to leave it. It will be resolved by a combination of internal pressure and prosecution of offenders.<br />
<br />
I'm a card-carrying member of Delaware Valley <a href="http://au.org/">Americans United</a> for Separation of Church and State. AU is supportive of religious beliefs (or non-beliefs) but does not urge people to adopt either option. And while I support FFRF's aim to keep government and church separate, proselytizing AGAINST religion goes beyond the pale. I can't support FFRF on this.<br /><br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxXBxUNI__chW-dKpCUoAmdbLOfa-I_4XBbMze1lOZSdRMuAAxvDaiySERcl-1lDN0q05TSWF9Re_1sr28xnVnTBs1nKMFVoJeogZB_ycudAY9x9QV5moaJKm0BHrnjrBQaNe9ju17c0/s1600/The+New+York+Times+Replica+Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="879" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxXBxUNI__chW-dKpCUoAmdbLOfa-I_4XBbMze1lOZSdRMuAAxvDaiySERcl-1lDN0q05TSWF9Re_1sr28xnVnTBs1nKMFVoJeogZB_ycudAY9x9QV5moaJKm0BHrnjrBQaNe9ju17c0/s640/The+New+York+Times+Replica+Edition.jpg" width="348" /></a></div>
Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-12209771345751674852018-04-17T16:47:00.000-04:002018-04-17T16:52:01.717-04:00New Jersey March for ScienceOn April 14, about a thousand people gathered on the steps of the Trenton War Memorial for the second annual New Jersey March for Science. This was one of the dozens of satellite marches in conjunction with the national march in Washington DC. Here are the speaker's remarks:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/265178998?autoplay=1" target="_blank">Introduction - Professor Matthew Buckley, Rutgers University</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/264768063?autoplay=1" target="_blank">Keynote - Congressman Frank Pallone Jr D-NJ-6</a> (introduced by Doug O'Malley of Environment New Jersey<br />
<br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/265195800?autoplay=1" target="_blank">Jeff Tittel - Director, NJ Sierra Club</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/265201531?autoplay=1" target="_blank">Professor Katrina Schafer - Rutgers University</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/265205486?autoplay=1" target="_blank">Marilyn Weeks Ryan - NEA/NJEA</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/265246557?autoplay=1" target="_blank">Alana Cueto - National Association of Hispanic Nurses</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/265250340?autoplay=1" target="_blank">Laureen Boles - NJ Environmental Justice Alliance</a><br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/265253285?autoplay=1" target="_blank">Christianah Akinsanmi - Howell High School Senior</a><br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/265257107?autoplay=1" target="_blank">Professor Sam Wang - Princeton University</a><br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/265265119?autoplay=1" target="_blank">Christine Clarke - Action Together New Jersey</a><br />
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<br />Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-60727423156808922232018-03-27T09:02:00.000-04:002018-03-27T10:50:11.909-04:00Haddon Heights March for Our Lives - March 24, 2018Index of videos from the Haddon Heights March for Our Lives<br />
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<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/261663238" target="_blank">AJ Arnold</a> – Opening Remarks</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/261646460" target="_blank">Donald Norcross</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/262021445" target="_blank">Lou Cappelli</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/262029663" target="_blank">Pat Egan Jones and Pamela Lampitt</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/261653468" target="_blank">Ava Madarieta</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/261660434" target="_blank">Ben James</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/261706000" target="_blank">Lilly DeFrank</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/261728918" target="_blank">Melani Stokes</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/261746593" target="_blank">Joely Wilson</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/261836604" target="_blank">Anita White</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/261838157" target="_blank">Autumn Coleman</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/261842488" target="_blank">Oliver Adler</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/261888834" target="_blank">Tracey Taylor</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/261908270" target="_blank">AJ Arnold</a> – Concluding Remarks</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-1881238170766172192018-03-08T07:52:00.003-05:002018-03-08T07:52:59.848-05:00Baby Steps<div class="MsoNormal">
In a state where it’s legal to carry concealed weapons and it’s legal to shoot someone based on your personal assessment that they pose a threat to you, the Florida legislature has taken some welcome baby steps to promote gun safety. Their bill would impose a short three-day waiting period for the purchase of weapons similar to those used in the Parkland Massacre and raises the age for purchase of these killing machines to 21.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Granted, these are small, incremental improvements toward the safety of Florida citizens and I welcome that. But more so, I welcome the fact that the citizens of Florida now have their public servants engaged in a debate about gun safety, something that the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate refuses to do.<o:p></o:p></div>
Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-62983068818756631142018-02-26T09:48:00.004-05:002018-02-26T09:55:47.821-05:00Gun Safety Rally Videos - February 2018On February 21, several hundred people converged on the grounds of Congressman Tom MacArthur's Marlton office to advocate for gun safety. MacArthur's staff hid inside the building while parents, students, teachers, and advocates spoke outside. Here are their videos.<br />
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<h2>
Opening Remarks</h2>
<b>Suzy Zander</b> - NJ 3rd Congressional District Action Group<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/256938441?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
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Students</h2>
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<b>Leah Lentz</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/256891735?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe>
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<b><br /></b> <b>Galen Ekimov</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/256893487?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Summer Maher</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/256982062?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe>
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<b><br /></b> <b><br /></b><br />
<b>Amna Ahmed</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/256888725?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe>
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</h2>
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</h2>
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Teachers</h2>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<b>Adam Sheridan</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/256943790?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
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<b>Sharon Stokes</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/256966644?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe>
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<br /> Parent </h2>
<b>Al Finkelstein</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/257040886?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe>
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<br /></h2>
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Advocacy Leaders </h2>
<b> Carole Stiller </b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/257473685?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Jeannine Coyne</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/257471565?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe>Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-52888777565875876002018-02-09T14:27:00.000-05:002018-02-09T14:27:53.827-05:00The Scourge of Nuclear Power<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "SF Optimized", system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.12px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
I recently attended a lecture about "Project Drawdown." This is an initiative not to just cap carbon emissions, but to actually reduce the amount of carbon trapped in the atmosphere in order to reverse the scourge of global climate change.</div>
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They promote 100 solutions - some of them obvious like various types of renewable energy - to some that might not seem directly related to climate change like family planning.</div>
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I purchased their book on Amazon, and am in the process of readi<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">ng it.</span></div>
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Interestingly, one of the 100 solutions they enumerate is nuclear power. No doubt, nuclear power does not contribute to atmospheric carbon. But it does come with other environmental and societal risks. As the book states:</div>
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"One hundred solutions are featured in Drawdown. Of those, almost all are no-regrets solutions society would want to pursue regardless of their carbon impact because they have many beneficial social, environmental, and economic effects. Nuclear is a regrets solution, and regrets have already occurred at Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, Rocky Flats, Kyshtym, Browns Ferry, Idaho Falls, Mihama, Lucens, Fukushima Daiichi, Tokaimura, Marcoule, Windscale, Bohunice, and Church Rock. Regrets include tritium releases, abandoned uranium mines, mine-tailings pollution, spent nuclear waste disposal, illicit plutonium trafficking, thefts of fissile material, destruction of aquatic organisms sucked into cooling systems, and the need to heavily guard nuclear waste for hundreds of thousands of years"</div>
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I bring this up now because the New Jersey legislature is considering propping up the economically unviable nuclear industry in the state (The bill is S877). This will be a major mistake if it passes and is signed by the governor. These subsidies would be better used in the long run to promote renewable energy, a more robust grid, and yes, conservation. I'm sure that pursuing many of the 99 other initiatives in the book would be a better use of our limited resources. Please contact your legislator and tell them "no subsidies for an uneconomical and dangerous industry."</div>
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More on Project Drawdown can be found <a href="http://www.drawdown.org/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimF_f-JJG9ufE-hFXYbyxcHzdL8lPdGV51mMupeceRqz2_JjsesILyqIpyDbhTSpGYwsdMtlY5ttU7BArxlCXz1w8UJDdtKWzPBALB1-N665o5ZP4RIfULS810JPNre-ZC00L6uJ6AJVM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-02-09+at+2.25.42+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="976" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimF_f-JJG9ufE-hFXYbyxcHzdL8lPdGV51mMupeceRqz2_JjsesILyqIpyDbhTSpGYwsdMtlY5ttU7BArxlCXz1w8UJDdtKWzPBALB1-N665o5ZP4RIfULS810JPNre-ZC00L6uJ6AJVM/s400/Screen+Shot+2018-02-09+at+2.25.42+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-43892651387508191772018-02-02T14:54:00.000-05:002018-02-02T14:55:02.941-05:00Trading in your Chevy Nova<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxBqrSG7IzX_d9iAJTvXlMsjzDHvzhVW9Bi20AsdjjdlLfzbHDRr4VR3iUFfWOOfzM2xRJR2Zn4mJnqfn3SjQoJhxiATV7uB9p1S1yLDA569mD25ifZhGooCJQm3aKjxibOG9eJZoing/s1600/chevynova.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="919" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxBqrSG7IzX_d9iAJTvXlMsjzDHvzhVW9Bi20AsdjjdlLfzbHDRr4VR3iUFfWOOfzM2xRJR2Zn4mJnqfn3SjQoJhxiATV7uB9p1S1yLDA569mD25ifZhGooCJQm3aKjxibOG9eJZoing/s400/chevynova.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Oyster Creek nuclear plant in Ocean County will be shutting down permanently in October of this year – 14 months ahead of the previously scheduled date, according to a press release from the New Jersey Sierra Club.</div>
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As the oldest plant in the country with essentially the same design as the Fukushima plant that continues to devastate Japan and the entire Pacific Ocean, it is obvious that the cost of safely operating the plant exceeds the revenue that the operator, Exelon, reaps. As the Sierra Club puts it, “It is like driving a 1969 Chevy Nova in the age of Tesla.”</div>
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Originally, the plant was scheduled to operate for another decade, but the owner decided to shut it down rather than investing in saving the wildlife in Barnegat Bay from the heated effluence.</div>
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The industry has very little experience in closing down these behemoths. There are numerous questions that our federal and state agencies need to answer – and ensure the safety of the public and the integrity of the taxpayer’s wallet.</div>
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Oyster Creek generates a significant portion of our state’s electricity. Due to the policies of the Republican Congress and our former Governor, we are way behind were we should and could be on renewable energy. Governor Murphy’s sensible initiative for wind and solar power will take years to come to fruition, so for the short term this demand shortfall will most likely be fulfilled by increased natural gas generation. No doubt the pipeline proponents will use this to justify more of these volatile installations across the state. According to the Sierra Club, Governor Murphy’s offshore wind proposal will generate six times the amount of energy that the plant has, so the long-term solution is clear.</div>
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The other issue is the cleanup and remediation of the site. We need to ensure that the plan Exelon puts forth is comprehensive and safe. Since our nation has no viable solution to the problem of nuclear waste storage, the only option is to store the highly radioactive detritus on site.</div>
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Finally, there’s the issue of jobs. There are about 700 workers at the plant, and we hope Governor Murphy, the legislature, and industry will find ways to utilize the skills these folks have – perhaps with retraining in the renewable energy sector – to keep them employed.</div>
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Closing the plant on the shores of the Atlantic will mitigate but not eliminate the probability of a release of toxic radioactive material. And the state’s other nuclear facility in Salem County continues to be a risk for the entire Philadelphia metropolitan area. But this is a first step. Let’s keep the pressure on our elected officials and on the plant operators to do it right – and minimize the risk for future generations.</div>
Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-71182235732364447152018-01-31T08:57:00.002-05:002018-01-31T08:59:36.343-05:00What a Difference Sixty Years Can Make<div class="MsoNormal">
Sixty years ago tonight, the United States launched its first artificial satellite, Explorer I. This occurred almost four months after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I and three months after Sputnik II. After losing the first leg of the space race, the US Navy and US Army each rushed to be the first to launch an American satellite. Unfortunately, the Navy’s rocket suffered a launchpad failure and it was the Army who prevailed with Explorer I.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Three years later, President Kennedy challenged the American people and American scientists and engineers to be the first to land a man on the moon and bring him back safely. America prevailed when Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins splashed down in the Pacific in the summer of 1969.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The space race was not just for national prestige and bragging rights. America realized that science and engineering advancements were the keys to a powerful economy and an influential country. Transistors, integrated circuits, computers, materials, and medical advancements are just the tip of the iceberg of the benefits of the pursuit of science. The phone you’re reading this on has a computer inside that’s more powerful than the one in the Lunar Module that took Armstrong and Aldrin to the Moon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The program to land a man on the moon cost $25 billion – about $202 billion in today’s dollars. That’s much less than the tax breaks that trump is giving to the wealthiest Americans. It’s difficult to imagine the current GOP crop of science deniers investing in a program like Apollo today.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yet, there’s a need for such a program. It would be more difficult than the Manhattan Project or the Apollo Project. It’s saving the planet from the ravages of global climate change. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the side benefits of the space race is that it proved that we could effectively cooperate with our adversaries on scientific endeavors like the International Space Station. But like the space race, reversing man-made climate change requires more than money. It requires the will and the acknowledgment that science is a tool and that global climate change is real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to replace the science deniers with sane and rational legislators who will address these issues. And just like after Sputnik, we need to support our public education system, our national laboratories, and our universities. Talent knows no bounds. We need to ramp up science and engineering educational opportunities for young women. We need to value and celebrate scientific achievements from people of all skin colors and all sexual orientations.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We face an existential threat with the unprecedented increase in CO2 in our atmosphere. Trump’s reversal of the previous administration’s initiatives is a fool’s game. It’s a game we need to ramp up and victory won’t come in our lifetimes. But our grandchildren’s lives are at stake. Sixty years from now, we can either have a planet that sustains not just life, but a good quality of life. Or sixty years from now our kids can look back at the fires in California and the water crisis in Cape Town as a harbinger that we foolishly ignored. The choice is ours.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-25952374894917462692017-07-06T17:31:00.002-04:002017-07-06T17:32:45.478-04:00Country Before PartyThe day after Independence Day, a group of over 100 citizens from the Burlington County area gathered in front of the office of Congressman Tom MacArthur to rally for the people instead of the politicians. Below are the remarks from that rally.<br />
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Jamieson Smith reads the Proclamation:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/224410809?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="420"></iframe><br />
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Introduction - Dr. Eileen Hill, SJ NOW Indivisible<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/224472897?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="420"></iframe>
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NJ-3 Congressional Candidate - Katherine Hartman<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/224483532?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="420"></iframe>
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Health Care Advocate Geoff Ginter<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/224491879?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="420"></iframe>
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Kerry Bayles as Betsy Ross<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/224506627?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="420"></iframe><br />
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Environmentalist Margo Pellegrino<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/224514704?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="420"></iframe>
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Burlington County Young Democrats Chair Stephen Steglik<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/224518975?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="420"></iframe>Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-59781395702331984272017-05-23T20:47:00.000-04:002017-05-23T20:47:44.636-04:00Meet Katie Hartman<div style="background-color: white; border: none; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
Moorestown attorney Katie Hartman has become the third Democrat to officially announce their candidacy for the congressional seat currently being held by Tom MacArthur. Former Obama aide <a href="https://vimeo.com/218276544" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border: none; color: #15306e; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Andy Kim</a> and perennial candidate <a href="http://www.bluejersey.com/2017/05/fred-lavergne/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border: none; color: #15306e; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Fred LaVergne</a> have also thrown their hats into the ring. A few others have expressed interest but have not yet formally announced.</div>
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Recently, I sat down with Hartman in her law office to get to know her, talk a bit about her background, and her approach to a potential House seat.</div>
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Hartman and Kim excel in different areas, and voters will have to do their homework to determine which of the two (or more, if they announce) is: 1) More electable, and 2) would better serve the district. It is clear that either of the two would be better than Tom MacArthur who may have singlehandedly rescued TrumpCare from the heap of destruction.</div>
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Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-69200013197385597002017-05-13T08:39:00.000-04:002017-05-13T08:39:37.492-04:00Tom MacArthur Town Hall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On May 10, 2017, Congressman Tom MacArthur held a town hall meeting at the JFK Center in Willingboro. With attendance restricted to 300 people inside, over 1000 people gathered outside to protest MacArthur's resurrection of Trump's evisceration of health care for all but the wealthiest Americans. Here's an index to my videos from the event.<br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/216997915" target="_blank">Andy Kim</a> - Potential Democratic Challenger in 2018<br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/217085643" target="_blank">Candice Brown</a> - Executive Director of the Burlington County Democratic Party<br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/217006233" target="_blank">Assemblyman Troy Singleton</a> - Candidate for New Jersey State Senate<br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/217021124" target="_blank">Assemblyman Herb Conaway, MD </a>- Running for re-election<br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/217027471" target="_blank">Jim Keady</a> - Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress from New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District<br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/217046331" target="_blank">Die-In</a> - Protesters demonstrating against Tom MacArthur's gutting of health care<br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/217097886" target="_blank">Hetty Rosenstein</a> - Communications Workers of America<br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/217061607" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="https://vimeo.com/217061607" target="_blank">#TaxMarch</a> - Press conference featuring Ann Vardeman of NJ Citizen Action and several of Tom MacArthur's constituents<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZqhHVZWKso" target="_blank">Inside the venue</a> - Unedited raw video taken by a participant inside the town hall<br />
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<br />Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-21894425033195355532017-04-03T11:12:00.001-04:002017-04-03T11:15:30.526-04:00Action Together Burlington County March MeetingAction Together Burlington County held its March meeting on Friday, March 31, 2017 at the First Baptist Church in Moorestown. Here are links to video of the presentations:<br />
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Candidates for Governor of New Jersey:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://vimeo.com/211093466" target="_blank">Senator Ray Lesniak</a></li>
<li><a href="https://vimeo.com/211096905" target="_blank">Eric Kipnis for Ambassador Phil Murphy</a></li>
<li><a href="https://vimeo.com/211099925" target="_blank">Lark Kurtz for Assemblyman John Wisniewski</a></li>
<li><a href="https://vimeo.com/211102673" target="_blank">Trent Seubert for Jim Johnson</a></li>
</ul>
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Candidate for New Jersey Senate - District 8</div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://vimeo.com/211138962" target="_blank">George Youngkin</a></li>
</ul>
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Candidates for Burlington County Freeholder</div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mwIwIumy3g" target="_blank">Balvir Singh and Tom Pullion</a></li>
</ul>
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Keynote Speaker from ACLU on Immigration</div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzIaJBogZdg" target="_blank">Alexi Velez</a></li>
</ul>
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Black Lives Matter</div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://vimeo.com/211118781" target="_blank">Shevone Tucker</a></li>
</ul>
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People's Choice United - South Jersey</div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/yS0TYgTaF9Q" target="_blank">Suzy Zander</a></li>
</ul>
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<br />Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-7921688442777623662017-03-23T12:41:00.000-04:002017-03-23T12:41:58.970-04:00What's the Difference Between Democrats and Republicans?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://www.bluejersey.com/2017/03/how-the-jersey-dems-parochialism-hurts-the-party/" target="_blank">Professor Danley’s excellent column</a> about the parochialism of the Democratic Party struck home when I heard a passing remark by a high-ranking state party leader lamenting the fact that the various grass roots activities like Action Together are not coalescing around the party infrastructure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Therein lies the difference between the two parties.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">When the Tea Party movement formed, its extreme philosophy was embraced by most “establishment” Republicans. Those entrenched GOP leaders like Eric Cantor who did not buy the Tea Party’s line in its entirety are gone now – voted out of office not by the establishment, but by the insurgents. All of this culminated with the “election” of Donald Trump – reviled by the insiders, but embraced by the outsiders. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Democrats, on the other hand, pretend to be listening but are actually tone deaf. I have nothing against Phil Murphy. He’d be a better governor than any of the GOP contenders. But is that the best we can do? Put another Goldman Sachs executive in Drumthwacket so soon after the Corzine debacle? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrBj99ok2roQznyPaoq9CSkdwDfD4HlJAGcLcIypjeh3vmDZVewr7HFT9rhd1fFiHLGIfMc451ROQkVaEdng14CDaD5qOmd-rOgV5Xn_r8Q4swq_nRQXSsDuirM57Kdutv4SL57Yd_kc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-03-23+at+12.15.08+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrBj99ok2roQznyPaoq9CSkdwDfD4HlJAGcLcIypjeh3vmDZVewr7HFT9rhd1fFiHLGIfMc451ROQkVaEdng14CDaD5qOmd-rOgV5Xn_r8Q4swq_nRQXSsDuirM57Kdutv4SL57Yd_kc/s200/Screen+Shot+2017-03-23+at+12.15.08+PM.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CarlLewis' NJ Senate Run Announcement - 2011</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Both parties have relied on two criteria that enhance electability but don’t do much for governance. First – does the candidate bring money to the campaign? If so, we end up with people like Phil Murphy and Tom MacArthur. If a candidate can’t bring money, can he or she bring fame? Witness the Democrats’ abortive attempt to elect Olympian Carl Lewis to the state senate, and the Republicans’ elevation of football player Jon Runyan to Congress. (To his credit, Runyan realized he was over his head after two terms and dropped out for a more comfortable retirement.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">So where do the Democrats go from here? Do they hold groups like Action Together at arm’s length to be used but not embraced? Or do they treat them as equals – where the party understands the nuts and bolts of elections and the insurgents drive the agenda – a la the Tea Party movement? Only the latter approach is a recipe for success. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">It won’t happen overnight. It won’t happen in a single election cycle. But it’s important that the party establishment welcome these “insurgents” into their fold and listen to them. Action Together and similar organizations must infiltrate the Democratic Party by joining their county committees, either by appointment to vacant positions, or getting on board in the 2018 committee election cycle. They need to become the “insiders” where they can, and they need to push back on the entrenched establishment when they see business as usual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s unfortunate that our political structure is established around a two-party system. That only encourages actions that place party loyalty over principles. But given that this will not change, unless the Democrats treat Action Together and similar groups as equals, or even as their bosses, the party of FDR is doomed to live and die on the back benches of power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-28468288641098441532017-03-19T10:36:00.000-04:002017-03-19T10:39:28.897-04:00Will a Republican Succeed Chris Christie in Drumthwacket?<div style="border: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
Conventional wisdom says that a Democrat will win this year’s New Jersey gubernatorial election. After all, the current Republican governor has been a disaster. His economic policies have caused our state to lag the rest of the region in recovering from the Bush Recession. His on-again, off-again bromance with SCROTUS has tarnished his tough guy image. Bridgegate was the tip of the iceberg in an administration rife with cronyism.</div>
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But just like conventional wisdom prematurely put Hillary Clinton in the White House, don’t discount the possibility of a Republican succeeding a failed party comrade in New Jersey. Democrats, who are fond of eating their young and ignoring the wisdom of the masses, may be on another path to disaster.</div>
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The party establishment jumped the gun by anointing former Goldman Sachs millionaire <span data-mce-style="text-decoration: line-through;" style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: line-through; vertical-align: baseline;">Jon Corzine</span> Phil Murphy a year and a half before the election. Make no mistake – Murphy would be a more progressive governor than any of the top-seeded GOP contenders. But whether it’s fair or not, the Corzine albatross hangs around his neck – not something that will get progressive Democrats or independent voters to the polls in an off-year election.</div>
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Republicans, of course, have their own issues. Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno has spent the last six months distancing herself from Christie. Of course, <a data-mce-href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/1/21/1271554/-Lt-Gov-Kim-Guadagno-s-other-scandal-Doublegate-dogs-Christie-administration" href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/1/21/1271554/-Lt-Gov-Kim-Guadagno-s-other-scandal-Doublegate-dogs-Christie-administration" style="border: none; color: #8e3a99; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">she has her own scandals to explain away</a> but she’s spent the last eight years courting donors and voters in her role as Secretary of State and Christie stand-in. Assemblyman Jack Ciatareli is also running. He’s good in front of a television camera and has also started to distance himself from a generally pro-Christie voting record.</div>
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Then there’s the wildcard. Saturday Night Live’s Joe Piscopo is vying to follow in the footsteps of Al Franken, another SNL alum, by entering the political fray. Piscopo has indicated that he is considering running as an independent, which could make things easier for the GOP nominee.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqkpIM_2ckkw8AFXQU09sj6C8VFYJLKLxWN8XngWq7Y-R6XUqjJmMc_6yO9OxVZSUh5-_lmD1PVabTnkanT61UBFgfoPh6mfb1XCEQxYOv7lm0OR7b1idneST_4-Y-Bq1jWGIPay46I4/s1600/pie.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqkpIM_2ckkw8AFXQU09sj6C8VFYJLKLxWN8XngWq7Y-R6XUqjJmMc_6yO9OxVZSUh5-_lmD1PVabTnkanT61UBFgfoPh6mfb1XCEQxYOv7lm0OR7b1idneST_4-Y-Bq1jWGIPay46I4/s200/pie.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
A bit of math is in order: Suppose Piscopo manages to skim off 20 percent of the votes, based on his name recognition and people who are fed up with the major parties. And assume the voter turnout is 25 percent – a tad better than the turnout four years ago. Then the other 80 percent of the people who go to the polls represent only 20 percent of the registered voters. <strong style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hence, it would only take a bit more than 10 percent of registered voters to select our next governor</strong>. This makes voter turnout the most important issue, and voter turnout is correlated with two things: money (which both parties will have) and enthusiasm – something that Murphy so far has not evoked among many Democrats and Independents.</div>
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Our next governor will become a big factor in the 2020 legislative and congressional redistricting activities. So he or she will not just set the course for the next four years, but for the next decade. It would be a good idea if people could channel at least some of their anti-Trump energy into ensuring that New Jersey’s next governor is one that our people could be proud of.</div>
Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-87610974945110548162017-03-10T12:00:00.002-05:002017-03-10T12:00:39.517-05:00Our Institutionalized Gender Discrimination<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Suppose you are a woman who wants to be appointed to a vacant seat for a particular political office. But you can’t. Why? Because that position is open only to males.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">It sounds discriminatory, and it is. But it’s codified into law in New Jersey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Members of county Democratic and Republican committees are elected for four-year terms in even, non-presidential years. By law, each district within a municipality elects one male and one female member.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">If a vacancy occurs, the municipal chair may appoint a party member to fill the remainder of the term, but that person’s gender must correspond to the assigned gender of the open seat. That is, if there is an existing male committee member in a district with an open seat, the new appointee must be female, and vice versa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">I’m not sure why this gender discrimination is codified into law. One prominent Democratic state legislator who is happy with the status quo told me that:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">“[C]hanging the regulation that requires one male and one female for each unit of representation in the county would limit the amount of diversity that we see on county committee now. There are a number of ways those wishing to get involved in their county committee can do so without holding a seat.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s true that even with recent advances, women are under-represented in elected offices. But in many South Jersey counties, as many as 50 percent of committee seats remain vacant. Assigning two women to fill unoccupied seats is one way to counter this disparity and build a bench for women aspiring to higher office. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">In 1997, a New Jersey Superior Court judge declared that a similar restriction (which required that county committee chair and vice chair be of opposite genders) was unconstitutional. <a href="http://caselaw.findlaw.com/nj-superior-court/1272197.html" target="_blank">In that decision</a> the court wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">“While it is apparent that the statute's likely intent at the time of its passage was the remedial goal of assuring equal representation in top political party leadership of the two genders, that purpose has been largely subsumed by the pronouncements of both federal and state law striking down gender-based discrimination.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Another factor causes us to question the appropriateness of the law. As written, the law implicitly assumes that gender is static and binary. Clearly, that is not the case. Today, we understand that gender is fluid and may occupy a spectrum of identity – it is not always solely male or solely female. How this would be applied under the current law is unknown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">For these reasons, the legislature should eliminate the provisions of </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">NJSA 19:5-3, which sets the regulation for county committees: “The county committee shall consist of one male and one female member from each unit of representation in the county.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Let’s fix the statute and avoid expensive court challenges to an anachronistic and unconstitutional law.</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-2229011533029950532017-01-12T16:39:00.001-05:002017-01-12T16:39:45.609-05:00Setting the Bar<div class="MsoNormal">
When Barack Obama became President of the United States, the bar for success was quite high. After all, an African-American (or a woman for that matter) would have to work twice as hard just to stay even in the court of public opinion.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Obama’s administration was generally successful, given the stated goal of the Republican Senate and its Majority Leader to defeat him at all costs, regardless of the consequences. Health Care, the Environment, and LGBTQ rights were among the successes. Not as prominent, but probably more difficult was the reduction of the deficit and the soaring employment numbers. Of course, much of this will be undone by Trump.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So while the bar was high for Obama, where should we set the bar for Trump? Given his general incompetence, his “me first” attitude, and his coven of crazies, I will consider the Trump administration successful if by the end of it he hasn’t started World War III. But I’m not optimistic.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-40628543504331917132017-01-01T09:26:00.000-05:002017-01-01T09:27:08.812-05:00Why I Will Watch the Trump Coronation<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s an effort afoot urging people to boycott the telecast of Donald Trump’s <s>inauguration</s> coronation on January 20. The rationale is that Trump adores attention and by keeping the television ratings low, it sends a message. Nothing could be further from the truth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_MmTgJCjeVg_Uuph_9Avl1MDRTC16KMLZOH_hl216YfwMylKWV4t14Iar2h53wR8ssl8gcSx_q8Qv1CYG5O3t2JL-bP64nfxC_SpS9c3CNFUUc2VcaPSg7GuRc7cImLckjN4CzEFMWk/s1600/4aa3c4e7c6c23682dff17fd422749bcd840a822b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_MmTgJCjeVg_Uuph_9Avl1MDRTC16KMLZOH_hl216YfwMylKWV4t14Iar2h53wR8ssl8gcSx_q8Qv1CYG5O3t2JL-bP64nfxC_SpS9c3CNFUUc2VcaPSg7GuRc7cImLckjN4CzEFMWk/s200/4aa3c4e7c6c23682dff17fd422749bcd840a822b.jpg" width="185" /></a></div>
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I’m not a psychologist, but it is apparent that part of Mr. Trump’s denial of reality is that he twists facts to conform with his notion that he is the center of the Universe. If the ratings are low, he will blame that on anyone but himself. Perhaps he will once again excoriate the television networks. Or come up with some other cockamamie story to justify his self-centered world view.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We are at a crossroads in the history of the Republic, and we have a chance to bear witness to one of its failings. American exceptionalism is a myth – a worthwhile goal, but devoid of reality. While we are a nation that espouses freedom and democracy, our history is clouded by numerous sins like the treatment of Native Americans, the lynching of African-Americans, treating women as second-class citizens, internment camps for Japanese-Americans, and the refusal to admit Jews trying to escape Hitler’s gas chambers. Like those sins, the flawed election of a racist egotist is something we will have to live with and work to mitigate.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Just as I was glued to my television set after the Kennedy assassination, and after the 9/11 attack, I will bear witness to the latest tragedy that is about to befall this nation. Turning off the television on Inauguration Day is akin to an ostrich sticking his head into the ground. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It won’t be pretty. My blood pressure will rise when Trump delivers what is bound to be an incoherent and scary speech. But out of anger comes strength, and I’ll be on the streets the following day supporting the We are Women march. And I’ll continue to protest, to donate to progressive causes, and to blog as long as my First Amendment rights are still intact.<o:p></o:p></div>
Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4277252353094864173.post-14442842628060209912016-12-03T09:51:00.000-05:002016-12-03T09:51:48.898-05:00Governing is not a Popularity ContestWhile much of the weekend’s media attention was focused on President-Elect Donald Trump’s faux pas with China, there is another serious and related blunder being perpetrated by the Grifter-in-Chief that will have a deleterious impact on America’s economic leadership in the world.<br />
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Relegated to page A13 of today’s New York Times is an <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/business/dealbook/silicon-valley-chiefs-absent-trump-cabinet-of-business-advisers.html?_r=0" target="_blank">article</a> outlining how Mr. Trump is surrounding himself with Wall Street cronies on his Strategic and Policy Forum and eschewing participation from the Silicon Valley technology sector.<br />
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This is not surprising because while Wall Street generally supported Mr. Trump in the election, Silicon Valley generally supported Hillary Clinton.<br />
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It’s also not surprising when you consider the difference between Wall Street and Silicon Valley. Wall Streeters make their fortune by promoting elaborate schemes that use other people’s money while minimizing their own risk. When things go bad, they depend on government bail outs and tax breaks. Silicon Valley actually invents and build things that improve people’s lives, and its companies live and die based on their ability to perform. Trump made his fortune by emulating the Wall Street paradigm, not Silicon Valley’s.<br />
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By downplaying input from the innovators, Trump is losing the opportunity to keep America in the forefront of economy-driving technologies like the Internet and the biomedical market. Other nations (which have far superior educational systems) will fill that void, further threatening America’s global economic leadership.<br />
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A leader does not surround himself with toadies, as Trump has done with his cabinet and is doing with his economic advisors. Trump obviously feels that the election is still ongoing, as evidenced by his rallies, his off-the-cuff pronouncements (see: Taiwan), and his selection of advisors.<br />
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I’ll end this piece the same way that the Times author ended his – talking about General Electric, but with a touch of personal nostalgia. From the Times article:<br />
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“The most curious selection [to Trump’s panel] may be that of John F. Welch Jr., the former head of General Electric. The current G.E. chief, Jeffrey R. Immelt, a Republican, is not on the list of advisers. Mr. Immelt had criticized Mr. Trump comments about Mexicans and Muslims.”<br />
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I was an employee of GE Aerospace during Welch’s reign, and twice had the occasion to meet him. The fact that he was not a nice person is irrelevant. Prior to Welch, companies like GE supported the Department of Defense with systems and equipment through various contracts, with profits and patriotism taking equal footings. In 1993, Welch sold GE’s defense business to Martin Marietta. This was the start of a massive consolidation of America’s defense suppliers from dozens of companies to less than a handful of big players today. Competition is virtually nonexistent, the defense budget is up, and is somewhat dependent on perpetual wars and continued global tension. Trump and Welch are cut from the same cloth, so it’s no surprise that Immelt was ignored while Welch was named to “help” his kindred spirit Trump.<br />
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Deciminyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564328932408891465noreply@blogger.com1