More shocking to me than the slim margin of votes with which incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy defeated Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli was the defeat of state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester.
As a conservative Republican living in the bluest of blue states, I thought that Sweeney was our only hope to stop the political madness in New Jersey. I was resigned to voting for him for governor had he been able to wrest the Democrats’ nomination away from Murphy.
Sweeney proved he could work with Republicans, and particularly with former Gov. Chris Christie, in their attempts to rein in the public-employee unions and other tax issues. This led the New Jersey Education Association to spend almost $5 million in a failed attempt to defeat him for his district Senate seat in 2017.
During Murphy’s first two years in office, the Senate president challenged him on his many missteps. However, for the past two years, Sweeney did a complete about face. For Sweeney to be beaten this year by Republican Edward Durr, who had no political experience, no name recognition, no campaign money and an almost nonexistent campaign staff, boggles the mind.
Granted, I don’t speak often to those who live in the more affluent towns in Bergen County, but those who live in this area are fed up at seeing their standard of living being destroyed by elected Democrats at every level of government. Hence, the defeat of Sweeney, the second most powerful Democrat in the State of New Jersey.
Armand Rose, North Arlington
This is what the voters said, Mr. Speaker
Regarding the article “(State Senate President Stephen) Sweeney is out, but Coughlin will stay…” following Nov. 2 legislative seat losses by Democrats:
Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, was quoted as saying, “There was clearly a message that was sent by voters last Tuesday. We’re going to sit down and figure out what that was… .”
Let me help him out. The message from Virginia all the way to New Jersey was quite clear. Americans are rejecting the ultra-liberal and progressive policies Democrats are trying to foist upon them.
From the border disaster, to vaccine mandates, to spending huge amounts on “social safety net” programs that can add to our overwhelming national debt, to trying to usurp our children’s education with progressive propaganda, to “defunding” our police, Americans are saying “No!”
The red trickle that began at the ballot box in 2021 will become a red tsunami in 2022. Ignore voters like me at your peril.
Barbara Wirkus, Kenilworth
Three governors better than one?
The Star-Ledger’s Nov. 4 edition, covering the close gubernatorial election results, included a piece on the tightest governor’s race ever in New Jersey, 40 years ago.
Back on Nov. 3, 1981, Brendan Byrne was the sitting term-limited governor, and candidates Tom Kean and Jim Florio were 1,677 votes apart, with Kean in the lead. Due to recounts, the winner (ultimately, Kean, with 1,797 more votes) was not declared for another month.
During that month was the grand opening celebration of the Parsippany Hilton Hotel; I was invited to the affair. Byrne, Kean and Florio were all there.
When Byrne took his turn at the lectern, he complemented the development team, said what a beautiful hotel it was, and went on in his own inimitable way to say, “This is the first time in history that an invitation to an affair was sent to the governor and three guys showed up.”
He was one governor with a great sense of humor.
Bruce Long, Morristown
Make real work like clockwork
Hasn’t America “fallen” back enough under the failed policies of the Joe Biden administration? It’s time to end the “socialist” practice of giving away an hour every November, completely free.
This isn’t a new idea about daylight saving and standard time, but I propose going one step further and continuing to “spring forward” one hour every March. In just 24 years, our small businesses would be 24 hours ahead — a full day — of their global competition.
Imagine the economic turnaround that would occur if American entrepreneurs had such an advantage over their Chinese counterparts. For years, we’ve heard empty talk from Washington elites about moving America into the future. It’s time to unleash the potential of our small businesses. Make it happen, Joe!
Pete Cosma, Plainsboro
Vaccine mandate query
If the workplace vaccine mandates imposed by our miserable excuse for a president are truly being instituted to stop the spread of COVID-19, why aren’t the same mandates being imposed on welfare recipients — no vax, no check — or public-sector retirees, no vax, no pension check?
Of course, the reason is that President Joe Biden doesn’t want to alienate potential voters. Plus, people like Biden specialize in having no common sense.
Daniel Hodge, Union
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