The old legal notion that the only defense against slander is the truth doesn’t apply when it comes to political campaigns. And with the campaign being waged against Gov. Jon Corzine, this has never been truer.
Angry taxpayers fed up with living in the state with the highest taxes in the nation need someone to blame, and many have decided to blame the Democrats.
This isn’t just being fueled by Corzine’s Republican opponent, former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie, but by a national trend that has inspired misguided tax revolts such as the recent Tea Party protests in Washington, D.C.
As the 2000 presidential election showed, America appears to be split right down the middle politically and for many of those who opposed the so-called liberal leanings of President Barack Obama, these feelings have exploded into the streets. This is partly because the Republicans see themselves losing each branch of the federal government that they formerly controlled under Republican Pres. George W. Bush.
Using techniques developed by the far left in the 1960s, the radical right has begun a campaign of misinformation deliberately designed to undermine confidence in the current Democratic leadership. Mythmaking has always been key to such campaigns, exaggerating facts to frighten the public into supporting questionable causes.
One National Guardsman in Burlington Township recently compared students singing a song about Obama last February to the brainwashing techniques used by the Nazis to educate Hitler Youth. With this kind of insane rhetoric being used to wage a political war, facts do not stand a chance.
Part of this backlash against Obama (and by default any liberal Democrat) is the lingering fear of cities and violence, and the white flight that took place in the 1950s and 1960s. Conservatives may also be suffering the same fate as they did after WWII, watching their children adopt liberal values as one generation clashes with another.
Bayonne Mayor Mark Smith recently pointed out all of Corzine’s successful efforts to solve the state’s economic problems. But factual or not, these successes can hardly undo the campaign of myths waged against Corzine in the hearts of angry voters looking to strike back at somebody for lost jobs, high taxes, and other social problems.
Internet sites are filled with suburban Republicans claiming they have to shoulder the burden of supporting the poor. Underlining all these prejudiced arguments is the assumption that poor people must be lazy; otherwise they wouldn’t be poor. This falls back on the already discredited 17th century notice of the wealthy being “God’s stewards on earth,” implying that successful people are some how more worthy than poor people.
Corzine’s campaign keeps issuing releases about how he is solving the state’s problems, but misses the larger issue that many people are voting against him not because the state has problems, but to vent some inner anger that goes far beyond high taxes.
The state of New Jersey and the nation itself seems to be in the middle of a new civil war being waged with savage rhetoric among people on both sides who are in no mood to compromise on anything. Even if Corzine could turn the state’s economy around tomorrow, he would still face this lack of civility among some of the state’s most privileged, partly because he is the focus of their rage.
Numbers add up for Zimmer
With seven candidates running in the Nov. 8 special election, Hoboken Acting Mayor Dawn Zimmer merely has to keep her votes from last June’s mayoral runoff to win.
Even if more voters turn out for the gubernatorial election as some predict, Zimmer with her 3,000 plus votes should be enough to win a simple majority. Councilwoman Beth Mason, former Municipal Judge Kimberly Glatt, and former School Board Trustee Frank Raia will likely draw from the remaining votes that were cast in last June’s election for Cammarano.
This could change if Zimmer does something foolish beyond the silliness at the County Clerk’s office and the petition-submitting confusion.
The Mason camp, however, is hoping to lure back the votes that went to Zimmer after Mason lost the May election.
Glatt supporters are hoping to galvanize the Cammarano votes, especially if Mason can successfully reduce Zimmer’s vote totals.
Mason has a 2,500 vote base; thus, she needs to make up 500 votes while keeping Zimmer from gaining any.
No dissention in the Mason camp
Thom Ammirato has been named the official spokesman for Beth Mason’s campaign for Mayor of Hoboken, replacing political consultant Paul Swibinski, who was serving temporarily in that role. Although some opponents see this as a repeat of the behind the scenes political musical chairs the Mason campaign suffered last time. Insiders say Swibinski wasn’t supposed to be spokesperson for the campaign.
Republican mayoral candidate Nathan Brinkman is doing a poll currently. The Mason team is expected to start its poll as soon as Brinkman’s concludes. The Mason people are looking to determine the impact of their recent negative campaign on reducing Zimmer’s lead.
Secaucus Democrats vow not to give up, even though their mayoral candidate, former Mayor Dennis Elwell, was forced to resign after being charged with taking a bribe.
Led by Democratic Party Chairman Vincent Prieto, the three Democratic council candidates held a rally at the La Reggia hotel hall last week, drawing more than 150 people.
The Democrats, who seemed to have lost steam last month, may put up a fight after all.
In Bayonne, six candidates are getting ready to seek the seat left vacant by last May’s resignation of Anthony Chiappone. Although it may seem pointless for candidates to expend so much energy on a term that will end on June 1 next year, many see this as testing the waters for the regular election in May, when the mayor and all five council seats are up.