From Reporting on Pork Barrel Politics … to Dressed-Up Pigs?
I’ve been to many state capitols throughout my years of reporting … sometimes to cover stories of pork barrel politics, but rarely do I see dressed-up pigs. (Of course there was also the goat in the back of the pickup truck and the dozens of tractors in front of the capitol building in Trenton, New Jersey.)
Hundreds of people, mostly farmers, their families and supporters gathered on the steps of Governor Jon Corzine’s office to demand the governor reverse his proposal to shut down the Department of Agriculture.
Governor Corzine told me he heard the protesters outside … but he didn’t go talk to them. Of course no politician in his right mind would step in front of a crowd who just drove in from across the state in vehicles that might get five miles to the gallon. And, I’m sure the protesters never expected to see him. But he heard their message loud and clear… farmers are concerned the cuts will mean they no longer have a voice in state government.
Governor Corzine promised not to turn his back on farmers, but said the bottom line is the state doesn’t have enough revenue to cover its spending… and so when it comes to making cuts, everything is on the table.
The farmers are quick to point out… they know exactly what it means to put things on the table … they put food there every day.
Dana Lewis serves as a correspondent for FOX News Channel based in New York. Most recently, Connor reported on the Mitchell Report and steroid use in Major League Baseball. He has also reported on the death of Anna Nicole Smith from the Bahamas, covered hurricanes in Texas and Florida and was live from Rome during the illness of Pope John Paul II. 
So, let’s put everything on the table. Okay, let’s sell Alaska to the Russians. We could get a great ROI. They could develop the oil and we could buy it. I’m sure congress could work out a no-money-down deal that could help us buy oil for food. Maybe France would buy back Louisiana. Gadsden must be worth something. Maybe Hugo could help us out with that one. Ahhh … government by self generated crisis.
I’m sure some of the “Ear-marks” are benificial for our communities, our sociity in general. For many years the largest % of the Ear-marks are truly beyond a waste of tax payers dollars especially when taken in consideration just as an example, the starving children, those still with out thier homes from Katrena etc.
But as Americans, sadly enough we don’t moan-an-grown to make a stand as united people as a culture to take back contol of our governing power, for we are or we should be the governing hand of power. Instead, we just moan-n-grown to complain…
Paintsville, KY
It seems that our dear Gov Corzine still doesn’t get it; you triage your budget cuts based on the productivity received from every dollar spent. If a state agency is cost ineffective, then it needs to be reassessed as to it’s viability to operate. Corzine of all people should understand how a business SHOULD run based on his sitting as the big dog at Goldman-Sachs. If the Agriculture Department isn’t functioning, then close it down or reorganize it. The spending in NJ MUST stop. Let’s stop stupid things, like the traffic light camera system. It one of many luxuries that NJ can’t afford. And the county and local governments need to follow suit. If the present municipal building is still in good shape and could be used for a few more years until the money situation stabilizes, then there’s no reason to build a new one (Bridgewater). When times are tight, you tighten your belt and figure out what is important and what is not. Government needs to analyze it’s spending on return on investment.
Governor Corzine claims it’s to save money, and will result it $2.5 million in savings to eliminate 3 departments - agriculture, personnel and commerce… I can see the headline now…
Heroic Corzine Makes DEEP CUTS as he SLASHES the budget by .01143 percent!!!
It appears to be POLITICS and it’s childish.
He already spent $7 million on out-of-state attorneys and engineers in order to try to raise toll road taxes by 800%. Nobody bought that scheme, even though he went on a marketing road-show with the idea.
I’m proud of our farmers!!!
The economic state of New Jersey’s is on the back of the tax-payers. It has caused undue hardship to many. Being a state with one of the highest per capita income ratios, it is unclear as to why all the political ramblings continue to happen. I believe it is very easy to solve NJ’s finanical troubles if all Political office holding individuals take a voluntary 10% pay cut and apply that to the state debt to help offset the highest property taxes in the nation. Many of these individuals also hold other positions and earn enormous yearly income, while the average working class families are on the verge of losing everything including their home and family. There are several school districts who have multipal superintendants earning over $100000 per year… while the quality of our children’s education suffers. Why??
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