Welcome to Freehold Township Republican Club

Considering last year’s voter turnout was in the low 20% range, the prospect for 2016 should be a substantial improvement especially being a Presidential election. New Jerseyans, not unlike others, will be primed from one of the longest and loudest primary campaigns, and likely continuing with minimally the same fervor through to the election on Tuesday, November 8^th.

Although it is possible that New Jersey voters will have “skin” in the game with Governor Chris Christie, according to Michael Symons of the Asbury Park Press,

http://www.app.com/story/news/politics/new-jersey/2015/12/18/nj-constitutional-amendments-proposed/77588874/ voters will face other important decisions. Perhaps through constitutional amendments balloting, issues such as casinos, public worker pension contributions, redistricting, and gas taxes, will likely be on the list.

So why do we vote for political leaders at all. Maybe we should support a true democracy, as reported was the Roman Empire. We’d vote for everything, not just constitutional amendments. With all that would involve, even considering just hitting the like button on Facebook, if the party in power doesn’t like the outcome, the vote would likely be overturned through some manipulative procedure or partisan Judge’s decision.

We may not even get to that point if the current redistricting plans get adopted. The party in power wants to make it even more difficult to introduce, or oppose their points of view. Under the guise of fairness, a proposal is being moved along with the prose and conviction of a snake oil salesman. I apologize to the snake oil industry. The idea will make it virtually impossible for a member of the opposite party to be heard, or as a matter of fact, be elected. And we’d be blamed for voting it in under the constitutional amendment. That will give New Jersey another first, more slanted politically than Chicago.

This is so blatant that Patrick Murphy, the highly respected and non-partisan Director, Monmouth University Polling Institute, did the unspeakable as a pollster. Risking his stature, and maybe his job, he took a strong position pleading to the Senate Committee responsible for government “to table this resolution.” To cite him, “This is a bald-faced attempt to pull the wool over voters’ eyes; making them complicit in a process that will only serve to increase their cynicism about politics.”

• Also see Charles Stile of the Record, “Is this redistricting or settling scores?” – http://www.northjersey.com/opinion/will-new-districts-be-built-with-payback-1.305790
• And, Cardinale slams “Anti-American” redistricting amendment SCR-188 is more than just a threat to democracy; it’s anti-American.: http://savejersey.com/2015/12/gerald-cardinale-new-jersey-redistricting-amendment/
• or “N.J. GOP leaders: Democrats’ redistricting plan an ‘abuse of power” http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/01/gop_leader_calls_democrats_redistricting_plan_an_abuse_of_power.html#incart_article_small
• Well they held of for now, “N.J. Dems’ controversial redistricting plan ‘dead for today” http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/01/controversial_nj_redistricting_plan_dead_for_today.html

So voter beware. Whether Democrat, Republican or Independent, be cynical. It’s a complicated process and likely to be explained with the simplicity of other memorable politician’s convictions. Remember “if you like your plan, you can keep your plan”?