Posted on 09/07/2007 10:37:49 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(AP) ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Trying to show solidarity with New Jersey, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday unwittingly stumbled into an issue that Garden State Democrats would rather forget: sky-high property taxes.
Speaking to the state Democratic Party convention, the New York senator thanked New Jersey for moving its presidential primary up to Feb. 5.
"I feel like I'm pretty much an honorary resident of New Jersey," Clinton said. "I just don't want you to charge me any more property taxes on top of what I pay in New York."
While most of the room laughed at the joke, several groans were heard in the ballroom of Bally's Atlantic City. New Jersey Republicans have long railed against the Garden State's highest-in-the-nation property taxes, where the average homeowner pays $6,300 a year in property taxes.
"Hillary Clinton unknowingly reminded New Jersey voters of the Democrats' most glaring political blunder since taking power: a catastrophic 40 percent rise in homeowners' property taxes," said Assemblyman Richard Merkt, R-Morris.
"With a friend like this, who needs enemies?" he said. "I kind of wish she'd spend more time in New Jersey."
Clinton did not mention the latest political corruption arrests in New Jersey, which occurred a day earlier when 11 public officials -- 10 of whom were Democrats -- were charged in a bribery scheme.
State Republican chairman Tom Wilson said he hoped Clinton would use her speech to New Jersey Democrats to call on the indicted officials to resign. Corzine did so on Friday, but not during his speech to the convention.
Clinton's property tax quip came at the end of a speech that dealt heavily with her repeated call to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq.
"If we don't begin to withdraw our troops, we are going to be refereeing the Iraqi civil war," she said. "There is no military solution to what we're facing in Iraq. If the Iraqis themselves don't make up their minds that they're going to live together, there is nothing the American military can do for them."
Clinton said President Bush has squandered the support that America enjoyed after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
"That's a tough thing to see in New York and New Jersey," she said. "The whole world was behind us. All that is in the past. We have emboldened our adversaries and alienated our allies."
Clinton said that if she is elected, the next day she would dispatch "prominent Americans" to destinations across the globe with one message: "The era of Cowboy diplomacy is over. We have to repair the damage of the Bush/Cheney years."
Her speech to New Jersey Democrats was aimed at shoring up support in the Garden State, where Corzine has endorsed her. But other prominent Democrats are supporting other Democratic presidential hopefuls.
State Senate President Richard J. Codey supports John Edwards, while the mayors of Newark and Jersey City, the state's two largest cities, are backing Barack Obama.
Clinton holds a comfortable lead in New Jersey's presidential primary polls and party officials are hopeful Clinton will help Democrats jump-start this fall's campaign, when all 120 seats in the Legislature are up for election.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
BTTT
Who?
I hope the Republicans can actually make some gains in the NJ legislature this year, as they’ve been in free-fall since after the high point FlimFlamFlorio midterms in 1991. If they can’t gain any traction this year, they’re headed towards total irrelevence as a minority party.
Damn, I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
We could still knock off Linda Greenstein in the 14th (which adjoins my district). Hamilton is the largest city in Mercer County (larger than Trenton) and it looks as though Mayor Glen Gilmore is going down in said township. Maybe if John Bencivengo has coatails, we can take out Greenstein. Nevertheless, I don't see us picking up any other potential seats in Central Jersey. Our only hope is in Bergen County, and I will not hold my breath.
Yes, and even the RINOs savior (Rudy Giuliani) is now losing in the NJ state polls to Hillary.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
It was the rodent gerrymandering that really screwed us for this decade.
Yep. It effectively gave Rush Holt the give of Trenton, to add to his stronghold in Princeton, while dividing up the swing areas in Monmouth and east Mercer between Pallone and Chris Smith.
Yep. It effectively gave Rush Holt the gift of Trenton, to add to his stronghold in Princeton, while dividing up the swing areas in Monmouth and east Mercer between Pallone and Chris Smith.
Well, I meant in the legislature. On the federal side, it was clearly an incumbent protection plan all around.
See tagline.
We did. We’re not impressed.
So the crowd was a bit smaller than expected. Oh well I imagine their $$$$ showed up via another donkey.
What ever floats your boat mate.
Meanwhile.....see my tag line.
Forgive me, the front half of the pairing is what gives us the Slick Willies. I don’t think rodent helping liberal RINOs should receive the GOP Prez nomination. Fortunately, about 95% of FR agree with that. ;-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.