Posted on 10/31/2014 8:02:13 PM PDT by Coleus
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, who is seeking an 11th term in Congress in the Nov. 4 election, struck a moderate note on social issues in a meeting with The Record editorial board, even as he criticized President Obama on many issues.
In a wide-ranging interview on Thursday, Frelinghuysen, R-Harding Township, said he favors exploring alternatives to a regional water authority’s plan to drain three Garret Mountain reservoirs — two of them in Woodland Park, at the eastern edge of his 11th District – and replace them with concrete tank farms. He called the scenic New Street and Great Notch reservoirs in his district "an asset to the community" and questioned whether drinking water could be brought in from alternative sources to allow the reservoirs to remain open-air lakes.
On a different front, he criticized Obama for limiting action in Iraq and Syria to airstrikes and said "people deserve better" than the president’s health care reform.
Frelinghuysen disagreed less with Democrats on what he considers women’s rights issues, saying that he supports equal pay for equal work, the Equal Rights Amendment and abortion rights.
"I sent my personal check to the Planned Parenthood of Northern New Jersey," he said. "My wife and I do every year."
Frelinghuysen, 68, is well-known in a district he has represented since 1995. His family has a long history in state and national politics — an ancestor was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, another ran for vice president on a ticket with Henry Clay and another was a member of Congress from 1953 to 1975.
Redistricting after the 2010 elections changed the makeup of the 11th District, adding unfamiliar territory in Passaic County. The district encompasses parts of Essex, Morris, Passaic and Sussex counties, including Wayne, Woodland Park and Totowa.
Some of the new constituents in Passaic County "will always think Bill Pascrell is their member of Congress," Frelinghuysen joked. "And I guess he has his signs all over my congressional district."
Frelinghuysen faces a challenge from political newcomer Mark Dunec, 38, a management consultant from Livingston. Frelinghuysen holds a large advantage in fundraising, collecting $210,000 and spending $308,000 from July to September. He had $440,000 on hand on Sept. 30. In the same period, Dunec raised $35,000, spent $73,000 and had on hand $19,000.
They are scheduled for their only debate at 11 a.m. Sunday on WMTR-AM 1250.
Asked during the editorial board meeting about the Hudson commuter rail tunnel that Governor Christie canceled, Frelinghuysen said, "I do think we need another tunnel" and that the issue was about finding money.
He called the Veterans Affairs health care system, recently rocked by a scandal over fabricated waiting lists, "a total disgrace, but we’re making progress."
Frelinghuysen said the president has the authority to conduct airstrikes in Syria and Iraq. He said the Authorization for Use of Military Force, which was passed in 2001 to commit U.S. forces against terrorists connected to the 9/11 attacks, didn’t need to be renewed, as some lawmakers have called for.
"We have one commander in chief, and sometimes you have to move pretty damn quickly," he said.
-- Political slogan from the 1844 presidential campaign.
Frelinghuysen should have changed his name to loam!
Sorry, but the little Republican primary voters have allowed such to dominate the party since primary elections came into being.
“I just abhor these “republican” Blue-Blood WASP politicians like: Bush, Kean, Whitman, Frelinghuysen, etc. who support Planned Parenthood and Population Control.”
Love animals, hate people. Especially the “riff raff”.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
and who from the family of Proctor and Gamble worked with Margaret Higgins Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood? None other than Dr. Clarance Gamble. Now I see the connection.
Here is a seat I wouldn’t mind losing.
Similar situation in the Illinois governor’s race. Both candidates support the killing of babies, I won’t vote for either of the evils.
Rodney is my congress critter. Like his stand on opposing
draining the reservoirs and replacing them with ugly concrete tanks.......
He’s my congressman too. He’s a good man. Pascrell was not good for us.
Rodney was against draining the reservoirs in West Paterson early.
Pascrell had to be dragged kicking and screaming to oppose the ugly tanks.
Pascrell’s power base is Paterson. I believe he wins 80% pluralities in Paterson. Keeps him in power.
I serious have not heard of this guy in 20 years. Inconsequential.
Famous political family, going back to the revolution.
Zero chance of that.
Frelinghuysen disagreed less with Democrats on what he considers women’s rights issues, saying that he supports equal pay for equal work, the Equal Rights Amendment and abortion rights.
“I sent my personal check to the Planned Parenthood of Northern New Jersey,” he said. “My wife and I do every year.”
Hey, Purists just ignore that and vote for this guy cause the Democrats are worse...oh wait he supports PP which recieves millions from the taxpayer...ignore that and vote Republican anyway cause he’ll help get Conservatives in Congress...oh wait he’s a Lib will he really do that???///sarc
He’s a republican, not a pro life conservative. He’s good on fiscal matters and national security. As a politician he took social issues off the table and neutralized his opponents that way.
A good fiscal conservative who funds taxpayer funded PP...just call him a good Democrat.
No way on earth I would even walk into the next room to cast a vote for somebody like this.
Yeah, not a household name like the Bush’s or Taft’s (probably because none of them became President, though one ran for Vice President and lost), but they’ve been in American politics forever. They might be sort of the New Jersey equivilent to the Stevenson family of Illinois. Six Frelinghuysen’s have been in Congress so far, and this list doesn’t include the other members of the political dynasty that served as mayors and cabinet members:
Frederick Frelinghuysen (1793–1796)
Theodore Frelinghuysen (1829-1835)
Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen (1881–1885)
Joseph Sherman Frelinghuysen, Sr. (1917-1923)
Peter Hood Ballantine Frelinghuysen II (1953–1975)
Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (1995-Present)
Unfortunately this RINO probably has a lifetime career in politics because of his last name. I believe he’s in a safe GOP seat.
Hmmm. Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. They Might Be Giants did a modern rendition of the "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too" campaign theme from the 1840 election, and I can see how it was pretty catchy at the time:
Wow
Quite an achievement.
He’s my representative, as well.
A complete nothing. Never a peep out of him ‘til election season.
Keeps his head down. Never takes a stand. Never issues a statement.
Supports the murder of the unborn.
When we were house hunting, I should’ve considered Congressional districts. Scott Garrett’s district is about a quarter of a mile from our house.
@!$#$%!
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.