Opinion

There's some specualtion that Gov. Jon Corzine will name Jaimee Gilmartin, a veteran Democratic operative and former aide to Richard Codey, as his new Appointments Counsel.  Does that mean Michellene Davis is out, or is she getting Brad Abelow's job as Chief of Staff? >

Some sad news: U.S. Marine Lt. Jason Mann, the brother of former Camden County Republican Freeholder candidate Bill Mann, was killed in action in Afghanistan this week. Lt. Mann was the father of one child, and was married to a Marine. >

Some Democratic leaders are talking, again, about the possibility that Gov. Jon Corzine might be interested in a federal post if Barack Obama wins the presidency.  Rumors of Corzine’s interest in a cabinet post came more frequently when it looked as though his favored candidate, Hillary ... >

Former U.S. Sen. Bob Torricelli says The Record is dead
The Record announced yesterday that it was closing its Hackensack offices and "reinventing"itself. It was actually announcing its own death without the ... >

Everything that I admire and fear about the Democratic Party was on display this week. The compassion for creating affordable housing and the insensitivity to economic growth were both reflected in the new COAH rules.

New Jersey needs affordable housing. Young workers and people on modest ... >

The rules that govern the Democratic Party's Presidential Delegate selection process are the result of thirty years of conflict. National conventions have been divided and reform commissions have fought into many long nights. There's really only one major reform in recent decades that ... >

NJ STARS, while failing in its intended purpose, nonetheless demonstrates the need for fundamental reform in NJ's high schools. >

Trenton created the property tax monster; now, with A-500, the Democrats want to make it worse. >

McCain announce his intention to appoint real judges, and both teh Times and the Journal muff the story. >

It’s not often a congressional seat opens up in New Jersey – so you would think that all editorial eyes would be focused on any and all campaign story angles in the open districts – especially the hometown dailies. 

So when the 3rd District ... >

Twenty months ago The Daily Record's Bob Ingle gave the SCI an "A+" for its report titled "Taxpayers Beware" which detailed how "hidden perks greatly inflated the value of school superintendents' compensation" (The Daily Record, 10/16/06).

Sound ... >

Another fiscal-cutting measure still lies on the Governor's desk -- it's the one that reduces spending by way of statutory tweaks to the state's negotiated union contracts with public employees.  >

“Capitalism is responsible for the current food crisis and starvation around the world,” the voice on the radio said. “Attend our Introduction to Marxism conference this Friday and learn about the merits of Marxism.” Driving up the New Jersey Turnpike, I was shocked to hear this commercial ... >

The 2009 New Jersey State Budget  is not the stunning tribute to sound fiscal policy The Trenton insiders  would have you believe, but just a shallow campaign scam that reeks of political showmanship, while failing to address the state’s dire financial woes. >

Last fall, the state conducted its second “Fair and Clean Elections Pilot Project” which included state Senate and Assembly races in legislative districts 14, 24, and 37. The first pilot project took place in 2005 and included assembly races in two legislative districts –the 6th and 13th. ... >

For the past few weeks, I've watched with fascination as politician after politician have appeared on a beach or a boardwalk and declared their opposition to off-shore drilling.  It is a classic example of the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) phenomenon.  In New Jersey, opposing off-shore drilling ... >

The budget proposed by Gov. Jon Corzine has produced myriad negative reactions, featuring various interests seeking to limit the impact of the cuts he has identified. Lost in the minutia of how much money will be saved by eliminating various executive departments and agencies, or how small towns ... >

In preparing for a presentation I gave at the New Jersey Political Science Association meeting last week, I spent some time reviewing the exit poll data compiled by the New York Times. In assessing whether or not moving the New Jersey presidential primary from June to February was worth the ... >

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More from PolitickerNJ.com:
Round One: Torricelli on The (Bergen) Record
Round Two: Doblin takes on Torricelli >

Telecom immunity. Public financing. Faith-based initiatives. NAFTA. Just words? >

As the presidential race heats up, both parties are looking at so called swing voters, those who have in the past gone from one party to another dependent on the candidates and on the issues.  One of the largest groups is the Catholic vote.  Once solidly Democratic and working class, Catholics ... >

Recently, I walked into a large movie theatre with my wife Barbara to see "Sex and the City," the long, long rendition of themes that animated the television series: single, older women with money and time on their hands living in the greatest city in the world and complaining about ... >

As George W. Bush finishes up his second term as president, some historians and political pundits have already presumed history's judgment on that incumbent.  With the publication of Bush's former press secretary, Scott McClennan's memoir those retrospective judgments have already ... >

As labor is burning, our National union leaders are fiddling. Some of them are simply arsonists. While the labor movement has made tremendous progress in the past, every working American knows that we are facing exceptionally challenging economic times and a union movement that continues to ... >

As the Presidential election draws closer and closer, we tend to focus our attention on the daily horse race between the candidates and lose sight of one key question recently raised in the Washington Post: What can our elected officials actually do for us?

As a union leader, I ... >

A hugely misguided attempt to eliminate the Department of Agriculture is the spark which has lit an angry fire which took over West State street recently as an unlikely combination of farmers with goats, pigs, tractors, ... >

Among the nearly 1 million residents of Bergen County, approximately 0.4 percent are on the county payroll. But that figure jumps precipitously -- to more than 40 percent -- for one group of Bergen residents in particular: Democratic municipal chairs loyal to Bergen County Democratic Organization ... >