Countdown to the 2016 Presidential Election - #7 in a
Series
Big news this week in the 2016
Presidential Sweepstakes. My state governor declared he is thinking about,
wants to, and may throw his hat into the 2016 Presidential ring.
Chris Christie wants to be
POTUS. Of course everyone knew that.
The George Washington Bridge
scandal, he stated, will be forgotten by 2016, or at least very old news.
Maybe, but I have faith in
my governor and my state. There will be more scandals and corruption and
political intrigue over the next two years. After all New
Jersey, otherwise known as the armpit of our country, has a long, distinguished
history of:
Moral decline – The 2013 movie American Hustle
publicized the Abscam scandal of the 1970s, exposing business and political
corruption. A bunch of people were indicted, including a U.S. Senator (D-NJ) and other New Jersey politicos.
Moral decline and political ineptitude – New Jersey Governor McGreevy resigned in 2004
following a series of scandals involving pay to play, extortion, and sex, declaring
he was gay at the same time he announced his resignation.
Moral decline, political ineptitude and financial
mismanagement – Ever hear of Operation Big
Rig? Me neither, but you may remember the news stories. It is an FBI
investigation, beginning around 2002, into political corruption in New Jersey
involving politicians (bribery and paying for land development permits just two
examples), orthodox rabbis (money laundering), and the sale of organs (body –
not musical).
And speaking of financial
mismanagement, a financial genius Christie is not. The NJ state budget has a
‘hole’ because the amount of money collected was less than projected.
Collect some money. Spend more money. Result = Debt.
Anyway, two years is a long
time in the saga of New Jersey politics. Doubtless additional scandals,
political upheavals, financial shenanigans and Christie-isms will make
headlines before the Republicans choose their 2016 Presidential candidate.
I believe his chances of securing
the candidacy slim. The Tea Party does not like Christie or the currently
purple, blue-leaning state of New Jersey.
But in politics, anything
can happen…
The Republican wannabee field
is crowded. Besides Christie, contenders include (in alphabetical order, an attempt to be objective): Bush, Cruz, Huckabee, Jindal,
Paul, Perry, Rubio, Ryan, Santorum, and Walker. Check here for a recent contestant
popularity poll.
Unfortunately (not really) the
Republican contest may not be as much fun as the 2012 circus. The Republican
National Committee established new rules limiting the number of candidates and
the number of debates – there were 20 Republican debates during the 2012 primary
season; there will probably be 10 next time.
Democratically speaking, Obama referenced Hillary Clinton’s possible
candidacy in his speech at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner a couple of
weeks ago, saying,
“Let’s face it, Fox, you
will miss me when I’m gone. It will be harder to convince the American people
that Hillary was born in Kenya.”
Republicans anticipate a Hillary
run also. Karl Rove questioned her health, citing possible issues from a
concussion suffered in 2012. Bill Clinton, however, rose to the occasion and in
turn skewered Rove.
And think about this. The
best is yet to come!
Politically, it will be an interesting race, but I will be surprised if Christie is the party nominee. Say what you will about the scandalous New Jersey (and I know you say it lovingly) but ... the Jersey shore. Which makes everything else tolerable.
ReplyDeleteOh God the silly seasons upon us. And here's me thinking NJ is the Garden State. Hillary is too moderate to get the Democrat nomination, and Chiristieis too moderate to get the Republican nomination.
ReplyDeleteObviously, it takes some kind of serious personality disorder to even want to run for political office, but I continue to get sucked into the drama time after time. Of the list, Chistie is the most appealing to me, but that it not saying much at all. There would be major rolling in the graves of my parents and grandparents if anyone in my family voted Republican. Wouldn't want to chance it.
ReplyDeleteSigh. You remind me that nothing is as awful as American politics. Maybe I'll visit a foreign country during 2016. But which one? Is there any place at all to get away from it? :-)
ReplyDeleteYou forgot ex-Goldman-Sachs, file-for-bankruptcy-with-$12-million-severance package Gov. Jon Corzine
ReplyDeleteKeep us posted...You know that the media is always late in dishing out the details.
ReplyDelete