Actually Addressing A Problem
When I compare Obama's rehtoric on health care, where he attempts to avoid any detail and runs quickly away from being responsible for making any hard tradeoffs (in fact works to fool the public into believing there are no hard tradeoffs) with Chris Christie's budget speech, the difference is startling.
Evil Red Scandi:
I'm flabbergasted. In the best possible way. Good for him.
February 16, 2010, 10:53 pmGreg:
This speech should be copied and pinned up on the walls in every elected Republican's office. When was the last time we heard a Republican at the federal level tell us "We can't afford it."?
February 17, 2010, 4:42 amBryan:
This is an incredible speach. The true test will be whether he can keep the momentum rolling for a couple of years, but it's absolutelely mind boggling to see a politician but a budget deficit and his solution to it in this sort of bare terms.
February 17, 2010, 6:47 amGo Christe!
DrTorch:
Wow, what a tremendous speech. And willing to call out those who are abusing the system. I'd love to see this in my state, and around the country.
Best of luck to Christie to get these promises fulfilled.
February 17, 2010, 7:09 amRob:
This is the most frank, bold and responsible speech I have EVER read. And I mean ever. I sincerely hope he can walk the walk. Fiscal responsibility and constitutionally limited govt. is the link that can hold independents, libertarians and conservatives together in a coalition to return this nation to sanity. I hope this signals a genuine shift in the national mood.
February 17, 2010, 7:50 amJudge Fredd:
Huh. A politician who actually speaks the truth and has the cojones to carry out a plan to save his state.
I'm impressed.
February 17, 2010, 7:58 amgideon:
Please tell me this guy is real. Please don't tell me this is some utopian objectivist character in an Ayn Rand novel. Please tell me I can actually believe that courage like this is alive and well in public service.
February 17, 2010, 10:23 amDan:
That was really great to read. I almost can't believe that is a real speech. Great for him and thanks for showing us that.
February 17, 2010, 10:51 amsch:
First he has to deal with the legislature and state employees/bureaucracy, both of which are adept at undermining executive
February 17, 2010, 11:10 amauthority. A brief review shows there is likely to be a big bump in retirees to avoid the projected cuts in future pensions
and vacation payouts (which can be saved in perpetuity for huge lump sum payouts on retiring) Arnold had big ideas for a
short time but look where he ended up. If Christie pulls it off, even in part, he is set for national office. Bureaucrats
love to jigger cuts so that the public interface is hardest hit, and the back office powers continue 'as usual'.
morganovich:
sch-
like obama, ah-nolt was way over his head the day he took office. he had nothing concrete like this, just a stack of buzzwords and professed ideal and no idea how to get there. also, in fairness, there is no legislature in the country even half as dysfunctional as california. getting anything serious done here is virtually impossible. we're going to hit the wall at full speed without every having even tapped the brakes.
good luck jersey. you've got the right idea and you give a helluva speech. make it happen.
February 17, 2010, 11:48 amroger the shrubber:
not to be a buzzkill here, but - as our Dear Leader has shown us - purty speeches don't guarantee success. i have no doubt that everything christie says is true. i also have no doubt that the joizey pols, products of a democrat machine state that's been among the top 3 "most crooked" lists for *decades* now, will do any and everything they can to torpedo this. they didn't spend millions to win an job that pays $75K so they could "help people", or "make things better". they did it to grab a seat on the gravy train, and now - out of the blue - some guy thinks he's going to put a STOP to it?? not likely, guido. nazzofast there.
recll if you will GW bush's attempts to take baby steps to fix social security in his first term. EVERYone knew SS was going broke, EVERYone knew something had to be done, so bush tried to sell the "radical" first step of allowing folks to invest all of 1% (!!!) of their money in the market. the distinguished opposition went berserk. they didn't set themselves on fire, true, (because they had a lunch appointment with a rich lobbyist that day), but they huffed and puffed and squealed like stuck pigs until bush gave up in disgust.
it'll happen in joizey. it'll happen in gollyvornia. eventually, it'll happen in noo yawk. they'll talk, and talk, and talk, and nothing will get done. then they'll default on their debts. even if by some miracle they DO figure out a way to cut costs, rest assured a judge will void it. watch it happen, buds. it's fall of the roman republic time - the die is cast.
February 17, 2010, 12:24 pmDr. T:
Great speech. Great plan. Great way to be voted out of office after one term. People want fantasy, not hard budgetary reality.
February 17, 2010, 5:01 pmJBurns:
On the NY Metro radio stations the teachers' union already is running commercials attacking Christie.
February 17, 2010, 8:31 pmNot Sure:
"On the NY Metro radio stations the teachers’ union already is running commercials attacking Christie." - JBurns
If the teachers themselves were writing the commercials, it might be entertaining. They're probably hiring people who are literate to do the job, though.
Your tax dollars at work...
February 17, 2010, 8:43 pmCraig:
Sounds like there might be business opportunities for you in NJ, Coyote. He's going to cut state park funding. He'd be receptive to your pitch.
February 17, 2010, 11:10 pmRon H.:
Wow! Just wow. If only this is true. I, like others here, will believe it when I see it.
As Coyote says, what a contrast to Obamaspeak. I sense from this speech that Christie actually believes what he is saying. This is a change from what I'm used to hearing. He also seems to be speaking more directly to the people than I am used to. Best of all, he actually mentions to unions as a problem. I have NEVER heard any politician say such a thing. Yes, probably political suicide, but If the people of New Jersey are fed up enough, he could be the new gold standard. Maybe THIS is the change we can believe in.
February 18, 2010, 1:07 pmChuck:
Wow ... I think I just figured one who I'm voting for in 2012
February 18, 2010, 2:17 pmChuck:
D'oh! "figured out" not "figured one"
February 18, 2010, 2:18 pm