11/07/o9 This page has been one music player, that's it, for 2 months. The Neil Young cover songs, or my fellow
optimistic souls reaching out for an audience like me, are on the navigation page titled "Their Way." I chose to do it that way, just felt like it. Nothing about these 2 pages made much sense anyway, other then that short explanation I just gave. It did give me enjoyment every time I saw the navigation button though.
I'll use this page, two months later, to post my answers to the candidates internet "virtual" debate hosted by the Hall Institute of Public Policy-NJ. It's probably going to get pulled any day now. Chris Christie who I pumped up in many places on this web site- did not participate in the forum. (And will I try next year to and be screwy and serious all in one, as a way to get media attention? Hell no! Thanks for nuttin' most of you folks in the media. I don't even think you visited the Hall's site....am I right? Whip off stories with the least amount of work; that's what's par for the course these days.)
Opening statement
Wednesday, 09 September 2009 17:03
Hello to the curious. And to all of us in NJ disgusted with the
current state of affairs; hello to you as well. Could things look much
worse? Is it a stretch to say that even during the great depression,
the problems may not have been as complex as what we’re facing now?
The debt structure and debt obligations back then, weren’t as gruesome
as what we have now, but most importantly there was a manufacturing
infrastructure lying dormant and poised- here and everywhere else in
our country- for a recovery. Folks I’m not running for governor as an
economics guru, soothsayer or grim reaper. The wonderful Ramapo
professor and perennial candidate for Senator, Murray Sabrin, has done
that for years- better then I ever could- and has gotten nowhere. The
process is rigged, money opens doors, and even if they weren’t closed,
I’m not executive material….however? In several different ways, I may
be the most unusual independent running this year, in both our state or
anywhere in the country.
Seven
years ago an “illegal alien,” an “undocumented person.” or whatever we
call these folks, took up residence in our house- at our invite; yes,
you just read that correctly. I’ve blogged endlessly on the internet
about it, it’s no secret- and it’s really quite interesting. Here’s a
thumbnail sketch…… if you’re interested. We started out as mere
acquaintances. One day about 7 years ago, he got short shrifted after
he’d heard, through his church, that an old Puerto Rican man needed a
roommate. He gave up the nice place he was staying at, but the act of
generosity on his end was not reciprocated on the other side-(to say
the least; there’s endless stories with this candidate) Two days
later, he showed up at our house, driving an ancient 4 door Buick Regal
with every procession he had in the world packed in the trunk of that
car. What where we suppose to do, send him scurrying?
Five
years later there was an illness in his family and now he’s been back
in Mexico- two years already, and stuck there. I’ve visited several
times and I’ve gotten to know his entire family, but more importantly-
for purposes of this discussion, I’ve become intimately familiar with
Mexico and their problems as well. It’s incredibly beautiful down
there; the majority of us don’t know that; I didn’t. I think about
Mexico all the time when I see fires laying waste every year to
California, and blizzards paralyzing half our country each winter.
Their problem is really quite simple to understand. If it wasn’t for
petty corruption wrecking the economy, very few of the 12 million here
illegally would have come over in the first place. They have
everything they need down there, and then some. It’s no exaggeration
to say, at least from my weary family’s perspective, that if not for
the petty corruption in Mexico; I wouldn’t be running for Governor.
Isn’t that a riot? Petty corruption in Mexico, not New Jersey- and we
have a former prosecutor heading the Republican ticket for Governor in
our state. Forgetting for a second another tiny problem we have in
this state, holding two elected government positions at the same time,
if Christie could simultaneously be Governor here and Governor in the
state of Morelos, Mexico, where my friend lives- I’d vote for him.
I’ve been trying for 2 years to get one reporter- the New York Times
fits the bill to a T- to listen to my (our) incredible story. You have
no idea how hard I’ve tried!!!! To those of you who write your
representatives or your local or the national news outlets, stop
wasting your time, vote for me instead. Trust me, they hardly read
what you say- and use it when it suites their purpose, not yours. Like
I said above, you have no idea how hard I’ve tried, I could be the
Guinness book world record holder. I’d invite one reporter to comb
through my old e-mails, but you see, I just fell into my own trap- they
don’t care!
Anyway back to the topic at hand (my opening
statement), and the reason I’m in this- Mexico, drivers licenses and
homeland security. The solution to this immigration nightmare is really
quite simple. A boycott by us of Cancun for starters, the illegals
not sending home one dime for several months, and us issuing drivers
licenses now and amnesty soon after, might jolt, might embarrass, might
do something- anything; to get that cockamamie government into focusing
a little less on the drug cartels, and a little more on petty
corruption by their local law enforcement. A boycott here might be the
kick in the butt they need! The 12 to 20 million here illegally are
not going home anytime soon, so lets us and the illegals, give each
other something in return- and stop arguing about immigration reform
and doing nothing.. Amnesty, border security, and fix Mexico (the
boycott). Just a pipedream on my end, or a solution to this mess-
after which we’d watch trade with Mexico double (in our favor, that’s
one “shovel ready” fiasco down there…just waiting to be delivered!)
The other nationalities here illegally, would be in on my general
amnesty, and they’d forever be grateful to us- and to the Mexicans who
would be holding back remittances, in my version of immigration reform.
Try
e-mailing this idea to the elite media, or- think of me crisscrossing
mid-town Manhattan on bicycle, “knocking on doors” like I did after
coming home from my first eye opening trip to Mexico; from a location
by the way, where I haven’t seen an American so far in 4 trips.
So does the word kook come to mind as you read this? Hopefully not,
and I now have a soap box of sorts, I’m a candidate, and we’ll see what
happens with the elite media. Think about me the next time there’s a
traffic accident and “one” party doesn’t have insurance.
Not to
be cute, but I think at this point you might be getting the picture why
I’m here. These poor other candidates might not like the injection of
immigration reform into the debate- (LOL, that’s “laugh out loud” for
any non bloggers out there), and that might be the biggest
understatement of the year. Maybe I’ve peeked your curiosity enough
that you visit my web site, because I’ve just given too brief an
explanation of my mission and there’s lot of other goodies on Stein for
Governor.com. With that said I’ll try and stay on topic the rest of
the way in our virtual debate, courtesy of the Hall Institute. Thank
god for them! I’ve been following politics since I was 12 years old,
I’m 53 years old- getting grayer by the day, and I’m looking forward to
answering the questions in the next several weeks about the economy
health care, higher education, the environment, etc.
---------------------------------------------
Question 1 Perhaps, the most daunting long-term economic challenge confronting New
Jersey is the fiscal condition of the state's public pension system.
Given today's economic and political climate, what steps would you take
to meet the state's growing pension obligations?
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 18:37
An indirect- and try not to see this as a smart-aleck answer- is to
pose a separate question and answer. “Why do I love the internet?”
You can look up anything instantly by typing in words or phrases; like
“Zero Sum Game.” When I responded to a League of Women voter’s
questionnaire the other week, each answer had a Zero Sum Game feel
running through them- I just wasn’t calling it that. Today as I write
the answer to the Hall Institute’s question #1, that phrase popped into
my head. And it’s so good for reminding fans of big government about
our new fiscal reality- so repeat over and over; zero sum game! or,
ZSG; which is to say……. we’re broke. For example if we want
universal health care, by golly, we’ll have to give up something maybe
just as big to get “that” something- or no dice. Last year I was on
the ballot for congress, (I can be stubborn), and talked similarly,
i.e., that the era of unlimited spending, and catering to special
interests is over. A new era of political maturity, initiated by fed
up (previously silent) moderate voters is beginning- and I think the
“town hallers” feel the calling. Maybe they are expressing it
differently- but intuitively they’ve been hit with ZSG itis, like me.
This new need to step up, like the parents of out of control children-
the special interests- works in the pension mathematics as well.
Here’s an example of how wisegeek.com, “the brief and straightforward
guide,” uses its own metaphor to explain- ZSG.
“A
couple's argument may perhaps be a zero sum game but it depends on the
maturity of the couple. While it might be thought that there has to be
one winner and one loser, this is not always the case. If Mr. and Mrs.
Smith are arguing about who will drive to the store, Mrs. Smith might
give in and allow Mr. Smith to drive. Hence the driver is +1 and the
non-driver is -1. Suppose a
compromise
is reached where Mr. Smith drives to the store and Mrs. Smith drives
back. Still each party to the argument has a gain equal to the loss.
The result is + one-half, -one-half, resulting in a zero sum.
Yet
if arguments are frequent, analysis of winning or losing in a single
match may be far less important than analysis of the total marriage.
Both couples may be losers by the argument if it creates mutual bad
feelings. The sum can quickly sink below zero if two people are
constantly at each other’s throats.” Gee, that’s a perfect description
of the political landscape today, isn’t it- especially the “throat”
part?
In a George Wills column last week, he focused on a state with even worse pension problems then us.
“California
has the lowest debt rating of any state, the fourth-highest
unemployment rate (11.9 percent), and its job growth rate since 2000 is
almost 20 percent below the national average. Some county and state
public safety employees retire at 50 receiving at least 90 percent of
their final year's pay, forever. Taxpayers pour more than $3 billion a
year into state employees' pension funds, 10 times more than they did
10 years ago, and still there are large unfunded liabilities for which
taxpayers are liable. More than 5,000 retired state employees' annual
pensions exceed $100,000. If public employees did not begin drawing
pensions until age 65, California would save half a trillion dollars
through 2030.
Between 1997 and 2007, the state work force,
including public school employees, grew 24 percent, to almost
900,000…….. Since 2005, state spending has increased twice as fast as
inflation and population.
And before I get the hook- my answer
to the Hall Institutes question about our own seemingly hopeless
pension problems. I reprise the League questionnaire I answered two
weeks ago. The end of an answer to question #1, all of #2 (about
pensions) and part of #3’s answer.
1……….Create jobs? That’s
easy. Don’t hire another blessed state employee for at least 5 years
and eliminate a cabinet agency or two. That’s “message one” to the
private sector that NJ is business friendly.
2. Follow this
logic. If we took the steps outlined at the end of question #1, and
cut the government payroll through attrition, eliminated several
cabinet agencies,…and retrained those employees to replace all the baby
boomers retiring soon in the remaining departments—maybe, skittish
investors would give New Jersey a fresh look and back an enormous state
bond at a reasonable rate of interest. That could provide the proceeds
to pay for the unfunded portion of the state pension plan. If the
state employees where smart, they’d grab it, because as things stand
now nothing is guaranteed.com
3. I’ve said all I’m going to
say about cutting government payroll; just remember, nobody gets laid
off in my plan. There’s going to be massive retirements soon and
that’s an opportunity as well to get a handle on property taxes.
Nitpicking to death, or scoffing at the “idea” I floated in questions
#1 and #2 misses the whole point.
The other day I flipped
open the local Atlantic City Press to a page which posed the weekly
question in a “readers contest” for a free coffee mug. They were
looking for an answer to the question, “do state employees deserve a 4%
pay raise?” What!!! That’s over the top, I hadn’t even heard! We’re
in a fiscal mess on so many levels- at the very same time we’re trying
to compete in this new world economy- how does giving state workers a
4% wage increase help solve their unfunded pension liability crisis?
How do they have the nerve, and who’s asking? The unions maybe? Hey
you with the narrow self interests! One more disruption to our economy,
another oil scare- or maybe something else, and this wobbly economy is
going down for the count. Pension problems, education, health care
will seem quaint by comparison.
--------------------------------------------
Question 2 What public policy directives would you institutionalize to balance the
need to protect New Jersey’s environment with the need to ensure a
healthy business climate?
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 15:28
Can I stay on topic more then one week? No. Here’s my dilemma- there’s
13 candidates- 3 get more then a few chances to be heard. This is one
place where the other 10 annoyances get a platform. It should be
enough to draw some media attention but I’m afraid it doesn’t. What
can I do to raise my visibility and maybe shake things up for me?
Rant,
dispense with question #2 and editorialize about something else. I’d
send a message to the business community that we’re smarter then the
other states, because as Governor I’d promote nuclear energy. If that
meant being a fool and joking we should put a reactor in the Pine Land
State Forest- because no community wanted it (along with the taxes it
would generate) --I’d still say it. Why? In the Middle East, Israel
will be desperate soon to stop, ironically, Iran’s development of
nuclear weapons. If an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities doesn’t
send oil over $200 a barrel, then some other tin-pot dictator- sitting
on his huge oil reserves- will mischievously push the world to the edge
of a global depression again.
Why the cynicism? Because
I’ve had this obsession for two years with our part of the world
(Mexico), and there’s a golden opportunity here- and nobody reacts to
all I’ve written. It’s voluminous. Jus when I get resigned to that
fact, and settle down, something else comes along and makes me crazy.
I rarely have time now for magazines or TV. The other night I did.
Flipping channels I stopped at Fox because I saw what looked like an
Israeli. What’s on his mind? Iran! They’re wacky in Iran, and what
choice does Israel have now? The world hasn’t helped us with
sanctions? In another part of the globe, in this “candidate’s” sphere
of influence- OUR BORDER with Mexico- I’ve been saying for two years-
there’s social, environmental and economic reasons to boycott corrupt
Mexico. Perhaps illegals can be the engine (me the catalyst)- not
sending remittances- if driver’s licenses were immediately made
available, and amnesty followed. The chances? As likely as an Israeli
being hopeful on the sanction Iran movement…. nil.
And the
Time magazine cover last week, “Out of Work in America.” A half page
praising Obama’s economics wonder kin, Larry Summers, because, gee- he
coined a word 20 years ago- “hysteresis,” that describes the current
American economy i.e., stuck in the down cycle. Congratulations, now
we know, you took the Greek word “husteros,” meaning late, and created
a derivation. So? Has this bureaucrat created any jobs? No.
Leading
to me, the “candidate,” one of the unwashed masses; an office cleaner,
who’s on to something with immigration reform- and coincidently- the
new jobs that go hand in hand. Seems like we could use some of those.
The “candidate,” who wants one New York Times reporter to call so we
can discuss- what the hell I have such a hard time explaining in a few
paragraphs. I’ll never be Governor and I don’t write well. I have
good power of observation, I’ve some business savvy and more then a
little common sense…..but I can’t do this story justice. Call me New
York Times sharpie, I went the extra mile and ran for Governor for god
sakes!
Here’s the inelegant mish mosh once more!!!!! There’d
be jobs created here ((and Mexico (F’n Mexico, that seems to be the
attitude)) if we’d boycott. It’s only one third of North America after
all- going in reverse- and we can fix it- without any soldiers or tax
money, if we can indirectly help eradicate the culture of petty
corruption. Amnesty for our illegals- who wouldn’t send remittances
back- is the generous pay back if this seems harsh!
Husteros-shutmeros, Mexico is the purest expression of yet another
trendy economic phrase- “SHOVEL READY.” What’s more, it’s an
environmental fiasco. I’ve been asked about New Jerseys environment,
New Jersey is part of North America and so isn’t Mexico- the pollution
doesn’t discriminate.
Maybe the Chinese can step in and crack
the whip if we won’t try it my way? I’m joking, but it’s a shame we
don’t use the amnesty card to ours, and the poor Mexican citizens
advantage. An awareness of my campaign could start a talk radio buzz
and maybe illegals would stop sending those remittances, (in exchange
for drivers licenses- leading to amnesty!) – giving Mexico’s, Felipe
Calderon, who is honest, the cover he needs to begin a campaign to
attack corruption in the small towns. Here’s the novel follow through
for the hundredth time- they arrest a few hundred skunks- causing the
rest of the bums to pause- and consider, and re-consider, and consider
again….because the whole damn world is now watching!! I can recite
this in my sleep! I’ve been there, in the remote regions, I’ve been
rousted, I’ve observed, and I’ve kissed the ground when I’ve come
back. Al Gore where are you????? It’s an environmental disaster in
Mexico. If the New York Times doesn’t know I exist (I e-mail
constantly) we’ll go to Mexico hand in hand.
I’ll conclude this
scourge and try making amends for being off topic, by getting on topic-
here’s another fantasy. Go to my web site- click on “The Defiant
One” I wrote in one very snobby political blog, about an idea that
would be great for New Jersey’s environment and business climate. This
far, far left wing blog is called- the Daily Kos, and I don’t think I
mentioned Mexico once: “Electric Cars, Health Care, Being Banned” (I’ve
been banned several times). I suggested it would be great policy if
the government ordered a half a million very limited range electric
cars and leased them to us for $100 a month? Legal on local roads
only, and at no cost to us to insure (you still need your other cars,
the insurance companies still write the same $business). The details
are there and I’m at the end of my 1000 word limit.
---------------------
Question 3
Studies conducted by the Hall Institute have shown that the cost of
public higher education in New Jersey has increased at a pace higher
than the rate of inflation. What actions should be taken by state
government to control rising tuition rates? What actions should be
taken by New Jersey’s public colleges and universities?
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 15:00
I haven’t the foggiest notion? First off, I have no experts advising
me, and secondly, the peevish candidate is more peevish then usual this
week. To wit: if I hatched a brilliant idea how to cut run away costs
of higher education, would anybody care! The 9, or is it 10 of us
romantics, running purely for our health- we have no money……and money
is access. I could postulate the next great advance in quantum
mechanics, line up all the conjugate variables- and with my other hand-
balance the budget, and nobody would NOTICE! The other Einsteins in
this race- who nobody’s heard of either, could do the same. It’s a
Christie, Corzine, Daggett gala, and we’re on the outside looking in.
For
instance, take my answer to last weeks question about whether the
environment, and a healthy business climate can co exist?. Sure, I
skirted around the issue- hoping wacky translates into attention- (but
I did throw a provocative idea out there; about the need for nuclear
energy now, before $5 a gallon gas makes the environment last on every
ones mind). And yes, I talked about an economic boycott of Mexico
again- as I’m wont to do. Mexico, believe it or not tied into the
original question. Mexico, Iran and New Jersey. Iran? Just so
happens I was also clairvoyant! In my unfocused (focused) answer about
the environment, I alluded to Iran’s President Mahoud Ahmadinejad; I
wrote that sanctioning Iran now, rather then waiting for Israel to bomb
the trouble makers, is similar to my own wish that all of us,
especially illegals, would boycott Mexico. I’m a big picture guy. The
answer was due on a Tuesday; I had no idea that Iran’s screwball
President would be speaking at the United Nations later that day.
Who in the media even noticed that my meandering answer really did make
a lot of sense? Hey! All you friends who I’ll never meet- working two
or three jobs to pay the mortgage- or those in your home watching
dancing with the stars; the leaders of Iran built a nuclear facility in
the mountains and we just found out. $5 gas is coming; all these other
questions, including one about higher education, will quite possibly be
irrelevant soon.
9/29 The previous two paragraphs were the
outline of my answer to question #3 as of Sunday. Yesterday I read a
full page article in my local paper about out of control state pension
obligations- and that’s when my scorn for this process got very
personal. All Big 3 again -Corzine, Daggett, Christie. The Hall
Institute for Public Policy- and their executive director- are
implicated in my mind as well- by feeding right into this penchant for
shutting the rest of “us” out. I quote, “…the Hall Institute, a
Trenton think tank, made it the first question (pensions) in an online
‘poll.’” ..... (???, It was a “questionnaire!” And we all answered.)
The article, with Mr. Riccards- the Institute’s Executive Director
adding his take- went on to quote the 3 Kahunes. Pissed, I immediately
placed a personal call to Mr. Riccards- and after a brief conversation-
one to the Atlantic City Press editorial department. Thereupon I
hastily composed a letter to the editor- which intuition tells me will
never be published. It might be perceived as giving comfort to an
imbecile, which is what I am for ever getting involved in this race in
the first place!
The letter:
Hello my name is Gary Stein,
I’m a candidate for Governor, and nobody from this paper, all the way
up, to- and including- the phony elitist news organizations in their
gilded New York corporate headquarters- gives a hoot what I think, and
trust me, by extension what you think either- unless there’s 1000 of us
screaming mad citizens at a town hall meeting, or tea party- making a
spectacle of ourselves!
This Sunday there was nearly a full
page article about the disgusting out of control NJ state pension
obligations- and not one word from this humble candidate- who actually
gave a very thoughtful answer in the Hall Institute of Public Policy
questionnaire-- referenced in the article-- about pensions! If the
Press reporter, Mr. Dereck Harper, couldn’t find it because the Hall
Institute used my answer to question 2 about “the environment” twice,”
(they must have really liked it) he could have called me, after all, I
just realized it myself…….right after the man from the moon-me- looked
it up (on-line) to make sure I didn’t (submit) it in Spanish!
What
was my answer? Who has time in a 250 word letter to the editor from
Joe 6 Pack, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Joe the Plumber, or Gary the
Office Cleaner---which is what I am!!! Please google Hall Institute, I
notified them- and Mr. Riccards- their "executive director" who was
actually (gee how about that, no kidding) quoted in the Press article-
to please kindly reprise my answer to the pension question- I’d be very
much obliged.
That’s exactly as written by this newly crowned
“Merry Prankster.” It’s a letter the residents in South Jersey will
never see. A (dead) old hippie had it right… “The answer is never the
answer. What's really interesting is the mystery. If you seek the
mystery instead of the answer, you'll always be seeking. I've never
seen anybody really find the answer-- they think they have, so they
stop thinking. But the job is to seek mystery, evoke mystery, plant a
garden in which strange plants grow and mysteries bloom. The need for
mystery is greater than the need for an answer."
-- Ken Kesey
It’s
come to this. I’ll never help my friend in Mexico- back home almost
two years. I haven’t been able to reach him in three weeks either- I
get a busy signal like the phone is disconnected. Since I’m not a
violent person by nature, a slightly insane- creative writing might
relieve the stress. Ironically, I believe I’m the sanest person I’ve
ever met?
---------------------------------------
Question 4 New Jersey is entering uncharted waters this fall by electing a
lieutenant governor for the first time in state history. Please provide
a job description for the duties and responsibilities of the lieutenant
governor in your administration.
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 17:43
Oh, please? Come on! Lieutenant Governor? Nice time for a seventh
inning stretch; or an opportunity to shamelessly run a string of sports
metaphors during the baseball play-offs? Do any candidates, me
included, know who’s playing? Yankees, Phillies and....? That’s what
I know. Maybe next year I’d name the teams, but right now I (we) have
campaigns to run, and questionnaire’s to answer. And guess what?
Nobody knows some of “us” exist! Lieutenant Governor??!! What a
softball! Not tricky at all. One palooka (maybe all… but not me) will
get the booby prize(s) for answering wrong. If anyone dares list what
duties they’d assign the new Invisible Man/Woman, they're not qualified
to lead this sinking ship. Oh, did I imply one of us “nobodies” has a
chance at winning? I nearly got lost in fantasy. Speaking of which- I
never saw “Field of Dreams.” I did like Robert Redford’s movie, “The
Natural.”
Job duties of my new Lieutenant?? I’m a busy guy; I said that
one or two questions back. Or maybe it’s in one of those other dot-
org. questionnaires? Hey! New Jersey 101.5 FM, do you read all this
crap we submit? I doubt it? But did you ever consider there might be
a diamond in the ruff from this bunch; someone who’s entitled to the
protest vote? Maybe me? I’m a one man campaign, I can’t contact
everyone- including 101.5- just the NY Times endlessly. I’m a harried
home owner barely keeping up with the maintenance; and I’m half partner
in a small business. The wife and I (the much more busy other half of
our business, and my Lieutenant Governor nominee ha, ha) also have a
mortgage payment each month…… and let’s not forget the sickeningly high
real estate taxes, that thankfully are automatically included in the
mortgage. I’d hate to pay that real estate $9000 nut in one large
sum. Lieutenant Governor hmmm??!! I don’t know what this dumb,
unnecessary position pays, and who hatched the idea for one more lackey
to follow the governor around. Is this the legacy of the McGreevy
“boyfriend” fiasco- and ex Govs. abrupt resignation- maybe I’ll
research it. Why bother, it’s a fate accompli; the position now exists
unfortunately.
What’s important is the fact that the idea was floated and passed during the current administrations tenure.
Mr. Corzine! All of us- including you- are talking about the
ridiculous and unnecessary layers of government in New Jersey which, go
figure, has inevitably led to....deficits! You, an independently
wealthy man who financed his own campaigns for Senator and Governor- a
billionaire (or close to), a big Wall Street CEO.... how did you let
this position get created? You should have stopped it in its tracks;
you should have made a statement loud and clear. You obviously
didn’t! Furthermore, you should have blown your stack and shut the
government down one year ago, when the employees union refused to give
up their precious state calendars which cost taxpayers a half million
dollars every year to print. Maybe that line item expense was axed on
the QT- but that’s not how you send a message these days. Wall Street
smarts my foot. I stood 10 feet from you two years ago at the
community college; back when you crisscrossed the state hoping to build
support for your budget- and I asked you a pointed question. I was
nervous as hell - but who gives a hoot now- I’m crazy these days. I
challenged you to defend your position - to wit; unlike previous
Governors who piled up awful pension obligations, you weren’t “kicking
the can down the road”. I asked how moving the retirement age from 55,
to is it 60, FOR NEW HIRES ONLY, wasn’t in fact- “kicking the can down
the road?” I specifically stated that by the time a “20” something
state worker” reaches age 60- sometime around 2045 (when we’ll all be
dead) our children, and our children’s children, can expect those
now-old farts, to quite possibly have a life expectancy of ???
Hopefully, we’ll have cures for cancer and heart disease by
then.....that state worker might live forever! I’m exaggerating???
Last week, either Katie Couric, or Brian Williams, read a news item
stating that newborns can expect to live to an average age of 100. I’m
sick of being clairvoyant (two weeks ago when I mentioned President
Ahmadinejad- the day he spoke at the U.N.- the day I submitted Question
2 about New Jersey’s environment?? Start worrying a lot about that guy
instead!).
I’m tired. I just want one NY Times reporter to
travel with me to- shout it candidate- Mexico, (yea!!). (See
www.steinforgov...... while formerly Mr. Shy- gets back to landing more
body blows). Governor, was there acknowledgment of these actuarial
possibilities when you negotiated with the union? If you thought
playing by Marcus of Queensbury rules was good strategy- then you’re an
idiot. Why didn’t you ask the public to weigh in and back you? Don’t
answer; any half astute person knows why you caved. How will you
negotiate next time, (oh, I get it, you’re not running next time.....so
you’ll be tough next time- unlike last time- when you needed their
mindless block votes for this election.....OK, you have my vote this
time.....oh I forgot? I’m running, geez, you’d never know that seeing
all the press I don’t get? Getting back to that town hall meeting two
years ago; you were paying more attention that night to (cough)- Seth
(Liberty and Prosperity ) Grossman and Steve Lonegin- then someone like
me - slightly nervous – BUT ON MESSAGE ! Hey, I was so great; half my
question/statement was actually quoted in the paper the next day.
Didn’t make too much sense leaving out the other half, but that’s
journalism these days.
Question 4 (Ugh, Lieutenant
Governor??!!) I’m trying my best to forget the names McGreavy and
Golan Cipel. As Governor, I’d beg the State Legislature to eliminate
the position...... and the Homeland Security one as well.
---------------------------------------------------
Question 5 This question was about health care, the Hall Institute posted Question 4 twice but had the #5 answers below that.
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 14:47
(Voter Advisory. If you support, as I do, a major overhaul of the
health-care system, and then you, as a candidate for Governor of New
Jersey, are given a forum like this- to hammer away on the issue- a
straight forward approach might be expected. No…. not when your e-mail
address is forsaken@steinforgovernror. However, if you look past one
disgruntled candidates attempts at humor and stress relief in his 1000
word answers to the “‘Hall Institute’s’ Virtual Debate,” you might find
some surprisingly good ideas by…. “ME!”
And please note, I’m answering this in the context of a national priority, not state)
In
1968 I was still wearing short pants and 12 years old. I was a little
too young you’d think to be following politics, and rooting for
underdogs in U.S. Senate races. That year there were three men
fighting it out for Robert Kennedy’s vacated NY seat; Richard Ottinger,
Jim Buckley, (the late William Buckley’s brother)- and 90lb Little Lord
Fauntleroy’s favorite- the Independent candidate Charles Goodell;
father of Roger, the current president of the NFL. For the record, my
hero caused a split that year among the progressives, and the
conservative Buckley slipped in.
The reason I mention is- I’ll
never miss an opportunity to impress all the reporters following my
campaign with this candidate’s encyclopedic knowledge, even if the
evidence indicates, that possibly either, one- or both, those last two
facts, or assertions- are likely untrue. But someone is reading this,
I just know it; and you’re probably my kind of people- the little guys-
and my supporters aren’t stupid! Anyway, back to the year- following
the Summer of Love...... Even though I was quite young in 1968, I do
recollect how divided and torn the country was over the Vietnam War.
Nothing since, including wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the endless
fights over a woman’s right to choose, or busing (that’s an oldie) -
compares to the battle over health-care reform. Even the battle for
civil-rights, in a blurry era long ago, can’t compare to this fight;
but this is the present, we’re educated, and we learn from past
mistakes. Why are we fighting about health care?
Don’t worry, Little Lord Fauntleroy plus 40, will reconfigure the whole debate!
In
the humble opinion of one losing candidate, this nasty fight over a
Government attempt to overhaul what is about 20% of our GNP, (and I
repeat, I’m 100% for it) wouldn’t be happening, if not for a Big
Brother, 50 year orgy of uncontrolled wasteful spending; this, as a
large percentage of the citizenry watched silently from the sidelines.
Now we’re bankrupt. Conservatives are boiling, the Chinese might be
losing patience with us, and the world is in on the dirty secret.
Fiscal conservatives like me, and even moderate Democrats, have every
right to be screaming about the possibility of another giddy excursion
into the land of good intentions. Yet someone like me is panting for
Single Payer.
(Ahem, you’re overexcited candidate #13)…..At a
crossroad like this, with tens of millions either uninsured, or
underinsured, maybe the left can perform a penance, steal the
conservative’s thunder, and “right” flank the opposition. As for the
skeptical folks in the middle, who quietly say they’re against more
government meddling, maybe they could be persuaded to jump over to our
side. How? Show the right wing “nabobs of negativity,” that reform is
so important, “we’d” do the unthinkable- like horse trade two or three
Cabinet Departments and rescue what we never had a prayer of getting….
yes- aim high- Single Payer! Try this on for size; we torpedo the
Department of Labor and the Department of Education? I’m going to pass
the baton soon; I only have 1000 words to work with, and 3 weeks to
election day- (and the inevitable)- so let’s think fast. If it means
laying off 1000’s of federal employees, let them fill in at other
Departments. There will be 1000’s of baby boomers retiring soon. Blow
the minds of all us conservatives who think government expansion is an
inert law of physics.
In reality, this is pure whim on my part;
I know it. Why? I thought we’re all mad as hell? We are! The stars
are, ever so briefly aligned, so I’ll continue. Whatever gross labor
injustices are being investigated, somewhere in the vast Labor
Department- which I’d sacrifice- couldn’t those same labor issues be
handled by folks at Justice? That’s why it’s named JUSTICE
Department. The Department of Education? Really, I’ve heard “it”
bandied about for elimination since Ronald Reagan proposed killing it-
soon after Jimmy Carter created it. The symbolism alone; the
juxtaposition of those two ex- Presidents, one still living, in the act
of axing one small department; might be liberating to the “more is
better” crowd, and might flummox the haters of Single Payer- my fellow
conservatives. Former President Carter, come out and support me, help
us get Single Payer and you’ll win a second Peace prize. It might
usher in a new era of cooperation (….or just raise a few eyebrows here
in this “virtual” debate.)
Will Carter be swayed by my argument?
(Cough) This is uncharted waters, I doubt it. The few left wingers
reading this, (and those not reading this) masterpiece will immediately
quibble with some of my assertions. They’d say the biggest expansion
of the federal government occurred under “Bush.” To that I’d reply,
that’s true, thanks to the war in Iraq and the Homeland Security
Department- but here’s the distinction my friends, nobody on the right
is proud of that fact.
We’re fast running out of room, so let me
finish this enigmatic flight of fancy with a flourish. I volunteer,
yet another renowned American, to get on board my derailed campaign. I
duly nominate the hugely successful- Ford Motor Company President and
CEO, Allan Mulally –as the perfect businessman to lead a giant new
bureaucracy overseeing Single Payer. It’s been 49 years since another
competent Ford Chairman joined the “Best and the Brightest.” It's a
chance to redeem the auto industry and save the health care debate; and
I can say these things- and I did.
----------------------------------------
Question 6
New Jersey has a long history of corruption in government and
politics. Aside from enacting and enforcing strong ethics laws, what
can be done to change the “culture of corruption” in our state?
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 15:21
Voters! Last Thursday all the Independents (except one) showed up for
a candidate’s night hosted by the Mayor of Riverdale. Our newly
crowned media darling, Chris Daggett, sort of an unknown 2 months ago,
was too busy to attend. Understandable, we’re viewed as whackos; but
he was also too busy to answer question #5 of the Hall Institute’s
Virtual Debate about Health Care. Corzine did. Christie hasn’t
bothered with this forum since day one; that’s consistency (?).
Christie also passed on “candidates” night………the Governor too. Their
no-show at the event makes sense; a complete refusal to cover us by the
“elite media” is more problematical, “whacko” label notwithstanding.
Ten candidates, 800 signatures each- got us on the ballot. That rates
an “honorable mention” by the 4th estate in my book!
With
that bit of housekeeping done, I can’t wait to tackle question #6,
because if “Dadgummit” Daggett can’t be bothered with a legitimate
organizations efforts to pick our brains, “South of the Border” Gary
Stein always looks forward to the challenge. That’s until this
unfortunate question. I’ll give a cursory answer and then segue.
I
said all there was say about Jersey corruption on my web site. Go to
the navigation button titled, “7/23/09.” I just went there for a
reminder how creative my campaigning technique is. I was listening to
Frank Sinatra sing- appropriately, “I Won’t Dance.” There are media
players on each page; it’s a fun site. Sinatra croons, “I won’t
dance, don’t ask me, I won’t dance don’t ask…….you know what you’re
lovely…” (snap your fingers, and on and on it goes)….. “ring a ding
ding …….” Sinatra does that to lyrics, anybody know what I’m talking
about? It’s never been established precisely how much involvement
“Old Blue Eyes” had with the “families,” if any (I shouldn’t be talking
this way……) but it is fact that on 7/23/09, 44 no good New Jersey rat
fink public servants were led away in FBI handcuffs.
Again, what
else can I say? They never learn, and prosecutors are always more then
willing to nab the dumbbells. That’s the system working as it
should. The corruption by public servants and the police in Mexico is
another story altogether. Mexico! Read my web site, that swell
country is my forte, and my entrée into the governor’s race. Drivers
licenses and illegal aliens; have we forgotten? Anyway, I’ve never
brushed elbows with any crooks in my part of the hemisphere, but in
Mexico I’ve actually been an innocent victim of police- mafia style
shakedown and intimidation- several times. I met Beto, the guy in my
web-site, in Matamoras, right over the border last year. We drove two
days in a truck to his hometown near Mexico City. I was actually
threatened with serious physical violence in the town of Puebla. Beto
and I determined the night before that enough’s enough; the next time
we’re stopped for absolutely no good reason, we wouldn’t wimp out
(again). So much for theories; the next day’s events landed us at
police headquarters where the chief no less, gladly got involved and
upped the ante from the original $50-$100 at the scene of our
non-infraction, to- take a deep breath, $2000. We tried gallantly to
be small time heroes and dug in deeper. I was eventually told to take
off without Beto. That was a non starter. We were separated, he
somewhere inside, and me under their watchful eye, sitting in my
Chevrolet Suburban. When I said no, I’m not leaving without my best
friend; they threatened to beat me in the groin area, where it doesn’t
show. Long story short, the hostage standoff cost us 800 dollars- or
just enough “cabbage” for the chief… and no-one else. That’s true; the
2 police who “netted” us in the first place couldn’t believe our
stupidity in simply not paying them off earlier, thus avoiding
complications. That’s how it goes down there if you drive a car by
day, instead of night, as we did with U.S. plates announcing a rare
bird, was in town. At night they’re god damned scared of you. They
haven’t a clue who’s in the car. Not the best way to see a gorgeous
country, but safer. How’s that for minutia, N.Y Times? Call me!
Mexico’s
corruption is obviously worse then New Jerseys so I’ll stay right here
a few more years, if I can afford it. I won’t think of retiring to
Mexico until I fix things first with my much ballyhooed plan to boycott
that crummy country- our illegals leading the way- not sending home
remittances- and us in return granting them amnesty. A boycott by
their citizens living here would go a long way toward solving the local
corruption problem there; it would- if the whole world was watching.
Haven’t heard my plan discussed on talk radio? That was the master
plan? It hasn’t worked. Thanks in no small part to the non- help
I’ve gotten from Hispanic Organizations who I continually e-mail.
You’d think they’d view my candidacy kindly? Here’s the conundrum.
They could help- I’d get a 2-3% protest vote, or I get 2-3% protest
vote on my own, working night and day, but I become exhausted and drop
dead. At my wake they say what a nice guy I was, bravely promoting
drivers licenses, amnesty, and admitting I had 2 illegals living with
us under our roof for 5 years etc., etc.
Here’s the cold hard
facts, lobbyists don’t care about anything outside their narrow focus
and fund raising….even to the detriment of the community they
supposedly represent. I’d have settled for being a “useful idiot” to
the Hispanic organizations; as in,“he means well…. he’s not the best
we’d put forward…. but the klutz got himself on the ballot.”
I’m
putting my last collector vehicle on e-bay. I’m raising money one more
time to go down to that wicked country. I'll see my friend again- give
him a little extra money- and we’ll figure this thing out ourselves.
Meanwhile you apathetic, useless Hispanic non-profits, bid up the damn
1964 pick-up truck, or tell someone else to buy it!