Political Accuracy

Reading Maria Pellum’s blog this morning, I am hoping that the comments I make are not taken as me attacking her or anyone else. I am very surprised that she has not realized that what President Obama has done on a national level regarding Senator Arlen Specter’s party switching, I too have done for the last three years in Plainfield, particularly with the New Democrats.

Let us discuss then, my record dealing with New Democrats. I supported Rayland Van Blake when he ran for Freeholder. I supported Linda Carter for re-election as a councilmember. I supported Cory Storch for re-election as a councilmember. I supported Rashid Burney for re-election as a councilmember. I supported Don Davis for re-election as a councilmember. The above-mentioned individuals all ran on the New Democratic slate. I have supported these individuals in the primaries. In this last November election, I supported Annie McWilliams as well as Adrian Mapp, also New Democrats.

With that, I cannot give merit to Maria’s statements regarding my intolerance toward New Democrats. Again, I am hoping that after the June primary we can all come together as a party. For, if you really deduced Senator Specter in his transition from Republican to Democrat, one can see it was a clear-cut move. He did not spend time dancing around labels, trying to manufacture newness, however false it may be. Senator Specter’s move is one I respect because there was no gray area, Republican to Democrat.

This sort of defined practice Maria, as illustrated by Senator Specter, has not been conducted with leading voices in the New Democratic camp. Adrian Mapp and his team, for example, since his running for mayor, have publically come out as New Democrats. Just this Monday however, Mr. Mapp and his team tried to bracket themselves with neighboring towns as an Independent Democrat. This flip-flopping practicing of politics is shifty, distracting, and detrimental to our community. That sort of political practice serves self, and not community.

If you are successful in your running for a committee seat Maria, I hope that you will participate as a Democrat.

Ps

On a State level, I have a very good working relationship with all of the Republican Senate and Assembly members. Over the years, we have worked together to move the State in the right direction. A prime example: Ten years ago, I had to go to the Republican members to get Plainfield reinstated as an Abbott School District. When the Plainfield Board of Education went through the court system to try to get this accomplished, they could not get this done. With Republican support, I was able to accomplish the task. This feat was through the efforts of some of the Republican members of the General Assembly, specifically out of the Neptune district. Over the last 10 years, the City of Plainfield has benefitted over $1 billion in State aid for educational funding. Imagine how Plainfield’s taxes would look if they had to pay that $1billion out of their pocket.