Welcome to the latest installment of the NJDSC's week in review. Here's a look back at some of the news from this past week and toward the end, some of the upcoming events around the state next week:
Putting People Back To Work Is Our Number One Job
- WhiteHouse.gov: To create more jobs now, the President is sending Congress the American Jobs Act – a set of ideas supported by both Democrats and Republicans that Congress must pass right away. The purpose of the American Jobs Act is simple: put more people back to work and put more money in the pockets of working Americans.
- You can view the President's speech here:
- Chairman Wisniewski on President Obama's speech: "With unemployment still at 9.5% in New Jersey, the President put the focus exactly where it needs to be, on creating jobs and getting our economy moving again. I was pleased to see the President's emphasis on infrastructure investments for roads, bridges and schools. These projects, combined with the legislative package introduced by New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney, will help put New Jersey back to work quickly. It's disappointing that before the President even spoke, Republicans were already playing politics and trying to undermine his efforts, but I remain hopeful that given the importance of reviving our economy, the President's proposals will ultimately prevail.
- Huffington Post: Obama takes offensive on jobs.
- Washington Post: Obama also used the occasion to lay out a more long-term vision for the reconstruction of the American economy -- one that centered on reviving manufacturing.
- AP: President Obama's job plan would give over $2.8B to N.J.
- Senator Menendez: "The President's American Jobs Act will combine tax relief, unemployment insurance and smart investment to create jobs, boost our economy, and put money back in the pockets of middle class Americans. That's exactly what our states, communities, businesses and families need. It will put people back to work – like teachers and first responders in NJ who lost their jobs due to budget cuts, and construction workers who are ready to begin rebuilding our roads and bridges. It will provide tax cuts for our small businesses and an unemployment extension for our workers."
- Star Ledger Editorial: Obama's robust jobs plan, speech puts ball in GOP court.
- Congressman Andrews talked about giving a preference to rebuilding schools that use American made products over those that do not. (Video)
- Senate President Steve Sweeney announced that the Senate will spend the next several months seeking to implement a series of economic measures that will help jumpstart the state's sagging economy.
- Chairman Wisniewski released an estimate, based on a new analysis conducted by the Democratic National Committee, of the number of jobs that could be lost in New Jersey as a result of the extreme economic policies supported by the Republican Party's presidential candidates, including a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution like the one included in the Tea Party budget plan passed by the U.S. House of Representatives this summer. The DNC's analysis found that just the balanced budget amendment called for in the plan, if in place in 2012, could result in the loss of 9.5 million American jobs and more than 217,000 jobs right here in New Jersey.
Christie's Secret Koch Trip reveals call for cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid
- Audio: Chris Christie Lets Loose at Secret Koch Brothers Confab.
- Chairman Wisniewski: "Chris Christie's comments about cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, coupled with his appointment as vice chair of the RGA confirm the Republican agenda to give tax cuts to the wealthiest among us by cutting critical programs for the elderly and working poor—healthcare and Social Security. I condemn his proposals and challenge him to defend them in the light of day, where New Jersey's citizen's—his constituents—can hear about them. Democrats understand the hard work it will take to get this economy back on track, but that should not happen through conversations with political donors behind closed doors."
- New Jersey Newsroom: KochWatch.org, a Washington-based website that tracks the actions of billionaire conservative Republican powerbrokers David and Charles Koch, has asked Gov. Chris Christie's office for all records related to his secret trip to Vail, Colorado on June 26 to give the main address at a political gathering hosted by the brothers. Christie left New Jersey for the Sunday appearance without telling the public or news media, something he has done at least three other times for political matters since taking office 20 months ago.
- Philadelphia Inquirer: At secret conservative meeting, Christie suggests cutting Medicare.
- Christie's Secret Call For Cuts To Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Exposed.
- Senator Weinberg, Assemblyman Johnson and Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle called on their opponents running for State Senate and Assembly to take a position on the Governor's controversial remarks made public by Mother Jones magazine.
- AP: Gov. Christie quit RGGI pact after secret meetings with oil billionaires.
Honoring The Accomplishments Of Labor
- Chairman Wisniewski: "Labor Day is a time to celebrate the accomplishments and advances made by workers, while also reflecting on the challenges still facing the labor movement. The alliance between Labor and the Democratic Party has yielded rights that many take for granted like the 40 hour work week, minimum wage, Social Security, Medicare and workplace health and safety standards, which have all been won through the struggles of the labor movement. Moving forward, we must take the bold actions needed to create jobs and get our economy moving to put people back to work."
- Senator Menendez: "At a time when more Americans are standing up and saying we will take any work to support our families -- it is our obligation to do all we can to make sure jobs and work are more attainable. This Labor Day – as we celebrate the spirit of hard working American families who have made this nation the most productive, powerful, and pioneering nation in the world - we face recovering from Irene as well as recovering from the worst economic shock since the Great Depression with a collective spirit and resolve to pick up the pieces as we always have and rebuild our communities and our economy."
- Congressman Pallone via Twitter: Labor Day reminds us that unions are key to growing the middle class, better wages and benefits.
Congressional Redistricting Moves Forward
- Star Ledger: Job of redrawing N.J. congressional districts to start.
- Chairman Wisniewski: "The speaker, Senate president and myself worked collaboratively to pick commissioners to represent the people and geography of the state of New Jersey,"
- Former Assembly Speaker Roberts: "We should have a map that is responsive as well — a map that will allow the citizens and the voters to effectuate change when change is desired,"
- NJ Spotlight: Roberts suggested that the commission should follow a set of criteria in drawing up the new congressional map that would include compliance with the "one person, one vote" U.S. Constitutional requirement and with the Voting Rights Act's protection of existing majority-minority districts; compactness; preservation of "communities of interest"; competitiveness; fairness to both parties; and "responsiveness" -- the idea that districts should be sufficiently competitive so that disgruntled voters would have a real opportunity to vote for change.
- Video from Blue Jersey: Thoughts on NJ's congressional redistricting from Chairman Wisniewski.
Babs Caspar Siperstein Elected to DNC Executive Committee
- Chairman Wisniewski congratulated Babs Caspar Siperstein. She was elected at the DNC Fall Meeting in Chicago by the DNC Eastern Caucus as the region's female representative to the DNC Executive Committee. She joins fellow NJ DNC member Tonio Burgos, who also serves on the Executive Committee.
- Blue Jersey: Babs Casbar, first-ever transgender person at DNC, may rise to lead it.
Kempner named DNC Deputy National Finance Chair
- Chairman Wisniewski congratulated Michael Kempner, President of MWW group, on his appointment as DNC Deputy National Finance Chair.
Fighting For Transportation Funding To Create Jobs
- Chairman Wisniewski called on New Jersey's Congressional delegation to provide bipartisan support for a swift and clean reauthorization of the Federal Surface Transportation bill: "We all recognize that New Jersey's transportation infrastructure is vital to our state's economy. New Jersey stands ready to leverage federal funding with state monies to invest in sorely needed projects, but without reliable and predictable federal support, planning for transportation improvements and shovel ready projects that can quickly put our people back to work will be delayed."
- Senator Lautenberg stressed the importance of passing a clean extension so that hundreds of thousands of American workers remain on the job and construction projects continue while a long-term surface transportation bill is negotiated.
- White House: NJ projects in jeopardy if Congress fails to extend transportation funding.
- New Jersey Newsroom: Reauthorization of Federal Surface Transportation bill could mean $300M for N.J. road and bridge repair.
- Star Ledger Editorial: Democrats fighting to save, boost federal transportation spending.
President Obama Sees New Jersey Hurricane Devastation
WhiteHouse.gov: President Barack Obama traveled to Wayne & Paterson, New Jersey to tour areas damaged by Hurricane Irene. While visiting the Temple Street Bridge in Paterson, the President gave brief remarks reassuring the people of New Jersey and all those affected by Hurricane Irene that the federal, state and local governments would be there to help them rebuild after the devastating storm.
- President Obama in Patterson: "When one part of the country gets affected, then we come together as one country," said the president. "The last thing the residents of Paterson need is Washington politics getting in the way."
- Chairman Wisniewski welcomed the Presidents visit and praised the work of his administration: "I want to thank the President for the concern he has shown New Jersey with this visit and compliment his federal partnership with the states, which enabled a swift, coordinated response to this disaster. The men and women of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with state and local officials, helped New Jersey residents weather the worst of this storm and begin the process of recovering.
- Senator Menendez said he was able to speak to President Obama in person while they toured flooded areas that are still under water and that the President was able to witness flooding, families out of their homes for days, and businesses in dire need of assistance.
"New Jersey's Antibullying Law Should Be A Model For Other States"
- Assembly Democrats, Advocates promoted the new Anti-Bullying Law in Fort Lee.
- NJ Spotlight: Bullying in schools is nothing new, of course, but what changed is last winter's passage of the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, a package of requirements that schools not only have policies against bullying but also that they implement standardized and strict practices on how to deal with incidents.
- Time: Why New Jersey's Antibullying Law Should Be a Model for Other States.
- Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle on the new anti-bullying law: "This law sets out a road map, and if the road map is followed there shouldn't be any issues that we can't deal with..."
- The Record Editorial supports new Democratic anti-bullying law.
Congressional Corner
Senator Lautenberg introduced legislation to establish a national job creation program modeled after President Franklin D. Roosevelt's highly successful Works Progress Administration (WPA). Lautenberg's bill would create a 21st century WPA to train and hire unemployed Americans to build infrastructure and enhance public safety throughout the country.
- Senator Menendez secured passage of critical language in the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act, which will: 1) prohibit the Export-Import Bank from extending guarantees, insurance or extensions of credit to U.S. companies or their subsidiaries that are violating U.S. sanctions against Iran and 2) ban export assistance for foreign projects where a controlling sponsor is doing sanctionable business with Iran.
- Just days before the 10th anniversary of September 11th, Senator Lautenberg announced that more than 400 cities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are participating in the nationwide Moment of Remembrance. (Video)
- Senators Lautenberg and Menendez announced the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), through the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA), has awarded $939,884 to New Jersey for the state's pipeline safety program.
- Senators Menendez and Lautenberg announced the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has awarded seven communities in New Jersey more than $530,000 in federal funds to improve security in and around schools.
- Senators Menendez, Lautenberg, Schumer, and Gillibrand Introduced the Pan Am 103 Accountability Act Demanding Cooperation from Libyan Authorities in Investigating the 1988 Airline Bombing.
- Senators Menendez and Lautenberg hosted Service Academy Information Day for high school students, parents and guidance counselors.
- Congressman Pascrell has been named a co-chairman of a Congressional coalition on Hurricane Irene.
- Congressman Holt said he was "pleased" about a proposed Interior Department rule placing guidelines for issuing environmental-review waivers for applications to drill for oil and gas on public lands, after a judge tossed out previous Obama administration rules for procedural reasons.
- Congressman Pallone asked that the Mid Atlantic Fisheries Management Council and the Black Sea Bass, Scup and Summer Flounder Management Board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to make greater efforts in the future to reduce the extent to which fishermen are punished for large gaps in information and data necessary for proper fisheries management.
- Congressman Andrews will speak in Cherry Hill at the township's ceremony will include the dedication of a 9/11 memorial, which houses a piece of steel from the World Trade Center's north tower.
- Congressman Sires joined roughly 200 people along Weehawken's waterfront for the unveiling of The Hudson Riverfront 9/11 Memorial, on Port Imperial Boulevard off Pershing Road. The memorial marks the site where about 60,000 people were evacuated by ferry from Manhattan to New Jersey and received medical attention, water, and food on Sept. 11, 2001.
- Eleven distinguished Monmouth County students were presented with Congressional Awards by Congressman Rush Holt in the Monmouth County Library.
Under the Dome
The region's first Hispanic Leadership Summit, chaired by Assemblyman Fuentes was held this week. Assemblywoman Pou, chair of the state Legislature's Hispanic Caucus, said experts from various fields spoke on a variety of topics.
- Editorial: N.J. 'food desert' legislation provides needed incentives for retailers.
- Assemblyman Coutinho on the failures of the SDA: "This raises a bigger question: what in God's name is the SDA doing? As if stalling construction of previously approved new schools wasn't bad enough, I continue to get information the SDA is failing to make emergency repairs to schools they are required to..."
- Assemblyman Green was the keynote speaker as the Clark School District held their annual Superintendent's Convocation for returning staff members.
- A bill designed to cut red tape for small businesses applying for state aid has been signed into law.
- Press of Atlantic City: Horse racing advocates, legislators want Gov. Christie to reverse course on subsidies.
- Senator Norcross encouraged New Jerseyans to participate in a statewide 'Moment of Remembrance' on Sept. 11 to mark the ten-year anniversary of the terror attacks, by honoring the men and women who lost their lives that day and reflecting on the heroic efforts of those who responded.
- Seminar Will Address Crunch Time For Solar - Assemblyman Chivukula To Keynote.
- Senator Beach, Assemblyman Greenwald and Assemblywoman Lampitt partnered with the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to host a blood drive.
- Assemblyman Chivukula discussed how America’s outlook on Indians and India has changed since 9/11.
- Looking to make it easier for New Jerseyans to utilize mass transit, Assemblywoman Wagner unveiled new legislation that would require publicly owned or operated parking facilities associated with rail service be open on weekends when a special event is taking place in New Jersey.
- With record flooding occurring throughout the Garden State over the last two weeks, Assemblyman Benson is pushing two companion bills he has sponsored to create a framework to identify and eliminate mold exposure in residential housing and quickly remove tenants from harmful exposure to these toxins.
Upcoming Events
- September 11
Sayreville 9/11 10th Annual Memorial Service
Candlelight Ceremony at 7:00pm
Sayreville Borough 9/11 Memorial at Burke's Park, Washington Road.
Woodland Park 9/11 10th Anniversary Remembrance Ceremony
8:30am
9/11 Memorial Service City of Clifton
Clifton City Hall, Clifton Ave., Clifton
6:00pm
Borough of Prospect Park Community Service of Remembrance & Prayer
Remembering the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 Candle Light vigil & Freedom Walk
Hofstra Park (Struyk Ave.) to Municipal Building, Prospect Park
6:30pm
Edison 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony
Papaianni Park, Edison
10:30 AM
Old Bridge 9/11 Memorial event
Old Bridge Waterfront Park, Laurence Harbor
6:30pm
East Brunswick 9/11 Memorial Ceremony
East Brunswick Municipal Complex, Ryders Lane, East Brunswick
6:30pm
Contact Info: (732) 390-6797
Supper with 24th District Senate Candidate Ed Selby
59 South Shore Dr, Lake Neepaulin, Wantage
6:00 PM
RSVP: frasersmith2010@gmail.com or 973-875-6212
Donations will be accepted - September 12
Old Bridge 9/11 Memorial Service
Municipal Complex, Old Bridge
10:00-11:00 AM
Fundraiser for Senator Linda Greenstein
Trenton Marriott, 1 W Lafayette St, Trenton
8:00-10:00 PM - September 14
Fundraiser for Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo
Rat’s at Grounds for Sculpture, 17 Fairgrounds Way, Hamilton
5:30-7:30 PM
$500/pp
RSVP: lizmeyersnj@gmail.com
Senator Joe Vitale’s Charity Softball Game
Warren Park, Florida Grove Road, Woodbridge
7:30 PM
$5/pp, make checks payable to “Habitat for Humanity”
Info: 732-636-4040
Fundraiser in Support of Senator Shirley K. Turner
Hamilton’s Grill Room, 8 Coryell St, Lambertville
5:30-7:30 PM
Suggested Donation $75/pp
RSVP: kmsesq3@aol.com or 609.730.9775
Passaic County Freeholder Candidate Theodore TJ Best, Jr.
Cocktail Reception
Hamilton & Ward Steakhouse, Paterson
$150/pp
6:00pm-8:00pm - September 15
Honorable Jeff Jones Annual Mayor’s Ball – Black Tie
Brownstone, 351 West Broadway, Paterson
6:00pm-11:00pm
Contact Info: call 973-816-8300 or 973-816-8305
$125/pp
Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver “Road to Victory” Reception
Nanina’s in the Park, 540 Mill St., Belleville
6:00pm-9:00pm - September 16
Fundraiser for Congressman Albio Sires featuring keynote speaker NJDSC Chairman John Wisniewski
Puccini's Restaurant, 1064 Westside Ave., Jersey City, NJ - September 18
Texas Barbeque in Support of the Democratic 24th
192 Stanhope Rd, Sparta
4:30 PM
$50/pp, $10/child
RSVP: jbnye@embarqmail.com or 973-726-8110
Dominican Parade
Park and 24th Street, Paterson
11:00 AM - September 19
2011 Middlesex County Democratic Organization Campaign Kick Off Dinner Rally
The Pines Manor, 2085 Route 27, Edison
Special Guest Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy
$40/pp
Contact Everett Falt at (732)-906-3680 or efalt@mcdonj.org
Assembly Candidate Sandi Lazzara “Kickoff to Victory” Cocktail Reception
Master of Ceremonies: Chairman John Currie
Location: Brownstone, Paterson
Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm
Cost: $75 per person
Jim Schroeder for Re-Election to Atlantic County Freeholder Board
5:30-7:00 PM
Mays Landing Country Club, Cates Rd., Mays Landing
More info: info@atlanticdemocrats.com - September 20
Assemblyman Gary Schaer, 36th Legislative District Cocktail Reception
The Graycliff, Corner of Moonachie Ave.& Moonachie Rd., Moonachie
6:00-8:00 PM
$750/pp - September 22
Passaic County Democratic Committee Chairman John Currie’s Annual Cocktail Reception
Macaluso’s, 161 Rea Avenue, Hawthorne
Newark Mayor Cory Booker in support of Vin Gopal for Assembly
Home of Nasreen & Ghulam Suhrawardi, 155 Mercer Road, Colts Neck
7:00-9:00 PM
Cost: Friend: $150, Sponsor: $300, Host: $500, Patron: $1000, Vice Chair: $2,600, Co-Chair: $5,000
RSVP: Rafi Jafri at rafijafri@gmail.com or (973) 368-3264 - September 25
Atlantic County Democrats Meet and Greet
3:00-5:00 PM
UAW Hall, Albany Ave., Atlantic City
More info: info@atlanticdemocrats.com
Sussex County Democratic Committee’s Annual Wine and Cheese Party
The Westfall Winery, 141 Clove Rd, Montague
3:00-5:00 PM
$35/pp
RSVP: Linda Adams 973-714-1646
Fundraiser in Support of the Hunterdon County Democratic Committee and the 2011 Hunterdon County Candidates Hosted by Senator Robert Torricelli
The Torricelli Barn, 127 Kingwood-Stockton Rd, Stockton
2:00-4:00 PM
$125/pp
RSVP: lzarish@hcdems.org or 908-782-3388
Assembly Candidate Sandi Lazzara Meet & Greet at the Mill
The Mill, Main St., Little Falls
Donations Gratefully Accepted
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We will continue to have updates about news from our elected officials and the many campaigns across the state. There will certainly be more to come next week. Have a great weekend.
Sincerely,
John Wisniewski, Chairman
New Jersey Democratic State Committee
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