Monroe wrote:
One activist low level judge issues a ruling which won't hold up in court. Meh. Now if Obama said gay marriage was a civil right then we'd have something to talk about. But he's always insisted it isn't, and has said it's a decision to be made on the state level.

And here is how the states stand.

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/ ... html#incart_river_default

terrencemcd wrote:
Hudson County reacts to NJ judge's gay marriage ruling

By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal

Gay rights advocates in Hudson County reacted with glee to a state judge?s ruling that same-sex couples can get legally married starting Oct. 21.

Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson?s ruling, which is expected to be appealed by Gov. Chris Christie?s administration, is ?a great thing,? said Ray Velazquez Jr., an attorney for the county and the first openly gay man to sit on the county freeholder board and on Jersey City?s City Council.

?It?s about time,? said Velazquez. ?I only hope that the appellate decision denies any stay of this order pending appeal and New Jersey comes to terms with the fact that gay marriage is necessary.?


READ MORE

john1952 wrote:
I can't believe I am saying this but we will be soon starting to look back on the good old Healy days (hic) when corruption was in brown paper bags and not so sophisticated.

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dtjcview wrote:
Wow! What other checks didn't they do before approving this? Did they check whether they were legal firearm holders? Prior convictions? Did they rely on craigslist, or the old boy network? How did they ensure that there weren't gun-toting pedophiles walking through the schools?

MDM wrote:
Something tells me the individual mandate might get delayed like the employer mandate, as part of a debt ceiling compromise.

It appears the exchanges are not going to be ready in time, so both sides of Congress might be willing to agree to a delay until next years at least.


At least the HSA plans appear to survive:

I found out recently that the plan I get through my employer just barely qualifies under the ACA. So for now at least, I get to keep piling cash into my HSA.

If any of you aren't familiar with HSA, they are like a Flex account, except you don't lose the money you don't spend. Once you reach a minimum (mine was $2,500) you can invest the money in ETF, mutual funds, or individual stocks (my plan requires a stock must have a share price $5 or greater.. so no penny stocks).

The IRS contribution limits for a family is $6,550 for 2014. Contributions are exempt from income taxes.

MDM wrote:
If anyone here is married and your spouse works, you might want to check out this guy's analysis:

http://pjmedia.com/blog/the-wedding-tax/?singlepage=true

If what he states is correct, you would be financially better off getting officially 'divorced', create separate addresses for each other, but in reality just continue to live together.

fat-ass-bike wrote:
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john1952 wrote:
Why in god name do you need to be armed to do a security check! I can't see why the JCPD can't do it instead of giving a no bid contract out, but corruption aside this scares me, armed private contractors.

I concur;

Why isn't this being done by the Public Safety Director instead of some private company - Ridiculous waste of money that the community policing arm of the JCPD should be performing free of charge. ... another example of money to burn

john1952 wrote:
Armed private security contractors? Is this Iraq or Afghanistan?

teachparentlove wrote:
It is hard for me to not view this as another example of Marcia Lyles implementing the Broad Academy philosophy of "privatization at any cost". Why let the competent law enforcement our taxes are already paying for do a job when you can hire a private corporation. This is also an excellent example of the lack of accountability privatization creates in the public sector. Instead of having to answer for their decision to keep their people armed in a school while doing an assessment they take our money and walk away to their other "contracts". This really worries me. I feel it has made our students less safe. How do we have strangers with guns walking around our schools? If they were there for assessment why couldn't they leave their guns locked up in a safe somewhere? The JCPD that I have witnessed in action in schools have been well suited to their assignment, and have been great with the kids.

Samir wrote:
I just moved to the area, and I HATE that I can't pump my own gas. Why? Because of the one time the attendant used the pump nozzle to close my fuel door, leaving a nice dent in it. Grrr...

Sure, it was 2am, but I needed gas. Not a problem in any other state I've driven in (about half of the continental US), since I can just pump it myself.

On a side note, what is with the jug handles and crazy road designs? It's like a 3yr old just drew all the roads using crayons and they built that mess. No left turns and I can't pump my own gas? Has there really been that many problems with these two things in the last decade?

Monroe wrote:
You're ignoring Christie's record on pension reform, tenure reform, beginning to pay back into the pension system (something Obama has suspended on a Federal level while the Fed keeps pumping billions into the economy to support it), among other things-all done in a model of bi-partisan harmony.

I can't really point to anything substantial that Booker has accomplished to improve the lives of Newarkers.

Monroe wrote:
Pebble, I think the issue isn't that Booker wasn't dealt a bad hand (he clearly was) but that he's been so busy promoting himself with the glitterati while Newark has been imploding. While some may say it's similar to the national presence that Christie has been achieving, the gap between what Christie actually accomplished vs the lack of anything that Booker can point towards is glaring.

Monroe wrote:
At times Booker has been candidly refreshing, and personally I like the guy, it's just that he can't point to anything (other than a mild corporate real estate resurgence, which is driven by state tax breaks anyway) as a great success.

Monroe wrote:
I hope he'll turn out to be a better Senator than mayor, and he's likely to be an improvement over his predecessor, not that will be hard to do.

Yvonne wrote:
There is a great deal of hypocrisy with this crowd, I don't care how people live their lives or who their partners are, my point is I do not want our legislators to pass a bill like this without public input. It will have a major impact on people like me who will be sued because they followed their religion. A right given in the first amendment. It is hypocritical to say it will not. Besides, what about living in a multicultural society? There are bigotry against religion, especially Catholics, who practice the faith as it is written. The next fashion on marriage might be plural marriage, marriage to family members (incest) and animals. I turned on my radio in the car and actually heard people advocating for these rights. I remember a man saying he wants to marry his sister. And another person talked about his special affection for his horse. The horse was more faithful than his wife.

Monroe wrote:
Quote:

radryan03 wrote:
Clown - where have I, at any point, discussed politics?

My irritation is at folks that keep making poorly worded arguments while pandering to personal insecurity through religion and politics.

Just say - I don't like gays. They creep me out. I find the way they sexually express themselves to be disgusting. I don't think they should be allowed to get married. I find all of the above to be perfectly acceptable. It's your opinion... express it as you please.


Quote:

Monroe wrote:

Are you as angry at Obama as you may be towards Christie? Obama 'evolved' in time for the election, but has he directed Eric Holder and the Justice Department to file suit to make gay marriage a civil right, like the gay 'marriage' supporters try to imagine it? (Actually, Obama has not supported gay marriage as a civil right, so I'm not surprised-except for the silence of criticism from the gay 'marriage' advocates towards him). Carry on.

The thread was about governments intrusion into changing the definition of marriage. When gay 'marriage' proponents try to make it a 'civil right' issue then it opens the conversation to another level.

And please, don't try to put words in my mouth that I don't espouse. It only cheapens your argument to paint everyone who supports traditional marriage as homophobes-I'm not saying there aren't some who aren't, but I'm not among them.

nyrgravey9 wrote:
You have to send me some of that Kool Aid you're drinking, man...

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Pebble wrote:
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nyrgravey9 wrote:
Here's a great video of a Newark resident rebuking Bookers "great achievements" and so called progress in Newark:

http://youtu.be/tRTSrun6htA

If you truly support Booker, smash yourself in the head with a tack hammer because you are obviously mentally deficient.

Yes, because one person's view outweighs all...

Sorry, but she called Newark the Murder Capital of the World. That is quite clearly wrong.

She can scream that the city isn't better from every tower. That doesn't mean she's right.

Yvonne wrote:
I do not agree, government will be telling me how to practice my religion. Ten years from now plural marriages might be in fashion. I cannot call myself a practicing Catholic, then take the money from a same sex couple. I am endangering my beliefs and my immoral soul. I will not run away from my faith, besides there are evidence of harassment from past lawsuits. a Methodist organization was sued in Ocean Grove, NJ when they denied a lesbian couple the use of their pavilion for a same-sex civil union. The Methodist organization lost and the state of New Jersey revoked the tax exemption for the pavilion, which will cost them around $20,000 a year;
?Catholic Charities in Massachusetts refused to place children with same-sex couples as required by law. Catholic Charities was accused of discrimination and pulled out of the adoption business in 2006;
?San Francisco dropped its $3.5 million in social services contracts with the Salvation Army because it refused to recognize same-sex partnership;
?A Christian gynecologist in Vista, Calif., refused to give his patient in vitro fertilization treatment because she is in a lesbian relationship. The doctor said it violated his religious beliefs and referred his patient to his partner, but the women sued. One justice suggested the doctor take up a different business
The Hobby Lobby case will settle the practice of religion. This is the real reason the Pilgrims came to the New World, the right to practice their faith without government telling them what to believe. I shouldn't be hit with lawsuits in the USA for practicing my religion, this law will open up more lawsuits.

nyrgravey9 wrote:
Here's a great video of a Newark resident rebuking Bookers "great achievements" and so called progress in Newark:

http://youtu.be/tRTSrun6htA

If you truly support Booker, smash yourself in the head with a tack hammer because you are obviously mentally deficient.

john1952 wrote:
Fulop is hiring like crazy not just replacing appointees but new hires. We elected him to cut spending not increase it. He is not just replacing political appointees but hiring illiterate and incompetant people.

john1952 wrote:
What exacly is the process he talked about? Is it in the mayors head.

john1952 wrote:
What are the qualifications? Only qualification is to have worked on the campaign and retaliate against everyone else. New hires also don't live in Jersey City like we were promised.

john1952 wrote:
What exactly are the actual metrics? There are no metics.

john1952 wrote:
JCLIST why are you not questioning him?

john1952 wrote:
He wrote a letter attacking the Tea Party then appoints the head of the JC Tea Party to the MUA. Isn't this the same thing as Healy employing the head of the Hudson Republican party in city hall. Where is the change we were promised.

john1952 wrote:
Your taxes were increased to give jobs to campaign workers and they will continue to do so!

john1952 wrote:
Team Fulop at its best:

Monroe wrote:
Didn't the new McGreevey/Fulop hire work for the same firm that Christie was accused of steering the Stronger than the Storm media towards? I don't hear all the whiners mentioning that.

McGreevey's gayness was known to anyone halfway with a clue in NJ, going back to his days of cruising Garden State Parkway rest stops while mayor of Woodbridge and earlier. No biggie there. The issue was hiring his lover, a foreign national, to an incredibly sensitive and important position meant to safeguard the citizens of NJ. I'll never forgive him for that, and this bad judgment should preclude him for any public office.

user1111 wrote:
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Pebble wrote:
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PEC0905 wrote:
Quote:

Pebble wrote:
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PEC0905 wrote:
Hahaha, so how long before it comes out that Fulop hires a male aid just like his buddy McGreevey???

It's a complete joke that our city is paying a disgraced clown like McGreevey a six figure salary to do nothing, and apparently he's bringing his connections with him.

Outside of the hiring of his boyfriend, how disgraceful was McGreevey? He was actually a solid governor, probably the best we've had over the last 30 years. The hire of an unqualified person for that job was an exceptionally poor decision. However, he's certainly not the first to do so and he won't be the last.

Ask his ex-wife and daughter how disgraceful he was, I'm sure they can fill you in.

Chris Christie is a solid gov, McGreevey is a punchline who now gets paid by our city tax dollars to do nothing.

McGreevey embarrassed his family by not being honest with them and trying to live a lie.

I do not buy that, I don't believe any women who marries a gay guy does not have some idea or clue. She is a smart women .... WTF, when he was sworn in everyone in my circle thought he was gay. I honestly think she knew and did not care.... Most successful gay men start out with a beard or are a long time career bachelor (Like Booker)

nyrgravey9 wrote:
The Golan Cipel nonsense was just part of the overall picture of his wrongdoings.

McGreedy was also accused of multiple scandals of pay to play and extortion ("Machiavelli" anyone?). But before anything was brought against him, he busted out the "I am a gay American" press conference, and magically, everything disappeared.

So while, technically, he's never been found guilty of any of these crimes, his background is extremely suspect. He comes into this position with a lot of baggage.

Regarding his Golan Cipel incident...I'm sorry but that's more than just "bad judgment".

Considering that JC is known to have housed terrorists of the '93 bombing, as well as members of other terrorist groups, and probably still do so to this day, I take it personally that this fraud willingly put our well being in danger. It's my opinion that McGreedy's bad judgments were more egregious than Pebble and others will admit.

I don't give a crap that he's gay. I give a bigger crap that he's never truly come clean about his past frauds. If he did that, I would be willing to give him another shot; we all deserve a second chance.

Given that, he's still a fraud and Fulop is incredibly wrong in appointing this clown in a JC position.

Yvonne wrote:
Pebble, perhaps you did not live in NJ during McGreevey's tenure. McGreevey and Christine Todd Whitman were the worst. They put NJ in a great deal of debt. I mentioned earlier; McGreevey put the tobacco settlement for Medicaid patients into his budget. The state is now making it difficult for people to qualify to Medicare. Also money that was set aside to build new schools in NJ was gone in two years, the plan was to have the funds available for 10 years. There was no cost control under his tenure.

PEC0905 wrote:
Quote:

Pebble wrote:
Quote:

PEC0905 wrote:
Hahaha, so how long before it comes out that Fulop hires a male aid just like his buddy McGreevey???

It's a complete joke that our city is paying a disgraced clown like McGreevey a six figure salary to do nothing, and apparently he's bringing his connections with him.

Outside of the hiring of his boyfriend, how disgraceful was McGreevey? He was actually a solid governor, probably the best we've had over the last 30 years. The hire of an unqualified person for that job was an exceptionally poor decision. However, he's certainly not the first to do so and he won't be the last.

Ask his ex-wife and daughter how disgraceful he was, I'm sure they can fill you in.

Chris Christie is a solid gov, McGreevey is a punchline who now gets paid by our city tax dollars to do nothing.

PEC0905 wrote:
Hahaha, so how long before it comes out that Fulop hires a male aid just like his buddy McGreevey???

It's a complete joke that our city is paying a disgraced clown like McGreevey a six figure salary to do nothing, and apparently he's bringing his connections with him.

WhoElseCouldIBe wrote:
I support this in practice but am not sure how legislation will help. I'm thinking this could just cause employers to lower their wages and/or hire less workers so they stay under the 10 employee threshold.

nyrgravey9 wrote:
Pebble is either on Booker's payroll or is a really generous PR person for him. Either way, Pebble, you say I haven't proved a lack of track record...that's akin to proving a negative. It's incumbent on you and his supporters to prove he HAS done something worthy of a Senate run, which you've yet to do. The strawman comment, while inventive, doesn't distract from the fact that no one can point to solid, substantive accomplishments of Booker in almost 2 terms of serving

nyrgravey9 wrote:
Quote:

The number 1 improvement would be that he removed a criminal from office. Sharpe James stole money from the city and was a complete POS.

I love how this is his greatest accomplishment. Talk about strawman support of Booker! You point out that, simply because Booker hasn't stolen money or done the things Sharpe has done, this makes him worthy of the Senate. Isn't that supposed to be the minimum level of appropriate conduct to be in politics?

It's like when Chris Rock says "he's trying to credit for some sh*t he's supposed to do! 'I take care of my kids!' You're supposed to take care of your kids, ya dumb MF'er!"

Seriously!

nyrgravey9 wrote:
Quote:

I spent a LOT of time in Newark in my youth. I used to come out to a car that was missing hub caps. I had friends lose their wallet from a drawer inside a museum?s office building, clearly stolen by someone else that worked there. I?ve been to Newark Bears games. I go to a few Devils games each year (I used to ride the bus from my house there).

Ummmm...not much has changed in this regard...at all.The majority of car thefts around northern NJ are found to end up in Newark. If you're so confident it's better, go take a stroll around midnight in wards other than where the Prudential building and the Rock are located. Let me know how that works out.

nyrgravey9 wrote:
Quote:

When I point out the obvious that Newark is better now than 10 years ago, despite this year?s horrendous increase in murders, I?m not speaking as a fan of Booker. I?ve already stated my reasons for disliking him.

How is that point obvious? If you think Newark is better than it was 10 years ago, how? What I, and other people on here are pointing out, is that it's not better. You defer to Jersey City's murder rate...a point that proves my point exactly! Fulop's been in office for months, and a previous poster pointed to specific actions taken to reign in crime and specifically drug and violent crime. You cannot point to the same action for Booker, and he's been in office WAY longer than Fulop.

nyrgravey9 wrote:
Quote:

At my last work location, I had a secretary that left to become a teacher in Newark. That was about 10 years ago. She would tell the story about a kid that stabbed himself with a pen and how the mother couldn?t be bothered and didn?t understand why she was even called to the school. She has since stated that things are better. It?s a little safer.

A little safer? Really, after almost 8 years in office, this is the best he can do?

nyrgravey9 wrote:
Quote:

He?s running for president now?

Pebble, if you're this foolish to not realize when the wool is being pulled over your eyes, that even the Senate job is yet another lily pad for Booker to hop over for a presidential run, then I have nothing for you. I can only lead a horse to the proverbial water. It's up to you to get your literal head out of your ass. That, or stop drinking the Kool Aid long enough to see you're being made a fool.

nyrgravey9 wrote:
Since you're a fan of editing quotes, I'll play ball:

Quote:

Pebble wrote:
You?re I'm like a homer for my favorite baseball team. No matter what, you?ll I'll make excuses for the wrongs that the person Booker does.

That was fun!

neverleft wrote: (this is what our new Mayor Fulop in Jersey City has done in 9 weeks since he took office . MAYOR Cory ?Flat Leaver? Booker like our previous Mayor Healy have done NOTHING in 8 years in office.) . Sweeps Operations Putting Pressure on Crime Hot-spots . The Jersey City Police Department was the lead agency in another multi-agency sweep that was conducted this past Friday. We are committed to the continuation of our public safety initiatives in order to keep Jersey City residents safe. Friday?s operation, the sixth such operation in recent weeks, led to the arrest of 22 individuals on a variety of offenses. Other agencies that have participated in these operations are the Hudson County Sherriff?s Office, the Hudson County Prosecutor?s Office, the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Investigations Division of the Department of Homeland Security.

Monroe wrote: Quote:

neverleft wrote: Quote:

(this is what our new Mayor Fulop in Jersey City has done in 9 weeks since he took office . MAYOR Cory ?Flat Leaver? Booker like our previous Mayor Healy have done NOTHING in 8 years in office.) . Sweeps Operations Putting Pressure on Crime Hot-spots . The Jersey City Police Department was the lead agency in another multi-agency sweep that was conducted this past Friday. We are committed to the continuation of our public safety initiatives in order to keep Jersey City residents safe. Friday?s operation, the sixth such operation in recent weeks, led to the arrest of 22 individuals on a variety of offenses. Other agencies that have participated in these operations are the Hudson County Sherriff?s Office, the Hudson County Prosecutor?s Office, the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Investigations Division of the Department of Homeland Security.

Booker is a Kardashian politician-he's famous for being famous. Tweeting does not make someone effective.

neverleft wrote:
(still not a word from Booker?)

Newark double shooting marks city's 9th homicide in 9 days

By James Queally/The Star-Ledger

on September 04, 2013 at 12:27 AM, updated September 04, 2013 at 7:43 AM

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/201 ... _days.html#incart_m-rpt-1


Comment from the above nj.com thread:

Quote:

DrBid
I recently read that Matt Damon, and Ben Afleck are going to host a Hollywood fundraiser for Cory Booker

I challenge them to hold it on the streets of Newark at night!!!


Let's see those Hollywood creeps like that fat dope Oprah deal with Booker's "accomplishments"!!!

Monroe wrote: Pebble is having a problem with the fact that a) nj loves their Republican governor, and b) Booker is an empty suit in the closet it would seem.

Dahood wrote:
I think you are talking about Panasonic in Harrison. They are building their north american headquarters in Newark (th to the governor). Cory Booker is the absentee mayor. His achievements are saving people from burning homes and tweeting about it.