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Oh, it doesn't? No other state or country has corrupt politicians or coverups or anything slightly sketchy going on within the political spectrum? Please.
You are correct.
Most state & local corruption stories are not publicized outside of the states where they occur.
For instance...
How many NJ folks are aware of the major scandal that played out in Pennsyltucky over the past couple of years, involving judges and a private "corrections" company?
First, you need to know that many/most of the juvenile corrections facilities were privatized several years ago in PA.
The "deal" involved two judges taking very large payoffs (in the hundreds of thousands of dollars) to sentence juvenile offenders to long terms of incarceration, even when their offenses normally would not be ones that resulted in incarceration. Because the corporation running these juvenile facilities was paid "by the head", the more kids incarcerated, the more they profited. The longer the sentences, the more they profited.
And, just like the Penn State child sex scandal, the state of PA now faces many lawsuits over improper imprisonment.
Both of the judges were convicted, and are now behind bars, but..
How many NJ residents are even aware of this scenario that played out just over the border from our state?
The PA example is one that I am aware of, but I can guarantee that there are scores more examples in other states of which I am not aware.
And...for the benefit of those forum members who cling to the quaint notion that only Democrats are corrupt, there is an entire website devoted to a detailed listing of Republican offenders, many of whom are from NJ. If you have the time to wade through this very long list, here is a link for viewing it: http://www.archive.org/stream/ListOf...s/RCC_djvu.txt
Well, this definitely ends any Presidential or cabinet aspirations. That's already over. The full truth of this has not come out. Depending on what comes out he may have to resign as governor.
I think you're right.
Christie's chances for a presidential run seem to be fading away.
I don't think this is a large enough "issue" to the rest of the country. To those of us who live in the area, we get it. To those who live outside the NY/NJ, so what two lanes of traffic on a multi-lane freeway were closed a few days rom NJ to NY -- traffic is always backed-up on any bridge or tunnel between the two states anyway ... I'll be very surprise if it this story lingers long outside of NJ/NY or garners interest from the rest of the country.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Retriever
When the political cartoon on the editorial page of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune pictures a huge CC sitting/blocking the lanes of the GW Bridge, while saying, "What?", I think that this is a clue that the issue does have resonance outside of the NY/NJ Metro area. And, when friends who live in California, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Delaware all send me e-mails asking something along the lines of What the heck is wrong with your governor?, that is an indication that people outside of our area have taken notice.
Then, add in the fact that The New Yorker magazine's front cover is a cartoon of CC portrayed as a child wearing suspended shorts, blocking bridge traffic as he bounces his ball. I think that all of this adds up to national attention being focused on this situation.
This "Bridgegate" scandal is all everyone here in Philly is talking about. I mean, Christie's name is on everyone's lips these days down here. The jokes are going around that he might close the Ben Franklin Bridge or the Walt Whitman Bridge or the Betsy Ross Bridge!
That's why I had to come to this thread to see what our neighbors in the Garden State are saying.
Corruption happens more in NJ than most places, at least in the US. It is a part of everyday life here. And regardless, it just shouldn't happen period. I'm sick of it.
Sad but true. The worst part about it is that it runs rapid at all levels of government from the municipal level all the way up to the Governor. It's just how the political culture is in this state. It also doesn't surprise me. Going by the history of corrupt high-level political figures in NJ, I knew it was only a matter of time before Chris Christie would be involved in a big political scandal.
Well, here in WI, I'm paying attention. I just can't get past the public safety issue. Maybe it's because I'm a woman, parent, 72 y/o. Imagine heading for a doc/hospital w/a sick kid or pregnant woman in labor in the car?? Imagine a busload of kids all screaming "I gotta go potty" or worse - for hours. Imagine fire trucks/ems people rushing to a disaster the other side of the bridge. [you plug in your worst-case scenario]
I just can't get past the public safety issue on a whole bunch of levels.
Also, I waspaying attention to Christie as a possible GOP contender. Not being from NJ, I hadn't followed NJ politics that closely - but - again - not knowing more than what I saw publicly - appreciated a guy who said what he thought and snubbed his nose at his national party - sincerely, I thought, at the time.
Again, all of this is based on a very cursory and uninformed view of what REALLY goes on in NJ.
So, while I don't think Christie is going to jail unless it is proved he knew ahead of time and allowed this bridge closure, I also think he's pretty damaged nationally as a POTUS candidate - because being surrounded by people who think depraved indifference to public safety is OK, by extension, reflects on his thinking. He chose these people, they've had meetings, they know how he thinks, they thought he'd approve.
Once again, as is usually the case, it may be more sorrow because of being caught, than any remorse for the act and collateral damage and risk to public safety suffered by NJ citizens.
I didn't hear anything in the press conference even addressing the public safety risk - betrayal of trust re same. Did I miss it??
Ok this is definitely a big whopping stretch but I thought it was interesting. I cut and paste it from another discussion in another thread:
Per the FBI:
Definitions of Terrorism in the U.S. Code
18 U.S.C. § 2331 defines "international terrorism" and "domestic terrorism" for purposes of Chapter 113B of the Code, entitled "Terrorism”:
"Domestic terrorism" means activities with the following three characteristics:
■Involve acts dangerous to human life that violate federal or state law;
■Appear intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination. or kidnapping; and
■Occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S.
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What is it now, really, that's keeping Bridget from throwing that fat BM-sandwich under the bus? 
