The Jersey view at midnight: Fear of Sanders is outweighing fear of Trump
I must start with a mea culpa. I had predicted a Phil Murphy double-digit win. In the words of the late, revered mayor of New York City, Fiorello LaGuardia, “When I make a mistake, it’s a beaut.” And my landslide prediction was a beaut of a mistake. I offer no excuses.
Having said that, I still think incumbent Democratic Governor Phil Murphy will defeat Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli, due to the unreported vote-by-mail and the results from outlying areas. Yet there is already a message to the nation tonight from both New Jersey and the Republican Glenn Youngkin victory in Virginia.
Each party has its extremist element that frightens the electorate of 2021. For the Republicans, it is the Trumpian MAGA mob. For the Democrats, it is the Sanders Socialist progressives.
Phil Murphy is not a Sanders Socialist Progressive. Yet when he invited Bernie Sanders into the state last week and postponed a GOTV appearance with mainstream Hudson County Democratic Senator Brian Stack, it sent out the unintended message that Phil Murphy was one of the Sanders extremists.
The Trumpian MAGA mob constitutes a threat to democracy. The rise of Sanders Socialist Progressives symbolizes the potential downfall of the American economy.
The swing voters in New Jersey and Virginia have sent a clear message. They believe that there is presently more to fear from the Sanders Socialist Progressives than the Trump MAGA mob.
My fear: I hope that regardless of who ultimately wins the governorship, we do not have to deal with cries of a “stolen election” afterwards.
Alan J. Steinberg served as regional administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as executive director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.
https://media0.giphy.com/media/3o7bu9hw2BRZQNqa9G/giphy.gif
This picture infuriates me. It is in such poor taste and an insult
to all InsiderNJ readers.
I hope it motivates Alan Steinberg to continue to write his informative
columns. I know it motivates me to continue to read them
and to learn and to grow.
I think you’re confusing “informative” with “bad opinions pulled from his nether regions”.
My dear Chas and your friends who like your clown picture,
In the interest of not inflicting pain, I will refrain from telling
you what I truly think.
If that clown and this comment is the best that you can do,
my heart goes out to you.
I have this to say, and I want to say it LOUDLY AND CLEARLY.
Alan Steinberg, you were wrong, but you always spoke your truth.
You never bent yourself into all sorts of shapes, pretzel-like, to please
everyone.
What this world needs is more Alan Steinbergs, and far fewer people
like the person who posted the childish, immature picture of a clown.
Mr. Steinberg, you have read the election results incorrectly. It was not a choice between Trump extremists and Bernie socialists. It was a choice between Biden’s authoritarian vaccine mandates and forced job losses and something better that Republicans might offer instead. Your pro-billionaire elitist tendencies and fear of living in a nation where the common good and betterment of all citizens is the nation’s priority is showing through loudly and clearly.
I really don’t understand your last sentence.
I have been reading Alan Steinberg’s columns about social justice,
environmental justice for several years. If anything, he is a strong
advocate for the good and betterment of all people.
Please cite a source for NJ voters having a high dislike for Bernie Sanders. Bernie Sanders is one of the most popular politicians in the United States (a higher favorability rating than Joe Biden) and the policies that he supports (Medicare for All, Student Debt Forgiveness, Significant Climate Action, Universal Pre-K, Universal Childcare, Paid Family Leave, Free Public College and trade school and ending foreign wars) are all extremely popular.
Also please cite a source or a reasoning as to why Sanders economic policy would “symbolizes the potential downfall of the American economy.” Most other industrialized nations have these policies Sanders advocates for and they have higher ratings of happiness, higher mobility, greater rankings on the freedom index, higher life expectancy and overall better quality of life. Even the USA under the New Deal Era policies of public investment was a much better economy and quality of life than the “Trickle Down” neoconservative/neoliberal economic model in place for the last 40 years.
I really wouldn’t trust someone from the George W Bush administration on anything.
So conservatives are a “mob” and a “threat to democracy” and liberals are “progressive”.
Your bias and bigotry are glaring. And one reason why your prediction failed.
This smugness and righteousness are all reasons why we have a Republican governor in VA.