Boys ‘n’ girls, I’d like to introduce a young political science and history student from the US who would like to contribute posts about American politics from time to time over here at Sister Sage’s Musings. His name is Scott.
Below is his post. Scott, I apologize for posting it a few days late.
Strike it up as a win for reason: Chris Christie isn’t running
by Scott
Throughout the beginning of the GOP’s presidential crucible, it seems that Republican voters have not flocked to a particular candidate. Shockingly, the hypocrisy and corporatism of Mitt Romney, the religious extremism of Michelle Bachman, and the flat-out stupidity of Rick Perry, who are, without a doubt, the party’s political frontrunners, has not attracted Republican voters, who based on their voting patterns in the past, historically seem to support these aspects of a presidential candidate. Many in the GOP have suggested that a different candidate, specifically Chris Christie, the current Republican governor of New Jersey, would be a better candidate.
However, as of earlier this week, Chris Christie announced—albeit for the multiple time—that he was not running for President.
While this is obviously tough news for the Right, who apparently viewed Christie as a rotund reincarnation of Ronald Reagan himself, it should be celebrated by the non-insane in America. Through his time as governor, Christie fought against teachers unions, claiming that teachers in his state were “overpaid” and “lousy.” To Rita Wilson, a teacher who showed up at one of his town hall meeting, Christie stated that he difficulty in teaching due to a lack of resources or adequate pay and befits was her own fault, saying that she did not have to teach. He also initiated severe budget cuts which weakened the fire department and the police force throughout the state of New Jersey. Due to his budget cuts, half of the police force of Camden, New Jersey, one of the state’s most crime-ridden areas was cut. While Christie may claim that such was elimination wasteful spending, his blatant disregard for his state and his citizen’s education and safety is enough to make anyone, regardless of their political affiliation, cringe.
Christie’s hypocrisy was shown this June when Christie took a helicopter that cost the state of New Jersey $12.5 million to purchase to his son’s baseball game. After leaving the airplane, a chauffeur transported Christie from the field in which the helicopter landed in to the bleachers of the baseball field, where Christie did not stay for the entirety of the game. During the fifth inning, Christie left in the helicopter after being taken to the helicopter by the aforementioned chauffeur, and was taken to a meeting with wealthy Iowa political donors. The flight in the helicopter took $2,500 per hour from the state’s budget.
Christie’s hypocrisy was explored by Democratic New Jersey Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle, who interpreted the Governor’s actions as personifying a “Do as I say, not as I do” mentality.
All in all, that fact that Chris Christie is not running is a good sign for progressives. Through this development, another budget-cutting, union bashing, and all around despicable human being will not be the President of the United States, at least for the term beginning in 2012. His despotic actions and hypocritical nature will be absent from the political discussion leading up to next year’s November elections, which is something that progressives and rational human beings alike should share relief in.
Too bad the rest of the GOP field is crazy, too.