Trenton Democrats are exceptional at concocting misguided ideas, Save Jerseyans, but Trenton Republicans sometimes hold their own. When it happens, we here at SaveJersey.com are obliged to say something.
Here’s a recent example:
State Senators Jon Bramnick (R-21) and Anthony Bucco (R-25) are co-sponsors of S2430, legislation which would establish a “State Office of the Consumer.”
“Its mission: conduct periodic random phone calls to check the responsiveness of local governments, school districts, state offices and the offices of health insurance companies regulated by the state,” explains an NJ.com story on the not-yet-available language of the bill. “It would then deliver monthly reports to the state Legislature and governor.”
To be fair (I always am), this isn’t a solution is search of a problem.
New Jersey’s government agencies – especially unemployment and the MVC – were notoriously awful during the pandemic and not much has improved now that the Covid-19 “emergency” has abated. In fact, one summer 2021 study ranked New Jersey as the worst state in the Union for reaching a live person by telephone to discuss unemployment benefits, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Medicaid, or even income tax return information.
But is policing government with more government ever a good solution?
The proximate problem in Trenton right now isn’t a lack of overpaid bureaucrats who are supposed to be minding the store. We’re inundated by too many unaccountable public sector union workers who know that the chief executive (Phil Murphy) won’t exact any consequences for bad behavior. Examples are all over this site and the Internet generally. Most infamously of all, a campaign volunteer was allegedly SEXUALLY ASSAULTED and yet Phil Murphy drug his feet in cutting ties with the accused, a close aide. Why would an executive branch official who’s shitty at answering phones fear any consequences?
To make matters worse, Senators Bramnick (who’s bragged about his friendship with King Phil) and Bucco are currently co-sponsoring (along with 11 other Republicans) Democrat legislation to reinstate COLA increases for state employee pensions scrapped by Chris Christie. This multi-billion dollar movie would eventually lead to higher taxes and instability in the already imperiled pension system. Again, if you’re a state worker, does a bill like this remind you that you work for the taxpayers? Hardly. It reinforces the idea that the taxpayer toil to keep the public sector unions fat and happy.
I don’t see how spending more money on a new legislative office without real constitutional power to hold an executive office accountable accomplishes anything other than sending yet another message that legislators aren’t serious about holding Phil Murphy accountable.
The only way to make Trenton agencies more accountable? Trim the fat, rein in the public sector union bosses, and ultimately, elect leaders who know that they work for us (not the NJEA/CWA/etc.).
Voters generally agree. Polling consistently shows Americans favoring smaller government.
If Republicans ever want to be in a position again to make a real difference?
They need to listen to their fellow Americans and stick to their party’s limited government principles. They work!
