Friday, May 15, 2009

Can Lonegan Beat Corzine?

I like what Mayor Steve Lonegan has to say about school funding, eliminating COAH, eliminating pre-K, eliminating the homestead rebate and some other issues. The question is whether he is electable. I am not sure that he could get elected even against Corzine.

The thing that concerns me about Mayor Lonegan is that he will never avoid an issue. And, he never goes half-hearted on an issue. If its the income tax, it has to be a flat tax, no exemptions, no deductions. If it is global warming, its that there is no global warming. And, if other NJ pols support Christie, he challenges whether those fellow party members are conservative enough. In other words, he just won't tap dance around an issue. And, is that the best way to get elected?
I don't think so. You look at politics and those who got elected are those who can tap dance around an issue.

As far as I am concerned, if he limited his issues against Corzine to school funding reform, opposing COAH, opposing pre-K, opposing the homestead rebate, opposing boondoggle transportation projects and reducing income taxes (without a specific proposal), he would win easily. But he won't do that. He has to make his point about the flat tax, he has to bring in Joe the Plumber, he has to attack those pushing for carbon dioxide and he has to push for offshore drilling in NJ. He has to discipline himself and say this is what I have to do to beat Chris Christie and this is what I have to do to beat Jon Corzine and limit his proposals to those which will accomplish those goals. And, if he doesn't do that, he won't get elected.