Turns out that while I was on vacation at Walt Disney World for five days, so was the governor of New Jersey. It is a small world after all! [Sorry, couldn't resist.]
I was able to keep doing the key parts of my job. The Governor, not so much. ThinkProgress has the story:
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) has received heavy criticism from residents and lawmakers for leaving the state, along with the Lt. Governor, during the fifth-largest blizzard in New Jersey’s history. Yesterday, Christie defended his vacation as “a great five days.”"I would have been doing the same thing here as I would have been there,” Christie said. “I would have been in a room someplace. I would not have been out, like, driving a plow.” The governor also dismissed a question about trapped residents and attacked some New Jersey mayors:
When asked about the hundreds of people trapped in their homes for days, Christie said unless they lived on state roads, it’s not something his administration would have been able to change.
“If someone is snowed into their house, that’s not our responsibility,” Christie said.
When asked about mayors who said they were forced to divert their resources to unplowed state roads instead of clearing local roads Christie said, “I know who these mayors are and they should buck up and take responsibility for the fact that they didn’t do their job.”
Some residents did not appreciate Christie’s vacation, however. “I think this was his first priority. I mean, I’m all for everybody going away and having a vacation. He’s entitled to that, just like any of us, but”¦this storm really debilitated the whole state,” one man told CBS New York.
Today, 95 percent of the roads in New Jersey are clear. Over 550 trapped vehicles had to be removed from roads, and Christie is requesting funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help pay for what he says is a state of disaster in 13 counties.
Christie and all Northeast governors no longer be surprised if they get an intense snow deluge this time of year — see “An amazing, though clearly little-known, scientific fact: We get more snow storms in warm years!“ But then, Christie is not one for all that science mumbo jumbo (see Zombies take New Jersey — Governor Christie questions climate science“):
Mankind, is it responsible for global warming? Well I’ll tell you something. I have seen evidence on both sides of it. I’m skeptical “” I’m skeptical. And you know, I think at the at the end of this, I think we’re going to need more science to prove something one way or the other.
But you know – cause I’ve seen arguments on both sides of it that at times – like I’ll watch something about man made global warming, and I go wow, that’s fairly convincing. And then I’ll go out and watch the other side of the argument, and I go huh, that’s fairly convincing too.
So, I go to be honest with you, I don’t know. And tthat’s probably one of the reasons why I became a lawyer, and not a doctor, or an engineer, or a scientist, because I can’t figure this stuff out.
Okay, he doesn’t want to be a smarty pants. But if he wants to play the tough New Jersey guy, he’s gonna have to do better than this:
When it became clear that the storm was getting worse, Christie said his wife warned him to not “even think about” canceling the trip.
As for my trip, I’ll do a post later this week with some thoughts on the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
Previous in TP Climate Progress
Language Intelligence: Lessons on persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga
Disneyland Denialism
What a perfect representation of escape from reality.
“I can’t figure this stuff out…”
When my governor, Chris Christie, originally blathered this nonsense, I wrote to his press secretary to ask the following question approximately:
Since Chris Christie admits he doesn’t have the expertise to determine whether global warming is a serious threat, or not, why doesn’t he listen to the experts – the National Academy of Science, for instance?
If his doctor diagnosed him with cancer and recommended he have immediate surgery followed by chemotherapy, would he wait for more science because the aromatherapist told him he would be just fine with scented candles? Or an acupuncturist suggested being poked with needles would clear up the problem? Or a chiropractor suggested powdered rhinoceros horn? Or would he go to Sloan Kettering for medical treatment?
If his car mechanic recommended he replace his brakes immediately or expect a nasty crash, would he demur because his barber told him it would be a waste of money?
Needless to say, I never received a reply.
So Chris Chringle Christie leaves his state where Snookie has become 45% of the GDP, and Disneyworld adds another Dumbo.
This is another example of a cynical politician just in it for the money and the power while deflecting all criticism and blaming others when things don’t go just right. They can’t be bothered learning the science and just use their scientifically challanged minds as an excuse to sidestep the important issues. They are all pathetic but extremely dangerous because of the fact that they do have power and influence, and most know how to use it to their advantage and to the detriment of all the rest of us.
Maybe someone should remind Gov. Christie of his Fifth Amendment rights. Because he seems to incriminate himself with every utterance. (I use the term “incriminate” loosely.)
* Not smart or well educated enough to understand the basic science of climate change;
* Apparently has trouble with aspects of economics too (as with the new tunnel to Manhattan);
* Unable or unwilling to hire/listen to expert advisors who do understand these things;
* Lets his wife dictate his reaction to approaching emergencies;
* Has a poor grasp of political realities connected to said emergencies.
I grew up in northern New Jersey. We lived on a cul-de-sac in a community called Radburn (part of Fairlawn.) I well remember having to shovel out our snowbound driveway — a task made more difficult by the ridges of ice left by the snowplow. I remember attacking that ice vigorously with various tools. I always succeeded, though it often took a while. But I think it’s not unreasonable for those unable to do that to expect some help from some level of government — just as someone whose house is burning should be able to expect help from the fire department even though he hadn’t paid his fee.
He simply followed the example of Tony “I want my life back” Hayward. What’s the big deal?
At least he did not choose to go “hiking the Appalachian Trail.” ;-)
In Australia, when a footballer had been heavily hit about the head, and had, temporarily, lost touch with reality, it used to be said that he was ‘in Disneyland’. Some of the older pugilists, when they meet at reunions (referred to by one notable as being like a ‘picnic in Jurassic Park) note that some of their mates had taken a few blows too many. Dementia pugilistica. Of course some people are born so mentally insufficient that blows to the head are unnecessary, but why so many of them seek out a political or media career has long baffled me. Oh, and Chris#7, is ‘hiking the Appalachian Trail’ an American euphemism?
Well to be fair there is really little the top executive branch can do after the snow hits the fan. Either there has been proper amount of competent people been hired and proper amount of equipment for snow clearing or there has not been. If he had actually taken some expensive methods to get back fast, then there would have been outrage over how expensive that was, how his private jet stole a landing slot from stranded passengers, how the price of his snow shoveling was over $100k etc.
Mulga (#8) – No, but “Pulling the goalie” is.
Mulga @8,
“Hiking the Appalachian Trail” refers to a lie told by former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford when he was, in fact, in Buenos Aires with a mistress.
Ha! Ha! How would the governor and his sidekick;s entourages, floundering around in the drifts and blocking the snowplows, have helped? Are you saying they should have been there training drivers and greasing bearings? A little late for that, don’t you think? If they didn’t have their people and machines ready, then blame them. Otherwise let them have a good time. H&ll, I’d have been in Florida too if somebody had paid my way.
What was it that Shrub was doing before Katrina? something like a birthday party or month-long vacation in Texas? Sounds like Christie is just carrying on a fine old tradition. “That’s not our responsibility” needs to be repeated many times in the coming years.