Three Monkeys

Chris Christie

Chris Christie is like Iwazaru, the monkey who cannot speak.

As reported by Christopher Baxter, in the Star Ledger, in 2011, here,  while he vetoed a bill, S2996, that would have required New Jersey to work with other states to limit the greenhouse gases that scientists say are changing the climate, Gov. Christie said, “climate change is real.” He also said  “human activity plays a role in these changes” and that climate change is “impacting our state.”

In a rare moment of humility, he also said, “I can’t claim to fully understand all of this. Certainly not after just a few months of study. But when you have over 90 percent of the world’s scientists who have studied this stating that climate change is occurring and that humans play a contributing role it’s time to defer to the experts.”

He added that climate science is complex and “we know enough to know that we are at least part of the problem.” But that was in 2011. Before Hurricane Sandy.

Fast forward to October 29, 2012. Hurricane – Superstorm Sandy slammed into the Jersey Shore. And today, one year later, we still have a lot to do.

In May, 2013, as reported by Jenna Portnoy, in the Star Ledger, here, Christie maintained his refusal to acknowledge any role climate change may have played in Hurricane Sandy, calling it “a scientific discussion and debate that I’m simply not engaged in.”

And as Julie O’Connor wrote in the Star Ledger, here, “Too bad that strong leadership didn’t extend to telling New Jerseyans what we needed to hear most: that we must protect ourselves from rising sea levels that worsen severe flooding, and mightier storms in the future.

Christie doesn’t like to utter the words ‘climate change,’ but … it’s time to be frank: We aren’t stronger than the storm. And given the lack of transparency in his administration’s rebuilding process so far, it’s hard to tell if we’ll ever be.”

Charles & David Koch

The citizens of New Jersey need a Governor will will listen to scientists, and take their advice, not one who will say “It’s over my head” and ignore what they say, and curry favor with Tea Party backers like the Koch Brothers who are destroying the Republican Party and the United States.

Barbara Buono

Popular Logistics supports Barbara Buono for Governor of New Jersey, as we have since February (see Buono for New Jersey / Politics, Policy, & Jersey). Sen. Buono is an independent-minded Democrat who listens to the facts, not the lobbyists or the machine pols before making decisions.

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Larry Furman is a candidate for General Assembly  (Site / Join / Contribute) to represent NJ Legislative District 12, which stretches from Matawan to New Hanover and includes Old Bridge, Manalapan, Englishtown, Roosevelt, Millstone, Jackson, and various other towns (click here). He is also an analyst with Popular Logistics. He holds a Bachelor’s in Biology, and an MBA in “Managing for Sustainability” from Marlboro College, Vermont. He also has experience in information technology. He can be reached at ‘Larry” at Furman For New Jersey. com.