A Planless Plan
Posted March 20, 2009

As the race for New Jersey governor intensifies, the importance of an informed electorate cannot be overemphasized. The voters of New Jersey have a responsibility to look critically at each candidate, examine his positions and proposals, and determine which will be in the best interests of the people.

This becomes difficult to do, however, when a candidate avoids offering any plan to begin with.

Yet, that is exactly the path Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie chose recently in an interview on WNYC's Brian Lehrer show. Commenting on Governor Jon Corzine's $29.8 billion budget proposal, Christie stated, "Governor Corzine has the responsibility for putting together this budget, and my responsibility is to critique what he's done."  (See related article here.)

The background of this quote is a conversation between Lehrer and Christie regarding Governor Corzine's proposed means of balancing New Jersey's budget. "Unfortunately," Christie said, "the governor has decided that he wants to balance this budget on the back of middle class taxpayers and most particularly property taxpayers across New Jersey."

Continuing the conversation, he noted, "Without any real cuts in the budget, I think the governor has failed the test here."

When Lehrer questioned what cuts Christie would actually make, however, he responded, "Well, I'll tell you, Brian, I wouldn't be increasing taxes the way he's [Corzine's] doing it," and he criticized Corzine, saying, "He didn't make tough choices here, Brian. I would have reduced the size and scope of government. He did not do that."

Returning to this topic later in the show, Lehrer stated: "A number of people want me to follow up again on the back and forth we had about what you would actually cut, because they said you never gave a specific answer to what you would cut, even if you wouldn't do the same spending policies as Governor Corzine."

Christie's response - or, rather, non-response - was:

Well listen, I think again, that you know, I know people love to continue to press on that, but the fact of the matter is that Governor Corzine has a responsibility for putting together this budget and my responsibility is to critique what he's done.

The fact of the matter is, I've just told you. I would have everyone share the pain. I did give some specifics. I said people would need to lose jobs. We would need to lower the size and the scope of government. We'd need to lower the number of employees that we have at the state government. We would need to get realistic about how we're running things.

Nevertheless, when Lehrer followed up with, "But you won't say with what effect on services, correct?" Christie's response was:

Well, listen, of course there'll be an effect on services, Brian. Of course there will be, Brian. But the fact of the matter is that we now have a state that is drowning in taxes and debt. And people are leaving the state. We are now the second largest out-migration state in America.

Still, when Lehrer countered with, "But you won't say which choices you would make, which things you would cut, which things you would be - be sure not to cut," Christie's response was again a criticism of the governor which included the statement, "I think you can conclude from that that I would do it differently."

Perhaps, indeed, the people of New Jersey can "conclude" that Christie would do things differently from Corzine.  But "differently" is not enough, and it's hardly a defensible reason for New Jersey voters to entrust Christie with the governorship.

Here is a bit of advice for the entire field of candidates hoping to earn the title of governor: Forget the "pick and choose" approach to spending cuts. We've heard of governors instructing their cabinet members to implement equal percentage across-the-board cuts in every department and telling any cabinet head unwilling to comply to submit his or her resignation. This may sound harsh, but critical times demand decisive leadership, and New Jersey would do well to follow this example, regardless of who is in office.

Indeed, voters deserve more than a chance to 'draw their own conclusions' about what a candidate might or might not do if elected. They deserve specifics. And anyone aspiring to Drumthwacket should respect voters enough to provide them with the same.

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