It must not be very pleasant to be Jon Corzine right now:
“When everybody laughed when you said that the board would be non-partisan, why do you think everyone laughed?†said Al Dolce, a self-described investor from Freehold. He told Mr. Corzine in Marlboro that his policies had insulted and offended the public “because we’ve been watching you, Jon. Nobody believes you on that! Nobody!â€
The atmosphere has become so volatile that last week the State Police began checking the audience with metal detectors and searching handbags.
The natives are getting restless. It takes people getting pissed off at the status quo before anything will change, though. The status quo in New Jersey is a corrupt and arrogant Democratic machine.
Outside, Mr. Lonegan and his supporters have distributed fliers and hoisted signs, including one depicting Mr. Corzine as a toll booth collector, with the words: “We accept: cash, check, money order, Visa, MasterCard, first mortgage, first-born child.â€
That’s a good one. I’ll have to remember that for when Fast Eddie goes to hike tolls again to pay for Philadelphia’s inefficient mass transit system.
After Mr. Corzine wrapped up his 38-minute presentation, more than 30 people rushed to line up behind two microphones. (And rushed it was, because Mr. Lonegan and Senate Minority Leader Thomas H. Kean Jr. have urged opponents to position themselves as close to the microphones as possible to stack the questions.)
Republicans in New Jersey seem to be learning how to be the opposition. I hope Republicans elsewhere start learning this too.
