The saying once went “Trenton Makes. The World Takes.”
Nowadays, Trenton takes. And takes, and takes, and takes. It wouldn’t be so bad if Trenton just took taxes… in fact, a 1% sales tax increase is something I can stomach. But last week, Trenton couldn’t figure out how to spend its money. And in doing so, it also took away the confidence of everyone living in the little state it governs. For a week, it took away the income of an estimated 100,000 state employees and casino workers. And I even had the unfortunate opportuinity to see it, firsthand, take away the bread and butter of local businesses who relied on those now-temporarily-unemployed state employees who used to stop by on their lunch breaks to eat, or maybe pick up a knicknack or two on the way home.
It was probably eight of the most grueling days for the people of New Jersey in memory. While they were sweating it out, some out of work and with dim hopes of getting back pay for their troubles, a bunch of greedy little children in that town called Trenton bickered and fought, in the most embarassing display of chaos exhibited in the history of politics.
The sad thing is, the people who were hurt the most were probably not at all on the minds of those greedy little children, except in that some had a misguided notion that they would not be re-elected if they didn’t stamp ther feet and throw a tantrum. If that’s what it takes to win an election, then this little state is, alas, doomed.
I hope the citizens of New Jersey see fit to throw every last one of them out of office next go-round. When the people within the same political party can’t agree, and are at each other’s throats, and are even willing to hold the futures of millions of people hostage, then the system is truly broken. And that hurts everyone.