If you think Rand Paul, Sharon Angle or Jeff Miller would be crazy if they were elected they wouldn't be as bad as Congressman Scott Garrett has been. A brief reminder of what he has done. (Brought to you by Clammyc!)
Garrett was also the only member of the NJ Congressional delegation (currently 8 D’s, 5 R’s) to vote for drilling off the coast of NJ.
He was the only one to vote against restrictions on price gouging by oil companies.
He voted against child safety locks on guns
He voted against a bill for federal regulations regarding clean drinking water.
He was one of only four in the entire House to vote against an extension of unemployment benefits.
He introduced his very own stimulus bill in 2008, consisting entirely of corporate tax breaks
He voted against a federal ban on dogfighting.
His former Chief of Staff left him to become Michele Bachmann’s Chief of Staff – helping her rise to the top of the loony bin.
"Big Bad Jon" Cornyn’s campaign manager called Scott Garrett a "nut" – to his most recent opponent’s daughter!
The word to sum up Garrett is cruel.
First some information about the district
The District runs the top of New Jersey and a little bit Southward. It travels from the Northern half of Bergen County through Essex and Passic County and a clear a majority of Sussex County and all of Warren County.
The district travels from suburbs of New York City to exurban areas and some real rural areas. There are no real cities and the areas are rather white. Recently, the area has started being more diverse. Their is now a large Korean-American community in the Eastern-half of the district and a growing Latino population in the West. That is not to say there are not other ethnic groups spread throughout the district.
The towns:
Warren County
Allamuchy-Panther Valley
Alpha
Belvidere
Blairstown Township
Franklin Township
Frelinghuysen Township
Greenwich Township
Hackettstown
Hardwick Township
Harmony Township
Hope Township
Independence Township
Great Meadows-Vienna
Knowlton Township
Liberty Township
Lopatcong Township
Mansfield Township
Beattystown
Oxford Township
Oxford
Phillipsburg
Pohatcong Township
Washington Township
Brass Castle
Washington
White Township
Bergen County
* Allendale
* Alpine
* Bergenfield
* Closter
* Cresskill
* Demarest
* Dumont
* Emerson
* Fair Lawn (part)
* Franklin Lakes
* Glen Rock
* Harrington Park
* Haworth
* Hillsdale
* Ho-Ho-Kus
* Mahwah Township
* Midland Park
* Montvale
* Northvale
* Norwood
* Oakland
* Old Tappan
* Oradell
* Paramus
* Park Ridge
* Ramsey
* Ridgewood
* River Vale
* Rochelle Park
* Rockleigh
* Saddle River
* Tenafly
* Upper Saddle River
* Waldwick
* Washington Township
* Westwood
* Woodcliff Lake
* Wyckoff Township
Passaic County
* North Haledon (part)
* Ringwood
* Wanaque
* West Milford
Sussex County
* Andover Township
* Andover
* Branchville
* Frankford Township
* Franklin
* Fredon Township
* Green Township
* Hamburg
* Hampton Township
* Hardyston Township
* Hopatcong
* Lafayette Township
* Montague Township
* Newton
* Ogdensburg
* Sandyston Township
* Stillwater Township
* Sussex
* Vernon Township
* Walpack Township
* Wantage Township
Most of the registered voters live in Bergen County, which is also the wealthy of all the counties in the district (and top 3 in the country). The people in Bergen are socially liberal and economically conservative and as you travel westward the trend of the voters shifts as people become more socially conservative and more economically liberal. There is a vast range of professions in the district go from corporate executives to farmers and everything in between. Bergen County is actually split between two congressional districts and the parts that generally vote for Democrats are in the other congressional district.
For several years this district was represented by moderate Republican Marge Roukema, who was seriously beloved in the district. Since her retirement there have been several schools which have named political aspects of their school after her. Roukema retired because she got pushed out by a combination of the Conservative Caucus and the Club for Growth, who ran two serious challengers against her. And for the last few terms the district has been represented by Congressman Garett.
Garrett belongs to a real crazy church called The Laffayette Family Church. An example of the craziness of the church is that it believes that stem cell research is an affront to God.
Garrett does like helping anyone other the corporations. Anything that could benefit anyone other then the corporations he is almost a sure no vote on.
And now a little about Tod:
The last two Democratic candidates have been from Bergen County, this time we have elected a lawyer from Warren County. Warren has been really strong for Garrett in the past so this will hopefully really cut into his strength. And who is this lawyer who has taken on the challenge to turn the fifth blue and retire Garrett? Its Tod Theise!
Tod is a litigator at an international law firm. He is married and has a daughter. He also owns five dogs. (All rescued!)
Tod serves as a 1st Lieutenant in the New York Guard. As an attorney, he provides free legal services to soldiers and their families.
Tod is a great guy. Time to for some offense and turn this district Blue!
More to come.