As the NJ bridge scandal develops, it is tempting to get sucked into the political ramifications for Christie 2016 (tm). Sure he's an ass. Sure he's a bully. But what we have to drive home over and over is this: This is yet another example of how little the Republican party actually cares about governing. This is why it will be damaging to Christie in the long term. Christie is seen by many as a roll your sleeves up and get stuff done gov. Bridgegate shatters that image. We have to make sure that everyone knows that Christie is nothing but another Republican who could give a shit about his constituents.
Sure, Democrats have some unsavory characters, but I can't think of any who would even consider purposely harming his/her constituents to exact political revenge or make an ideological point. Yet time and time again, Republicans do just that. Republicans refuse to expand Medicaid, denying health insurance to 5 million people to prove a political point (although I'm not sure I remember what that point is). Republicans believe that to solve a fake long term debt problem we need to make shot term cuts to the social safety net. Unconscionable until you realize that THEY JUST DONT CARE.
Republicans DONT CARE. They don't believe in government and when put into power they prove it. They appoint Arabian horse experts to run FEMA. They appoint people with no experience in transportation to the Port Authority. The Chair of the House Energy committee thinks wind turbines worsen global warming for Christ's sake!!
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The really sad thing is that they have largely suceeded in convincing people that government just can't work. When I ask conservatives why you would vote for someone to run government who doesn't believe in government, I get the sense that they have no problem with it. They don't believe government can do anything positive. It's our job to drive the point home over and over that government can work, if you just hand the reigns to people who believe it can.
This week Chris Christie proved once and for all that he's just another republican. All he care's about it advancing his career, and if his constituents have to waste a week in traffic, it's no big deal.