Jersey Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!
This is What Political Posturing Looks Like
Partisan Loyalty and Gov. Christie’s Presidential Aspirations Come First
Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande and state Sen. Jennifer Beck (both R-Monmouth) pose
(Source: MaryAne Spoto, NJ Advance media)
Real Jersey Girls don’t want to publicly embarrass their Governor and ask for real solutions that could kill offshore LNG with the stroke of a pen.
They’d rather strike poses, bask in the limelight, and get praise from the press and coastal groups for being “ocean champions” and crap like that.
Plus, it’s all Obama’s fault anyway, right?
Why put any heat on Governor Christie right now?
I mean, he’s got a Presidential campaign to run, and the Big Oil & Gas Boyz who write those big checks would not be favorably impressed by a Governor exercising his veto power to kill an energy project, nor would Republicans in Congress or the right wing Republican base primary voters.
Especially stuff like this: (SR 120)
WHEREAS, Upon his veto in 2011 of the 2008 LNG project, Governor Christie recognized that “LNG facilities . . . are not the answer forNew Jersey’s needs . . . ,” and he indicated, moreover, that his “administration will oppose any application for liquefied natural gas” since it is inappropriate for New Jersey to assume the environmental and other risks associated with LNG facility projects, when the benefits to the State are weak, at best; and
WHEREAS, Because the construction and operation of the proposed Port Ambrose deepwater LNG terminal would endanger New Jersey’s coastal and ocean environments, as well as its shipping, fishing, and coastal tourism industries, while providing no benefit to the State or its residents, and because the authorization and approval of this port project would be contrary to the goals and positions espoused by government officials at both the federal and State level, it is altogether fitting and proper for federal and State officials to use their respective authority to prevent the construction and operation of this LNG port facility off of New Jersey’s coast; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House opposes the construction and operation of the Port Ambrose deepwater liquefied natural gas terminal off the coast of New Jersey, and it urges the United States Coast Guard, the federal Maritime Administration, and any other federal entity engaged in review of the Port Ambrose project to disapprove of the project, and thereby prohibit its construction off of New Jersey’s coastline.
2. In the event that the Port Ambrose deepwater port project is approved by federal officials, this House urges the Governor of the State of New Jersey to veto the project, pursuant to the authority granted to governors of adjacent coastal states under the federal “Deepwater Port Act of 1974,” 33 U.S.C. s.1501 et seq.,
PS – oops, I almost forgot this – Real Jersey Girls enjoy a little cheerleading for the Big Boy too:
I’m coming to a similar conclusion, regarding Jennifer Beck, in search of environmental leadership on the Republican side. Her comments at the Port Ambrose series seemed somehow scripted by someone cropped closely to the reins of Clean Ocean Action. To be sure, her comments on their own were fine and idealistic. But then again, why hasn’t she picked up the phone and called Governor Christie and let him know that her continued support for his political ambitions is conditioned on a veto of Port Ambrose, which would be in Monmouth County’s “clean ocean zone.”
Taking the cue from Wolfenotes, I posted on my FB on this query, where I’m following other subjects that might dovetail with yours:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007542496010
Michael Drake