January 9, 2008 - 2:00pm
Franks to head Corzine's debt reduction campaign
By Editor
Tags: Jon Corzine, Bob Franks
Gov. Jon Corzine has named former GOP Rep. Bob Franks, his opponent in the 2000 U.S. Senate race, to serve as Chairman of a grass roots effort to build voter support for his Financial Restructuring and Debt Reduction Plan outlined in yesterday’s State of the State address.
"A little over seven years ago Congressman Franks was my opponent in the race for U.S. Senate and today he joins us in what could prove to be our most important fight," Corzine said. "Bob's extraordinary leadership skills in this endeavor to help right New Jersey's financial ship is a shining example of the fact that our financial challenges do not know party lines and that our solutions shouldn't either."
A former GOP State Chairman, Franks has served as President of the Health Care Institute of New Jersey since leaving Congress in 2001.
"You may ask how a fiscally conservative Republican like myself could find common ground with a liberal Democrat like Jon Corzine," said Franks. "The answer is simply that the governor has broken with tradition in Trenton and declared that we have to transform the way we handle the state's finances. My grandfather taught me a long time ago that when you find yourself in a deep hole, the first rule is to stop digging."
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Quote of the Day
August 29, 2008
"Oh, I know, there will be quite a scrum if" - he pauses and then doesn't say anything about a federal appointment - "if I get hit by a truck. A second time."
Gov. Jon Corzine, speculating on the mass of potential gubernatoial candidates eager to take his place.
--- The Jersey Journal, 8/29/08
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In the News
Read the expanded Wake Up Call, our summary of today’s news media coverage.
Today’s Must Reads:
Politicker Poaches From Politico― News from Politicker.com
Xanadu bill footnote may weigh on Corzine― CHARLES STILE
Zoffinger not one to deny beliefs, avoid controversy― 'Codey's an idiot, and you can print that'
Welcome to New Jersey, Media Wasteland― NEW YORK OBSERVER
Divorce McGreevey style ― ALFRED DOBLIN
The judge got it right ― JAMES AHEARN
Capital Games― HERB JACKSON
Teen will get chance to sue a top N.J. judge ― ROBERTO RIVERA-SOTO
Mayor refusing to apologize for anti-Semitic slur ― WOODCLIFF LAKE
Court decision likely to have far-reaching implications in N.J. ― EMINENT DOMAIN
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Simple Answer
Bob Franks is no longer fiscally conservative.
This is why I didn't bother
This is why I didn't bother to vote for Bob Franks!
This is outright political treason.
You wonder why Republicans can't win? Is every Republican for sale?
For a prominent Republican like Franks no longer in office to stick it to what's left of the GOP is truely pathetic, self serving and vindictive.
What contract or business is he seeking?
Why screw the party when finally they made some inroads in the last election?
If this isn't a wake-up call to purge the GOP of RINO's, nothing is...
The party is becoming the permanent minority by it's own doing.
Oh how horrible
To be building bridges to find solutions ot the state's debt, how horrible that Corzine has asked a Republican to asssist with the state's finacial problems. The shame the indignity the outrage. I can't believe Frank's would like to try and solve problems rather than jump on the partisan bickering. A tip of the hat to both Corzine and Franks for playing politics like it can be.
Lost Respect
I have lost a lot of respect for Bob. Corzine has done nothing to decrease the size and scope of government. He is "freezing" state spending, what a joke! This from the governor who said we had severe fiscal problems when running for governor, then immediately raised the budget 9% and raised taxes. Bob, "say it ain't so!" If it is, it's a sad day for many people who believed in you.
So Franks' position is
So Franks' position is simply to be a lobbyist for the dumbest "plan" any Governor has ever had (except for McGreevey's appointment of Cipel). Surely, Franks doesn't think this is a rational, visionary plan. So what's the quid pro quo? Franks to be chair of the newly-created agency?
SOMEBODY HELP US!
Republican Values
Will the last Republican who can't be sold ( John Ginty)
Please turn out the lights
This is generally how politicians retire and become "statesmen"
Which is what happens when they are no longer interested in running for elective office.
Bob is a hack for the health industry,
The man was castrated years ago.
Franks is finished politically
As a former big supporter of Bob Franks who volunteered, gave money, etc. I am very disappointed that he has now sold his soul to the devil. Maybe Bob was tired of being asked to seek office again. Well, he has certainly found a way to put a stop to that! Unlkess he switches parties, I doubt we'll ever see him seek elected office again.
Why & What?
I too feel this is not the position that I'd like to see from BF.
For now, I'll surely give him the benefit of doubt......but, I do want to hear what he has to say.
Maybe, just maybe, there's something I'm missing.
Bob, please tell me what's happening here.....
Political Traitor?
Bob Franks is a traitor? Because he doesn't want to burn down the State House and thinks there may be value in working across the political divide? He's a traitor because he didn't send out press releases bashing the plan before he'd even read it? He's a traitor because he actually recognizes there is a problem and that NO ONE has fixed it before now? How sad.
WE WON'T BE FOOLED AGAIN!!!!
Southern7 wrote..."He's a traitor because he actually recognizes there is a problem and that NO ONE has fixed it before now? "
Bob Franks certainly knew, or should have known, what Corzine's "plan" was, in depth, before agreeing to be the point man for it. And knowing what the plan is, Franks could not conceivably be on board with this moronic scheme unless there was a meaningful quid pro quo. There will be a pay-off! Does that make Franks a traitor? YES. He has, by aligning himself with Corzine's awful little debacle of a plan, betrayed every taxpayer who expects politicians--even the defrocked ones--to act as honest stewards of our assets and tax dollars.
Maybe Franks should stand up and respond to Corzine's plan by exposing the truth; that the only way to set our State finances right is to reduce spending and cut-back on the unconscionable compensation schemes gifted our public sector Unions by a steady string of cowardly, weak-willed and unethical elected officials.
WE WON'T BE FOOLED AGAIN!!!!