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Steve Lonegan vs. Chris Christie Debate Liveblogging

By J.P. Freire on 5.12.09 @ 8:00PM

I’ll be liveblogging this debate tonight. Stay on this link and just hit refresh.

8:03: I’d comment on Christie’s speech, but I’m a little distracted by what the heck is happening in the background. It looks like a live feed of a Predator’s helmet.

8:04: Lonegan is racing through his speech, but hitting hard points. Stumbling a little, but at least he didn’t read off his notes.

8:04: Christie is having a problem figuring out whether he wants to look at the camera or the moderator.

8:05: Lonegan notes that property taxes, business taxes, corporate taxes are too high.

8:06: Christie emphasizes government spending is the problem, not the property taxes.

8:08: Zero-based budgeting —I don’t know what that is, but it sounds a little bit like a dental apointment to have to go through every year.

8:08: All the state agencies should have “One affirmative action program, if that” according to Lonegan. Yikes.

8:09: WILL THEY PLEASE STOP GOING SO FAST.

8:09: Flat tax! Lonegan suggests a 2.9% flat tax, libertarian heads *explode*.

8:10: Christie: My first action as a freeholder was to make a motion to do something. I’m not the least bit clear on what the heck he’s talking about, but it sounds like he was a real trailblazer.

8:11: Oh snap, steve lonegan diss!! “I’m surprised after such a good record, you weren’t reelected after your first term.”

8:12: “What Steve doesn’t know is that I fought the status quo.” Good rebuttal.

8:12: THEY ARE STILL GOING TOO FAST. WHAT IS THIS, THE NORTHEAST?!

8:13: Weird mealy-mouthed stance from Christie — he would veto legislation authorizing gay marriage, but he thinks it should be decided by the people. Uh?

8:14: Lonegan hits Christie for his no-bid contract judgments, noting that Christie would be in big trouble if he got hit for this in the general election by Corzine. Christie responds that something needed to be done.

8:18: Christie believes in universal school vouchers. Lonegan rebuts that if you allow them to go to other districts, then no one would be going to any of the schools and the system would be decimated.

8:20: Lonegan looks much much more comfortable talking policy. While Christie tried to make himself sound like a crusader, he sounded a little disjointed in his rhetoric.

8:22: Christie continues pushing the flat-tax-as-tax-hike story. Says that Forbes, a flat tax advocate, endorsed him.

8:23: Lonegan gets laughs for saying that Forbes supported the bailout. He also notes that other taxes that would be eliminated (small business and corporate taxes that chase away businesses). Again, he’s in comfortable territory explaining this.

8:24: WHY DO THEY HAVE TO GO SO FAST. THIS IS NOT THE LIGHTENING ROUND.

8:26: Lonegan jabs Christie on his stance on the council on affordable housing, which changed from December from being in favor of it to being against it entirely.

8:28: Lonegan explains why you shouldn’t cry for public employees getting laid off, because his tax cuts will lead to increased jobs. Christie simply suggests that everyone’s losing jobs, and it would be unfair not to ask public employees to share in that sacrifice. WHAT?!

8:33: Christie supports tyranny, i.e. the progressive tax code, according to Lonegan. Lonegan, according to Christie, wants to raise taxes using a flat tax. I think there was a Reagan reference in there. Do a shot.

8:34: Lonegan notes that the reason why people don’t have health insurance is because they don’t want it, like his daughter who may have swine flu. But wait! He also wants tort reform to end ridiculous lawsuits in New Jersey. Somebody needs to tell him that New Jersey is *all about the ridiculous lawsuits*.

8:37: Christie claims his doctors think he knows too much about medicine during an unfortunate behind-the-back camera angle. The patron saint of irony snickers.

I’m giving up attempting to liveblog this. This is way too fast for me to be anything but super-snarky. Which may be entertaining. Lonegan is much better prepared for this debate. He is in much better command of the policies he’s espousing, whereas Christie is spacing out his speech to fill time. It looks like an oral exam and Christie was up all night after a semester of drinking in the parking lot. Which may actually be a recommendation for his ascent in New Jersey politics.

I’ll watch this when archived and make up timestamps. Call me when they mention Reagan again.

Taxpayer| 5.13.09 @ 6:22AM

That's what I saw. Lonegan knows government and policy extremely well. Christie filled time by ducking questions, being vague, and rehashing talking points (broken state under Jim McGreevey and Jon Corzine, raise taxes on 70% [because current non-payers would contribute]...
So Christie was snubbed by the GOP machine as freeholder, but is now their golden child? Huh?

Will| 5.13.09 @ 10:40AM

CHRISTIE SAYS we should increase the school year and school day in the schools of places like Newark. the 30 Abbott districts in NJ, and it won't cost us anymore because the charter schools in Newark are $8000 less than the public schools. The public schools in these Abbott districts cost almost $30,000 per student, the highest in the US, and the worst education. Does Christie think we are all stupid? Most of the kids in Newark do not go to charter schools, they go to failed public schools. Most of the money to pay for these schools is drained from the rest of the state. Lonegan say he will do away with the unequal distribution of state funding for education and every child will get the same amount which will lower local property tax in the suburban schools and give vouchers to students in NJ so all students have a choice in their education. Let competition work in education. Let poor minority kids have the same choice to go to a private school as wealthy students do. Competition will improve all schools. Lonegan wants the vouchers used within the district, so the new schools will drive economic revitalization within the community rather than just drain the community of students and economic development. Christie says to let them go out of the district which would decimate the district educationally and economically.
Tax rebate is a scam as Lonegan says. It is taking our taxes and then costing $ 10million in administrative costs to return it to us. Christie wants to pander to ua and thinks we are stupid enough to think that tax rebates are real tax relief. Christie should not pee on us and tell us it's raining. Property tax will be reduced by lowering school costs by reducing school costs through competition and equalizing state school support by eliminating Abbott district special funding.
Lonegan is straitforward, NOT an attorney, fiscally conservative, and will make a positive change in NJ with a flat tax of 2.9% for all in NJ instead of the 9% graduated tax. Anyone making more than $40,000 a year does better by leaving NJ. Lonegan should be elected.

Di Marco| 5.13.09 @ 7:51PM

Christie avoided providing specifics plus he outright lied at least once when he stated his position on COAH never changed. Since "politics makes strange bedfellows", mentioning endorsements by other politicians, has little impact. Because Lonegan is known as a fighter on behalf of the taxpayer, Christie's BS claim about the Flat Tax raising taxes on 70% of the people shows that Christie is untrustworthy. I will say that Christie was smart to agree with Steve on many issues.

Regina, what experience does Christie have? One term as a Freeholder where he did such a poor job that the voters decided he should come in dead last in a field of six candidates? Lonegan has actually beaten Corzine, he built a successful business, and was not only elected in a heavily democrat town but the people there thought he did his job so well they re-elected him every time he ran.

Daniel| 5.13.09 @ 10:39PM

Under the proposed flat tax, singles making less than $35k a year and couples making less than $70k a year would see a small increase in income taxes of a few hundred dollars a year. Keep in mind this income group currently represents approx 60% (not 70%) of NJ taxpayers but its share of total income tax collection is only about 4%, down from 8% in 2001 according to NJ official tax stats at http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/pdf/pubs/soi_tables2006.pdf
McGreevy/Cody/Corzine have been bleeding the productive $250k and up "millionaires" dry (to which I'm not even distantly related), and as a result, NJ has been losing billions in taxable base as over 336,000 such job-generating "millionaires" have left the state in the last 10 years taking over $12.8 Billion of their wealth with them (over one-third of that number since 2005). If we don't reverse course, NJ is going the way of Upstate NY, where the state is the biggest employer left.
Lonegan can and will beat Corzine BECAUSE NJ IS FED UP OF FAILED, CORRUPT AND WASTEFUL SPENDING AND PAY-TO-PLAY, AND IS READY TO TRUST A PRINCIPLED, ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT ALTERNATIVE; Christie = Bush = Ashcroft would lose as Corzine unleashes all that hatred plus opens up Christie's own skeleton closet. Also even if Christie could win, he does not have a plan to win back business nor really cut or simplify income/property/business taxes meaningfully.
I wouldn't even mind paying a bit more income tax if COAH, Abbott and the multitude of social engineering schemes are stopped from destroying what's left of my home value!

Lisa| 5.14.09 @ 9:32AM

We need LONEGAN now! He's all about the constitution and founding fathers messages...about freedoms, liberties, getting govt smaller and out of our wallets! The other guy is a RINO=Republican In Name Only....we had that already w/Whitman...anyone remember her?
Go LONEGAN!

Cary Dickey| 5.14.09 @ 10:12AM

Lonegan talks about the issues intelligently. In fact, he knows what this race is about---running for Governor Of New Jersey. Christie was not talking intelligently, and sounded like he was running for State Attorney General Of New Jersey, instead of Governor Of New Jersey. Lonegan's answers were clear. You knew where he stood on all of the issues. Christie was vague and unclear. He should take a course in Communication 101. Lonegan's tax plan sounds like most New Jersey residents would benefit from it. All Christie does, is get his facts twisted and keeps repeating that Lonegan's flat tax plan would raise taxes on 70% of New Jersey residents. Christie just sounds like a broken record when he talks about Lonegan's flat tax plan. Give me a break! Steve Lonegan sounds like he would make a great Governor Of New Jersey. Lonegan, keep up the good work!

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Steve Lonegan vs. Chris Christie Debate Liveblogging | But As For Me links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

Steve Lonegan vs. Chris Christie Debate Liveblogging | But As For Me TWITTER But As For

RussOCNJ| 5.12.09 @ 9:28PM

Lonegan cannot read notes, he is blind so he has to know everything off the top of his head.

Carolyn | 5.13.09 @ 10:09AM

Lonegan was much more focused and informed than Christie.

Christie looked and sounded like a slick politician

Regina Jones| 5.13.09 @ 6:11PM

Christie is far more experienced and has what it takes to BEAT CORZINE. If New Jersey wants to rid itself of Corzine, ELECT CHRISTIE. Lonegan won't do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!