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The Spectacle Blog
A historical precedent to the Tea Party movement found expression in New Jersey in the form of a grassroots campaign built around opposition to the tax hikes imposed by former Democratic Gov. Jim Florio in the 1990s, recalls Rick Manning, a Second Amendment activist, who now serves with Americans for Limited Government as the director of communications.
“I’ve seen the Tea Party before,” he said in an interview. “There was a citizens-led revolt called `Hands Across New Jersey’ that came about in response to Governor Florio’s over-reach. People who had not been involved politically became energized and active. It had a real impact.”
In the off year election cycle of 1991, Republicans took control of the State Assembly and State Senate. These results heralded a wave of national victories for the national GOP that culminated in the election of the Gingrich Congress beginning in 1994, Manning observed. The results here are quite telling because on the both the state and national level the Republican Party lost support after it backpeddled on its commitments to limited government, Manning added.
Ben Dworkin, a political science professor who serves as the director for the Rebovich Institute of New Jersey politics, also sees similiarties between the “Hands Across New Jersey” campaign and the Tea Party, but identifies some key differences.
“There are some similarities between the Hands Across NJ effort from the early 1990’s and the Tea Party efforts of today,” he observed. “In both cases, you had an organic, grass roots movement that was able to coalesce with the financial and political support of more established entities already opposing Democratic incumbents. In both cases, there was public anger and frustration with a lingering recession and the perception that government hasn’t been as responsive as it should.
“But we should also recognize that these kinds of protest movements are part of American political history, and occur from time to time over the years. The issues are different. The people who participate are different. But part of the greatness of American democracy is that citizens can organize to demand that elected officals address their grievances, and are often effective.”
Dworkin has offered some early observations on the election returns in his state. They are as follows:
Close Races All Around
We have not seen so many close races for Congress in New Jersey in decades. Districts 3, 6 and 12 are all likely to be decided by a few percentage points.
In addition, major races for Bergen County Executive and the special election for state Senate in the 14th legislative district will also be close.
The closeness of these races reflects a few things: First, the political climate is being driven by the bad economy. People are angry and frustrated and therefore, as expected, they express that frustration by voting for someone who is not in charge. Second, the Republicans knew it was going to be a good year for their party. (The first midterm election when there is a new president is always good for the party that is not in control of the White House.) Therefore, the GOP recruited serious candidates who have run very credible campaigns. There were no sacrificial lambs in the targeted districts.
Interpretations Abound
No matter what the outcome, partisans on each side will interpret it as having significance beyond whatever district was involved. This may or may not be the case, but it is something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, if you claim a mandate long enough and loud enough, the press - and therefore the public - will eventually believe that it actually was a mandate.
These races may well be decided by local concerns and the personalities of the candidates, but those who insist there is a “larger meaning” to what happens today are likely to get the attention of the media over the next week. This is how things that don’t really have anything to do with national politics end up being understood as having everything to do with national politics.
Christie Unbound
The Governor has a lot riding on this election. This is not just because he campaigned vigorously for dozens of candidates around the country.
For the Governor, it’s probably more important to see how Republican congressional candidates do here in New Jersey. If Republicans are able to knock off any of the incumbent Democrats in the state, Christie and his supporters will show that it is evidence that the Governor’s brand of Republicanism can really delivery victories in the northeast.
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More Blog Posts by Kevin Mooney
http://spectator.org/blog/2010/11/02/hands-across-nj-efforts-viewed
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John Budzash| 11.3.10 @ 9:58AM
This good article made several excellent points especially about “Interpretations”
As the founder of HANJ, I chuckle when I see our impact is still talked about. I also chuckle when politicians try to interpret voters or 'revolters' or to comment about us without knowing what they are talking about. We were simply overtaxed average people who were fed up with out of control government., We bonded together and yelled loudly. We changed politics in NJ and we fought successfully to repeal taxes, defeat new taxes and stopped new bonded debt proposals.
HANJ did not "coalesce with the financial and political support of more established entities " I personally turned down offers of funds from the NRA, the Republican party and others. We operated on our personal money and small donations.
We had members and supporters who were pro gun, anti gun, pro life, pro abortion, Democrat and Republican. We even had a few liberals and conservatives mixed in with mostly moderate supporters. Our issue was taxes and better government period!
Politicians seem to forget we are a nation born from a Tax Revolt. They spend, tax, bond, and waste money with no thought to the future of the USA. The one true observation made by SOME media commentators and politicians is, HANJ members along with most Tea Party members were/are simply fed up with high taxes and we see what politicians obviously can not. However after saying that, politicians march off and do nothing except to continue spending and ignoring our problems.
America can not afford to continue bonded spending, printing money with nothing to back it up, unbridled foreign aid, especially to Russia who then gives foreign aid to Iran, or to China who uses our aid money to buy up the trillion dollar bonded debt we owe them, or to bail out mismanaged big business or credit card companies and banks who rip us off daily with idiotic high interest rates.
When we vote, sadly we are usually stuck with dumb and dumber choices of Democrats who tax and spend and Republicans who bond and spend. Both parties are light years away from seeing what the people want. Overwhelmingly we want less government, lower taxes, more accountability by all people paid with tax dollars and a open and responsive government.
We need our elected officials to stop wasteful spending, lower foreign aid, stop interfering in foreign governments, end our dependence on foreign oil by going to lower cost and free alternative energy, protect our borders, and enforce immigration laws by deporting at least 1 million illegals.
Dealing with the illegal immigrant problem would easily save American Taxpayers over a billion a year, get back jobs LEGAL immigrants and citizens need, that were historically always done by Americans and get this country back on track.
Luckily after a run of Bozo governors, the worst being Whitman (R) and Corzine (D), we finally have Chris Christy who is the first governor ever, to actually do as he promised and is working hard to fix NJ. My only complaint is he is not addressing property taxes as aggressively as he should. We need major changes to the way home values/taxes are assessed and funding education. If he solves that problem, I can see President Christy in the future. If he does nothing major about property taxes, I see a 1 term governor.
Similarities with the Tea Party are ; I was born on Dec 16 (date of original Boston Tea Party) and their members are similar to ours . Fed up over taxed, over regulated US Citizens from all walks of life. They are average people, political operatives, wealthy and poor, professionals and ditch diggers, unemployed and big business executives. You can not define the Tea Party or HANJ because both are and were a blend of all people who believe in the Constitution and want America back as it was and as it should be. Trying to analyze the obvious does not work. Both Tea Party and HANJ are made up of people from all walks of life. We just want to be able to afford to live, we want government under control and to do it’s job without bankrupting us. We want politicians to represent us NOT banks or big business or any interest group. They are employed by the taxpayers NOT a foreign government or a business to do what we want, NOT what you are bribed to do.
When Obama declared all non Latino’s as the “enemy” before this election, he made himself a 1 term president and caused a backlash against Democrats who wanted immigration amnesty as well as votes against those who failed to bring “Change” as promised and as badly needed to the much suffering over taxed public.
5 words can sum up the election, HANJ and the Tea Party. Better Government/Lower Taxes/ Accountability
rick manning| 11.3.10 @ 12:28PM
John: Good comment. I hope current elected officials can learn from the mistakes others made once they gained power.
Donald Sico | 11.3.10 @ 2:00PM
Let's get Chris to run for President. Go to www.draftchristie2012.com
Rick Shaftan| 11.3.10 @ 4:18PM
Of all the 50 states, New Jersey was the only one where Republicans actually lost ground in the legislature last night...and that race was, according to the Governor, a referendum on his administration. His campaign is being backed by the same gang of liberal "Republicans" who gave us Tom Dewey, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Bob Dole, both Bushes and John McCain. We can thank them for giving us Presidents Truman, Kennedy, Carter, Clinton and Obama. Nominating Christie would produce the same result in 2012.
In any event, Republicans will not nominate a candidate who supports Obamacare, Cap and Trade, Amnesty, Gun Control, Roe v. Wade and the GZ Mosque.