NYT: 18,000 students protest NJ Gov. Chris Christie (w/photos) - updated

[ProSense]

In New Jersey, a Civics Lesson in the Internet Age

By WINNIE HU
Published: April 27, 2010

It was a silent call to arms: an easy-to-overlook message urging New Jersey students to take a stand against the budget cuts that threaten class sizes and choices as well as after-school activities. But some 18,000 students accepted the invitation posted last month on Facebook, the social media site better known for publicizing parties and sporting events. And on Tuesday many of them — and many others — walked out of class in one of the largest grass-roots demonstrations to hit New Jersey in years.

The protest disrupted classroom routines and standardized testing in some of the state’s biggest and best-known school districts, offering a real-life civics lesson that unfolded on lawns, sidewalks, parking lots and football fields.

The mass walkouts were inspired by Michelle Ryan Lauto, an 18-year-old aspiring actress and a college freshman, and came a week after voters rejected 58 percent of school district budgets put to a vote across the state (not all districts have a direct budget vote).

<...>

With their protests, the students sought to send a message to Gov. Christopher J. Christie, a Republican whose reductions in state aid to education had led many districts to cut staff and programs and to ask for larger-than-usual property tax increases. Mr. Christie, who has taken on the state’s largest teachers’ union in his efforts to close an $11 billion deficit, has proposed reducing direct aid to nearly 600 districts by an amount equal to up to 5 percent of each district’s operating budget.

more

Updated to add this from Daily Kos:

NJ - Chris Christie: Don't Measure the Drapes. Recall. (Update x2)

NJ has our very own Mr. 33%. A Bush appointee to the US Attorney's office, Chris Christie has decided that destroying the state's education system and taking on the teacher's union is in the best interest of the state and our finances.

Well, the students who will bear the brunt of these draconian cuts have responded: "HELL NO."

And a facebook page made it happen.

<...>

[Beetwasher]

1. RECALL CHRISTIE!!!!

It's in the NJ constitution. We CAN do it!

[Jersey Devil]

3. Won't help. You'll just get the Lt Gov Guadagno, also a wingnut

Hey, I live in NJ and don't like what Christie is doing one bit but people voted for him so they'll have to suffer through him. I don't believe in recall. Maybe this will serve to help people remember next time they say that it makes no difference whether it's a Dem or a Repub.

[Beetwasher]

7. It Will Help

Whether or not it succeeds. The threat of recall could help keep him somewhat in line.

Yes, we would have to think about the implications of Guadagno, but I think the recall or threat thereof might help to put a bit of the fear of god into these cretins and remind them that extremist Repubs are not really on very firm ground, politically speaking, in NJ and that they WILL have to answer to the population.

For the record, I live in NJ too. I've got 3 year old twins that are going to have to avail themselves of the Public Schools in this climate.

[Jersey Devil]

2. Elections have consequences

Although almost everyone thinks of NJ as strictly a blue state, that has not been its history electorally though I agree that a majority of NJ residents are progressive. People have very short memories and when they forget they get a Christie or a Whitman.

They were bored by Corzine, who could, let's face it, put even the most hyperactive individuals to sleep in about 5 minutes. But they forgot what the consequences were. Well, hopefully it won't take them 8 years to remember this time like it did with Whitman.

[name not needed]

4. Last I checked, his approval rating is at 33%

[DrToast]

10. Agree. Christie is doing exactly what he said he'd do

People need to do a better job of understanding what politicians stand for. They may not like Corzine, but the grass isn't automatically greener on the other side.

[ProSense]

11. He's doing what progressives knew he would do, which is

create a budget biased in favor of the wealthy. Still, the reason his approval rating is so low is because he reneged on a number of promises. Christie played even his supporters.

[rurallib]

5. Looks like repugs are still uniting people, even without W

[political_Dem]

6. I'm glad to see Americans fired enough to react with outrage against Christie.

It shows that people do care about having good government. Maybe with that kind of fire, they can put reasonable folks in office instead of just cruel placeholders from the RNC.

I just wonder who were the constituents who voted for this guy in the first place?

[tallahasseedem]

8. This is amazing!

Kudos to those future voters who are standing up for what's right!

[cojoel]

9. need the tea party counter

I'm sure he/she would think there are 150,000 or 200,000 people there.

[Cha]

12. Something tells me..Jon Corzine would have

found another way.

[karynnj]

15. He did last year - and should have run on it

He cut fat all over the budget, but he kept each town getting at least as much in total as they had the year before. To do this he instituted the millionaire's tax and eliminated property tax rebates for those with income over $75,000. I think a Governor Corzine would have at minimum worked with the school unions to jointly find the remaining needed cuts - instead of declaring war on them.

[Cha]

16. That's too bad..that he didn't at least run on it...

Imagine what he's thinking now.

[karynnj]

25. True - especially as one legacy of a nasty campaign is that it is harder

to live with than if you ran a positive campaign.

On the national level, Consider that McCain has emerged a shell of his pre-2007 self and Kerry is a stronger Democratic leader than he was pre-2003. Although obviously, both would have become the leader of the free world had they won, the difference is where they were left when they lost.

There was not an even playing field here. McCain was a long time media favorite and the media immediately shifted to positioning McCain as a go to person for an Obama looking for compromise. In 2005, the media fought giving Kerry any similar status. However, Kerry could move on, proud of the positions he laid out and proud of much of his campaign. McCain remains incredibly bitter, turning against many things he championed for decades. I think part of this was personalities and relative strength of character, but I think part of it was that the negative campaign that McCain won damaged something that he can't fix. Kerry could say a few years after his defeat, that he did survive with his integrity and the support and love of his long time friends and family - McCain can not say that - and for a man who "honor" means something to - that means something.

Corzine's goal was a campaign nasty enough to suppress voting, banking on the vaunted Democratic machine to churn out enough voters.

[ProSense]

17. Corzine's plan was incredible. Christie's budget is devastating to many.

While Corzine eliminated the property tax rebate for incomes above $75,000, people below that income level still received nearly 60 percent of the 2007 rebate, and he promised to return it to that level the following year. Corzine kept the school budgets intact.

Christie, in addition to cutting school budgets and diverting money to tax cuts for the wealthy, effectively eliminated the property tax Rebate, it will be one-sixth of what it was in 2008. He also retained the $75,000 limit, which I'm sure pissed his supporters off.

Not only that: the 25 percent transit fare increase will hit people hard, with commuting costs increasing $40 to $60 monthly.

[karynnj]

20. As to angering supporters - I heard from one neighbor after the

election that hitting Corzine on not giving it to people above $75,000 was the number one selling point of their calls.

[Beetwasher]

21. Yeah, I Didn't Get My Property Rebate Last Year, But That Was Fine W/ Me

I knew what was going on and was fine with it.

Christie is actually raising taxes on the middle class and CUTTING taxes for those making over 500k.

Yup. My taxes are going up. But if I made over 500k, they would be going down.

[ClarkUSA]

13. He is cutting $1B from public education so he can give a $1B tax cut to those making over $400K.

That's $1,000,000,000 divided among 49,000 wealthy families whose kids go to private schools.

:puke:

[karynnj]

14. There was a precedent of Christie quickly losing favor

His only previous elected post was Morris County freeholder. There are three of them and there has not been a Democrat in more than three decades. So, how was he defeated after one term. He was defeated in a nasty primary, where there were 4 men running for the three slots.

He was as arrogant and obnoxious then as he is now.

[Lilyeye]

18. Good for these children!

I am sorry they had to suffer because of the idiots who voted for this guy.

[Bitwit1234]

19. I have been suspect ever since he was supposed to have won.

Most of the people they interviewed in NJ couldn't understand how he won also. They didn't even know anybody who voted for him.

[struggle4progress]

22. .

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Kdillard]

23. Good for the kids. Hopefully NJ will not give this guy another 4 years

To continue to screw the middle class and give tax breaks to the wealthy. I knew they would be sorry after the election but it is sad to see. Dems and hopefully Indies better get it together and boot this guy out. Jon Corzine had a heck of a time cleaning up after Whitman no telling the damage this guy can do with 4 or 8 years.

[annabanana]

24. The kids are alright. I wish that these pictures had gotten some

NY Metro area exposure....