Why didn't most Democrats bother to vote on Nov. 2? They're apathetic, lazy, stupid or offer your own explanation or excuse

EASIEST WAY TO VOTE: The postage-paid, mail-in election ballot is by far the easiest way to vote, and if you don't want to take it to a drop box, like this one in Hackensack, you can leave it or give it to your mail carrier.

By VICTOR E. SASSON

EDITOR

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- Scores of apathetic or lazy Democrats didn't vote on Nov. 2, and the next day the news media reported the contest between Gov. Phil Murphy and his Republican opponent was "too close to call."

Murphy eventually prevailed by 73,814 votes over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman who is an ally of Donald J. Trump, according to updated results published by The New York Times on Nov. 10.

Murphy was the first Democratic governor reelected in New Jersey in 44 years, The Times said, and "his aggressive approach to controlling the [Covid-19] pandemic became a focal point of the bid to unseat him."

Voter affiliation

As of Oct. 1, there were 2,577,698 registered Democrats, who far outnumbered the 1,505,265 registered Republicans in New Jersey, according to state officials.

The election should have been a slam dunk for Murphy, even though governors in New Jersey aren't  elected in the same year as the presidential election.

Murphy received a total of 1,304,954 votes with more than 95 percent of voting precincts reporting -- or about half of the registered Democrats.

Ciattarelli got 1,231,140 votes of the 1,505,265 Republicans registered -- a much bigger turnout by the challenger's party than by Murphy's party.

Registered voters unaffiliated with a party totaled 2,396,910.

What happened?

So, why didn't Democrats step up and give Murphy another 4-year term in a decisive fashion?

Was the governor's Covid-19 mandates really to blame or were Democrats once again beset by apathy, stupidity or downright laziness?

Ciattarelli's TV commercials during the campaign claimed local property taxes had "skyrocketed" in New Jersey, but didn't explain what the governor could do to cut them.

One of the biggest components of the property tax bill  in Hackensack supports local public schools, so was Ciatterelli saying he would slash state aid to local schools, if he were elected, to lower property taxes?

Where was the media?

I never heard any reporter ask that question to the Republican candidate for governor.

If, in fact, local property taxes rose -- "skyrocketed" is more of an allegation than fact -- that was due to the superheated housing market during the pandemic, when "home prices nationwide have risen by an astonishing 24.8 percent since March 2020," The Times reports.

 

COPPING OUT: There are more than 265,000 registered Democrats in Bergen County, compared to 150,811 registered Republicans. But Governor Murphy received only 140,654 votes in the county on Nov. 2, according to this graphic from The New York Times, which updated the numbers on Nov. 10. Murphy was reelected, but his winning margin in Bergen County was only 14,230 votes.

After Democrat's easy victory, practice saying, 'Governor-elect Phil Murphy'

Cartoonist Dave Granlund puts the spotlight on Muslim-hater Steve Bannon, President Trump's chief strategist, who is both physically and philosophically repulsive.

-- HACKENSACK, N.J.

By VICTOR E. SASSON

EDITOR

Democrat Phil Murphy is expected to win the Nov. 7 election to replace the widely unpopular Governor Christie.

Murphy, a wealthy former ambassador and Goldman Sachs executive, got more than twice the number of votes than his nearest Democratic rival in Tuesday's primary.

With 93% of the vote counted, Murphy had 228,889 votes, compared to Jim Johnson, who received 102,812 votes, according to The Record of Woodland Park.

Murphy will face Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, who easily won the Republican primary.

Christie, Trump

"I reject completely the us-versus-them leadership that defines [Gov.] Chris Christie and [President] Donald Trump," Murphy said on Tuesday night. 

As governor, Murphy will inherit the same Democratic majority in the state Legislature that Christie has stopped dead with more than 500 vetoes.

The Democratic nominee has pledged to tax wealthy residents and corporations, and close tax loopholes exploited by Wall Street bankers.

We're likely to see the Legislature approve a $15 minimum wage, fully fund education, restore the pension funds of state workers and legalize marijuana.

And he's also expected to reverse course on the environment and mass transit, both of which Christie tried to destroy.

Lower taxes?

As Christie did during his successful 2009 campaign, Guadagno has promised to lower local property taxes -- the highest in the nation.

But that amounts to a Big Lie, given New Jersey's 565 inefficient home-rule communities that have historically resisted consolidation or cooperation with their neighbors.

Almost ever town, no matter how small, has its own police chief, fire chief, superintendent of schools and other officials -- layers of wasteful duplication.

Christie succeeded in placing a 2% cap on property tax hikes in 2011, but that didn't prevent the levies from going up.

In 2016, taxes rose 2.35%, and property owners paid an average of $8,549, according to NJ.com. Many state residents pay more than twice that.

In Hackensack -- one of 70 communities in Bergen County, the state's wealthiest -- 44% of the property taxes go toward supporting the schools.

Englewood, which has some of the highest property taxes in Bergen County, is a classic two-sides-of-the-tracks community with few white students in the elementary and middle schools, and a downtown with many vacant storefronts.

Food coverage

In The Record's Better Living section today, freelancer Kate Morgan Jackson's recipe for pasta with plenty of artery clogging bacon and butter appears under this headline:

"Bacon, pasta and breadcrumbs -- 

what else do you really need?"

I'd say, a good heart doctor.

On Tuesday, the Better Living editors urged readers to jump into their cars and sample the food options at Woodbury Commons, a discount mall that is a 43-minute drive from Hackensack. 

Before you die

On Sunday, the editors warned readers they are going to die soon, and must sample 27 meals or drinks before they go.

The article on the Better Living front was headlined:

"SUMMER BUCKET LIST

 FOR NORTH JERSEY FOODIES"

Of course, maybe the editors were saying two items on the so-called bucket list -- a fried Texas Weiner with chili and chopped onions at Libby's Lunch or a cheeseburger at White Manna -- could kill you.

Last Friday, Better Living urged readers to go on another road trip to try Asian Indian restaurants in North Brunswick (a 60-minute drive from Hackensack), Somerset and Franklin Park.