Can Americans still have a sensible and friendly political discussion across the partisan divide? The answer is yes, and we intend to prove it. Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends throughout. Here, they discuss the week’s events with editorial page editor Tom Moran.
Q. The man charged with killing six people Wisconsin by plowing through a parade in his SUV has a long history of violence and was freed a few weeks ago on $1,000 bail after being charged with deliberately running over a woman. Wisconsin’s Constitution does not allow judges to consider the risk to public safety when setting bail, only the risk of flight. Does this vindicate New Jersey’s bail reform, which allows judges to block the release of those deemed dangerous?
Julie: I generally oppose minimum-mandatory laws because they often prohibit true judicial discretion and ignore the fact that no two cases are ever the same. The Wisconsin bail law is the same thing. Judges should be able to consider multiple factors when determining sentencing or bail but too often, these legislative or constitutional “fixes” are so didactic that they ignore real-world consequences.
Mike: The NJ bail reform passed in a bipartisan way under Gov. Christie should be a model of criminal justice reform. Suspected violent offenders stay behind bars. Non-violent offenders who are poor and awaiting trial get a much lower bar for bail, so they not incarcerated simply for being poor. The liberal push in America to de-incarcerate as many as possible is foolish. Violent and dangerous offenders need to stay behind bars. Don’t feel bad about that.
Q. In Trenton, GOP Sens. Steve Oroho and Anthony Bucco proposed the first tax cut after the election, a move to adjust the state’s income tax rates to account for inflation, as in many other states. Does that make sense, and will it pass?
Julie: I would seriously urge my party to take a look at any legislation that doesn’t just look good on paper but delivers real, tangible relief to New Jersey families. The benefits of this particular bill would have to be balanced against revenue costs to the state but if it helps to alleviate the burden for residents who are struggling with rising costs on everything from food to gas to property taxes, it should be seriously considered.
Mike: My man Tony Bucco and Sen. Steve Oroho are right. We are long past due for some tax relief. NJ voters sent a loud message about the unaffordability of our state a few weeks ago. Democrats should hear the call or be prepared to lose their majority in two years.
Q. Rep. Frank Pallone says that President Biden’s Build Back Better plan would provide new money to finally clean up New Jersey’s 114 Superfund sites by restoring taxes on polluting industries. Could we finally be seeing a light on this mother of all stubborn problems?
Julie: I truly hope this particular provision stays in the final legislation. New Jersey has more Superfund sites than any other state in the nation, which have not only polluted communities but caused tremendous damage to the health of the residents who live near those sites. Polluters should pay to clean up their messes and the fact that they no longer do should outrage everyone except their lobbyists.
Mike: As we have discussed, while the overall price tag is too high for the BBB plan, there are elements of value. This is one for New Jersey.
Q. NASA just launched a 1,200-pound spacecraft the size of a refrigerator to trek around the sun and slam into a pyramid-sized asteroid named Dimorphos at 15,000 mph, a practice run intended to build the capability to divert big asteroids heading towards earth with a nuclear explosion. Is this prudent planning, or could we find a better use for the $324 million this will cost?
Julie: Uhh… I was assured that there would be no astrophysics requirement when you persuaded Mike and me to sign up for this column. Can I phone a friend (or at least Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker, a plasma physicist) to help me out with this?
Mike: I am all for a defense system against a great asteroid of death that could plummet us into a catastrophic ice age. Our government has wasted money on thing much worse than a real-life game of Asteroids. I don’t want to go the way of the dinosaur. Launch away, baby.
Q. A bill in Trenton that would guarantee the right to abortion in New Jersey even if Roe v. Wade is overturned is stalled in the Legislature and hasn’t received a hearing yet. Why the hesitation? Does it spell serious trouble for the bill, which is a priority for Gov. Phil Murphy?
Julie: I am in lockstep with Governor Murphy on this legislation. If you believe in protecting a woman’s right to choose, you should also understand that her right to choose is not based solely in law but also in access. Too many women are unable to avoid unwanted pregnancies because they cannot afford access to birth control. Then, when they do get pregnant, they cannot afford to terminate their pregnancies. I suspect the legislature will eventually adopt a bill that enshrines the right to choose in law – because Roe v. Wade will likely be overturned by the Supreme Court in the next year – but, unfortunately, that is still not far enough in ensuring that this right is accessible to all those who need it.
Mike: The bill isn’t moving because some Democrats just heard the voters. Voters understand the difference between issues decided by state government vs those decided by the US Supreme Court. Gov Murphy almost lost an unlosable race because he ran on a laundry list of national progressive blurbs instead of issues that face the state government. Voters in NJ want the Department of Motor Vehicles to work again. They want the unemployment system to work for the first time in two years. They want someone to care that it’s too expensive to live here. They elected Cory Booker and Bob Menendez to worry about federal issues. Voters here screamed loudly that they want competence in state government, not grandstanding on issues decided by the federal government.
Q. Finally, Covid and Thanksgiving. In much of Europe, rapid Covid tests are abundantly available and provided for free. Neither is true here, which means the virus is certain to spread more widely during family gatherings. Why hasn’t testing been a higher priority?
Julie: On the other hand, the World Health Organization says that Europe may be on track for another 700,000 deaths by March because of another resurgent wave. Testing should be a priority. So should vaccinations. So should indoor dining mandates, especially since winter is coming. The reality is that we are entering a third winter with this virus and it still does not appear to be ending, no matter how much we all want to move on. So all I can do is wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving with their families. I especially hope that you all stay safe and healthy, even during this new normal, which I hope is not our permanent normal.
Mike: While the US hasn’t been perfect on COVID, I’m not looking to Europe for advice on this, though we can learn from everyone’s experiences. While the politics on this can feel out of control, the US is achieving a balance of encouraging vaccines and preventive measures with fewer mandates and shutdowns than we see elsewhere. Vaccines have worked to slow the spread and dramatically lowered death rates and hospitalizations. They have saved lives and helped us achieve a sense of normalcy. Let’s keep it going.
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