The Jaffe Briefing - December 15, 2021
NEWARK – Churches and relief organizations: Don’t feed the homeless in public places. That was the direction from Newark City Hall in the days preceding Thanksgiving. The New York Times reports the policy then changed, following its pesky inquiries. Now, these local relief organizations must secure a permit from City Hall to distribute food at the train stations, public parks, etc. Why put restrictions on a fundamental act of charity, especially as it relieves some of the social services that burden the city? But apparently Newark is not alone, as there are at least 17 cities across the country that ban food distribution or require the permit. There are some lame reasons, especially from Newark, which says the city needs to ensure that food is “safe,” as opposed to what desperate people are finding in trash cans. And Newark wants to ensure that free food doesn’t further encourage homelessness. Unclear how a permit will accomplish that. Newark also wants donors to bring the food to shelters and soup kitchens, where people are already warm and safe, as opposed to the subzero bus shelters outside of Penn Station. Are we missing something here?
STATEWIDE – New Jersey’s unemployment system may be dragged into the 21st century in the coming year. NJ.com reports the state is participating in a federal pilot to modernize the system. The basic goal is to treat people with basic dignity, ensuring “equitable and timely access” for unemployed people who need benefits immediately. It is also designed to root out identity theft and all the other fraud that jams up the system, especially evident during the pandemic. There will be an identity verification process as part of a modernized system, with hopes there will never be another “2020,” when tens of thousands of jobless people were waiting months to collect what they were owed.
WASHINGTON – This is what we like to see: Our senators sprinting from place to place, on the brink of exhaustion, serving the people of New Jersey at every turn. And so we wish Sen. Bob Menendez a speedy recovery. As a vote awaited and he was darting across the U.S. Capitol to reach the Senate floor, he slipped, crashed into a wall and dislocated his right shoulder. It’ll be six weeks of recovery and the senior senator might need surgery. But, darn it, Menendez kept on voting. His arm in a sling yesterday and in obvious pain, he tells NJ.com: “I’m going to survive and I’m one tough son of a bitch.” Hell, yeah.
BRIEFING BREATHER
Polar bears could eat as many as 10 penguins in a single sitting.
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – After a very shocking loss of his legislative seat last month, outgoing Senate President Steve Sweeney has announced some less-than-shocking news: He is running for governor in 2025. NJ Globe says Sweeney shared the “news” while appearing at the New Jersey State Association of Pipe Trades conference in Atlantic City. Sweeney’s election loss could actually be a great thing, as he spends the next four years as the experienced “outsider,” launching bomb after bomb from the cheap seats about all that’s wrong with New Jersey. He can’t be blamed for it, of course, because he is no longer in the State Senate. But “Vote Sweeney” if you want things to finally get fixed. The talking points really write themselves.
WESTFIELD – With the steady loss of so many local news reporters, we miss out on the quirky stories. So kudos to TAPInto Westfield, for its report about a local real estate agent attempting to have coffee with 1,000 fellow residents before the end of the year. He is looking to buy coffee 83 times a month, or almost three times a day. Yeah, we gotta assume it’s a bit of a marketing gimmick for a local real estate guy who has only lived in town for three years. But working from his basement over the lingering pandemic, he needed to do something drastic to meet people. He posts on the Westfield Facebook group and meets willing residents at Rock 'n' Joe for some coffee and conversation, as well as a nice stroll toward Mindowaskin Park. Each meet-up is about 45 minutes; he details the interactions on Facebook on Wednesdays, as he becomes a bit of a local celebrity. Perhaps one or two real estate listings in this expensive zip code may follow.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
GREEN BAY – Who is the quarterback and who is the fan in Green Bay? “Don’t tell me there’s two of them,” quipped Cris Collinsworth on the “Sunday Night Football” broadcast.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 1995 that Ireland mercifully ends its 36-year ban on the sale of Playboy magazine.
WORD OF THE DAY
Secular – [SEK-yuh-ler] – adjective
Definition: Not spiritual or religious
Example: So, what secular holidays are you planning to celebrate this winter?
WIT OF THE DAY
“If you live in New Jersey, and you’re not getting something for nothing, you’re not getting your fair share.”
-Brendan Byrne
BIDEN BLURB
“I want you to know that this administration has made it clear to every governor: whatever they need, when they need it. When they need it, make it known to me and we’ll get it to them as rapidly — as rapidly as we can.”
-Joe Biden
FROM THE MAILBAG
Dear Jaffe Briefing,
Your December 14 briefing notes the Record believes affordability is the key word (among Democrats in 2022.) I believe the solutions proposed (doubling childcare credits, increasing affordable housing, drug prices and food insecurity) misses the message that was sent by voters.
The message was more about a state budget that has grown by over 30% since Gov. Murphy came into office, overall government spending, taxes (including the gas tax), the most unfavorable business climate in the country, the broken state pension system and the taxing of retirement income.
In addition, you have the direction of making New Jersey the "California of the East." All this is driving people out of the state (only immigration has kept the state from losing population), preventing young people from seeing a future in New Jersey and retirees from being able to stay. They truly did not get the message and voters will continue to vote out those responsible or leave the state to more friendly environments.
Remember, George Bernard Shaw said: “A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.” My question is what will they do when Peter is no longer around to pay?
Ken Orchard
Little Silver
WEATHER IN A WORD
Flat