TRAFFIC JAM IN NEW JERSEY

TRAFFIC JAM IN NEW JERSEY

A Cranky Opinion for

CRANKY OPINION SATURDAY

The following is the opinion of a cranky old man with very little expertise on the subject opined.  Opposing opinions are welcome.  They are wrong, but they are welcome and please, no name calling.  That goes for you, you big stupid head!

The Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, is a big man.  He is a straight talker, and he is known for getting the job done.  He also has the reputation of being a bully.   Much of this reputation is the result of his demeanor at Town Hall Meetings.  When he is attacked, he attacks back, and he attacks back with facts, common sense and no bull shit.  Many people like his style.

Chris Christie is now being attacked again, all over a traffic jam.  Not just a little traffic jam, but a four day mess which almost shut down a New Jersey Town, Fort Lee, and delayed thousands of commuters for hours every day for four days.  The delays were the result of the Port Authority of New York closing down several access lanes to the George Washington Bridge, possibly the most heavily traveled bridge in the country.

The reason given for the shut-down was to conduct a traffic usage study.

The real reason it turns out was to punish the Mayor of Fort Lee for not supporting Christie’s campaign for reelection. 

The shut-down was requested by a high Christie official and ordered by a Christie Port Authority appointee.  When it became clear that the shut-down was ordered to punish the Mayor of Fort Lee, Governor Christie made a very emphatic apology.  He fired those directly responsible and made a special trip to Fort Lee and apologized again this time personally to the Mayor.  He also took responsibility for the debacle.  Well, he took responsibility while he also sidestepped it, something politicians do so well.  He did not order the shut-down; he did not know about it. He was embarrassed, humiliated and angry when he found out his trusted advisors were responsible and had lied to him about the whole incident.  It was, he said, an extremely stupid act.

As a New Jersey resident, I have liked and respected Chris Christie for a long time.  He is effective, fair, and his decisions are based on what he thinks are the best policies for the State of New Jersey.  Many people in New Jersey and in other states have the same belief in Chris Christie.  So many people like his style that he has been talked about as a potential Presidential candidate.

In my opinion, the traffic jam has derailed that train.

I do not think that Chris Christie ordered the traffic jam.  He is too smart for that.  I don’t think he knew about the deliberate lane shut-downs, but the incident does say something about the man and his leadership that worries me.

There was a mess in Fort Lee for four days because of lane shutdowns.   Four days, and the Governor never asked what was going on?  One day I can understand, two days maybe, but four days?  He either was unconcerned, clueless, or was covering up for friends.  There is no good explaination.

The fact that his high ranking officials orchestrated this idiocy does not speak well for Christie’s leadership.  Why would these officials order this act without first checking with the Governor, and what is the atmosphere of his administration that his own people would think the traffic jam was a good idea?

If Governor Christie ordered this act to punish a mayor for not supporting his reelection, than he is an egomaniacal idiot who deserves to be impeached. 

I am going to give him the benefit of doubt that he did not order the traffic jam and did not know it was done as a political act of retribution, but I will not give him a pass. 

The head of any organization is responsible for the idiotic acts of those under him.  He is responsible if not directly for their actions, then at the least for the bad judgment to put such stupid irresponsible people in a position of power.  He is responsible for setting the climate and tone of his administration that would, at the very least, allow underlings to think that screwing up traffic on a busy important interstate highway was an acceptable concept. 

Chris Christie should either step down as Governor of New Jersey, or quietly finish his term and forget all future political aspirations.

It pains me to say this. 

I thought Chris Christie was the real thing.  I thought he was a politician who cared about the job, who cared about all the people in his state, and was firm but fair.  I thought Chris Christie would be just what we need as President of this great country.

It is not be the first time a politician has disappointed me;  it will probably not be the last.

It still sucks!

The preceding was the opinion of a cranky old man and not necessarily that of management…Mrs. Cranky.