Sorry Mr. Menendez, You and your Democrats are "The enemy of the People". You seek to oppress the United States of America with your continued voting for NDAA, SAVE, DISCLOSE, TARP, NO AUDIT of Federal Reverse, etc. You had your two years to get it done(2008-2009) and your failed leadership left us with broken markets and an unemployment rate of double digits. Where is your budget? You want more years in a Senate gone wild and we the people say NO!

Looking forward to an exciting DNC. Click these links for Convention speakers, sneak peek and Blog connections:
1 http://www.demconvention.com/speakers/

2 http://www.demconvention.com/thousands-get-sneak-peek/

3 http://www.demconvention.com/blog/

Hope all the links work for you and you enjoy your visit by Patch to the DNC. And I'll be at my computer for easy travel.

Better roll up your pants because its going to get really thick for the next several days....holding your nose wont hurt either.

The spin will be more nauseating than a dozen tilt a whirls.

Blame, blame, blame......what a shame. When will B.H.O. grow up, accept accountability and exert some responsibility? I am so tire of hearing "George Bush did it". Well, you have had 4 years!.......your "change" is apparent, but only for the worse....our only hope is that the American people will wake up, see your blatant incompetence and inexperience for what it is, and elect Romney/Ryan to get us back on track. You are an abysmal failure, Mr. President. We haven't seen the likes of you since Jimmy ("I'll never lie to ya") Carter. Please take your place at the end of the unemployment line this January.

Great article Senator...things have been looking up since BHO has been in office. Oh, wait, no they haven't.
But at least we are out of foreign wars. Oh wait, no we're not.
But at least unemployment is down...oh wait it's up
But at least BHO has welcomed a post racial America...oh wait, he has been race baiting since he took office.
Good Grief. I was no fan of GWB, but this guy could be any more out of his depth. I wish there was a viable thrid party candidate.

Romney-Obama same old drama.
Opening bell for the DNC in a state that has the lowest percentage of union workers. N.C also has a ban on collective bargaining for teachers, signaling a battle cry for the Dem's, who's only defense after the Unionized Companies depart over-seas is Obamacare.
Fighting for higher wages- that's something Unionized workers do, or at least " used to", when America was strong.

Mendendez is a failed policy;

NJ 50th in money returned from taxes sent to DC.
NJ 1st in highest taxes paid.
NJ 50th in business environment.
NJ 50th in creating new businesses.
NJ 1st in highest property taxes.
NJ 1st in lost millionaires due to tax policy.

Perhaps it time to try something new...

Looking forward to a great convention, anyone here going?

"What we don't want to do is go back to the policies of Romney and Ryan, risky bets, collective debt, ending medicare as Romney and Ryan promote a voucher program, - we could end up in another war like Iraq."

Senator, what does one thing have to do with the other? How do you go from ending Medicare to the Iraq war? With friends like these...

So does this mean he will go back to failed polices of the Democrats?

In other words, "We're hoping you'll still buy the Blame Bush mantra." This guy is a socilaist like the President.

Menendez, please tell us what Obama has done in 4 years. 4 years Obama had to recover, so why don't you talk about that?
Thanks very much.

I so tired of hearing Obama and his minions say they "inherited" a mess. They did not inherit it, they spent a billion dollars to get it knowing full well what they were buying. This is like buying a house and complaining for years that you bought a mess, as they say buyer beware. Own up to what you wanted and stop blaming everyone else.

Because going back 1.70 gas prices, 5% unemployment, $6 trillion less in debt, half of what we are paying now in groceries and a better future for the middle class is a bad thing? time for the crook menendez to go

What a joke. Oblama is clearly a socialist, and socialism fails everytime it is pushed down the throats of citizens who think the government is going to give them something for nothing.

On any given day most folks in this country will welcome what Leftist Liberal Menendez calls "Failed Republican Policies" over Obama's disastrous failed policies of the last 3+ years. Obama has failed this country miserably and all polls show that American's believe that this country is on the "Wrong track."

Senator Menendez does not necessarily represent me, and he does not represent you either. He is not business friendly, if you look at his voting record it appears he is voting for the power lobbies that put him in office. He is more concerned about keeping his job as a Senator for his career much like a long list of other Senators, including: our own Frank Lautenberg and State Senator Loretta Weinberg, rather than representing his own constituents here in New Jersey.

Senator Menendez votes the way Nancy Pelosi tells him to. We need a representative that will vote for all of us in New Jersey.
Read what his opponent says, and I would suggest you vote for him...
http://joekyrillos.com/press-releases/2012-08-29/kyrillos-campaign-responds-senator-menendez%E2%80%99-tax-charge

As for the DNC, I anticipate hearing some great stories from our local elected officials, and there are a lot of Democrats where I live to share their stories much like mine from the RNC:
http://fortlee.patch.com/articles/fort-lee-republicans-share-experiences-from-rnc#photo-11187463

Regardless of your party, these conventions really are a part of our society. We should be proud that NJ was asked to represent the key note speech at both the RNC and DNC.

Now the only thing left is to demonstrate how great a state we have and for everyone to actually get out and vote this coming November.

I will vote for Joe Kyrillos for U.S. Senator. I hope you do too.

What the Senator forgets is that despite two stimulus packages and a lack of a real leader in the white house, our economy has failed to grow at a healthy pace. Senator Menendez believes that more government spending and more government involvement is what is best for our state and our country. He believes that simple distribution of wealth, through a higher tax rate on small business owners and those with HHIs of over $250K is what will bring down our nation’s debt, improve our school systems and put all Americans back to work. This is what he and the Democrats believe. No plans have been submitted on how to solve these problems however and so far all the Democrats and Sen. Menendez have done, is pass a health care reform that was determined by the Supreme Court to be a tax…a tax that will have direct burden on the same middle class Mr. Menendez claims he is the champion of.

This is why I will be voting for all Republicans this fall and look forward to hearing more and more about Joe Kyrillos – challenger to Roberto Menendez.

When Obama took office, 65.7% of Americans were working compared to 63.7% today (this represents over 3 million additional people who can't get work). Education costs have skyrocketed to the point of making new graduates into debt slaves. The "stimulus" was squandered on boondoggles. Public debt has grown by over 4 trillion in the last 4 years. The dollar has lost 15% of it's purchasing power. Bank reform has accomplished nothing because it addressed none of the causes of the last financial crisis. Freddy and Fannie remain zombie institutions sucking billions from tax payers. The rule of law is not being upheld - i.e. fast and furious, overturning bankruptcy law in favor of crony unions, no prosecutions for bankers who pillage customer accounts (Jon Corzine and MF Global), Congress engages in insider trading and siphons tax dollars toward pet projects for personal gain, the government picks winners and losers in the market rather than enforcing a level playing field (campaign contributors are repaid by funneling tax dollars their way).

When does it stop being Bush's fault?

Don't you think it is about time we STOP blaming the Bush administration for everything? We did NOT inherit a $16 trillion national debt -- Obama alone in his 3-1/2 years has added $6.5 trillion to this debt [more than all 43 presidents that preceded him.

What we did get was a national debt larger than our GDP, wasteful "stimulus" programs that have not worked, high un/underemployment, stagnant incomes, massive foreclosures -- thanks to Dodd-Frank and don't forget Fannie and Freddie -- skyrocketing oil and gas prices. Rather than looking internally to help solve our energy problems -- e.g., Keystone Pipeline and drilling in our own land -- we have been forced to invest in Green energy. The TARP money has funded -- just to name a few: Solyndra, Ener1, SpectraWatt, Evergreen Solar, AES, Amonix, Beacon Power, Solar Trust, Abound Solar -- and the list goes on and on. By the way, all of the above have gone bankrupt! And lest we forget: Government Motors [GM], Fisker, Tesla and the Chevy Volt.

So please Mr. Menendez, don't tell me that 4 more years of this administration's failed policies will "lead the country" unless you mean into more debt, entitlements, and higher costs for everything -- especially healthcare. We are broke...and we are hurting...and blaming the previous administration for all this is totally ludicrous.

I have voted Democrat or Republican in prior elections. Personally I don't like either candidate because no one is for the middle class. Romney is for the rich. Obama is for the poor. When are we going to get some one representative of at least 50% of America before its too late? I am really getting tired of all the rhetoric.

eeee

All the Republicans have are lies, lies, and more lies. They do not have the women's vote, the latino vote or the black vote. Ryan's speech at the convention was a disgrace ... even Fox news counted the numerous falsehoods he cited. I have family in Florida who tell me the Republicans are running ads from 2008 with Hillary Clinton speaking against Obama but they are making it appear as if she is speaking as Secretary of State. They only appeal to those that do not read or watch the news. All they have are their mistruths. As Joe Biden said Osama Bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive. Let's give Obama the time he needs to clean up the mess that the Republicans left.

Apparently all Republicans have been given marching orders to respond, "Stop blaming Bush" whenever someone notes the indisputable fact that, thanks to Bush and his banker friends (don't forget, Bush and the Republicans passed the TARP banker bailout), Obama inherited an economy in freefall.

Just remember: General Motors is alive and Osama bin Laden is dead; it would be the other way around if Romney (or, yes, Bush) had been in office the past 3 1/2 years.

Gail and the trolls from the peanut Gallary have been let loose. So what exactly has Menendez done since his election in 2006 to improve the lives of citizens in NJ ? The answer is a big fat ZERO. As Obama would say his record is incomplete.

The simplistic mantra of " Romney is for the rich. Obama is for the poor" is given to us complements of the NJNEA Public education at its finest. So when the rest of the so called rich flee the garden state the idiots can plant money trees.

Well Gail, you couldn't be more wrong. I am a woman and proud to say that I will be voting for Romney. There is no candidate that I agree with entirely, This election is about one thing for me - THE DEFICIT! Hitting 16 trillion !! today. Wake up people, nothing else matters if we don't get this under control and clearly Obama is not the person for that. Young people especially, it will be you who will be paying the price for this debt. We all should get behind the person who will stop spending money we don't have. I also am sick of the class warfare and of the attack on religious freedom. You want birth control provided by your employer, then don't work for a religious organization. Freedom of religion (and I am not religious at all) is a more important liberty to me than dictatorship of forcing benefits on this organizations.!

And the Party of NO, bears no responsibility for our current situation. We have a President, not a dictator. The republican congress has thwarted Obama at every move preciously to blame lack of improvement in the economy on him. So put the blame where it belongs, on congress.

Looking forward to a great DNC, anyone here planning to go?

you do realize that the Dems had complete control, a super majority for 2 years where they rammed through all of their spending programs that caused the current situation

Bloomberg News:

In early 2001, Paul O’Neill, the new Treasury secretary, began work on a plan for radical tax reform. He wanted simpler forms and fewer deductions, which would make it easy for people to prepare their taxes and cost the government less to process them. He presented a five-inch-thick binder of research to a senior White House official.
“Don’t ever let that see the light of day,” O’Neill says he was told. President George W. Bush didn’t want to deliver a tax overhaul. He wanted to deliver the tax cuts he’d promised as a candidate, Bloomberg Businessweek reports in its Aug. 6 issue.
He did, in 2001 and then again in 2003. Yet the kinds of cuts he’d promised -- large ones -- would create unsustainable deficits after 10 years, the Congressional Budget Office projected. So they were designed to expire in a decade, at least on paper.
It was “baloney,” says O’Neill, who publicly supported them at the time. Republicans never intended to let the cuts lapse. “It was put in there so they could make a fiscal claim that it wouldn’t damage us. It had nothing to do with reality.”
It’s now more than 10 years later, and Bush’s tax cuts are still with us -- adding to the debt as predicted. The temporary tax cuts have become a subsidy, and as with all subsidies, to take them away is to create a period of painful readjustment.

allow me to continue Will.....and for 6 years under GOP house, senate and WH the United States had under 5.5% unemployment, record growth and 1.50 gas prices all while engaged in 2 wars to keep our country safe. The day the Democrats took over was not January 22nd 2009 -- it was actually January 3rd 2007.
The day the Democrats took over the House of Representat...ives & Senate, the start of the 110th Congress.
The Democratic Party controlled a majority in both chambers for the first time since the end of the 103rd Congress in 1995.

"For those of you who are listening to the liberals propagating the fallacy that everything is "Bush's Fault," think about this:
At the time:
The DOW Jones closed at 12,621.77
The GDP for the previous quarter was 3.5%
The Unemployment rate was 4.6%
George Bush's Economic policies SET A RECORD of 52 STRAIGHT MONTHS of JOB CREATION!

Bush vowed that, as president, he would cut taxes for all Americans. According to a widely circulated report prepared by Citizens for Tax Justice at the time, his plan would cost $1.7 trillion over 10 years.
It looked like the money would be there to spend. Fiscal restraint and a strong economy had given Washington something novel to play with: The CBO forecast a federal budget surplus of $5.6 trillion by 2011. In 2001, the Pew Research Center found that 37 percent of Americans preferred to use the surplus to fund Social Security and Medicare, 23 percent for domestic spending, and only 19 percent for a tax cut. Even after selling the idea as a way to give back part of the surplus, Republicans were concerned that they couldn’t bring on enough Democrats to pass it. So they resorted to reconciliation, the same parliamentary maneuver Democrats would use in 2010 to pass a health-care law. While that allowed Republicans to get around a threatened filibuster, Senate rules don’t allow bills passed by reconciliation to create deficits more than 10 years in the future. Thus, the 10-year expiration date. By the next year, things had gotten very serious. The economy was weak and a war was on the way. There were no more surpluses to play with. In 2002, the federal government ran a deficit of $158 billion. The White House began a push for more tax cuts, this time justifying them as a stimulus. Several moderate Republicans warned that further cuts would make the deficits worse.

....Remember the day.
January 3rd, 2007 was the day that Barney Frank took over the House Financial Services Committee and Chris Dodd took over the Senate Banking Committee.
The economic meltdown that happened 15 months later was in what part of the economy?
BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES!

THANK YOU DEMOCRATS for taking us from 13,000 DOW, 3.5 GDP and 4.6% Unemployment to this CRISIS by (among MANY other things) dumping 5-6 TRILLION Dollars of toxic loans on the economy from YOUR Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac FIASCOS!
(BTW: Bush asked Congress 17 TIMES to stop Fannie & Freddie -
starting in 2001 because it was financially risky for the US economy).

And who took the THIRD highest pay-off from Fannie Mae AND Freddie Mac?
OBAMA

And who fought against reform of Fannie and Freddie?
OBAMA& the Democratic Congress

So when some idiot tries to blame Bush
REMEMBER JANUARY 3rd, 2007 THE DAY THE DEMOCRATS TOOK OVER!
Bush may have been in the car but the Democrats were in charge of
the gas pedal and steering wheel they were driving.

Stay calm, listen to all sides.
Click these LINKS to convention speakers, sneak peek and Blog connections.
1 http://www.demconvention.com/speakers/

2 http://www.demconvention.com/thousands-get-sneak-peek/

3 http://www.demconvention.com/blog/

Hope all the links work for you and that you enjoy your Patch visit to the DNC. I'll be on my computer for easy travel.

Does an obstructionist Congress count for anything? Does a stimulus 1/2 the size the Democrats pushed for matter? Small businesses (fewer than 500 employees) that 44% of Americans work, for need to have confidence that there'll be customers before they invest and hire. The Party of NO, INTENTIONALLY undermined their confidence. As the Republican House Leader Mitch McConnell bragged, the Republicans' main mission was to make Obama FAIL. You have been and still are watching their plan unfold. Why are we not hearing that Obama is weak on defense? Is it because he made the tough and risky decision after an agonizing process, to zap Bin Laden? You bet! Would the 100,000 jobs that would have evaporated if GM wasn't bailed out exist now? Would the Republicans have done it? I don't think so. As Romney said at the time: 'Let them go under'. Trust the magic of the market. The magic of the market is a mirage that inflicts pain that the 1% never have, do not and never will, feel. The market needs 'guidance' to do it's magic and the economy needs money in it to turn around.

The 2003 cuts also came with paper expiration dates of 2004 and 2009. Congress extended them in 2005, a year that tax cuts, along with a slack economy, contributed $416 billion to the deficit. It extended them again in 2007, when the cumulative cuts added an additional $248 billion.

More arrived as a stimulus in 2008, and in the recession that followed the financial crisis Barack Obama and the Democratic Congress added new cuts and agreed to extend the old ones.

Now, more than a decade’s worth of tax cuts are set to come due in about six months, each dreamed up and extended under the fiction that it would be temporary.

In 2011, they helped contribute $1.1 trillion to the debt. In total, since 2001, the CBO calculates that tax cuts have helped add $6.1 trillion to the debt. This is what Washington now calls a crisis: completely predictable arithmetic, compounded over a decade by a consistent refusal to acknowledge reality.

Sure, Senator, let's stay with the failed policies we have. And are you getting senile or what? "Go back to the policies of Romney and Ryan"??? When did we ever get to enjoy those policies, Senator?

Who is Obama going to blame for the last four years if he gets re-elected? Obama has no problem still blaming Bush over 3 years into his term for his own failures but takes full credit for the military intelligence he inherited from Bush from day one. Osama is dead thanks to the intelligence gathered in both the Bush and Obama administrations. Only a fool like Biden would consider the corrupt bankruptcy of GM a success. We (the tax payer) own GM stock at $53.00 a share. It currently trading at $21.00. GM is owned by the UAW (the same union that destroyed the company) and the goverment. How is Obama's budget coming along? That's right, he has no clue what that is. Maybe because has never had a real job in his life. Other than professional politician.

Menendez has failed to bring home our tax money from Washington. He's incompetent. Time to remove him from office.

I only know Bobby since he was on the Union City Bd of Ed about a hundred years ago. I'm glad to see he dropped that extra hundred pounds or so, but I would hope someone making the money he makes could do a better job with his pathetic excuse for hair.

He did climb the ladder of political success and did survive Tom Kean's "under federal investigation" rhetoric 6 years ago.

and folks - like it or not, he will win.

Even If Dr.Roque - Mayor of WNY (now under charges of playing around on the Internet) did endorse the other guy.

Obama will NOT get in again i know it

the Democrats ruled Congress most of the time, they make the laws. Since 2007; Majority rule is Democrat. Amazing that Bush is blamed.
Year Congress President Senate (100) House (435)
2009 111th D D - 55*** D - 256
2007 110th R D - 51** D - 233
2005 109th R R - 55 R - 232
2003 108th R R - 51 R - 229
2001 107th R D* R - 221
1999 106th D R - 55 R - 223
1997 105th D R - 55 R - 228
1995 104th D R - 52 R - 230
1993 103rd D D - 57 D - 258
1991 102nd R D - 56 D - 267
1989 101st R D - 55 D - 260
1987 100th R D - 55 D - 258
1985 99th R R - 53 D - 253
1983 98th R R - 54 D - 269
1981 97th R R - 53 D - 242
1979 96th D D - 58 D - 277
1977 95th D D - 61 D - 292
1975 94th R D - 60 D -291
1973 93rd R D - 56 D - 242
1971 92nd R D - 54 D - 255
1969 91st R D - 57 D - 243
1967 90th D D - 64 D - 247
1965 89th D D - 68 D - 295
1963 88th D D - 66 D - 259
1961 87th D D - 64 D - 263
1959 86th R D - 65 D -283
1957 85th R D - 49 D - 232
1955 84th R D - 48 D - 232
1953 83rd R R - 48 D - 221
1951 82nd D D - 49 D - 235
1949 81st D D - 54 D - 263
1947 80th D R - 51 R - 246
1945 79th D D - 57 D - 242
Yellow years mark Presidential inauguration.
Sources: Senate, House, Janda

The ones who failed are the democrats and Obama. They are a disgrace. This country has suffered under Obama. He is the food stamp president. Obama HATES america! He failed on everything. He broke every single one of his promises!!!! He didn't close Gitmo, he continues bush tax cuts, he "prints" money and thinks it's the answer to his failed economy!.There's so many broken promises to name. He is bad news for small business. He goes around Europe and APOLOGIZES for America. What a disgrace. he didn't do his job...he should be out! simple. Change??? what change? the change was for the worse! He ruined the economy and America. He had all these years after Bush to fix things. Instead, he made it much worse. He appoints a tax cheat (Tim Geithner) to head the US treasury! We won't even get into the debt....Sen Menendez has his head in the sand. This is who he supports??? But he's so rich , he doesn't care. He is out of touch with reality. Maybe he needs to be unemployed!

Then Candidate Obama said then President Bush was overspending and unpatriotic and yet he has doubled down on the spending. The failed policies is running up debt that now totals more than the Gross National Product. If Senator Menedez and President Obama promised to do actual cuts, not promises of future cuts for whoever is in office then to live up to or not, I could consider voting for them. I would need a lot of convincing after seeing the President's kill the upper middle class policies and having to deal with Senator Menendez and his support of big banks over credit unions and community banks. They are killing the regular citizen who wants fair deals and a chance to advance.

@The Watcher - I believe you are wrong - religious organizations MUST provide birth control under their health insurance policies. They don't have to pay for it, at least not upfront - the scheme the administration came up with is that the insurance providers will have to pay for it - but who pays them? All of us that purchase the insurance. Either way, the religious organizations do not want to be forced to provide a benefit they are religiously against. And I believe they have the right under the separation of church and state, to take that position. They are fighting this and will probably wind up in supreme court.
Bottom line - we all believe what we want to believe about so-called facts. To me the best indicator of what will happen in the next 4 years with Obama, is what has happened in the past 4 years and this country is destroying itself with the devalued dollar and its debt. Who cares who in the past caused it. The fact is we are there now and Obama is doing NOTHING about reducing the deficit - that's why I will take my chances on Romney - No other issues are more important to our country right now than the deficit. And just for the record, I believed in the hope and change mantra last time out - I'm an independent and vote for whoever I believe will do a better job - couldn't' care less about which party.

Sorry don't watch fox news..and I voted for Obama the first time around...not Again!!!
Don't make the same mistake twice.

First of all..our troops are STILL in iraq! did you forget about AFGHANISTAN? His so called universal health care is costing taxpayers a fortune! With tons of "ear marks". Gitmo is STILL opened...humm you like to pick out only a few.

Oh yea...let's talk about the debt!....

Did he do anything about unemployment....or did you not notice the % of unemployment went up under Obama????? He had years to fix Bush's mess...he did nothing

I don't care if you are democrat or republican. It shouldn't be about the party. It should be whether the person has gotten the job done or not. Obama has not. If someone doesn't do his job, he should be out. Bush should've been out and Obama needs to go. Next!

It is good to see Senator Menendez received his talking point memo from the DNC so he could speak their mind.

Ayuda me Roberto por favor!

Blame the past administration for all of the problems; not bad from someone with one of the thinnest private sector resumes I have ever seen). Never mind the fact that the current administration has had almost 4 years to fix the problems created by the past administration and we are in worse shape after spending (or should I say wasting) trillions of dollars, passing (or should I say ramming thru) a health care reform package and making voters out of illegal (not undocumented) aliens.

With the help of Menendez, Pelosi, Reid & Waxman the law called Obamacare was created, much to my dismay. BHO has spent his first 4 years attacking the 1st & 2nd Amendment ( that is telling Christians what they shud & shudn't support).. Creating more new taxes thru Obamacare & thru executive order goes around Congress ( you know those people at are supposed to represent us). Over 30 bills most of which were job bills passed the House & were shelved in the Senate & what ever happened the that other little law u know A BUDGET?

I don't know about you all, however I am certainly not supporting a President who has a communist background. You can search the web and I know you will find it. I BELIEVE we need a President that will listen to the people and do what we need them to do. Sen. Menendez needs to get out of office and all the lifers in politics. It SHOULD be FOR THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE. When our forefathers started this country they didn't intend for politicians to get paid like they do and for life! You were put on the ballot by a petition of your peers and if you were elected you served your term or terms and went back to what ever you did for a living. Now you spend hundreds of millions of dollars to get a job that you are now bound to help those who gave you the money. Does any one know that Obama was given $200,000,000 from the Suadi's? It is true. Why won't he show his birth certificate? Why won't he release his college transcripts? He is hiding something. All I know is that I am not happy watching my BELOVED country get torn apart my a COMMUNIST. It is time we all unite in one voice and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Vote for true change.

I have been receiving back and forth comments, not yet shown above, re-who's to blame for unemployment and did it reduce under Obama. This link has a nice clear line graph showing the steady downward trend under Obama's administration. http://mollysmiddleamerica.blogspot.com/2012/05/unemployment-rate-when-obama-took.html

The most satisfying thing reading the comments of all you right wing nutcases is knowing your vote doesn't count. Obama will carry NJ easily. That must be so frustrating for you.

So stay with worse Democrat policies?

Was it Barack Obama, currently President Obama, who represented Chicago clients seeking mortgage loans before the sub-prime bubble, claiming that they were victims of red-lining? Didn't half of the clients default? If this is true, isn't he part of the policies that got us int this mess (e.g. Community Reinvestment Act, Fannie, Freddie)?

Last time I checked, CRA was created under Carter, and Expanded under Clinton.

Maybe Sen. Menendez think we all have short memories, but we don't.

So sorry Senator..... But running on BHO's "Track Record"!!! What is his "track Record"! The only thing in his track record is his constant shriking the issues and blaming the Bush years for the mess. What have you done for ME lately? or at all?

For a partial list of all of President Obama's accomplishments to date, please visit:
http://whattheheckhasobamadonesofar.com/

It's really getting deep in here and it doesn't smell so good either.

"Sen. Menendez: Won't Go Back to Failed Republican Policies "

Yes Senator please stick with the failed Democrat policies instead.

Menendez is a greasy, slimy snake who embodies everything that is rotten and corrupt in American politics. The fact that he is NJ's senator speaks volumes about th e idiots who put him there.

How about everyone votes for Roseanne Barr? She is also running for President this year -lol

Okay, I'm a little confused. Was this a news story, or a political advertisement? Why are we being subjected to this puff piece with all of the objectivity of a teen idol's fan magazine? Start with the headline, talking about "failed policies of the Republicans", then proceeding with no examination of whether those policies did fail, or whether the Democrats' policies would be better. (For the record, I'm not thrilled with a lot of the GOP's policies, but the Democrats are spending like drunken sailors to buy votes."
Biased coverage like this will not advance the debate, nor help pull us out of the hole we have dug for ourselves.

I strongly recommend this link, http://whattheheckhasobamadonesofar.com/ posted by Belleville Sentinel above. I'd bet that both those calling Obama a failure, and his supporters and those in the middle will probably be very surprised at what he's done. Rather than treating this election like a sporting event and rooting from your heart for your favorite team, root from your head for the better team. Get informed! Thank you Belleville Sentinel!

Roll Back our Tax wrote: Obama is for the poor. When are we going to get some one representative of at least 50% of America before its too late?

Obama's policies HAVE benefited the middle class. Check out this 'What the heck has Obama done so far' list

http://whattheheckhasobamadonesofar.com/

He will stick to the failed Obama plan instead. I can't wait to vote him out.

Interesting point about returning Federal tax money from washington, from what I can see that's pretty much part of being on the east coast. It looks like we pay the bills for the rest of the country. It's also interesting to note that the states that get the most money are the republican "small government" stronghold states.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/04/05/budget-fight-which-states-take-more-from-dc-than-they-give-back.html

Vote all NJ democrats out of office. They sicken me!

Roll Back Our Tax: I know that there's a lot of spin from both parties. My impression is that it's more from the Republicans but that's my bias. So do you find that your experience is typical of other small business owners you know? Is it gov't. policy, the economy, both? I don't think that either party will save the day. Whoever wins will look like a goat in 4 or 8 years. I think that it's more likely that more of the middle 50% will do better under Dems than Repubs. but what with debt., deficit, Europe, if it's not disaster, we'll bump along for a long time.

Since the Republican's are considering President Obama a failure I guess they should be quite proud of themselves since they were the ones who declared they would do everything in their power to make sure he failed and that he was a one term President. If I were a Republican voter I would be ashamed of my party. How is vowing that our President fails good for our country? How is a President supposed to move this country forward if he is blocked time and again just because the Republican's can? How anybody could support a political party that votes based on revenge and ego rather than the good of the American people is beyond me. If President Obama is re-elected I certainly hope the Repubican's find their big girl panties, put them on, get over themselves and work WITH the President instead of against him.

Newsflash Mr Menendez-these people don't represent me !!!!

Menendez said the New Jersey delegates are a diverse group that represent the multiculturalism of the state. They include Newark Mayor Cory Booker, State Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex), Newark Council President Donald Payne Jr., and Assemblywoman Grace Spencer (D-Essex).

Boneheaded republicant's blaming a senator for failed governors policies but whine when the idiot teabagger congress is criticized for obstruction of the recovery saying the president has to take responsibility! Your fat boy governor is the one who has to take responsibility!

Its funny people are blaming obama's administration for not doing enough, looking past the fact that everything they've tried to do has been cockblocked by the republican party. Republicans think the way to get more jobs is by giving tax cuts to the wealthy, and democrats want to tax the wealthy to help the middle class. Its also amusing how despite all of this, the economy is Obama's fault, when it was already screwed upside-down-sidways and inverted, when he became president. Not to mention, there the bills/laws that Bush signed, which took effect when he left office. Though the saddest part is that Americans want to have their cake an eat it to, but without the work needed to make the damn cake.

Gee and all I wanted to know is what my "fair share" is. The dems use the phrase but never define it. Is it 90 % of my income ? 80 % ? 70 %, what is it ? AND I really want to know WHY I must work 70 hours a week to support MY family and then all the other dead beats and union officials ? Because of MR. Obama I LOST me retirement funds since he gave away all my bonds in GM to the Unions. He just abidcated contract law for his crony unions. Oh and btw this Senator is an idiot. He has no original thoughts and has no intention of supporting NJ, just his so-called "Party line". I have never heard anything of use from EITHER of our Senators. They need to be VOTED OUT OF OFFICE NOW !

New Jersey is always between 47th to 51st (includes D.C.) in getting tax money back from the Federal Government. The last time I saw the figures we got back $0.62 from every dollar we sent to the politicians. 37 of the 51 get more than a dollar back on every dollar sent and some get more two dollars or more back. I think, if we are talking fair share, we should get a pass on income tax for a decade or more. New Jersey taxpayers complain about paying too much all the time but vote for increased taxes the next day.

The talk about taxing millionaires and billionaires but we don't confiscate wealth so we are not really talking about taxing millionaires and billionaires because they don't have "hard" income and can adjust their income to match the best rate possible. Those who will be taxed are the up and coming small business owners and new successful professionals.

As for the Congress; Presidents Clinton and Reagan had their powerful opponents in Congress but were leaders enough to know how to compromise to get what was important to their plans. It seems like President Obama wants everything or the ability to complain because he didn't get his way.

Stop it Bob and get a real job...Go Joe Krylioss ason 11/6/12 I am gettting a GRIP- GETTING RID OF INCUMBENT POLITICOS...You have done nothing for me and my business except tax me to highest level ever experienced...Shame on you MR MENDENDEZ

This Menendez clown is like a clone to Chucky Schumer, only takes on benign issues, has no spine. The ultimate jellyfish. Too bad this state is so liberal, too many handouts from the DEMS.

OMG! I am reading through all these comments and it's as if no one is really "listening." You all are trying to "out-fact" or "out-quote" or "out-nasty" the other. Whomever you vote for is your own business; chances are comments on the Patch are not going to change minds either way. I wish instead of thinking "what can the next president do for me," we should be thinking "what can he do for America."
(And, just as an aside, PROOFREAD before you send.)

Its great to hear from our esteemed senator. Since he was elected, I had not heard a peep out of him. In fact, I conducted an unscientific and informal poll of 50 adults and only 7 ( ie 14%) could name him as one of the senators from New Jersey. As much as I despise the weasels that represent New York, they do manage to get press coverage.

Why you don't let central planners run industry, as in the case of GM (Government Motors): Nearly two years after the introduction of the plug-in hybrid, the Chevy Volt, GM is still losing as much as $49,000 on each Volt it builds. Although it costs about $5,050 to drive around for two years (pretty cheap), the vehicle cost as much as $89,000 to produce.

Is it practical to take a trip with a Volt and expect to be able to charge it or would this take careful planning?

The main customer for the Volt is the US Gov; almost as popular as $1,000 claw hammers.

We know from the Woodward book that Obama and his staff didn’t have a contact number to reach John Boehner on election night 2010 to congratulate the GOP on winning a House majority. Let that sink in: the White House didn’t know how to contact the House minority leader. But don’t forget: gridlock is the Republicans’ fault.

We know from history a Democrat Leader of the Senate or House has never said this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-A09a_gHJc

Yes - gridlock is the Republicans’ fault.

Hey, KMN. Any chance that your points are good enough and strong enough to stand on their own (and I think they are), w/o calling other people stupid? The tone of all the vitriol makes people dig in and distracts from the merits of their arguments. This comment is NOT for you alone, you just put me over the edge.

Jon,

You could have used a lot less words to say you ignore my postings. That would have given everyone back the time it took to read your moronic drivel.

Hey Stig,

Why not comment on the content of Klein's post rather than relying on labels? What's your beef with the chart or his words?

KMN,

You are obviously a fight waiting to happen. Have a nice day.

Well, Klein's data sure makes it look like the partisanship has reached a new level but I don't think that the Dems. if in the minority will vote as such a block to make the majority fali as the Republicans have. Where they have irreconcilable differences with a Republican majority they will. Anyway, enthusiastically predicting things either way is foolish. This is a close contest, flip a coin..... and remember, NJ, where presumably, we will vote, will most likely, not swing this election, the voter suppression states will.

How about asking we the 99% to pay our Fair Share as well?

Financial aid is for those who are handicapped, certain welfare cases, or going through hardships that need financial aid with 6 months unemployment, not more. Maybe you can even add other categories that only the truly needy fall under.

In regards to the unmotivated type of entitled, or sometimes just plain lazy, make them put their Fair Share of work in, and pay their Fair Share in taxes BY GOING TO WORK.

Every capable bodied mooch collecting entitlements who could be gardening with the illegal aliens, is both taking money out of our economy, and not putting their Fair Share of taxes in. We need this type of reform. Drug tests for those on Welfare?

From our beloved John F. Kennedy, the last strong Democratic president. “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”

We don't want the 99% to pay our share!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We want them to pay their share on EVERYTHING they earn. I don't begrudge their success. What I do begrudge is that I am taxed on 100% of the money I make but they get to hide huge chunks of their money and ARE NOT taxed on 100% of the money they make. I can't imagine the amount of revenue the United States loses because of this. Yes I know it's legal. That doesn't make it right. It certainly doesn't give them the right to look down their noses at those who are in need.

XJS: Because no taxes created the gilded age with people wealthier than Buffett and Gates put together relative than the average citizen. Also because the government needed to create government services and the poor were so poor that they didn't have the money. Why don't you google why do we have income taxes and read about it.

It's kind of fun seeing so many citizens politcally involved, however, it's a little frightening too. Harry Reid the supposed head of the Senate along with Sen Mennedez & several others have decided that they no longer wished to do their jobs. You know what I mean "pass a budget, debate & then vote on some 38 to 40 bills passed by the House. Protect our borders & probably a few 100 other things that we have not been made privy to". If this is the type of governing you desire than fine that's up to you. However, I find their methods repugnant. Let's see BHO's itinerary for this week is the View, we just lost 4 great Americans in Libya,(who were not properly protected) & he kept trying to say that it was due to a stupid video & therefore spontaneous. Last week he was really busy he was on Letterman's & of course he had to be interviewed by the "Pimp with a Limp" don't ask. With executive privilege he is slowly but surely decimating our Constitution and the Rule of Law. If you people wish to live in a Banana Republic re-elect Obama & his pal Mennedez. As for me I perfer intellect over ideology
.

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