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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to Both Parties: Stop Playing Games on Spending

1 year ago
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Jill Lawrence
Jill Lawrence
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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie doesn't think much of Washington's approach to the country's debt and deficit crises. He advised national leaders to take a lesson from his moves to cut spending, pensions and benefits to close an $11 billion budget shortfall in his state's $29 billion budget.

In a high-profile speech Wednesday at the American Enterprise Institute, Christie recalled being "booed lustily" by 7,500 firefighters when he told them he was cutting their pensions. "I said, 'Come on, you can do better than that,' and they did!" Christie told an amused audience of conservatives.

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He said he told the firefighters they may hate him now but in 20 years, when they still have pensions, "you'll be looking for my address on the Internet to send me a thank-you."

Christie's listeners burst into applause when he went into his trademark combative mode against teachers' unions. He said they need to be told that "you do not represent the best that teachers have to offer. You often represent the worst." Christie has cut more than $800 million in education funding in his state.

Neither party's leadership in Washington is impressing Christie. He said he was disappointed that President Barack Obama did not start a discussion about the unsustainable cost of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security in his State of the Union address. He said political strategy is taking precedence over the fate of future generations.

"The president's not talking about it because he's waiting for the Republicans to talk about it. And our new bold Republicans that we just sent to the House of Representatives, they're not talking about it because they're waiting for him to talk about it," Christie said. "What game is being played down here is irresponsible and it's dangerous."

And so, asked the first questioner, will he step into the breach and run for president in 2012? "Well, that took a long time, didn't it," Christie said to laughs, before reiterating his usual denials. "I said what do I have to do short of suicide to convince people I'm not running? Apparently I actually have to commit suicide," he said. "I'm not stupid. I see the opportunity. That's not the reason to run."

Christie offered three reasons he is not going to run: He does not believe he's ready, there is still a lot of work to be done to fix New Jersey's finances, and "my wife will kill me."

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, said Christie has slashed education funds, raised property taxes and made other moves that have "reduced the economic competitiveness of New Jersey in the long term." He dismissed Christie's approach to budgeting as "slick 'tough guy' sound bites."

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Filed Under: Democrats, Republicans, 2012 President
Tagged: American Enterprise Institute, chris christie, chris+christie+pensions, chrischristiepensions, christie+pensions, christiepensions, dailyguidance, gov+chris+christie, gov+christie, gov+christie+news, gov.+chris+christie, gov.chrischristie, govchrischristie, govchristie, govchristienews, new jersey
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34 Comments

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pitsmcgoo

Christie made a right turn and the bus is heading for the ditch, again! Like the hoola-hoop the tea party fad will phase out and leave another state fiscally stuck in the mud and undesirable for family and business alike. And that's saying a lot for NJ..

February 17 2011 at 3:10 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
msmichlee

Yet not one word out of Christies mouth about tax cuts for billionaires that added 800 million to our deficit this year alone. Not one word about Medicare Part D that did nothing for our elders but sent a windfall of profits to the Phramacutical and health Industries Nor one word about the billions of subsides to Oil, Nascar, Military waste, not one word about regulating wall street or the big banks. How can anyone say this guy is so great when his plan is to take more from the poor to give to the rich until we are all below the poverty line. He is a bag of wind thats all.

February 17 2011 at 2:51 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
fpfp040408

Christie needs to take care of his health, he will have a heart attack soon if he doesn't.

February 17 2011 at 12:04 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
carlengele

THis man is doing the right thing not what makes people feel good. Kudos

February 17 2011 at 10:58 AM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
oldengineera2

How can high speed rail make economic sense when Washington has not been able to keep budgets on the rails? The taxpayers are way ahead of the politicians on this one, and even young people are awakening to the fact that their futures are on the line if a debt tsunami goes unchecked.

February 17 2011 at 10:45 AM Report abuse -2 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to oldengineera2's comment
fpfp040408

It is a fact that we need to invest in our infrastructure, we areWAY behind all the nations. Plus, it will create millions and fuel economic growth create jobs, save money for commuters like me, be far more efficient , will enormously help the environment and cut down on pollution, the BENEFITS ARE HUGE !

February 17 2011 at 11:47 AM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
John Vilvens

Christie has started something that is now spreading to other states. Hopefully it will spread to the federal level. A governor that put working in his state above running for president. One who know he has not seved long enough to be president. A politican that is honest about the problem and will address them. Hopefully other can learn from him.

February 17 2011 at 8:03 AM Report abuse +10 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to John Vilvens's comment
msmichlee

I will not take Christie's loud mouth serious until he gets it in his head that you can not balance the budget on the backs of the middle class and the poor, it is time to cut corporate welfare, but that will not happen when corporation are funding the republican parties campaign with millions of gifts from the republican party. Here'e an idea for Christie instead of raising the social security age hoping people will die before they can collect on money they have paid into all their lives. How about raising the cap to 200000 or keeping the millionaires from drawing from it. Social Security wouldn't have a problem if the republicans didn't dive into using it for their cash cow. Now they can't pay it back and want to blame the democrats. Democrats have alway been for the people republicans have always been for the rich and greed. Vote Christie and as many of the do nothing wealth redistibution republicans OUT to save this country.

February 17 2011 at 2:43 PM Report abuse +4 rate up rate down Reply
monza866

We have to face the bottom line...the money is not there to continue spending like we have. Uncomfortable as it is to forego benefits that we had in the past the reality is we over spent our income. How long can you tax homeowners who are having a hard enough time just paying their mortgage?

February 17 2011 at 7:38 AM Report abuse +6 rate up rate down Reply
Ron

And speaking of weight; most people realize that if you lose a lot of weight too fast, you typically gain it all back, plus some. The same is true for budgeting. We cannot fix the budget in one year without a serious domino effect on fellow Americans. We'll get this done but we have to be Americans first; not Democrats, Republicans, liberals or conservative. Also, it's gonna take time and teamwork. Can you imagine our troops bickering between the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force on how to fight against the bad guys? America first.

February 17 2011 at 1:41 AM Report abuse +7 rate up rate down Reply
aegoldlaw

Christie is great....and Im saying that as a Democrat. He is a rational honest fiscal conservative who has his sizeable ego working for him rather than against the people who elected him. I doubt Id agree with all his policies but at least he is willing to tell the truth.

February 16 2011 at 11:54 PM Report abuse +15 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to aegoldlaw's comment
b.f.k. sr

he is doing it by socking it to those under his heel, who cant fight back, and then he says see how wonderful i am and i solved the problem all by myself without hurting anyone (well anyone who counts).

February 18 2011 at 10:43 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
fergusonwilliam2

RE: Gov. Christie - New Jersey
Iam from Arkansas. Even out here in the Ozarks we are on Christie's
side. Stop the Bull ----. Cut the expenditures l0 or12 percent, across the board
and every one should be happy. What are they waiting on?????

February 16 2011 at 11:24 PM Report abuse +11 rate up rate down Reply

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