Chris Christie is all talk

Paul Krugman just tore into New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s so-called “Jersey Comeback,” debunking his oft boasted claim that big spending cuts have boosted his state’s economy. While Christie talks a good game about making tough choices, the truth is that he’s full of budget gimmicks and some “curiously selective” cuts:

The governor was willing to cancel the desperately needed project to build another rail tunnel linking the state to Manhattan, but has invested state funds in a megamall in the Meadowlands and a casino in Atlantic City.

Also, while much of his program involves spending cuts, he has effectively raised taxes on low-income workers and homeowners by slashing tax credits. But he vetoed a temporary surcharge on millionaires while refusing to raise the state’s gasoline tax, which is the third-lowest in America and far below tax rates in neighboring states. Only some people, it seems, are expected to make sacrifices.

Thousands of CWA and other union members in New Jersey have rallied, lobbied and testified against legislative attacks on their collective bargaining rights.

None of this has actually helped the state. In fact, New Jersey’s unemployment rate just hit a 35-year high of 9.8 percent – “higher than the unemployment rate in long-suffering Michigan, which has had a true comeback thanks to the G.O.P.-opposed auto bailout,” notes Krugman.

Christie once made the ridiculous accusation that “unions are trying to break the middle class.” But CWAers know that’s just more talk. That rejected rail tunnel linking New Jersey to Manhattan would have created 45,000 permanent jobs. Christie’s budget cuts have halved the number of legal aid lawyers providing services to low-income citizens, closed the only public facility specializing in seniors' mental health care and left thousands of women without health centers. Under his watch, the average net property tax bill has increased by 20 percent.

Last year Christie attacked collective bargaining for public workers and worked to eliminate workers’ right to bargain over health care and pensions. During a year-long fight for a fair contract CWA members in New Jersey took on Christie’s demand for more than 90 major concessions. Now Christie is busting the police union after already laying off thousands of police officers – again under the false pretense of belt tightening.

It’s no surprise that his “Jersey Comeback” won’t be mentioned this week during his Republican National Convention keynote address.