Zimmer kicks off "Waste of the Week" campaign
By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com ReporterRepublican U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer introduced a new campaign theme at a Passaic supermarket this afternoon: the “waste of the week.”
Zimmer today highlighted incumbent Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s support of the Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 – informally known as the Farm Bill – saying that it is full of pork-barrel spending, provides unneeded subsidies to agribusiness and raises prices for consumers.
“New Jerseyans pay twice for the Farm Bill: once in higher federal taxes to fund big handouts to wealthy farmers in other states and again in the higher prices they pay at their supermarket checkout line,” said Zimmer in a statement. “Politicians like Senator Lautenberg have been in office so long and are so disconnected with average taxpayers that they fail to see the wastefulness of this bloated depression-era legislation. To them, it is business as usual—catering to special interests, throwing good money after bad, all at taxpayer expense.”
Zimmer, who stood against federal earmarks, or “pork,” during his three terms in the House of Representatives between 1991 and 1997, has made that opposition the hallmark of his current campaign.
Lautenberg spokeswoman Julie Roginsky characterized Zimmer’s new tactic as a baseless partisan attack, and slipped in two references to Zimmer’s recent employment as a lobbyist.
"It's appalling that in a time of high gas prices, Washington lobbyist Dick Zimmer would criticize an energy bill that makes our vehicles more fuel efficient and invests in alternatives to foreign oil, and in a time of high food prices, he would criticize legislation to increase food stamps, food banks, and school nutrition programs for the neediest New Jerseyans,” she said. “Change is what we need but Washington lobbyist Zimmer just gives us more of the same partisan attacks we've been hearing from Bush Republicans for years."
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Syndicate
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Zimmer then grumbled something about no one knowing who the heck he is, Frank L having a 50% mark and then slowly walked into obscurity
Frank is ... forgetful!
Frank forgot to fire Julie Roginsky for the ticket fiasco. Frank forgot that it is a time of high gas prices and voted for the Farm Bill. Frank forgot about our energy problems and voted for the Energy Bill. Apparently this bill will make "our vehicles more fuel efficient and invests in alternatives to foreign oil." But Frank said No! to offshore drilling, apparently thinking this is the foreign oil they were talking about. The Far Bill also increased "food stamps, food banks, and school nutrition programs for the neediest New Jerseyans.” That's a boy, but who is going to pay for all these goodies? Apparently not Frank, who gets a hefty salary from the US Senate, health benefits and a pension. On top of it, he owns the oil stocks that bring him buckets of money. Why drill offshore then? Frank does not forget that he benefits from high oil prices. What about the needy? We give them "food stamps, food banks, and school nutrition programs." What a boy!
Frank is ... forgetful!
Frank forgot to fire Julie Roginsky for the ticket fiasco. Frank forgot that it is a time of high gas prices and voted for the Farm Bill. Frank forgot about our energy problems and voted for the Energy Bill. Apparently this bill will make "our vehicles more fuel efficient and invests in alternatives to foreign oil." But Frank said No! to offshore drilling, apparently thinking this is the foreign oil they were talking about. The Farm Bill also increased "food stamps, food banks, and school nutrition programs for the neediest New Jerseyans.” That's a boy, but who is going to pay for all these goodies? Apparently not Frank, who gets a hefty salary from the US Senate, health benefits and a pension. On top of it, he owns the oil stocks that bring him buckets of money. Why drill offshore then? Frank does not forget that he benefits from high oil prices. What about the needy? We give them "food stamps, food banks, and school nutrition programs." What a boy!
Mr. Zimmer not truthful
If you want to complain about the $300 billion farm bill Mr. Zimmer that is fine. But trying to pin all that money on farm subsidies is not truthful. In fact over two thirds of the amount or over $200 billion doesn't even go to farmers. It is for nutrition and food stamps and other services for the basic consumer, even ones in New Jersey. Therefore at least let the people know that the majority doesn't even go to farmers as you try to insinuate.
How can stores that are basically fully stocked 24/7 so that people can buy food at anytime drive up prices? Wouldn't the food be more expensive if you couldn't keep the shelves fully stocked? You complain about the high price of bread but you fail to mention that even with the high price of wheat that only 15 cents of a loaf of bread goes to the farmer to pay for the farm, wages, equipment, and input costs. You say that is high but most feel that is cheap as the total cost of the loaf of bread is far greater than 15 cents so most of the cost of the loaf of bread doesn't even go to the farmer.
You try to pin high food prices on the farmer but you need to redirect it to the middleman and the high cost of transportation as being the main cuprits.
Again complain all you want about the farm bill but at least acknowledge that the majority of it doesn't even go to farmers because that is the facts.
A contradictory position
July 9 courier post "Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer has criticized incumbent Democrat Frank Lautenberg for not bringing back enough money during his 24 years in Washington." Now he is criticizing Lautenberg for pork barrel spending while also claiming he will bring more money back to the state. A contradictory position. More money back to the state = more pork barrel spending and typically higher taxers.
Zimmer is grasping at straws here. He needs to be a fiscally responsible candidate and stop taking shots at Frank that just make him look silly.
Checkout on Aisle (I mean District) 8
Dick needs someone who understands the Democratic bastion in North Jersey. It is hard to run a statewide race without someone who knows the streets of Passaic, Union City and Bergenfield inside and out on the ground where most of the state's voters live. Zimmer should really carry Bergen, draw even in Passaic, and be competitive in West New York area. He will not be unless he gets someone with the Sopranoland attitude working for him and promoting his candidacy. Also he needs to flip on offshore drilling otherwise populist Democrats will stay with Frank for labor reasons.