Monmouth Beach politicians are an embarrassment to common sense

Ban on plastic bags, straws and Styrofoam containers will take effect just in time for the summer season to get underway. Seems that banning life's most convenient consumer products is all the rage today. The problem? The ignorant do-gooders will not solve the problems they intend to fix. Littering and storm drains are the big problem at the Jersey Shore. People not caring where they throw their trash. Or people trying to do the right thing only to have trash receptacles already over flowing. I take no issue with a local town wanting to do something about trash and the local environment. But the ban enacted by the local government in Monmouth beach fails to address the actual problem of litter and storm drains. This will undoubtedly strike fear into the hearts of our cowardly legislators in Trenton on both sides of the aisle who will be taking up a similar Styrofoam ban in New Jersey schools.

The bigger issue is the call of our government to enact what the propagandists and competing business interests have deemed "environmentally friendly" legislation. So much of the public support is based on irrational fears of cancer causing Styrofoam and at-capacity land fills. Truth is that neither fear is real and if local politicians took even ten minutes to read the facts, they'd know this.

So, we continue to drown in debt, continue to be oppressed by taxes , continue to worry about our retirements and whether or not our kids can find work and an affordable home in the Garden State. Meanwhile, all the politicians do is continue to stoke the flames of irrational public fear because of the constant misinformation from the media. Your property taxes will continue to rise along with the overdose death rates topping national averages across the Jersey Shore. And now you're food is going to get cold before you get it home because you can't have a sensible Styrofoam container to transport it. Politicians have a funny way of exploiting fear for a good campaign soundbite while their constituents suffer.

Another shameful distraction based on falsehoods, misinformation and irrational fear. Where are the leaders who have the back bone to stand up and fight for the real problems facing New Jerseyans? Certainly not in Monmouth Beach.

Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015. Tweet him @NJ1015 or @BillSpadea. The opinions expressed here are solely those of Bill Spadea.

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