New Jersey IS getting worse — time for a decision (Opinion)

Should you stay or should you go?

That’s been a question on the minds of many New Jerseyans since the mid 1990s when Governor Whitman started moving money around to “pay for” her tax cuts. Since then the debt burden has exploded, revenue doesn’t come close to keep up with spending and as a result, taxes increase constantly. We are one of the worst states to retire in, open a business and start a career.

According to a recent moving survey, seven out of ten people moving are getting out. Judging by the fact that more than three million eligible voters skipped the 2017 election, it would stand to reason that the disconnect among voters and residents leading to the inevitable “Exit Plan” started long before the governor trashed your economic and civil liberties. Your vote is being compromised through the flood of unreliable mail-in ballots going to deceased voters and people who have long since moved out of their former homes.

So here we are. Masks, distance and general fear being peddled by a governor who is willing to play on your worst fears while at the same time promising ZERO deaths from COVID. He’s actually a sick, ego-maniac, one that would have been laughed out of office in the days when Americans knew and accepted certain truths. We all die. Life is full of risk. You can’t stop the aging and dying process and sometimes despite all of your efforts, you get sick and die anyway.

In those days, we simply went about our lives. Church, school and social activities filled our calendars. We barely knew or cared who the politicians were until they came knocking for votes in the Fall. Now, we are completely subject to their whims, their egos. Their lust for power. Murphy is a sign of the times. The real problem is we still have people afraid of a virus that is not only dissipated and is no longer a threat. Look at the hospitalization and deaths that have neared ZERO. Look at the latest report showing the mutation of the virus. It spread like wildfire. Your mask didn’t help before and it’s not gonna help now. But the new strain isn’t as deadly as the old strain and the old strain mainly impacted older, sick and immunocompromised people.

So what are we doing? We’re allowing corrupt, elite politicians to run our lives and run our business into the ground. All it takes is for you to stand up and fight back. Start with the masks. The governor's own orders explain in plain terms that if you have a reason not to wear the mask, the store, poll worker, etc, can’t force you. And with the current laws against discrimination and the ADA, they can’t ask you your reason. Here’s the governor’s order on voting by mail and the exceptions for voting in person. And here’s my previous research on why everyone simply doesn’t have to wear a mask.

So the facts are there. Younger, healthy people are not vulnerable. If you’re old, compromised and scared of dying, I can’t help you. Maybe you ought to just stay the hell home and get out of the way so the rest of us can get back to living.

In November 2021, you will have a chance to take our state back for the normal. Murphy has to face the voters. Hopefully we’ll have gotten past the absurd and scandalous move to suppress the vote through mail-only balloting, but either way, it will be hard for him to steal it if we’re all paying attention.

Can you stay that long? Have you already decided to leave? I’m not going anywhere. Time to fight.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.