It's obvious even to the casual observer that Phil Murphy is jockeying for a position to launch a national political run. He's even changed his hairstyle as was noticed this week on his appearance on CNBC.

Forget all of the cosmetic nonsense, pay attention to the politics.

He just signed seven new gun laws this week before he left for his 23-room villa in Italy. The laws will do nothing to make us safer, only make law-abiding gun owners more vulnerable.

The one law that he and Acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin are most excited about is the ability to sue gun makers when a gun is used in the commission of a crime. How about making car makers accountable when a person uses a car to drive drunk or run someone over? Maybe we should hold cutlery makers culpable if someone stabs someone or carpenters if someone pushes someone down the stairs.

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These laws do nothing to make us safer. They only serve to bolster Murphy's image in the minds of people in his base. New Jersey is a state where the gun culture is not strong. People are afraid of guns here in this state. Tell them something simple like "we've signed new laws to protect you from gun violence" and sadly they buy it. Even if you made all guns illegal, only criminals will have guns. They don't follow whatever silly laws and regulations stupid politicians put in place. They're criminals.

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If Murphy had his way, only law enforcement and people who have private armed security would be protected by firearms. I'm sure there is some kind of armed security for the "Givenor" even at his villa in Italy, a country where it is more difficult to get a gun than it is in New Jersey.

He has taken the opportunity to politicize guns in the wake of mass shootings in other states, just as he did with the Supreme Court decision to reverse Roe v. Wade. He's not your savior. He's a crafty, uber-wealthy political animal who knows how to play clueless, frightened people like a fiddle.

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At least one member of the New Jersey Legislature saw the new gun laws for what they are. Freshman senator, and true citizen representative, Ed Durr, R-Gloucester, said, “These are empty solutions that will not stop violent criminals who will ignore every new gun law that is enacted. All these bills will do is put more legal gun owners at risk of being prosecuted for unintentional technical violations of the law.”

Sadly, it's not enough to stop Murphy's continued nonsense or his thirst and quest for more power on the national stage.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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