Will New Jersey choose Liberty or tyranny? (Opinion)

Today New Jersey voters have a chance to reverse a big mistake that was made four years ago. The Christie era was coming to an end and voters were tired, frustrated and somewhat apathetic. It was a perfect time for a slick, multi-millionaire, Wall Street tycoon to swoop in and take power. He was well organized, well focus-grouped and waltzed in like his former Goldman Sachs crony, John Corzine, and bought the election.

It wasn't long after his election that people were talking about a recall election. It didn't really go anywhere because people hadn't seen what he was really all about ... yet. Sure, there was sanctuary state policies, tax policies that hurt working people and a general sense that he couldn't relate to the average New Jersey citizen.

Then came the pandemic, where a "15 days to flatten the curve" shutdown turned into a year of one-person rule. There was no input from the representatives of the people, the Legislature, or any kind of bend in his authoritarian rules and edicts. Small businesses were crushed, thousands of people in veterans and nursing homes died and no one could challenge his "science-based" decisions.

It's amazing that he got high marks on his handling of the pandemic, even though our state held the top spot in the percentage of COVID-19 deaths up until very recently when Mississippi became number one. People were either so scared or so fooled by his calm demeanor that they gave him credit for keeping us safe. He kept us from living and he kept us locked down for nearly a year.

Hopefully, as people go to the polls today, they'll remember the suffering caused at the hands of one man, like a king, and vote to send him on his way. It was at the height of the lockdown that he was asked on national TV if his executive orders banning people from attending religious services violated the Bill of Rights. His response was, "that's above my paygrade". Is that the kind of person you want to re-elect as governor? I pray, hopefully not.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy. Any opinions expressed are Dennis Malloy's own.