WASHINGTON – Solving social issues can wait.
Jobs can’t.
That was the message Gov. Chris Christie delivered to New Jersey
business leaders visiting Washington, D.C., on Thursday night as he
ripped Democrats in the Legislature for their push to legalize gay
marriage last week while the state’s unemployment remains high.
“What do you think the people of New Jersey care about most? Do
you think they care about the things we’ve been talking about the
most this last week?” Christie said. “They want to play around with
social issues so they can make people look bad politically. How
about saving that until we can get everybody back to work in New
Jersey?”
Christie made the comments without ever using the words “gay
marriage” in a speech at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s 75th
annual congressional dinner, and the comments received tepid
applause.
Christie has threatened to veto the bill to legalize gay
marriage but supports putting the issue on a ballot to let voters
decide.
The Republican governor, a rising star in the party after only
two years in office, also went after Democrats who called his
proposal to cut income taxes by 10 percent across the board over
three years fiscally irresponsible. The cuts are estimated to cost
at least $1 billion.
Christie pointed out that he line-item vetoed that much alone
from the last budget Democrats passed based on their higher revenue
projections.
“I am being lectured about fiscal reasonability. This is really
hysterical,” Christie said. “When we want to spend your money,
that’s investment. When you want to spend your money, it’s fiscal
irresponsibility. That’s hypocrisy.”
In response, Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, D-Camden,
said the Christie tax-cut plan was an “insult to middle-class
families” because of the progressive tax structure.
“If he wants to tackle the big things, let’s tackle property
taxes,” Greenwald said.
Greenwald also defended the move to legalize gay marriage and
said lawmakers were capable of handling two issues at once.
“He’s deflecting on this issue because he’s obviously not
comfortable with it.”
While the dinner was intended as a way for state business
leaders to network with their congressional delegation, only three
Republican congressmen attended and none spoke. U.S. Sen. Bob
Menendez, D-N.J., attended a cocktail hour before the dinner but
did not stay for the speech.
It was a departure from years past, when both U.S. senators and
the dean of the U.S. House delegation were offered a chance to
speak.
According to chamber spokesman Scott Goldstein, the change was
made after feedback from an online survey last year “indicated
attendees desired fewer speeches,” although Democrats privately
questioned whether it was on Christie’s orders.
“We think this will make for a better experience for our
members,” Goldstein said.
Most of the Democrats who were the targets of Christie’s attacks
did not attend the dinner despite showing up for a cocktail hour
right before it.
Earlier in the day, more than 800 business leaders, lobbyists
and lawmakers rode a 12-car chartered train to the event.
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