Steve Lonegan’s campaign is imploding faster than a sinkhole in Florida. Instead of focusing on the major issues of the day–Obama’s probable military attack on Syria, the NSA spying program on the American people, the Federal Reserve’s unconscionable money printing, the unsustainable federal budget, the reckless federal government expansion into health care known as ObamaCare, and dozens of other issues–Lonegan is getting press for his critique of Cory Booker’s handling of crime in Newark and his remarks about the mayor’s sexual orientation.
Lonegan’s campaign is true to form, namely, attacking his opponent relentlessly on irrelevant issues which have nothing to do about what will be debated in the United States Senate in the next six years.
Yet, in a New York Times article on Wednesday, August 28, Lonegan is portrayed as some sort of “libertarian” candidate in the mold of former Congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul. Nonsense. Lonegan did not endorse Ron Paul in his last two presidential campaigns for the Republican nomination, and in 2008 the Ron Paul campaign asked me to represent the congressman at presidential forums throughout New Jersey, not Steve Lonegan.
And on Wednesday, August 28, the Lonegan campaign blew an incredible opportunity on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream speech” in Washington DC at the height of the civil rights movement to criticize the Obama administration for turning its back on civil liberties in the United States. It’s ironic that the FBI, which spied on Dr. King for years, is with the NSA under the control of Pres. Obama, America’s first African American president, who was made spying on all the American people a hallmark of his administration.
In short, Steve Lonegan could have emerged yesterday as a civil liberties hero to not only the people of New Jersey but to all Americans if he had given a blistering critique of Obama and his police state tactics. He could’ve joined Cory Booker at the hip with Obama and made an unequivocal statement that he would be the champion of civil liberties in the United States Senate.
Obviously, Steve Lonegan is more concerned about Newark’s crime statistics and Booker’s private sexual conduct than defending the individual rights of the American people.
Steve Lonegan’s candidacy for the United States Senate is doing incredible harm to the liberty movement. Instead of making the case for free enterprise, individual rights, limited government, and a non-interventionist foreign policy, he relishes the opportunity to talk about Booker’s job as mayor of Newark and his private life.
With Cory Booker leading Steve Lonegan by 28 points in the latest poll, the former mayor of Bogota is headed for an ignominious defeat in the October special election. Given the tenor of the campaign, one has to wonder if Steve Lonegan is in the race to win it? Or is Steve Lonegan auditioning for future gig on Fox news?
Dr. Murray Sabrin is Professor of Finance at the Anisfield School of Business at Ramapo College of New Jersey. He writes at MurraySabrin.com.
At least quote somebody who did NOT run the campaign against Lonegan. Not very impartial.
ReplyDeleteAre his statements inaccurate?
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