NJ Receives $40m for Public Safety Wireles

Today, Congressional representatives announced a plan that will bring $40 million of federal funds to New Jersey - the country's most densely populated state - to improve public safety, emergency response and law enforcement communication networks.

The new system, which will be built off of existing networks as much as possible, will help 167 law enforcement agencies and 224 fire departments communicate with each other on a high-speed network. This will allow mapping data, records, reports, images and video to all be transmitted between agencies and operations workers faster and more reliably than before.

In my experience working in emergency medical services, many agencies, especially paramedic agencies, use e-charting to take down patient information, for example. However, outdated IT infrastructures that exists throughout the state usually makes it impossible for this information to actually be electronically transferred from an arriving ambulance to hospital staff. This new network hopes to update the infrastructure to provide smoother operations on all public safety fronts.

This network will also help get emergency personnel out faster, too. Reported on NorthJersey.com "[The network] will also assist with dispatching responders and mapping, Senators Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez, both D-N.J., said in a joint announcement."

The grant is part of a $1.47 billion stimulus grant for improvement of wireless/IT public safety infrastructure going to 65 other regions across the country.

VOTE TODAY!

Make sure to get out and vote today. Click here to find your polling location: http://bit.ly/njvotinginfo

Speaker of New Jersey General Assembly Will Not Seek Another Term

Joseph Roberts, the Speaker of the General Assembly in the New Jersey Legislature will not be seeking another term, he announced on Wednesday

The announcement threw state legislators into a whirlwind on Wednesday, reports PolitickerNJ, as officials throughout the state are trying to figure out who will fill in that leadership position. Roberts spent 22 years in the General Assembly and cited his reason for not seeking another term that he needs a break.


Read More:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/three_nj_lawmakers_eyeing_asse.html

http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/32859/roberts-announcing-retirement-downplays-possibility-senate-run

In Just 24 Hours, Newark Shudders Under Weight of Five Shootings

Over a 24 hour period, starting Monday morning with the death of a 14 year-old, there were six people injured in a total of five shootings in Newark.

Newark, once a cultural mecca in New Jersey - and much of the country - has in recent decades faced high crime rates, consistently putting the city ranked highest in the country among crime. Before 2006, a significant amount of that crime was taking place within the governing body of the city when former Mayor Sharpe James, who is now a convicted felon serving a 27-month prison term, used to be in charge. Since then, Mayor Cory Booker has taken crime and pubic safety head-on, though still faces significant challenges such as those 24 hours demonstrate. As reported by NJ.com, Mayor Booker said, "We're seeing still some progress but the last week or two has shown us that we still have a long way to go"

Several of the victims on Monday were innocent bystandars, such as one 62 year-old resident who was shot in the hip by a gang related drive-by as she was taking out the trash in front of her apartment.

Clearly there is no simple solution to this problem. It is obvious, more than ever, however, that intelligent and forward thinking policy and culture change are needed to ensure that our communities are safe and that no resident need worry about their safety when taking out their trash.

Making The Problem Worse: Sweet Sixteen Broken Up, 10 Kids Arrested In Parsippany

Last Thursday night, Parsippany Police broke up a sweet 16 party after receiving a noise complaint.

Five officers responded to a house at around 1130pm after receiving reports of screaming and loud noises. The officers entered the house to discover a large amount of young people under 21 drinking, a few over 21, and the homeowner.

10 people under 21 were arrested and issued summonses, in addition to the homeowner who was also charged with providing alcohol to minors.

Do we really think that charging these young people with a crime will deter them? Or even more fundamentally, were they really doing something wrong? There were no reports of violence, of drunk driving, or of anything dangerous, but rather the "problem" itself was that alcohol was being consumed. And with older people and a parent present.

The only thing this accomplished was teaching the parents to not consume alcohol with their children and children not be loud when they drink. Anyone who thinks that arrests like these actually deter young people from drinking is entirely ignorant of the problems of alcohol abuse among young people and need to face the facts: Young people drink, and because of counter-productive policies that encourage underground drinking, they are drinking more excessively than they used to. If we want to break this cycle we will need to ditch the failed ideology that has created this problem and take a new outlook on how to keep young people safe with alcohol.

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20090811/UPDATES01/90811025/1005/NEWS01/Police+break+up+Sweet+16+party+in+Parsippany++10+charged

Independent Candidate Chris Daggett Names His Lt. Governor Nomination

On Tuesday, Independent New Jersey Gubernatorial Candidate Chris Daggett selected his nomination for lieutenant governor.

Daggett named Frank Esposito, a professor of history and education at Kean University for his Lt. Governor nomination. Daggett said of Esposito, "Frank Esposito has been in the forefront of the movement to reform our education system, which too often has failed New Jersey's children."

Vying to make education on the forefront of his platform, Daggett wants to tap the experience of Esposito to ensure voters see his platform as a strong supporter of reforming education in New Jersey. After the large corruption scandals which resulted in 44 total arrests which spanned both the Democrat and Republican parties, Daggett is claiming that, being the independent candidate, he is the real person who can reform Trenton.


Read More
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20090728_Daggett_names_Frank_Esposito_as_running_mate.html

Crucial Doctor in 21 Drinking Age Establishment Joins Founder of MADD In Speaking Out Against 21

Dr. Morris Chafetz, a psychiatrist who, in the early 1980s, sat on the presidential commission in that recommended raising the national drinking age from 18 to 21 now regrets his decision.

Dr. Chafetz now considers his role in pushing for the drinking age "the single most regrettable decision" of his career, reports the Los Angeles Times. Dr. Chafetz believes the 21 year-old drinking age has not worked, and, "To be sure, drunk driving fatalities are lower now than they were in 1982. But they are lower in all age groups. And they have declined just as much in Canada, where the age is 18 or 19, as they have in the United States." Additionally, Dr. Chafetz recognizes the immense harm caused by the unintended consequences the drinking age has caused in American drinking culture, including the 1,800 deaths per year among college-aged youth in deaths related to alcohol.

Dr Chafetz is not in fact the first person (nor most likely the last) who has changed their mind being originally involved in supporting the drinking age, and now being outspoken against it.

Candice Lightner was the mother of 13 year-old Cari Lightner, who was killed by a drunk driver in 1980, the event which prompted Lightner to start Mothers Against Drunk Driving later that same year. The driver, Clarance William Busch, who killed young Cari, had 22 traffic citations on his record, including four for drunk driving (for which he had served at most 48 hour in jail). His fourth drunk driving accident, another hit and run, occurred just two days before killing Cari Lightner. Interesting, or ironically, for the drinking age argument, Busch was 46 years old at the time of the accident.

Busch had despicable track record that anyone would agree should be warrant enough to permanently revoke one’s driving privileges. After what happened to her daughter Lightner became concerned with the lack of severity for repeat offenders, and saw it as her duty to push for tougher drunk driving laws, especially for repeat offenders. However, Lightner soon left MADD and became one of the most outspoken critics of how purely “anti-alcohol” MADD has become. She stated that MADD “has become far more neo-prohibitionist than I had ever wanted or envisioned … I didn’t start MADD to deal with alcohol. I started MADD to deal with the
issue of drunk driving." Lightner left MADD in 1985, just one year after MADD lobbied the federal government to raise the drinking age to 21.

The issues surrounding youth alcohol abuse and drunk driving are serious, complicated and have historically convoluted explanations. As more people feel comfortable taking the political heat dished out by organizations like MADD (Who earlier this month criticized a New Jersey brewery for having New Jersey Turnpike exits themed microbrews) more academics, scientists and public officials will come out in support of a new solution. At a certain point, we will hit a tipping point and finally be able to move into an effective public policy discussion that will finally help keep both our roads and American youth safe.

Sources & Reading:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/07/underage-drinking.html

Jon Corzine selects Lieutenant Governor Nomination

Jon Corzine on Friday selected legislative veteran Senator Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) to be his running mate in the first ever gubernatorial election that features a running mate. Republican candidate Chris Christie made his announcement Monday of last week - the first candidate to do so.

Senator Weinberg, 74, has been in the state legislature for nearly 20 years. She started her tenure in the Assembly in 1991 and in 2005 was elected to the state senate.

Sen. Weinberg’s legendary, and widely recognized, experience as a reformer and a proponent of open government is considered to be one of the primary reasons that Corzine has selected her - and doing so just one day after a massive corruption scandal rocked the Garden State. Additionally, Senator Weinberg hails from Bergen County, a key swing county.

Throughout her career in Bergen County, Sen. Weinberg has battled what many consider to have been one of the most corrupt political machines in the state. A real New Jersey legislative legend, Weinberg is also the primary sponsor of 50 laws that are on the books, in addition to being a co-sponsor on another 40 current laws, an astounding record.

It will be interesting to see how the next round of polls places the candidates now that both Christie and Corzine have named a running-mate.

NJ Politicians, NY Rabbis rounded up as part of corruption ring

Today, federal authorities rounded up a host of public officials and rabbis - 44 in total - who are apparently linked to a ring of money laundering and dirty political contributions.

At a press conference today, federal authorities, including officials from the US Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Division said that New Jersey needed to clean up its act, and that the Garden State may be the worst in the country in terms of political corruption.

As election season kicks into high gear for the governor’s race, in addition to many other state and municipal races, some felt as though the arrests were politically motivated. Federal authorities did state multiple times at a press conference today that politics had nothing to do with the arrests as this case, code named “Bid-rig,” has been developing for nearly a decade, and surpasses political parties and multiple administrations.

Corruption in public office seems so embedded in the governance process that it seems to barely register on the psyche of our state. These actions must not be tolerated, and both public leaders and New Jersey voters must take a stand for more transparent and honest governance. Federal authorities were right on when they said that law enforcement along cannot fix this issue alone, but rather we need a mental overhaul of how, as residents, we want our state to run and how open and transparent we must require our government to be.

More Reading
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/24/nyregion/24jersey.html
http://sbk.online.wsj.com/article/SB124835404608875685.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iK4nrZ7GALyorz4G34gTnFocFM9gD99KCVB80
http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/23/new-jersey-curruption-solomon-dwek-business-beltway-dwek.html
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20090723_N_J__official_resigns_amid_corruption_probe.html

Christie, in a First, Picks a Running Mate (Featured in NY Times)

Some ask how important new media will be in politics. Today should answer that question once and for all, as Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie announced his pick for lieutenant governor on social networking sites, placing a video on YouTube as well as announcements on Twitter and Facebook.

Mr. Christie, a former United States prosecutor, selected Kim Guadagno, who currently is the Monmouth County Sheriff, to run with him. If elected, she will serve as the state’s first lieutenant governor.

Before 2005, the year that the position was created by a statewide vote — with much encouragement from then-Acting Gov. Dick Codey, who had to step in after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned — New Jersey was one of a handful of states with only a governor position. In addition, our state’s governor appoints all cabinet level officials, many of which are elected in other states, contributing to the New Jersey governor widely being recognized as perhaps the most powerful in the country.


The new position of lieutenant governor will help equalize the vast amount of authority that currently is placed solely in our only state-wide elected official.

Ms. Guadagno , who has been the Monmouth County Sheriff since 2007, served 15 years as the commissioner of Monmouth Beach, as well as on the Board of Adjustments. Ms. Guadagno also spent 15 years as an assistant U.S. attorney, working both in Brooklyn and New Jersey.

Both Mr. Christie and Ms. Guadagno are long-time residents of the state — he was born in Newark, grew up in Livingston and now resides with his family in Mendham. Ms. Guadagno has lived and worked in New Jersey for many years, and now lives in Monmouth Beach.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine, who is seeking election to a second term, has not made an official announcement as to his selection, though he is reported to be considering Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, Senator Loretta Weinberg and Rhodes Scholar and winner of Season 4 of “The Apprentice,” Randal Pinkett.

Already a heated battle, with candidates mainly clashing over financial policy issues, the race between Mr. Corzine, Mr. Christie and independent candidate Chris Daggett should be historic, the first featuring a “running-mate.”

Stay tuned for more news on the local angles to the race.


Please feel free to visit the New York Times local section, where this blog entry was featured yesterday: http://maplewood.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/20/christie-in-a-first-picks-a-running-mate/

Update to A1360, New Jersey's Medical Amnesty Bill

NJ Bill A1360 a bill that "Grants immunity to certain underage persons for unlawful possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages" has passed in the Senate 38-0.

Here is the timeline the bill has taken so far: (From the NJ Legislature)

9/22/2008 Introduced, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee
3/12/2009 Reported from Assembly Comm. as a Substitute, 2nd Reading
5/21/2009 Passed by the Assembly (77-0-0)
5/21/2009 Received in the Senate without Reference, 2nd Reading
6/25/2009 Substituted for S2748
6/25/2009 Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (38-0)

Now, the bill needs to gain the signature of Governor Jon Corzine. I'll post updated as news comes out about that.

Here the sponsors of the bill:
Angelini, Mary Pat as Primary Sponsor
Johnson, Gordon M. as Primary Sponsor
Bramnick, Jon M. as Primary Sponsor
Evans, Elease as Primary Sponsor
Rodriguez, Caridad as Co-Sponsor
O'Scanlon, Declan J., Jr. as Co-Sponsor
Handlin, Amy H. as Co-Sponsor
Rible, David P. as Co-Sponsor
Chivukula, Upendra J. as Co-Sponsor
Diegnan, Patrick J., Jr. as Co-Sponsor
Casagrande, Caroline as Co-Sponsor
Wagner, Connie as Co-Sponsor
Kean, Sean T. as Co-Sponsor
Girgenti, John A. as Co-Sponsor
Van Drew, Jeff as Co-Sponsor
Bateman, Christopher as Co-Sponsor
Turner, Shirley K. as Co-Sponsor

More Information:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp

MADD Lambasts Brewery over New Jersey Themed Beer

Mothers Against Drunk Driving on Friday criticized a New Jersey Brewery of helping contribute to the drunk driving problem by offering New Jersey themed beer.

Flying Fish Brewery, based in Cherry Hill, NJ, is receiving flak from MADD because of a new line of beers that they recently announced. This line of beers, celebrating New Jersey, will be comprised of many different beers to be released periodically, each one named after an exit on the New Jersey Turnpike. The first brew released "Exit 4" is named after the exit closest to where Flying Fish calls home. Reports the Associated Press, "The next beer, Exit 11 Hoppy American Wheat Ale, is scheduled to start hitting bars and stores in the region on July 15. The intersection of styles is a tribute to Woodbridge's exit, where the Turnpike meets the Garden State Parkway."

However, Mothers Against Drunk Driving is criticizing the brewery for encouraging drunk driving. Mindy Lazar, the executive director of MADD, New Jersey said "The combination of a roadway and advertising for any kind of a beer doesn't make any kind of sense," she continued. "This is almost a mockery."

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority also has responded over concerns that the organization may be seen as endorsing the beer. Flying Fish has since released a disclaimer that no endorsement is implied.

Responding to MADD's concerns, Brewery president Gene Mueller said this not at all true, "The one thing that both of us agree is drinking and driving is never an option," he said. He also commented that they were originally going to base the alcohol content off of the exit number of the beer, but quickly realized that once you get around exit 16 or 17 it would become "dangerous."

Does naming a beer after sentimental or historically significant exits off of a state highway really create any problems? Is it likely that someone will see this beer and feel more comfortable getting behind the wheel of a car after consuming too much of it? Not likely, at all. Rather, this seems to be more of an attack by MADD against alcohol in general.

Since the organization's founding in 1980, MADD has gone through a few eras of leadership. Candice Lightner was the woman who founded Mothers Against Drunk Driving (Originally called Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) after her 13 year-old daughter was killed by a hit and run drunk driver who had four previous DUIs, including another hit and run just days earlier. Lightner started MADD to crack down on repeat offenders and provide support for families or friends of people who have met tragedy because of drunk driving accidents. However, just five years later (only one year after MADD lobbied for the 21 year-old drinking age) Lightner left MADD, becoming an outspoken critic accusing MADD of becoming "anti-alcohol". Lighnter said, after leaving MADD, that the organization "has become far more neo-prohibitionist than I had ever wanted or envisioned … I didn’t start MADD to deal with alcohol. I started MADD to deal with the issue of drunk driving."

Is it possible that MADD has seriously over-reacted to the Flying Fish Brewery's beers, which are meant to celebrate unique history and culture of New Jersey? Most likely, MADD is using anything it can to lobby against alcohol and its enjoyment, whether it be responsible, irresponsible, over 21 or under 21.*




*An interesting fact: MADD does not consider responsible alcohol consumption to literally exist for anyone under the age of 21.

Sources and Reading:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/mothers_against_drunk_driving.html
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TURNPIKE_BEER?SITE=1010WINS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

NJ Gubernatorial Election Update: Chris Daggett, Independent Candidate, Enters the Race

Today marks the announcement of the candidacy of Chris Daggett for Governor of New Jersey. Daggett today announced that he will be seeking office on an independent ticket, citing that over 50% of registered voters in New Jersey are registered as not affiliated to a political party, and that independent voters outnumber both Democrat and Republican voters by a large margin in the Garden State.

Daggett has just surpassed, by $10,000, the $340,000 raised funds mark to qualify for public election funding. This means that for every dollar that Daggett himself spends, the state will provide $3. Daggett will receive that funding as part of agreeing to some terms, including taking part in official debates.

Daggett believes that neither party has accurately reflected what New Jerseyans want in Trenton and that the political system is broken in its current partisanship.

More information at Chris Daggett's website: http://daggettforgovernor.com/wordpress/

Sources & Reading:
http://daggettforgovernor.com/wordpress/
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/nj_independent_candidate_for_g.html

NJ Gubernatorial Election Update: Corzine Restores Property Tax Rebates

New Jersey's tax amnesty program - a 45-day time period where New Jersey taxpayers could repay back owed taxes without penalty and only pay half of the interest - was originally expected to generate approximately $100 million that the state could use to help this year's budget. They were wrong.

The tax amnesty program has generated over $625 million (as of the 20th, with many envelopes still not counted) in revenue for the state. This unexpected massive generation of funds has been put to good use - direct relief for taxpayers.

Governor Corzine, who previously was not planning on distributing property tax rebates because of the state's financial situation (except for seniors and the disabled), now has said that all homeowners who make under $75,000 a year, senior citizens and disabled residents will receive a rebate, and homeowners who make up to $250,000 will be be able to apply for a rebate.

The number one issue in this election is taxes. And surprisingly, Republican candidate Chris Christie, who has blamed the current economic downturn on Corzine and been extremely critical of his tax policy (among others). And now, only a few months before the election Corzine will sign tens of thousands property tax rebate checks off to New Jersey residents. Although campaign spending has been fairly equal in the early part of the election, Christie is going to have to do a lot of work and advertising to not loose at least a few points in the polls because of this. Perhaps he'll even create a tax plan of his own.

Sources & Reading
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/gov_corzine_christie_spend_sim.html
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/gov_corzine_says_tax_amnesty_w.html
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/top_nj_democrats_hope_to_resto.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/19/nyregion/19njbudget.html?ref=nyregion
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=ACBJ&date=20090622&id=10043310

NJ Gubernatorial Election Update: Barack Obama Fully Endorses Jon Corzine

Earlier this month Vice President Joe Biden joined Jon Corzine in West Orange to kick-off Corzine's 2009 campaign. On stage together, both men talked much of working together and using a positive and friendly relationship that exists between Governor Corzine and the White House. However, some skeptics pointed to the fact that Obama did not himself attend that the White House was not in full support of Corzine's re-election. Although the Vice President made it quite clear that the White House was willing, excited and had already worked with Corzine, President Obama has now made his first public statement regarding the election.

President Obama recently said, "I don't think it's surprising that he may have a significant challenge because that's, first of all, the nature of New Jersey politics," Continuing Obama remarked, "And, secondly, because a huge chunk of New Jersey's economy was tied to Wall Street and, obviously, you've seen a huge hit in terms of the financial sector of the economy, which has an impact across the board on revenue, state revenues, unemployment rates, so forth." Although admitting the challenge that lies ahead for Corzine, Obama made it clear he is confident in Corzine, commenting, "I think very highly of Jon Corzine. I think he's a terrific public servant..." He continued, "I'm confident that he can win re-election."

With the White House fully and publicly supporting Corzine, it will be interesting to see how and if New Jersey voters respond. Recent polls show Corzine trailing by up to 10%, but Obama, who enjoys a 70% approval rating in New Jersey, may be able to help convince New Jersey that Corzine is the right man for the job. Additionally, the idea that our Governor now will be able to work with the White House, a stark contrast to the past administration, is a bright prospect for New Jersey to continue to the lead the country in creating effective and socially responsible policy.

Sources & Reading
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/president_barack_obama_says_he.html
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/06/25/1977107.aspx

NJ Gubernatorial Election Update: Christie's Attacks on Corzine's Management of Economy Off-Base

Lately, Republic gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie has been lambasting current Governor Jon Corzine's leadership of the economy, using the high levels of unemployment as "proof" Corzine has failed New Jersey. Not so, says recently released numbers from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Christie claims that it is Corzine's mismanagement of New Jersey's finances that have led to the current unemployment rate. However, one need only glance at the news any day to know that nationally, indeed globally, unemployment is reaching double digits in places that haven't seen such numbers in decades.

When it comes to New Jersey, which has a current unemployment rate of 8.8%, the Great State falls below the national average, which is at around 10%. Additionally, New Jersey is faring better than most states in terms of its current budget deficit and percentage change of foreclosures compared to years past. Corzine repeated this message at the Employer Legislative Committee Dinner on Tuesday saying, "Facts are stubborn things."

Yes, we can all agree the economy is not in a great place, but this is a world-wide issue, not solely a New Jersey issue. The fact that Christie, along with a few other New Jersey Republicans, actually wanted to refuse about 17.5 billion dollars in federal stimulus money does not inspire confidence that they posses the skills and commitment to see our state through recovery.

In terms of looking forward, and how best to help New Jersey climb out of this economic downturn, Jon Corzine is unarguably a financial expert. New Jersey is beginning shovel-ready projects, and putting New Jersey residents to work in building for our state. Would these same projects be happening under a different governor? Perhaps. It's hard to tell exactly what is Corzine's unique ability, and it is easy for Christie to be critical from the sidelines. Joe Biden said it best, however. At Corzine's campaign kickoff earlier this month Biden said, "Do you know who I called first when Barack and I sat down to write the US economic recovery package? I called Jon Corzine."

Considering Christie's lack of enthusiasm for literally taking money from the federal government, I don't believe he will be able to forge a successful relationship with the White House, which could potentially have large implications for our financial situation. But with a federal administration that has a better understanding of economic policy than our most recent past administration, I do enjoy the commitment between our Democratic governor and Democratic federal administration who have promised, and have already been shown, to work together to help not only New Jersey, but set the pace for the US to recover as well.

Sources & Reading:
http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/30647/christie-and-corzine-give-dueling-speeches
http://money.cnn.com/news/storysupplement/economy/gapmap/index.htm
http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13107814

The Problem Is Getting Worse

When talking about the problems associated with youth alcohol abuse, many consider the problem getting worse, which may in fact point the current philosophies and policies being fundamentally misguided.

Today, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (Part of the National Institute of Health) released a study which describes the increasingly severe problem of youth alcohol abuse. Some quick stats:

Number of alcohol-related accidental deaths
1998: 1,440
2005: 1.825

Percentage of 18-24 year-olds who report drinking and driving
1998: 26.5
2005: 29

Percentage of 18-24 year-olds engaging in heavy and episodic drinking practices
1998: 42
2005: 45

Each of these statistics independently would be more than cause for alarm. However, all three? Not to mention the countless more statistics that have recently been reported: The number of drunk driving incidents is on the rise, the age that people start drinking is getting younger, and the ratio of excessive drinking practices to responsible drinking practices is increasing.

Is the drinking age effective? Maybe our more basic, underlying assumptions were false to begin with. Looking at how best to reduce the problems and harm associated with heavy drinking by people at all ages, and especially young people, requires more than "How can we enforce the drinking age better?" To really provide effective policy, we need to ask "Is the 21 year-old drinking age based on true and effective policy foundations?" We need rethink our initial assumption - we need to "rethink 21."

Study:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-06/joso-cdp061009.php

Edit: Additional Article:
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/06/16/alcohol

NJ Gubernatorial Election Update: How conservative is Chris Christie? And how conservative is New Jersey?

Post-primary election activity is heating up and democrats have ratcheted up their criticism of Republican opponent Chris Christie. And Chris Christie is doing nothing to avoid it.

On the evening of June 11th, gubernatorial candidate and former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie (who was appointed by George W. Bush) held a fundraiser, featuring, as the main headliner, former presidential candidate Mit Romney. In a state where Democratic president Barack Obama has a 70% approval rating - a full 10% over the national average - one must wonder why Christie, so soon, would align himself with such a conservative figure.

Romney's social policies are truly conservative, and not particularly in line with how more progressive New Jerseyan's tend to feel about social issues. A day after Christie's fundraiser, US Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside park) said, according Politcker NJ, "Chris Christie is kicking off his (general election) campaign with a conservative Republican whose extreme right-wing positions couldn't be more out of touch with New Jersey residents." Two days earlier, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-Hoboken) and U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) made similar comments, noting that Christie is far too conservative and is aligning himself with national conservative figures who are often seen as far more right-wing than New Jersey is.

Is Chris Christie purposefully aligning himself with national, though well-known, political figures hoping for what comedy political commentator Stephen Colbert refers to (when he is the endorser) as the "Colbert Bump," or is Chris Christie genuinely too conservative for New Jersey? Although democratic incumbent Jon Corzine has not been advertising for as long as Christie, the Republican is up by 10 points in recent polls. This suggests that the only way we will answer who is the right person for New Jersey is on November 4th. However, as new developments occur, and new poll numbers are released, it will be interesting to see how effective each candidate's advertising campaign is in reaching New Jersey voters that certainly aren't conservative but, on the other hand, frustrated with the financial situation the state is in.

Sources & Reading
http://www.politickernj.com/max/30575/lautenberg-throws-christie-and-romney-bush-bundle
http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/30506/mendnez-and-pascrell-paint-christie-red

New Jersey Close to Adopting Medical Amnesty

On May 21, 2009, the New Jersey Assembly unanimously passed a bill that would grant a degree of legal immunity to persons under the age of 21 who have been consuming alcohol and call emergency services for medical assistance. A noble step forward in working to reduce the damage the 21 year-old drinking causes, especially for Americans under the age of 21.

Studies consistently show that young people are dissuaded from contacting authorities in a medical emergency if alcohol has been present and the people involved are not of legal age (Lewis and Marchell 2006). On college campuses, especially, this creates a dangerous situation where thousands of serious medical emergencies go un-reported as young people try to deal with the problem without any help from authorities. Oftentimes students will try to "sleep off" heavy intoxication instead of getting help, a circumstance that usually ends in the person slipping into a coma in their sleep or asphyxiating on their own vomit overnight. Because of the amount drinking that takes place among American youth (the amount of excessive drinking practices has risen steadily since the drinking age was instituted in 1984), and the, as it turns out, logical shunning of authority when an emergency exists, there are approximately 1,700 deaths per among college-aged students related to alcohol each year (NIAAA, Hingson et al, 2005). These deaths are almost entirely preventable.

Some campuses have been realizing that these deaths are preventable, and that the cause is a culture and legal system that disincentives young people from seeking help. Medical Amnesty policies (also referred to as good Samaritan or non-retaliation agreements) have been adopted at many campuses around the country including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cornell, Tulane, UPenn, Smith and my recent Alma Mater, Hampshire College. These policies have one goal: Ensuring that no matter the circumstances, students will always reach out for help when they need it.

New Jersey has grappled with recent deaths on some of its own college campuses related to alcohol, and, as of now, the General Assembly has taken a proactive and effective step at limiting the harm from the underground culture that has been created from the drinking age.

Medical Amnesty policies, are, however, not the final solution. To entirely eliminate the underground, clandestine, dangerous and irresponsible drinking that takes place across the country we, as both a state and a nation, need to rethink some of our most basic pre-conceptions about alcohol regulation. That is a challenging task, and it is heartening to know that New Jersey legislators realize this and are taking steps right now to protect and keep safe the state's young people.

The Bill:
A3160. Currently in second reading and awaiting approval from the Senate.
Sources:
- Lewis, Deborah K., Marchell Timothy C. 2006. Safety first: A medical
amnesty approach to alcohol poisoning at a U.S. university.
International journal of drug policy.
- Hingson, R. et al. Magnitude of Alcohol-Related Mortality and Morbidity Among U.S. College Students Ages 18-24: Changes from 1998 to 2001. Annual Review of Public Health, vol. 26, 259-79; 2005
Further Reading:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp
http://www.politickernj.com/mysak/29968/angelini-911-legislation-receives-general-assembly-approval
http://www.gannett.cornell.edu/downloads/campusIniatives/AOD/Safety1stcornellMedamnesty.pdf