President's Message

" The Football of Politics" - January 2012

The ever blurring lines between Republican and Democratic politics in New Jersey on the issues that most directly impact firefighters continue to frustrate even the most cynical of political observers.

Who our members are most disenfranchised with these days varies with the political affiliation and sophistication. While we still have loyal supporters in the legislature and believe it or not their does exist men and women with solid character in politics, the reality is that they are becoming fewer and more and more difficult to find and even less reliable.

A recent visit to Metlife Stadium to watch the Jets get beat by the Giants provided a pretty good comparison and analogy of almost exactly how politics has taken shape in New Jersey.

As players on both sides represent their teams and play to fans who wear their respective colors and uniform jerseys, the fans scream and yell for their team and against their perceived opponent. Sometimes the rooting and applause for ones team turns to insulting and abusing the opposition fans sadly sometimes results in physical violence. Remarkably the players after the game, win or lose, hug one another, shake hands, smile, laugh and joke with opponents as they recognize that they all belong to a fraternity of elite athletes who happen to be mostly millionaires.

God bless these talented athletes who are fortunate enough to be blessed with the rare physical ability to entertain the masses and earn incredible salaries. In a free market society who can blame them and as long as fans will pay considerably to be entertained their salaries will continue to rise.

Consider the similarities of New Jersey politics to the above. Republican legislators and Democratic legislators who play to their declared and registered constituents and promise to defend the "core values" of their parties. Taxpayers (voters) cheer for their candidates, raise money on their behalf, defend their positions, insult their opponents and sadly sometimes violently attack supporters of their opposition. Meanwhile, after the election, or debate, or the passing of legislation, politicians shake hands, meet behind close doors, and negotiate deals that are mutually beneficial to both sides.

The deals negotiated behind closed doors and in secret restaurant locations produce multiple-million dollar deals that enrich and elevate members of both parties to varying degrees based upon the perceived political strength of the office holders involved. If you get a lot of votes, ( or have a lot of fans) you get proportionately more and are able to benefit accordingly.

The similarities are striking. Fans/ voters passionately support and argue for there team/party or player/candidate. The fans/voters become divided and argumentative to the point of frustration and violence. The players/ candidates or teams/ political parties play the game, shake hands and continue to rake in millions.

So what's the problem.?

Sports is what it is and what we recognize it to be. It is for the most part a game and an an entertainment business where winners and losers either succeed and thrive or fail and retire.

Politics is supposed to be about principle. It is supposed to be about serving the people, about doing what is right for the right reasons. Politics is supposed to be about producing fair government and honest debate and dialogue to defend or support the principles we believe and that of the constituency that is proclaimed to represent.

Unfortunately, we must recognize politics for what it is, a game. Until we stop blindly choosing sides, beating one another up and allowing the teams/parties to divide and conquer us as voters, working families, union or non-union, private or public we will continue to be played by the teams/parties empower and enrich the players/politicians and be ever relegated to fanatical, violent, and frustrating behavior that insures the continued reduction of rights and benefits.