Edison NJ 9/11 Tenth Anniversary: Remembrance, Renewal, Resilience Tribute

As we stand here today, we can all recall the events of September 11th, 2001 and what we were doing that day, a day that will be stamped forever in our memories.

Ten years ago today, on the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 hijackers took control   of four commercial airliners. Two crashing into the Twin Towers in New York, another into the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93 near Shanksville, Pennsylvania as passengers fought their hijackers. 

That day is more than a memory for the many that lost their loved ones, it changed their lives forever. They will live the reality of those memories for the rest of their lives. 

So many died needlessly, and so many rushed toward the flames to save countless lives.

Over 400 emergency responders perished at the World Trade Center as they tried to save so many innocent victims who were human targets. Even under difficult circumstances hundreds more persisted under the most difficult, dangerous conditions with no regards to their own safety.

Who can ever forget the images that played over and over, day after day for weeks of planes flying into the world trade center, and videos of smoke billowing from the Pentagon? All of us are here today to pay our respects for what happened ten years ago, is a testament to the impact it has made upon all of us.

After the smoke cleared, it was the quietness of the aftermath that made the most impact. Along with the 3000 that perished, all of us died a little bit as we knew it would forever change our perception of US invulnerability. 

But in that perception it also showed the courage of America as we stood united as one nation, undividable under God.

While dying is sad, the biggest tragedy is that life ends so soon. Remembering is what makes it difficult to say good bye.”

May God bless us all, and may we never live to see another September 11.

~ Joe Sinagra

Is America's Past a Distant Fairy Tale?

Can we as a government continue with bravado knowing we just averted a calamity? What started as a drama ended up as a comedy. Nations watched night after night as the crescendo built until the final act and the curtain came down.

We have lost our credibility in the world as a nation that leads, as leaders from around the globe followed what transpired on the web and large screens across the oceans. They watched a game of politics. The posturing of a party who had two and a half years to come up with a proposed budget and ignored it, and a leader who never had a plan of his own nor offered one, ignoring the calendar as the days drew closer to needing a completed script. A leader who never once in two years said to the house and senate we need to put together a budget, it is time to do your homework. The homework turned into recess and Congress played as funds continued to be handed out like play money in a game of monopoly. A leader who wanted a budget passed and pleaded for an end to the bickering asking our overseer’s to work together. Just 72 hours before the final curtain, a leader who when finally presented with a bipartisan proposal said “no.”

Russia, China and European governments were making comments that not long ago would have been unheard of in conversation about the greatest country in the world.

We have an empire that was built off the sweat of the brows of its citizens. From the planting of the first seed on this soil this land was drenched in blood for the freedoms we enjoy today. A country our forefathers fought and died for in order to be free from the tyranny and taxation from where they came.

The game of playing politics has to stop and legislators must start thinking about the people who broke their backs to build this country. For years the promises of working hard, save your money, invest the rewards of you labor for a better life seem like a distant fairy tale. Lost jobs, lost homes and a stagnant economy seem to be more and more the new benchmark. Citizens are asked to sacrifice time and time again, and bit by bit, little by little they are giving back everything they worked for to satisfy a thirsty government that spends more than what they receive. Leaving the very people it is supposed to help in despair as they find their pockets drained of any loose change, people who can’t work harder even if they wanted to, because there just aren’t enough jobs to go around.

We can no longer afford to keep raising the deficit without making cuts because at some point in the not too distant future, there will be no further offers from anyone to carry our debt. We cannot continue to pay the interest without putting something toward the balance.

Unless our leaders realize that the time has come to make cuts, because we can no longer continue to spend borrowed funds without paying down the principal, there will come a time when our lenders will close the door on a country that once was the greatest nation of earth.

          ~ Joe Sinagra







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Are we losing another family tradition?

Print newspaper sales began falling before the recession began, continuing a downward spiral during the downturn and have failed to rebound ever since.

A steep drop in advertising revenue in 2008 and 2009, especially classified advertising, have taken their toll on newspapers and newspaper chains. This, coupled with a decline in circulation, have taken a toll on the printed media we depend on for up-to-date news and local events.


The economy has taken away revenue in advertising fees that many newspapers depend on. Many have filed bankruptcy for reorganization purposes, cut back on days of publication, laid off personnel, merged with other news organizations and shrunken the size of the paper, discontinuing features and reducing the amount of pages. Other papers, large and small, teeter on the brink of closing shop, and it is predicted by 2015 that many more will go by the wayside.


Others have focused less on breaking news, leaving the Internet to pursue and present the up-to-date news.


Gannett Co. owns 82 newspapers, as well as television stations, reported second-quarter profits decreased by 22 percent as circulation and print advertising declined.



The Washington Post noted that only 13 percent of Americans, or about 39 million, now buy a daily print newspaper.


At least 120 newspapers in the U.S. have shut down since January 2008, taking with them more than 21,000 jobs .


On the good side, the readership for online newspapers continues to grow. Online newspapers attracted on an average of more than 73 million visitors each month. But on the bad side, that still leaves 21,000 lost jobs in the industry.


Newspapers continue to struggle to meet challenges posed by changing reader habits, a shifting advertising market, and an anemic economy.


I remember as a kid reading the Sunday comics after coming home from church as my dad read the news. As I grew older, I read the comics less and read the news more, discussing it around dinner with the family. Will the days of families discussing the day’s events from the local newspaper be another lost tradition?


Central Jersey’s largest newspaper, without much fanfare, has again cut back on staff and the coverage of events. As newspapers continue to dwindle, getting coverage for local events through online digital media becomes somewhat difficult.


For over 200 years, newspapers have been the conventional watchdog and have been an integral part of American democracy.


As the world of online media grows, should it be considered progress?


Or is it a sign that, as the printed word disappears along with the journalists, reporters and photographers, that after 200 years it’s not just the newspapers that are in decline?

 ~ Joe Sinagra
     18th District Congressional Candidate

When will Diegnan side with taxpayers rather than special interest unions who bankroll his campaign?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Lily Cortese
June 23, 2011 (201) 704-8187

SilvaforAssembly@gmail.com

Sinagra and Silva accuse Diegnan of Selling his Vote Against
Bi-Partisan Pension and Benefit Reform a Decade Ago

GOP challengers ask Barnes and Diegnan the $84,000 question: When will Diegnan side taxpayers rather than special interest unions who bankroll his campaign?

SOUTH RIVER, NJ- Joe Sinagra of Helmetta and Marcia Silva of South River, the Republican candidates for New Jersey State Assembly in the 18th District, questioned Barnes and Diegnan’s impartial consideration of the bi-partisan pension and benefit reform voted on today, which will save taxpayers $122 billion over the next 30 years, in light of the $84,750* in campaign contributions they have received from public unions since 2001.

“Unfortunately we were not surprised by Barnes and Diegnan’s vote against the bi-partisan pension and benefit reform bill today,” said Sinagra, the former Council President of Helmetta. “We are still deeply disappointed in his reckless disregard for this bill which sought to fix the broken pension and health benefit system he has neglected since entering the legislature.”

Former Assistant Middlesex County Prosecutor and successful small business owner Marcia Silva added, “The struggling families and seniors in our district deserve answers to some very serious questions that have arisen due to Barnes and Diegnan’s careless vote today. The most important question of the day is why should the residents of the 18th district take Barnes and Diegnan seriously when they talk about lowering state spending and fixing our broken state?”

Patrick Diegnan has received $66,500 in contributions from public union special interests since 2001. Barnes has been the recipient of $18,250 since his first Assembly election in 2007.

“For the last decade, Diegnan has chosen to ally with special interest unions who fill his campaign coffers to make sure he stands in the way of reforms our state desperately needs”, said Sinagra.

“It’s clear that $66,500 is enough for Diegnan to share the stage with union bosses who think it’s appropriate to compare our state leaders to Nazis. It is also clear that he will oppose any effort that counteracts his failed policies that have left us with 115 new and increased taxes, 9.4% unemployment, and towering state debt that threatens the very foundation of our state government”, said Silva.

Sinagra concluded, “Struggling taxpayers and small businesses understand that the status quo Diegnan seeks to protect is not working in our state. We need leaders who will make tough decisions with a mind clear of campaign fundraising to put our state back on track.”

*  Based on ELEC report filed by the campaigns of Peter Barnes and Patrick Diegnan for every cycle from the 2001 Primary to the 2011 Primary. Database of contributions available upon request.

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NJEA Letter to Joe Sinagra endorsing his opponent in 2006 and Candidates response to NJEA

Letter to me from the NJEA endorsing my opponent before giving

me the opportunity to speak:

My response to Joyce Powell:

Assemblyman Diegnan and Barnes vote against pension reform in lieu of $84,750 in union campaign contributions

Recently, national CWA labor leader Chris Shelton in speaking to the crowd in front of the New Jersey Statehouse said “Welcome to Nazi Germany”, comparing NJ Governor Chris Christie to Adolph Hitler and Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) as his two generals. He further stated "Any politician who stands up against collective bargaining, in this state or any other, is not a Democrat, they’re Nazis, goddamn it."

As a professional, Chris Shelton was out of line for taking the lord name's in vain, and off the mark by condemning Democrats who didn't agree with his stance into eternal damnation.

There were almost 50,000 Italian-Jews who were sent to the Nazi death camps, along with the millions of Jews who perished during the Holocaust. His remarks are offensive and should be construed as such. Many soldiers died to rid the world of the likes of Adolph Hitler, and the right for those like Shelton to spew his vitriol. For Shelton to ask the crowd “Are we ready for WWIII?” disrespects what our soldiers paid the ultimate price for. There are no similarities between the rally in Trenton and the Holocaust horrors and is an affront to all victims of Nazi crimes.

Attending that rally were Assemblymen Patrick Diegnan and Peter Barnes from the 18th District who supported Chris Shelton's platform and it showed as they voted against the bi-partisan pension and benefit reform bill, a bill that will potentially save taxpayers $122 billion over the next 30 years.

Are they for the rights and freedoms of those they profess to represent? Or do they want to continue with their "public be damned" attitude, only to serve their self interests regardless of the cost?

Is it because of the $84,750 in campaign contributions they have received from public unions since 2001 that conflicted with doing what was right for the taxpayers of the 18th district. The voters should be disappointed for their blatant disregard for this bill which sought to fix the broken pension and health benefit system which they as representatives have neglected since entering the legislature. Struggling taxpayers and small businesses understand the status quo Diegnan and Barnes seek to protect, and realize that status quo it is not working in our state.

Republicans and Democrats working together for the benefit of the people of New Jersey are refreshing. Voting partisan politics no longer works, it is time the people are represented, not special interests. Legislators need to do what they were elected for and that is to represent the people, without the fear of intimidation, name calling or being condemned into eternal damnation.

We need leaders who will make tough decisions with a mind clear of campaign fundraising to put our state back on track.

~ Joe Sinagra
    18th District NJ Assembly Candidate

Press Release: Patrick Diegnan Participates in Hate-Spewing Trenton Rally

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                               CONTACT:  Lily Cortese                                     

June 20, 2011                                                                                   SilvaforAssembly@gmail.com                                                             

   

GOP Challengers Blasts Patrick Diegnan’s Participation in Hate-Spewing Trenton Rally

Sinagra and Silva Challenge “Out of Touch” Assemblyman to Apologize

SOUTH RIVER, NJ- Joe Sinagra of Helmetta and Marcia Silva of South River, the Republican candidates for New Jersey State Assembly in the 18th District, rebuked Assembly member Patrick Diegnan for his participation in a Trenton rally on Thursday where CWA vice president Chris Shelton compared Governor Chris Christie to Adolf Hitler and referred to the Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney as a Nazi General.  

“This kind of hateful language has no place in our political discourse,” said Silva, a former assistant prosecutor for Middlesex County and currently an attorney in private practice. “These types of statements trivialize the Holocaust and are an affront to all victims of Nazi atrocities. Patrick Diegnan should denounce these statements immediately and issue an apology to his constituents.”

Silva added, “I am encouraged by the courageous steps taken by the Democratic leaders of our legislature to work in a bi-partisan fashion with the Governor to reform our enormous public-sector liabilities in order to provide real health and retirement security as opposed to unfunded promises that cannot be fulfilled. We owe it to our committed public sector employees to fix these programs.”

                                                                                      

“Assemblyman Diegnan, who collects at least $99,800 [1] from three public sector jobs, is simply out-of-touch with the issues that matter to voters in the 18^th District. Rather than work to reform bankrupt state programs in order to lower the tax burden and increase employment opportunities for all New Jerseyans, he protests angrily to maintain the broken status quo. While this might work for him personally, it is not working for most voters in the 18^th District”, said former Helmetta Council President Joe Sinagra.

Sinagra concluded, “It is simply time to replace Patrick Diegnan. We cannot afford his approach to government any longer.”

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[1] Star-Ledger June 1, 2011