Category Archives: Opinion

On April 18, 1688, the first written protest against slavery in the New World was drafted in Germantown, Pennsylvania, but the statement was rejected in Burlington, New Jersey. From the 1688 Germantown protest against slavery to the modern-day Black Lives Matter movement and protests for justice, the history of protest and activism in America spansContinue reading “Protests are as American as apple pie & wrongs worthy of them are prolific as motherhood”

Inflation has been a hot topic in American households, with consumers feeling the pinch of rising prices on everyday goods and services but they are blaming the wrong guy for rising prices. A simple look at the data reveals that while Americans are quick to blame President Joe Biden for the uptick in inflation, itContinue reading “Americans blaming the wrong guy for rising prices: Trump triggered inflation. Biden brought it down.”

Can the government make it a crime for a person to be homeless? The answer should be obvious to all, but few believe that is the conclusion the Supreme Court will come to when it decides Grants Pass v. Johnson, which will be argued on April 22. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the NinthContinue reading “Homelessness isn’t a crime, but the US Supreme Court might soon change that”

by Terrence T. McDonald, New Jersey Monitor New Jersey’s county boss system got hit right where it hurts this week and there are a lot of people to thank. I’m thinking of the progressive activists who have spent years shedding light on the design of our primary ballots, which give candidates backed by party bossesContinue reading “Praise to those who helped deliver a near-fatal blow to New Jersey’s county line”

An estimated 10,000 people showed up at the Long Island church on Thursday to pay their final respects to 31-year-old New York City Police Officer Jonathan Diller, who died in the line of duty but only disgraced former President Donald Trump exploited the event for political purposes and hinted that his followers should engage inContinue reading “Trump exploits NYPD officer’s murder while also advocating political violence”

By James J. Devine For many Americans, the Reagan era conjures images of prosperity and optimism. The “Morning in America” commercials painted a rosy picture of economic growth and renewed national spirit. Yet, beneath the glitz, a hidden narrative unfolded – one of a hollowing out of the American middle class, a story often veiledContinue reading ““Morning in America” was the beginning of a nightmare for the middle class”

by Terrence T. McDonald, New Jersey Monitor As New Jersey lawmakers prepare to gut our Open Public Records Act, it would be helpful for them to understand the kinds of roadblocks we already see when using the law before deciding to add more. A recent court battle between the New Jersey Monitor and the state AttorneyContinue reading “Court fight reveals absurdity behind claims about our public records law”

By Terrence T. McDonald I was hoping for a knockout punch during Monday’s court hearing in Rep. Andy Kim’s push to abolish the county line. Alas, both sides made some good arguments, so it’s still a mystery which way U.S. District Court Judge Zahid Quraishi will decide as he mulls whether county-line ballots are an unconstitutionalContinue reading “Court hearing exposes silliness behind fight to protect the county line”

The Republican Party has repeatedly demonstrated its unfitness for governance through a litany of catastrophic failures that have inflicted immeasurable harm on the American people and the world at large. From George W. Bush’s gross negligence leading up to the 9/11 attacks, to his disastrous invasion of Iraq based on false pretenses, to his administration’sContinue reading “The Republican Party should be extinct”

Bt James J. Devine In a brazen display of hypocrisy, Republicans in the US House of Representatives have once again revealed their true priorities: regulating promiscuity while turning a blind eye to pollution and plutocracy. This latest assault on personal freedom and privacy underscores their relentless campaign to govern sex, sexuality, and bedroom behavior, allContinue reading “Republicans in the US House: Hypocritical Crusaders of Moral Regulation”

Settle in, folks, and pull up a rickety barstool at this boarded-up diner on the dusty ghost town of Main Street. The wind whispers through the cracks like restless spirits, and the neon sign flickers, throwing skeletal shadows across the cracked linoleum. Let’s talk about ghosts, shall we? Not the Casper kind, but the onesContinue reading “The skeleton of Reaganomics still haunts the American Dream”

by Terrence T. McDonald, New Jersey Monitor It’s hard to choose the worst bits of the new bill that would gut New Jersey’s public records access law. This is the second time in the last year that lawmakers have proposed revising the Open Public Records Act, but since the new bill is scheduled for hearings in bothContinue reading “Planned overhaul of N.J.’s public records law would be a disaster”

In the chaotic frenzy of New Jersey’s U.S. Senate race, the façade of familiarity shrouds a stark truth: First Lady Tammy Murphy, while recognized by the masses, stands as the epitome of political ineptitude, unsuitable to represent ordinary New Jersey residents. A new Monmouth University Poll, though illuminating, fails to pierce the veil of deceptionContinue reading “Money makes Murphy memorable but discreet Democrats deserve deference”

In an era marred by religious extremism, geopolitical volatility, and an alarming propensity for violence, the notion of nuclear deterrence stands as a crumbling pillar of security. The paradigm of mutually assured destruction, once considered a safeguard against large-scale conflicts, now appears woefully inadequate in the face of modern-day threats fueled by religious fanaticism andContinue reading “Nuclear Deterrence: An Outdated and Dangerous Mirage in a World of Chaos”

by Andy Levin Recently, I visited an exhibit on Nelson Mandela at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, the heart of our Arab-American community. When I left the immersive galleries honoring Mandela and emerged into the bright main hall of the museum, I sat down on a bench and wept. I remember seeing Mandela speakContinue reading “Biden’s funding of Israel’s war will harm democracy and benefit Trump”

In the cesspool of obstructionism that defines the current Republican-led US House of Representatives, one name stands out as a shining example of complicity and failure: Congressman Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey. As a staunch ally of the GOP’s destructive agenda, Kean has not only contributed to the mayhem but has also put hisContinue reading “Congressman Tom Kean Jr. is a shining example of obstructionism, complicity & failure”

For many, the name Reagan conjures images of optimism and prosperity, a sun-drenched “Morning in America” painting over the cracks of economic woes. But step back from the gleaming facade, peer into the shadows, and a different picture emerges – one eerily familiar to readers of Dickens and Zola, a tapestry woven with threads ofContinue reading “From Dickens to Downton Abbey: Reaganomics ushered in an era of gilded misery”

By James J. Devine Monarchy, that age-old institution steeped in privilege and entitlement, is akin to a malignant tumor spreading its toxic influence throughout society. Just as cancer ravages the body, monarchy corrodes the very fabric of democracy, fostering inequality, oppression, and injustice at every turn. But perhaps, in a twisted stroke of irony, theContinue reading “Kill the patients to cure diseases like malignant monarchy & corporate aristocracy”

By Laura Hoge The life of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old nonbinary student from Oklahoma, was brutally cut short after an altercation in a bathroom at Owasso High School. Their untimely death should prompt a critical dialogue about the circumstances leading to such a horrifying incident. And we should not fool ourselves by thinking New JerseyContinue reading “Death of Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict hits close to home for New Jersey therapist”

Disgraced former President Donald Trump’s vice presidential shortlist announced amidst ongoing legal battles and ethical controversies comes across as a calculated move to revive his political stature, but it falls short of inspiring confidence. Examining the individuals on Trump’s list reveals a mixed bag of candidates. African-American Senator Tim Scott’s alignment with Trump, despite theContinue reading “Trump’s VP shortlist is calculated to revive his stature, but it falls short”