Dump Mike Ferguson (NJ7)

A Blue 7th PAC member was wandering around Mike Ferguson's website looking for information when she noticed something very interesting. On page after page there were pictures of Mike Ferguson meeting with the people, with seniors, kids, soldiers, veterans, and other everyday folks.

And every single one of them was white. Not just the one-on-one pics, but all the people in the crowd photos and the classroom photos. There is not one single minority on the whole website.

We decided to check this out, and so we downloaded every single photograph from the website and checked them out. We enlarged them, looked at little arms sticking into a picture and legs walking out of them. We're pretty sure there are only white people on Mike Ferguson's campaign web site. It's at http://www.fergusonforcongress.com if you want to take a look.

According to the Census, the current 7th district had 15.414 Asian households, 11,405 Hispanic households, and 8,684 African American Households in 2000. Where are they in Mike's world?

Below the jump are all the pictures from the Ferguson for Congress web site. You can click on any one of them to see the picture taken off the Ferguson for Congress site without any alteration or photoshopping.

WE FOUND ONE! Actually, three kids in a screen capture from the advertisement Ferguson is running on TV right now. Here it is:

Posted by admin at 03:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

The below is from Wally Edge in the Inside Edge, and is just a little fun silliness from the anonymous tipster. But by focusing only on Mike Ferguson this does suggest that those in the know consider him the lone weak House member in New Jersey:

Something else for Mike Ferguson to worry about

The U.S. Supreme Court today upheld a challenge to the reapportionment of congresional districts in Texas, and ruled that State Legislatures can draw new maps at their own discretion, rather than be limited to once a decade. Does that mean that New Jersey Democrats -- if they can put their current budget squabbles behind them -- might consider new House districts for the 2008 elections?

Posted by admin at 12:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following letter was published in the Cranford Chronicle on Thursday, June 29, 2006

No support for the middle class

To The Chronicle:

Another Congressional scorecard has been issued, and U.S. Representative Mike Ferguson has received another failing grade. This new scorecard was released by the Drum Major Institute, a non-partisan, non-profit progressive think tank based in New York. The title of DMI's report is Congress at the Midterm: Their 2005 Middle-Class Record.

Representatives were graded on their votes on eight House bills, which addressed issues such as estate tax repeal, bankruptcy and consumer protection, energy policy, small business health insurance, and cuts in domestic programs. Mike Ferguson scored zero percent and was awarded a grade of "F".

Overall, Republican representatives from New Jersey scored 0-50 percent, and Democrats scored 75-100 percent. With his votes, Ferguson was part of a Congress that, in the report's words, "disdained the concerns of middle-class Americans and opted instead to favor the already wealthy and powerful in vote after vote... (and) championed the wish lists of oil companies, the insurance industry, and credit card issuers over the concerns of middle-class consumers and small businesses."

Let's take a brief look at just one of the eight House votes, the repeal of the estate tax. This tax affects less than 1 percent of the wealthiest American families. Elimination of this tax would cost the United States nearly $1 trillion in lost revenue in the first ten years after repeal. Mike Ferguson voted to eliminate the estate tax. Which domestic programs will he be willing to destroy in order to pay for this trillion-dollar loss? Medicare? Medicaid? College loans? In 2005, Ferguson voted to cut $39 billion from these programs as part of the ironically named "Deficit Reduction Act" -- never mind that the huge federal deficit is largely a result of President Bush's irresponsible and lopsided tax cuts, which were supported by Mike "Rubber Stamp" Ferguson.

According to a recent analysis of national census data by the Brookings Institute, the middle class is shrinking. Between 1970 and 2000, middle-income metropolitan neighborhoods declined from 58 percent to 41 percent, and middle-class suburban neighborhoods decreased from 64 percent to 44 percent. Middle-class families in metro areas fell from 28 percent to less than 22 percent. These shifts have been accompanied by an increase in lower-income families.

Mike Ferguson just wants more of the same. Since 2001, Ferguson's House votes show that he cares most about millionaires and big corporations, and has little regard for middle-class families. How many failing grades must Ferguson receive before we fire him and send him home?

JOHN CANTILLI
Cranford

Posted by admin at 05:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The National Journal's Hotline is considered one of the best at watching and handicapping political races. It's editor, Chuck Todd, tracks every House race in the country and ranks them.

Today, for the first time, NJ7 was moved into the top 50 close races in the country. Out of 535 races, Mike Ferguson vs. Linda Stender is now at 47 or in the top 10 percent of races.

This is in recognition of the reality on the ground, polling, Ferguson's weaknesses and Linda Stender's strengths. And, don't forget, our work to get the word out about Mike Ferguson's radical record in the House.

One of the biggest strengths Linda Stender has is her proven ability to raise money. She blew away the expectations in the first quarter of this year, ending with more than $300,000 on hand.

In two weeks we will reach the end of another quarter, and the Stender campaign (and Blue 7th PAC) will have to report our fundraising to the Federal Election Commission. Groups like Emily's List, the DCCC and others look to these numbers to guage how well a candidate is doing.

She needs your help. Please donate to Linda Stender today. Your $5, $50, $500 or $2100 (that's the max) will combine with other progressives to add up to quite a lot of money. Don't think that any amount is too small!

Posted by admin at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mike Ferguson scrubbed his campaign website of any and all images of President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney in an effort to distance himself from their disasterous poll numbers. But he can't hide from the fact that he is part and parcel of the Bush-Cheney Republicans who are running Washington DC today.

Heck, Dick Cheney even considers Ferguson one of his posse:

Dick Cheney, July 23, 2005: I also understand -- I saw my good friend -- Congressman Mike Ferguson is here someplace, came through today. (Applause.) This is Mike's birthday today, I'm told. He's not nearly as old as I am.

It's good to see such good friends getting together.

Posted by admin at 06:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thanks to Free Will, we have a letter from Congressman Mike Ferguson putting him on the record regarding same sex marriage. What he doesn't not is that not only did he vote for the amendment to bar gays from marrying each other and raising families, but he is a co-sponsor of the bill.

June 7, 2006

XXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX
North Plainfield, NJ

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Federal Marriage Amendment to the Constitution. I appreciate hearing from you and having the benefit of your views.

As you know, the House on September 30, 2004, voted on a proposed amendment to the Constitution that would define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The House vote, 222-186, fell short of the two-thirds majority required to approve an amendment to the Constitution. I voted for the amendment in the House.

I believe the institution of marriage between a man and a woman is a sacred bond that has been protected for centuries by law, custom and religious belief. It is the foundation of our society and our culture, and marriage between a man and a woman should be protected in law, especially from activist judges who are now attempting to re-define marriage.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your opinions, and please visit my website at www.house.gov/Ferguson for information on other issues important to New Jersey's 7th Congressional District.

Sincerely,
Mike Ferguson
Member of Congress

Please do not respond to this email; this account cannot receive email. To contact Congressman Ferguson, please use the email function on the website www.house.gov/ferguson.

Posted by admin at 06:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

On Friday Tom "The Hammer" DeLay is leaving Congress to enter the private sector (we're throwing a party, by the way!). Roll Call asked DeLay what he planned to do with himself:

Asked what he will do after he leaves public office, DeLay said, “I really don’t know. I do know that I want to push the conservative cause and go out to the country and talk about important issues, help people get elected. Right now that’s all I know.

Since Mike Ferguson is Tom DeLay's favorite guy in Congress, maybe we'll get to see Tom DeLay come up here to NJ7 to campaign? It's happened before!

Posted by admin at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last Monday we met one of with Ferguson's staff in DC, and it was the usual no answers and, I have to say, thin to nil understanding of the issues.  She started off with Ferguson supports the war and is pleased with the progress we're making.  Of course there’s more to do, but he’s generally pleased.

We brought up the Veteran's health care bill, H.R. 515, that would assure funding for the Veterans Health Care Act of 2005. Ferguson is not a co-sponsor. All of NJ's Democratic congressmen signed on, along with LoBiondo.  Ferguson sits on the Subcommittee on Health (of the Energy and Commerce committee) where the bill is sitting.  She said they hear from the VAW (she must have meant VFW) all the time about what legislation they want supported, and she would check with them whether H.R. 515 is something they want.

One of the big issues they are concerned about related to wounded soldiers is fraud, that is people impersonating wounded soldiers and having purple hearts they didn't earn.  That's SO republican.  The number of wounded soldiers is over 17,000 (as reported by DOD). Reservists and the national guard are not getting all the treatment that active duty soldiers get, families are being bankrupted, they aren't getting the armor they need, and they're worried a couple of con-artists might be gaming the system!!! Boggles the mind.

She mentioned that Ferguson had just come back from a trip to Iran, Turkey, Greece and Jordan.  You would think they would have something to say after the trip about a hot button issue like Iran, other than 'people alot smarter than us have differing opinions.'  I mean if we're paying for him to go over there, then he should at least have something to report back, or have resolved some of the issues in his own mind, but, of course, they don't see it as their job to tell us where he stands on anything.  'Vote hasn't come up yet'

She didn't seem concerned about how it would look to Iran for us taking above ground testing, whether they would perceive it as 'saber rattling.' (The plan is for testing of a conventional weapon at the Nevada test site (contaminated site) scheduled for June. I believe it's been delayed by three weeks because of a lawsuit, of which the Western Shoshone are a party.)

We discussed the Defense Department outsourced recruiting database of 16 - 25 year olds.  We informed her that she is most likely in it, after she told us she is 24.

I wanted to ask about Plan B after our go-around with his office about that, but it wasn't the topic of the meeting.  She has a lot of childbearing years ahead of her and should be concerned about her boss blocking scientifically recommended improvements to women’s health in general and hers in particular.

We were there with United for Peace and Justice and represented state and local peace groups

Posted by admin at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Congressman Mike Ferguson likes to act tough when it comes to homeland security. He's always ready to stand by a firefighter or local Republican politician and announce a grant, but his votes on funding anti-terror activities show a lack of concern for his constituents and the threats we face.

Last year, Ferguson voted for a budget bill that slashed homeland security funding for the states by $700 million, a 30 percent cut in money for first responders and security. Now it turns out that, due to that cut in funding, New Jersey will see significantly fewer homeland security dollars than in the past. According to the Star Ledger, New Jersey

will receive less federal money for anti-terror and disaster preparedness programs this year, as the Bush administration cut the state's overall security funding by $8 million to $51.9 million.

New Jersey was hit hard by the 911 attacks, with 694 Jerseyans losing their lives. Some of the 911 terrorists lived in New Jersey. Two weeks later New Jersey was attacked again when letters containing weaponized anthrax were mailed from Hamilton, NJ to politicians in Washington, D.C. We have some of the largest ports in the nation, a huge international airport.

Yet Mike Ferguson's vote to cut Homeland Security funding cut our security money by almost 16 percent.

It's worse when you consider that while Union and Middlesex County are in the corridor where the majority of New Jersey's funding will go, the towns where it will go will not be in the 7th district. Target ports in Elizabeth, Perth Amboy are out of district, along with sensitive areas like Plainfield and Hillside. Somerset and Hunterdon Counties -- almost half of the district -- will share $18 million with 15 other counties.

In short, Mike Ferguson has voted to slash funding for local homeland security, and the Republican administration has made it even worse by sending money to other states with fewer targets. The result is less money, less security and more evidence that Mike Ferguson is not the right person to represent the 7th district.

Contact Mike Ferguson's office and tell him you want him to stop cutting our homeland security funding, and go back to fighting for the people he's supposed to be representing.

Warren, NJ: (908) 757-7835 (v) or (908) 757-7841 (f) or e-mail
Washington, DC: (202) 225-5361 (v) or (202) 225-9460 (f) or e-mail
Campaign Office: (732) 560-4700 (v) or (732) 560-4790 (f) or e-mail.

Also, please write letters to the editor on this and other issues related to Mike Ferguson. The Courier News is at letters@c-n.com, the Home News Tribune at letters@thnt.com, the Star Ledger at eletters@starledger.com, or the New York Times at letters@nytimes.com. More local sites can be found at Dump Mike Letters.

Posted by admin at 07:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)