Having been elected as the "Anyone but Corzine" dodging almost every question on what he will do, Chris Christie is free to be whatever kind of governor he chooses. While the right has hailed his victory as the beginning of a conservative tide that will sweep America in '10, let's give the guy a chance to spend some time thinking this gift election thru-and hope he might consider an alternative path-in the interest of New Jersey and, arguably, toward an even greater personal future.
Easy road would be to stay right, appeasing the loud voices from that wing of his party by taking a draconian axe to the state budget thereby angering campaign-savvy public employees, reducing environmental safeguards as a pro-business ploy, or providing a bit of red meat to the howling reactionaries by vetoing social legislation ( such as a gay marriage bill that might get to his desk or a state initiative to increase health coverage to citizens without insurance).
That path might be pleasing to the small-minded braintrust that framed his rise and attract some support from out-of-state conservatives--but hardly enough to overcome the inevitable backlash of left-leaning New Jerseyans, including educated independents who decide every state election and will want the governor's office back in progressive hands. If his opponent is the appealing Newark Mayor Cory Booker or one of the well-financed strong-base members of the congressional delegation ( read Pascrell, Adler, Rothman, yadda yadda), his ride in the right lane will not lead to re-election.
Which is why he should eschew the label and strike a path that can be seen as progressive in 2013.
What an opportunity! His is the party of internecine warfare ( Jeff Bell, Bret Schundler, NY-23 anyone?) where the challenger in statewide R primaries always comes from the right and the NY-based free media ( all-day tirades from Limbaugh, Hannity, Grant) can be counted on to oppose anything that hints of progress.
But progress is what the state needs most--such as real reform that takes the pressure off local property taxes, elimination of duplicative government (does any state of this size really need half a thousand local governing bodies or 21 counties, for example?), and a longterm commitment to the state's future thru continued infrastructure investment, school spending, etc.
Conventional political thought would say that such a program would offend too many of Christie's natural suburban constituents--but there are not enough of them to win next time when the impact of national economic conditions will still be a drag on New Jersey, the state's debt will only have increased, and national Republicans will have split further as their culture war continues.
Inevitably, someone will lead a rational return of the GOP to the mainstream of American life in the 21st Century. You don't have to call yourself a progressive, Mr. Christie; just be one !
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