Rasmussen: Christie up 46%-43% in final stretch.

Sarah Palin: “I never asked Daggett to drop out of NJ race, but…”

Individual insurance mandate is unconstitutional. Nancy Pelosi: “Seriously?”

“To Obama” – v., to ignore reality with a hope ‘n change mentality.

“Fox is biased.” What about MSNBC? “Um, nevermind.”

Gov. Mitch Daniels, conservatism as successful governance.

Conservatives outnumber moderates and liberals in the US.

Irony alert: “Congress wants another government regulator to cut through red tape…”

Scozzafava’s ex-campaign manager backs Hoffman in NY-23.

“Does Chris Christie support private school vouchers? How about helping my husband get a job and health insurance?”

In my mind, I was thinking, this is exactly the kind of person who needs a victory for Chris Christie in November. The three points that this woman brought up were completely a part of Chris’s mission to fix what’s broken New Jersey: schools, jobs, and healthcare.

The first part is a no-brainer, Chris Christie supports school vouchers. This will empower parents with children in failing schools—empower them with  the choice of which school to send their child. New Jersey has the most expensive schools (in per-pupil spending) in the nation, and yet our urban schools (which, with state funding, spend more per-pupil than the average NJ school) consistently fail to give our children a proper education. It is time for reform.

New Jersey has the worst business and small business climate in the nation. Chris Christie will fix that by cutting income taxes, corporate taxes, and allowing a two-year tax holiday for any business that moves into certain urban zones as part of his Bring Our Cities Back initiative.

In terms of healthcare, New Jersey has the second highest average insurance premium cost in the nation (noticing a pattern here?), double the national average. If only we could purchase insurance across state lines, perhaps more of the uninsured would be able to purchase insurance from another state that has a fraction of the cost of the average NJ plan, which has been burdened with so many mandates.

After explaining these issues to her, she said “Well, if that’s the case, then put me down for Christie.”

People like this are counting on change in New Jersey. For the sake of the unemployed, the uninsured, and those stuck in failing schools, New Jersey needs change.

What’s Wrong with the Status Quo:

New Jersey has, arguably, the worst tax burden in the United States: we have the very worst business tax climate in the nation, 3rd highest income taxes, 6th highest corporate taxes, the very highest per-capita property taxes, and above-average sales tax. No wonder our state is the least competitive state in the region for jobs.

Property tax relief (the biggest middle class squeeze) was promised in 2005 and has gotten progressively worse.

We are overtaxed and the state is broke. The solution of the current administration is to raise taxes and spend more. The rating of New Jersey bonds and debt have been devalued twice in the last five years–showing the market’s lack of confidence in our state’s IOUs. An $8 billion deficit has been left for the next administration.

New Jersey has the second highest average health insurance costs in the nation. New Jersey ranks worst in the nation for higher education spending.

This election will not be a referendum on Obama. It will be a referendum on the liberal, single-party governance that New Jersey has been given for the last 7 years. It will be a referendum on the high-tax, big-government mess that is inevitable when liberal Democrats have no check on their power for so long.

Predictably, the entrenched politicians will make any excuse, including Bush Did It™, but 77% of New Jerseyans know this race will be about state issues and Corzine’s record.

What Change Will Bring to Trenton:

Already, many Democrats and former Obama voters recognize that New Jersey needs new leadership.

Chris Christie has laid out a plan to cut our income and corporate tax rates to make New Jersey competitive with its neighboring states and an attractive place to start a business once again. He will restore the property tax rebates that Corzine has cut.

Christie will recomitt to making higher education a priority for New Jersey. School vouchers will give those families with children in failing schools the option to seek a better education, and therefore, a hope for success.

Coming from his experience as the US Attorney of New Jersey who put hundreds of corrupt politicians behind bars, Christie will bring the ethics reform to our state that has been so clearly needed for a long, long time.

Check out the ChristieForNJ.com website to find more details, or check out their YouTube Channel for some humorous and informational clips.

And, as a final and personal note: I’ve lived in New Jersey all my life, as have my parents and my grandparents. Great places like Jersey City and Teaneck are part of my family history. However, my parents are planning on moving out of the state when they retire–they simply cannot afford to live here anymore, and that is the reality for many New Jerseyans. I would like to live in New Jersey when I grow up and raise a family, but honestly–if the state continues on the trajectory it’s going, I’m not sure if it will be feasible.

This isn’t an “if my candidate doesn’t win, I’m going to move to Canada” thing, it’s a legitimate concern of someone who truly loves the place that he and his family grew up in. That is why I’m supporting Chris Christie, and I hope to work alongside many of you volunteering through November.