Ayala Naphtali, with neighbor Andrew Crockett, had a spare Obama sign to replace the one stolen from her yard. Below, Yvonne Grayson’s sign is anchored in concrete after vandals ripped it out of the ground.
A rash of campaign-sign thefts and a case of repeated vandalism in Fair Haven have backers of Sen. Barack Obama wondering if someone in the town’s majority party can’t tolerate a different point of view.
In the last 10 days, at least five residents from various parts of town have reported thefts of national campaign signs, says police Chief Darryl Breckenridge. From what he can tell from records, at least four of those were Obama signs; he was unsure about the fifth.
And another resident has come forward with an account of someone pulling a 50-pound custom sign out of the ground earlier this year after three lightweight signs were taken from her front lawn.
Breckenridge says reports of sign theft and vandalism are not uncommon during election season. But supporters of the Democratic presidential candidate can’t help but think that they’re being targeted in a town that tilts Republican.
Andrew Crockett, whose sign was stolen early Saturday, tells redbankgreen he can understand a little juvenile vandalism, but doesn’t think that’s what is going on, not with his sign being stolen shortly before dawn last Saturday.
“If this is a McCain person doing this, please — my reaction is unprintable,” he says.
Crockett says his family was awakened at 5a Saturday by their barking dog. When Crockett stepped outside, he found that his Obama sign was gone.
“My wife is a through-and-through Obama supporter,” he says. “She was livid,” and went to the police station to file a complaint. There, she learned she wasn’t alone.
Across the street from the Crocketts, Ayala Naphtali says her Obama sign was also taken over the weekend, though she’s not sure exactly when.
She describes the theft as “childish and annoying,” on one hand. But she adds that her 9-year-old son is having a hard time with it because the family is relatively new to town, having moved from a solidly Democratic neighborhood in Brooklyn two years ago.
“He’s just starting to understand that not everyone agrees, and he’s uncomfortable with the idea” that his parents’ views may not be shared by the parents of his schoolmates, she says. “When something like this happens, you have to explain it to him.”
How to explain this, though, which redbankgreen received by email from Yvonne Grayson of Ridge Road:
We’ve had issues since April of this year when we placed a plastic, metal stick-type sign near the front of our property. About 1 week later, it was gone.
We then replaced it with two of the same type signs placing them about 40 feet onto our property on either side of our front door. These were well away from the street, nonetheless, about a week later, we found them just east of our house, in the middle of the street, torn up. There is no possibility the both were blown away and the condition indicated they’d been vandalized.
My husband and I decided to build a sign that we could anchor in the ground. We constructed a solid wood sign using two 4X4s and solid, heavy wood. We used screws in the construction and allowed for an anchor of 4 feet below ground. The fully constructed sign weighed about 50 pounds.
When we were installing it, we had many neighbors and passersby give honks and thumbs up. Unfortunately, we also had a few drive by, honking and giving the middle finger. I encouraged my husband to cement the sign in but he felt it’s weight would stop anyone from taking it. Six days later, the sign was gone. We found it across the street, thrown in the bushes. We think the vandals attempted to take it not realizing how heavy it was then ditched it when they couldn’t carry it or easily destroy it.
The sign wasn’t damaged so we reinstalled it, anchoring the posts 4 ft. into the ground with cement and installing lights which remain on throughout the night. It is nicely decorated with yellow mums and mulch . A friend heard about our plight and offered to install an infrared security camera.
We’ve lived here for 15 years and have never witnessed anything like this. We hold our breath every morning.
Fair Haven Democrats may not be as badly outnumbered this year as they feel, though. According to new figures from the Monmouth County Clerk’s office, the GOP has just a 189-voter edge over the Democrats in registrations, 1,302 to 1,113, out of 4,343 registered voters.
Across Monmouth County, which has 427,558 registered voters, 107,140 call themselves Democrats, 94,699 Republicans, and 225,525 are unaffiliated.
Statewide, two polls have Obama way ahead of McCain in New Jersey, the Associated Press reports.
ABC News reports that both national parties are complaining of sign theft and vandalism.
And here’s a rather sickening report out of North Carolina about a 75-pound bear found shot dead and draped in Obama signs on the campus of Western Carolina University. Officials don’t know what to make of that incident.
Hey Hippocrates, at least their only stealing your signs, you frauds are stealing votes and the election. Go ACORN right guys. And give me a break with the drama," we hold our breath every morning, we haven't witnessed anything like this in 15 years". Have you been sleeping for 15 years? Do me a favor, go back to sleep. Oh and if you wake up again, see if you can hold your breath for 20 minutes.
take the stupid signs down. does the everyone really need to know who you support? are you that important?
To Jack Rodshaw:
Yes they are that important…everyone gets to vote.
What every happened to political discourse?
I agree with Jack, while all have the rite to declare who they are supporting, does anyone really think because they post a sign or a bumper-sticker they will sway voters????????? As if anyone should care who anyone else is voting for. Right on Jack none of you are that important or smart for that matter to change my mind one way or the other. This applies to Dems and Repubs equally.
Additionally these PLASTIC COATED signs are very environmentally unfriendly.
Ummm… First Amendment. Hello?
Well, If New Jersey is stupid enough to vote for Jon Corzine (they are), they're certainly stupid enough to vote for Obama.
Stephen, as I said we all have the rite to post political signs
Guess 51% of the nation are stupid also huh "The rump of New Jersey"!
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/map/polling/polls/index.html
Way to go neighbors - I'm behind you 100%
All politicians s*ck! Why not put signs up with a real heroes. I am sure there are many people in Fair Haven who volunteer their time to make it a better place to live, but don't seek recognition or public office. Why not look into that and give them some billing. That will inspire more people than some politician's name.
Jenny, backing a winning canidate doesn't necessarily make one smart.
Ralph, that's true it doesn't BUT reading and learning about what each candidate has to offer and deriving what I believe is the right vote for the country is smart!
Not spelling words correctly also does not make one smart.
Jenny, spelling aside; New Jersey is the most corrupt and inefficient shit-covered cupcake.
-Evidence by incredibly high taxes, incredibly frequent corruption scandals, and inept delivery of services (most of which keep people from doing something productive.)
Let's vote for Obama, too! ..So we can make the entire nation as broken as the state of New Jersey!
Count me in the "minority." (or the "upper 49%.")
Jenny, that's great that you have educated yourself on the candidates and have picked one that you believe is right for the country. However, I was simply stating that voting in the majority doesn't necessarily make you smart, which I believe you were insinuating in your first post.
Obama & DNC Admit All Allegations of Federal Court Lawsuit - Obama’s “Not” Qualified to be President
Obama Should Immediately Withdraw his Candidacy for President
http://obamacrimes.com/
http://israelinsider.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2018399%3ABlogPost%3A10728
And I was simply stating in my first post that it's not just "stupid" New Jersey that are voting for Obama but 51% of the nation making no reference to whether that was smart or not. I also offered support for my fellow neighbor who both a theft at their homes!
And I am not "voting in the majority" I am voting on whom I want to see as president who happens to be in the majority with todays poll.
For someone who was quick to point out a mis-typed word, I would think you would want to proof read your posts before posting.
To err is human! I omitted the word "had"! I am sorry.
Nobody's cares what any of you have to say.
prisonplanet,
great post
jack
taken from Mayor Halfacres blog, back in October of 2006;
http://fair-haven.blogspot.com/2006/10/campaign-signs-stolen-by.html
it simply states that several of his signs were stolen during his run for mayor… He too accused the "Other Guy"
Its all silly childish stuff.
Get ready for this:
Transverse property of logic:
If a=b and b=c, then a=c.
(a) VERY bad discipline and fiscal management (Corzine & friends) -> Endorsed by NJ Voters.*
(b) Endorsed by NJ Voters* -> Obama
(c) Very bad discipline and fiscal management -> Obama.
It's okay. 6 years of the last 28 were politically conjoined legislative and executive branches. In 2010, I welcome the next Newt Gingrich and the next "Contract with America."
*Mainly, Camden, Hudson, Essex, Mercer Counties. Oh. And Red Bank.
Rump, I invite you to take a look at this graph: http://www.cedarcomm.com/~stevelm1/USDebt.png
It shows the national debt over time, and shows who was president. The debt hockey-sticked in the Reagan years, almost flattened in the Clinton years, then skyrocketed under Bush.
Republican presidents talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk.
Dan.
Reagan years: Cold war with the Soviet Union. Defense Spending.
Clinton Years: Relative Peace* Resulting in "Peace Dividend."
Bush years: Wars due to Islamic Extremism**
Probable Obama Years? ***
*See: Result of competent defense strategy from Reagan years.
**See: Foreign Policy Ineptitude due to Clinton years.
***See: Marxism.
1945-1980: Cold War with Soviet Union. Debt climbs slowly.
1980-1991: Cold War continues. Debt skyrockets due to irresponsible tax cuts and uncontrolled military spending.
1991-1992: Cold War over. Debt continues to balloon.
1993-2000: Debt almost levels off.
2001-2008: War due to neo-con desire to spank Hussein. (There were no Islamic extremists or terrorists in Iraq during the Clinton years; Hussein suppressed them. Now we have both.) Debt takes off like a rocket due to war and irresponsible tax cuts. Irresponsible deregulation leads to collapse of financial system; Republican administration creates rescue plan which includes huge government purchase of stock in private companies by the U.S. government*.
* See: Socialism.
We could easily balance the budget if we cut the military spending like Clinton did. However Bush found himself short handed when he needed that strong military offensive. You can't just call soldiers up and say it's war time. There is training, housing, vehicles, ships and so on. The dems balanced the budget with more of our taxes yes check that statistic and 2/3 less military. A monkey could do that. Please don't make Clinton's people do that ever again. Chief Breckenridge can't keep you safe in NYC. Keep the war over seas and you have less of a chance of watching your family die in a buisness suit here. War is for soldiers not civilians like your husband or wife or even children.
wow !! these posts remind me why Neo-Cons are kool-aid drinking Kooks - you should be ashamed of yourselves - a #1 bunch of racists - 8 years of unfettered corruption and you crave (froth) for more are you so shallow and blind by your bigotry and ravenous hatred for Democracy. You really should be ashamed of yourselves - what next "Burning crosses" - "Hanging effigies" - shameful anti-Christian behavior - Jesus would be ashamed of you and if alive today would no doubt be voting for "Barak Obama"
HMMMMMM lets see about all this,
-FDR, WW11, appeasement, sows the seeds for the cold war at Yalta.
-Truman, perhaps this century's best president, gets us involved in Asia and Korean Conflict (war).
-Eisenhower, took over the mess left him and cleaned it up.
-Kennedy, Vietnam War, helping out our old pals the French.
-LBJ, expands Vietnam War but doesn't allow our troops to win because he is frightened by China. pays for war with a FCC tax that we are still paying today on phone and cable bills.
-Nixon, continues the mess he inherited, steps up the war to end it through negotiations.
-Ford, a missed opportunity for perhaps another Truman.
-Carter, malaise, double digit inflation, energy crisis, hostages and huge debt.
-Reagan, relative peace, returned respect to the nation, prosperity,debt caused by out of control Democrat congress spending, set in motion unraveling of the cold war.
-HW Bush, ended cold war, Turned back aggression in the Middle East by building alliances. caved in to democrat congress passing tax increases that crippled the economy.
-Clinton, so bad he lost the 50 year democrat control of both houses of congress in his 2nd year in office, internationally ineffectual, was the beneficiary of the telecom and technology bubble economically allowing him to raise taxes without major consequence, allowed our facilities around the globe and in this country to be targeted by terrorists with little actions in response.
-GW Bush, reviled by the media, two front war in response to attacks on our homeland, ok economy until recently. much like Truman history will improve his tenure in office.
Hmm, I must have missed the Iraqi "attack on our homeland" that caused the Iraq war. When was that?
Dan, you didn't miss it because it didn't happen. Just an overall misguided plan to stabilize the middle east. Last I checked my history Korea and Vietnam didn't attack our homeland either….Ask Truman, Kennedy and LBJ (democrats). Many many more americans (draftees) were killed and injured in those conflicts than have been Iraq. Oops forgot, Nixon ended the draft causing many a future liberal to move back to the USA fromm Canada.
Dan, you didn't miss it because it didn't happen. Just an overall misguided plan to stabilize the middle east. Last I checked my history Korea and Vietnam didn't attack our homeland either….Ask Truman, Kennedy and LBJ (democrats). Many many more americans (draftees) were killed and injured in those conflicts than have been Iraq. Oops forgot, Nixon ended the draft causing many a future liberal to move back to the USA fromm Canada.
Dan, you didn't miss it because it didn't happen. Just an overall misguided plan to stabilize the middle east. Last I checked my history Korea and Vietnam didn't attack our homeland either….Ask Truman, Kennedy and LBJ (democrats). Many many more americans (draftees) were killed and injured in those conflicts than have been Iraq. Oops forgot, Nixon ended the draft causing many a future liberal to move back to the USA fromm Canada.
The funniest statement was that Bush had an "OK economy until recently." That's like watching someone jump off a 100-story building, and after he hits the pavement, you say, "He was OK until recently."
I won't go into all the things I find wrong with your post, because in responding to ridiculously partisan posts, I sound like I'm trashing Republicans and praising Democrats. And my original point is that Republicans cannot claim to be more fiscally responsible than Democrats.
I want to stay on fiscal responsibility. You credited Carter with a "huge debt." That's just a weird statement. The Carter deficits were records at the time, but they pale in comparison to Reagan's and Bush's. Even H.W. Bush, who at least had the courage to raise taxes rather than make our kids and grandkids pay for our excesses, ran much bigger deficits.
I'm not saying the Democrats are great. They all spend to much, but at least the Democrats have been a little better about raising taxes to pay for their excesses.
Dan, you didn't miss it because it didn't happen. Just an overall misguided plan to stabilize the middle east. Last I checked my history Korea and Vietnam didn't attack our homeland either….Ask Truman, Kennedy and LBJ (all democrats with democrat controled senate and house of reps). Many many more americans (draftees) were killed and injured in those conflicts than have been Iraq. Oops forgot, Nixon ended the draft causing many a future liberal to move back to the USA fromm Canada.
Dan, you didn't miss it because it didn't happen. Just an overall misguided plan to stabilize the middle east. Last I checked my history Korea and Vietnam didn't attack our homeland either….Ask Truman, Kennedy and LBJ (all democrats with democrat controled senate and house of reps). Many many more americans (draftees) were killed and injured in those conflicts than have been Iraq. Oops forgot, Nixon ended the draft causing many a future liberal to move back to the USA fromm Canada.
Socialism? I fail to understand how the administration is responsible for the financial fall-out from a mass of individuals who bought homes they couldn't afford.
You used the adjective "rescue" before "plan."
The financial institutions were "rescued" by a cascade of stupidity cascaded from irresponsible borrowers.
Socialism? Exactly how is the administration is responsible for the financial fall-out from a mass of individuals who bought homes they couldn't afford.
You can't regulate-out stupidity, Dan. It doesn't work.
You used the adjective "rescue" before "plan."
The financial institutions were "rescued" by a cascade of stupidity, which started with irresponsible borrowers.
There's a bit of a hoax in all this. Was their sign stolen? Maybe. All we have is their word.
But you know what? Signs of all candidates are always stolen in election years. I've had a good many stolen myself, of various parties and causes. Sometimes the culprit is your standard partisan a—–e and sometimes it's just a neighbor who is tired of looking at the sign.
SO WHY DO *THESE* GUYS GET A STORY?
Here's why: It's the "Victimhood" play out of the "progressive" playbook. Google it yourself. They are taught this on any number of "progressive" websites and blogs. Many of the people involved in this are so caught up in it that they are actually broadcasting their yard signs live on the internet.
So it's a conspiracy? No. No conspiracy is required. It is simply that this widely used technique appeals to the same things that make people "progressive" in the first place: a moral narcissism and an infantile conviction that Drama = Truth.
The focus of the rescue plan has now shifted to "recapitalization," that is buying preferred stock in banks so that they get a capital infusion. Many economists have said from the beginning that it's a better plan than the original idea of buying up bad assets.
But look again. The government of this company is buying an ownership stake in the banks of this country. That is socialism. I'm not saying it's the wrong move, I'm just surprised that Republicans can call Obama a socialist while a Republican president is buying up pieces of the financial system.
The big mess is not caused by people buying homes they couldn't afford. Those people will lose their homes, and that will be that. Oh wait, it seems that some economic geniuses pooled the risk of those loans (without really knowing how risky they were), then sliced and diced the pool and came up with a bunch of securities, some of which were rated AAA (cash equivalent) by the rating agencies. Then investment banks bought those securities, thinking they were safe. They were really profitable, and investment banks were unregulated, so some of them bought the securities like candy.
Meanwhile, people who were making investments through the big investment banks wanted some insurance, only if they called it insurance it would be regulated, so they called it "credit default swaps," where they could pay another company a set amount, and the other company would cover the first company if the investment bank went under. The Bush administration decided not to regulate this activity, even though it looks exactly like insurance, because they figured the investment banks knew what they were doing, and didn't need the protection of regulation.
And then the mortgage situation started to unravel, and the investment banks realized that the mortgage-based securities they held were not worth anything like what they paid for. Lehman was so heavily invested in those bonds that Lehman went under. Now anyone who bought a credit default swap on Lehman suddenly had to pay up. Even worse, the people that sold credit default swaps to Lehman were now holding worthless paper.
And since credit default swaps are not regulated, no one has any idea who is holding what risk, so no one wants to lend money. And that's why we have the crisis.
So who caused the crisis? You can blame the poor people who are now homeless if you want, but I put more of the blame on people like Lehman's CEO, who made $400 million dollars running his company into the ground and taking our economy with it. But you know what, that's capitalism: he made as much money as he could while he could. It is the role of government to restrain the excesses of capitalism through regulation. So I blame Bush and Clinton and Reagan, because their administrations deregulated the markets and let greed take over.
Now the investment banks are forced to become bank holding companies, meaning they will be regulated much more than before. And credit default swaps will be regulated like the insurance that they are.
We're closing the barn door now that the horse has escaped.
And 50 years from now, greedy people will complain about the barn door being bad for the economy, and "deregulation" will become a big buzz word again, and there will be another crash, and then we'll reregulate.
And so on.
Obama & DNC Admit All Allegations of Federal Court Lawsuit - Obama’s “Not” Qualified to be President
Obama Should Immediately Withdraw his Candidacy for President
http://obamacrimes.com/
http://israelinsider.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2018399%3ABlogPost%3A10728
Man PrisonPlanet - your one Crazy Cracker - sucking up those Far far far right wing lies - Obama was born in hawaii the site the your citing is sponsored by the Aryan Nation (no doubt to whom you are a card carrying member) McCain on the other hand was born in Panama (fact) - Hopefully the Democrats will give back Democracy to the people and folks like you will sink back into the shadows. Big Smile! Big Smile! Big Smile! no more Bush - No more Neo-Con Criminals running this country - down with McSame/Fallin
Class warfare
Dan, you state:
"The government of this company is buying an ownership stake in the banks of this country. That is socialism."
No. No. No. It's NOT socialism.
Question Dan. If government pension funds bought equity positions in publicly traded stock; is THAT socialism?
They do, you know. So. What's the difference?
There will be a time where these equity positions will realize a capital gain.
Would the government pay capital gains when they sell these stakes?
Sticking signs all over town has gotten out of hand. Is there really a need to put 5 signs for your candidate on one corner.
Seriously…
Government ownership is socialism. Socialism is government ownership. The government buying stock in banks is (a very limited) socialism.
If pension funds are controlled by the government, then their ownership of stock is also socialism, though much more diluted.
Dan: you keep repeating a lie politicians have been telling us forever; that raising taxes means raising revenues and reducing taxes causes loss of revenues, thus deficits. And for some reason, you are foolish enough to use Reagan's presidency as a particular example.
Well, federal revenues from individual income taxes were about $244 billion in 1980. Mr. Reagan came in and lowered taxes. So what happened? By 1990, revenues from individual income taxes rose to almost $467 billion, an inflation adjusted increase of 25%. Not deficit inducing in my world.
And while we're debunking lies, since the "rich" pay almost all the federal income taxes anyway (at an 80-20 split)can the Bush haters stop the whining about "giving tax breaks to the rich"? The poor don't get tax breaks because they don't pay taxes.
Actually Dan - Government ownership and privatization of businesses and (or) the merger of Businesses and Government is Technically considered "Fascism" or is at least the definition and core ethos put forth and created by Mussolini (in the 1930's look it up) So what the Neo-con Government of G.W.Bush and what the continuing policy of a McCain/Palin'08 administration would be is a continuation of our Democracy sliding towards a Fascist State
"a society that does not learn from History is doomed to repeat the same mistakes"
Dan, please dont pass the blame onto the Bush Administration for the financial collapse, who maintained and watched over Freddie and Fannie, Hmmmm I do beleave it was Dodds and Franks both of whom are??????
Yes Democrats. plenty of blame to pass around but lets start with the real culprets.
1977 1981 embarrassing years
1983 241 US service men and women killed. The response quick and swift
1980 1991 Americans start to live without the fear of nukes because of SDI and a strong Administration (freedom has its price)
1993 2000 croatians and serb drag the United States into European mess
weak response to acts of war against the USA, bomb Formula factory
have blow jobs in oval office, let all teens think that's its okay, have affair while married, not to mention the countless acts that have been rumored but yet to be moved upon. Bring shame upon White house with impeachment.
1997 let Osama off the hook when offered to us by the French.
2000 US Cole gets ripped apart by terrorists 17 dead
2001 2008 And I suppose there were never any WMD;s there either. The fact that they were not found does not mean that they were never there, Mustard gas for the Kurds AND Iranians. I'm not a betting man Dan, but I would wager that Money from Hussien made its way into every terrorist organization in the world IRA included. You don't have to be the artist, just supply the paint and the brush, it will get done.
Justified going into Iraq for the reasons mentioned? no. The end result worthwhile, yes. We have an obligation to take care of the oppressed, its a position that we have put ourselves into and that we have to maintain. The taste of freedom is something that many have never enjoyed, its our moral duty to help. Republican or Democrat, some just respond better. Joe Bidden thinks that If they win the resolve of Obama/America will be tested. I'm scared of what his response will be. I'm also scared of where my country is going if he wins. Socialism, its failed for ever, why try. As for your signs, keep em up
It was just a bloody sign, I suggest all you idiots get a life
This administration has been robbing the middle class, working class and the poor for the last eight years. This bailout is just Bush and company taking the silverware and dishes before they go. They ran the economy into the ground, murdered thousands of our soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraq's in order to line their pockets with the profits these jerk offs make from war. And they blatantly lied to get us in the war in the first place. I see the frustration in the responses by you Republicans. They are scared. They know their days are over for a long while. Their jumping ship left and right. They are desperate. The ads they are running are pathetic lies. And in Fair Haven some douche bags are stealing signs, denying their fellow Americans the right to free expression. How pathetic. Think about it. Think about what they did for you the past 6 months. Your stocks are way down. Your 401k's are too and many of you can't retire now. Many of you lost your jobs, because its mostly finance people who live here. Maybe its time
you thought about jumping ship and joining us in making this country great again.