Manalapan's Election: Pick a Finger & Point It At Da Poobah

In da microcosm of da Kingdom of Manalapan, voters had to consider many things. They had to endure a Queen-led tax increase of over 40% in da last 2 years -- a worldwide embarassment out-of-control politically charged and a political vendetta lawsuit costing Manalapan taxpayers well over $100,000 -- more problems (and you'll be hearing about it soon on this blog thanks to my TruthTellers at da Taj Mahal) at da WMUA -- a more-than-million-dollar land grab with absolutely no plan on how to use it or what to do with it -- cronyism on a huge scale -- a leader of da Township Committee more reminiscent of Leona Helmsley -- yet somehow, they still voted for her.

And da question is -- How?

How can someone who carries more baggage than a sky cap at Kennedy Airport during da holidays win? How can someone who blamed everyone else except her husband for saying, "BECAUSE I HATE ITALIANS" win reelection?

Well, let's look not at da person who won, but instead - da person who made her victory possible -- her "campaign manager," if you will -- and it wasn't Gerry Ward.

Since becoming Manalapan GOP Grand Poobah, it's been about nothing but power for Steve "Iron Girth" McEnery. Since 2004 - 5 elections in all - his only true victory that he can point to as his own came thanks to Joltin Joe Locricchio! He ran a campaign in 2005 into da ground. He took da 2006 campaign and divided everyone into a loss. His 2007 campaign was won, not because of Andy Boy, but because of da popularity of Susan Cohen, and he wouldn't have anything to do with her. In 2008, he divided his entire party with two people nobody knew, raised barely enough money for bus fare, and no chance of winning despite a person in Town Hall some people liked as much as one enjoys a strong case of Herpes. And, let's forget being da driving force of Andy Boy's failed Freeloader campaign -- da first GOP campaign in 2 decades that lost to a Democrat!

His thirst for power has damaged da Manalapan GOP to da point of fracture. During da summer, he kept his Poobah-ship by a single vote. He has done more to alienate his base than bring new people in. And, he single handedly allowed da Queen to keep her stranglehold on power in Manalapan.

How was that? Look around da Kingdom.

1. During da campaign there were more "For Sale" signs on lawns than Green & Garcia signs.

2. At Andy Boy's Manalapan residence on da roadside, there wasn't even 1 G&G sign.

3. They had 1 mailer, and other than that, did you know there was even a local election in town?

4. They ducked a debate with da Queen which would have got them face time, and potentially da few votes that would have made da difference.

5. Thanks to da division he caused within da local GOP, they had no foot soldiers to help them.

6. According to their ELEC reports, da most money brought in at 1 time was from Green himself who paid for his own fundraiser!

This is da advice he was giving out as leader? If this guy were with General Custer, he probably would have been da one saying, "Look, over da hill - I think they're friendly Indians."

A number of TruthTellers told daTruthSquad they actually believed it was in da Poobah's best interest to have da Queen ascend to da throne, because it guarantees Andy Boy's power base through his alliance with da Queen.

One TruthTeller actually was overheard saying, "I think we have da only Republican leader in da nation who applauds tax increases and wasteful government spending!"

Thanks to da Poobah, he allowed a candidate with more baggage than carried by UPS in a month to win an election, despite da fact she hasn't seen a tax hike she didn't vote for. It was da Poobah who was da dividing force between Joltin Joe and Andy Boy's separation. He turned away folks like Steve Johnson & Butch Budai, two of da harder-working footsoldiers in da Manalapan GOP. He was da person who guided Andy Boy's campaign that was da first losing Freeloader campaign in 2 decades. He had a hand in da rise, and especially da fall, of former county GOP leader Pu-Pu.

Then, you have da GOP leader's belief system. In 2005 and 2006, it was all about lowering taxes, a mantra of da GOP. However, in 2007, when his boy Andy Boy was one of da architects of da highest single tax increase in town history, all of a sudden tax increases were as welcome as flies on a manure pile to him! In fact, da Poobah obviously liked GOP-sponsored tax increases so much, he sided with Andy Boy in 2008 for another one!

DaTruth is, if Manalapan gets another double-digit tax increase, don't thank da Queen. Da fault squarely lies on da shoulders of a GOP leader who hasn't said word-one about a GOP-led "Largest municipal tax increase in town history," followed by a second GOP-led double-digit tax increase! It begs da question: Could da GOP Poobah have had a hand in da Queen's campaign?

Did you notice da Queen hardly campaigned? She was nowhere to be found -- but even less able to find were da Poobah's candidates, as da Poobah ran their race like a 1-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. Da Queen didn't have to campaign, because da poobah must have known that with a win by da Queen, plus her alliance with Andy Boy, means each of their chances to be mayor again, were intact.

DaTruthSquad can make this guarantee today -- either Andy Boy or da Queen will be Mayor in 2009 - and da other will be Deputy Mayor. If it happens, then we will all know it's about 2 people keeping power at all costs.

DaTruth is, da Manalapan GOP needs to make a serious decision. Da Poobah has proved that unless Joe Locricchio is on da ticket, he can't win an election he runs. In 2008, Manalapan's GOP lost a chance to gain a clear majority on da Township Committee. Right now, da split is 3 Democrats, 1 Republican, and whatever Andy Boy is. Manalapan lost a chance at lower municipal taxes, less cronyism, no more "land purchases to nowhere," and no 6-figure political vendetta lawsuits funded by taxpayers, and that loss comes at da feet of da leader of da GOP.

Da thanks for all of this - squarely resting on da prodigious girth of one GOP Grand Poobah.

Da time has come for da Manalapan GOP to strip for good their Poobah of his power. Da fruits of his labor is another failed campaign, a split party, and failed leadership. When a GOP leader not only sits by but publicly approves tax & spend increases on a massive scale, he has placed da principles of da GOP into da toilet and not bother to flush. He's violated da public trust of every registered GOP'er with his actions, all of which apparently benefits da Queen and her lawsuit sidekick, DEFENDANT Andy Boy.

It's time Steve McEnery resign and someone who has da faith, desires, and confidence of their entire party be put into that leadership post. He has clearly shown he can no longer lead his party effectively. His "my way or da highway" approach to leadership has allowed da Manalapan GOP to disintegrate. He needs, for da first time in years, to do da right thing for da good of da party - and not for himself.

Steve McEnery needs to resign as Manalapan GOP leader.

And that's daTruth.