The Chairman Speaks.

Adam Puharic the Monmouth County republican Chairman spoke to the Asbury park editorial Board. The article about that meeting appeared in yesterday's paper . I thought he did a good job in pointing out the flaws in the pay to play regulations and backed it up with research. He is right it is flawed.

Then he talked about the convention selection process he instituted. I still do not get it so I am asking someone out there who supports Adam's procedures to explain it to me. What do we gain by having powerful party insiders pre- screen candidates? How would it have changed Monmouth County politics if it had been done that way the two previous years by Fred Nieman.
Would we have wound up with John Merla rather then Bill Barham? Was there a better candidate then Lillian Burry? Would Anna Little have been kept off the ballot the first time?

I will tell you what I think the whole thing is about. Powerful individuals and two or three large powerful towns did not like the fact that they were no longer calling the shots. They did not like the fact that small towns could build coalitions and have an impact on the selection process. They were unhappy that they and their candidates actually had to court the votes of people in these towns. They had to appear in front of clubs and chairmen and be subjected to questions about where they stand. How demeaning is that?

If it where not for this screening committee thing then Adam Puharic might have been considered a good Chairman. This idea has caused resentment, is undemocratic and likely caused us to loose a Freeholder seat.

So until somebody can give me an explanation as to how this was a good idea I will continue to hammer away at it.