Good LTTE re Kean & Budget Battle

from The Ledger:

In the recent Star-Ledger editorial, “House GOP’s debt ceiling bill is a drown-the-government fantasy,” you comment that your invitation for comments from New Jersey’s Republican House members — Tom Kean, Jr., Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew — have been met with radio silence. All three of them voted for this bill.

Particularly as it relates to Kean, R-7th Dist., I don’t know why you would be surprised in the least. In last year’s election cycle, we learned that his attack ads were a far more effective strategy to win an election than to respond to and engage in debate on policy positions.

When Kean joined the (bipartisan) Problem Solvers Caucus in the House, many hoped that it would lead to trying to solve some problems. To this point, Kean’s voting record shows him to be a loyal foot soldier of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. I can only presume that this is payback for the financial support that Kean received from GOP House leadership to get elected last year.

If Kean wanted to show a desire to solve a problem, now would be the time to band together with the other members of the caucus and try to be a leader instead of just a follower.

Kirk Bonamici, Bedminster