A couple of weeks ago, Anne Estabrook, a wealthy moderate businesswoman recruited by John Ensign and Mitch McConnell to run against Frank Lautenberg, dropped out of the New Jersey Senate race after suffering a stroke. This left the New Jersey Republican Party in the unenviable position of choosing between Ron Paul devotee and former Libertarian candidate for governor Murray Sabrin and State Senator Joe Pennacchio, a kind of crazy backbencher from Morris County.
Indeed, things looked so good for New Jersey Republicans that after more than half a dozen state legislators and other current and former officials declined to run, one county chair floated the name of, I kid you not, Rudy Giuliani, and someone else said "How about Mike Huckabee?" This left Pennacchio the de facto leader for the Republican nomination, despite the discomfort of party leadership. Just a few examples of Pennacchio's brilliance:
His comprehensive immigration reform plan:
Immigration - The "NOW" Plan
No other issue in American politics seems to frustrate and increase cynicism among our people as does our government's ineptness or unwillingness to control and secure our borders.
Any discussions about Homeland Security lack credibility with the American public, if our government cannot do something as fundamental as securing and protecting our borders. There are many issues that we can debate when it comes to the issue of immigration, but there are some which American are vastly in agreement:
- Secure our borders using any means available. NOW.
- Construct the fence: NOW!
- Deport illegal aliens who have committed crimes against our citizenry. NOW!
- Enforce existing employment laws. NOW!
The issue of what to do with the 12 million illegal aliens must be framed by future policies must not be base on Amnesty for those who broke our laws by entering our country illegally.
American is a nation of immigrants and will continue to be so, however those who wish to be part "our huddled masses yearning to be free", must wait their turn and enter through the front door not some dusty back door in the desert of the southwest.
[emphasis mine]
His introductory YouTube video (which is sadly no longer available), received the following commentary from Peter McDonough of the Star-Ledger:
The YouTube introduction opens with the dentist from Morris County standing rigidly in front of a super-imposed American flag and a horizon-like collage of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
The flag is constantly waving which, although distracting, is the most animated aspect of the video. Sen. Pennacchio's eyes shift from side-to-side as he reads the words, "My friends, today I stand before you to announce my intentions [sic] to seek the Republican nomination for the United States Senate from New Jersey."
Did he really have to read that line?
For the most part Pennacchio stands with his arms stiffly at his side. At one point he crosses his hands and places them on his chest to emphasize his heartfelt conviction that he has chosen "this location" (standing in front of a video backdrop on YouTube?) because it stands as a reminder of who we are and a hope and inspiration of who we may become.
And finally, and this is truly from the Kirby/Olive files. Back in 1991, before he was an elected official, under the creative pen name "Joseph Penn," he submitted a lengthy manifesto of his ideas on how to fix America to then-Assembly Minority Leader Chuck Haytaian (who later ran unsuccessfully against Lautenberg). The organizational guise under which he proposed these ideas was to be a new party called "The Nationalist Party." I really wish I was making this up. This thing is loaded with all kinds of errors in spelling and grammar. My personal favorite is "irradicate" instead of "eradicate." Anyway, from the full length PDF, which can be read (if you have a good sense of humor) here:
He thought this one through, clearly - an idea on reducing crime:
A simple cost effective idea is to put criminal ID bracelets on offender's wrist [sic]. The original thought of tatooing foreheads has been toned down a bit.
A random statement on the Kennedy assassination:
As new revelations are made about John Kennedy's assassination, it becomes very difficult to believe there wasn't a conspiracy involved.
Why not a couple of insane constitutional amendments:
Equal Rights Amendment where it is noted that women are equal but physically different.
A crime of murder in the first degree would be considered a crime against all American citizenry and would be subject to federal prosecution and sentencing.
An awesome proposed idea on reducing drug use:
Advertise who the drug offenders in the community are. Peer pressure from the community will reinforce the idea that doing drugs is wrong.
I guess he's in favor of retroactive immunity and warrantless wiretapping:
In today's age of advanced electronic technology, there exists methods [sic] of electronically monitoring criminals...this system allows punishment, restitution, and costs taxpayers very little.
How did I never think of this brilliant solution to child care: have high schoolers take care of infants and toddlers!
Existing elementary and high school classrooms are in place. School nurses are there and ready to assist, if necessary. Students can serve as child care aids...for example, Child Care Center #1 operates at a local high school. Four students rotating shifts of two hours act as aids.
Last but not least, his brown-shirted solution to the problem of homeless people:
The enemy within, consisting of poverty and despair can be a much more immediate and destructive force. Taking these people and separating them into various military camps would be the first step in the mainstreaming our homeless back into society...A considerable amount of the homeless are alcoholics and drug-dependent. These homeless should be separated from the unemployed homeless in a different type of military camp.
Wow, just wow. The Reich Lives! Pennacchio/Olivo 2012!