Dominick Ruggiero Jr. cites the governor's abrasive personality.
To the Editor:
This is how I see Gov. Chris Christie's just ended presidential candidacy:
I have sat back and listened to all the debates. I must say that they show no promise of any change with the exception of the Feb. 6 one, where Christie took on Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
However, I think Christie should not criticize any candidate. Here is a governor who had a veteran Navy Seal escorted out of a town hall meeting and labeled him stupid. He told another questioner about slow Hurricane Sandy aid a year after the storm to shut up and sit down.
More recently, in New Hampshire, he responded to a questioner about not staying in New Jersey after the recent blizzard with "What do you want me to do, bring a mop?"
On top of it all, there is "Bridgegate." He stands there and touts his efficiency, but then states he had no knowledge that his staff was involved in a politically motivated plan that shut down lanes into the George Washington Bridge.
Some leader he is. He has no idea what his staff is doing, and then wanted to be president? What a joke!
How could we elect anyone who shows so much disrespect for people? This is someone who uses the state helicopter to travel to his son's ball game. How can Christie stand in front of a national audience and throw stones at any candidate when he, as the saying goes, lives in a glass house.
I ask this question: Do we want someone so ill-tempered to be president or in any other position of authority?
Dominick A. Ruggiero Jr.
Sewell
Why downgrade Woodbury hospital?
To the Editor:
Regarding Inspira Health Network's plans to replace its Woodbury hospital with a new building in Harrison Township:
The Inspira leadership sounds quite convincing when they say the Woodbury building, the former Underwood-Memorial, building is too old to continue using and that it would be cost prohibitive to upgrade it.
How about Our Lady of Lourdes in Camden, and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia? They're old, and they're still there, using their original buildings.
It seems to me that there's much more going on here than we have been led to believe. If Inspira pulls its beds out of Woodbury, that site will be be no more than a glorified urgent care facility. And how long will that last?
Inspira does not need to build a new hospital, it needs to build a new management team.
John Heritage
Woolwich Township
Traffic a barrier to hospital site
To the Editor:
I'd like to express my opinion about the proposal to put a new Inspira Health Network in Harrison Township:
I believe the proposed hospital site is in a very dangerous place, traffic-wise. It would be on U.S. Route 322 near a Route 55 freeway interchange. Not only is there steady traffic on Route 322, but traffic is increasing on Route 55, as well. In the summer months, the traffic is even worse with so many people using both routes to go to the Jersey shore and the Delaware beaches.
It would be very dangerous to have ambulances trying to get through this traffic. Also, there would be a good number of cars going back and forth for employees of the hospital at different times of the day. It's also likely that school buses are using Route 322.
This is a bad idea on so many levels, and I hope the people in the area are aware of it.
Joan Pacitti
Mullica Hill
Editor's note: Rowan University trustees are slated to vote this week on whether or not to sell the university-owned parcel to Inspira.
Do Dems have Sharpton's back on tax lien?
To the Editor:
Wasn't it refreshing watching Democrats Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton promote racial harmony through their lovefests with the Rev. Al Sharpton in their attempts to secure black presidential primary votes?
I wonder if either candidate took the time to lay out a payment plan for Sharpton's back taxes of up to $4 million?
After all, shouldn't all wealthy individuals pay their "fair share" in order to fund their socialist agendas? Or does that only apply to those who actually earn their wealth?
Walt Rouh
Mantua Township
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