Home  New Jersey Newspapers 2006: The Year in Review
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Written by Eddie Konczal
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Friday, 12 January 2007 |
The NJ Media Corps completed its second year as an independent organization in 2006. We worked on nine letter-writing assignments throughout the year, most of them relating to the 2006 Congressional Elections which resulted in Democrats seizing control of both the Senate and House of Representatives. Below are summaries of the assignments we worked on in 2006, along with the outcomes.
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Assignment 2006-1: Demand Censure for Bush/Cheney and Investigate Impeachable Offenses
In December 2005, after reports surfaced that the Bush Administration engaged in illegal wiretaps of American citizens, Rep. John Conyers introduced Resolutions regarding both President Bush (H. Res. 636) and Vice-President Cheney (H. Res. 637), proposing that they be censured by Congress based on indisputable evidence of unaccounted for misstatements and abuse of power in the public record. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-WI
Assignment 2006-2: America Needs Universal Health Coverage
Rep. John Conyers (D-MI, 14th) Assignment 2006-3: Demand Accountability on Darfur
Progress on Darfur was painfully slow, but showed promise by years' end with outoing Secretary General Kofi Annan's naming of a special UN Envoy to Darfur, former General Assembly President Jan Eliasson of Sweden. Annan's action represented a last-ditch effort to convince Sudan to accept a much stronger peacekeeping force in Darfur.  In early 2007, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (acting on behalf of the Save Darfur Coalition) and and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir announced that the Sudanese government and rebel groups agreed to a 60-day ceasefire while they work towards a lasting peace. These recents events offer hope for an end to the continued genocide and displacement of Darfur natives in Sudan. Election 2006 Assignment: Bob Menendez for Senate
Democratic incumbent Senator Bob Menendez emerged with a solid victory in a highly competitive race - partially due to a backlash against Republican Tom Kean, Jr., who waged one of the most negative campaigns in recent memory. Menendez defeated Kean 53% to 45%. Senator Menendez now begins his first full term in the Senate, having been selected for the upper chamber in early 2006 by Governor Jon Corzine.
Election 2006 Assignment: United States Congressional Race, New Jersey 2nd District Democratic candidate Viola Thomas-Hughes waged a spirited campaign against Republican incumbent Frank LoBiondo, but lost 62% to 35%.
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Election 2006 Assignment: United States Congressional Race, New Jersey 4th District
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ, 6th) Although Democrats did not gain any Congressional seats in New Jersey, they came the closest in rthe 7th district, where challenger Linda Stender nearly unseated incumbent Republican Mike Ferguson, losing by the razor-thin margin of 49% to 48%. Ferguson's close call makes this a district to watch in the future.  Linda Stender -
Election 2006 Assignment: United States Congressional Race, New Jersey 12th District
Incumbent Democrat Rush Holt easily won re-election against Republican challenger Joseph Sinagra, 66% to 34%.  Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ, 12th)
Congratulations to all NJ Media Corps members who took action on the above issues! Let's continue to make a difference in 2007.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 19 July 2007 )
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