The interests of 11,300 rank and file Dover Township Republicans will, once again, be brushed aside, as a small group of patronage recipients will "go along to get along," so Boss Clement can continue to operate a political payoff system where talent and new ideas are routinely ignored in favor of supplication, nepotism and truckling toadyism.

Clement Says He's Changing The By-Laws
Because Of The Change Of Township Government

The first sentence of the By-laws change cover letter was vintage Clement mendacity: The By-laws Committee, he says, "has been hard at work the past few months making the necessary changes to our club structure as a result of the recent form of government change."

Give Us All A Break!

So the By-laws changes that look implacably like a Boss Clement power grab are really an attempt to conform with changes to the set-up of the new township mayor and council. How many wards does the Republican Club have? How droll.

The founding fathers of the Faulkner Act had Boss Clement in mind forty years ago when they wrote the law on the strong mayor concepts and the ward system. Oh, really?

We Know Something You Don't Know!

OceanCountyPolitics has obtained a copy of the proposed changes to the club rules from a disgruntled club member with a government job reluctant to speak out because of the inevitability of economic and social retaliation from Clement or one of his helpful associates.

Clement, As Board Chairman, Will Dominate Appointments

One rules change designed to conform with the government change in Dover Township is the one that will allow Clement, now club president, to become Chairman of the Board when club "elections" are held, a new executive position with power to make the most important appointments and fill the trustee slots with colleagues of the most pristine reliability.

Clement Will Name Majority Of Screening Committee

Another change allows the Chairman of the Board, presumably Clement, to name a majority of members of the screening committee for candidates for public office.

Clement Will Control Club Officers Nomination

Another change allows a committee for nominations of club officers to consist of the Chairman of the Board, presumably Clement; the next Club President, some say it will be former Planning Board Chairman Juan Bellu; and Municipal Chairman Joseph Coronato Esq., a voracious and grasping local lawyer who has been on Clement's patronage dole (taxpayers' money, of course) since Hector was a small but hungry puppy.

Clement Will Control New Club President

And, as if there was any doubt as to the status of the new club president as chief errand boy for Clement, another imperious by-laws change has been added to turn the control screws even tighter: "The President shall execute the policies and decisions of the Board Of Trustees," controlled and orchestrated by none other than Boss Clement.

Political Liberation? Forget About It!!

So if there was any thought in the minds of the 11,200 rank and file Dover Township Republicans not under the direct control of Clement, that their day of political liberation was at hand, they can forget about it and get out their exhausted checkbooks once again.

The Eagle Has Landed, But "Masterpiece
Of Hypocrisy" Section Remains Intact

The Eagle has landed again . But, not for rank-and-file Republicans.

One By-laws section has been kept intact, a masterpiece of hypocrisy that inspires the imagination (and snickers) of nearly every thinking Republican who reads it: The first purpose and objective of the Clement Republican Club, it says, is: "to establish and implement policies which strive for good, sound, economical and progressive local government." (In Baghdad, maybe, but not so's you'd notice in Republican Club "policy" in River City)

Authentic Webster's Collegiate Dictionary Definitions

Progressive: "Making use of, or interested in new ideas, findings or opportunities."

Economical: "Marked by careful, efficient and prudent use of resources."

Sound: "Logically valid and having true premises."

More about the lugubrious Republican situation in Dover Township as time marches and canters imperceptibly sideways.

"Do Your Duty For Benevolent Republican Despotism"

So about 9:30pm, the committee of one hundred will lurch confidently out of the Holiday Inn, knowing they have done their duty, once again, for benevolent Republican despotism in the community they all love and profit from.

 Be patient and we'll continue to cover this boring but important situation, as new developments, uh, develop.

For 02/26/04