EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEW: Just two weeks before the elections, TLS sat down with 4th District Democratic Congressional Candidate Howard Kleinhendler of Lakewood to talk about certain key issues in his run for public office. The NY Defense Attorney has never run for a political office before, and
is up against a nearly 30-year veteran Republican Representative, incumbent Christopher Smith in this November election.
Kleinhendler touched on many issues including the local economy, health care, school vouchers, Cap and Trade and more.
“On the economy, were very different”, says Kleinhendler. “His solution, is the solution we say for eight years in the Bush administration, that failed, and led to an economic catastrophe” he says. “My solution is a solution which is slowly slowly working”.
With regard to property taxes says Kleinhendler, “Smith’s plan will just raise, and raise and raise your property taxes”. “My plan is exactly the opposite” he says”. “We need education funding into this district, which will directly lower the property taxes”.
Another issue he spoke about was his position on federal grants for renewable energy, including solar and wind power. “But, you can’t force the manufacturers into Cap and Trade, because then you they won’t be able to compete with China, India, Russia, and Europe because they don’t play with the rules and they don’t keep Cap and Trade” he says. “Smith voted for Cap and Trade because he doesn’t care about small businesses here, he just doesn’t care”.
Health Care:
“Smith wants to scrap all health care and stay with the present system which shows us an increase in insurance premiums every year, year after year after year”.
“I also think Obama’s plan is messed up and has to be fixed, but there are a coupple things that are good”, says Kleinhendler, and lists certain advantages of the Obama plan.
“I think the Republican plan for health care is doomed for failure because its a maintaining of the status quo, and the status quo is showing us a 10-15 % increase in insurance year after year and we can’t afford it”.
Q. What specifically do you propose that would benefit the Lakewood community?
“Well first of all, the train to NY is going to be a home run to the Lakewood community” Kleinhendler says. “I know what it’s like to commute to NY, I commuted on a bus for 12 years, for the last 4 years I’ve been driving, I know what it’s like to get stuck in traffic, I know all the cons about it”. “Smith doesn’t know what a NJ transit bus looks like, I don’t think he even sat on one for the last 30 years” says Kleinhendler.
Besides, he says, a NJ- NY train service would not only bring up property values, but would also create jobs and boost the local economy by bringing in shoppers and visitors.
“I’m also for school vouchers”. “I think we need federal help to help fund our private schools so people have a choice”. “Smith voted against funding for school vouchers”. “Don’t be misled, he voted against it”.”Smith is not a friend on this issue, and I think someone who knows what it’s like to pay tuition bills, is going to be motivated to try and push that agenda”, he says.
See video for full interview.
a democrat for school vouchers??
what a joke.
next he will try sell us the brooklyn bridg
Mr. Kleinhendler. Will you or will you not vote to repeal Obamacare and cap and tax.
The same populist vague rhetoric that we got from Obama.
Lieberman in Connecticut was for vouchers as a Democrat too.
Glad he thinks its close. Out of Lakewood no one even knows hes running. Hamilton, Jackson, dont know he exists. Good luck
i spoke to him about issues, he basically supports everything obama is doing only he wants obama to do more. next he portrays smith as a right wing extremest when in reality smith is a lib in conservative clothing, so if he can call smith a right winger you can just imagine how left wing he is
I think its very nice that this guy thinks he has a chance. Hate to say it, but you are a bit out of touch with reality! Looking at your website, you put under the Chris Smith tab’s list of things he did wrong ‘voted agains healthcare’. You sound like Obama and the Libs when you pretend that everyone want healthcare! Everyone hated Obamacare and noone is holding Smith’s ‘no’ vote against him for this one!
All I can tell is that Mr. Kleinhendler is exceptionally good and caring person. A total opposite of regular politician image… He is someone who would care for people and represent them.
Do us all a favor and leave Chris Smith in office. He deserves all of our support as he supports our community. Mr. Kleinhendler should not be running for public office.
howard klienhendler is the only man for the job. Can you write 3 things that chris smith has done for you the last 5 years out of his 30 years that directly effected your wallets other than empty them? Mr. Klienhendler is a mentch – who had only one agenda – to do better – better for this community where he has lived for the last 25 years and for his district where he owns a home and is raising children. – He is a frum yid – an erhlich yid. Howie has no agenda – stop spuoting your nonesense rehetoric – and vote a person who is finally honest and has YOUR best interest at heart – and as far as a fighiting chance he more than has one
HOWARD KLEINHENDLER is the man! the man for this district ! the man for our community! – in the past – this lakewood community has been brainwashed to vote for smith – because he would be good for us – has he been? – are your tax dollars being spent wisely – do you feel that this congress the last 30 years did well by you – or are you going to finally wake up and see that a mentch with super strong ties to this community with no agenda other than to do right for us is running
I’m glad he’s very caring and all, but that means nothing when he supports the Obama Agenda. Let him be a little less caring and vote to repeal Obamacare and maybe I would have an interest in him.
If hes caring he should work for Bikur cholim thats a job for caring people not politics, in politics we want non caring people, we want people to run this country like a business not like a tzedokah organization. enough with the gimme gimme gimme mentality
You got to be kidding me.Insurance premiums sky rocketed the first year Obama care was enacted.Is this guy for real?All the big companies are either opting out via a waver or forcing their employees to contribute to most of the new pemiums.Public option??Thats a code word for socialized medicine!!! I guess he never lived in Canada and England.As far as lowering taxes everyone with a little economic background knows that when you lower taxes you increase productivity and thus raise tax revenue.And the first 8 years of Bush the economy was booming and only after the mortgage collapse to to govt regulations established by a democratic congress did the economy tank.I was going to punish Smith for voting for cap n trade but now my choice is clear We must vote for Smith.
Please explain how forcing insurance companies to take on pre existing condition patients is going to lower premiums?Please explain how a govt option which doesnt need to make a profit is going to enable insurance companies to compete and stay in business?And also please explain why the unions get a waver?And why the laegest companies already stated they cant continue paying for their employees insurance any more.All this in the first year of obama care. And insurance premiums already had their largest increase in premiums ever
Tarp and FDIC insurance have zero to do with each other
I’m happy to say i will be voting for Klienhendler just last week i would have told you no but, I just received the NRA magazine for this month and they have a rating for each candidate Chris Smith got a D and Mr. Klienhendler got an A-, if he can get that rating from the NRA i truly believe he will govern with an open mind and truly what he thinks is right for the people without his own interests in mind. For a Liberal or shall i say a left of center candidate to have an independent position on gun rights despite his partys aversion to it says alot about independence and character