Gov. Murphy: Federal gov’t shutdown appears ‘silly’

As Republicans and Democrats in Washington bickered about ending the two-day old federal government shutdown, Gov. Phil Murphy spent his Sunday governing and worshipping.
The new governor headed to Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Hackensack to sign an executive order promoting advertising for health care sign-ups, and he stayed for services.

State government services are not affected by the shutdown, and from the governor's chair - or a pew at Mt. Olive - the whole shutdown fight could appear, to use Murphy's word, "silly."

"One of the things we think has been lacking in this state is a tight coordination between the governor’s office and our congressional delegation, frankly on both sides of the aisle. I'm  proud to say we had our first call yesterday in the context of the silly shutdown of our federal government. And the un-American turning of backs against young kids who need that children's health insurance program, or our Dreamers," he says.

The new governor has been in office just six days and has signed four executive orders. Sunday's was the first one directly aimed at reversing a decision by President Donald Trump: namely, a $1 million cut to health care outreach funding.

All state agencies that interact with the public will provide information on Obamacare enrollment, from signs and pamphlets to specially trained employees. Executive order No. 4 could be the first of many salvos between Philip D. Murphy and Donald J. Trump.