The Powerticians

By Thomas F.X. Smith

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0818403284
• ISBN13: 9780818403286
• Release Date: January 1982
• Publisher: Lyle Stuart
• Length: 307 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Great History of Jersey City

Great book about Jersey City's history from a man who is now a part of that history, the late Thomas F.X. Smith. In reality, Jersey City's "Renaissance" started with Mayor Smith's famous "eyesore" quote in the Jersey Journal. From that point, future Mayors -- such as Gerry McCann -- started a road to "gentrification."This book covers the early history of Jersey City from a political view. Of course, it covers the Hague administration in livid detail. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone really interested in Jersey City's history. This is the book to read if you are interested in Jersey City, not Helene Stapinski's senseless dribble about her family problems.

Judas Iscariot is the Patron Saint of JC Politicians

I am a life-long resident of Jersey City. I was in Jersey City when the late Tommy Smith was Mayor. I lived through a lot of the incidents covered in this book: J.V. Kenny getting elected, Thomas Gangemi being recalled because he wasn't a U.S. citizen, and Mayor Whelan getting thrown in jail for political corruption. Make no qualms about it, Jersey City -- as well as Hudson County -- was the mecca of political corruption for well over half a century. New York had its Tammany Hall, New Orleans had the Long Family, and Jersey City had the Hague and Kenny Machines. Indeed, I was intriqued by the Hague administration, and how "der Mayeur" got away with all his political imbroglios. During the 1920's, the rest of the U.S. lived under the dark cloud of Prohibition -- but not Jersey City. During the 1930's, communities had to "compete" for federal projects to help with "depression relief" -- not Jersey City. As a matter of fact, because there was a "red phone" connected between City Hall (on Grove Street) and the Oval Office, Jersey City greatly benefitted from federal projects during the 1930's -- The Medical Center copmplex is just one of these projects. From about 1920 through the 40's, Hudson County -- with Der Mayeur at the helm -- made and ruined the political careers of many an individual. The Poweriticians is a book about political corruption, and how these political wheeler-dealers used their power to secure their own "empires." After reading this book, you will see how a man with a sixth grade education (Hague) could rule a city for over twenty years. More amazingly, you will read how dedicated people -- like the super-intelligent Tony Cupo (a gentleman and scholar par excellence)-- helped to topple the Hague machine -- only to introduce a new generation of Jersey Cityites to the infamous "Kenny Machine." It would be too simple to call The Powerticians a Jersey City example of Machiavelli's the Prince. Instead, the Powerticians goes well beyond the Prince, and into another dimension -- that of Jersey City politics where political figures switch sides more often then you change your socks. In Jersey City, one time political allies turn into bickering foes at the drop of a hat, and vice-versa. Instead, this book is like Grave's I, Claudius, where the author discusses the history of Rome (the deals, corruptness, and betrayals) from the eyes of Claudius. The Powerticians does just that. It looks at Jersey City's political history of corruptness, back-room deals, and cloak-and-dagger episodes from the eyes of one of her Mayors, Tommy Smith. This is an excellent book covering the political history of Jersey City from the late 19th century. It is good, enjoyable reading. You'll read about the famous, the infamous, and the hilarious personalities of Jersey City's past. Well worth having in your library.

Required reading for anyone interested in urban politics

A concise history of the legendary political scene in Hudson County from the Gilded Age to the administration of the author and Mayor, the late Tommie Smith, in the early 1980s. While the author does drift a bit towards the book's end in just mentioning as many supporters as he can (hey, he IS from Jersey City), this book is perhaps the definitive history of the mayoralty of Frank Hague and his defeat at the hands of John V. Kenny after WWII.If you even want to understand Hudson County politics today, this book is required reading. If you want to learn about urban politics in Industrial Age America, this book is a great start.

Jersey City in the Hague era

Details and color from the era of legendary Irish bosses in American politics. Anyone with an interest in or a connection to Jersey City, Irish-Americans, or the beginnings of power in major US cities ought to enjoy this. Authoritatively written by a former mayor of JC.