'Change has arrived'

TRENTON, N.J.-When Chris Christie's youngest daughter, Bridget, led the inaugural audience in the Pledge of Allegiance before her dad was sworn in as New Jersey's governor, the 6-year-old let slip out a smothered giggle right at "liberty and justice for all." The audience cooed, setting a cheerful tone for an inauguration ceremony with the recurring theme, "Change has arrived."

Christie became the state's first Republican governor in eight years when he defeated Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine, which along with Bob McDonnell's victory in the governor's race in Virginia represented two strong GOP showings in November. McDonnell, who took office on Saturday, made his first executive order the establishment of a state commission to create jobs and promote "free enterprise and opportunity."

Christie's inaugural speech sounded similar themes. Like other governors nationwide, the New Jersey chief executive faces a budget crisis-the largest budget deficit per person in the nation, totaling an estimated $10 billion by mid-year. Christie acknowledged the crisis, saying, "Our economy is struggling, our budget is in deep deficit, and our state is losing ground." He added, though, "There is fear and uncertainty, but fear and uncertainty are not necessary and do not have to be permanent."

Christie went on to promise a fiscally conservative response to the economic and budget crisis, vowing to lower taxes, shrink government, and hack red tape to spur entrepreneurship. He endorsed charter schools and alternatives to failed public schools. He applauded New Jersey heroes, including Jim Benedict, who, without the help of government funding, serves at a lunch kitchen at St. Peter's Church in Freehold, N.J. At first Christie mistakenly said the program operated three days a week but Benedict quickly corrected him, saying that it's four. Christie countered, "In this administration we're shooting for five."

Christie warned that New Jersey would have to cut programs, restrain state government, and curb municipal spending to become once again "a home for growth." He also took a stab at the federal government: "The era of expensive and sometimes thoughtless mandates from Washington must end. After all, the states are supposed to be laboratories of democracy, not guinea pigs for failed federal experiments."

Bret Schundler, Christie's new education commissioner, said that the budget crisis was first priority, despite his and Christie's passion for education: "You can't operate the government without paying the bills, so by far the budget crisis is number one." Christie's ousting of an incumbent Democrat has already sent "a clear signal" as to how people want that crisis solved, said Schundler: "People are afraid of the fiscal irresponsibility that they've seen by government, and they will take action."