Today's Chris Christie Lesson in Government

Gov. Christie to NY Gov. Paterson:  Stop screwing with us!

Gov. Chris Christie will not agree to add the Tappan Zee Bridge to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, a move that was recommended by New York Gov. David Paterson.

"I can't make this any clearer to New York than this: stop screwing with us," Christie said at a press conference this morning. "You're not going to come and pick our pockets. New Jersey is not going to permit it anymore."

Christie said the only reason New York was seeking to add the Tappan Zee to the Port Authority was to get New Jersey to pick up the bill for some of the expenses. The bridge is in need of $16 billion in repairs.

When the port district was established, Christie said New York intentionally left the Tappan Zee Bridge out of the port district so it could keep the toll revenue and not split with New Jersey.

"You want to keep all the money to yourself, then you pay for the cost yourself," he said.

"Stop screwing with us" would make a pretty good foreign policy as well.