Larson's Fear; Occupy Outta Here

If you compare the local version of a national trend, then the Tea Party has it all over the Occupy Wall Street crowd - at least in Hartford. This is quite an accomplishment for during every instance of a Tea Party rally at the State Capitol, thousands turned out for an organized, spirited rally - only to leave in a quiet, orderly manner. Contrast that with the comic rabble that shuffled away in the Tuesday night rain- all six of them - from their off-road colony they had set up near 1-91.

It used to take few hundred people to warrant press coverage for any political rally. If you are a Conservative, Libertarian, Tea Party or Republican leading group, you need thousands to get a paragraph from the establishment Connecticut media. During one rally where there were at least 5,000 people on the north side of the Capitol grounds, reporters couldn't be bothered to look out their fourth-floor office windows to see the Connecticut Tea Party gather.

But all the liberals and unions need are three mutts and a bullhorn and you have lead stories on local television, at 5, 6, and 11 p.m. Such was the case of Occupy Hartford, which collected little interest and intensity over the last two weeks. It's highlight was the arrest of Rhona Cohen, the wife of newly elected New Britain Mayor Tim O'Brien.

When the Tea Party came and left - there was no trash or arrests. The Occupy Hartford crowd managed to unnecessarily snarl rush hour traffic while racking up a sexual assault complaint, assorted drug use and at least one weapon's charge.

The dearth of passion for the Occupy movement is surprising for our capital city,since Hartford is a poverty city, one of the poorest in the country which cherishes in its diversity of entitlement and envy. You would think some of Hartford's non-profit leaders could have gotten away from their six-figure gigs to put a few homeless people, single-mothers, retired gang leaders or those who are looking for another $700 EBT card from the Department of Social Services out for a few hours of marching against "the man."

Other protests around this blue state have been more pathetic - four protesters in Torrington, about a dozen in New Haven even with ready made whiners from Yale and a handful in Old Saybrook. But each of them was dutifully reported by local medias as some seminal event. 

No doubt all Democrats running for Congress this year will employ the "it's us versus the one percent" so the Occupy Movement has done its job of marketing its message. No doubt Congressman John Larson from the 1st District, will be the most bombastic class warrior, which will complete his conversion from a once grounded, thoughtful moderate and modest teacher from East Hartford.

Larson spent Tuesday in Bristol arguing that the current district boundaries make complete sense to him and do not need any adjustment by the courts.  Who can argue? I mean, who wouldn't want to have a fire-proof district that allows him to serve as Nancy Pelosi's butler while his constituents either languishing abject, generational poverty or surrender their wealth to perpetuate a $15 trillion deficit?  The First District allows Larson to set priorities - like millions for his friends to development fuel cells that don't work, $700 million for the famed "bus to nowhere" and the bizarre plan to make the Colt Manufacturing site a national park.

If John Larson were in a remotely competitive district, he would be marking time. Let us hope the courts look at these rorschach-shaped Congressional districts and make cities and towns whole and consistent with their regions.

If you want to share your frustration with Congressman Larson, you can buy a $5,000 ticket from his Synergy PAC and hang out in a box at Fed-Ex Field in Maryland this weekend. That's the freight to watch the New England Patriots play the Washington Redskins. I am sure Good-Time Johnny will regale you with the latest from the Democratic Caucus or offer his side-splitting Marlon Brando imitation.