Make Blue Red

Man of the Year - Gov. Dannel Malloy

2011-12-26T16:19:00.000-08:00

Dannel & Cathy Malloy (CT Post)

Few thought Dannel Malloy could make the transition from being a big city Mayor to running a $20 billion operation. In modern times, no one has ever been elected Governor in Connecticut who has come directly from City Hall to the Executive Mansion.

But Malloy did and since then, he has had it his way. Despite all the complaining by Democrats that he doesn't consult them or Republicans who claim he is a bully, Gov. Malloy has rammed through his agenda, leaving his opponents dazed and stupefied.

The Hartford political class is long accustomed to make Governors follow their calendars and schedules. Malloy runs on Malloy time and he has brilliantly distracted the media and politicians with slights on hand when he needs to change the subject.

In an ironic twist, the very trait that many thought would prevent him from succeeding, has provided the path toward rolling over obstacles with impunity.

Mayors are seen as parochial, who often get hives when they physically leave their borders. Mayors also deal with the retail end of politics and don't always gaze at the"big solutions," because they don't have time for such "big thinking" or want to risk rejection from voters who watched every property tax penny. Best to make sure the leaves are picked up and the dump takes old tires if you want to succeed.

Dannel Malloy doesn't avoid conflict, he runs to a fight and usually wins. But when he is faced with something unpleasant, he quickly starts a fire somewhere else and then puts it out.

A few examples of how Gov. Malloy has taken "bait and switch" to a new level:

Faced with many mouths to feed and no money to pay for those requests. Malloy figured out a way to control the veracity of the actual budget numbers by relying on his budget office (Office of Policy & Management) and ignoring the non-partisan Office of Fiscal Analysis.

Then, he and the Democrats, without a single Republican vote, simply raised taxes higher in one year than in all previous years dating back to the Charter Oak. Malloy made a few trims along the edges of union contracts and working conditions and declared victory. Malloy now say "we have an honest budget" although there is no independent way to measure it.

Gov. Malloy claims there is a $110 million surplus. No serious person believes it, but no one has asked the tough questions about the numbers. Budget cuts, the Employee Suggestion Box and other promised savings have yet to be added or subtracted from the state's spread sheet. At the very least, Connecticut is short $500 million.

The state employee unions also play into Malloy's long-term plans to show the nation how a strong governor governs. Having escaped any serious layoffs or cuts in pay, having secured every state jobs for several years along with pension rights and health care benefits, union members still complain that they somehow got shanked by Gov. Malloy during negotiations. Most people would gladly get stabbed to guarantee their jobs regardless of honesty or performance.

Meanwhile, the long-term debt meter continues to spin and spin an spin, nearing $60 billion in unfunded liabilities and making Connecticut near the top nationwide in per capital debt.

You want jobs? Malloy started handing out millions to companies that threatened to move like CIGNA, or threw $400 million to Jackson Laboratories to bring a research facility to the University of Connecticut Health Care Center. Malloy believes Jackson will create 7,600 over the long-term. There is no way to measure what the long-term means, but if, after 10 years, Jackson doesn't produce 300 direct jobs, the state can say - "oh, well."

The same can be said of the $815 million 12-mile bus line from New Britain to Hartford, which is paid for with federal and state funds. This project laid in some in-box gathering well-deserved bureaucratic dust when Gov. Malloy saw an opportunity to placate the trade unions and minorities. Rather than apply it to repairing Metro North rail cars or fix rail beds elsewhere for improved freight hauling, Malloy saw hard hats and rolling stock.

Malloy also saw an easy way to have friendly contractors who will let the Malloy 2014 campaign access to its site when bulldozers are moving earth or cranes are hoisting girders.

During the disasterous snow storm which knocked power out for a week and a half and caused many residents to consider burning their shingles for heat or breaking into cans of Hormel Chili, Malloy tortured radio listeners with almost hourly update of what service wasn't being restored, to be followed by the hapless Jeff Butler, CEO of Connecticut Light & Power.

Malloy waited several days before deploying the Connecticut National Guard to clear debris. This lack of leadership or his ability to expedite other assistance from neighboring state was over-shadowed by Butler's equal incompetence.

As tempers boiled in frustration from residents, Gov. Malloy cut back on his informational updates and allowed Butler to painfully twist in the winds of public judgment.

When the scandal or ineptitude knocked on his door, Gov. Malloy showed an adept form of side stepping the glare of accountability.

Following Storm Irene, thousands of Connecticut residents took full advantage of sloppy and criminally negligent oversight of a federal program designed to help poor people replace perishables. But, when over 800 state employees were suspected of joining this free-for-all and grabbing EBT cards that they weren't entitled to, Malloy held a Sunday press conference to address the problem and then headed to California.

Recently, as workers saw some of their state with-holding often wipe out their earnings due to a software malfunction, Malloy put it on the private contractors for messing up and placed Commissioner of Revenue Services Kevin Sullivan in witness protection to avoid offering an explanation.

But Connecticut is only a stepping stone for the Malloy machine. He isn't waiting for anyone. Malloy has made frequent trips across the country to share his management insights, helps raise money for the Democrat's Governors Association and pops on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," to make nice with Mica Brezinski, a former Connecticut TV reporter.

Dannel Malloy has by an measure made his mark - for good or bad - and for that, he must be given his due. And besides, Gov. Malloy owns a Jack Russell Terrier. That's all you need to know.

Dick's Exploding Cigar

2011-12-22T17:04:00.000-08:00

Imagine if Blumenthal had his way during WWII?

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-CT, continues to belittle the office he has sought for a lifetime. With western civilization twirling down the toilet, our junior senator continues his half-assed, hypocritical attack on the easiest of targets - the tobacco industry.

The Associated Press took the bait when it noted that Blumenthal, joined by the brain-dead U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-NJ and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL, are asking the sponsors of the Orange Bowl to break its three-year contract with Camacho Cigars. The cigar company will be providing their product in private, repeat, private smoking areas at the stadium.

Let us forget for a moment that the U.S. Constitution protects the sovereignty of contracts, or the wrapper used in these cigars is grown in Connecticut, (good catch Tom Dudchik) and that no one will be blowing cigar smoke into the faces of infants or little old ladies with oxygen tanks during the three hours of gridiron action.

It is more important to review the House of Cards that Blumenthal has quietly built when dealing with the evil Tobacco Industry and why this current move is so ludicrous and typical of this horrible excuse for an elected official.

Back in those halcyon days on the 1990's, when Dick watched the Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore do a majority of the successful legal work against the industry, he handed out millions of dollars in legal fees to his former law partner - David Golub and another firm with ties to Golub for the biggest payday in trial lawyer history.

"There will be no diving for this cigar."

When the dust had settled, Dick Blumenthal watched the Democrats in the Connecticut Legislature spend or borrow against the hundreds of millions of dollars in tobacco settlement money to grow the state bureaucracy. These dollars were in essence, free money and those funds papered over shortfalls, built new programs and put taxpayers on the hook to sustain those expenditures when the tobacco inheritance dried up.

But to save some face, these liberal Democrats who often made pronouncements about "helping the kids" offered nickels and dimes for anti-smoking programs to stop kids from lighting up.

And how did that work out? Smoking by underage children is at a record high in Connecticut. Blumenthal held press conferences of course about it, decrying the lack of resolve and action by Democrats, but everyone got the joke.

A Merry Christmas For the Bureaucrats

2011-12-19T07:53:00.000-08:00

Find the State Workers in this EBT Line and Win a Free Gift

During this season of reflection, many of us try and focus on the good that we see in each other - our family, friends, neighbors and fellow citizens. We throw an extra dollar in the Salvation Army bucket or a sawbuck for the newspaper delivery boy. We over-do it with our grandchildren, knowing that we shouldn't, but give way to the spirit of the season.

This year, while many grateful are for their health and the love of their family, a growing percentage of our citizens are mired in worry. Will a job be there next year or can a job be found? Will a parent have to move in because of costs or lack of options for care? How will a high school graduate find the means to higher education? How much more will we have to pay in taxes? These are all the questions of the day for many of what used to be called the Middle Class.

There are no such fears in the political or government class - for every day is Christmas. For the state employees who pad their pensions with overtime or hazardous duty pay, there is no thought to the impact it has on those who end up carrying those commitments for 20, 30 or 40 years. For the employee who is overweight, a smoker or a drinker, there is free health care -endless supplies of Lipitor - while a taxpayer would be lucky to pay $30 for a month's supply.

If you work at the University of Connecticut, well, your ship always comes in. Tired of teaching 18 kids at a time? Santa is bringing another 300 professors to Storrs. The freight for this gift to higher education will be passed to parents in the form of a 28 percent tuition hike over four years. Those retreating to some of the Branch Universities will likely face a similar fate.

Maybe you are a state worker who works with the poor and indigent. You make a high five figure or low six-figure salary processing claims, keeping the welfare hamster cage running when one day you see a easy way to grab a few hundred dollars. No one will miss it. In fact, this opportunity should be shared with other brothers and sisters in the union - even those who wear a uniform and carry a gun.

In the Legislature, Christmas stockings are always being filled with favors and handouts to people who are unemployable. Only in Connecticut can a part-time job as a Legislator get you full health care benefits and an average salary of $30,000 before you get into mileage or the grand titles that get you another tidy vig. In the State Senate, everyone's a leader. And, only in Connecticut, can 10 years of "service" get you lifetime benefits at little cost.

You can be a spouse or a significant other of a Legislator or staffer and the world is your oyster. Need a gig for the Session or maybe a Task Force? No problem, just be ready to work on a campaign.

The House Democrats lose 15 seats in the 2010 Election, but didn't lose a body. And if you work for House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, you can spend your lunch hour making fundraising calls for his Congressional effort to show your appreciation.

Gov. Dannel Malloy has also been good to those who know their place. He has brought some discipline to the political world simply based on a winter-clear premise - follow his direction or pay the price. It is refreshing that Malloy is capable of delivering coal with a smile on his face. Aside from Donovan, Malloy has been pretty benevolent, which makes the ungrateful attitude of state employees to their boss so puzzling. Jobs are guaranteed, health care benefits are abundant, pensions with little asked in return.

Yes, it has been a good year for the state employees, their Democrat sponsors in the Legislature and Executive Chambers and the non-profits who employ those who can't get a job with either group. For the rest of us, it's finding loose change in the sofa and asking the newsie if a couple of cookies will make everything square.

UConn's Shameless Appeal for More Tribute

2011-12-14T07:13:00.000-08:00

"Resistance is futile!"

After a record tax-increase on Connecticut taxpayers, phony budget numbers that would land a CPA in Leavenworth and welfare fraud perpetuated by those who are supposed to be watching fraud, you might find it difficult to find another depraved example of institutional entitlement.

But then, we have the University of Connecticut to help us see how there is plenty of room for growth in this industry of unaccountability and indifference to the needs of the common folk. Once upon time, the goal of UConn was to provide an affordable and vigorous higher education experience for Connecticut residents. And under Republican and Democrat care, UConn has become a Death Star, consuming and laying waste to every taxpayer and legislator in its path toward the Holy Grail of endless subsidy.

Tuesday, UConn ramped up their public relations campaign to sell another big tuition hike - between five and six percent to pay for more college professors and more bricks and mortar. It's hard to see what piece of grass is left to pave or waterway to suck dry at the Storrs campus. The new UConn President, Susan Herbst, a bright and affable person, told the story of college students weeping in her office over this predicament.

These tuition hikes are need to reduce the teacher to student ratio from 18-1, to 15-1 in the classroom. Not sure a professor can tell the difference between 18 and 15, or that correcting three more papers or tests is going to cause a work slow down for many of these six-figure professors, but it's still good to plan ahead.

After four billion in tax dollars through UConn 200 and Vision 21st Century, UConn has built itself into a monolith while escaping any serious inspection or oversight. Meanwhile, the increased tuition costs have made the school unattainable for many Connecticut families.

No act of incompetence or fraud shames the UConn partisans - both elected and appointed.

After $28 million was spent correcting construction of new dormitories to correct 481 code violations 2006, no UConn officials were held accountable. Tuition and fees were used to build the fund to pay off that foul-up.

And as the big-time college athletic programs fell victim to the predictable scandals of recruitment violations and ethically challenged recruits, UConn supporters simply shrugged and pointed to the National Championship banners and asked Athletic Director Jeff Hathaway to hit the bricks. Hathaway didn't leave because of the violations, but for not vigorously defending Hall of Fame Coach Jim Calhoun in the public eye.

Not one member of the political class seems to care. UConn needs money. Give UConn money and remind the athletic department about those court-side seats at Gampel or the XLcenter. And more money will be coming with the approval of the Jackson Labs deal at the UConn Medical Center. When all is said and done, or not done - taxpayers will be on the hook for millions in subsidies to support UConn Medical Center, where the 300 research jobs are attained or not. Under any management model, UConn Medical Center would have been closed long ago or sold off to cover its endless deficits. Instead, the Democrats and some Republicans work out a deal to pay off rival hospitals to keep quiet and nibble at the crumbs of referrals and set asides.

Too bad UConn wasn't a publicly traded stock - I would be long.

Larson's Fear; Occupy Outta Here

2011-12-07T12:12:00.000-08:00

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.

Rise of Newt Will Help Mitt Focus on Barry

2011-12-02T09:11:00.000-08:00

There isn't a conservative Republican I know that wouldn't give a week's pay to watch Newt Gingrich debate Barack Obama. Republicans would cancel summer vacations or call in sick to watch the Newtster expose The One as the poser and destroyer of dreams. Newt would get under Obama's skin and it would take about 40 minutes before we saw the real O - indignant, petulant and pissed off that anyone is smarter - and knows it.

Gingrich is having a good laugh while Mitt Romney continues to hold meetings and come up with new spread sheets and power points. Romney's operation does run like a computer, while Gingrich shuffles along with his wife, a few friends, sleeps in supporter's homes and making it up as he goes along.

Back during the Iowa straw poll this summer, I ran into Gingrich and his wife, Calista, at the Iowa State Fair. He had no staff or handlers. Later, at the airport, we ran into them again. No staff. Little has changed since in terms of structure, save a few long-time supporters. Gingrich will likely outrun his supplies lines.

Meanwhile, Romney looks like a man who can't understand why hungry dogs won't eat his dog food that he has spent millions test-marketing and taste testing. His incredulous manner with Brett Baier of FOX News over his health care plan as Governor of Massachusetts says much about what Romney must overcome to beat President Obama if he becomes the nominee.

After five years, Romney still does not understand messaging and marketing. He still does not grasp that the questions he is getting today will be questions he gets tomorrow through and up to the November, 2012 Election. Many business people who get into politics often resist accepting the sometime bizarre nature of politics. When they get asked a question by a reporter and answer it, they assume the reporter shares it with other reporters and that every voter has read it and checked it off their issue's list.

Romney acted as if Brett Baier hadn't read his 59-point economic plan or understood the complexity of the situation when Massachusetts adopted their state-run, insurance mandated health plan. When Romney signed it, the late Ted Kennedy was there to congratulate him. Romney did not do anything to dispel that image. Now he wants Conservatives to rip their shirts off like they did for Barry Goldwater at the Cow Palace in 1964?

Romney is smart, organized and actually, very personable and funny. But Romney is playing the campaign very safe, thinking that if he doesn't make any mistakes or gaffe's, Barack Obama will lose the Election because this Election is about Barack Obama. Conservatives don't believe in trying to trim along the edges. They, and I include myself in this thinking, think in black and white, good versus evil or light versus darkness.

Barack Obama has taken the country so far away from its founding principles that even moderate people are getting worried and are beginning to see what is going on. Obama still represents a good chunk of the voters who want the government to make things easy for them, wants to grab from some one's pocket or truly believe the government has most of the answers.

If anything, Gingrich will compel Romney to toughen up, to come out from under the soft light and put an edge to his banter. And don't count some other candidates from making a final impression or playing a role down the line.

The Iowa caucus is still wide open and always unpredictable. Congressman Ron Paul is capable of winning that or finishing second. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum could finish in the top three based on his credentials with social Conservatives. If Romney worse than second and Gingrich comes close in New Hampshire, Gov. Rick Perry (my candidate) could emerge before the fight moves to Florida.

The good news for Romney is this - most people can see him as a President, more than capable of managing a federal bureaucracy, working with legislative leaders and being a solid role model. Elections, though, are about voter intensity and that is where Romney must find his inner Mitt to put the Newt away and get ready for Barry.

Blumenthal's Lonely Life

2011-11-29T08:09:00.000-08:00

Official Portrait - Richard Blumenthal

Richard Blumenthal is dying a slow political death. After waiting for the perfect opportunity to join the U.S. Senator, the former state Attorney General is lost in the seniority quagmire of the world's most exclusive club.

Dick is near the bottom of the pile with very little time to move up and assume any meaningful role in national public policy.

Probably the worst indignation was the dismissal of his legacy by his able successor, Attorney General George Jepsen, who summarily closed hundreds of Blumenthal's meritless investigations and files on businesses and individuals. Corporate leaders and politico's are remarking the breath of freedom they feel from not having to deal with Blumenthal's army of lawyers or waiting for the Man to appear for his five minutes of attention at local events.

The new gig in the Senate is not built for Dick Blumenthal's narcisstic demeanor. Blumenthal is also a loner's loner, a personality not conducive to the back slapping, bourbon sipping protocols of Senate life. And since he has no core beliefs, Blumenthal doesn't have a cause to run with and burn a national image. And at age 65, there are not enough days left to make an impression.

Dick Blumenthal is about Dick Blumenthal and his validation is derived from being bathed in public view. After spending 20 years as the Zelig of Connecticut political life, Blumenthal is now The Man Who Never Was.

Desperate for the attention and deprived of a dutiful Capitol press core who gave unfiltered coverage of every frivolous lawsuit or public shaming of evil corporation, Blumenthal has digressed to his vaudeville act that served him so well in the past. Really, you can't expect Dick Blumenthal to be reduced to committee work or presiding over the Senate during quorum calls.

Over the last month, Blumenthal came home to talk about dangerous toys, cable charges and most recently has derided feeds charged by businesses for lay-a-way purchases.

Meanwhile, the national debt has soared to $15 trillion, unemployment remains at historic levels, the Middle East is on fire and Dick Blumenthal has been talking about whether kids should be left alone with their Lego's.

Slowly, the media is calling him out. They have figured out this act and are pondering - whydid we elect Dick Blumenthal to be a serious member of the U.S. Senator, rather than a consumer affairs barker?

John Bowman of the Greenwich Time launched a pointed tirade from his blog recently, saying:

"I guess he doesn’t realize he got promoted to a new job. Funny, I don’t recall Joe Lieberman ever ranting about Metro North fares or any such local nonsense after he was promoted from AG to US Senator."

That, from the hometown paper, assuming Dick has a hometown.

And The Day of New London, one of the more liberal periodicals who vilified Republican Linda McMahon, slammed Blumenthal with a full throttled editorial blast.

"The appearance, and the message, didn't seem very senatorial and harkened back to the senator's two-decade-long stint as Connecticut's attorney general, when his video-friendly news conferences made him a regular on local TV news."

Not that this will discourage the 97th Senator from informing us on the dangers of twist-off bottles, prickly heat or radio emissions from cell towers. The good news is that voters are already forgetting him.

The 99 Percent Solution

2011-11-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

Even though U.S. Senator Dick "His Only Interest Is You" Blumenthal, D-CT, was revealed to be the 11th richest member of Congress with an individual net asset value of $73 million, count on the Democrats to adopt a "us versus the rich guys," approach to the 2012 Election.

3rd District Congressman Rosa DeLauro, D-CT, the Diaper Queen, is also in the top 20, with a new value of $16 million.

1st District Congressman John Larson, D-CT, (net worth, $280k) continues to support the motley crew of Occupy Wall Street protesters by preaching fairness in our tax policies while pocketing tribute from big corporations like Aetna and United Technologies. Larson thinks we are too stupid to spot this duplicitous nonsense.

Would Larson support a large mob in downtown Hartford if the protesters were harassing workers and fouling the place with excrement, public sex acts and drug use? Thankfully, Hartford was spared any serious demonstration because almost all of them were state employees on their lunch hour. Larson's comments are another example of his shallowness. For the record, Larson has called the Occupy Wall Street as "the embodiment of the frustration of the American people."

Tell you what, go ask the patrons at the famed "Augie and Ray's" about the protesters and see what they come up with. I am sure embodiment is not a word anyone dining there would use.

These comments and other liberal moral equivalency are just the beginning for the Democrats.

The "99 percent" solution is the only play for President Obama, the unions and the left as their hopes of holding the White House or reclaiming the House of Representatives fades like an old Kodachrome photo.

Here is how it will play out. Obama and any demagogic Democrat will set the tone this way:

"If we are not careful, the rich, the wealthy who have gotten exponentially richer over the last 10 years, will continue to grab and take what is left of our economy and limit opportunities for the rest of us. The rich will keep hording wealth and not pay their fair share of taxes. All we want is for everyone to give back an appropriate amount based on their good fortune."

"We need tax fairness, we need the government to balance the scales so we have a vibrant Middle Class and not very rich Americans and those slipping into poverty and hopelessness. For economic and social justice to happen requires investments in education, health care and infrastructure and we can't do that until those who can afford it, pay more."

Indeed, Congressman Chris Murphy, D-CT, (net worth $90k) has started to roll out that diatribe, recently telling students at Yale that the current tax structure cannot support the current outlays of the government - read higher rates for businesses and the rich - and yesterday, blaming Republicans and the Tea Party from stopping spending on, well, bridges, roads and rails.

"It is pure politics motivating Republicans to oppose the president's jobs' bill that economists say would put people back to work, while making important upgrades and improvements to the nation's transportation infrastructure such as highways, bridges, tunnels and rail lines,"

Murphy said.

"I have never been more frustrated in government because Congress has been brought to a standstill by Tea Party and Republican extremists who want to hurt the president at the expense of the middle class and poor. There is no other way to interpret vote after vote in the House against anything the president proposes. Nothing can move forward."

What Congressman Murphy fails to mention is the U.S. Senate, where he wants to work next and is controlled by Democrats, has yet to vote on Obama's second stimulus package. Nor does he mention his vote for the first $1 trillion Congress put to a blow torch under Obama's vision of redistribution of wealth.

But that is Opi's way - play the passive aggressive act - provide soothing visions of a happy world, offering radical solutions until called out, and then backpedalling with more soothing gobble.

No doubt, Murphy will employ all of the envy tactics against Republican Linda McMahon in the Senate campaign. McMahon would do well to talk about how she built her empire from scratch, lost it all, and got it back again through hard work, luck and risk.

With any luck, there will be enough Connecticut residents not employed by the government or soured by the ruined economy, to understand that the answer doesn't lie with those who take and hand to others, but those who build and ask others to be a part of it.

GOP Building Bench with Solid 2011 Gains

2011-11-11T14:38:00.000-08:00

The results from the Tuesday municipal elections can be seen many ways but Republicans should feel pretty good. The Democrats rightly boasted of winning Milford, Middletown and Southbury. The Republicans counter that when all the towns were totalled up, the GOP team added five municipalities that are run by Republicans for a total of 104 - an historic modern day high.

The lack of interest in a complete statewide tally by the traditional news sources allowed the Democrats to temporarily declare pyric victories when Hartford, Waterbury, Middletown and New London came in before 9:00 p.m. Tuesday. In the old days, the Associated Press or the Hartford Courant would take in the totals. Budget cuts have required everyone to fend for themselves so the Democrats effectively jumped and hoped no one would add it. Tom Dudchik's CT CAPITOL REPORT started to raise the fairness in coverage issue.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton won w/ 70%

By week's end, the real numbers didn't lie - things are looking good for the Republican team in Connecticut. The GOP has solidified a lot of Democratic territory while developing some new exciting leaders. For the Democrats, it was a reaffirmation of long-term leadership playing to those who depend on a government check to pass the day.

But let's look at the GOP losses:

Middletown - As someone who was deeply involved in the Seb Giuliano campaign in Middletown, losing to Democrat Dan Drew was downright lousy. Drew enjoyed significant financial and tactical support from the state Democrat Party, the Democrat House caucus and Gov. Dan Malloy. Giuliano is one of the better leaders the Republican have produced - tough, sometimes stubborn but a straight shooter who got things done.

Anyone who has been through Middletown marvels at the economic activity downtown. Drew effectively puffed up his resume and got out the core Democrat vote in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans, 3-1. Drew had paid staff and lots of ground game. Credit to them - but heads up Dan, the Serra Machine and the other old timers will want their tribute. Should be a fun two years.
Seb will be back.

Southbury - Local business owner and incumbent William Davis was unable to get his campaign moving amid much division within the rank and file. In October, he raised $815 while his Democrat opponent, Ed Edelson, raised $14,000. A local newspaper story about a town official goofing off on town time didn't help either. It was only the second time since the Revolutionary War that a Democrat has won the First Selectman's seat and the board. GOP will rebound in two years once they have healed and coalesced around a leader.

Milford - It is hard to hold power for over a generation and still look fresh to the voters no matter how good a job you have done. Republicans have ruled City Hall for 22 years, but when Mayor James Richatelli decided to step down for a job in the Milford school system, the Democrats were ready. Republican Bob Joy was a good candidate but Democrat Ben Blake was better. Losing Milford was a blow but it happens.

New Britain and Newington, coupled with Middletown have always been cities and towns where Republicans have been playing with house money.Not a surprise for Democrats to win.

The GOP highlight reel was led by the return of East Haven's Joe Maturo who beat the loathsome Mayor April Capone by a narrow margin. Maturo had been ousted in 2007 after 12 years by Capone who managed to piss off just about every business owner, police officer and beach front owner in town. Despite having every Democrat federal official on hand after Hurricane Irene, Capone did not take advantage of a crisis.

1st GOP Reelect in 40 yrs:
Trumbull's Tim Herbst

Republican incumbents did well in towns long thought to be problematic - Mark Boughton winning with 70 percent of the vote in Danbury, Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst becoming the first GOP leader in 40 years to be reelected, Derby's Anthony Staffieri holding on by a few dozen votes while Norwalk's Dick Moccia, Shelton's Mark Lauretti and Walingford's William Dickenson cruised to victory.

In several suburban towns long dominated by Democrats, Republicans held onto or make a net gain. Wethersfield Republicans kept their 6-3 majority on the town council, the GOP won control in Plainville, South Windsor, Windsor Locks, Cromwell, Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman's hometown of Tolland, Seymour, Marborough, Beacon Falls (against long-time First Selectman Nancy Cable) and smaller towns like Harwinton and Hampton. Republicans also held Vernon after four-term Mayor Jason McCoy stepped down to run for U.S. Senate. Vernon is the hometown of Congressman Joe Courtney.

Somers 1st Selectman Lisa Pellegrini

And in Bristol, Republican Mary Alford came up inches short against the befuddled Mayor Art Ward, while her GOP City Council candidates won five of the six seats, another historic milestone. This is the second election is a row where Republicans have won the popular vote, selecting Tom Foley for Governor and propelling Jason Welch to the State Senate. That is a friendly trend.

Many of these Republican leaders are young, whip-smart and popular, but also possess a discipline streak when it comes to campaigning.

Aside from Boughton, other Republicans who are in good position for the future include Herbst, Stamford Mayor Mike Pavia, Torrington Mayor Ryan Bingham, new Darien First Selectwoman Jayme Stevenson, Somers First Selectwoman Lisa Pellegrini and Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesi.

Darien 1st Selectwoman
Jayme Stevenson

Malloy and Wyman fell over themselves to be talk about their success. Today, Republicans are still the Party of Main Street in Connecticut. No amount of spinning can change that. This now puts the political infrastructure for 2012 in Republican hands. GOP activists work the hardest during the municipal races. If they can sustain that for legislative candidates, then next year will be different.

Democrat First Selectwoman Mary Glassman, the darling of many in liberal circles, offered an honest assessment on which party is more in-tuned with the everyday voter.

Glassman told the Courant:

"There is still the perception that Democrats are the spenders. At the state level, that is true,'' Glassman said. "You have to have a more moderate message. You have to prove that you are going to do more with less revenue … that the only solution isn't just to raise taxes. With the Democratic Party label, it is hard to explain.''

Scary Time for the Ship of State

2011-10-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

We are often formed by our first real serious job. Our skills and demeanor are honed during those first years of adult life to survive and to climb the career ladder. Gov. Dannel Malloy is no different. He was a prosecutor in his early days and his demeanor is, well, aggressive. He does not tolerate fools or delays well. Prosecutors do not have time for niceties. To a DA, it's "take the deal or face a jury," or "your client will have to do some time;" or "this evidence is weak and the witnesses are shaky - kick the case."

It seemed like the natural personality to be Governor after the matronly, disengaged Rell era.

You have to respect Gov. Malloy for his clarity of purpose. He is taking names and no prisoners. Since he took office, Malloy has never looked beyond the next day in his approach to governance. He easily rolled House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, who was on his way out and up to run for Congress and Senate President Pro Tempore Don Williams, D-Brooklyn, who simply wants a job, any job to get him out from under.

That leaves the Republican opposition who are numerically insignificant, but who have managed to propel a common sense, thoughtful alternative during Malloy's first Legislative session. House Republican Leader Larry Cafero, R-Norwalk, has single-handedly brought discipline to the Republican message. Senate Republican Leader John McKinney, R-Fairifield, a extremely articulate leader has allowed new State Senators Joseph Markley, R-Southington, Len Suzio, R-Meriden and Jason Welch, R-Bristol to emerge as conservative voices long missing in both chambers. The consistency of the Republican message and the votes that go with it will pay out in 2012 - just ask the Congressional Republicans who opposed President Obama's health care and economic policies in 2009.

The media called the Republicans the "party of no," and "obstructionists." Moderate Republicans rung their hands, but Conservatives won the 2010 Election and with it, the House of Representatives.

This week, the Democrats will bow to Malloy on his absurd $500 million attempt to manage Connecticut's dying economy.The question is whether the Republicans will resist the temptation to pour perfume on the pig and embrace it. The stink on the $300 million Jackson Laboratory deal is beginning to waft to the House Chamber. It took the state of Florida two years to figure out this was a laughable ripoff that no one other than a Democrat would support. The Malloy administration has taken a few months to see it as a steal.

The reason is simple - Reelection television ads for Gov. Malloy. They are already been storyboarded - Dan Malloy in hard hat pointing to the horizon; Dan Malloy standing over blueprints, running his finger across a design while others nod approvingly.

But Malloy won't be denied. He saw the opportunity and we will worry about the details later. Speaker Donovan is running for Congress and has his staff making contribution calls in the hallways of the LOB. Williams is still looking for a job.

But will Cafero and McKinney do what is necessary to stop it all or raise enough of a stink that voters figure out this mess? It is unclear.

These deals will go through, adding to the Malloy mystique but aggravating a disastrous financial outlook for the taxpayers of the state. The numbers are indeed adding up.

Malloy's largest tax increase since George Washington slept here budget has a built in $1 billion surplus, fueled by higher income, sales and energy taxes. It may not be enough because the Connecticut economy has had enough. Wall Street returns for the last quarter are off while housing remains flat. And in an ironic twist, Malloy's plan to get state employees to pony up money for their health care and to take precautionary health exams is working. Well, it's working for the employees. Under the plan, the administration hoped only half the state's workforce would elect to take the health exams rather than pay a premium. Over 90 percent have signed up, meaning the state will have to find another $200 million.

Sadly, no one really knows what the true picture of Connecticut's finances. The state Comptroller believes there is a $78 million surplus. No one believes that. No one has heard from state Treasurer Denise Nappier about the impact of any of these corporate handouts on the state's bond rating. The Democrats control all the budget data and information. The Office of Fiscal Analysis, the supposedly independent agency on budget matters, has been silenced.

And remember the Malloy Suggestion Box for state employees? That was supposed to enlist the thoughtful ideas of state workers and managers on how better to deliver state services at lower costs. No one has reported how that program is going which is supposed to generate $200 million in budget savings.

But those are the details of governance that mean little to those who rule with impunity - secure in their knowledge that no one - neither the media, the business community - will question their agenda. It is a scary time indeed.

Occcupied

2011-10-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

Do you get the feeling that civilized Western society is coming apart at the seems? You would think that by watching CNN lately with all the baton wielding and mace spraying going on. Makes you wonder what all the fuss is about. But timing is everything. President Obama is sinking. Nothing is working, Time to change the subject. So, we get the usual liberal protest groups, hand out some street money, start building an Internet bonfire, and you get an instant public insurrection.

Then, once the crowd is assembled, enter the double-standard of the state-run media and the coverage of the various "Occupy Insert American City" demonstrations held around the country. The number of people has been relatively small compared to the legions of Tea Party demonstrators, but that hasn't stopped the salivating and mundane coverage by mainstream journalism. The media became bored with the Tea Party when it kept showing up with big numbers, delivered a succinct message and then went home in an orderly manner.

It became a predictable, boring story for the caffeinated TV outlets who have little use for people that waive an American flag, oppose big government, talk about God and pick up after themselves.

There is also a written rule among TV News assignment editors that once a crew has been dispatched, something must be filmed and hyped regardless of the reality of the situation. Local TV has taken this to showing empty intersections where car accidents occurred or burned out condo's where "three-alarm blazes ripped through the tenement." A demonstration based on the inequality of incomes and unfairness of life with the possibility of violence - that's a cropper.

Occupy Hartford is a case in point, since most of the demonstrators where either state workers or legislative aides on their lunch hour or the usual light-weight leftists that are looking to pick up girls at sit-in.

The Hartford crew moved their tents from the Bushnell Park to another patch of grass near the YWCA when the 14,000 runners from the Hartford Marathon descended on the famed park Saturday. Two protesters stood at the side of the road with signs denouncing greed and capitalism. Mot of the runners finishing the half marathon were more concerned with having enough to look good at the War Memorial Arch. One sign read "Stop the f---ing Greed." Charming. Does the sign apply to state and federal employees who don't want to give up anything substantive in their compensation? We know the answer. To these protestors, jobs are measured in more cops, teachers, nurses or anyone willing to sign a union card.

Across the country, the Occupy mobs are acting like mobs - begging for a fight and almost relishing it when they can show a bloody skull for an undefined cause. These are not laid off stock brokers, lawyers, CPA's, developers or blue collars workers who have gone many months without a check. They are lay-abouts with no skills other than a elitist sense of entitlement. Yet, the media gives one the impression that this is a worldwide rebellion. Witness Europe, where public outrage over any reduction in nanny state goodies gets the local hooligans out to turn over a police car.

But our President, an American President, sees these miscreants as his ticket back to the White House. Let us assume that Barack Obama actually believes in the 99 percent argument, which I believe he does. But it is truly dumb politics to think playing to this emotion and crowd will lead a majority of voters in key states to give Obama another four years is truly delusional.

Americans know and believe the banks got sweet deals. They did. Both George W. Bush and Obama fed the banks and didn't get any scalps in return. Angelo Mozillo runs free as do Franklin Raines and the other thieves at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Chris Dodd has a sweet job. The high and the mighty - those who work in government and those who feed off it - have kept their piece of the action.,

Obama policies to prevent the housing market to hit bottom so it can rebound and allow diligent homeowners to regain equity and provide affordable homes to those who can pay, is the defining policy decision that will sink him.

Since Obama has never had to sweat a mortgage payment or understand how a home is the linchpin of American life in terms of wealth and social cohesion, he doesn't grasp how truly scared and pissed off people are. A new study shows the unemployment rate to be much higher than the 9.1 percent that is broadcast monthly. Double it in most cases - especially many white collar workers who threw in with Obama, hoping he would be truly be different.

Obama is different. But at least someone wil be making some good money over this. Occupy Wall Street t-shirts, in sizes small to 3-x are retailing for $20 on-line. Eight colors available.

Are We Coming Apart?

2011-10-16T17:35:00.000-07:00

Do you get the feeling that civilized Western society is coming apart at the seems? You would think that by watching CNN lately with all the baton wielding and mace spraying going on. Makes you wonder what all the fuss is about. Timing is everything. President Obama is sinking. Nothing is working, Time to change the subject.

Enter the double-standard of the state-run media and the coverage of the various "Occupy Insert American City" demonstrations held around the country. The number of people has been relatively small compared to the legions of Tea Party demonstrators, but that hasn't stopped the salivating and mundane coverage by mainstream journalism. The media became bored with the Tea Party when it kept showing up with big numbers, delivered a succinct message and then went home in an orderly manner.

It became a predictable, boring story for the caffeinated TV outlets who have little use for people that waive an American flag, oppose big government, talk about God and pick up after themselves.

There is also a written rule among TV News assignment editors that once a crew has been dispatched, something must be filmed and hyped regardless of the reality of the situation. Local TV has taken this to showing empty intersections where car accidents occurred or burned out condo's where "three-alarm blazes ripped through the tenement." A demonstration based on the inequality of incomes and unfairness of life with the possibility of violence - that's a cropper.

Occupy Hartford is a case in point, since most of the demonstrators where either state workers or legislative aides on their lunch hour or the usual light-weight leftists that are looking to pick up girls at sit-in. The Hartford crew moved their tent from the Bushnell Park to another patch of grass near the YWCA when the 14,000 runners from the Hartford Marathon descended on the famed park Saturday. Two protesters stood at the side of the road with signs denouncing greed and capitalism. Mot of the runners finishing the half marathon were more concerned with having enough to look good at the War Memorial Arch. One sign read "Stop the f---ing Greed." Charming. Does the sign apply to state and federal employees who don't want to give up anything substantive in their compensation? We know the answer. To these protestors, jobs are measured in more cops, teachers, nurses or anyone willing to sign a union card.

Across the country, the Occupy mobs are acting like mobs - begging for a fight and almost relishing it when they can show a bloody skull for an undefined cause. These are not laid off stock brokers, lawyers, CPA's, developers or blue collars workers who have gone many months without a check. They are lay-abouts with no skills other than a elitist sense of entitlement. Yet, the media gives one the impression that this is a worldwide rebellion. Witness Europe, where public outrage over any reduction in nanny state goodies gets the local hooligans out to turn over a police car.

But our President, an American President, sees these miscreants as his ticket back to the White House. Let us assume that Barack Obama actually believes in the 99 percent argument, which I believe he does. But it is truly dumb politics to think playing to this emotion and crowd will lead a majority of voters in key states to give Obama another four years is truly delusional.

Americans know and believe the banks got sweet deals. They did. Both George W. Bush and Obama fed the banks and didn't get any scalps in return. Angelo Mozillo runs free as do Franklin Raines and the other thieves at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Chris Dodd has a sweet job. The high and the mighty - those who work in government and those who feed off it - have kept their piece of the action.,

Obama policies to prevent the housing market to hit bottom so it can rebound and allow diligent homeowners to regain equity and provide affordable homes to those who can pay, is the defining policy decision that will sink him.

Since Obama has never had to sweat a mortgage payment or understand how a home is the linchpin of most Americans life in terms of wealth and social cohesion, he doesn't grasp how truly scared and pissed off people are. A new study shows the unemployment rate to be much higher than the 9.1 percent that is broadcast monthly. Double it in most cases - especially many white collar workers who threw in with Obama, hoping he would be truly be different.

Obama is different.

Larson and the 13 Demandments

2011-10-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

It's one thing to watch a bunch of ungrateful dilettantes wandering in Bushnell Park and in the canyons of Wall Street screaming about the unfairness of life due to corporate America, but it's a whole other thing when your local Congressman cheers them on.

Wall Street protestors have a friend in John Larson

That is what John Larson did today when asked by The Daily Caller about the various Constitutionally protected yelping by the liberal class about the power of capitalist and plutocrats.

About 75 to 100 gathered in the center of Larson's district Wednesday in Bushnell Park to carp about free markets and demand the redistribution of wealth. Larson spoke to The Caller about the Wall Street protesters saying:

They see the inequities that exist in this country,” Larson explained, “and the point is that even an advanced democracy like ours — the Constitution says, ‘We the people, in order to create a more perfect union.’ We’re not there. It’s something that continues to evolve.”

Hey, aren't those kids something? Larson has been playing to the mob for quite some time. It has reached it crescendo in recent years as Larson has moved up the leadership ladder but is stuck at the No. 4 slot - Caucus chairman. Larson is waiting for the House to change hands back to the Democrats where he hopes to leap over others who may or may not be around. In his pursuit of, gasp, the Speaker's gavel, Larson has blocked out the reality that Connecticut is a major employer of financial companies and the stat relies heavily on taxes from that industry and its employees.

Yet, when he needs the campaign cash, Larson will appear at some fundraiser at the Braisere or the Hartford Club to praise the banking and insurance magnents.

Wednesday, Larson continued to say anything that will keep him in the good stead of the liberal thinkers. It is of little import that the groups that Larson is singing high praise of want to completely dismantle America's free market economy and replace it was a statist socialist state. And that is a charitable assessment.

For example, the group has offered these DEMAND (I call them the 13 Demandments) as the way toward group happiness:

1. Restoration of the living wage. This demand can only be met by ending "Freetrade" by re-imposing trade tariffs on all imported goods entering the American market to level the playing field for domestic family farming and domestic manufacturing as most nations that are dumping cheap products onto the American market have radical wage and environmental regulation advantages. Another policy that must be instituted is raise the minimum wage to $20 an hour.

2. Institute a universal single payer healthcare system. To do this all private insurers must be banned from the healthcare market as their only effect on the health of patients is to take money away from doctors, nurses and hospitals preventing them from doing their jobs and hand that money to wall st. investors.

3. Guaranteed living wage income regardless of employment.(See 1)

4. Free college education.

5.: Begin a fast track process to bring the fossil fuel economy to an end while at the same bringing the alternative energy economy up to energy demand.

6. One trillion dollars in infrastructure (Water, Sewer, Rail, Roads and Bridges and Electrical Grid) spending now. (Thought we did that already?)

7. One trillion dollars in ecological restoration planting forests, reestablishing wetlands and the natural flow of river systems and decommissioning of all of America's nuclear power plants.

8. Racial and gender equal rights amendment.

(My Favorite) 9.Open borders migration. anyone can travel anywhere to work and live.

10. Bring American elections up to international standards of a paper ballot precinct counted and recounted in front of an independent and party observers system.

(Actually, this is the best one) 11. Immediate across the board debt forgiveness for all. Debt forgiveness of sovereign debt, commercial loans, home mortgages, home equity loans, credit card debt, student loans and personal loans now! All debt must be stricken from the "Books." World Bank Loans to all Nations, Bank to Bank Debt and all Bonds and Margin Call Debt in the stock market including all Derivatives or Credit Default Swaps, all 65 trillion dollars of them must also be stricken from the "Books."

12. Outlaw all credit reporting agencies.

13. Allow all workers to sign a ballot at any time during a union organizing campaign or at any time that represents their yeah or nay to having a union represent them in collective bargaining or to form a union.

Free speech is just that - free but paid for by the sacrifices of others. It is sad that John Larson would give credibility and support to people who have no earthly clue how to behave as citizens and demonize the companies who fill his campaign coffers.

Larson has really lost it or thinks no one cares or is watching. Certainly, Larson believes he never lose this seat no matter what comes out of his mouth. Maybe it's a smart bet. I mean how many people out there will hear about Larson's comments, match it up against the insane rantings of these nitwits and realize the man who once tried to stop the Income Tax has now Jumped the Shark?

Idiot's Delight at Bushnell Park

2011-10-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

It would be be easy to laugh at the several dozen morons who are now wandering around Bushnell Park complaining about the free market system of speech and economics which allows them to sit in from of the TV and pine for Rachel Maddow.

Instead, we should all be quietly weeping inside. These economic Luddites, scruffy and spoiled college students, union slackers who have the paid pensions long lunch hours to chant the predictable lines about "fairness," "paying one's fair share" and "economic justice."

The liberals have lost the argument and the narrative. Now they are resigned to talk to each other and allow their lone allies in public discourse - the traditional media - to hang on every word and dutifully report it. The Courant ran two pictures Tuesday of several street artists parading down Wall Street in zombie attire - as if that was truly newsworthy.

Newspapers now are reduced to simply documenting what happens within their hapless gaze. There are no stories about the ruinous policies of the administration, or the pain business owners now endure to keep their doors open nor investigatory pieces on those who are abusing government handouts at the corporate or the personal level.

No - its all about street theater. When thousands of Tea Party supporters streamed onto the State Capitol campus, there were ho hums from the press. But you put a couple of dozen shirkers together and its Page One.

No wonder circulation is down everywhere. No one is buying it.

Why Did the DA Deep-6 the Nappier Ticket?

2011-09-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

The events surrounding state Treasurer Denise Napper a week ago in the North End of Hartford is beginning to look like one of those shop worn episodes of "48 Hours Mysteries." You have it all, a murky incident with many possibilities, few leads and lots of confusion and conflicting testimony.

But this much is very clear. Both Nappier and Gail P. Hardy, the Hartford State's Attorney, have behaved in a manner that would cause reasonable people to question their judgment. They both look like people who have something to hide.

Let's wind this sucker back and see how totally absurd Nappier has behaved throughout this incident. First, she didn't make any effort to offer any public comment on the incident before Hartford Courant reporter John Lender tracked her down for comment this week.

First lesson in political damage control - always break your own news. If there the entire matter was simply confusion over paperwork, then Nappier could have put out a benign press release outlining what happened, apologized for not having the up-to-date registration handy, and thank the police officers for doing their jobs.

But she didn't do that, nor did she take the officers up on their offer to give her a ride or call for a ride for her. Claiming the cell phone went dead is an excuse reserved for teenagers who have blown curfew. Instead, Nappier decided to hoof it. A map quest search shows her 3-4 mile journey to be a zig zag route across town, including a stroll near Keaney Park, not exactly the safest stroll for a woman flying solo.

One would think that Nappier would have wanted witnesses to back her claim up that the police stop and summons was an innocent misunderstanding. To that end, calling someone to come and pick her up would have given her a witness to that claim. She chose not to, further adding to the head scratching.

Let's get to the juicy part. When confronted via telephone by Lender, Nappier went right for the nuclear option when explaining why she would be stopped outside a housing project in a area where idling cars are often viewed with suspicion by law enforcement.

"I'm a black woman driving a black car in a black neighborhood," said she, implying that someone of color driving in a neighborhood that is 90 percent minority would be seen as a candidate for racial. Nappier slapped the race card down with impunity but then offered to pick it up once the matter had been resolved by the prosecutor's office.

Which gets us to real nub of this incident - how and why did the chief prosecutor in Hartford County become aware of this matter and decide to fish it out of the pile? At what point did Gaily Hardy say to herself, "self, I wonder how the Hartford Police Department has been doing with issuing summonses for unregistered vehicles?"

What the Courant Editorial board and everyone else on the political scene seems to be missing is this - someone had to have called the prosecutor to make this summons go away. When word got out about the incident and Lender got on the scent, Nappier went to the tried and true method of calling the cops potential cross burners to shield herself from legitimate questions. This is what is known as the "high hard one," in politics - where you knock your opponent down and hope they don't get up.

Union officials for the Hartford Police Department rightly point out the area has sadly been known as a high crime area, particularly for the sale and use of illegal drugs.

Who spoke to Hardy or someone reporting to Hardy? Did Hardy or someone else speak with the police officers in question? Did the officers call in to speak with a supervisor?

Denise Nappier is entitle to go where she pleases, but when she raises the issue of race - that's a serious charge that she either has to back up or allow someone other than the Hartford Police Department to look into.

Only a complete, independent investigation can sort this out but don't hold your breadth. In the meantime, stay by the scanner - you never know what you might hear.

Jepsen Blows Whistle on Blumenthal

2011-09-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

The Blumenthal Reign of Terror is over. The age of Jepsen and sober enlightenment has begun.

Once can only imagine what the mood was like when one of Richard Blumenthal's hapless aids had to tell him that his successor, Attorney General George Jepsen, had dropped, dismissed and otherwise drop-kicked 513 "active" whistle blower complaints that were still gathering mold on Elm Street.

Jepsen decided the time was right to clean out the file cabinet of all non-essential briefs, accusations and clap trap. Overall, the former Democrat State Party Chairman, acted in the least political fashion, waiving off 83 percent of the active files that were opened by the Junior U.S. Senator.

Blumenthal told Steve Singer of the Associated Press that he made of practice of keeping a case open because important information could be developed later. Some of these complaints, most of which come from recalcitrant state employees trying to stab a fellow employee in the back, have been open for years. People who are often accused are given a letter indicating that they are being investigated. Blumenthal was legend for never closing any file, leaving the accused wondering if there would ever be a fair adjudication. One wonders where Blumenthal missed that Constitutional law class about speedy trials.

But Blumenthal was never about justice over proper investigations. His career as Attorney General was a two-act Torquemada managed play. First, respond to a planted question from the media about his concern over some miscarriage of public policy or unfair business practice and then, in Act Two, announce an investigation was being launched with all the resources needed to pursue justice.

On occasion, his office would quietly announce a conclusion or settlement. But the ratio between accusations and results were highly tilted to the person yelling fire in the move theater. And if there as any risk of losing a case or taking on a well-connected entity (Countrywide comes to mind), Blumenthal would be unavailable for comment.

Probably Blumenthal biggest failure was the investigation of Lisa Moody, former Chief of Staff to Gov. M. Jodi Rell over the practice of handing out political fundraising cards during state hours. Blumenthal spent a year looking into it. Scores of lower paid employees had to hire lawyers to go through the paces. In the end, Blumenthal did nothing. Moody laughed all the way to the pension board.

Jepsen has had little use for this kind of activity and give him credit for doing something long overdue. The fact that he talked to the Associated Press was a major "bite me" to his former colleague. It was Jepsen, after all, who replaced Blumenthal in the state House and State Senate. It seems this act of succession is another thing, indeed.

"I like to see all sides of an issue before I jump in," Jepsen told AP. "My background academically, professionally and politically is nonconfrontational. We do plenty of litigation here but I generally view litigation ought to be as a last resort."

Jepsen has even retired the press conference area once used on a daily basis by Blumenthal who is finding his ability to hog the airwaves a little bit more challengeing with 99 Senators with more senority.

Who says you can't be promoted to obscurity?

Rosa's Sad Return to Wooster Square

2011-09-03T08:22:00.000-07:00

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro prides herself on tending to the little people even though she literally a full-time creature of the Washington, D.C. power elite. The 11-term Democrat incumbent and her pollster husband, Stan Greenberg, often have tony dinner parties where they invite all of the liberal Hall of Famer's. She has railed against capitalists and corporations but is worth million.

But Rosa always makes sure that the district office is on top of every lost Social Security check or immigration problem. Rosa's local operation is legend in political circles.

But the locals like to see and touch the real thing once and and while and know that the girl from Wooster Square, who started out running Chris Dodd's office, is still that neighborhood girl who never forgot where she came from.

It is somewhat painful to watch Rosa trudge back from one of the most gorgeous settings - the Amalfi Coast - to the collateral damage of Tropical Storm Irene. I mean, what is she going to say? "I'm here - let's get to work!"

What is Rosa going to do anyway when she shows up at the office? Grab a chainsaw, yell at a Federal Emergency Management Agency bureaucrat, pose with East Haven Mayor April Capone by one of those obliterated beach houses? But she is trying in an unintended humorous way. Her website has a hysterical link calling for more "coordination among officials" for such emergencies.

No matter what she says or does, reporters, Democratic ward leaders, local town committee people will never look at her the same. They will see a tanned, frantic politician that had the misfortune of taking a deserved vacation and forgetting that when the spaghetti hits the fan, all bets are off. Now, people will be paying attention to every word she says and contrasting it with her her hard-boiled criticism of former President George W. Bush and his management of Katrina.

Those who have allowed DeLauro to play her leadership role in the Democratic caucus will be hard pressed to make excuses for her absence. After all, at a time where homeowners really do need a Congressman on site, making sure people do cut through the maze of FEMA or the Small Business Administration, it's impossible for her to escape ridicule.

DeLauro will have to answer the following no matter what - why were you so invisible and unavailable during the hours after the storm when all local, state and federal officials were on site? And, why were you so unprepared when you did get it in gear to be useful in subsequent meetings? Did you tell your staff not to bother you under any circumstances?

One can make a sure bet that if say, Republican Congressmen Rob Simmons, Chris Shays or Nancy Johnson were sailing the seven seas and incommunicado, there would be bloodshed. No one expect the Connecticut media to draw these distinctions. They still love her and she is probably safe from retribution in 2012. But maybe, people will finally appreciate that DeLauro is like any politician who has hung around too long, acquired power and privilege and thinks there are different rules for those work so hard to make our country fair and just.

Open the Pod Bay Doors, Democrats!

2011-08-31T16:37:00.000-07:00

Democrats live in a parallel universe. The economy for intent and purpose has returned to recession status. Connecticut taxpayers are forking over more tribute to the government while recovering from record utility outages. No one is hiring, especially in the white collar world and the best the Malloy administration can do is pay a $20 million corporate ransom to UBS so they don't abandon their trading floor in the Governor's hometown.

In Connecticut, the new bread line is either a job fair or your neighborhood Starbucks, where middle-aged men and women joust for an open power outlet or table to scour for job leads on their I-Pads.

With this dour reality hanging in the air Tuesday, Congressmen John Larson, Chris Murphy and Joe Courtney, waived away the perception that political class was unable to provide solutions or ideas to ignite the economy. They appeared before 100 or so Hartford area business people organized by the Metro Hartford Alliance.

The word "unemployment" never crossed the lips of these elected leaders nor did the idea of tax cuts, reductions in spending or a fundamental restructuring of the role of government in American life. To Larson, Courtney and especially Murphy, the strength of this country lies in the government's ability to manage the opportunities that is creates through central planning and strategies.

Murphy, who has never put in an honest day's work in his young life, said in one breadth that the U.S. military should accelerate it's departure from Afghanistan and Iraq due to financial commitments, while at the same time, torquing up the foreign aid pipeline to manage true democratic reform in Egypt.

He didn't give a number, nor did he mention protecting Israel or supporting the overthrow of the murderous regime in Syria - this from a fellow who sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee and wants to wear the big boy pants of a U.S. Senator. One assumes this will all be decided after committee hearings and several fact-finding missions.

Larson loves to heap phony praise on everyone he sees or doesn't see in the room. Tuesday, it was Murphy's turn to bathe in Larson's blarney. He brought some groans during his introductory remarks by saying that Murphy would fill in seamlessly as heir to departing U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-CT. He may have forgotten that Lieberman has been vilified by Democrats for supporting a robust military policy while vowing to defend Israel at all costs. But it shows the entitlement attitude among Democrat elites that Larson feels he can trash talk before a non-partisan crowd. It was tacky but at least we didn't get the usual Larson tribute to the wit and wisdom of the patrons of Augie and Ray's.

Murphy told an often repeated line that he wouldn't support free trade agreements pending between South Korea or Panama because the country didn't have a national manufacturing strategy. This sounds thoughtful but it is a disguised sop to the UAW and other leaning groups that are bankrolling his Senate bid. Rather than lower the cost of doing business by allowing for accelerate depreciation, repealing Dodd-Frank and Obamacare, Murphy believes that government planners can sit in a room somewhere in the basement of the Commerce Department and come up with output quotas and productivity benchmarks. This can be achieved through "strategic partnerships" and "synergies" or via "command management."

As Murphy puts his campaign into second gear, he has changed his patter and tone to appear worldly but takes no coherent or definable positions on the issues he raises. For example, Murphy asked rhetorically if the country had "learned its lesson" by waging two armed conflicts "without paying for them." But he never answered the question himself or laid out how or where America should propel its military assets, how to pay for them or how what is a proper price for our security.

He did alert the audience to his Buy American legislation which requires defense contractors to purchase all parts from domestic producers, regardless it seems of quality or cost. Murphy's politically attractive position, is any part-component that is produced overseas is a lost American job, er, union job - at home.

We all know where this is going. Murphy is assembling the same crew of union activists, or what is left of them, who drove away many Connecticut jobs from companies - Fafnir, the Torrington Company, Nidec south in the 1970's and 1980's. These are the same people who cheered when then Attorney General from Hell now U.S. Sen. Dick Blumenthal to sue UTC over wages this year. The union won the case but the jobs will eventually drift south or overseas.

Murphy can also count on the public sectors unions, the teachers, the environmentalists and the stray Luddites who believe their work will not be done until the inequities of the free market are properly balanced through synergies and planned outcomes.

For those two hours at the Bushnell Tuesday, it was hard to know how truly screwed we really are.

A Missed Opportunity to Shine

2011-08-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

The aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene poses some dangers for Gov. Dannel Malloy as utility companies struggle to return power to over 400,000 Connecticut customers 48 hours after the lights went out in record numbers.

Malloy has performed like all chief elected officials do when Mother Nature comes calling. First, one must wear something with an official seal on it to show leadership. Governor must look rugged and a little mussed up, to indicate they have been out there in the wind and rain watching the havoc God has wrought. Then there is the endless series of press conferences where scant information is offered, especially for those who don't own portable radios. Malloy also named dropped to distraction, implying that Vice President Joe Biden is personally engaged in seeing that Glastonbury gets treated right.

"Mr. Vice President, Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Line One and he's drippy mad, sir,"......

Monday's conference was mostly used to highlight how little progress has been made in restoring power to the state, despite clear skies and an eagerness by residents to get back to work. A full 20 minutes of the conference was spent on whether CL&P crews were getting properly paid for their work, a planted question by the CL&P unions which made no sense since all of the utility crews are working 16 hour shifts and getting time and half.

By Monday night, about 150,000 homes got power back, but a third of the state is still in the dark with no end in sight.

You can't buy a quart of milk, a gallon of gasoline or food in much of the eastern part of the state. Many roads have still not be properly marked as impassable, causing drivers to circle back in frustration and lost time. Schools are being opened up to allow for communal showers and water is being distributed by the National Guard.

Hundreds of businesses, particularly those who deal in perishable retail are watching their losses mount with each passing hour.

No matter how many times the utility companies promise to move faster, they are inhibited by the conditions as they find them. And no matter how hard they work, people get annoyed and eventually blame the politicians for not making them move faster.

At this point, Gov. Malloy could have done something different to mobilize the public in a spirit of teamwork and good will. It would have meant annoying the local and state public employees unions who would certainly object and it would have been a bit risky. It might have made national news for its daring.

Gov. Malloy could have put the word out to anyone who can wield a chainsaw or is physically able to haul brush or debris to show up at certain area to help clear the roads and wires of the trees and limbs. Call it an Emergency Conservation Corps. These volunteers would be paid an hourly wage, have to sign a waiver of claims against the state and appear relatively sober for duty. There are plenty of people who are not working or can't work because there is no power or who are simply going mad cooped up at home with only an impatient family or in-laws for company.

With hundreds of new workers on site, taking direction from local officials and utility crews, it would be safe to say that the process would be moved along. If nothing else, it would instill a sense of community at a time where people need to feel important and relevant.

Two years ago in June, a tornado ripped through my neighborhood in Old Wethersfield. The damage was extensive and severe. Large, aged trees ripped through homes or littered the narrow streets from the town green to the Silas Deane Highway. Many local crews did appear but they were overwhelmed to the task. Neighbors quickly jumped in with their equipment, moving quietly together to help each other in the clean up and facilitate the ability of utility crews to restore power. Others made food and offered water and encouragement. No one was paid, but the effort demonstrated the iron will of Connecticut residents when the elements conspire against us.

Maybe the world doesn't allow this kind of public endeavor. Maybe we have to wait and wait until all of the check lists are clicked off, the contracts are obeyed to the letter and the proper accommodations are made to the appropriate parties.

But Gov. Malloy could have broken the mold by asking the people of Connecticut to take some ownership of their state. Instead, we are left with metrics of work hours, units of service and whether CL&P is paying time and a half.

Hope those D batteries are holding out.

(Photo: Mark Mirko, Hartford Courant

T-Paw Couldn't Manage Michelle

2011-08-14T19:02:00.000-07:00

Gov. Tim Pawlenty became the first Republican Presidential candidate to hit silk following a disappointing finish in the garish Ames Straw Poll held Saturday on the grounds of Iowa State University.

As someone who thought Pawlenty brought the right message, demeanor and experience to be successful, his defeat was instructive for future candidates on what do right and wrong.

First, Pawlenty didn't have as strong a national financial operation as one needs to be competitive.

He built some bridges into the major donor community during the last few years, but not enough to survive an expensive operation in Iowa, where ballots cost $30 each, plus transportation, food, beer and the occasional phone call or direct mail piece.

Second, Pawlenty didn't play the expectations game well. When he first got in, he looked good on paper to do well in Iowa since he was a Midwestern Governor who had solid social conservative credentials and a better record on spending and taxes. His awe shucks manner seemed to work well in the Heartland.

Then Congressman Michelle Bachman (R-MN) got in the race. Expectations changed, but Pawlenty had already laid down his marker. Bachman and Pawlenty loathe each other from what I learned from Minnesota friends and that anger came through in the debate Thursday in Ames. Pawlenty looked downright bewildered when he tried to point out that Bachman is good on television but not on substance.

Third, Pawlenty shifted from trying to be a nice guy, to attacking other candidate like front-runner Mitt Romney - but never following through on any particular strategy. The former Governor is smart and offered a great, understandable economic plan, but he never humped it. You can't claim electability for President if you don't win somewhere early or show in the polls. Pawlenty didn't have enough money of his own to by some name recognition so he ended up blowing all his money on a high school election where he was outflanked by nosier candidates who played to the emotions of the times.

Bachman does get people off their feet but it will be hard for her to sustain her act into the early primary states. Congressman Ron Paul, who finished just behind Bachman, has a very strong fifth-column following, but it is capped a low double or high single figures.

And the one time when Pawlenty had his chance to legitimately score against Romney on the latter's health care plan in Massachusetts, he whiffed and the donors ran. There isn't much room for error when there are so many candidates in the race. It is too bad since Gov. Pawlenty is a sincere, thoughtful person and would make a good President because he is not an egotistical cipher like President Obama.

Let us hope T-Paw ends up on the ticket anyway.

Perry Announces; Bachman, Paul Surge at Polls

2011-08-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

A little before noon Saturday, thousands descended on the grounds of Iowa State University to begin balloting in the Republican Ames Straw poll. The scene was wild, simply a wide open carnival of candidates and causes - all packed around the Hilton Coliseum. People milled about grabbing free buttons, tee-shirts or key chains.

Promoters of free trade, guns rights, right-to-life, wind power and deficit reduction used the opportunity to sign people up or explain their cause. Those who had shown up, more often than not, were resigned to standing in line for at least an hour to cast their ballots for one of a dozen candidates for President.

Of those who are playing in the Hawkeye State, as of 1:00 p.m. Central Time, Congressman Ron Paul, Congresswoman Michelle Bachman and former Gov. Tim Pawlenty are the best organized and working their followers. Bachman made sure everyone who showed up was given a ballot. Paul allowed his son, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, to rev up the audience. They didn't need any inspiration. Paul has wonderful signage. His banners say "Paul for Preident - FOOD" and "Paul for President - PRESS." Everyone knows where they have to be in the Paul campaign and they have discipline.

Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum spoke to a huge barbeque crowd which was totalling engulfed in smoke. It was hard to find him in the haze.

Congressman Thaddeus McCotter also made his musical debut, playing guitar with some kids half his age on a make-shift stage. The few who showed up to listen didn't know McCotter was in the band until he thanked the crowd.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) did a brisk business at its booth, signing up new members while running out of hunter orange caps.

And there was the usual collection of people dressed up in Revolutionary garb and a Abe Lincoln look-a-alike, complete with string tie and stove pipe hat. He gladly posed with anyone for free.

The results will be announced at 5:00 Central Time. Love saying Central Time.

Time to Stuff the Ballot Box in Ames

2011-08-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

The Ames Straw Poll is the strangest event in politics. Unlike a convention or primary. there is simply no way of predicting who will show up to cast their votes today at the Hilton Coliseum. The real winner in all of this is a good guy named Matthew Strawn, the chairman of the Iowa Republican Party. Strawn is an awe shucks guy but a very smooth, smart leader. He owns a family farm, is a lawyer and owns the local arena football team in Des Moines. All of the ballots used are purchased off the state party and the event is a lift to local merchants. So Matt Strawn has a lot of friends this weekend.

A day after the debate and the day before the poll, all but one candidate seemed to be wandering around the Iowa State Fair - talking on a bail of hail called the "Soap Box," flipping pork chops, eating corn dogs or simply inspecting the championship tomatoes in the Agriculture Hall.

Congresswoman Michelle Bachman had a very bizarre day. After acquitting herself well in the debate by swatting back at numerous attacks from her fellow male competitors, Bachman appeared at the Soap Box, where all candidates are afforded 20 minutes to let it rip. Hundreds scrummed around her, with dozens of television cameras and boom mikes obstructing the view. Bachman is seen as the leading candidate, along with Texas Congressman Ron Paul and former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, the pork chop flipper.

Bachman spoke for three minutes, then decided she was going to stop and shake hands - but there were no hands to shake since the media horde formed a Berlin Wall around her, husband Marcus and two bodyguards. No matter. Marcus and the guards pushed their way out, depositing a CNN reporter head first into a golf cart. It was all captured on video tape.

One reporter that stood by remarked, "well that was bullshit," adding, "she does this all the time."

Meanwhile former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his wife Calista, strolled the Midway, hand in hand, making small talk with people who recognized them. He doesn't have a formal operation here and just seemed to be enjoying the good reviews he garnered from telling Chris Wallace to pound sand. Newt seemed liberated from it all and just wanted to take in some sun.

Paul's speech at the Soap Box was a one-breadth stream of consciousness without a break. He is one of those rare politicians who gets applause for making gloomy predictions. His crowds go crazy and this is Paul's last hurrah - so he is not leaving anything on the field.

Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum was equally passionate, but most of the listeners to him were reporters. His main point was that he could work in a bipartisan manner and that he has long beat the odds at the voting booth - wining his Congressional seat against an long-term incumbent and his U.S. Senate seat versus a darling of the old-line liberal elite. He didn't mention that he lost his seat by a record margin to Sen. Bob Casey, one the most boring politicians to walk the earth. But, Santorum is relentlessly upbeat and he has a strong following in the Pro-Life community and hopes to break into the top three.

But all of the activity was still overshadowed by former Gov. Sarah Palin's appearance at the state fair. Palin can part the oceans when she chooses to. Friday, she strolled through the masses with her husband Todd and some staff and the crowd loved her.

Friday night, Iowa Republican activists ook a respite at the Gateway Hotel in Ames, two miles from Ground Zero, sharing notes over hot avocado dip and bacon wrapped scallops. The intelligence was non stop. Across the hall, some big name media types were having a cold one shaking hands and signing autographs for the locals.

The late skinny as of 7:30 Central Time.

Rick Perry, who will formally announce today, has a serious stealth operation going in Des Moines and other major towns. He might surprise with a strong showing here. The Texas Governor will be in Davenport Sunday.

Paul has bought several thousand ballots, has young supporters working phones and waving signs everywhere.

Bachman's vote is the big questions. Voters in Minnesota has a three to four hour drive down 1-35 to make it Ames and most locals think her vote is the most committed, especially after the debate where many Pawlenty went over the line his attacks.

Pawlenty has the best operation in the state and has put it all on the line here. He is phoning, wrangling and on the airwaves. The Des Moines Regisrer reported Pawlenty has maield bus tickets to Republicans within a hour's drive to Ames. It seems this is it for the two-term Governor who many people admire and like but are perplexed over why his campaign hasn't taken off.

Businessman Herman Cain, former Gov. Mitt Romney, Congressman Thaddeus McCotter, former Gov. John Huntsman are not going to show much. And why is Thaddeus McCotter running again?

Aside from the Iowa Republicans, Gov. Perry is the big beneficiary. People around the country are waiting to see if Perry can be the trail boss that will capture the hunger that still lurks in the hearts of the GOP legions, who can take the fight to President Obama with passion and clarity that they believe is still missing from the field.

Romney Avoids Bullets at Iowa Debate

2011-08-12T06:10:00.000-07:00

Front runner and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney escaped the Iowa Presidential debate Thursday night with few errors while the remaining seven Republican candidates acted like swimmers struggling to the surface, gasping for the little air afforded them during the two-hour debate at Iowa State University.

Everyone had their moment to make a point, but clearly most of the night focused on Congresswoman Michelle Bachman and former Governor Tim Pawlenty, both from Minnesota, who will not be attending the State Fair together anytime soon. Bachman looked more tense than her relaxed performance in New Hampshire. She rarely smiled except when hit with an inane question by Byron York of the Washington Examiner about "submitting to her husband," which she hit out of the state.

Pawlenty was tight and somewhat hunched over in his posture and grew angrier through the evening which belied his earlier attempts at humor. Pawlenty challenged anyone to find Barack Obama's economic plan and offered to make dinner for the person who could find it - at their home. But his subsequent dig at Romney about the size of his lawn reminded one of the Saturday Night Live skit with Dan Akroyd as Bob Dole complaining that "Bob Dole doesn't have a garage door opener."

Bachman got the better of Pawlenty on style, not substance, but style always wins on TV and women always win debates of this kind against men. Adding to Pawlenty's grief was the layout of the stage, and the fact that Bachman didn't have a riser to compensate for her height difference with Pawlenty, who was right next to her. Pawlenty at 6-2, is a full foot taller than the diminutive Bachman, so when he scolded her, it didn't look good.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has some of the best moments, telling one questioner to effectively shove it on a months' old stories about the departure of his former campaign team and later, saying the "super Congress" committee set up to make $1 trillion in budget cuts was a joke and abdication of Constitutional duties by everyone involved. Gingrich's plan? According to Newt, "Congress should come back, repeal Dodd-Frank, repeal Sarbanes Oxley and repeal Obamacare!"

The social issues, which Iowa Republicans care deeply about and are often critical to winning both Saturday's Straw Poll in Ames but the statewide caucuses in January, gave former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, an opportunity to remind everyone of his most passionate issue - the right to life. The father of seven children, Santorum said America's priorities are not in order if a rapist can't be put to death, but the child of that unwanted act of violence can be aborted.

Ron Paul did his Ron Paul shtick, which always got the loudest roars from his followers, who often chanted his name during commercial breaks in a rugby crowd-like chorus. Paul's followers are very young and surrounded the venue handing out fake one dollar bills which blared "you owe $7 trillion dollars."

One thing all of the candidates did share was a tan. All the candidates have been out in the bright sunshine this week, speaking to as few as five and as many as three hundred voters scattered over this majestic countryside. People are considerate in Iowa. They talk straight and can see through an act. Those who spoke with the most passion and clarity - Bachman, Gingtich, Herman Cain and Paul - got the loudest applause from the 2,500 viewers.

John Huntsman, the former Utah Governor, was the most strained of all the debaters. He couldn't get out of second gear, continually talking about how he would run on his record but never really explained in detail what that record was and under what circumstances it meant a difference.

Romney, hence, won the debate because he didn't lose it. He deftly ducted questions about his health care plan, but no one in the audience bought it. He did a great job bridging away from some of the investment failures of Bain Capital, the investment fund he ran with wild success. Romney pointed out effectively that not every business decision works, but that most of Bain's gambles did succeed and created thousands of jobs.

And at one point, Romeny did what some considered a Vice Presidential shout-out to Cain, the former CEO of Godfather Pizza. Romney noted that "Herm Cain and I are the only two who understand business." Whether Cain is interested in being his running mate and adding the first African American to the Republican ticket, is unclear.

The inherent problem with these gabfests is that nothing is settled and that most of the candidates feel the compulsion to talk about themselves - thinking that it will somehow get a voter to cling to their cause. Americans are normally suspicious of people who talk about themselves and why they are great. Ronald Reagan used to talk about how America was great and why. He didn't talk about himself but merely spoke about what kind of America we wanted.

Each of these candidates are people of substance, but no one really took that step back and gazed four years ahead and said "this where we need to be if we are to be great again."

But anyway, everyone is going to the Iowa Fair Friday, including Sarah Palin, who is bringing her big bus.

Should be a barn burner.

What Does Obama Get?

2011-08-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

The Iowa GOP Debate and Straw Poll are in the offing and I am heading out to the Hawkeye state to take in the sights, watch the rough and tumble and grab a fried Snicker's bar at the state fair.

It beats watching the country down the drain as the Barack Obama holds the flush button on our economy. Theree seems to be two scenarios dominating the political landscape about President's Obama vapid and ponderous performance last week as the Stock Market took a 600 point hit while a Chinook helicopter fell from the sky with 31 brave American soldiers, one of whom was a Stamford resident.

Scenario 1 "He Don't Get It" - Barack Obama is lost in his own swirling mind of thoughts, gleaned from a life deprived of private sector life. He doesn't grasp the stress of making a payroll, capital formation or worker's comp. Having not served or known few in the military, Obama doesn't think to open his remarks to the country acknowledging the largest single day loss of life during the Afghanistan war before giving an equally bizarre pep talk about the solvency of American bonds. Since he has not surrounded himself with credible staff and appointees with business acumen, Obama believes "social justice" can be achieved through more progressive tax rates, stringent regulation to impede corporate power and politically motivated subsidies to build voting support (GM, Chrysler, Green Technology). That is viewed a genteel naivete, dangerous, but manageable once the economy does recover.

Scenario 2 - "Oh, He Gets It" - Barack Obama, a loner and angry one at that, is out to radically alter the American Experience and its destiny through chaos, class warfare and eventually the rise of the permanent state. Obama has had a meteoric life - facilitated by a grave and ease on the podium and utter hatred of the last son of a American political dynasty - George W. Bush. But through his writings and private comments, Obama has been revealed to be a man with many grievances. His plan is to collapse the government, to convince over 50 percent of the populace that redistribution is both fair and a birthright. In his world, life is unfair and indiscriminate and that the state must sort out these problems with balanced, thoughtful hand outs for education, jobs and health care.

This is viewed by many as truly dangerous.

President Obama doesn't have far to go to convince enough people that the preferred path in life is to get on a train that may or may not get you there - but you will have a seat nonetheless. We are country getting very close to being a majority of takers, rather than makers.

However, more and more takers are coming to the conclusion that whether or not he gets it or is planning it, the Obama plan is putting everything at risk. There may not be much to take at this rate. We are close to the tipping point. When Maureen Dowd tunes you up, it shows cracks in the liberal facade. Other voices from the left are calling Obama weak. But for most people sweating the mortgage vig, President Obama gives the impression that this whole President gig is getting in the way of his short game.

That is why the Gallup Poll today showing Connecticut voters giving Obama the highest approval ratingg of all 50 states so bewildering. There must be a sampling issue here. How can that be possible - unless the only people called from federal workers, state workers and minorities. I mean, Hawaii only gave him a 54 percent rating. Is there anyone out there in Connecticut land that understands the manure sandwiches we are being fed by Obama and Gov. Dannel Malloy?

Oh, well, if I can't get the Snicker's bar, those garlic fries are a good standby.

More to come from Iowa starting tomorrow.

Malloy Could Learn from Hugh Carey

2011-08-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

Former New York Governor Hugh Carey, (D) died over the weekend at 92. Few remember him but his life is instructive for today's Governors who must decide whether it is more important to cling to failed dreams of perpetual incumbency or make the right decisions that could lead to the same outcome.

No one in NY politics took Carey seriously when he ran for Governor in 1974. A liberal devout Catholic, and father of 13 children, Carey defeated another liberal for the party nomination, Howard Samuels, who had won the backing of the fading Tammany empire. Carey swatted away the hapless and gray Republican Malcolm Wilson that fall. When he got to Albany, he was left with big hyper-spending bills of Nelson Rockefeller, who had left to be Vice President under Gerald Ford. Carey had devoted his career to supporting the programs of the Great Society and New York was the gold standard for the welfare state.

"The days of wine and roses are over," Carey famously said at his inauguration.

New York in the 1970's was a terrible place to be. As a native New Yorker coming to the end of the my high school years, I was witness to a city that was an ugly, angry place - with high unemployment, crime and a raging current of racial despair. The homeless roamed freely, drug use was open and rampant while th NYPD were ineffectual when not on the take.

Upstate was no better. The first flight of manufacturing jobs which had fueled vibrant communities in Erie, Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, were leaving thousands without work.

Few thought this Brooklyn Congressman, who had just lost his wife to cancer, would do more than rearrange the deck chairs.

But he didn't. Instead Hugh Carey, who was a member of the Greatest Generation before the term became vogue, got down to governing. He had worked in a family business his immigrant father had built and his large family gave him perspective on what the Middle Class had to do each and every day.

When New York City almost went bust during his first year in office, he managed to create an independent agency to buy bonds on the city's behalf and put a Wall Street dynamo, Felix Rohtyn, in charge. He had to part with his old Tammany friend, Mayor Abe Beame, but the city survived long enough - even through another blackout - for Ed Koch to become Mayor, and usher in more cut backs and reductions in services.

Hugh Carey, who fought in Europe and liberated concentration camps, cut government like few before or since. Oddly, the current Governor, Andrew Cuomo, has confounded political experts and become a quasi-Conservative in dealing with new generation of debt an unsustainable long-term commitments. Mario Cuomo, Andrew's father, served as Carey's Lieutenant Governor, before succeeding him in 1982.

Carey did raise taxes initially but he got a higher percentage of flesh through drastic cuts in services and jobs from the bureaucracy. When the books began to balance, he then reduced those taxes. Aside from dying his hair orange in later years and marrying a woman with a colorful past, Carey was a rock solid leader who did what he had to do, knowing, in the end, an economy can only work if the government is not taking too much.

Unlike Cuomo, Connecticut Governor Danel P. Malloy has taken the approach that businesses and people must carry the load to sustain a government that consumes too much private wealth while providing little benefit in return.

Malloy, like President Obama, seems annoyed with the protests of those who are at the breaking point. But Malloy has had little experience with the small business owner since he has been mostly a public official his entire life. Now it is too late for Malloy to change co use. The Connecticut public labor unions gave him another chance to do the cutting needed when they thumbed their nose at his softer way concession deal. Instead of putting the wood to State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC), he patiently waited for them to change the rules to accommodate an equally softer way of passing the "deal" among its members.

It is to bad.

Back in the day where Frye Boots, side burns and 8-track tapes was the norm, Hugh Carey saw the problem and dealt with it and left the rest to the people.

Malloy's Scalping of the Taxpayers

2011-08-01T06:15:00.000-07:00

This week, probably Thursday or Friday, Mr. and Mrs. Connecticut will being to taste the bitter fruit of placing the Democrats in complete control of the state government.

People are often late to the crisis, and there is little doubt that most people in our state have an amazing, almost obscene capacity for pain and needless suffering. Gas prices go up - accelerated by a gross receipts tax - to make the cost of fuel the highest in the nation. With no mass transit to default to, motorists and truckers simply shrug and pay.

State employees complain about keeping their jobs and deferring pay and still retain their status as the untouchables of the workforce. Taxpayers shrug and say "what are you going to do?"

Gov. Dan Malloy's "Shared Sacrifice Simmer" will begin with the retroactive deduction of state income taxes of thousands of working people - from the guy on the line to the guy in the mansion. We will be paying 12 months worth of state income taxes, over five months.

And while we pay more, the state's "vig" continues to grow faster and faster. Malloy Friday allowed the state Bonding Commission to continue borrowing for operational costs while disturbing dollars for a few playgrounds. It's too bad these facilities won't be completed in time for many residents to enjoy given that many families are not going anywhere for a late summer getaway thanks to gas prices and the retro tax.

This retro tax, part of the largest tax increase in three centuries, is part of Gov. Malloy grand design to be different than any other elected leader in the country. He has embraced the Kensyian model much like Barack Obama - where government must grab the resources for righteous redistribution. Along the way, Malloy took control of the entire budget process by allowing the Democrat Legislature a pass at approving the second draft of his "concession" plan to the state employee unions. No one still knows what is going on with that union vote, but they will get around to it sometime before, ironically, Labor Day

Maybe Malloy forgot to mention that he is still proceeding with a $100 million handout to the big cities, the professional poor, through the state's version of the Unearned Income Tax Credit. Unearned is the key word there, since it will result in the payment on average, of $1,500 to those at the poverty line - simple for being poor.

So the waitress, mechanic, nurse has to pay thousands more this year while someone who chooses not to work, gets a $1,000 check. Many of these same individuals also receive funds through the federal version of this new tax credit.

Gov. Malloy believes this dichotomy exemplifies "fairness" - as he and the Democrat Legislature - define fairness. That is the job of government for the Democrats - to interfere in the daily grind of life, take what they believe is fair and throw it at the outstretched arms of those who feel they need it. This doesn't just apply to the traditional audiences on relief, but to the corporate kleptomaniacs who suck up to the powerful for their tax credit or outright payment.

The idea that the government would pay a ticket scalping company $7 million to hire more ticket scalpers is beyond parody. (Disclaimer - I used to lobby for the Connecticut Ticket Brokers Association and use a ticket broker regularly).

Maybe Gov. Malloy will consider giving cash grants to Three-Card Monte dealers or sidewalk hot dogs stands as a way to promote the small business entrepreneurial spirit.

Connecticut lost 4,000 jobs in May, Malloy has added 200, maybe 400 on paper. But one thing he has created is a clear picture for what is required to propel our state into recovery - start buying Loge Box seats at Yankee Stadium to justify his latest investment of our money.

Timing is everything and Gov. Malloy is making the bet that all of this will be forgotton by 2014 and he may be right. Voters didn't sustain their against the state Income Tax in 1991 and returned Democrats to power in the Legislature, although many Democrats retired from office rather than face the ire of voters.

But the long-term effect of the Income Tax - a tripling of state expenditures, no net job creation and a loss of hundreds of thousands of productive people - makes this shakedown even more reprehensible. People are at the breaking point and all Gov. Malloy sees are "opportunities."

Jepsen Swats SEBAC - Yankees Win, THUH Yankees Win!

2011-07-29T06:04:00.000-07:00

George Jepsen is a different kind of state Attorney General. His timely and thorough investigation clearing the Yankee Institute of the ludicrous charge of tampering with the state email system by the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition(SEBAC)demonstrated that Jepsen will not be a house organ for the left or an easy mark.

Jepsen is a politician and likes good press press. He is a former chairman of the state Democrat Party and former State Senate Majority Leader. But his call on the Yankee Institute was the right one. Under the cipher-like leadership of Dick Blumenthal, the matter would have played out with a press conference, followed by television interviews where Blumenthal would,through furrowed brow, mutter that the SEBAC charges were very serious and troubling and would be vigorously investigated. The investigation would carry on and on, with Blumenthal saying when asked, that the SEBAC charges were very serious and troubling and would be vigorously investigated.

Then there would be no announcement on where the investigation stood or if it was resolved.

The SEBAC complaint was a wild hay maker thrown in the dark. It hit nothing. There was no documentation or evidence to suggest that anyone at the three-person Yankee Institute has somehow broken into the state email system and was distributing information critical of the concession proposal. If so, so what? There was plenty o f information already in public view about the SEBAC-Malloy plan to quarrel over. And SEBAC and its subsidiary unions have millions of our tax dollars to spread the word.

It also seems highly unlikely that Yankee's seasoned operatives - Fergus Cullen (pictured right, a former state chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party and Heath Fahle, former Executive Director of the Connecticut Republican Party, would risk the 501-3 status, their reputations and livelihoods on such a sophomoric exercise.

No motive. No evidence. No case. Case dismissed.

SEBAC and its leadership have had a bad few weeks. At the very least, they misinformed the 45,000 rank and file state workers on the details of the "concession" agreement with Gov. Dannel Malloy which included a provision to eventually shift the membership to the yet to be constructed single-payer health care system called Sustient. The union membership rejected the package.

The union leaders then took a page from James Hoffa,met behind closed doors and changed the bylaws for the threshold needed to pass a contract. It is still unclear who gets to vote on the new-old agreement which takes the Sustinet requirement. During this process, one union leader, liberally used to "f" bomb to scold the brotherhood on his Facebook page.

SEBAC also accomplished something that even the most skilled fundraiser would beg for - the guaranteed financial ad political vitality of the Yankee Institute.

Yankee Institute was a sleepy, well-meaning but invisible endeavor until the Cullen-Fahle team came aboard and then hired the perceptive reporter Zack Janowksi to expose government waste and corruption.

With this victory over SEBAC, the checks should be in the mail.

Will They Stick With the Union?

2011-07-18T17:38:00.000-07:00

"Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union.
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die." - Woody Guthrie

Act II of the Great Concession Caper has been completed with the state employee unions pulling a chapter from the playbook of that famed humanitarian Joseph Stalin who was credited with one of the more clever analysis on the conduct of an election.

"It's not who votes that counts, it's the people who are counting the votes that matter," Uncle Joe once said. Although one wonders why Stalin would bother with such insight since he never had to stand for before a popular plebiscite. No matter, Uncle Joe had a point and it has not been lost on the beleaguered leaders of the State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalitionn. Monday, the SEBAC star chamber changed its by-laws which would lower the votes needed to approve a newly revised concession package.

As predicted in this space, when all is said and done, nothing will really change in Connecticut, except that the little people will be paying more in two weeks than they budgeted for. On or after August 1st, many workers will be white-faced hornet mad when they check out their pay stub.

A new union vote will be called this week. The only question is whether the rank and file will stick with the union or gamble that if the "new deal" is turned down, there will be enough state workers with less seniority that will be thrown over the side before it reaches the inner core.

The "Malloy is making the tough decisions" narrative has been pretty consistent since the governor got the largest tax increase in Connecticut history passed to give Democrats a $1 billion surplus buffer. Act I saw Gov. Malloy negotiate a cream puff contract revision which the recalcitrant unions with no layoffs, deferred compensation, a suggestion box and a couple of trips to the doctor which added up to a gift to the very people who secured his narrow election over Republican Tom Foley.

Yet, like ungrateful teenagers who get pissed when they find out Dad didn't fill up the car, 21,000 union workers voted against the plan and Democrats were left baffled and angry at this act of betrayal. There were furrowed brows and half-hearted denouncements by elected Democrats like Senate President Don Williams and even State Sen. Edith Prague, D-Columbia. But did the Democrats in the Legislature act? Did they take a single vote to cut the budget or approve a new plan by Malloy? Did they offer to take a pay cut, or reduce staff or roll back on their per diems? Uh, Nope. Instead, they handed over their Constitutional role to Gov. Malloy, sent out a $1 million in free mail to the voters and disappeared.

Gov. Malloy, now facing a $1.6 billion hole in his budget, rolled out a dynamic plan that would fire 6,500, then 3,000, or maybe, 2,500 workers. Each day the number changed, under-cutting the validity of the threat. But, pink slips went out, union members grumbled and the public seemed to care little. Until, the unthinkable - the closing of the Glastonbury and Chester ferry service! Local citizenry were mobilized but not even a muffled shout was uttered on the proposed closure of 80 detox beds at the Connecticut Valley Hospital.

Faced with an impending mutiny, the union leadership did what most unions do when they lose an Election- they reschuffled the deck and dealt themselves a winning hand - another Election with a guaranteed outcome. Malloy will get another bite of the apple as the unions get a "clarified" concession proposal for another vote. This clarification is reminiscent of the SNL's Garrett Morris skit as the off camera "signer" for the hearing impaired who simply shouts the words louder for the deaf.

With the unions probably approving the newly clarified package, Act III of the Concession Caper will show Gov. Malloy exultant - having brought the unions to their senses and to heal. But the Middle Class will still be saddled with the largest tax increase in three centuries. Connecticut businesses who can manage a profit will see their taxes double and a slew of other services will be collecting six and one quarter on each dollar of tender.

But at least we will be able to cross the Connecticut River for three bucks. Thank God for the little things.

Stalin would be proud.

The Non-Reality Reality

2011-07-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

It's hard to keep one's balance or grip on what is going on in the halls of government these days. The more I go into the details of massive government layoffs and debt reduction brinkmanship, the less convinced I am any of it will really happen. In Hartford, the state union leaders, who have done more to destroy themselves than 100 Yankee Institutes, are now planning to move the goal posts to the 50-yard line to accept Gov. Dannel Malloy's original "concession" plan.

This plan, which the union rejected for fear of being dumped into a single-payer system called Sustinet, would guarantee jobs for all state workers for four years, put off some raises for two years and do little to address the $65 billion unfunded pension and health care benefit liabilities to taxpayers.

Gov. Malloy sets off to Utah to be with fellow Governors who understand the real problem and probably lecture them on why his way is the best way to grow the economy. Malloy always seems to have an opinion about every one's business. He scolded Congress for not agreeing to an increase in the debt ceiling by urging members to "grow up."

I mean, what's then big deal anyway? What's another $4 trillion in receivables when you come right down to it.

And while Malloy was away, his able staff were morbidly announcing cuts in spending and personnel. But those "cuts" are merely notices to some 6,500 employees, who can still "bump" other employees due to seniority. And if you add state workers who are retiring anyway and jobs that are still vacant and not filled, it's maybe 4,000. Who knows? Who cares? It doesn't matter because it won't happen. Yet, the Democrats continue to go through this exercise as if it will and that is unfair to everyone. The only good outcome of all of this is it will irreparably divide the union for years.

These massive layoffs won't happen because the Lords of Labor will figure out how to recount the votes, or lower the threshold for passage. They can do that by changing the union by-laws. Under the old rules, 80 percent of union members who voted on the "concession" package, had to approve it. Only 57 percent did while 21,000 members said knet. By the way, has anyone seen or heard from AFL-CIO President John Olsen? Is he okay?

Once the unions come around and bend over, Malloy can say he stood tall, did what he had to do and got the result he wanted - $1.6 billion in savings and no disruption in state services. He will shrug when Republicans and those who reside in this universe that Malloy did all of this by pushing through the largest tax increase in Connecticut history.

And while the executive and judicial branches have at least gone through the motions to cut their budgets, the Legislative branch - those charged with the public purse - have no cut a penny from its bottom line. There has been no shared sacrifice from the Legislature. No one has given up a day's mileage, or part-timers in the mail room or a subscription to Legislature Today.

Again, those in the reality challenged community known as Hartford, have little clue or appreciation for the state of the economy in Connecticut. Malloy's laughable $60 million corporate bribe to CIGNA puts the final candle on the cake.

Isn't CIGNA one of those evil corporations the Democrats spend most of their waking hours deriding and claiming are living well while the rest of us are drowning in a Middle Class quagmire of stagnant incomes and lost opportunities? Shouldn't David Cordani, the CEO of CIGNA, be paying more in income tax to cover the needs of those who are looking for their next meal in dumpster.

Guess not or why would the state give CIGNA, a great company by the way, give CIGNA an interest free $15 million, another $6 million for "job training" with the rest coming in the form of tax credits for the promise of 200 jobs?

That same day, across the state in Groton, Electric Boat announced it was shedding 100 jobs for lack of work.

In Washington, President Obama complains that he would rather be "talking about new programs" than haggling over raising the debt limit. For once, Republicans have a better argument on spending. The country by a large, is done with it, even those programs that they like. They know a fiscal diet is needed and it has to start yesterday.

And while liberals in Washington are deriding any potential cuts in federal spending as a one-way ticket to cat food sandwiches for the elderly, the left in Connecticut has been mute when it comes to what Malloy is doing to state versions of big government.

Most telling is the Malloy administration's attempt to strip down and consolidate all of the good government oversight agencies and place them under one department head. Those commissions include Ethics, Elections and the Freedom of Information panel. These are the crown jewels of the liberal crown and not a word has been spoken by this power play.

It all depends of course, of who's in charge. For years, Democrat decried all attempts by Republican Governors to run the government once the Legislature had passed a budget. Since the unions nixed the deal, House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden and Senate President Don Williams, D-Brooklyn,have freely surrendered their duties to Gov. Malloy - hoping he would make it all go away.

For now, the Democrats hope the union leadership - already divided and under siege from its rank and file members, will make their problems go away by waiving off the reality at hand with a new outcome based on the realities at hand.

Some day, we will get real about this.

Reaping the Fiscal Worldwind

2011-07-02T09:50:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the weather when you can in New England. Today, it's blue skies and warm and the summer is in full swing. But the political climate will soon become a late afternoon hush that is common in the Mid-West or the Great Plains. The warm earth is met by a cold breeze. The skies turn a pea-soup green, the birds grow still and the family dog retreats to a corner of the parlor. A quiet descends before the first wisps and then thundering freight trained sound of a twister.

A fiscal twister will soon be barrelling across Connecticut. The corpulent political class are at the end of their endless feast of tax dollars and subsidy. There is no alternatives except more misery and ruin. And what did Democrat royalty do when confronted with the reality of a broken government, ungrateful unions and a beleaguered Middle Class weary of excuses? They abdicated.

Thursday night and into Friday morning, the House and Senate Democrats surrendered their Constitutional responsibilities as elected members of the Legislative branch and handed a budget meat cleaver to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy who was more than eager to grab it. Whether Gov. Malloy uses it with dispatch and care is another matter. Since he took office in January his whole approach and signature style has been a sort of Indiana Jones refrain "I make this up as I go along."

Since it opened for business in January, the Democrat-led legislative session has been a seamless version of one-party rule that would put Leonid Brezhnev to shame. Phony honors and honorariums have been bestowed for "hard decisions" and "shared sacrifice."

Grand five-year plans have been announced. Conspirators have been spotlighted and banished. New five-year plans have been announced while other doubters are denounced and marginalized. And, in the end, there was vigorous applause from the Presidium as all the people's goals have been exceeded in service to the people.

Malloy who denigrated any changes to collective bargaining, now wants to gut collective bargaining. Malloy who sneered at most of the Republican proposals to privatize state functions or eliminate redundant programs, is now looking to privatize and vaporize state functions.

But for all the back flipping, the reality is the state budget is a lie. It was contrived from phony numbers and projections that will show a $1 billion surplus even though $1.6 billion in savings was promulgated in private and thrown to the approval of a union short on facts and solid commitments.

Since the unions have finally and officially conceded that the concession package is null and void, it is now up to the executive branch to do what the Democratic legislators refuse to do - have the balls to cut the budget. It is truly incomprehensible that union employees are willing to risk their jobs over such small change. Maybe they think Malloy won't lay them off or face certain abandonment in 2014 - if there is a state of Connecticut left to hold an election.

The Connecticut economy has been stuck in second gear for a generation. Since the implementation of the income tax, the state budget has increased over four-fold even though the general population has remained flat. Spending increases have been double the rate of inflation and even Republican Governors Rowland and Rell could not stop the trend. Rowland did veto many bills and kept a lid on much of the crazy spending before scandal weakened his hand. Rell did not and looked for ways to surrender to inferior foes. The die was cast.

So, now, the state unemployment rate sits at 9.1 percent but for white collar workers, those who cannot get out of Connecticut, it is well past 15 percent. The real estate market, both residential and commercial, are in the tank. There is little building going on anywhere in the private sector.

So, the answer by Gov. Malloy and the Democrats is to raise the corporate surcharge by 100 percent; to increase income taxes, sales tax and an assortment of other taxes on goods and services to record levels. All in, it is the largest tax increase since Hooker. There is no regulatory relief in sight. The Governor's new Commissioner of Environmental Protection believes business and commerce are inherently evil and cannot be trusted. So much for expedited permitting.

But public works projects are in great supply to appease union construction workers who will punch up the costs of all projects by at least 20 percent through prevailing wage requirement's. An $80 million bus system from New Britain to Hartford, a $1 billion health care facility to replace the worst public investment in Connecticut history are two of the most celebrated projects. Oh and that bus system which crosses waterways and wetlands? It won't have to past the DEP hearing process after all

These and other projects will hopefully provide the B Roll the Reelect Malloy team so craves. Shots of Malloy with rolled up sleeves and donning a blue hard hat reviewing blueprints in the field, or pointing to cranes in the sky, will show how Connecticut is working again, Sure. it was tough at the beginning, Malloy will argue, but "we did what needed to be done for the long-term interests of Connecticut."

You can't spend or tax your way to prosperity and growth. It has never been done in a modern, free market economy. Malloy believes he will be the first American political leader to manage a private economy better than risk takers, investors or entrepreneurs.

Speaker of the House Chris Donovan D-Meriden, is simply relieved he doesn't have to spend another day a the State Capitol where his reign will become synonymous with greed, cowardice and indolence.

Washington, D.C. seems a perfect goal for this feckless liberal. But even by today's standards of mediocrity, the voters of the 5th Congressional District, including Democrats, realize the harm he has done to them.

Free Fall

2011-06-25T04:43:00.000-07:00

The liberals are now engaged in political cannibalism. The public sector unions, who have given a giant raspberry to the sweetest of contract deals, have humiliated the Democrats – Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, Senate President Pro Tempore Don Williams, D-Brooklyn and even State Sen. Edith Prague, D-Columbia.

The “no one gets fired and everyone goes to the prom state employee contract “ which put off raises for two years with minimal inconvenience on benefits and salaries to 50,000 plus workers is now a non-deal. These union people have either big stones or rocks in their heads. Their actions have caused a delightful meltdown at state Capitol. Everyone but the Republicans is white-faced hornet mad.

And it is going to get worse because no one really has a plan or the guts to carry one out.

Gov. Malloy, who had hoped to show the Obama administration and liberal opinion leaders that you can close a budget gap if you are willing to pass record taxes and put off expenditures, is now faced with putting 7,500 state workers on the street. Malloy is many things, but if you diss him – he will cut your heart out.

With the unions acting like ungrateful teenagers who didn’t get to borrow the car Saturday night, Malloy can now act like the father figure by putting them on curfew and cutting their allowance.

It gives Malloy a second chance to look reasonable and tough at the same time. And he has a public who were resigned to this sell out by the Democrats, now even more angry with their benefactors. The question is – will he really lower the boom?

And if he does, Malloy will open up another new front – with cities and towns that will take a haircut from cuts to local municipal aid. That aid includes money for local education where 80 percent of those costs are teacher’s salaries – union teacher’s salaries. Malloy was elected by voters in the big cities and with teacher union support throughout the state. They will not be happy.

Even with a private sector unemployment rate of 9.1 percent, commercial and residential real estate in the tank and businesses collapsing or leaving for more tax friendly states, the bureaucrats saw little downside in telling the taxpayers – “sorry, not good enough.”

Prague, the doyenne of the labor movement and its most reliable servant in the upper chamber, said unions members should “have their heads examined” for turning down the proposal while Democrat Governors in other states have been exacting significant tribute from their brothers and sisters.

Now things are going to get interesting. Malloy has called the Legislature back into Special Session next week to take action. He wants his fellow Democrats to give him the authority – almost a line-item veto power - to make unilateral cuts to close the new $1.6 billion hole that has been created by the union vote.

Democrats and legislators are often loath to give up any power, especially over the purse, but Donovan has been cautious in his response.

The Speaker has the most to lose during Round 2 of the Great Budget Battle of 2011. He has been eyeing the exits for months now while positioning himself as the leading candidate to succeed U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, D-CT. When he wasn’t funding every non-profit program in the 5th Congressional District, he was shaking down lobbyists for Congressional contributions. Donovan found the response less than enthusiastic, since business had its worst legislative session since the early 1990’s.

But Donovan has to make a calculation. Does he side with Malloy who has a 38 percent approval rating which might get worse or does he “stick with the union”, as the song goes?

But Donovan has another problem if he rolls over on his back like a turtle. His rank and file members who voted for the largest tax increase in Connecticut history are not pleased that they will be forced to vote on either significant layoffs, budget cuts or more taxes.

Williams also has problems. He doesn’t have much support from his own caucus and barely got the budget approved the last time. With Tea Party activists and others more organized and tasting blood, it won’t be hard to work on a few stray State Senators to push the red button.

Of course, Democrats will reserve the right to fudge the numbers some more, hike revenue estimates and simply ignore the reality of the market. But Wall Street will not be amused if the accounting of Malloy-Donovan-Williams leads to anything but a in spending to match any new hike in taxes.

All of this could have been avoided had Malloy done what Governors Cuomo, Christie and Walker accomplished in their states. While each enjoys public support and uniform agreement to reform the relationship between management and workers, Malloy employs a doppelganger of deferred compensation and job security. He based his budget on phony numbers and rosy projections and did little to address the long-term problems of benefits and pensions. Malloy did inflict a little pain in the out years, but not what was needed.

Still, to Connecticut’s public sector unions, it’s never quite enough.

Malloy could have made this a bipartisan effort from the get-go, offering to bring Republican Tom Foley in to lead an effort at regulation reform and cutting red tape for business. Malloy could have taken some of the ideas provided by House Republican Leader Larry Cafero, R-Norwalk and Senate GOP Leader John McKinney, R-Fairfield.

Had Foley, Cafero or McKinney refused, Malloy could say he tried and if they accepted, would have effectively co-opted them for whatever plan emerged.

But now, this mess is all on the Democrats – all of it. The unions have finally been revealed for what they are – a very comfortable and entitled class – no better than the capitalists and robber barons of the late 19th century.

Unions Get a Dose of Yankee Medicine

2011-06-18T02:21:00.000-07:00

The truth hurts and the Yankee Institute is ladling it out large doses of it. And like a child wincing at gulping Castor oil, the mouth pieces at the State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) are gasping. They have accused the conservative think tank with "meddling" or 'misinforming" their membership on the details and implications of the proposed union contracts that being subject to votes by the 34 collective bargaining units.

As part of the Democrat budget farce, which includes a budget out of balance by $400 million, each bargaining unit is now voting on the proposal by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to trim some benefits, delay raises and scramble the financial deck chairs of the state. SEBAC Friday accused the Yankee Institute of sending emails to state employees with fictitious names - raising doubts about the proposed changes in union contracts that are up for approval.

SEBAC says these acts constitute a conspiracy of misinformation. SEBAC has sent a letter to Democrat George Jepsen asking him to investigate Yankee, because they are distributing facts and information in lightening speed to the general public.

Jepsen, who has turned out to be one of the few bright spots of the 2010 Election, is likely to put this request in the outbox. The unions are getting a dose of their own tactics and they are being exposed for their own boorishness.

What is emerging in this public debate is something we used to be call political free speech - which the unions have done a masterful job of monopolizing through its iron-fist control of the Legislature and promulgation of state election laws which constrict the ability of alternative voices from raising the money needed to combat the lies and theft of public wealth by Democrats for two decades.

The Yankee Institute, a once moribund 501-c-3, has emerged as a primary voice for free enterprise, free markets and common sense under the new leadership of Fergus Cullen, former New Hampshire Republican Chairman, Heath Fahle, former Executive Director of the Connecticut Republican Party and reporter Zach Janwoski, an intrepid researcher and reporter.

Cullen knows how to communicate and he knows tactics. He is a smart operator and a disciple of Sun Tzu and a devote reader of the "Art of War." Yankee added a C-4 component that will allow it to take its message to more audiences. It is a welcome to see conservative ideas being brought into the mainstream of political discourse.

The Yankee message is getting through to the public at large. The wholesale collapse of the Malloy budget in the public eye began this week by two polls which showed Malloy's popularity at an historic low - due solely to his liberal approach to governance. A poll paid for by the Yankee Institute shows Malloy with a 42 percent approval rating while Quinnipiac, the gold standard for public opinion had the rookie Governor at 37 percent favorable. Malloy' budget was also a stinker, according to the Q Poll, with 50 percent opposing it.

Most people are onto to the big tax increase that will kick in on July 1st and be retroactive to January 1st of this year. And the clock is ticking on union rank and file approval of the kid gloves labor 'concessions" which Malloy and Democrats are boasting will bring the budget to heal. At least 80 percent of all union members must approve the package for it to stick. Amazingly, union members are grousing over the deal they are getting which is pretty sweet by any measure.

With private sector unemployment at 9.1 percent in Connecticut, unemployment for state employees remains at a stubborn 0.0 percent with four years of no layoffs proposed by Gov. Malloy in exchange for postponing raises for two years. Still, two unions have given the package the thumbs down and complained that it was too draconian. You wonder who is living off vapors here - Malloy - who is banking on a $1billion surplus from over-taxation or the union leadership, who feel they are somehow being gamed for putting off raises for two years.

In any event, the public debate has now finally centered on the abject failure of the ruling class - the Democrats - to convince Connecticut taxpayers that the path toward economic recovery and growth is through the meticulous leadership of government and punishing taxes and regulation.

Free speech is a bitch, ain't it?

Dems Run Up the Score on Business

2011-05-26T05:29:00.000-07:00

As the days wind down on this Legislative session, the Democrats are putting the finishing touches on confirming their principled belief that businesses must be financially raped and pillaged into submission.

With unemployment at nine percent, a flat or weakening real estate market and a budget that spares state employees any significant pain or sacrifice in their wages and benefits, the Connecticut business community continues to be vilified and plundered with an array of taxes and regulations that would put the old commissars of the Soviet Union to shame.

Democrats in the Legislature, robust in numbers, feverishly aided by the unions and backed by an eager Governor, continue to run up the score and Wednesday was similar to calling time out to run one more play from the five-yard line.

With the help of Republican State Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, the state Senate passed a bill that would require small retail businesses to provide paid sick days to employees. Kissel's vote was an apostasy of Republican values and a dagger into the hearts of those who believe in free enterprise.

The effect on small business which fall under this law will be shorter work weeks so employers can fall under the 50-employee threshold. Those who can't now have to carry added costs where in most cases, businesses make allowances for sick workers without the sturdy hand of government.

Ironically, at the same, time, the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) the state's largest business organization, was featuring some of the state's largest companies with a display in the Hall of the Flags. No doubt, legislators who are now making Connecticut one of the least desirable places to do business, were picking up various tchotchke's to litter their desks. Maybe these pens, paperweights and stress balls will become collector items when many of the corporations move south to better climate and working conditions.

State Sen. Edith Prague, D-Columbia, who has made it her life's work to punish the corporate world, even though she enjoys a comfortable life style because of it, was exultant in the passage of the law. And why shouldn't they be happy?

The paid sick day bill was a capper on many pieces of legislation that put a good deal of the economy under the fatty thumb of government.

Connecticut is indeed "open for business," if you business is government or depends on government.

It wasn't enough that the Democrats increased by 100 percent, the corporate tax on profits, Democrats and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy defied the Constitution of both the state and the United States by passing a budget that still doesn't balance. Even with the so-called concessions, which are simply deferred compensation, the budget is $400 million short in cuts. But even if they did find those cuts, there is a $1 billion surplus built into the package. Confused? It's all by design - to confuse the public into believing a surplus is a result of "honest" budgeting, when in fact it will be used to keep state workers happy, non-profits flush and big cities sated with endless subsidies.

The most telling tax increase was the provision covering on-line retail. State Sen. Eileen Daily, D-Westbrook, who used to be counted on as one of the moderating forces in her caucus, has decided $9 million in revenue is worth thousands of jobs in Internet commerce. This week a major Internet aggregator said it was leaving Connecticut while other national firms, like Amazon, will not honor local contracts.
Daily also approved taxes that will punish boat owners which should make her summer fun since she district includes the second largest marina on the east coast.

And like any prison riot, when the cons have seized control of the compound, there is no limit to their vengeance. Democrats in the Senate are also are close to passing a bill that would allow transgender citizens to use public restrooms whenever and wherever they like. And a vote is due on the "gag" bill which prevents employers from meeting with employees to discuss anything that could be considered "political."

In a few months, businesses in Connecticut will be hit with another bill - a retro-active premium for unemployment compensation insurance. This will pound seasonal employers the hardest.

And on and on it goes. But where is the business community? Where are they? Why are they not literally up in the faces of these Democrats, grabbing them by the lapels, frothing with indignation?

Maybe it's because they are too busy trying to keep the doors open or simply don't believe any Governor would approve of this nonsense. Even in the 24-7 world of information, it takes time for people to get the word and really understand how serious it is.

One respected former Democrat, a leader in the House during his tenure, put it in perspective. He recounted a vote in the early 1980's in the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, where legislators were discussing a tax increase on business. When on legislator warned that companies might move if taxes rose too high, another shouted - "where are they going to go!?"

"Well, they did go, to South Carolina," said the legislator, now a lobbyist. "Now they are going to Rhode Island - Rhode Island."

The New Math is Malloy Math and It Don't Add Up

2011-05-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy isn't feeding the alligator anymore. He seemed to have fired a 30-odd-6 instead, shot the creature at point blank range and claimed it to be an act of skilled big-game hunting. The budget deal announced Friday, when all bad news is usually disposed of at the state Capitol, is a laughable affront to common sense, honesty and the basic rules of mathematics.

And it all has a certain smell about it, as if the whole budget drama was bad play acting where the Governor talked tough, asked the unions to play along and ring their hands, but knowing that there would be no judgment against them. And that is what happened. Gov. Malloy took care of the people who elected him and will sock away $1 billion in over-taxation (a surplus) to ride out any shortfalls. And since he has already has whacked Mr. and Mrs. Connecticut with the largest tax increase since Hooker sailed up the Connecticut River, Malloy can reelection campaign by keeping the unions whole and the big cities fat.

Malloy and the Legislative Democrats passed a $1.9 billion tax increase to get the money rolling in the door. It includes a doubling of the corporate surcharge, hikes in personal and estate taxes among other record increases. Then, Malloy pronounced the budget was done, even though it was $2 billion short. The Governor then threatened layoffs, and threatened layoff notices to some 4,700 workers. But he didn't. Instead he delayed them and belatedly sent out 188 notices. More drama, more late nights of give and take between the hard boiled ex-prosecutors and the bare-knuckle Larry Dorman, head negotiator for state employee unions.

The unions cry foul and say they are being scapegoated while Gov. Malloy strikes the pose of being resolute and cool under fire. Then, mid-afternoon Friday, Gov. Malloy again announces another incomplete budget deal and demonstrates an Orwellian sense of progress against Oceania.

And in the end, after staying up to 3:00 a.m. the night before, all of that hard bargaining pushed the unions to concede- nothing.

Gov. Malloy instead asks the public to make his math - Malloy Math - to achieve $1.6 billion in savings from the $2 billion needed to close the budget.

There will be a four-year no layoff policy for all state employees. Repeat, no layoffs no matter what the economic realities of the times. There will be no salary increases for the next two years, but for the three years after that, state employees will get an annual three percent increase in pay - each year. The remaining $400 million of that total will be made up from unspecified cuts and "current revenue. " That term, coined by Malloy, means the new taxes that should be rolling in during July and August.

And here is the best part. Remember when Gov. Malloy kept complaining that his bargaining hands were tied because Republican Governor John Rowland had agreed to a long-term union deal on benefit until 2017?

Well, Gov. Malloy agreed to extend that compact another five years.

Now, that is hard bargaining. That is what we were waiting for. A strong no-nonsense executive like Dannel Malloy, who would show he could be tough with his own constituency groups to put Connecticut on the right path and show we were "open for business." One can hear the conversation now between Gov. Malloy and Dorman, about setting the right tone after union members fall over themselves to approve this turkey. Malloy probably begged Dorman not to be seen popping champagne bottles or high-fiving each other after the locals approve this gift from union heaven.

Malloy's Math is simple - start bringing in almost $2 billion in new revenue and expect the economy to generate enough activity to stay ahead of the bills and to meet payroll. And just to keep Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport happy, hand out $100 million in earned income tax credit checks to people who don't pay taxes.

Democrats think it will work and the leaders of the House and Senate joined Malloy a press conference to hail their remarkable confidence game.

It's amazing what you do when you don't have to worry about alligators.

Feeding the Alligator

2011-05-11T08:35:00.000-07:00

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is at the breaking point in his young administration as he attempts to make good on his pledge to wring $2 billion in wage and benefit concessions from the state employee unions. By sending out termination notices to 4,700 employees, Malloy is challenging the very people who put him in office.

Even if all of the employees are let go by the end of June, Malloy will still have to cut more and more. He released his backup plan for reducing state funding as well as workforce reductions, which also reveals another problem.

The cuts that are proposed under the Plan B budget option as proposed by Ben Barnes, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, shows a lack of credibility by Democrats toward getting serious about spending.

And underpinning all of the back and forth is the simply fact that this budget is unconstitutional because it doesn't balance between revenue and expenditures by virtue of the $2 billion hole. Whether a lawsuit by state Senator Len Suzio, R-Meriden, and State Rep. Chris Coutu, R-Norwich, bear fruit could send everyone to a long, hot summer.

Malloy, meanwhile, goes along thinking the public doesn't care about such details. While his negotiators insist they are close to a deal, no one at the State Capitol believes it. There are simply too many moving parts and unions to believe any deal close to $2 billion will emerge.

The Plan B document goes into line-by-line detail of pet programs that are slated for cuts which makes any sober person wonder why they weren't cut or eliminated in the first place. Despite Malloy assertion that spending was cut in his budget, spending increases close to three percent, or roughly $900 million.

Some of the highlights of the Plan B are revealing. Secretary of the State Denise Merrell will give up her state car, the Garde Arts Theater will be light $300,000, the Connecticut Convention Center loses $6 million and the entire aid to cities and towns budget will be rolled up. I am sure members of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities are feeling like suckers for endorsing the Malloy budget and paying for radio ads to prove it.

But why should Secretary Merrell have to be shamed into giving up a car? And why is the state of Connecticut providing all of these subsidies to organizations that could raise the money privately. Why should anyone have to pay to keep a local arts council above water? Why not sell the Convention Center to a private operator/ The list of foolishness goes on and on.

The answer to why millions are wasted lies in the Democrat Legislature, where members routinely ask and get such pork that they can run back to their districts with, usually carrying an over-sized check for public display.

But back to the big issue - is Malloy playing hard ball or engaged in theater? If he blinks and doesn't get the concessions, hands off his best deal to Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, does he think the 100-member Democrat caucus will approve it? And while Malloy says he won't approve any more taxes than have been proposed, what if Donovan comes back with an amended budget that does have higher levies on the rich? Does Malloy veto that and ask for more reductions? Donovan wants to be the new Congressman from the 5th Congressional District. Donovan can't get the nomination or win a primary without 1199 and other union soldier. We can guess how he will jump.

Malloy has painted himself into a corner with an alligator. Now, he is left with crumbs to feed the alligator, hoping it will eat him last. Malloy has one card that he hopes will provide more crumbs - the billion dollars he has built in surplus - what Republicans calls over-taxation. That phony surplus can be used to provide some relief in 2013 and 2014, but only if he gets enough from the unions.

Final wild card - if the state Supreme Court agrees with State Sen. Joe Markley, R-Southington, and finds the Legislature's energy surcharge tax was unconstitutional, then Malloy will have to find another $650 million - this year.

The alligator will still be there no matter what.

Democrats Duck and Cover

2011-04-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

The Democrats were very worried this week after House and Senate Republicans offered a detailed, reasonable and attractive alternative to record tax increases and larger government. Most of the state's newspapers bannered the proposal, even the Hartford Courant gave it the "Japan attacks Pearl" treatment on Page One.

Radio news feeds were repeating the story at the top and bottom of the hour for almost two days along with generous coverage by all the television outlets. GOP officials were planning to take their plan to the Editorial boards and to town halls while local town committee members and activists geared up to spread the word.

The Republicans, outnumbered and irrelevant to some in the smug political world of entitlement, had now grabbed control of the agenda and were running with it in the open field. Many of the private sector lobbyists, who have to keep private political thoughts under wraps, were almost openly cheering these efforts.

The Friday previous, during the April 15 Tax Rally on the north side of the Capitol grounds, House Leader Larry Cafero, R-Norwalk, had brought the crowd to chanting "boycott" against the major insurance companies who had sided with Malloy's budget, calling it reasonable.

Democrat leaders in the Legislature and aides to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy scrambled Wednesday and quickly called a press conference at the Capitol to say they had a budget deal. But in the end, the Democrats had really built an airplane without propellers and called it fit to fly. They are no closer to dealing with the spending issues which are destroying what is left of Connecticut's economy and the ability of working people to keep pace with the growing cost of government.

Members of the Connecticut media, relieved they will not have to exert any effort to tract the usual tedious give and take of a budget debate, have declared victory for Malloy and his new team.

The Democrats have rolled them again, simply by saying something is so - it is so. On Thursday evening, the voting was held open to 6:30 p.m. so members of the tax and spending committees could log in their votes on the fraudulent proposal. A handful of Democrats voted no, not enough to raise the final outcome once it reaches of the floors of the House and Senate.

Democrats have been slapping together budgets like this for a generation, always aided by enough wiggle room provided by endless cash streams from the pockets of Wall Street success stories living in Fairfield County.

The usual ritual allows for the initial document to be provided by the Governor followed by excruciatingly moments of haranguing and posturing while a handful of aides work long into the morning in the hideaway offices of the ornate Capitol.

Usually with a few days to go before adjournment, an agreement is announced with sweaty applause and side way glances.

This year, the Democrats have sped up the process. There has been no perspiration or long hours or frustrated outburst. Instead, Gov. Malloy rolled out an unimaginative plan which is long on taxes and spending and very long on a promise - finding $2 billion in wage and benefit concessions which union leaders politely rejected. Democrat legislators moved forward with their status quo needs and even added a few more proposals to grind business into the dust, oblivious to the general order of human nature.

Malloy caved to the Democrats earlier in the week, announcing on his 100th day in office that he would rescind his proposal and allow certain homeowner to keep part of a $500 tax credit, slicing it to $300 after proposing to take all of it.

The next day - Tuesday - the Republicans offered their budget plan which cut 2,500 employees, streamlined agencies while eliminating the $46 million Citizen Election funds and did it while not raising a dime in taxes.

That same day, a letter signed by 65 rank-and-file Democrats to House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, was leaked to put pressure on the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee to raise the top marginal income tax rate to seven percent, rather than adopt the Malloy proposal which hiked it to 5.35 percent. Democrats on that panel were not in full agreement on the Malloy plan, so Donovan attempted to give them cover. Malloy apparently did him one better by fattening payments to cities and non-profits and keeping many Legislative sacred cows, like the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women.

The real clincher for recalcitrant Democrats was the Barnes proposal, which could and should be challenged on its Constitutionality. if and when any concessions are made, according to the bill's language, any additional cuts will be implemented by Barnes, and not by Legislators.

This is similar to the recent practice of allowing pay increases for state workers to move forward without legislative votes - thus shielding incumbents from reasonable attacks on handing over the state's treasure to public employees.

The Democrats are still looking to May 6th to complete their work and Malloy has still vowed to lay off state workers if he doesn't get his concessions. But no one really believes the new Governor will do it, since he has the Democrat Legislators already committed on the tax side. With Barnes, an unelected bureaucrat, empowered to do the dirty work, Malloy can always come back to class warrior Chris Donovan to gin up the marginal rates on the wealthy and businesses to cover the shortfall. Besides, Donovan is already out of the door - getting ready to bring his special form of leadership to run for the 5th Congressional district.

Remember that letter "written" to Donovan by his flock. That letter can be used with great effect by Republicans in 2012 to demonstrate to those voters who sent the signer to Hartford that they were willing to raise taxes by a stroke of their own pen before getting to the hard work required of an elected official.

Democrats will now hunker down and hope the public will be unable to figure out this massive fraud. The sooner they can vote and lam out for the summer and leave any details to Ben Barnes, the greater the odds the public will simply comply with their fate. The recent tax rally drew less than a 1,000, giving the liberals some false hope the wind has left the sails of the Tea Party faithful.

For the rest of us out here in Real World Connecticut, life goes on with $55 per tank fill-ups, $14 movie tickets, rising food prices and an economy that shed 6,000 jobs last month. And despite denials, it seems more certain that a major employer in Malloy's hometown of Stamford is heading back to midtown Manhattan, where it is now cheaper to run a business than in the leafy suburbs which gave the Governor his political start.

At least we have irony to console the soul.

9 Miles for Nothing

2011-04-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

The approval of a $597 million taxpayer subsidized busway from New Britain to Hartford along an abandoned rail line is a testament to the doggedness of the unions, environmentalists and one politician trying to keep his head above water.

The $60 million per mile project has been built on many phony premises that have been dispelled by logic and facts. Like many of these projects, they start as a glimmer in the eye of those who start from the notion there is nothing government cannot do as long as they don't have to apply their goals to the free market or common sense.

The project started with a million-dollar study. These studies usually begin with a preordained conclusion and work their way back by filling in various holes in the argument with more absurd suppositions.

According to the Hartford West Corridor Major Investment Study (MIS, the group "examined various alternatives to address the forecasted growth in population and travel demand in the New Britain to Hartford metro areas. Of all the options studied (highway widening, high occupancy vehicle lanes, commuter and light rail) a busway in the existing rail corridor was selected as the preferred alternative because it offers travelers the greatest speed, flexibility and ease of use."

Given the fact that population has been fairly stagnant along with job growth, particularly in the metro-Hartford area, why would anyone think a bus system will capture a market that doesn't exist The study argues that traffic is worse than before, because, well, they say so.

But if traffic is debatable, protecting Mother Earth always works.

Environmental groups, such as the Transit for Connecticut Coalition, said moving toward a busway system for those who commute between New Britain and Hartford and towns in between, would help deter climate change. Less cars means we protect the ozone. People riding together on a bus in common purpose is the most responsible way to commute. These are the arguments of people who know better and probably wouldn't be caught dead on a bus.

One of the groups which pushed for the busway is the Transit for Connecticut Coalition which received funds from two Connecticut foundations from the other side of the state - the Fairfield County Community Foundation and the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation.

While the feel-good foundation elitists were pushing for the busway, many local officials were skeptical. The Newington Town Council voted to oppose it as did the Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce. Even members of the West Hartford Town Council were dubious, but they didn't dare anger the take my Volvo SUV to Wholefoods for some organic peanut butter cookies and took no action.

The other idea was to rehabilitate the rail line, or double the track capacity and provide rail service from Hartford to Waterbury. Again, the cost was high, and it was unclear if the line could have sustained itself.

But through it all, where were the screaming masses for another bus line? Anyone who drives through the metro-Hartford area is well aware on how the existing Connecticut Transit system is grossly underused. With the exception of the occasional rush hour run, most buses are less than half filled. Since fairs are essentially free, all of it is subsidized by taxpayers.

So, we have a very expensive project with the dubious public policy goals, suspect facts and little public support outside the special interests who would line their pockets from it.

The decision to proceed fell to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy - who is desperate to find someone, anyone, to bring a job to Connecticut and hope it's a union job, because union workers must be fed first and with high calorie nourishment. The busway proposal was bureaucratic t-ball for Malloy and he gladly put a Louisville slugger to it.

Malloy held a press conference announcing his decision and made the amusing claim that the project can't be passed up or the state could "lose out" on $275 million in federal aid. This ruse is classic Malloy and classic big government Democrat. My God people, can't you see, we can have free money to burn and it won't cost us anything!

By agreeing to the busway, Malloy pays off three constituencies - labor unions, who will feast on a project labor agreement subsidized boondoggle, the greens who dig the cut in CO2 emissions and minorities who will make up a majority of the riders.

And, as the busway begins to roll, there will be contracts for maintenance, education motorists, consultants to evaluate the success of the line and general upkeep of the facilities and rolling stock. None of these costs will be sustained by the one or two dollar fares that will be charged per rider, but by more state and federal subsidies.

Now this is shared sacrifice.

The Sounds of Distance Fire Echo in Hartford

2011-04-03T05:47:00.000-07:00

If you believe House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, and Governor Dannel P. Malloy, the end to all of the budget uncertainty will happen in the first week of May. In a month, it seems, years of political cowardice and criminal accounting practices will come to an end and Democrats will pass a two-year budget that will erase a $3.6 billion deficit.

It is horrible game Malloy and Democrats are playing on everyone who rises each day to make sense of a state that is dying slowly through 30 years of mindless government spending, featherbedding and outright theft of wealth by the left. Gov. Malloy continues his well scripted and stacked public meetings to explain how hard is working to make things right.

Gov. Malloy's meetings are typically 45 minutes of him talking and 20 minutes of softball questions. Through it all, a cordon of State Police security ring Malloy to give him that Commander-in-Chief look he so covets.

Now, maybe there will be a budget but it won't be pretty for those who create wealth, those who start businesses, meet payroll, endure more regulation and harassment from state bureaucrats. The reason is the Democrats have neither the intellect, insight or courage to perform their duties. The proof is seen each day at the Legislative Office Building where Democratic legislators and staff go about their daily chores of holding hearings and votes on infantile bills that have nothing to do with the serious issue at hand - the bancruptcy of our state.

For example, Democrats on the Education Committee recently approved a bill creating a new multi-million dollar bureacracy even though Gov. Malloy opposed it. It is but one example of the Kafka-like atmosphere in Hartford.

It reminds one of the summer of 1940 in Europe when Parisians sipped wine in the salons while thundering booms of Hitler's 80-milimeter guns could be heard in the distance. "Germans, where?"

What makes the budget matter more bizarre is watching Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York pull off the unthinkable - a balanced budget without tax increases in a state long known for punishing taxpayers while rewarding public sector unions with sweetheart deals.

Gov. Malloy does not grasp the power and reach of his strongest supporters. The state employee unions are not interested in giving back a dime in concessions. They rightfully believe they elected Dan Malloy over Tom Foley and that is that. AFL-CIO President John Olsen has said as much, arguing the rich still made out too well under George W. Bush and should give it back to the people in the form of higher taxes.

The state union leadership are spoiling for a fight with the man they put over the top.

During a lunch with a fellow traveler last week, my lunch mate told about a conversation he had with another friend, a state employee union shop steward who did some quick concession math.

"If I am asked to take a three percent cut in pay, that's $13,000 a year, times two or $28k," he said. "Now, I'm supposed to tell me people to take a cut that even half that? F--- Malloy."

Gov. Malloy's budget calls for another two percent increase in spending, including a monstrous hand out to the cities - a $100 million state version of the Earned Income Tax Credit. There are no serious cuts or consolidations or structural changes in the manner of compensation. There is no discussion of entitlements, Medicaid, elimination of state education mandates. The initial tax increase proposals are opening bids on higher marginal rates.

Gov. Malloy knows what he is doing. If the unions dig in, the question becomes how high will the taxes go and where does the pain start? At $100,000 for joint filers? $150,000 or $250,000? These are people the Democrats refer to as "millionaires."

To "get there" and erase the deficit, at least 8,000 state employees would have to be canned. Not a likely scenario in this lifetime or this year.

The Democrats in the Legislature also have their priorities. Appropriations co-chairman State Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven, and State Sen. Toni Harp, D-New Haven, are defenders of the big city welfare machine. Cutting programs for the poor, the chronically unemployed or sick are non-starters.

Donovan, who is setting himself up to run for the 5th Congressional seat now open, is more disconnected than usual. Sen. Williams, frustrated that he couldn't get a gig with Malloy running the Groton Airport, now can have some fun with his former tormentor, former State Senator and current Malloy counsel, Andrew McDonald.

More than likely, the Democrats will pass a budget that relies mostly on higher taxes and dare Malloy to veto it. That will be the first moment of truth and will lead to a long summer of posturing.

Republicans, with the exception of one unexplainable vote on collective bargaining by three members, have been focused in purpose. House GOP Leader Larry Cafero, R-Norwalk, and Senate Ledader John McKinney, R-Fairfield, will be announcing a Republican budget alternative soon that doesn't raise taxes.

Meanwhile, state employees will continue to draw checks, enjoy $5 co-pays on drugs. use their un-used sick and comp time to fatten their pensions and not even thank the people that pay for it all.

The "Little People" Are Getting It

2011-03-20T06:12:00.000-07:00

The contempt Connecticut Democrats show for working people and small business is being returned in kind as entrepreneurs and owners of small companies grasp the impact of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's budget. Part of Malloy's record $1.5 tax increase laid out by Gov. Malloy includes several large hits on numerous businesses, from used car lots to Bed Bath and Beyond to the high seas.

This weekend, while traveling and doing some car shopping, I met the owner of a small used car lot in Wallingford, who competes with some larger operations off North Colony Road. His "daily nut" to keep his doors open and his salespeople paid is $3,000.00 a day. Selling used foreign and domestic cars is a tough business and margins are tight.

So, it took little prodding to get his take on Malloy's plan to eliminate the trade- in "waiver" buyers enjoy when making an exchange. The current law works this way. Someone brings in a used Lexus worth $25,000 wholesale for a $40,000 Mercedes. The net on that is $15,000 which the buyer is liable for sales tax. But under Malloy's plan, the buyer would pay six percent on $40,0000.

"People are watching every dime," the owner said. "All this does is take customers to other states - end of sale."

Stopping off at our local restaurant in Wethersfield, a family-owned operation which employs over 50 people at its three restaurants, many of them who have worked there for decades. Every time we pick up a pizza or stop by for some lasagna, we get an earful from the second-generation owners about mandatory paid sick time proposal. The current owner, her sister, brother and others work more hours than they can count. The paid sick time is the ultimate insult to hard working business people.

"This stupid, dumb law adds thousands to my bottom line that we can never recover," she said. "I am now going to have to hire part-time people at overtime prices just to wash dishes or fire people so I don't have to do it."

And then there are many shoppers out there, diligently clipping coupons and looking for the odd savings on premium items. It takes someone who does care about their own money to scour the papers, look on-line and then keep them all sorted and ready for the moment of truth. But not under Malloy. Even if the coupon does save money, the consumer will have to pay taxes on the full value of the item as if the discount didn't exist.

And if you thought the Democrats have lost their appetite for class warfare, fear not. Gov. Malloy's plan to fire a fiscal torpedo at the state boating industry is a potential rerun of the 1992 federal budget. The Malloy plan hopes to raise $14.3 million by implementing a tax on labor, a winter storage tax, a three-percent "luxury tax" on boats valued at $100,000 and elimination of trade-in values to reduce the sales tax (similar to used cars.)

As Patricia Daddona reported in The Day, Rhode Island's boating industry has thrived since they cut taxes on many of these service in 1993. The Ocean State can expect a flotilla of Connecticut vessels if Malloy's plan sets sail. When a liberal state like Rhode Island understands that cutting taxes increase economic activity and Connecticut won't - no wonder we are treading water.

In 1992, former President George H.W. Bush agreed to a budget plan that was widely credited with his defeat that year. One provision was a huge federal luxury tax on boats. Once it passed, the boating industry in Connecticut and throughout the country collapsed for over a decade. With it went jobs and tax revenue.

All of these tales are real. The taxes will be real and will be felt by the very people who have sustained our economy from the principles of risk, hard work and thrift. Gov. Malloy and the Democrats believe everyone must sacrifice, save for the blessed government that sees endless horizons of wealth with no penalty to be paid at the ballot box.

Whether that will change will depend on how angry and fed up the true heroes of our economy become.

Sustinet Shuffle - A Universal Health Fraud

2011-03-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

The grizzly Sustinet legislation waltzed through another legislative committee this week as questions circulated on the affairs of union administered foundation which has been ladling out millions to buy the silence of businesses and lubricate the political effort to support a single-payer system.

Sustinet is Connecticut's version of the "public option" which even President Barack Obama was unable to pass last year. Sustinet, if approved, will open the state's generous, gold-plated health care plan, to municipalities, small businesses and non-profits under the fiction that more means less expensive health care on the public dime. The newest version of Sustinet would keep it free of regulation and oversight of the state Insurance Department. The rest of the insurance industry is flyspecked on a daily basis but it seems the liberals wants Sustinet to play by different rules, rules the Democrat Legislators can draft to protect their policy aim - a state run health care colossus.

Gov. Malloy is squeezing on of the major players in health care - the hospitals. He has plans to tax hospitals this year andraise $266 million in year one and $269 million in 2013. Malloy plans to cut $83 million in uncompensated aid to hospitals, leverage it with federal money and then cut checks back to the hospitals. Needless to say, most hospital CEO's are not thrilled about this shell game.

The tax will hit smaller community hospitals at a time where many are well into the red. The increase barely raised a ripple at the state Capitol. That is due to realization that more taxes are en route on many fronts as the budget countdown begins.

The professional political class - legislators, staff, lobbyists and assorted activists - accepts that Malloy is not making much headway with the public sector unions on concessions. That means the tax trial balloons are being launched to begin the new narrative - the tax pain - "shared sacrifice" will be felt by everyone, well, almost everyone who is not a union member. The matter of cutting the state workforce, reducing programs and regulations are details to be worked out in the summer, if ever.

But the more interesting development was a story which the traditional media yawned over. It may turn out to be one of the largest abuses of money in generations and ironically, could be a critical element in whether Sustinet becomes the law of the land.

Thanks to the heads-up work of Zachery Janowski of the Yankee Institute, more is being learned each day about the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, formerly the Anthem Foundation. Janowski scratched the surface with his initial report where he outlined how corporate money was being used to build and strengthen a leftwing coalition against private health care.

It began over a decade ago when Anthen sought to purchase Blue Cross & Blue Shield in Connecticut. After legal action was taken by then Attorney General Dick Blumenthal and then-Comptroller Nancy Wyman, Anthem cut a $41 million check to make them go away. From that historic corporate shakedown spawned a very generous board of directors who have wallpapered the non-profit, union and business communities with money to either buy their silence or support of free health care for all. Free being defined as taxpayers paying for the privilege of state sponsored rationed medical services.

The breadth of the largess by the Universal Health Care Foundation is historic and breathtaking in its boldness. The original charge of the foundation was to "promote health care," but the tribute paid by Anthem has and is now being used to promote Sustinet and keep union leaders personally in high cotton at the same time.

The details of those transactions wouldn't shock anyone used to union tactics in Connecticut. It is simply amazing that no one has figured it out until Zach Janowski started connecting the dots.

NPR Welfare Has to Stop

2011-03-11T13:48:00.000-08:00

John Dankosky of NPR radio is a sure-footed, hard working reporter. He is always fair and John works hard to understand the issues before offering comment on them. John also keeps an eye on Hartford politics with a well trained eye. Dankosky has taken issue with my opposition to continued state funding of NPR and the parent Connecticut Public Broadcasting and questioned the amount of subsidy sighted in my Facebook posting earlier this week.

I and many taxpayers believe that one dollar of public subsidy for National Public Radio in Connecticut or Connecticut Public Broadcasting is pure corporate welfare. I did throw out an incorrect number out - $3.3 million - in what I thought was the state taxpayer subsidy to both CPTV and NPR.

The real number is $1.987 million and it should be cut from the budget entirely. The beauty of this subsidy is the manner is which it finds its way into the hands of both entities. A myriad of state agencies - Connecticut Public Library, Commission on Fire Control, Commission on Culture and Tourism, all program money they are given to Connecticut Public Broadcasting, whose building is located on Asylum Avenue in Hartford. It all adds up, no matter how John Dankosky tries to spin it.

These types of subsidy have to stop if Connecticut is serious about becoming a state worth living in. Both CPTV and NPR, by their own admission, get most of their resources through private means - as they should. With hundreds of choices in both radio and television, public support of the airwaves is as pointless as carbon paper. If you listen or watch any programming, it is filled with private sector ads and disclaimers. Yet, there is no disclaimer that explains how the Connecticut taxpayers are subsidizing CPB. Maybe if CPB did let voters know they were paying for programming that they might not agree with, they might find a more skeptical audience.

I have given to NPR and CPTV in the past and have the coffee mugs and tote bags to prove it. There is simply no good reason to ask taxpayers to subsidize this luxury while more deserving public needs go untended. Pick any social welfare need - homelessness, presciption drugs for seniors or mental health treatment - and ask if $1.9 million to those matters would be a better use of public funds?

How can any liberal say with a straight face that Connecticut taxpayers should be paying for Big Bird, when Sesame Street is a multi-million dollar cash cow?

NPR, CPB should do what any other company has to do - sell their product with passion and persistence. And, load up on the coffee mugs.

Surrendering to the Klingons

2011-03-10T07:02:00.000-08:00

When you live in Connecticut and watch the rest of the world, you wonder if there is a parallel universe out there. I'm not a Trekie, but remember that episode where Spock had an evil doppelganger with the goatee?

Governor Dannel P. Malloy hasn't grown any side burns yet, but he seems to be trapped in an angry mode of delivering news to the ungrateful, who don't appreciate the tough job he has "inherited." And Malloy is getting madder as people reject his view of the budget reality - that we all have to pay up and get over it.

As Malloy seeks strange new worlds in each town hall of Connecticut getting pummelled with cries of "enough," and "we can't pay anymore," - Gov. Scott Walker and the Republicans in Madison, Wisconsin are taking it to the Klingons - the public sector unions.

Funny to listen to Democrats complain about legislation passed late into the night as the GOP Badgers removed the public sector union's rights to collective bargaining. After waiting weeks for Democrat State Senators to show up for work, the Republicans stripped the bill down so they didn't need one Democrat in the upper chamber and passed it, 18-1.

Late night legislation - unfair Democrats say? This is a skill the Democrats have honed everywhere over the years. Remember Obamacare? - passed during the holidays without anyone reading it or being subject to one public hearing?

Wisconsin continues to cut spending and redraw the outline of government services and what to pay for them. The law does not removed anyone's rights but merely recalibrates the scales of fairness between the governed and its public vendors.

Back in Connecticut, Gov. Malloy can't seem to bust a fastball past anyone and gets more frustrated with every meeting of the masses. On one side are the local union people who incredulous over Malloy even thinking about asking for some form of concession and the other, normal everyday people who have had a belly full of rampant spending and the associated taxes to pay for it.

Malloy cries that he didn't create the problem, but in a way, he supported it. During his tenure as Mayor of Stamford, he called for more spending to cities and he never uttered a word of opposition while Democrats in the Legislature grew the budget like Topsy.

He ran for Governor knowing full well of the house of cards he would have to play. Republican Tom Foley offered a different path, a notion Malloy told Norwich residents "would be worse." Does Malloy think that Tom Foley would have raised taxes still higher, offered millions more in Earned Income Tax credits to those who don't pay taxes or reward state employees by keeping the status quo on salaries and benefits?

But in the other universe - our universe - Governors - Democrats and Republican - are doing the hard work of slicing spending and targeted programs and constituencies that support them. Governors Jerry Brown, Andrew Cuomo, Chris Christie, John Kasich and Walker are moving at Warp Factor 9.

The recent Quinnipiac Poll shows the voters are not impressed with the "shared sacrifice" model, since they have rightly concluded no one but the taxpayers are sacrificing. The arrogance of the public sector unions knows no bounds. They are determined to wait Malloy out and point to the wealth of others to find a way out of the $3.6 billion deficit.

It didn't have to be this way. Others have shown you can cut spending and end programs and shown it does win public support. Gov. Malloy chose his plan and is trying to negotiate with the Klingons - and we know the Klingons are not big on compromise.

"Kirk out."

Malloy is Sheening

2011-03-08T08:52:00.000-08:00

Is Gov. Dannel P. Malloy becoming the Charlie Sheen of Connecticut politics? He's everywhere spouting off on almost every subject,referring himself in the second person and taunting almost anyone who disagrees with his central premise that he alone is unique in his ability to cure the state's woes.

Like Sheen, Malloy cannot leave an open mike or an audience alone. He is consumed with his righteousness and his ability to see clearly while others remain in the partisan fog of past budget duels.

And like Sheen, with each new public opportunity to speak, the statements become more bizarre.

Monday Gov. Malloy issued a truly comic statement speaking to business leaders in Bridgeport about where he fits into the pantheon of recent Connecticut's Governors.

After proposing the largest tax increase in state history, playing soft toss with the public sector unions, supporting paid sick leave for businesses, promoting a state health care expansion that will add another $3 billion in costs to consumers, Gov. Malloy said he was more fiscally conservative than Gov. Weicker, Gov. Rowland and Gov. Rell.

Malloy continues to talk past voters and businesses with statements that either contradict the facts or make a mockery of simple mathematics.

Malloy is increasing spending while claiming he is cutting spending, increasing taxes by $1.5 billion while facing a $3.8 billion deficit. Most importantly, Malloy has not convinced anyone that he and his negotiators can obtain $2 billion in concessions from the myriad of public sector unions.

His support of SustiNet will effectively end private insurance in the state where insurance used to call its corporate home before it adds billions more in costs while rationing care.

Malloy's support of mandatory paid sick leave will decimate small businesses, who will now have to hire temporary help they hadn't budgeted for, or drop employees to get under the 50-employee threshold.

Malloy's consolidation plan of state government produced 150 less employees. The rest of his budget keeps every failed program and dead-end bureaucracy that have long been identified as unproductive or duplicative. Even the fabled state Commissions are off limits, which are classic make-work sinecures for those interested in producing self-serving reports on the need to provide special treatment for such oppressed classes.

By any definition or measurement, Dannel P. Malloy is the most liberal - on social and economic issues - of any Governor since the state's founding. He believes in government as the divining power to cure all ills - both real and perceived.

Malloy is banking on the fact that if he keeps telling anyone who will listen that this is the only plan that will work, people will simply nod and wave him through. Sort of like Charlie talking about how Tiger Blood will keep him from vapor locking.

The Governor's Bridgeport comments show a man with little patience for debate or opposition - even though his budget is flawed in both its big-picture goals and details to carry it out.

"We cannot allow people to pull it down because they don't like one portion of it, or the part that affects them. Because if we do, we go back to what has happened in this state for a number of years, where we don't get the job done on time, where we end up in backroom deals and last-24-hour deal making. And we end up making the kind of deals that have not moved our state forward."

This will not play well with the unions or House Speaker Chris Donovan. But maybe that is part of the plan. Malloy will watch his budget get molded into a more expensive turkey, which will require more taxes at the higher end. When push comes to shove, Malloy will got with taxes. That is the only way for him to survive - hoping that success on Wall Street will fill the government reservoir - thereby allowing him to say he made the tough call in tough times. Of course, by then, more capital and companies will flee the state or park their investment dollars elsewhere.

Is that, duh - winning?

The New Evil Empire

2011-02-24T06:35:00.001-08:00

By their pathetic demonstration at the State Capitol yesterday, Connecticut's public sector unions have now inherited the term reserved for most vile of threat's to the Republic - "the Evil Empire."

This Empire, led by radical leftists and thieves of opportunity and treasure, have long ago captured the heart and soul of the Connecticut Democrat Party and its elected leaders in both the Legislature and the Executive.

Through their pawns in the House and Senate, they have rigged the state Election laws to limit speech, reward incumbents with staff and free media applications while building a bureaucracy to manage thought and expression. During state elections, unions roam free among the electorate with phone jamming, offering street money to collect votes and none of it is ever reported or punished. As Ronald Reagan said about the Soviet Union - "they will lie, cheat and steal" to obtain their ends.

Now, with the election of Democrat Dannel Malloy, the unions have their figure head leader, who pledges fealty to their cause while asking politely for a few coins of pity in return.

Sadly, two Republican Governors were unable to crack the choke hold of the public sector unions during the last 16 years. The nucleus of the Resistance are 14 GOP State Senators and 52 House Republicans. It will be up to them to stop the Empire until more help arrives, it ever.

Wednesday, Darth Malloy stood amongst several hundred union protesters at the State Capitol and didn't asked for shared sacrifice. The unions were there to support their counterparts in Wisconsin who are being unfairly treated by Republican lawmakers.

"I am proud to stand with you and with the workers in Wisconsin and with the workers in all the other states," Malloy said.

Malloy said he was committed to binding arbitration, the system that rubber stamps every union contract proposal in the state and saddles municipalities with crushing salary and benefit costs.

During the noontime rally, there wasn't a mention about $2 billion in union. concessions. Nope, no concessions here - you must be thinking about Albany, Trenton or Madison.

All is well under the Dark Lord of the Status Quo. Malloy was eager to change the subject after New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told MSNBC that would be "waiting at the border" for Connecticut businesses fleeing from the anticipated Malloy tax increases. Malloy has been running a separate tactical effort to position himself nationally as a "reasonable" Democrat who understands business but doesn't want to shred the social safety net in the process.

Union leaders have publicly said Connecticut can eliminate its $3.8 billion deficit by taxing the rich. AFL-CIO President John Olsen said last week the wealthy didn't deserve the George W. Bush tax cuts and should pony up. Olsen made no mention of President Obama's support of extending those cuts, but where does logic work here anyway?

Yes, it's a revenue problem, people. The Death Star must have it's $6 prescription co-pays, its $15 doctor visits and be allowed to add unused sick time for pensions. It must have it's automatic Cost of Living Adjustments and promotion rights that allows the slackers to soar up the pay ladder while effective employees languish in the shadows.

The Republic - the citizens of many states - are rallying against the Empire each day. Through their elected representatives in Wisconsin, Republican Governor Scott Walker and Republican legislators are poised to strip the public unions down to size. National Democrats and labor union leaders are parachuting into Madison to rally their side. Jesse Jackson, James Hoffa and all the other liberal shakedown artists have made an appearance while Wisconsin Democrat lawmakers hide out in Illinois. It won't work and when Wisconsin does its thing, everything will change.

But will it affect Connecticut? Not likely until the people of this state finally see the Evil Empire for what it is - destroyers of wealth and opportunity. Until people start paying out of their pocket each and every day more, nothing will happen. By the summer, with gas prices hitting the roof from the unrest in the Middle East, and new income taxes coming out of checks, people will be ready to join the Rebellion.

But beating the Evil Empire will take courage and doggedness. The unions have House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, and Senate President Don Williams, D-Brooklyn, in their pockets. Now they have added Darth Malloy and the circle is complete.

The sad truth is there are many rank and file union members who get it, many of them in the early years of their tenure with the state. Those who run the union are paid to run the union and have seniority. If there are layoffs, it will the younger, more reasonable union workers who will be put out.

We all know how this story line will play out:

Malloy will make a pass at some concessions with the public sector unions. The unions will somberly come forward with a small amount, probably deferred payments - anything to get through the budget process.

Donovan and House Democrats will demand that the $500 home tax credit be saved as a condition for any votes for the budget.

Malloy will declare victory over "historic concessions" but admit that taxes will have to be raised for those who "have enjoyed economic success." He will propose the high rate as close to nine percent, so he can fire a raspberry at Gov. Christie and say Connecticut is competitive and "open for business."

Democrats will hope for an economic rebound, fueled by the stock market, and pray that Obama gets his approval rating over 50 percent by next spring. The voters, they believe, will forget about it. They always do.

But the most important part of this entire budget is keeping Connecticut's commitment to essential services. That is why ferry service in Rocky Hill and Chester will be maintained.

That's leadership.

Weicker and the Badger State of Mind

2011-02-19T14:53:00.000-08:00

As Democrats prepare for the voters of Connecticut to give their first reaction at the polls Tuesday to Gov. Dan Malloy's record tax increase and budget proposal, Republicans watch with great interest at the courage and resolve of their brothers and sisters in the Badger State.

It is there were Republican Gov. Scott Walker and GOP members of the state House and Senate are taking it to the unions, threatening to take away their collective bargaining rights.

"The bill is not negotiable," said Wisconsin State Senate President Scott Fitzgerald. Scott's brother, Jeff, is the Speaker of the Minnesota House, so that's a bet to take without taking points.

Democrat Wisconsin lawmakers have been holed up in Minnesota at a Super 8, so the vote couldn't be held due to a lack of a quorum, but the law is expected to pass. You can tell things are going south for the unions. The Most Rev. Jesse Jackson has shown up to join union members and Nancy Pelosi has pledged "solidarity."

Most political commentator, including liberals, are talking the about the courage of Gov. Walker and the resolve of Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York and Gov. Chris Christie in New Jersey. Gov. Malloy, he's looking like the hapless Illinois Governor Pat Brady, another Democrat who has turned to record taxes to close the Lincoln State's budget deficit.

The Malloy $1.5 billion tax increase, the largest in state history, officially takes Gov. Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., off the hook as the biggest taxer of them all. Even as someone who loathed Weicker, I would concede that the big fella would handle the negotiations with the state employee unions in a much different manner. Malloy believes he can get $2 billion in concessions from the unions - even though he hasn't picked up the phone to have a chat with their negotiators.

Weicker would probably pour himself four fingers of Maker's Mark, dial up Larry Dorman of SEBAC and tell him if he didn't come up with $2 billion, "I'll put 6,000 of your *!&%@& friends on the street - you decide, get back to me, Dorman!CLICK."

And that would be that. Maybe Weicker would throw in a few more points on the tax side for a cushion just so he could be hated by everybody.

The reaction of the unions has been predictable. Connecticut AFL-CIO President John Olsen did his best John L. Lewis impersonation at the State Capitol, claiming that Malloy was going to easy on the rich. He then claimed anyone who got a tax cut under George Bush, or an extension under Barack Obama, "didn't deserve it."

SEBAC, the bargaining coalition for all state employee unions in the state, isn't going anywhere near the surrender tent.

"It is our belief that Connecticut has a revenue problem and not a spending problem," said Matt O'Connor, a representative from SEBAC. Before too long, there will be television and radio ads blaring about how hard state employees work and how much they care. The cost of this campaign will be paid by the taxpayers.

Then, SEBAC will go through the motions and maybe offer a few crumbs but Malloy will probably hike the top marginal rate to 8.5 or as close to 9 percent as he can. Malloy will then claim we are competitive with New York, Massachusetts and Serbia.

Meanwhile, the eight Republican candidate fighting for three State Senate seats and five state House seats scrambled across the state to channel the voters anger at Malloy's proposal while marvelling at the rumble in Madison.

Go Badgers!!!!

Is That the Best They Can Do?

2011-02-17T08:07:00.000-08:00

A day after Gov. Dan Malloy offered his solution to the $3.7 billion budget deficit, much of the political world was quietly taking in his plan which relies heavily on taxes, increases spending and relies on a promise to find $2 billion under the public employee's mattress.

The reaction by many Capitol watchers was "is that it - is that the best he could do?"

Malloy's team kept leaking pieces of the plan out for a week, and it didn't help him keep his message clear or build momentum for his speech to the Legislature. Prior to his address, one Malloy aide said "we are asking the Middle Class to do a little more," while another called the largest tax increase in state history, "serious."

Malloy's speech delivery was halting and there was the trademark raising of his voice level at the end to end in a crescendo. When he finished, the crickets were getting warmed up in parking lot.

We have heard the cliche's before and during the Malloy speech about making government work for a better tomorrow including the classics - "private-public partnerships," "open for business," and "an historic opportunity."

But the budget boils down to this. If you make $50,000, your taxes are going to go up significantly. If you own a house, you lose a $500 tax credit. If you drive a car, smoke or drink alcohol - get ready to get healthy by walking a lot. But even if you are looking for total consciousness, that will cost you, since yoga classes will now be taxed. During his address, Malloy made it clear many of those services previously held harmless from sales tax were living a charmed life at the taxpayer's expense and simply had better lobbyists. Really? I haven't met all those yoga instructor's hired gun nor the representative from the Connecticut Association of Facial Hair Removers. It was a petty moment.

Gov. Malloy said he doesn't want to punish people who create wealth, but his tax plan will do just that. If you make more, more will be taken. If you are a business, the corporate surcharge and entity taxes still apply. And then there is Sustinet, the state's version of Obamacare, which could add another $1 billion in cost and compliance for taxpayers and businesses.

With all of this good news, the failure of the Malloy administration to see it's opportunity and seize it is disheartening, no matter what one's political philosophy.

And the inner structures of government still stand without a mark on them. There are no plans or proposals for closing state buildings or privatizing any services nor a hint of downsizing the ranks of the 87,000 state employees (the newest number from the Department of Administrative Services).

Yes, 87,000 employees, even though Gov. Malloy said there were 45,000 state workers. He doesn't even know how many people work for him - not a good sign.

Spending goes up almost $1 billion, but Gov. Malloy said spending doesn't go up anymore than this year's total. Why does he say that when the documents he put out says otherwise? His own Budget Director Ben Barnes said that spending will 2010-2011,$19.284 billion and next year will be $19.738 billion while $20.26 billion is proposed for 2012-2013.

The Governor has said repeatedly, "we haven't spend a dime more," than this year. So a dime is worth $450 million.

The time to reform government and downsize rarely occurs. It can only occur when tax money is scarce. That is when management/the political leaders have the most leverage over the unions. They can inform the unions that either they come to table and negotiate new working conditions, salaries and benefits or a significant number of their colleagues will join the lines of the unemployed.

For the Connecticut Democrat Party, this is where they find out if there is anything left of the Grasso-O'Neill elements - and whether the party does represent the working class as they claim. To many, the Democrats represent two groups - the public sector unions and their allies, and the social service/non-profit class that believes government must do even more to sustain the needy.

Both of these factions will do battle over the next several months with Gov. Malloy on the spending and taxation policies. It won't be pretty. The two co-chairmen of the Appropriations Committee, State Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven and State Sen. Toni Harp, D-New Haven are unlikely to approve any budget with cuts to the programs that support non-profits, where both draw a check. Walker also appeared at a Connecticut Communist Party rally years ago and publicly expressed her support for the CCP's agenda. Those budget hearings should be worth attending.

Some will criticize Malloy for thinking he can roll the Legislature like the Stamford RTM or the Board of Finance. That is unfair. But what is fair is this - how can a bright person who understands the state is sliding through the ice come up with such a flaccid blueprint that won't get him or us there?

Look at what Wisconsin Republican Scott Walker and the GOP Legislature is doing in the Badger State. They are voting this week on dismantling collective bargaining rights for state workers. Yowsa! Not that's a group of men and women with steel in their jockstraps.

John Olsen Faces Stiff Liberal Headwind

2011-02-06T05:43:00.000-08:00

The liberals showed their true colors this week on the issue of alternative energy, proving that if the "alternative" ends up in their backyard, they are good with the status quo.

The absurd display of NIMBY Theater opened at a hearing of the Energy and Technology Committee over public testimony on legislation that would halt wind farm projects as a form of green energy.

Co-chair State Rep. Vicky Nardello, D-Wallingford, who has terrorized the utility industry has long opined on the need to move away from those dirty evil energy sources like oil and nuclear power. Nardello signed off last year on a sly ratepayer surcharge that is hitting energy customers but providing badly needed cash to balance the state budget.

But not last week, no sir. Not even the presence of John Olsen, the President of the CT AFL-CIO and former Democrat State Party Chairman, could move Nardello from her perch of studying the wind farm issue.

"(The legislation) is a job killer," said Olsen. Boooorah!!!!

The reason? Opposition has formed in the towns of Prospect and Colebrook over plans to build those propeller-thing-of-ma-jiggers. Several of the local opposition leaders gave the usual impassioned plea that any wind farm would hurt property values.

Amazing when the propeller is on the other foot.

Time to Get the Net for Lead-Head Ed

2011-02-02T06:29:00.000-08:00

State Sen. Ed Meyer, D-Guilford, is one of the more bizarre characters at the State Capitol. This week he proved that someone needs to pin a note on his lapel and take him down to the bus station.

Meyer has introduced a bill that would ban the use of lead weight sinkers, because he believes water fowl will gobble them up and die from poisoning. There is no evidence of birds behaving in this manner or meeting an early death from downing a sinker without a chaser.

However, Meyer is the co-chairman of the Environment Committee, which normally ensures his legislation will get a favorably nod to move to the floor of the Senate.

With Connecticut facing a $3 to $5 billion dollar deficit, which will likely affect all of his constituents in the 12th District, Meyer still finds time to tackle the issues which affect no one.

The bill would affect weights of an ounce or less; and also prohibit the use of the toxic metal in the use of balancing the tires of motor vehicles, with possible fines, through the state Department of Consumer Protection, of up to $25,000.

Even the Department of Environmental Protection is opposed to this nonsense, joined by the Connecticut Sportsmen Association and other wildlife groups.

State Rep. Richard Roy, D-Milford, the House co-chairman of the committee was demur in his assessment of the bill's survival.

But don't count Ed out yet. He is the Senator who carried on a cell phone conversation last year in the well of the State Senate which became such a distraction, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate had to rule him out of order. Meyer protested and continued talking with his wife while stunned colleagues watched.

However, my favorite Ed Meyer story is something the author witnessed several years ago in the Legislative Office Building's cafeteria.

Meyer was in the ordering area, at the soup station examining his choices for the day. Most people simple look at the display card, but Ed took it upon himself to dip a spoon into the open cauldron, lean his head over the open receptacle and took a sample slurp, as drops dribbled back into the pot.

Needless to say, the author skipped soup that day, and I always ask the staff if Ed had been there before me since.

Preibus Proved He Can Cut It

2011-01-15T06:49:00.000-08:00

The election of Wisconsin Chairman Reince Priebus after seven ballots Friday by the Republican National Committee provides the Party with a fresh start toward retiring its $21 million debt and preparing for the 2012 Election against a President with $1 billion swag.

Priebus, 38, proved to be a worthy leader. He ran a tight campaign, took several punches and showed himself both nimble with disillusioned supporters of Michael Steele and those eager for anyone but the incumbent. When Steele released his votes after the third round of voting and urged them to vote for veteran operative Maria Cino, most went to Priebus on subsequent rounds. The ballroom at the Gaylord National hotel was rift with rumors of efforts by Steele to cut a financial deal with Cino and former Ambassador Ann Wagner of Missouri. After Steele left the race, many urged Cino and Saul Anuzis to strike a compact, where Cino would emerge as chairman and Anuzis, the former chairman from Michigan and current RNC member, as co-chairman.

Anuzis, to his lasting credit, cut no deals and hoped for "second" votes. Priebus held his tally and steadily added to it. He proved he could count and keep his count.

Priebus was humble in his remarks and made the right call by canceling any post-election festivities. Most of the Members, worn out by a day of Conga-line voting and deal-making, got room service or made their way to the airport.

The new chairman is a hard worker by all indications and there was little rancor after the voting. The debt can be retired as major donors return to the fold and party activists get back into the rhythm of a Presidential cycle. It will take everyone to out the GOP back on the path but most of the RNC members were upbeat about doing it. The thought of a second Obama term has a way of motivating even the most reticent Republican.

RNC - Day 2 - Laying Out the Vision Thing

2011-01-13T05:19:00.000-08:00

At the second day of the Republican National Committee Winter meeting, the candidates for chairman unloaded on their audience with goody bags, receptions and white papers on how to turn the GOP's governing body in a positive direction.

The staff at the Gaylord National were keep busy lugging small shopping bags filled with chocolates, crackers, key chains, candles, cookies and the in once case - a 12-ounce summer sausage courtesy of Wisconsin chairman Reince Priebus.

Mike Steele gavel out miniature gavels; Tony Parker, a candidate for Treasurer, offered personalized business card holder and Ann Wagner served up a "gooey butter" pastry that could stop a marathoner's heart.

But for those who couldn't sleep, several candidates inserted their respective plans for rebuilding the RNC. Everyone needs a plan or should have one even though they are rarely followed or implemented.

Maria Cino offered a 40-page, loose-leaf binded handbook - easy to carry and skim through which reflects her style. Maria is a rat-a-tat-tat missile. Lots of energy and to the point. She talks briefly about her years in the NRCC, the RNC and running a National Convention. She talks about raising money and retiring debt. She spends a good deal of time breaking down the financial operation - or lack of it under Steele - and offers a few tangible goals - the return of the Regional Finance Directors, Joint Victory Accounts with State and make all consulting contracts incentive based.

Saul Anuzis (endorsed by the author) has a seven-point plan. Restore credibility with donors, use technology and share it with all activist, get Members involved and hold everyone accountable. The rest are details and simply hard work based on knowledge and experience, according to Anuzis.

Priebus offers us a calender style with that "Back to School" font look, as if many of us are remediable readers. He lists many of the same goals, but the Priebus documents looks like one of those corporate job evaluation - the kind where you go down the list a check off a box of every possible task you must accomplish to get your bonus.

On each page, the document reads like a diary with terms such as "convene," "focus", "compile," "initiate," begin and "audit." How about, get on the phone and start dialing?

In his 14-day stage, Priebus plans on lots of meetings and conference calls with many people who I am not sure have time to figure out the RNC's problems nor will have anytime themselves to do it. Presidential candidates, Speake Bohener and Senate Leader McConnell have their own needs. They will help, but only when you give them a date to show up - not ask them or staff to take a weekly call.

On Page 9, under "Unity", he says - "Hold RNC Spring Meeting and allow time for Members to interact and learn from each other." On Page 10, under "Political" he calls for the RNC to "Work with State Parties to begin the candidate recruitment process."

My favorite is the 2-year plan under "Operations" where he asks for good governance - another signature on a $100,000 contract, ensure all expenses are in line with guidelines on hotel, airlines and entertainment."

Now, pardon me, but as General Counsel during the Steele era, why didn't Counselor Priebus call for these proposals after the Lesbian Hour, the private jets(which he took a spin on) and some of the very cozy vendor deals? How about a rule now that no vendors can assist, advise or donate to candidates for Chairman?

Lastly, on Page 14 - Priebus plans to raise $400 million by next year. There is no breakdown on how or where that will come from. But the last paragraph on that page is also revealing - "Bring in political experts such as pollsters to help educate us on the political environment and the issues. Video tape the sessions and provide the video to RNC Members on their secure section of the website."

Will this secure website have one of those pupil recognition things I have seen in the movies or will a thumb print do?

Really hate to beat up on Reince, but the whole things has such inane, mind-numbing detail that it shows how little Priebus thinks of the membership.

Today, at 2:00 p.m. - each candidate will get a few minutes to let it rip before Members, following by more lobbying and deal making - and more chocolate.

RNC Update - Members Stagger In From Cold; Pass Lean Budget

2011-01-12T09:04:00.000-08:00

(MakeBlueRed will be reporting from the RNC Winter Meeting through the Week, including Friday's Election of Offices)

Members of the Republican National Committee are trickling into the Gaylord Conference Center at National Harbor, Maryland to pick their leadership team and begin the heavy lifting for 2012. The candidates for chairman - incumbent Michael Steele, Saul Anuzis of Michigan, Reince Priebus of Wisconsin, Maria Cino of New York and Ann Wagner of Missouri - have been working the phones and now, greeting the members as they arrive.

The 168 members of the GOP national governing body have plenty to think about - mostly who they want to lead them into a very tough Election against President Barack Obama who will announce his campaign team this week. Obama is expected to raise $1 billion for his effort.

The RNC is at least $23 million in debt, but Wednesday RNC Treasurer Randy Pullen (AZ) announced at a Budget Committee meeting he had negotiated some relief from one $5 million note due February 28th. Under the new agreement, that nut will be due February 29, 2012 but the committee will be on the hook for $375,000 in interest costs. The other two $5 million notes are due June 30, 2011 and June 30, 2012.

The Budget panel approved a $29 million budget for 2011 but not before Texas State Chairman Steve Munistieri asked why the salaries of both the chairman or the co-chairman were not reduced to reflect the reality of a lean year.

According to one Budget Committee member, an effort to cut the salaries was rejected during budget discussions. According to RNC Member and Budget Chairman Louis Pope (MD), significant cuts were made across the board - including the chairman's budget and the political office.

The RNC Executive Committee will meet a 1:00 p.m. Wednesday to consider the budget.

Strangers in Our Midst

2011-01-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

Anyone who has been a public official or worked for one had to take some time this weekend to both pray and reflect on the mindless shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, D-AZ, a federal judge, members of her staff and other bystanders meeting the two-term lawmaker at a Tucson mall.

Members of Congress, Governors, U.S.Senators are often seen as the most vulnerable to the deranged and others who are in serious need of mental health services. But it is also candidates for those offices who often kept a sideways glance for that odd set of eyes or blank stare that accompany some constituents or eager followers.

Last summer, Congresman Chris Murphy, D-CT, spent a few hours meeting with hundreds of very angry 5th District constituents at a Simsbury supermarket. The voters were furious with his vote for the Obamacare health care bill and wanted answers. Murphy gamely held his ground and handled their often heated interrogatories. There was nothing more than some people blowing off steam. They were entitled to do it as long as it didn't cross the line and it didn't.

Staff members are the front-line flak catchers who take the vitriolic calls, answer the often bizarre letters and try to accommodate the voter who must, must speak to the Congressman before it is too late.

It is a game at times. trying to assure people they are being heard but it keeping some of these petitioners miles from the action. At others, it is becomes an exercise in crowd control. When I worked for Congressman Gary Franks in the early 1990's, there was a fellow from Newtown who would write and call all the time about his theories on the International Monetary Fund, the Notch Babies and currency manipulation. He became "my" constituent and often would take up a half hour on the phone but I never thought him dangerous. The line, it seems, is very thin between those who obsess about a issue and those who carry through with their obsession with a gun.

Campaigns are constantly harassed by oddballs and misfits who call or come by the office to share their rage or their adulation at the candidate. The Linda McMahon campaign had a frequent guest at its West Hartford headquarters who would engage passerby with shouting profanities and other incoherent rantings against the candidate. Most campaigns or offices don't want to involve the police for fear it will make them look like they are too sensitive to criticism or elevate the cries of a lunatic to legitimate debate.

After a while, the campaign staff or the candidate become numb to it, tune it out or make arrangements to avoid them. Then, one day, that face appears in the crowd, calmly, and quietly, asking for an audience with their boss.

Staffers are not paid much. The hours are long and work sometimes tedious. Much of an aide's time is spent trying to get close and stay close to the Mayor, Congressman, Governor or Senator. Proximity denotes power and prestige. Rarely do staffers envision someone taking out a Glock-9 and opening up.

Daniel Hernandez, a 20-year-old unpaid intern, turned out to be the Giffords' most valuable employee Saturday. It was Hernandez who jumped into the melee and applied immediate medical attention to Congresswoman Giffords and probably saved her life. Another 30-year-old aide, wasn't so lucky. He was gunned down.

No one yet knows what motivated the 22-year-old drop out and drifter to patiently wait in line to meet Congresswoman Giffords before opening fire and ending six lives and changing the survivor's forever.

Some politicians are already rendering their judgment that this act was a result of the nature of public discourse. The truth is there are 300 million people in this country who have freedom of movement and expression.

Millions suffer from serious mental problems and most of them go untreated and un-monitored. The suspect was long known to Arizona authorities but had not graduated to violent crimes which would have put him in a different classification of interest.

The risks of a representative democracy are of little solace here. But it is the way it is as long as we treasure freedom of speech and assemble. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, an exercise in civics turned into an afternoon of terror.

We are a strong, but violent country at times but through this incident, something good will come of it, including stories of heroism and the hope that the survivors will rebuild their lives through patience and love.

In the meantime, say a prayer tonight for Giffords and the rest of those who fell on an afternoon in Tucson doing their jobs.

UConn Health Center Defeat a Victory

2010-12-30T19:23:00.000-08:00

If there was one good piece of news before 2010 is brought to a merciful close was the news that the University of Connecticut will not receive $100 million in federal funding to "rebuild" the state's worst single expenditure in history - John Dempsey Hospital a.k.a UConn Health Center.

Earlier this year, Gov. Rell and Democrats agreed to spend another $364 million on a vague plan to make the hospital profitable and competitive - at the expense of other community hospitals who have been holding on by their tongue depressors in recent years. These smaller hospitals have been paring down, running better and leaner operations in response to lower reimbursement rates and federal regulations.

The plan hinged on U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd and others from the Democrat Congressional wrecking crew grabbing $100 million in stimulus money. This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that $100 million would be heading to Ohio State University.UConn Health Center can't cut it in the real world of health care and has routinely run deficits in the millions of dollars each year.

But because UConn is hard-wired politically (oh those court side tickets!)and puts to works many union employees, Democrats in the Legislature and sadly, Gov. Rell, have been pouring our tax dollars down the administrative rat hole of excuses and incompetence. No one at UConn Health Center has ever had to be accountable, but there have been no shortage of six-figure salaries for hospital administrators who show up at hearings to extol the center's hidden value.

Gov. Elect Dan Malloy and other Democrats muttered their disappointment and pledged to march on. Everything must be done to save this White Elephant of White Elephants.

John Dempsey is a symbol of what is wrong with government and the people who perpetuate bad policies. There are 30 hospitals in Connecticut and almost half are underwater financially. There is plenty of health care services to go around and the last thing taxpayers need is a state-subsidized hospital with no real purpose except to use it's taxpayer subsidized financial advantage to crowd out private community hospitals.

In order to make the deal happen earlier this year, UConn and the Democrats had to promise some of the nearby hospitals some of the action. These deals were temporary in their impact. With each passing year, UConn Health Center would continue to get a blank check from the Democrats under the promise of "access" and "high-tech jobs." It will never happen. Why? Because John Dempsey has had 35 years to make a go of it and it can't. Given it's union salaries and top-heavy bureaucracy, UConn Health Center cannot survive in the new world health care order - because it couldn't cut it under the old paradigm when governments were throwing money at hospitals.

The best solution to the UConn saga is to find new beds and accommodations for the patients at John Dempsey and put dynamite to the facility, clear the land and put a driving range at the top of the hill.

It might actually turn a profit for the state.

"In the End, We Are All Dead"

2010-12-14T17:43:00.000-08:00

Over the last few weeks, Governor-elect Dan Malloy had made a few smart moves after winning a narrow victory over Republican Tom Foley. First, he allowed Foley to concede with grace after the shambles in Bridgeport.

Second, he appointed the seasoned and well-liked Timothy Bannon as his Chief-of-Staff, who then brought in some very solid, experienced hands to handle the transition. And, when some liberals like Bill Curry and Jonathan Pelto started carping about a couple of Republicans serving in the transition effort, Malloy allowed his "hammer" - Roy Occhiogrosso to tell Curry and Pelto to take a number.

Third, Malloy said he favored implementation of General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAPP) to score the real budget deficit. GAPP has been longed favored by Conservatives and, surprisingly, Lt. Governor-Elect and former Comptroller Nancy Wyman.

When adopted, this will likely take the real budget shortfall from $3 billion to $5 billion for 2011-2012.

But Malloy has shown some other troubling signs that might put him in a very predictable position when he takes the oath in January. He and his supporters have allowed every Democrat State Senator to have his or her name floated for every possible job imaginable.

The list includes State Sen. John Fonfara, D-Hartford, for Department of Public Utility Control; State Sen. Toni Harp, D-New Haven, for the Department of Social Services; State Sen. Donald DeFronzo, D-New Britain, for Department of Transportation; State Sen. Eileen Daily, D-Westbrook, for the Department of Economic Development, State Sen. Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford, for the Judicial branch or anything he wants so he doesn't have to challenge President Pro Tempore Don Williams, D-Brooklyn, who simply wants a job - anywhere for any salary that keeps him in clean underwear.

At some point, Malloy or Bannon will have to let these people down easy. That won't be pleasant, especially if any of these Legislators actually took the rumours seriously.

But the biggest story this week was what Malloy said without being pressed when he told business leaders gathered in Hartford that he subscribed to Keynesian economics - named after British economist John Maynard Keynes. The liberals must have loved this line, because Keynesian's love to spend. That is why Keynes'most famous line serves as a warning to future generations left holding the bag for deficit spending and pump priming.

"In the end, we are all dead," Keynes said.

To more coherent people who believe in common sense, Keynesian economics is the greatest single danger to the free market and opportunity. Keynesian's believe in a mixed economy where the government plays a major role in determining the winners and losers.

Malloy said he wanted to rebuild bridges and roads and improve education while making "investments" in Connecticut's future. When a Democrat says "investment" it means he is spending someone else's money for political purposes. It will be very hard for Malloy and the Democrats in the Legislature to do anything without raising taxes significantly - on everyone and everything that isn't nailed down. Malloy will soon find out he has no more money to borrow or commit.

The Democrats don't know where to cut or have the will to do it. Donovan simply believes rich people can pay more and they won't move because they like living in Connecticut too much to bother.

January 5th will be filled with wide smiles, somber looks and a commitment to work together for the common good. But the hole that was dug by House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, Williams, with the blessing of outgoing Republican M. Jodi Rell, has consumed all rays of hope for a better tomorrow.

P.T. Barnum Would Be Proud

2010-11-04T13:13:00.000-07:00

It is hard to comment on the matter of Brideport until an official count is finally certified by the Democratic Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz.

In the meantime, the entire Election reminds us of the first film by Preston Sturges - >"The Great McGinty" - starring Brian Donlevy. Sturges won an Academy Award for the brilliant screenplay. He sold the script to Paramount for $10 on the condition he be allowed to direct the film

Judgment Day - 2010

2010-11-01T12:36:00.000-07:00

There are some interesting developments in the two top races that have dominated Connecticut's political landscape. Both have tightened although public polls show U.S. Senate hopeful Linda McMahon has a somewhat longer climb than Tom Foley who has pulled ahead of Dan Malloy for the Governor's chair.

It is clear that voters who have settled on McMahon and Foley are going to vote with enthusiasm. There is little enthusiasm for Malloy and Blumenthal. Malloy has come off as a bully, unable to even act nice when its required. Blumenthal is incapable of honest emotion.

Every comment he utters is measured with a slide rule. That is why his lies about his service in the Vietnam War were particularly acute because Blumenthal has never said anything that wasn't measured before hand for effect.

When Blumenthal told his combat fibs, it was to Veteran's groups and he never blinked or sought to correct it on the spot. Nor did he or his staff sought to correct the record when his comments were printed or recorded.

Some of Blumenthal's supporters say people don't care or they have forgiven him. Most do care and quietly wonder why someone would do such a thing.

Malloy is a different type of politician. Like Blumenthal, he has wanted to be governor all his life. It is a total validation of his being. That alone should disqualify him.

Malloy has shown he doesn't have the calm a Governor needs to deal with numerous egos and interest groups who besiege the Second Floor office of the State Capitol. Mayors as a rule are used to getting their way. They don't tolerate people talking back. A Mayor picks up the phone, calls a department head and the task is done. Haggling with City Council members is an occasional hassle, but more often than not, the Mayor always gets his or her way. During the debates, Malloy couldn't barely contain his hatred for Tom Foley. Voters saw it and are puzzled.

Foley has evolved brilliantly as a candidate. His early hiccups have been replaced by someone who has become fluent in the issues and the customs and language of retail politics. He took massive hits during the Republican primary and climbed back with doggedness. Not bad for a rookie in a big league race.

Many people feel the voters in Connecticut will not follow the generic move toward the Republican option. They think many people will settle for Dick and Dan because that is what Democrat voters do. But Democrat voters keep their votes to themselves. Unlike Republicans who freely admit when they cross the partisan divide, Democrats will never admit -to their priest, to their spouse, to a Grand Jury - that they are voting Republican.

Many Democrats will vote for their country Tuesday. They may just wait a long time to tell someone who they voted for - if ever. That is why the voting booth is private.

Malloy's Angry Journey

2010-10-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

What is most disturbing about Malloy is how much he wants to be governor - simply for the sake of being governor. Recently, Malloy was introduced during a radio interview as someone who "has been running non-stop for five years for governor."

Actually, Malloy has publicly been thinking about about since July 1999, when he said this to the Stamford Advocate:

"If you are asking me if I am systematically running for governor at this point, no, I am not. But I am not saying that that's an impossibility. I'm 100 percent committed to this job (Mayor). But do I keep an eye out for what my future might bring? Sure I do... You don't sit still, you always wonder what may be around the corner at some future point. I may look at it, but that's three years away, so there's no announcement."

This response puts the late Ted Kennedy to shame for verbal diarrhea, and of course, the use of the Second Person. I suppose the use of the Third Person would make it even better. The comments are revealing. When a simply "yes" or "no" would do, Malloy makes it about himself - in the Second Person to the point of Hamlet-like torture.

Dan didn't run in 2002, running in 2006 and losing in a primary to that charmer from New Haven, John DeStafano who managed to get to the unions first.

Malloy slunk home and was narrowly reelected as Mayor against a spirited but underfunded Chris Munger, the Republican Town Committee chairman, who came within 800 votes of ending Dan's career. Dan got the message and strung his own local party along until opting out in 2009 when the very formidable and current Mayor Michael Pavia emerged.

Malloy learned he wouldn't get outflanked again with the public employee unions. With DeStefano out, he quickly made his deals with many of the unions, save the few who felt they owned Ned Lamont another turn on the dance floor. The word went out - don't worry about layoffs. A new progressive tax system is what is needed to right the ship of state. We might do some cosmetic things to look like we are getting down to "core costs," but if anything, we will make the swells and High Hats pay what they owe.

Malloy has openly talked about a "fair" tax system, which is code for "bend over Fairfield County."

And despite living in a $2 million home, much it improved by city contractors, Malloy is a bonafide class warrior. He hates the rich, or who he perceives to be the rich.

In their first televised debate, Malloy burst through his pod against Tom Foley, who showed himself both composed and informed. Malloy wears a chip so prominently you can see it twinkling on his shoulder.

We have seen this Nixon-like hair shirt act before. Malloy views himself as the hard scrabble Irish kid, the prosecutor who came up the rungs of local office - Board of Finance, Board of Education and Mayor - to rightfully claim the ultimate prize.

In Malloy's mind, Foley is laced curtain Irish whose never had to knock anyone out in a town committee brawl. Malloy went to Boston College and Foley went to Harvard. Foley has a boat, a yacht and a 7,000-square foot house. Malloy has even run a TV ad with all of Foley's possessions measured out right down to the inch. You can almost see Malloy measuring each item with a tape.

The odd part is Tom Foley is very generous in spirit and action. He has several non-profits that do good works and he is personally generous to a fault. And Foley's big secret? He's a gear-head. Loves to take cars apart and talk about them. That will probably annoy Malloy even more - that Foley can afford swell cards and save on the cost of repairing them.

All of Malloy's resentments and the bile of envy came out during that encounter with Foley practically shouting his answers and bromides about what government can do for people as long as you put Dan Malloy in charge.

When the debate was over, many Democrats muttered, "What got into Dan?"

A Democrat fiend told me, "Dan's a rugby player, and they only go straight ahead."

Nothing got into Dan, except the sinking feeling that Tom Foley is going to win the race. Malloy sees the finish line, but knows he isn't over 50 percent in any polls, public or internal and can't put Foley away even after the Democrats in the Legislature gave him $3 million more dollars to do it.

Malloy looks at Foley as an effete interloper, unable to appreciate the hard choices political leaders like himself have to make. I mean, did Tom Foley ever go to a four-alarmer or a DOA car crash scene at 2 in the morning? Did Tom Foley ever have to sweat out a contract negotiation or sit through a five-hour Board of Education hearing? Why would anyone vote for Tom Foley? He's from Greenwich and those Greenwich types never have to worry about anything?

But Tom Foley can and will win, because people have come around to like him and respect him. He doesn't have an air of entitlement about him. Foley has made some tough decisions in his business dealings and comes to the mess in Hartford without any preconceived notions or favors owed.

Foley is calm and smart. He has figured out many of the absurdities of state spending and feather bedding by the unions and their pawns in the Legislature but doesn't come off as a know-it-all, much like Mayor Malloy.

Malloy's recent absurd attacks on Foley speak to his desperation as a candidate. To imply that Tom Foley would have the power, which he doesn't, or the inclination to deprive someone of preventative tests or a deaf child of a hearing aid, shows how much Malloy values power or any form of decency.

But, that is how much Dan Malloy wants to be governor.

McMahon Showed She's Tough

2010-10-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

Richard Blumenthal and Linda McMahon met Monday night in a debate watched by a good number of Connecticut and national viewers. If a year ago, you said Linda McMahon would be dead even with Blumenthal in this race, there would have been many taking the long money.

All those years of touring New England in a station wagon, putting on local wrestling shows in high school auditoriums or dusty local armories makes you appreciate the good life but you never forget where you came from. McMahon dresses well and acts with class, but she has a regular touch that is genuine.

And that person was front and center on Monday. McMahon looked like opening night - alert and full of punch. To some women, that's a turnoff, but overall, she showed that she could hang with someone who has been on his feet in public for 30 years.

Her success is based on having a strong voice and making clear cogent arguments. So she was able to jump at the opportunities Blumenthal handed her. She connected on several - including when Blumenthal brought up McMahon's personal wealth. On others, she missed, but they were not fatal.

"If you don't talk about my personal wealth, I won't talk about your family owning the Empire State building," she said. Blumenthal looked stricken. His in-laws, the Malkin family, have almost immeasurable wealth, but little of it has landed in his coffers. That's what happens when you haven't earned it like Linda and Vince McMahon. Blumenthal looked tight as a hat-band and his suit looked padded. He had the first question and his patter was lightening quick, often trying to pack as many words (I lost count of how many times he used the words "fight" and "fighter." OK, Dick, we get it.) as he could in three minutes.

It seemed odd that a man who has had to pace his presentation in court or at a press conference would be talking as fast as a tobacco auctioneer. Blumenthal kept catching the cuff of his sleeve on his legal pad to the point of distraction. And what is that color that Blumenthal is using? Is it Just for Men, Red-20? And his hands visibly shook until he finally noticed it and clasped them together. The back and forth was pretty predictable, but Blumenthal tried to land a couple of outright falsehoods - that World Wrestling Entertainment was being investigated in a "criminal" matter and that WWE had someone improperly benefited from tax credits while laying people off.

The investigation, it turns out, is nothing more than a routine audit by the state Department of Labor. The tax credit program was created by the Democrats to lure movie and entertainment companies into the state to shoot films or base their operations. McMahon took advantage of them and grew the company.

What made the tax credit charge so ridiculous was Blumenthal had earlier proposed tax credits as a way to improve the economy in his opening comments. Preparing for debates is an arduous process - requiring patience and diligence beyond human endurance. Staff often try to cram too much into a candidate's head because they fear their man or woman will not be prepared for a Kitty Dukakis question.

Candidates are often torn between memorizing a number or fact while waiting for the moment to strike, hoping they don't forget how many jobs were lost between 1992 and 2000. McMahon didn't look like she had been tortured or was making a hostage tape. Blumenthal continued to act like Rorshack in Welcome Back Cotter, almost putting his hand up to answer the question and verbally leaping into his comments.

The best moment came when Blumenthal was asked how a job was created. It captures the true choice in this campaign, and one that no amount of planning or coaching can overcome. Maybe, just once, the voters will get to pick someone who isn't processed or groomed but a person who does, indeed, get it.

Courant Misses a Big Brawl But Still Finds Liberal Truth

2010-10-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

The liberals in the media, particularly at the Hartford Courant, have shown their hand this week on why newspapers are becoming less pertinent in the public debate and why Linda McMahon has to spend freely to get her message out.

What is truly odd about the Courant is the lengths they will go to prop up the political cadaver of Dick Blumenthal while bodies pile up in the streets of the capital. The paper of record for Connecticut has become so detached and cipher-like, you wonder if a person seting themself on fire in the paper's lobby would even generate a brief in the CT Now section.

Let's start with the Courant's feverish response to Linda McMahon coming to within three points of Blumenthal in the latest Quinnipiac poll.

McMahon made some innocuous remarks about the dreaded Minimum Wage Thursday at a press conference to receive the endorsement of the NFIB, the national organization which represents thousands of small businesses in the state and nationwide. McMahon opined that political leaders should be careful about raising the minimum wage in the current environment, given its proven adverse impact on hiring of low skilled workers while creating a bump on the other end of the salary spectrum.

The Courant and The Day blared that McMahon was knee deep in a "controversy" and implied she was nothing more than an out-of-touch billionaire. Today, Eric Gershon, normally not assigned to political or government reporting, rewrote an old story about how the World Wrestling Entertainment, benefits from a state tax subsidy.

This is what McMahon said:

"I think we ought to look at all of those issues in terms of what mandates are being placed on businesses and can they afford them." I think we should get input from our business community. We should listen to our small business operators, and we should hear what it is they have to say and how it's impacting their businesses and make some of those decisions."

Somehow that turned into confusion - at least in the reporters' minds.

And, let's not forget the Courant's attempt to tell us what is true in advertising, by questioning the wording of a McMahon ad where she rightly accuses Dick Blumenthal of supporting a defacto energy tax through his support of cap and trade legislation.

But let's talk about the really Big Story that got away, that never happened and still hasn't even generated a bashful follow up.

On Friday, Sept. 10th, in the middle of the day, in broad daylight - within a sprint of the state Capitol and Blumenthal's office, scores of Hartford high school age kids engaged in a Pier Six brawl at the corner of Asylum Avenue and Main Street. Some of the kids texted each other in anticipation of the fight, urging others to attend, brawl and or simply watch the melee.

Hartford Police showed up in force and eventually brought the riot to a halt, but not before many injuries and gaped stares from local business owners and passersby.

But not a word of it in the Courant. Only later, did Jeff Cohen, a former Courant reporter, do a story on National Public Radio (WNPR). Many shop owners were distraught that something like this could happen in the middle of the day with little outrage from political leaders. But we will never know since the Courant didn't bother to even follow up.

However, the editors at the Courant have enough time to lecture their readers about the evils of Sarah Palin and the refreshing remarks of Linda McMahon about whether we should still use the minimum wage as a measure of fair compensation.

No wonder the Courant gets thinner and thinner.

Courtney and Himes are Weasels

2010-09-26T09:12:00.000-07:00

Politics is above anything else, a transactional world where commitments are made and favors sought. A candidate asks for a vote based on their record or their philosophy. It is leap of faith in many cases, always based on a promise to be earnest.

Incumbents, especially those in the majority, pick leaders who provide opportunities for rank and file to be productive and to get reelected All five Democratic members of the Connecticut delegation picked Nancy Pelosi to be their Speaker of the House. She delivered for them, doing fundraisers, giving them

key committee posts and providing all the accoutrement's of power.

Now, two of them, Joe Courtney, D-CT, and Jim Himes, D-CT, have kicked their leader to the curb, asking as if they have never laid eyes on her.

Courtney and Himes followed Pelosi's agenda that gave us TARP (Courtney did oppose her on this one), Stimulus, Finance Reform and of course, health care reform. The Democrats trashed talked all the way -proudly asserting to the voters they had trusted them - that these policies would heal an economy, provide security to many and open a new compact with the governed. Then, the reality of those policies sunk in and slowly evolved into practical application.

The economy is still teetering. Jobless claims continued unabated. Purchasing power remained lat. Foreclosure and bankruptcy's soared. Unemployment climbed in Connecticut to 9.1% and insurance companies announced the realities of the new world order with higher premiums or abandoning markets altogether. This last week, Anthem Blue Cross announced they would no longer cover services at Bristol and Hartford Hospitals.

It is all coming apart for the Democrats as it should. It is not Bush's fault but they keep blaming Bush. It is not the insurance companies fault, but they keep blaming the very companies that form the white collar spine of Connecticut. It is not the people's fault, although some liberal commentators argue the public expects too much and isn't willing to sacrifice for the common good.

During separate interviews with Dennis House on Channel 3's Face the State Sunday, Courtney and Himes couldn't answer the questions, "would you support Nancy Pelosi for Speaker" if the Democrats retain the majority in the House of Representative.

"I don't give it an iota of thought," Himes said.

"Look, there's an Election and if there is no opposition," Courntey sputtered. "It's a thankless job."

Courtney and Himes actions do little more than confirm what voters believe about politicians - they lack honor in times of strife or when the chips are down. These are not the kind of people you would want in a foxhole.

Courtney and Himes, along with Congressman Chris Murphy in the 5th District, are scrambling against Republicans Janet Peckinpaugh, State Sen. Dan Debicella and State Sen. Sam Caligiuri respectively.

For these three Democrats, subtraction is the new math for getting reelected. Most people don't know or care with Nancy Pelosi is so any extended discussion about the Speaker simply keeps the Democrats from talking about anything they want to stress.

For other voters who do pay attention, which usually occurs in off years, the ties to Pelosi adds a greater sense of urgency to turn them out.

Nancy Pelosi's foxhole is a little smaller these days. But give her credit, she isn't quitting.

Malloy's Death Penalty Problem

2010-09-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

The glacial pace of justice in Connecticut has come into focus with the Petit murder trial, now underway in New Haven. It is an unfathomable grinding process for the Petit and Hawke families now three years after the murderous attacks on a quiet street in Cheshire.

And once the first trial of Steven Hayes has concluded, both families will have to endure the same pain and anguish against Joshua Komisarjevky.

But if Dan Malloy is elected Governor, neither Hayes or Komisarjevky or any future convicted killers will have to worry about justice. Malloy has pledged to abolish the death penalty and he has eager Democratic allies in the Legislature to make it happen.

State Rep. Michael Lawlor and state Sen. Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford, the co-chairs of the Judiciary Committee are both ready to introduce a bill to replace the death penalty and replace it with mandatory life sentences. Republican Tom Foley and Republicans in the Legislature supports making the death penalty more readily applicable for such crimes.

If there was ever a reason to disqualify Malloy for the highest office in the state it is this issue. There is little we ask of government. But one is to keep us safe from bodily harm and to mete out just punishment when it occurs. A majority of Connecticut voters support the death penalty and the numbers skyrocket for such punishment when respondents were informed about the Cheshire killers.

There is no doubt about the guilt of the Petit's assailants, only the punishment, The defense attorneys will attempt to show the jurors that there were "mitigating circumstances" which triggers a reprieve from lethal injection. Mitigating circumstances can include a host of variables - including mental illness, a history of an abusive childhood of each assailant or some event during the initial crime - kidnapping and burglary.

It is hard to imagine what “mitigated” Levy and Komisarjevky to rape, murder and then burn down the Petit home but the threshold for proving it is still achievable.People are frustrated by the liberal approach to law enforcement and the Democrats who have been making a mockery of the state's criminal justice system and they should hold Malloy accountable for his position on the death penalty.

The fact is took three years for a slam dunk trial to occur is reason enough to have a full house cleaning of the Judicial branch. Lawlor and McDonald want no such reforms, certainly nothing that will hold prosecutors and judges accountable for their endless delays. Justice delayed is justice denied especially in Connecticut.

The Petit family has waited threee years, but what about the survivors of Kim and Tim Donnelly, who were gunned down in their Fairfield jewelry story in February, 2005. Jury selection has just begun in that trial.

Lawlor has been exceptionally dismissive of death penalty proponents and once made Dr. Petit wait in the back of a hearing room all day during a public hearing this year when the Judiciary Committee heard arguments over its implementation.

The Petit and Hawke families are the ones who have been the most aggrieved, having to overcome countless procedural roadblocks, accommodating the vacation plans of lawyers and having to put up with irresponsible comments by the defense counsel. Malloy owes the voter a detailed answer as to why he believes the death penalty isn't deterrent or even fair to those who commit such evil? There are about a dozen convicts sitting on death row in Connecticut now.

Their acts were equally as brutal. Polls show a majority of Connecticut voters support a death penalty but no one is ever put to death unless they release all appeals - like serial killer Michael Ross. There is no doubt what Tom Foley would do as Governor when it comes to the death penalty. Governors are elected primarily to protect the health and safety of the people. Dan Malloy has failed that test on his death penalty stance and his failure to explain it with clarity.

Blumenthal - Lost in Space

2010-08-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

Attorney General Dick Blumenthal is lost and has been for some time now. He appears at functions where the crowd is scrubbed or very friendly and gets hustled away by handlers when reporters ask the most routine of questions. It wasn't supposed to be like this - for him anyway.

This welcome development is a result of his own personality and one that will be his undoing in November. As noted here before, Blumenthal has few confidantes, let alone senior wise men to offer counsel. He is his own advisor, campaign manager and candidate.

His "I am not an insider" speech recently at the state AFL-CIO convention is a case in point. With his 40-point lead over Republican Linda McMahon now having dwindled to single digits, Blumenthal assumed he could transform himself - Zelig like - into a candidate for the times. Gone was the self-made darling of the liberal establishment, the career climber and media-savvy golden boy of last 20 years. In its place was a populist, someone who was fed up with the big government legislation, the partisan knife fighting and tone deaf nature of the Washington elites.

In his speech, Blumenthal said Washington wasn't working for or listening to the voters. He said he didn't always agree with the man he wants to replace, Chris Dodd, and that he was open to extending the Bush tax cuts, rolling back parts of Obama care and fighting the special interests. The only touch he didn't add was loosing the greased back look.

But, if you can convince yourself you are firing a M-16 in the swamps of the Mekong Delta then being a moderate Republican isn't a difficult transition.

There are few places in the official record where Dick Blumenthal has publicly contradicted or taken issue with any statement or policy offered by Chris Dodd. When Sen. Dodd's world began to unravel over his loans via Countrywide, Blumenthal was silent. When many Attorney Generals around the country, including several Democrats, went after Countrywide for its lending practices, Blumenthal deferred. He waited, only belatedly joining the fray - then tried to take credit for a national settlement which landed Connecticut borrowers an average settlement of $3,000.

Chris Dodd is a true liberal and believer. Whatever you think about his politics, Sen. Dodd puts his head down and works on legislation that he thinks will benefit someone. The legislation he has authored this year or been a principle player in - Obama-care and the financial reform - are probably the most disastrous for the health of the economy and patients. But he makes no apologies for them.

When Dodd heard the Blumenthal comments, he was typically classy and gently reminded Blumenthal that it might not be a good idea to ignore the base Democrat vote which prides itself on government answers to society's challenges.

But as most politicians know, Dick Blumenthal will kick anyone to curb when it suits him.

Blumenthal doesn't really believe in anything - save his career - and whatever position or statement he has to make to protect or enhance it. He has prevaricated throughout the campaign on big issues - taxes, terrorism, health care and even who is his favorite baseball team.
At the only Democrat debate in March against Merrik Alpert , Blumenthal said he would trust the government in its judgment to prosecute mastermind Khalid Sheik Muhammad in Manhattan for the 9-11 attacks. Then, weeks later, Blumenthal came out against the trials being held in New York.

During that same debate, Blumenthal said he would "celebrate" when the Bush tax cuts sunset at the end of this year. Now, Blumenthal is doing the two-step - saying those who earn $250,000 or less, should be covered by extended cuts but that "more wealthy" Americans should pay more. On health care, he derided the "sell out" to the pharmaceutical industry which allowed Obama to win support for his plan.

This was the debate where Blumenthal said our lawsuits, our legal actions, actually create jobs because businesses actually welcome it."

And his favorite team? - "Yankees and Red Sox," yep, that's what he said.

It would be laughable if not for the fact that many voters still think of him as effective. But as McMahon applies her resources to expose these inconsistencies, the people of Connecticut are starting to get the joke.

Somewhere, Chris Dodd must be chuckling.

Dick vs. The Vomit Master

2010-07-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Monday's press release from Attorney General Dick Blumenthal allowed him to say the following in the first paragraph - "games where players burn people alive with gasoline and urinate on people to make them vomit."

Once again Blumenthal offers another meaningless pronouncement with so many qualifying statements he should hire some outside counsel to explain it to him. Blumenthal is a joiner - this time his office joined a lawsuit with an amicus brief after nine states have sought to implement ways to prevent violent video games from finding their ways into the homes of youngsters.

This used to be the responsibility of parents, but no matter, Dick says that parents "deserve and need help."

In this construct, the self-doubting parents will be relieved to know that the government can ask the industry to voluntarily rate the games and then, the parents can then communicate this information to their children rationally- "Son, you can't have this game - there is simply too much peeing."

The child, after pouting, will stalk off and download from a friend who is a Vomit Master - Level 5.

Blumenthal thinks voluntary guidelines will do the trick but the state should always reserve the right to place "restrictions" on games if the action gets too heavy. One can only imagine the bureaucracy that would be created to review and rate the endless release of Death Warrior XX.

Of course, Blumenthal couldn't be bothered with joining the lawsuit against the federal government over the Arizona law which enforces the immigration laws or efforts to overturn the Obama health care legislation.

But, when it comes to X-Box and all the assorted characters that inhabit that nether world- Dick Blumenthal rides to the rescue of those shop-worn Mom's and Dad's who can't figure out how to pull the cable out of the back of the television and tell their children that simulated decapitation is no way to go through life.

Newt in 2012 - Why Not?

2010-07-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

Newt Gingrich is a lot smarter than Barack Obama. In a dream debate, one would salivate over the matchup - with Newt facing off against the Big O without a moderator, teleprompters or note cards. Each man could ask one another a series of questions and then allow a rebuttal. It wouldn't be a fair fight.

For now, Gingrich travels the country in a non-stop attempt to infrom, inspire and build a new coalition of Americans for the next challenge - the bottom up reform of government.

Gingrich has always been a great teacher, a fellow who can come up with a campaign tactic seconds after he hears the challenge.

Newt's mind is grounded in history and he has written several alternative history novels about the Civil War and Second World War that rattle the brain. But Newt also has an instinctive grasp of the American sense of self. Gingrich knows what America is all about, the promise, the endless possibilities and the drive that every American inherently possesses, especially those who come to this country to stake their claim.

This week, Gingrich sat down with some donor to benefit the Connecticut Victory 2010 effort in Greenwich. Later that night, he hosted a town hall at the Stamford Marriott, which drew hundreds of enthusiastic followers. The event was sponsored by his think-tank, American Solutions, which boasts 310,000 donors and a million email addresses. For a man thought to be dead and buried after leaving Congress and enduring the taunts of the left over his personal life, Gingrich is the most sought after Republican in the country that doesn't require an upfront fee.

Gingrich was accompanied by his wing man, Joe Gaylord, the master tactician who helped Gingrich map out the Contract with America in 1994. Gaylord is a legend to Republican operatives, having authored the indispensable manual - "Flying Upside Down," which offers common senses tips on how to run an effective challenge campaign. With Gaylord in tow, there is no doubt that Gingrich is considering running for President in 2010. Some believe he was forever damaged by his ethics troubles that led to a record fine.

But with Obama administration heading south, along with the economy and a potential takeover of the Congress by the GOP this fall, Gingrich is slowly putting the pieces together of a new reform movement.

Gingrich was masterful at the breakfast, talking about how the American economy will development over the next 25 years, building new education models to prepare the next generation for those opportunities and the need to be ruthless against fundamentalist Islam. On the last point, Gingrich was solemn and said the scourge of political correctness reminded him of Europe during the 1930's where pacifism and appeasement led to a world conflict.

One person asked why Obama kept pushing economic policies that most Americans believe will destroy free market capitalism and put the country on the road to a European Socialist model.

"One of the downfalls of having the Presidency is that everything at the White House works. You get up in the morning, someone brings you breakfast and then you go downstairs to your office. Everyone that works for you is smiling and enthusiastic because they have jobs until 2012. There is no sense of urgency," he said. "You get on Marine One, it works, and then you get on Air Force One, and it works. You never see suffering or hear about it."

Gingrich said in 1991, he and other Congressional leaders tried to convince then President George H.W. Bush about the effects of the recession and to urge action. Bush was unmoved. A year later, he lost his bid for reelection. At that time, Republicans thought they were beaten for a generation, having lost the Presidency to a young, articulate Democrat who promised to be centrist. Two years later, Gingrich led the greatest Republican victory since Ronald Reagan.

Now, Gingrich said, the important task for any American is to realize how high the stakes are for the economy, health care, immigration and the war on terror. And, as always, Gingrich has ideas on all them.

He always has ideas.

The Lonely Emperor

2010-06-09T12:55:00.001-07:00

Dick Blumenthal is really a sad public figure when you think about it. I have watched him for almost 24 years, from his days in the Legislature where he was always in a hurry, during his only bruising political battle with Jay Levin for the nomination for Attorney General and through the countless press conferences, shameless appearances and speeches which have placed Blumenthal front and center of the public eager to be saved from itself.

You would figure a political figure now in his mid-60's would pick up some friends, some allies, some battle-tested fox hole buddies along the way. Most successful political figures have their own posse's - or as they were once called - cronies. These cronies are contemporaries, peers who keep the leader up when the news isn't good, scold when change is needed but who always stand at the ramparts - in defeat or victory. Bill O'Neill had them. John Rowland had them. Even Lowell Weicker had them.

Dick Blumenthal has no cronies. He has no peers or friends who offer wise counsel, blistering criticism or a "go get 'em, Dick." Dick Blumenthal is an island to himself, his thoughts and his actions. He has staff and employees - people who say "yes, Mr. Attorney General," and step to it.

That is why his puzzling behavior since his announcement to run for the U.S. Senate has many Democrats wondering if he is up to it. This week, another eye-witness came forward to accuse Blumenthal of telling him he was a combat veteran during the Vietnam War. The accuser, Richard Hine, is an Assistant Attorney General who works for Blumenthal. Originally, the local media didn't touch it, but slowly the story has been getting more attention.

And as he did when the New York Times exposed his lying, Blumenthal seems lost when he isn't in control of the camera. He told a television reporter Tuesday that he "couldn't be expected to remember something that happened 18 years ago." That is when Blumenthal told Hine about his service. Now the story is jumping from newspaper to blog site to television station. And late Wednesday, it was revealed that the state auditors had found lax accounting procedures at Blumenthal's office.

It is times like these when a candidate needs a friend.

And that is why an event honoring Peter G. Kelly in Hartford Tuesday night illustrated the disparity between someone who has lived a colorful life in politics and business and someone who has few close colleagues to show for some many years of holding power.

Kelly, the "big foot" of the Connecticut Democratic Party for 40 years - fundraiser - lawyer, promoter of democracy around the globe, confidante of Presidents and other international leaders - was feted by about 900 friends at the Hartford Convention Center. if loyalty were a commodity, Peter Kelly would be in a very long position.

There was plenty of Blarney to go around and Kelly didn't take it all too seriously. He bathed in the warmth of people he had shared the good and bad times with, showed deep humility for his fortune and called upon all there to keep offering their good efforts to others.

The high point came when about 20 Alumni of his old college glee club - the Georgetown Chimes - came from all parts to join Kelly in several tunes. It was quite a show for someone that makes every day count.

During the cocktail hour earlier, politicians from all stripes worked the room, offering their praise to Kelly while trying to score a contact here or there. At about 6:15 p.m., Blumenthal slithered in, unaccompanied, and made small talk with one person and stayed there for almost 20 minutes. His body language said it all - hands clasped respectfully in front, nodding on every word of the person he was engaged in, while leering around the room for someone of higher rank. Blumenthal bumped into one more Democratic regular, but stood erect, shoulders shrugged as guests darted by.

The room was filled with mostly Democrats, yet no one rushed to see him or pump his hand. You would think someone would want to suck up to a potential U.S. Senator, but most understand Dick Blumenthal is a one-way street. He is there to be important and we are merely background noise. There is no point to being loyal to Dick Blumenthal since he can't spell the word.

Eventually, Blumenthal spoke with Kelly and then another grand old hand of Democratic politics - Jim Wade, the man who kept O'Neill on a steady path for 10 years as Governor.

The crowd had been summoned to sit down for the main dinner and the speeches. That is always Blumenthal's cue - he vanished from Wade's grasp and was gone. The other candidates for statewide office - Republicans Tom Foley and Oz Griebel and Democrats Ned Lamont and Dan Malloy, stayed for the entire evening as did many other politico's - Gov. John Rowland, U.S. Rep. John Larson, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia. It is a true testament when politicians stay the distance on a school night to honor one of their own.

Blumenthal was more than likely tucked in his Crown Victoria, alone with his thoughts, on the phone, off to the next event where his presence is felt like a light stream of cool air.

It's pretty sad to work your whole life for something and no one is there to enjoy it with you. It's pretty dangerous to have no one around to give you the straight dope when events are not turning out like you planned them back at Harvard.

Media Rides to Dick's Rescue

2010-05-20T04:19:00.000-07:00

In the days since Richard Blumenthal was caught red-handed misspeaking about his Medal-of-Honor actions with a the motor-pool in New Haven, some members of the media have taken the predictable step of applying First Aid to their wounded comrade.

Reporters in Connecticut over the years have had the classic love-hate relationship with Dick Blumenthal. On the one hand, he and his office has properly feed them interesting stories about the evils of capitalism, provided them with statistics and well crafted prose on the impending lawsuits filed to protect the frail and helpless, and all spell checked for an early deadline. Blumenthal produces product - clean, easy and unassailable without a need to find a contrary view. The reason: most of Blumenthal's targets are either counseled not to so a settlement can be reached, or they are truly helpless and without resources to withstand the full power of the state to subpoena records and undergo rigorous depositions.

On the other is the maudlin Blumenthal, whose staff berates reporters over the silliest omissions or castigates them when the proper emphasis is not placed on Blumenthal's true mission - to slay the evil corporate beast. Blumenthal himself is not beyond calling reporters himself when they stray from his line or, in one noted case, added a middle initial to his full name.

When Blumer is not around, reporters talk contemptuously about him, mock his slicked down hair and his aversion to eye contact and small talk. But like most abused people over the 20 years, they keep coming back to him for more.

And so, when Ray Hernandez of the New York Times wrote a completely air-tight story, one that would have ended a Republican candidate's career before the paper hit the recycling bin, the liberal media jumped to and smirked at the effort.

"Well," some huffed. "you can't hold Dick Blumenthal to that kind of standard," or "it was a dumb thing to say, but he corrected himself later," or "no one thought Vietnam was worth fighting in, anyway."

Lost in this protective order of Dick Blumenthal is the deferment issues and the claim by the Attorney General that he was on "active duty" status, which theoretically could have put him on a flight to Saigon One deferment in particular would have required someone up the food chain to make a phone call. And the active duty claim is also nonsense, according to any military source. The Marine Reserves were as active as the Ready Reserves, meaning you would call the NYPD before them in case of a national emergency.,

The dissemblers in the media often forget they mocked Dick Cheney for his deferments and for George W. Bush's service in the Air National Guard, even though in the latter case, 43 learned to fly a A-3.

National media have been less kind to Blumenthal about his misstatements and his terrible explanation. The Times, Washington Post and even Chris Matthews have scorched Blumenthal, which must kill him, because that is the crowd he pines for rather than the smaller Connecticut papers and stations. The Connecticut media was a means towards Washington and now that venerated group has shown their contempt as well.

It is sad that such a horrible fraud by Dick Blumenthal is compounded by a lack of courage by the very people who know him the best.

Life Imitates Art in Times Square

2010-05-03T06:20:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't watch the television series - "24" - the plot line for the current, and sadly, last season, is a group of Mid-East terrorists smuggle in a "dirty bomb" into Manhattan and use it to blackmail the President into giving them the reformist leader of Islamic country ready to sign a peace accord at the United Nations.

This weekend, life imitated art in Times Square with the discovery of a home-made bomb, left in the body of an SUV. The incident shut down the area and we were reminded again how tenuous our safety is, despite the effective efforts of the NYPD, who have proven more effective at keeping an eye on our enemies than our national intelligence services.

Still, the liberals are convinced we have nothing to worry about - witness their belief that the trial of 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Muhammad should proceed a few blocks from the where the Twin Towers fell.

Here in Connecticut, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-CT, has said little about the trial, even though thousands of his constituents work each day in the city, and near the court site.

Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal has also been supportive of the trial, saying he has confidence in the Eric Holder Justice Department to conduct an effective and safe trial.

Republican Senate candidates - former Congressman Rob Simmons, and Linda McMahon are opposed to the trial in the New York.

In addition to the frightening naivete of the Democrats when it comes to terrorism, the Obama administration and the party are drifting away from our 70-year support of Israel. A report Monday in the Wall Street Journal indicates Obama is now luring the illegitimate Palestinian government back into the Middle East peace talks with a rotting moral carrot. Obama has indicated the United States will join any condemnation vote against Israel over their proposed new settlements.

Again, silence from the Connecticut delegation, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Sen. Chris Dodd, Richard Blumenthal and most Democrats in the Congress.

One always is tempting to think of Neville Chamberlain at times like this. Maybe it's not the same, but the parallels are there - selling out a country to appease the tyrants.

Thank God for the NYPD.

Dick Blumenthal - Fighting for Us?

2010-04-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

Dick Blumenthal is now a friend of the insurance industry. He has been a friend all this time. We just didn't know it. At a candidate forum Wedenesday, the Crusading Litigators said the 40,000 people who make their living in the industry were "responsible people."

It must be comforting to those who have watched the Democrats demonize them for over a year to have a friend in Dick Blumenthal, the man who has been one of the principles tenors in that chorus, along with U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-CT.

Larson's attitude was capsulized by his comments prior to the vote to seize our health care, when he told a interviewer, "you are either with the insurance companies or the American people."

Blumenthal's duplicity knows no bounds. It has been two weeks since the fateful partisan vote on health care, and he has not uttered a word about whether he supports it or opposes it. Indeed, as mostly Republican Attorneys General are headed to court to oppose the mandate on individuals as unconstitutional, Blumenthal has fiddled.

His office sent a canned email response to a constituents saying he "studying" the matter. The sad issue here is that Gov. M. Jodi Rell has not called on Blumenthal to act for the state to go to court, much in the way she did on No Child Left Behind. The reasons for the NCLB lawsuit were the unfunded mandates placed on school districts throughout Connecticut to comply with the new education standards.

The health care legislation will do more damage to Connecticut on several fronts and Gov. Rell should get Blumenthal to act. The individual mandate on purchasing health care is the broadest grasp at ultimate power by the federal government in our history. Connecticut will also be on the hook for more Medicaid funding as well with no federal subsidies in the offing.

And there is Sustinet, the Legislative Democrat's plan to open the state's Cadillac health care plan to non-profits, cities and towns and small businesses. The impact of that is not known, but figure in the billions if you the plan offers these rich benefits without any actuarial limits.

Is it the $100 million for the Dempsey Hospital that is weighing on Gov. Rell's mind? Let's hope not. That project is another example of government gone wild. UConn is totally out of control on several fronts. Each day, we hear about expensive rugs and homes for its President, John Hogan or obscene compensation or retirement benefits for university professors. But the hospital plan is in a class by itself.

The Dempsey facility should be bulldozed and turned into a driving range. It has long been a money pit and plans to build it out will not add any health care value. Surrounding community hospitals would run a tight ship have been given some of the action to be quiet, but does anyone really believe spending another $500 million for a public hospital is the answer when half of Connecticut hospitals are underway will work?

Gov. Rell means well but she is getting bad advice on the impact of the health care legislation. She should give Dick and call and tell him to do his job and really fight for the taxpayers before it's too late.

16,000 IRS Agents and No End in Sight

2010-03-23T07:49:00.000-07:00

Some 48 hours after the Democrats have passed the health care bill that will fundamentally change everything in this country, there is almost too much to comprehend. It was audacious, bold and a huge misread of the American public.

But, despite that, you have the give the liberals credit - they kept coming like Terminators to get the job done, no matter what was in their way - public opinion, common sense or the U.S. Constitution.

And don't we love seeing Congressman John Larson and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro yuk it up along the way?

Now is not the time for despair, as the National Review tells us. It is one battle in a long fight for the soul of this country Republicans have to be very vigilant and tenacious over the next 2-3 years. This is very much a rear-guard action for our party. I think the best analogy of the Obama victory is similar to Napoleon's conquest of Russia, where the little man knocked on the gates of Moscow, only to have his supply lines strained and ultimately retreating in the snow.

The health care colassus is unsustainable and with any luck, Republicans will be able to cut it supply lines - taxes dollars and revenue - to keep it from fully gestating.

Democrats have also made a strategic error in thinking the public will become malleable and learn to like the benefits once they settle into the warm glow of equality. Trouble is many of these liberal Bulls in the House came to the Congress when rotary phones were still standard issue. Information dissemination gets faster every day and millions of Americans do understand the arcane provisions that Democrats used to jam the health care bill. They are better educated and skeptical of rhetoric and they get the big picture. Listening to some of the floor speeches Sunday, you would think Henry Wallace was running for President.

For all of the few good parts of the bill, there will be no getting around the Constitutional matter of requiring every American to buy insurance from some source and the unleashing of the Internal Revenue Service to enforce it. This one component will keep the internal fires burning into 2010 and 2012.

Someone I know, a painter, told me that he will now have to buy an insurance plan or pay a $2,000 fine. To pay the $2,000 fine and take his chances, also means that one of the new 16,000 IRS agents the bill calls for hiring, will open a file on that painter unless he gets with the program. Imagine, a file opened over where someone has bought something under federal edict. What else isn't that painter declaring? And so it will go for millions of others in the cash economy.

Plumbers, carpenters, excavators, builders, private nurses, nannies, consultants and other jobbers are all now in the gun sights of the IRS, who have long yearned for an opportunity to grab all those who choose not to issue W-9 or W-2's.

If another 16,000 IRS agents doesn't get most people fired up, nothing else will, but the trick here to keep people informed about why they will be paying more in taxes for the next four years while getting nothing in return and whether Congress will use those funds much like they have grabbed the Social Security Trust Fund to offset general operating expenses.

Can you say "lock box?"

Hurtling Toward Unfunded Hell

2010-03-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

March 21st - Wethersfield, CT. It's a perfect spring day. A gentle breeze, sun and the sound of birds are in deep chorus. My wife and I are raking the backyard, waving at our neighbors, who are also out with the tools of a new season.

Inside, the television is on and C-SPAN is blaring. U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-WIS, is showing a chart that shows the government owes $76 trillion for the assorted spending and entitlements Congress has heaped upon the backs of taxpayers from both Republican and Democratic iniatives. U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-NY, is introducing statements tellng us why the proposed Health Care "reform" vote is, repeat, is Constitutional. Slaughter is chairman of the House Rules Committee, and will go down in history as the author of the "rule" that will green light the greatest fraud and theft ever perpetuated on the American people.

The rule allows the Democrats to pass a 2,300-page bill without worrying about it coming back from the U.S. Senate. This farce will occup the rest of the day. It will pass by a vote or two. U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-CT, has been predicting a victory since Sunday morning. He joined other Democrats in a walk to the Capitol steps, escorted by Capitol Police, to signify the historic nature of the vote - as if it compares to the landmark efforts for Civil Rights, Medicare, declarations of war or welfare reform. In each of those battles, Republican votes were the difference and their actice engagement made them legislation for the ages.

But this is different. Larson and the liberal fringes of the Democratic Party, now rule the roost and they view this as their one and only shot to completely capture the American economy. They are indifferent to the legitimate cries of individuals, seniors, employers and those who have dedicated their lives to medicine. The few moderate Democrats, including those opposed to federal funding of abortions, are caving.

Now, the ony important objective is to win. To win for Barack Obama. To win for Ted Kennedy, To win for winning sake. Larson is probably the worst offender in the bunch. Earlier this week, he said on MSNBC, that "you are either with the insurance companies or you are with the people."

There are at least 60,000 Connecticut residents who work in the insurance industry. There are thounsands more who work in hospitals, nursing homes, or as health care professionals and researchers. All of their lives will be turned upside down once this bill becomes law or until a Republican majority in 2011 repeals it.

One hopes that some of the professionals, most of whom are either Democrats or Unaffiliated voters, hold Larson particularly responsible for his actions. Larson will come home, make the rounds to the places he knows people will not judge him and hope everyone forgets. After all, the people forgot about the income tax - right?

The Long Wait for Justice

2010-03-01T11:29:00.000-08:00

It seems every week brings another outrage from the headlines of the Petit family murder trial and each story adds another chapter to the epic struggle for justice and indifference of the Connecticut judicial system.

Many have wondered why it has taken so long to get to the trial of the two suspects, Joshua Komisarjevsky, 26, of Cheshire, and Steven J. Hayes, 44, of Winsted - to trial. It was July 23rd, 2007 when Cheshire police nab the two in the act, a lock-pipe cinch case if there ever was one. But since their arrests, the public has learned a great deal how the victims are ignored and the accused are coddled.

But the survivors of the Petit family murders are not the only ones suffering in quiet anger over the glacial pace of the system. It has been five years since Kim and Tim Donnelly, longtime members of the Fairfield community, were gunned down in their downtown jewelry store. The accused, Chris DiMeo, fought extradition from New York for a year, but now sits in jail on a $5 million bond. His trial has been delayed because of the calenders of his court-appointed lawyer.

Here is the irony - Public Defender Patrick Culligan, told the judge he was going to represent DiMeo. However, Culligan informed the judge that beginning in January he will be tied up representing Hayes, of the defendants in Petit case.

Senior Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Corradino pointed out to the judge that Assistant Public Defender Michael Courtney won't take the case unless he gets a year's continuance and Culligan agreed to represent DiMeo, but won't be available for possibly a year.

The bureaucratic incompetence surrounding the state's handling of the Petit trial is beyond surreal, if not for the real life trauma it has caused all those who have been affected by it.

First, it was discovered that the parole board was negligent in reviewing the parole reports on the two suspects, including the notation that one of them was a time bomb ready to explode. Then, after placing both of these characters in 23-7 confinement, a free lance writer managed to get by maximum security and interview Komisarjevsky for a book, which was published and sold in the state - further polluting the jury pool. No one paid a price within the judicial system. People were merely reassigned.

Then Hayes somehow stockpiled his ant-depressant medication over a number of days before swallowing a large dose that required hospitalization. Again, no one asked how he could have accomplished that if he was being watched by corrections officials in an isolation cell. More delays in jury selection, topped off by complaints by Hayes about the continued lighting of his cell.

Both the Donnelly's and the Petit's have been models of patience and rectitude since the lives were altered forever. Each family has initiated foundations to create a positive legacy for those slain.

And yet, the Judicial Department of the state of Connecticut sleepwalks, oblivious to the trauma they cause with each mistep, delay of act of omission. No one has ever publicly said they were sorry.

The state spends millions of dollars each year for education programs, anti-drug programs and other methods to cut recidivism. It spends a few hundred thousand dollars for Victim's Rights.

Another useful reform would be to eliminate the public defender's office entirely and appoint lawyers on a rotation basis to represent clients without resources, thereby eliminating the need to postpone proceedings.

And so the Donnelly's and Petit's wait. They get up each morning and head to court to watch the judicial system slog through its swamp of motions, delays and reports. Some day, maybe, it was all end - at least for the courts.

Connecticut's Reverse "Ponzi Scheme"

2010-02-18T13:13:00.000-08:00

It has been a growing blight on the political class for many years - a crowning act of indifference by the lazy and shiftless attitude of those who are charged with protecting the state's purse. Despite of this fact, it took a national study to alert an equally malingering media to focus on the fact that the state of Connecticut doesn't keep its word or cares to.

It is in many ways a reverse "Ponzi" scheme - the unfunded pension and unfunded health care pension liabilities of Connecticut - close to $34 billion, gathering interest every day and condemning future Connecticut taxpayers to an endless loss leader. But rather than collect money to pay out at the front, the political class has decided to not collect any money and keep paying, hoping no one will notice when the money runs out.

The study Thursday had Connecticut as the fifth worst state to keep pace with its pension obligations to retired state workers and teachers, reaching a funding level of 62 percent. The acceptable level for funding figures at 80 percent. The irony here is that Democrats have been sticking it to the very unions they spend most of their work day cow-towing to - whether through absurd legislation, regulation or anti-business rhetoric.

Maybe House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, knows he won't be around the clean up the mess when obligations exceed revenues or he simply sees this as another bill to hand to the tax collector. Republicans in the House and Senate have consistently supported contributing more to the fund, another irony, even though the Rell Administration has often acceded to the Democratic budget gimmickry.

The state of the pension fund is also underpeforming to meet the growing needs of the pension payouts. Gov. M. Jodi Rell and the unions agreed to postpone contract increases and a $100 million contribution to the fund. A cynic would say the union leaders, most of them either older or nearing retirement, understand they will be long gone to the happy union hall in the sky before the well runs dry. It is the same for lawmakers, many of whom will also enjoy generous health care coverage for the whole family after 10 years of service.

The math is the math but the impact of an underfunded pension fund could force the needed debate on the 30 plus year performance of the Democratic majority in the Legislature. When the state was swimming in money, the Democrats, and Republican administrations, could have put more revenue in the fund, in anticipation of a down market and actuarial realities. They didn't and the last budget was another example of simple cowardice in dealing with a critical responsibility.

And these pension obligations must be paid - even outside the pension fund via normal tax revenue streams - if necessary.

The problem won't go away and if anyone thinks we can bond this problem, they should all be sent to the next Susan Bysiewicz press conference as punishment.