Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Open Forum

Saturday, October 1st, is the day that a host of new laws passed by the General Assembly this sessions, including civil unions, goes into effect across Connecticut. Other new laws include keeping kids in car seats until they are seven and the elimination of the disparity in the requirements for being found guilty of possessing crack and cocaine.

What else is happening around the state?

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think it's also the day drivers are required to use "hands-free" devices when talking on cell phones.

Genghis Conn said...

It is. I hope they enforce it.

Anonymous said...

I am very concerned, as a democrat, about John DeStefano being chosen as the nominee for governor. This election will prove to be an incredibly difficult one, and I have recently heard rumors of mass corruption in his administration. The biggest example is of a developer who was looking to build a mall in New Haven and claims he was told that in order to get approval, he would have to make the maximum contribution to the Mayor's gubernatorial campaign. The LAST thing we need right now is another corrupt politician, particulary one representing the Democratic Party in Connecticut. It appears to me, that Dan Malloy went through an exhaustive investigation and came out squeaky clean. Before I would even consider voting for John DeStefano, I would need to see him endure the same type of investigation; I highly doubt he would come out as clean. For the sake of our party, our state, and our future, lets make sure we don't put another John Rowland in office, particulary with a "D" next to his name.

Genghis Conn said...

Haven't heard about the developer. Have a source?

Anonymous said...

To anonymous,

John DeStefano has been vetted by the local media for a dozen years. He has consistetly surpassed the character tests created by the local investigative journalists and his record has been exhaustively mined by the media. The voters keep choosing him and his policies.

As Democrats, we should combine our fire on Gov. Rell's failed policies and ethical lapses. Her administration is doing nothing about the worst jobs economy in the country. And she continues to pass out her taxpayer-financed annual report at openly political events.

Anonymous said...

I find it hard to believe that DeStefano could do anything about the "worst jobs economy in the country". With his union-bent philosophy and the already heavily liberal-leaning majority in the House and Senate, DeStefano as Governor would be the last nail in the coffin for job growth. Not to mention that DeStefano doesn't come across as gubernatorial at all and will be very unlikely to put a dent in Gov. Rell's popularity.

Anonymous said...

Here's Sen. McDonald's e-mail urging support for Dan Malloy

Friends and Family -

I'm writing to ask a personal favor. Last week, I emailed a copy of an interview with Dan Malloy. I think that interview showed why Dan will make one hell of a Governor. He's direct. He's principled. He understands the issues better than anyone out there.

So... Now I'm asking you to support him. Dan's next fundraising deadline is this Friday, Sept. 30th, and I'd consider it a personal
favor if you'd give whatever you can to Dan's campaign - $10, $100, up to the max $2,500. You can contribute online at www.danmalloy.com.

Dan has been a stand-up guy since the day I met him. It's my pleasure to stand up for him now, and I hope you will too.

Thank you!!

Anonymous said...

To anonymous,

People who work full-time should not be poor. As a result, Mayor John has been a vocal supporter of protecting the civil right to organize to ensure that low-paid service workers make enough live decently. Nevada and Greater Los Angeles have shown that unionizing low-tier service workers boosts aggregate demand fueling growth. Unionization has actually declined in Connecticut during Rowland-Rell...so, where is the economic boom from crippling unions?

Second, as Mayor of New Haven, DeStefano played a crucial role in turning around a community that was profiled as a pit of despair in the early 1990s. It is not perfect, but private investment has grown, homeownership has flourished, and there is a hub of entrepreneurial and cultural creatives in the city. He did not do it alone, but without his policy leadership it would have been much more difficult. I think that is a great economic record compared to Rell's condescending jobs hotline.

Finally, I agree with you that Johh DeStefano is not "gubernatorial" like Rowland or Rell. He's not slick or confidently aloof, but I think the people of Connecticut might appreciate an earnest, pro-active problem solver that likes policy. I think moderates will perceive that as more "gubernatorial" than you think.

Anonymous said...

When did it become a requirement that to be a nominee for governor you have to be the subject of a state corruption investigation.

Also, I would check your facts, Malloy didn't come out "squeaky clean" - the investigation was dropped because there was insufficient evidence to lead to charges, hardly the same thing.

Anonymous said...

The investigation against Malloy was dropped because the Mayor had done nothing wrong. He is the only politician that has been investigated by the state's attorney's office and has been cleared of all charges. This is the man I want to represent the democrats in 2006. We need to bring intergrity back to the Governor's office. DeStefano can not do that.

Anonymous said...

Confused,

I think its you who needs to check his facts. As I understand it, the state reviewed thousands of documents from Malloys personal dealings and also from those of the city, and they found zero evidence of any wrongdoing. Perhaps you can explain to me how that is anything but "squeaky clean"?

Anonymous said...

Tom DeLay indicted...............


Nancy Johnson silent.....


Time for a change in the 5th CD.....



Vance? Murphy? Bill Curry?

Anonymous said...

Julio, although I have no concerns with DeStefano's ethical behavior, I also have very little faith in the ability of CT's press or voter's to smell a rat.

Gov. Rowland was also vetted by state and local media for a period of some years, and re-elected by the populace happily. Yet ultimately he turned out corrupt.

Regarding unions, they are firstly pretty unpopular with CT voters in my opinion, and secondly while unionization does indeed improve the lot of full-time employees, it also restricts hiring immensely leading to increased unemployment. You have a trade off between wages and employment, between the employed living better and more people having jobs. The major political issue right now is the latter. Job loss and creation is going to resonate with voters, job quality is not.

Anonymous said...

If you look at how Malloy organized his administration in Stamford, you will see that not only is _he_ squeaky clean - which is a product of the kind of man he is - but he did a brilliant job of making sure that his government was clean.

If we had had the kind of systems in place at the State level that Malloy put in place and continuously improved upon for ten years as Mayor of Stamford, what Rowland and his associates did would not have been possible.

That is the level of integrity people are overwhelmingly looking for in the Governor's mansion. And only Malloy has the track record - and the clean bill of fiscal and political health - to bring it.