Scully Communications

With incidents increasing amid pressures from the recession and response to the problem compromised by state budget problems, legislative leaders today will announce a new task force to tackle the problem of domestic violence in the state.

Speaker of the House Chris Donovan (D-Meriden) says the task force will be made of a select group of state representative and senators. “Evidence from domestic violence shelters across the state suggests that the need for support services has grown dramatically as the recession has deepened. Incidents are up, and we’re seeing families who are experiencing unexpected job losses and financial pressure,” Donovan said. The task force will chaired by state Rep. Mae Flexer (D-Killingly). Flexer has been in the forefront in finding solutions to the problem. She says her group will look to restore the position of victim advocate (a casualty of a gubernatorial veto) and will fight for 24-7 staffing of shelters among other measures.

Rep. Flexer says individuals and organizations from across the state, including the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV), advocates, service providers, educators and
law enforcement will be consulted as task force recommendations are developed.

The Hartford Courant has been running an eye-opening series on the subject.
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Now that former Democratic US Senate candidate Ned Lamont has profoundly shaken things up by forming an exploratory committee to run for governor, it will be interesting to see whether he participates in the state’s public financing system. Lamont, a multi-millionaire from Greenwich, is the only candidate in the field who can self-finance such a campaign. However, he has long been on record as a big supporter of campaign spending caps and public financing in general. Will he stay true to that or will he, for political expediency, kick public financing to the curb and just reach into his considerably deep pockets.

In 2006, he signed the “Voters First” pledge. The signatories pledged to support a federal Clean Elections public financing system which is similar to the one passed by the Connecticut General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Rell in 2005.

Also in 2006, Lamont said, “…we’ve said publicly on a number of occasions that we widely endorse the idea of a cap on [campaign] spending. I think that is the key campaign finance reform. Longer term, public financing is probably a place we have to end up.”

So we can assume Lamont will play by the state public financing rules like the other candidates, right? Not so fast. Lamont said Wednesday that he had not decided whether to seek public financing, or to self-fund his campaign. Further, the chairman of his 2006 Senatorial campaign says he expects Lamont to use his own money.

The other candidates in the field should seize on this issue and call on Lamont to participate in public financing given he was such a champion of it in the past. Or was he?
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Former Speaker of the House and now candidate for governor Jim Amann is laying the blame for Democrats losing the mayoral seat in Stamford this week squarely at the feet of fellow gubernatorial candidate and current Mayor Dan Malloy.

Republicans haven’t held the mayor’s seat in 14 years and Democrats hold a 2 to 1 advantage in voter registration. Amann says Malloy abandoned Stamford because Malloy himself only squeaked-by in an extremely close race in 2007. Amann faulted Malloy for being in New Britain on election day instead of Stamford. Malloy’s people dismissed Amann’s charges saying he has an “obsession with Dan that is starting to border on the unhealthy.”
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As if the general public isn’t outraged enough by huge bonuses given to Wall Street executives whose companies received taxpayers’ money through federal bailouts, now comes word these firms are receiving the H1N1 vaccine while other at-risk groups are scrambling—may times unsuccessfully—to get it themselves. Local hospitals and doctors are reporting difficulty in getting the vaccine to children and pregnant women.

Sen. Chris Dodd has written to Health and Human Services Secretary Katleen Sebelius about the problem. “Every day, I am receiving phone calls and letters from constituents in Connecticut about the difficulties they are facing with obtaining the H1N1 vaccine. Schools in my state have closed; hospitals and health clinics report wide spread shortages.  It is shocking to think that private firms would be prioritized ahead of hospitals when the vaccine supply cannot meet the demand,” Dodd wrote.
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As Yankees fans prepare for today’s parade down the Canyon of Champions celebrating their 27th World Series championship, this from Red Sox Nation: And be warned, if you are easily nauseated, please read no further. In 2002, after much family in-fighting, the late Red Sox great Ted Williams’ head was cryogenically frozen. The idea was that science would someday figure out how to being Ted back. But an employee at the Arizona lab where Ted’s head currently resides, has revealed some rather troubling goings-on (as if the original freeze-job wasn’t disturbing enough).

In order to keep The Splendid Splinter’s head from sticking to the inside of its storage carton, workers placed the head on an empty Bumble Bee tuna can. But the can itself stuck to the head and had to be whacked with a monkey wrench.(Hartford Advocate). I doubt this is what Teddy Ballgame had in mind when contemplating how it would be when his time came. Sad.

That rumbling you hear is the political ground trembling beneath the candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2010. The entire dynamic of the race has changed now that former US Senate candidate and multi-millionaire Ned Lamont has formed an exploratory committee to run. Such a move practically assures his entrance into the race (when was the last time someone formed an exploratory committee and then didn’t run?) unless party leaders prevail upon him to not go through with it.

Much of how all this plays out depends on the fate of the state’s public financing law. A judge has ruled the law unconstitutional because of the way it treats third party candidates—it’s much harder for them to get public funds than the major parties. The state is appealing the ruling and it should be known by the end of January if the appeal is successful or not. The bottom line is, if there is no public financing, it’s disastrous for candidates like former House Speaker Jim Amann, state Sen. Gary LeBeau, Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi and at least troublesome for Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy and Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz. All planned to participate in the public financing system. If the courts uphold the ruling and throw out public financing, it’s no sweat off the brow of Lamont. He has about a dozen dump trucks loaded with cash parked in the back year of his Greenwich home—metaphorically speaking, of course.

Another question about a Lamont candidacy is whether it’s wise for rank and file Democrats to support him in an likely party primary. Lamont has shown he can win a primary, besting Sen. Joe Lieberman in 2006. But he also shown he can’t win a general election as Lieberman, as an “Independent Democrat”—whatever that is—came back to beat him in the general election. Lamont spent about $16 million of his own money in that race.

The Democratic party in Connecticut (of which this writer is a member) has been down this road before. Namely, choosing a candidate in the primary who can’t win in the general election. The names DeStefano, Curry (twice) and Morrison come to mind, although Morrison forced out Bill O’Neill before a primary. Is history going to repeat itself? Against Lieberman, Lamont had the support of the far left segment of the party and took advantage of Lieberman’s unpopular position on the Iraq war and other issues. It’s unclear whether even that support is still there.

The race for the Democratic nomination just got a little more interesting. And with the Republican field looking more and more like the bar scene from the original “Star Wars,” it’s going to a fun twelve months ahead.

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Supporters of full, equal protection under the law and societal status for gay couples—namely, the right to marry— are regrouping after a disappointing defeat at the polls in a referendum question in Maine Tuesday. Voters there overturned a state law, passed by the state legislature and sign by Governor John Baldacci, that made same-sex marriage legal. Both sides of the issue each raised some $4 million in their efforts.
Gay marriage supporters tried to cast the question as a classic civil rights struggle and hoped that Maine voters would become the first in the country to sanction gay marriage without the action of legislatures or the courts. Five others states have gone that route including Connecticut.
Much can be discerned from comments from opponents of marriage rights for everyone regardless of sexual orientation. The Boston Globe quoted opponent Scott York who said he wasn’t particularly passionate about the issue until he worried, because of advertisements, that same-sex marriage could be taught in schools.
“It’s not my style,’’ said York, who voted to overturn the law. “I just don’t feel it should be taught.’’ Not my style? Is that how this nation is going to determine whether one segment of society is entitled to the same rights and privileges as the others?
The group “Stand for Marriage” says they are “ordinary families who are worried that children will read stories about same-sex couples in schools, that teenagers will be encouraged to experiment with their sexuality, and that same-sex marriage will become widespread.” Heaven help us if society has a vested interest in loving, stable relationships. It would be wise to remember that not long ago, interracial marriage was illegal in many places. Besides, the don’t-teach-the-children-about-it argument is a red herring. There was nothing in the law that required any such instruction. That would be left to the local school boards of education and parents.
The author of The Hanging Shad is not married (was once) but doesn’t see any threat to a future marriage should gays folks get to enjoy the same wonderful journey of life.
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It would be nice if a behavioral scientist could explain the mindset of someone who vandalizes someone else’s property—particularly property that exists for enjoyment of so many other people, adults and children alike. It’s simply inexplicable that vandals “would have at it” to the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum in Willimantic. It’s a story that just makes you sad. What’s the answer? Stiffer penalties for those that get caught? Security cameras at every little cultural installation?
The Hartford Courant quotes museum volunteer Dick Arnold, “I’m teary… This is absolutely incredible to me, how anybody could do such a stupid, senseless thing. We worked thousands of hours on this place, then to have it trashed is just unbelievable to me.” It’s unclear how much it will cost to replace the smashed windows and other damage.

With some notable exceptions, Republicans are enjoying the taste of victory today after winning a number of closely watched races both here in Connecticut and in key contests in other states. The debate now begins on just what yesterday’s results mean nationally for President Obama and the Democratic party and here at home for next year’s race for governor and for the US Senate.

Among the featured races here, Republican Mayor Tim Stewart fended off state Rep. Tim O’Brien in New Britain; Middletown GOP Mayor Sebastian Giuliano was able to survive a spirited challenged from Dan Drew and Republican Michael Pavia won the open mayor’s seat in Stamford. Republicans were also successful in races for chief elected official in Danbury, Norwalk, Newington, Rocky Hill and others. More detailed results can been seen at www.sots.com and www.courant.com .

Democrats were not without their own important victories in Connecticut yesterday. History was made in Hamden where Scott Jackson became the first African-American mayor in town history. In Simsbury, popular First Selectman Mary Glassman will return for another two-year term and in West Hartford, Democrats swept the town council and school board with Mayor Scott Slifka returning to the top spot.

In other states, national attention was featured on the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey and the open congressional seat in New York’s 23rd district. Republicans won two out of three by comfortable margins raising questions as to what it means for President Obama and next year’s mid-term elections.

In Virginia, a state Obama carried last year (the first Democratic presidential candidate to do so in 45 years), Republican and former state US attorney Bob McDonald whipped Democrat Creigh Deeds. In New Jersey, where the registration heavily favors Democrats, Republican Chris Christie handily beat deep-pocketed but unpopular Governor John Corzine. President Obama campaign for both losing candidates but pulled back and put some distance between the White House and Deeds when it was apparent he would get beaten badly.

If there is any good news for Obama in yesterday’s results it’s the exit polls. According to the New York Times, “voters in both states remained strongly supportive of President Obama…[in] polls conducted by Edison Research… [and] they said that was not a factor in their decisions. But independent voters, who in New Jersey favored the president in 2008 and in Virginia split between Mr. Obama and John McCain, delivered strong margins for both…Christie and…McDonnell, the surveys showed.”

In the special election in New York’s 23rd congressional district, Democratic Bill Owens beat Douglas Hoffman, an accountant running on the Conservative Party line who drove a moderate Republican from the race and incited a bit of a civil war in the GOP. Hoffman had the support of conservatives like Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh while Republican Deidre Scazzafava had the backing of Newt Gingrich and others before getting out of the race and endorsing Owens.
Here at home, for the next year, Connecticut political observers will be focused on races for governor and other statewide, constitutional offices and well as congressional races and what proves to be a very spirited, possibly nasty but certainly entertaining race for the US Senate seat currently held by embattled but slightly recovering Democrat Chris Dodd.
A fun year ahead for political junkies.
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With frequent news about gangs, achievement gaps, drop-out rates and stressed operating budgets, Connecticut’s public school systems would be wise to consider an innovative and successful program recently launched in Boston. “Parent University” is a three-day program run by the Boston public schools, and is designed to “help parents feel empowered and more in control of their lives and their children’s education.”
The 90-minute sessions, stretched over the entire school year, include instruction for parents and grandparents on skills such as how to control tempers, how to discipline infants, children and teenagers and how to handle debt and take care of personal finances.
The program, recently featured in the Boston Globe, costs $300,000. But before the naysayers start screaming that Connecticut has a substantial state budget deficit and besides, “I didn’t need any classes to raise my kids,” consider that in Boston, $200,000 of the cost was paid for with federal stimulus money and the rest came from a private donor.
The Boston program has more than 30 courses, about one-third of them in Spanish. Additional courses will be offered at local libraries and community centers designed to help students become better readers and give support to high school students.
Parent Universities have worked well in other cities across the nation including Atlanta and Charlotte, NC. Connecticut public schools should give it a try.

POLLS ARE OPEN. DON’T FORGET TO VOTE!

As voters in Connecticut cities and towns head to the polls today to choose local leaders in the state’s municipal elections, there are some other races in other parts of the country that are being watched and considered a harbinger of things to come for the big showdowns in 2010.

President Barack Obama has campaigned for the Democratic candidates for governor in both Virginia and New Jersey. Republicans are in good position to win at least one if not both races . In Virginia, Republican Bob McDonald heads into today with polls showing him leading Democrat Creigh Deeds by at least 11% and as much as 18%. This despite a campaign appearance just last week from the president. The outcome is seen by many as at least some kind of a test of Obama’s popularity considering he was the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Virginia in 45 years.

Things are tighter in New Jersey where incumbent Democrat John Corzine and Republican challenger Chris Christie are locked in a dead heat in the polls. This race has had an unusual flare for charges, counter-charges, overall nastiness and huge spending—even for New Jersey. Also, with help from President Obama, former President Bill Clinton, a $30 million bankroll and a surprisingly strong effort from Independent candidate Chris Daggett, Corzine has come back from being behind Christie by 14 points this summer.

The latest Quinnipiac Poll has Christie leading by two points (no word on whether either candidate got the results of the poll ahead of time). If Christie loses, it very well may be because of Daggett who is polling at a respectable 11%.

One particularly negative ad run by Corzine backfired on him. The spot featured an unflattering picture of Christie and accused the obese Republican of “throwing his weight around.” Voters and the media didn’t like it and it gave Christie—who readily admits to not working things that are green into his diet—a chance to sit back and be self-effacing.

In general, New Jersey is in pretty tough shape. It has the highest taxes in the country, the highest unemployment in the region and hundreds of thousands of its residents moving out of the state.
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The chances of Connecticut taxpayers seeing a reduction in the sales tax the first of the year are slim and none. And slim just took the the Hartford to New Britain busway out of town. As The Hanging Shad noted back on Oct. 20, despite the governor’s optimism at the time, the sale tax reduction is all but dead.

Just about two months removed from passing a new two-year budget after a summer-long stalemate, Comptroller Nancy Wyman says the budget is $624 million in deficit. The sales tax was scheduled to drop from 6% to 5.5% January 1st but only if revenues did not dip at least 1% below what is projected in the budget.

There is plenty of finger-pointing already as to the reason for the shortfall. Democrats are laying it at Gov. Rell’s feet. State Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney (D-New Haven), among the most respected lawmakers in the state, says the governor is failing to make cuts called for in the new budget and points out that about a third of the deficit is due to increased spending in the executive (Rell’s) branch of government.

The governor says the problem lies in the new budget itself—which she refused to sign—because it includes structural problems that are leading to deficits. The governor says she is working on a deficit mitigation plan and will use her rescission (cutting) authority that does not require legislative approval.
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Democratic State Party Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Republican candidate for US Senate and former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon.

DiNardo charges that WWE officials, citing copyright and intellectual property rights, forced the Internet siteYouTube to take down what many considered offensive wrestling videos. The complaint charges that other videos, presumably not so offensive, remain on YouTube. DiNardo claims that constitutes an illegal “in-kind” contribution by the WEE to the McMahon campaign.

DiNardo’s complaint reads, “In sum, WWE has selectively enforced its rights only insofar as they benefit Ms. McMahon’s candidacy…WWE expended its corporate resources…all used in the service of Ms. McMahon’s campaign to force YouTube to remove only the videos that reflected poorly on Ms. McMahon, while ignoring the multitude of other WWE-owned material still hosted on YouTube.”

The McMahon campaign responded, “It’s a baseless accusation and the campaign has complied with all FEC rules and regulations. This latest attack from Chris Dodd speaks volumes about just how worried he is about Linda’s campaign…”

“In-kind” contributions are non-cash donations to a campaign for which a monetary value may be determined such as a consultant’s donated time and expertise, donated buses or cars, paper or supplies and the like. Characterizing the removal from the Internet of some videos and not others an “in-kind” campaign contribution seems a bit of a stretch. State Dems would be wiser to point out McMahon’s hypocrisy such as when she’s slamming Dodd for the loss of 24,000 jobs in the state despite the federal stimulus program when just last January, her company laid-off 10% of its workforce despite massive profits. Not to mention that before her last campaign ad blitz, the last tme anyone saw McMahon on TV was when she was kicking a wrestler in the groin.
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For fun on this election day: Among the stranger things the author of The Hanging Shad has seen lately came during a trip to the gym this past weekend. The gym was kind enough to provide complimentary coffee at a table near the entrance. But also available were bagels and donuts. Donuts? Was it membership renewal time? Isn’t that like going to the dentist and having free cotton candy in the lobby? The coffee, however, was great.