Halloween Arrives

It's all about cutting left-wingers in half...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Mua ha ha ha ha ha!

The $2 Million Delay

Finally, almost five months after the close of the 2007 legislative session, the Connecticut General Assembly has given our great state a bonding bill.

Today the measure passed both the House and Senate passed the measure which was some $200 million less than the bonding bill the Governor M. Jodi Rell vetoed last month, and included $2 million to help municipalities recover losses from the cost of having had to take out loans to cover the school construction money they never received.

In other words, Jim Amann and Don Williams desperate effort to pass out largesse to the districts of rank-and-file legislators cost you and I $2 million.

Once again Republican legislators and the Governor prevented an arrogant "Supermajority" from running up the state credit card.

Also, notably supporting this new bonding package is Senator Joan Hartley, who Senator Williams threatened to relieve of her staff and parking space if she didn't help Democrats override the Governor's veto of the previous bonding bill. Hartley objected to elements of the package concerning a 10-year obligation to the CSU system, and her concerns appear to have been addressed in the new package.

Presumably, she still has staff and a parking space, so Williams can add empty threats to the laundry list of shameful items that are uniquely his in this affair.

Governor Rell has indicated that she will sign this one.

Afterward, Senator Williams was quoted by the Courant as saying "By moving this forward today, we can all be proud that we are meeting critical needs." As if no one was paying attention to the fact that he and his party wanted to loot the process for their districts, and held schools hostage to get what they wanted.

That's not leadership, and it's definitely nothing to be proud of.

Dick Fights Cock Fights

If you know someone who is into cockfighting, please call 860-808-5180. That's the new state hotline established to combat animal fighting.

State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has today announced the formation of an ad hoc Committee of Animal Cruelty through the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG). Under particular scrutiny by this committee is the practice of animal fighting, made a bit more well-known by former Atlanta Falcon Michael Vick when he was busted for running a dog-fighting ring.

From his press release:
"Blumenthal said animal fighting - including dog fighting and cockfighting - is a pervasive problem in Connecticut and nationally. In recent years, there have been reports of numerous criminal arrests related to animal fighting, and animal control officers continuously encounter dogs, particularly pit bulls, covered in scarring indicative of dog fighting."

I'm actually behind the attorney general on this, as I find animal abuses to be particularly repugnant. But I can't help wonder... what will Hartford Democrats do now that they can't hold rotisserie cockfight fundraisers?

1% Dodd: "A Lot of Room to Grow"

Well, that is certainly one of the more grand understatements I have ever heard from a politician evaluating the status of their campaign.

When Senator Chris Dodd was asked about his most recent showing in the AP-Ipsos poll at 1%, Dodd said "Well, we've got a lot of room to grow here, as we say," which at least demonstrates that he has a sense of humor concerning his pathetic standings.

Then there's this from the Associated Press: ``So if history is any teacher at all, then there's someone here that is in this second tier that's going to emerge, I think, and, and be a viable candidate come January, February,'' Dodd said, implying it could be him.

If we are to believe his positive spin, Lyndon Johnson's corpse could be in for another term (he's tied with Dodd right now).

I am begging Dodd not to leave the race until the primary here in Connecticut. I don't think any of us should be deprived of the spectacle of Chris Dodd coming in fifth in his home state.

Governor Thomas J. Meskill,1928-2007

Former Republican Governor of Connecticut, and U.S. Congressman Thomas J. Meskill passed away early this morning in Florida. The Courant has a nice piece on his passing, and Everyday Republican has an excellent piece about Meskill, and the tremendous legacy he leaves behind.

Something for the Weekend...

Wolcott Mayoral Race is a Pisser

Well, campaigning door to door has taken on an all-new dimension over in Wolcott. The Waterbury Republican-American is reporting today that Democratic write-in Mayoral candidate Albert Podzunas has been accused of urinating in someone's yard.

Podzunas apparently came to the door of a woman named Traci Hare who was nursing her infant daughter. Hare told Podzunas to leave his campaign literature. He did. And she says, he left a little something else to remember him by. Returning to his truck with his back to her, Hare says Podzunas put his leaflets under one arm, fiddled with his pants and she saw "a spray of urine flying through the wind."

Hare called the police, and the responding officer found urine on the ground. Podzunas is dismissing the allegation as "very silly." However, he refused to submit to a DNA test to find out if the offending pee pee was his.

As a write-in candidate, Al Podzunas' entire campaign is an exercise in pissing in the wind... but if these allegations are true, what the hell is wrong with him? I know some Democrats behave like animals. Perhaps we should be glad he didn't crap in her yard.

I call on Podzunas to submit to a DNA test, and lay these serious allegations to rest. If he has nothing to fear, he should be perfectly willing to establish that the wizz is not his. Until then, a dark cloud and yellow stream will hang over his campaign.

The D-Cup Caper

About 50 bras were stolen last week from a Victoria's Secret Store in Fairfield. That's almost enough bras to cover all the boobs that occupy the Connecticut General Assembly.

From the Connecticut Post:

Lt. Michael Walsh said the bras, of the brassiere variety, were valued at a total of about $4,000 — the third such theft at the store in three weeks.

On Oct. 11, Victoria's Secret reported the theft of seven to eight drawers full of reversible bras, with a total value of $2,500, and Oct. 5, the lingerie store reported the theft of 100 bras, from its pink collection, valued at $4,000, police said.

I wasn't really aware of advent of reversible bras. Thank God this hasn't come into vogue for men's underpants. Of course, in college I knew some people who didn't feel underwear was dirty until you had used both sides.

Anyway, the theft of these bras is clearly a series of anti-breast hate crimes, and I expect the General Assembly to ge to work immediately, increasing the penalties for bra-related crimes.

Or perhaps I have it all wrong... perhaps this is the work of fanatic feminist leftists who still adhere to the notion that if you wear a bra, you're somehow killing trees and destroying the environment.

This could be the beginning of a movement to eradicate bras from our society. Or, it could be that some lonely twist is laying naked on his basement floor right now with a pile of bras on top of him. Who knows...

WELCOME HOME

This afternoon about thirty members of the Connecticut National Guard's 192nd Engineer Battalion returned home after nearly a year in Iraq.

Last week soldiers from the 134th MP Co. and the 1109th AVCRAD helicopter repair group returned from Iraq as well.

Welcome back to all our returning Connecticut soldiers and congratulations on a job well-done. Hooah!

A Little Interlude...

New Dodd Tape Surfaces; CIA Will Authenticate

The way the Dodd campaign puts out video messages on YouTube reminds me, somewhat, of the way we get tapes from Osama bin Laden. Not only is the content patently anti-American, it is also apparently filmed in a cave in Tora Bora without any lights. I expect to hear the whir of a Yak-powered dialysis machine in the background.

I know the Dodd campaign is sucking wind badly, but can't they afford to pay the utility bill?

In his latest dispatch from someone's semi-finished basement, Dodd takes a moment to tell us how he's fighting George Bush today. He is attempting to place a hold on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA. "I cannot any longer tolerate this administration's drum beat here to deprive us of basic rights in this nation here."

What has Dodd so outraged? The Bush administration wiretaps terrorists without warrants under its provisions. When our operations discover phone numbers on computers of Al Qaida operatives, naturally, we want to know what is being communicated over those lines, regardless of whether the calls are placed from within the United States by a US citizen or not.

Using this capability, incidentally, is the way they captured a guy named Iyman Faris,an American citizen plotting to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge.

But Dodd thinks terrorists need their privacy.

Maybe if he was more concerned with protecting American souls than keeping loopholes out there for terrorists to exploit, he would be more than 1% in national presidential polls, and could afford to light his headquarters and feed his campaign workers more than dingo shit.

Spooky Halloween Switched at Birth

Mua ha ha ha ha! If you ask me, Edith Prague is the Phantom of the State Senate.

Infection Spreading in Schools

A drug-resistant strain of infection is spreading throughout state schools, and has been reported already at several Connecticut public schools and colleges.

It is spread through casual contact. This nasty infection can be warded off by properly washing, and staying clean.

It is highly resistant to penicillin and other antibiotics. If you contract it, it can be treated through other means. Monitoring of the illness, and a public information campaign are the keys to prevention, and the best tools for combating this severe, debilitating disease.

Am I talking about Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)?

No. I'm talking about liberalism. If you want to see what happens to you when you contract this nasty bug, see the videos below.

Usually spread from teacher-to-student contact in the schools, it is also spread student-to-student. Once contracted, it has been known to dog an individual, embarrassing them well into their advancing years.

If you suspect your child has been exposed, give him or her a Karen Silkwood wire-brush shower and send them to private school.

That is all. Carry on.

Deep Thoughts from Liberals #2

I don't blame you if you can't stomach the whole thing, but it's hilarious. This guy wants to take the word "liberal" out of the toilet. Good luck, buddy.

Deep Thoughts from Liberals #1

Jailhouse Rocks in the Head

Several state legislators including Judiciary Chairman Michael Lawlor (D-East Haven) took a tour of Willard Correctional to get a first-hand look at prison overcrowding. That would be terrific, because prison overcrowding naturally leads to choreographed dancing.

Shockingly, Lawlor concurs with Correctional employees unions that the prisons are over crowded and more money needs to be dumped into the system.

"I think what we saw today really confirms our worst suspicions," Lawlor said gravely. Naturally, this will precede the predictably renewed calls for the release of "non-violent" criminals, to make room for the really really bad ones. In the meantime, folks like Lawlor continue to maintain that withholding parole is a bad idea while refusing to take any legislative action on criminal justice reform.

Perhaps Connecticut's prison population is high. Perhaps an inmate can't comfortably make another inmate his bitch in the gang showers without some of his friends awkwardly staring during the intimate moment. I'm searching for some sympathy here.

If you ask me, it's high time we went back to the good old days of exporting our criminals to Virginia. I think it worked pretty good before. That way we can keep ALL the criminals locked up while reducing the inmate-per-exposed toilet ratio here in our local prisons. Think of all the cool dance moves they can bring back to Connecticut...

This Ought to be Good...

The Yankee Institute is sponsoring a live radio debate on issues facing the State of Connecticut on Tuesday, October 23, from 3-5 p.m. from the Legislative Office Building in Hartford between three Democrats and three Republicans. It will be moderated by Dan Lovallo of 'The Talk of Connecticut.'

In the Democratic corner: Speaker of the House Jim Amann, Representative Michael Lawlor and Representative Andy Fleischmann.

In the Republican corner: Senator David Cappiello, Senator Sam Caligiuri and Representative Sean Williams.

This should be a fascinating debate between three establishment hacks and three up-and-coming young Republican faces in the legislature. Be sure to check it out if you can.

Temper, Temper!!

Local politics is usually the worst. The back-biting, bizarre alliances and political machinations are usually nastier than on any other level of politics. The candidates are usually prone to stranger behavior as well.

For instance, over in Wallingford, the New Haven Register reports that Democrat candidate for mayor James Vumbaco is accused of threatening. Allegedly he prodded a teenage volunteer for an independent candidate vigorously in the chest with his index finger, swearing at the young man, because he was distributing campaign literature in his condo complex. The kid called him a "Nazi" whereupon Vumbaco is said to have bumped chests with the teen saying "Why don't you say that to my face." The incident is under investigation by police.

Look, it is entirely possible and even probable that the teen contributed to the altercation. By his own admission he called Vumaco a "Nazi." However, as a candidate, and at the very least as an adult, one should not descend to getting into sandbox fights with e teenager because he's passing out campaign literature. It sounds like Vumbaco blew a head pipe, and this makes him look unstable. I mean, if you can't handle a kid passing out literature in your neighborhood, how are you really going to handle the town's business? When something stressful happens, are you going to punch walls or chest-butt municipal employee union reps?

This isn't to say that politicians on the state level aren't irritable or irrational. I still laugh when I think about teacher and Senator Gary LeBeau (D-East Hartford) getting locked in the crapper on a field trip bus by students, and losing his temper and grabbing a student's collar in anger.

Some people need to get a grip on themselves. Then they can let go of the kids that piss them off.

Dodd Thrown Out At Home

The Dodd campaign's lame fundraising idea to raffle off two tickets to the American League Championship series in exchange for donations to his campaign hit a big snag... it violates MLB rules.

Dodd was offering a chance at winning the tickets to those who donated $20.04 to his campaign. Of course he is running in 2008. So Dodd, as usual, is a day late and 4 cents short. The 2004 however, was evidently a reference to the last year the Red Sox won the World Series.

The worst part of winning the tickets was that the winner would have to sit with Senator Dodd. If Ted Kennedy happened to show up, presumably the booze and loose chicks would be complimentary. But we will never know; after MLB objected, Dodd called off the event.

I suggest a new sports fundraising idea for Dodd. He could raffle off tickets to the next Hartford Whalers game. Dodd may make it to the White House by the time professional sports returns to our state.

Braying Jackass

Yeesh. Hard to believe Bill went outside the marriage for sex.

Joanie Doesn't Love Chachi

The mustachioed Scott Baio of the Senate, Don "Chachi" Williams wants an override of the Governor's veto of his $3.2 billion bonding package. The House Democrats have all their members lined up and ready to go. Unfortunately Williams needs all 24 of his Democrats to override and Senator Joanie Hartley is still holding out.

According to today's Waterbury Republican-American:" 'They told me I had to support this, and if I didn't then the benefits of the caucus wouldn't be available to me, and I would lose my committee chair, my office and my parking space,' said Hartley, D-15th District. "

Hartley wants $1.4 billion removed from the burgeoning package that is being committed over ten years to the CSU system, and put in a separate bill.

This is exceptionally bad form for Don Williams. A legislative leader threatening a member over a policy disagreement in such a way is unheard of. Such ugly tactics are usually punitive in leadership battles.

Such punishment is not merely an insult to a 22-year member of the General Assembly, but is an attack on the constituents she represents in Naugatuck, Prospect an Waterbury. Taking away her staff will make it far more difficult for her to transact the business her district has elected her to transact. She is entitled to all the things her colleagues have at their disposal to do their jobs.

Should Williams strip her of all these trappings, she would be well-advised to switch parties and become a Republican... not a gigantic leap for her philosophically. At least she would have staff, perhaps a ranking membership or two, and most certainly a place to park. Best of all, "Chachi" Williams can kiss any future veto overrides goodbye.

In the meantime, maybe Joanie needs to call the Fonz for some help.

Water Shortage! We Need More Bloggers.

Is your crapper leaky? The state hasn't had much rain lately, and Governor Rell issued a drought advisory on Friday and called on state agencies to halt unnecessary water use. Her press release contains advice on a leaky can:

The problem has grown more severe since last week, and as usual, post-adolescent idealist college students are going to save us.

Over at UConn, the EcoHusky group wants leaky faucets reported, and the dormitories are having water conservation competitions. From today's Courant:

"Student say they are taking shorter showers, not letting the water run, turning off dripping faucets and using paper plates to help conserve water, as officials watch water levels drop from lack of significant rain. Dining Services has been asked to use paper products at breakfast and lunch to cut back on the amount of water used by dishwashers."

Whoa! Hold on. I am all for the shorter shower thing... in fact, I'm encouraged when environmentalists take showers at all. But paper products? So now they are killing more trees to save water? What a crisis of conscience this must be. How do they sleep?

If these kids really cared about the world, they wouldn't be driving that Honda their parents gave them, wouldn't bathe at all, would eat without utensils or plates, and wear no clothes. They would also help ease housing needs by living in their parents' basement, and help the job market by remaining unemployed until they are in their 40's.

That's right. Couple that with an urge to preach to the world about how noble they are, and you have a newly minted left-wing blogger.

Dodd Sucking Wind

The left-wing blogosphere’s next president, Chris Dodd, has raised an anemic $1.5 million this quarter. How financially healthy is that? Well, if Dodd’s campaign health were to be compared to that of a human being, it wouldn’t be able to afford to bury its own rotting body.

Obama has raised $19 million in the 3^rd quarter. That’s a mere $17.5 million ahead of Dodd! Well, we all know that money helps, but it doesn’t necessarily win campaigns. Campaigns are about ideas that resonate with Americans! How’s Dodd doing on that front? Well, he is at 1% in the Iowa polls where he has focused most of his resources. “Other” is kicking the stuffing out of him by 10% there.

“USA Election Polls” has an interesting take on what is ailing Dodd: “…Yet Mr. Dodd’s problems do not end with the co-sponsoring of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, but instead are as far reaching as the inclusion of funds from Arthur Andersen and Enron in his campaign coffers. Quite obvious a lot of this is water under the bridge, but considering that the after effects are still felt today, Chris Dodd’s run for the party’s nomination may be compromised. Potentially deeming him to be more of a liability with the moderate conservative voters - while considering him a sure fire win with the more liberal set of the Democratic Party - the jury is still out whether or not he will have a chance at the coveted declaration.”

Or maybe he’s just a crappy candidate who can’t get traction because he’s out of touch with America. Just like the left-wing blogosphere...

Big Congratulations to Jason Perillo!

Yesterday's special election to fill the vacancy in the 113th District in Shelton created by the sudden passing of Rep. Dick Belden ended with a Republican win with Alderman Jason Perillo defeating Democrat James Orazietti by a margin of 65% to 35%.

From today's New Haven Register:
"Celebrating the victory at GOP headquarters downtown, Perillo said he was overwhelmed by the support he received. But Perillo said he will forever be reminded of the sad circumstances that brought him to the victory.

'I, and I’m sure the residents of Shelton would agree, would give all this up if we could have Dick Belden back with us for another day," Perillo said, who was asked by Belden’s wife, Bertha, to run for her husband’s seat. "The people of Shelton have put their faith in me overwhelmingly to continue the work of Dick Belden.' "

Congratulations Jason. You will face great trials against a gigantic, arrogant liberal Democrat majority. I am sure you're up to the test.

The Everyday Republican has some great photos from election night to check out, and Heath sums up the meaning quite well in his post:

"The Republicans in this state will no longer be the Party of Loyal Opposition or easily subdued challengers. We will recruit good, enthusiastic candidates with a firm grasp of the message and the willingness to do what must be done to win. We will be better organized and allow experienced operatives to guide us in the right direction. We will work harder, more diligently, and with greater skill. And when we do these things, we will win."

Harp Wants Assistance for Illegal Aliens

Today's New Haven Register reports that Senator Toni Harp is hoping to get heating assistance for known illegal aliens, and include such funding in home heating assistance programs.

"I think our real goal is to ensure that no one freezes," Harp said.

Most of these "undocumented" illegals come from south of the border. It's pretty warm down there. If they stayed, they wouldn't freeze. How's that for a "No one freezes" policy.

Harp is proposing using state dollars to knowingly provide assistance to those who are here illegally. Uh... isn't that against federal law? How do you feel about having your state tax dollars being used to help illegals stay here?

A Song for Dodd

The Connecticut liberal outpost of the blogosphere is curious, and probably smells like an old cheese. But it likes to take credit for an awful lot. They claim their "people powered media" is changing the political landscape.

Chris Dodd has won almost universal praise from these pants-less shut-ins. He was the only member of the state delegation not to roundly drub MoveOn.org over their smears, and they adore him.

So, if these left-wing bloggers are so powerful, and so heavily influence the politics of our age, how come Dodd can't get out of the basement? His polling numbers still hang somewhere between those of a squirrel from Tallahassee named Reginald, and those of a shirt once worn by Barry Goldwater. Even someone named Margin of Error is beating him.

So the above song is dedicated to Chris Dodd, and all his blogging minions. "Nowhere Man." And it is done appropriately in the psychedelic & hallucinogenic trappings of the Yellow Submarine Film.

Isn't he a bit like you and me? Thank God, no.

Celebrate Columbus Day

Like everything good and decent about America and Western Civilization, its origins and history, there is a left-wing movement that seeks to denigrate, discredit and revise history concerning it. Such is naturally the case with the great explorer we celebrate today; Christopher Columbus.

Columbus, according to these haters of the West, inaugurated the slavery and extermination of Native Americans, and ushered in an age of diseases such as smallpox killing innocent American Indians.

It's a damned good thing he didn't kill 80,000 virgins a year like the Aztecs. But I digress.

Did Columbus "discover" America? I think we can say with some certainty that he did not. However his explorations opened the door of America to Europe.

Italian-Americans celebrate Columbus as one of the important contributions Italians have made to the origins of this nation. And so they should, because without the bravery and fortitude to explore the unknown such as that of Europeans of the age of Columbus, civilization would never have developed as it has.

Radical Islam has no such heroes. Maybe that is why they still live in the 1490's.

Defy the left, and celebrate Columbus Day.

Don't Make Me Puke.

I haven't wanted to throw up this much since I found out Sean Connery wouldn't be in Indiana Jones IV, but Jim Amann would. Yet to read the words of Don Williams and Martin Looney again in the Courant today concerning Governor Rell's veto of their bond package certainly does cause the bile to rise to the top of one's neck.

The geniuses speak:"The governor does not share the priorities of the people of Connecticut who want improvements in transportation, clean water, flood control, public safety and affordable housing."

Naturally, in their minds, not supporting their massive $3.2 billion bonding package means you want roads to fall apart and bridges to collapse, filthy polluted water, floods to claim homes, and for housing costs to skyrocket. Who are they talking to? Nobody believes this B.S.

Senator Joan Hartley continues to be the holdout on overriding Governor Rell's veto. According to today's Courant, she wants language in the bond package removed that commits the state to $1 billion to the CSU System without any accountability. That's an admirable position to be taking. And apparently the slickest man in the Senate, Don Williams, hasn't been able to talk her out of it.

So, the Democrats are continuing to fight to keep their pet projects. To them, that's more important than the "transportation, clean water, flood control, public safety and affordable housing" they preach about.

If Hartley breaks down and votes with her party on an override, Governor Rell will still be able to stop the extra spending. The State Bond Commission which she chairs must approve those items to actually fund them. But Democrats would love to put her in the position of having to say 'no' to the individual special projects that Democrats don't have the political will or desire to decline.

Barf.

Source:
Pazniokas, Mark. "Rell Shoots Down Bond Package." Hartford Courant. October 7, 2007.

Mua ha ha ha!

Why Have Prisons At All?

Sometimes, just when I think I heard from a really dumb group of people, another group of even more retarded people comes along. Such is the case with an organization called "The Clean Slate Committee."

Following the ugly killings in Cheshire last summer which revealed serious deficits in our criminal justice system, most sane people want to tighten things up so repeat offenders are locked up longer, and have the parole system tightened up as well. But not this "social justice" organization based in Hartford.

This group called on Governor Rell to attend a meeting they hosted this past week, and to respond to four demands by yesterday. According to the New Haven Register, those demands are as follows:

"• Set up a commission to study the impact of parole, probation and re-entry policies and comprise the commission of ex-offenders and relatives of former inmates, human service providers, representatives from the state Department of Correction, legislators and other governmental bodies.

• Refrain from new directives, including "three-strikes" law reform, pending findings of the commission.

• Reverse directives on the parole ban on violent offenders, use of GPS tracking devices, and possible release of non-violent offenders to halfway houses or other forms of supervision because they have not received reintegration services.

• Attend the "Community Conversation" later this month."

Fascinating. So these guys are going the other way with this. Most people see a reason to be harder on criminals, and these folks want to go the soft route.

Okay. They have willing accomplices in the Democratic party who have taken absolutely no action on calls to make immediate reforms.

They want us to "refrain" from a three strikes law. Great, how about ten strikes and then we frown really hard at you? They want us to avoid the use of GPS tracking devices. But of course! Sex offenders need their privacy.

These folks care about the criminals, not the victims. And that's pathetic.

Don't Do It Joan!!

You may wonder why the Democratic supermajority in the Connecticut General Assembly won't override the veto of Governor M. Jodi Rell of the Democrats' $3.1 billion bond package. After all, they have the numerical votes... or do they?

A veto override by the supermajority requires a two-thirds vote of the membership. In the State House of Representatives Democrats have 107 members out of 151. They have the votes with six members to spare. But in the State Senate they have 24 out of 36. That means they need every single Democrat to fall in line. And it appears that one of them won't.

Word is that Senator Joan V. Hartley (D-15) of Waterbury is the holdout, as noted over at Capitol Watch. There is tremendous pressure on her to cave to her leadership. Senator Hartley, don't back down!

In the meantime, Senate Democrats issued a lame press release calling on the Governor to reveal where she would cut the bonding package. It's a yawner... and a red herring. The Democrats advanced over $600 million more in bonding than the Governor proposed earlier this year. She doesn't need to explain what she'd cut. They need to explain why they are adding so much more.

The Democrats holding out for their extra largesse to spread out over their districts has now become a real problem for municipalities who are depending on funds in that package for school construction. They rejected the Governor's call to come back in and at least pass the construction piece.

Connecticut is right near the top in our accumulated debt of $13.9 billion. If they pass this package you and I will pay roughly $70 million more in additional debt service payments in the next fiscal year alone.

This says a number of things about the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate, and voters should pay attention. First, it says that Democrats care more about slathering their districts in fat than they do about getting schools built. Second, it says Democrats will apparently never get a conscience when it comes to spending more and more of our money, and increasing the debt that you and I have to pay for.

The last and perhaps most interesting thing it tells us about them is that no matter how many members they have, no matter how much power they accumulate, they are completely inept at the endgame, and can't politick their way through a rice-paper diaper.

Switched at Birth?

If you are the head guy in charge of the Bespin Cloud City, why the hell would you want to also be a state representative in Waterbury? I don't have an answer, but Rep. Larry Butler (D-Waterbury) sure looks like Lando Calrisian.

Some In Jail Are Crazy!

We'll file this one in the Annals of the Obvious... but the Associated Press reports that 20% of Connecticut's prison population of 19,000 criminals have "moderate to severe" mental illness.

That's terrific news for liberal Democrats who are forever looking for ways to empty our prisons through compassion, excuses and second chances. It is also wonderful to them because they think it's an opportunity for more social spending.

Some of these liberal state legislators are apparently making the case now that more psychiatric nurses are needed, more correction training is needed, and (naturally) a whole new separate facility should be built, fully staffed, for those incarcerated with mental illness.

"If you want to free up prison beds [to keep violent offenders behind bars longer], then get these mentally ill people out of there," said Judiciary co-chair Representative Michael Lawlor (D-East Haven).

Since when is it news that we have crazy people in prison? I'm actually surprised it isn't more than 20%. Look at Charles Manson... he carved a swastika in his face, speaks gibberish and does the chicken dance whenever he gets a TV interview... he's about as mentally ill as it gets. The people of California aren't freeing up his prison bed and getting him "help." He's staying in jail where he belongs. And so should the nuts in jail here in Connecticut.

On Monday Judiciary chairs Lawlor and Senator Andrew McDonald convened an "emergency" meeting to evaluate the impact of Governor Rell's recent halting of paroles, specifically to the question of whether this would over-burden the prison system. Surely now they could let some criminals out!

Corrections Commissioner Theresa Lantz didn't give them the answers they had hoped for. "We're not in a crisis. I'm not asking for more resources," she testified.

When Republican House and Senate members called for tougher action on Connecticut's parole laws, enactment of a stronger "Three Strikes" law, and to have serious offenders wear global positioning devices as a term of their release, Democrats wanted to take their time with the issue... mull it over... maybe do something next session. In the meantime, they are groping for ways to let criminals out of jail.

So now we know that 20% of Connecticut prison inmates are mentally ill. Big deal. About 63% of the General Assembly are crazy too. I say we release them after they have served their two-year term.

Murphy in the Crosshairs

Congressman Chris Murphy might be the sort of soft-on-terror wimp who would rather see Osama bin Laden served a warrant, and held in a five star French hotel with complimentary prayer rugs while he awaits trial at the Hague than see him and his yak-powered dialysis machine blown to smithereens... but he has earned the wrath of some of the rabid left who are equally deluded and crazy. And by deluded and crazy, I am naturally talking about the leftwing blogging community which makes their filthy nests at places like MoveOn.org and MyLeftNutSmeg.

You see, Chris Murphy voted in favor of a resolution condemning MoveOn.org for an ad making a brainless attack on General David Petraeus. The House voted 341-79 to condemn "in the strongest possible terms the personal attacks made by the advocacy group MoveOn.org impugning the integrity and professionalism" of the general.

My goodness! Quite a slap from a Democratic-controlled Congress desperate to appear pro-troops while doing everything they can to undermine their success in Iraq.

Murphy quoted in the Connecticut Post: "I can't be part of a process where people are called names in order to make a point- especially when that name-calling suggests one of our military leaders is a traitor."

This doesn't sit well with the leftwing blogging community at all! The pages of MyLeftNutSmeg foamed over the fact that Murphy "doesn't want the support of DFHs anymore." They are particularly resentful that Murphy received $502,997.60 from MoveOn.org, making him the number one recipient of MoveOn.org dollars of all House Democrat freshmen.

Where does a Connecticut online lefty turn for some loyalty? No fear! You still have Chris Dodd, the only member of the Connecticut delegation to vote against condemning MoveOn.org.

These folks think they can make Dodd president. And so they may! But right now he's tied with me in Democratic preference polls, and I'm not even running.

In the meantime, Murphy should be cautious. These online lefties never forget a slight. The last thing they are ever able to do is "move on."

Power to the Puppy!

Many new laws go into effect on October 1st. Among those taking effect today is An Act Concerning the Protection of Pets in Domestic Violence Cases, which allows judges to issue protective orders on behalf of pets. Now, I am very fond of animals, but when a PETA spokesperson says "We think this is a great law. We are excited," I am immediately suspicious.

I am absolutely in favor of enacting laws that enforce humane treatment of animals. I find animal abuse detestable. But I think these laws go too far when they actually give animals standing in a court of law. This new law allows pets to be listed as "protected persons" in a court order.

Today's Courant has some of the back-story on this new law, and talks about a case where a dog was kicked in a domestic incident. Frankly, I think people who are capable of violence against defenseless animals are generally depraved, and their heartlessness enables them to commit serious crimes against human beings. That's why we have animal cruelty laws.

Pets are property. They aren't persons. PETA fanatics generally don't understand this. In fact, these folks usually put animals ahead of people, preferring lab rats be freed over getting human life-saving tests done on them to advance cures for diseases.

I believe in humane treatment of animals. I don't believe in animal "rights." The preamble to the Constitution does not say "We the Animals of the United States..."

Maybe I'm thinking about this too much, but giving pets standing in court as "persons" could pave the way for Canine-Americans to vote fifty years from now. Liberals love this. Giving a beast with a brain the size of a cashew the right to vote will double the number of registered Democrats. Power to the Puppy, Right On!

Source:
Dempsey, Christine. "Law Gives Teeth to Pet Protection." Hartford Courant. October 1, 2007.

October Arrives...