Rigor Mortis TV

The Watercolor Painting Network. The Lawn Mowing Channel. The Geometry Network. These are all potential YouTube Channels that would be far more exciting than a Connecticut Senate Democrats Channel.

And yet, it exists.

While you have to give credit to the Senate Democrats for kicking off their spats and bravely coming out of the 19th century, do they really believe they are bringing young people in to watch their sonorous blathering?

The opening video there features Senator Martin Looney, the charismatic and charming Senate Majority Leader, in a video that demonstrates his fascinating memory concerning Heisman Trophy trivia, and Democratic talking points on the proposed Earned Income Tax Credit. The video alternates in confusing fashion between footage of Looney regurgitating an uninteresting Dem talking point, and and uninteresting Heisman Trophy tidbit.

I gather the point of the video is to demonstrate that Looney doesn't actually think for himself, and that his superior ability to remember lists of mind-numbingly dull things allows him to be a superior politician.

The subjects are so moribund and the participants so creepy, the videos ought to be narrated by Vincent Price.

If you are too lazy to commit suicide, and would prefer to be lulled into death's embrace by forcing yourself to endure footage of insensible dribble falling from Martin Looney's ashen pie hole, this is the place for you.

Sadly, nowhere on Senate Democrats TV can you find footage of Senator Edith Prague's dog crapping all over committee rooms. Nor can you find a show about the erotic exploits of libertine Senator Tom Gaffey. And despite Don Williams' mustache, there is evidently no porn.

He's got a Crush... on Connecticut!

House Speaker Jim Amann is ready to announce that he will seek the Democratic nomination for Governor on Thursday evening in Milford. This is really more fun than I could have hoped for!

The far left hate Jim Amann because he stood behind Joe Lieberman in his campaign for the Senate after losing the nomination to Ned Lamont. We all remember the altercation with Connecticut bloggers at the train station, where he threatened to crush an opponents.

The right hate him because he's a liberal toolbox.

I am actually excited about this! Imagine how this is going to go. Amann's every move will now be viewed through the prism of aspiring to higher office, and he is no media darling.

One other item of interest... Bob Frankel, who now serves as Amann's chief of staff will apparently be serving as Amann's campaign treasurer. It makes me wonder if the people who come to deal with Amann's staff will actually now be dealing with his campaign staff entrenched in state offices.

A conflict of interest? Jim Amann specializes in them.

McConnecticut

John McCain is apparently coming to Connecticut this weekend. I am told it will be around 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.

I agree with Ann Coulter when she said McCain is like Bob Dole, only without the conservatism, the charm or the youth.

I don't understand this man's appeal. Some like him because he crosses party lines. He sure did when he was the only Republican member of the Keating 5 scandal.

Anyhow, if you want to see John McCain, and you have nothing better to do on SUPER BOWL SUNDAY, go see the maddest hatter running.

The Rover

Because a handful of snotty, pucker-assed wealthy liberals and their mentally malformed children objected to the appearance of Karl Rove as the graduation speaker at Choate, Mr. Rove has agreed to appear at the school for a speaking engagement next month instead.

Rove was quoted in the New Haven Register this morning:

"I would not want 12 minutes of remarks to be used as an excuse by a small group to mar what should be a wonderful day of celebration for the members of the 2008 graduating class and their families."

Naturally, this is a classy move, because if we know anything, we know that when self-righteous liberals, who don't give a damn about wrecking a graduation ceremony with what they consider to be a morally just protest, will stop at nothing to attempt to turn the commencement address into a circus. Most of these protesters would have been outsiders, too.

We'll still get to see these morons protest. Rove's speaking engagement there will take place on February 11th. And then we'll get to see the losers who would have disrupted the commencement address. My prediction: over 100 will show up, but only 5 will be taking a day off from work.

I Don't Like It. But I Understand It.

Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced her endorsement of Arizona Senator John McCain for the office of president.

Naturally, with McCain riding high in Connecticut and well ahead of any other candidate among the Republicans, McCain is a safe pick. I don't think anyone expected anything other than a safe pick from Governor Rell.

I would have preferred a Romney endorsement, but ultimately Connecticut matters little in the presidential contest.

Obviously, I am stunned that Representative William Tong's heavy-weight endorsement didn't cause Governor Rell to back Obama.

Hey, at this point, I'll take the victories I can get.

Line Up To See Hillary!

People lined up today in Hartford to see their heroic Hillary Clinton take a bathroom break on her way through our state to more important states.

I haven't seen footage of a line of people so eager to stand in the cold to see a freak show since the Elephant Man special last aired on the History Channel.

The political love affair between Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and Hillary continues. The Courant did not disappoint with their photography as you can see here.

So where is Obama? And... will he hug, kiss, or dance with Don Williams when he pulls into Connecticut?

A Staggering Endorsement

Ted Kennedy is apparently set to endorse Osama bin Laden for President of the United States today. Or Barack Obama. It really depends on how many scotches he has.

Hillary Visits Connecticut

After getting her massive bottom kicked by Barack Obama in South Carolina yesterday, Hillary Rodham Clinton will shamble her capacious pantsuit into the Nutmeg State tomorrow morning.

However, Hillary clearly takes Connecticut for granted. Details of the visit have not been released, which makes it certain that the attendees are predetermined. And they are probably big donors. That means if you are a lowly middle class Democrat, you don't get to see the show. You're not important to her.

Hillary should take this state for granted. She has a double digit lead among registered Democrats here. I don't understand how that could be happening after that powerhouse State Representative William Tong endorsed Obama... but it is.

Perhaps on her way through Connecticut, the Courant can get another one of those classic photos like the one of her and Richard Blumenthal kissing. Blumenthal remarked last week that he was "too afraid" to ask out the former Hillary Rodham when she was attending Yale Law with him.

As you can see from this photo, any red-blooded man would quake in his shoes in the presence of this daunting beauty.

Anyhow, she won't be in Connecticut long enough to break any hearts. But if Bill is with her, he'll probably be able to sneak in a couple quickies with some College Democrat chicks.

Take A Ride on the Double Talk Express

Voting Machine Hearings

I can't think of a guy less qualified than State Representative Chris Caruso to adjudge the accuracy of the state's new voting machines. Caruso doesn't appear to even believe in them, and would apparently rather just sue to get higher offices whenever he feels entitled to them.

Despite this, The Government Administration and Elections Committee, which Caruso chairs, has announced that it will conduct five public hearings next month to evaluate the effectiveness of the new optical scan machines now being used statewide.

Many people are complaining about the lack of privacy. The old machines of course had a curtain you could pull behind you as you made your selections. The new ones do not, and many voters feel exposed. As far as I'm concerned, it's a good thing. One time I saw someone part the curtain and walk out zipping up his fly. Maybe there was too great a comfort and privacy level of voters prior to the optical scan machines.

Elements of the recount process are also expected to be reviewed, as was highlighted by the shambles of inefficiency that was the mayoral recount down in East Haven.

There will be no shortage of pomposity as the committee, including the likes of Rep. Diana Urban (D-North StoningHaven) and Sen. Gayle Slossberg (D-Milford), looks to visit East Haven, West Hartford, Norwich, Danbury and Fairfield or Norwalk.

If you live in one of those proposed towns, and you are looking for some excitement (just a tad more excitement than going out to see 'Snore! The Musical' at the Tick Tock Inn) then keep your eyes peeled for this mobile adventure.

Why Don't We Do It In The Road?

I really have to thank Mark Davis of Channel 8 for putting an image of real Gothic horror in my head.

Yesterday, when Attorney General Richard Blumenthal endorsed Hillary Clinton, there was some talk of how he and Hillary spent more time together in the Yale law library than Hillary did with Bill Clinton. Davis then asked him if he ever dated Hillary.

Blumenthal made a glib remark that he was too afraid to ask her out. Then, naturally, the Courant ran this photo of the two from 2003, and the disturbing image was complete.

Hard to believe anyone would be afraid of asking Hillary out. If Blumenthal was being honest, he would have probably said he was afraid of her saying yes.

According to the Courant, Hillary holds a double-digit lead in Connecticut among Democrat primary voters.

Reign of Terror... in Your Pants

Apparently if you are a House Democrat and oppose Speaker Amann it will cost you a significant portion of your genitals.

The Everyday Republican is reporting a strange piece of business from last night's special session. Evidently as the vote was going down on the Republican amendment to the criminal justice bill which would have attached a strong "Three Strikes" portion, someone was caught on the microphone at the Speaker's dais saying the following concerning those Dems about to vote on the amendment:

“This requires the immediate castration of all people suspected of even thinking about (voting for) it…’’

The video apparently doesn't make it clear as to who uttered the menacing words, but since some Democrats did in fact vote for the measure, it would probably be advisable for someone to take a testicle count in their caucus. It shouldn't take too long. You can do it on one hand.

If you ask me, the criminals impacted by the bill should be castrated... not with surgery either. Preferably gravy and a Rottweiller. But the legislators? There's already too few balls to be found in the Democratic caucus.

I think that when your arrogance with a supermajority has attained the level where you feel comfortable announcing to the world that you will actually violently remove your opponents scrotum, you may have crossed some sort of line.

Special Session: Criminal Justice

Well, it took long enough for the Supermajority to hold a session addressing criminal justice reform following the tragic killings in Cheshire. The State Senate and House are addressing the matter in special session today.

Naturally, Democrats are in opposition to a "three strikes" law, which Republicans offered in the form of an amendment in the Senate earlier today, and presumably will offer in the House when they get the bill.

It should be no surprise that, after dragging their feet for over six months, Democrats will deliver a watered-down reform measure.

I'm not Bill Finch, so I can't predict the future. But I am willing to bet the measure that passes will be toothless.

Dispatches from the Future

State Sena-Mayor Bill Finch has put out a press release this afternoon announcing that he has gone to Hartford, voted on criminal justice reforms at the special session today, and resigned his seat to the Secretary of State to focus on being Mayor of Bridgeport.

There's just one problem... the Senate has barely begun debating the bill. His press release was sent from the future!

Now, I know it's standard form for these guys to prepare releases in advance of things. But Finch has taken the unusual step of not embargoing his release, or even waiting to see if the things he mentions in his release make it through without amendments attached or other changes. He presumes an awful lot in announcing future events as fact.

Or does Finch drive a DeLaurian with a flex capacitor? If so, Chris Caruso might want to drop his lawsuit attempting to overturn Finch's election, steal the DeLaurian like Biff did in Back to the Future, and go unscrew his campaign from last September.

Bridgeport's politicians... all about the future, or all about the past... never in the here and now.

McCain, Lieberman & Shays

Wow. That triumvirate of names really gets the leftwing blogosphere upset!

No one apart from George Bush himself grabs Connecticut lefties by the short and curly netroots more decidedly than these three men. Mention any one of their names in the presence of a leftwing blogger, and you are sure to get 80 GB of angry crap. What do you do when all three are working in harmony?!?

Senator Joe Lieberman, and Rep. Christopher Shays have endorsed Senator John McCain for the presidency. They have now been announced as the chairs for his campaign in Connecticut. To the state's leftwing blogosphere, this must comparable to Skeletor and Dick Dastardly going to work for Doctor Octopus at the Legion of Doom.

When you have the opportunity, be sure to enrage lefty bloggers by mentioning all three names in a single post if you can. You may summon the Devil himself.

You mean... Bill Lies!?!

Senator Barack Obama says former president Bill Clinton is "completely mischaracterizing" his words. In other words, he is a liar. Who is that news to?

Race and voter disenfranchisement were the buzz words in the Nevada caucuses, where Hillary Clinton prevailed over Obama. And now Obama is upset that Bill Clinton has told crowds that Obama, while invoking the name of Ronald Reagan is his speeches, has said that Obama has been saying only Republicans have had good ideas since the 1980's.

Says Obama:"If you have something that just directly contradicts the facts and it’s coming from a former president, I think that’s a problem, because people presume that a former president is going to have more credibility. And I think there are certain responsibilities that are carried with that."

Let's ferret this out. First, it is entirely true that only Republicans have had good ideas since the 1980's. Longer in fact. Second, it is not true that Obama has said that. Third, if Obama is worried about "President Clinton's credibility," I have to wonder if he believes in other fictitious things, like Leprechauns, Unicorns, and Democrats who are proud to be American.

That's right... Bill Clinton lies. He already has no credibility. So what's the difference? Well, Bill Clinton used to lie to his wife. Now he lies for her.

That Hurts

I'd love to be able to defend this. Unfortunately, I can't. The "Black Hawks Scandal" of 1919? Ooof.

Live Blog With David Cappiello at CTLP

I am pleased to have helped arrange a live blog tonight at Connecticut Local Politics with State Senator and candidate for Congress in the 5th Congressional District, David Cappiello.

The live blog starts at 7:00 and will last approximately one hour. He will be taking questions in an open forum. Please stop in if you get a chance.

Fedele Has the Com

Apparently Governor M. Jodi Rell has left the state to take some time off in South Carolina.

This leaves Lt. Governor Michael Fedele with the reins of power and places him in charge of state government while she is away.

Quick! Pass a tax cut!

Happy Birthday CTLP

Today is the third anniversary of the humble beginnings of the blog Chris Bigelow started under the moniker of Ghengis Conn; Connecticut Local Politics.

CTLP has grown to be a central hub in the Ct Political blogosphere, and I continue to be honored to be affiliated with it. Happy Birthday CTLP!

Nickerson Retiring

The Greenwich Times is announcing that State Senator William Nickerson (R-36) will not run for re-election in 2008.

From the Greenwich Times:

“There is a time to run for office, a time to serve in office and a time to move on,” Mr. Nickerson said in the release. “I have decided that that time has come for me.”
He added that he is announcing his decision now so there will be “ample time” for a successor to be chosen.

This is Mr. Nickerson’s 22nd year as a member of the General Assembly, having served four years in the House of Representatives, and the past 18 in the Senate.

“I have worked with four governors, cast 11,000 votes and driven about a quarter of a million miles on my commute to Hartford,” he said. “I have enjoyed every minute of it — well, most minutes anyway.”

“To my constituents,” he added, “I am immensely grateful to you for giving me the privilege of representing you. You have allowed me the opportunity to help make the district and this state a better place. I hope that in some way I have done that and that I have been equal to the trust you have placed in me.”

Mr. Nickerson, whose district encompasses all of Greenwich and parts of New Canaan and Stamford, expressed his gratitude to his family, friends, supporters, Gov. M. Jodi Rell and his fellow legislators.

“I look forward enthusiastically to the 2008 legislative session and will strive to serve you to the best of my abilities throughout this year,” he said.

This could make things difficult for Republicans in the upcoming state elections this November, and his successor should be chosen with great care...

Kane Beats Curran

Watertown Councilman Rob Kane has pulled out a magnificent win in the 32nd District against Democrat Kenny Curran.

The Everyday Republican has more on the results here.

The win appears to have been a convincing one, with Kane getting nearly 65% of the vote as it stands now. Curran did apparently manage to win in Bethlehem, which is pretty remarkable. Of course, Curran does live there.

The treatment of this race in the Connecticut political blogosphere has laid bare a growing problem... the sissification of the political blogosphere.

If you want to amuse yourself, check out this thread over at CTLP, where my treatment of Ken Curran is criticized by a regular liberal contributer there.

The accusation is that I engaged in "gutter politics" by talking about Curran's appearance, and failed to focus on substantial issues. These withering accusations have made me feel horribly guilty.

It is true.... I did say Curran had a little goat beard that looked like he put glue on his face and rolled around in lint. I did say that after he shaved he looked like a twelve-year old who had put on his dad's blazer for his first job.

I made fun of the "I'd rather be blogging" T-shirt, and noted that he... err... didn't look like he got to the gym too much.

I did postulate that, as a self-avowed blogger, he spent many nights in the basement in his underoos, pounding his keyboard while eating Funyuns and chugging Stop & Shop Pineapple soda. I also theorized that he was probably an avid Dungeons & Dragons player.

I am still mystified as to why he sought a job that would require him to put on pants.

But that isn't all I talked about. I attacked his simple-minded approach to good government which included a pledge to never meet with any lobbyist unless five of his constituents took a day off from work to chug up to the capitol with them, universally applying this absurd standard to those lobbying on behalf of the American Cancer Society, as well as Justice for Janitors(The M.S. Society doesn't require a lobbyist. They have the Speaker).

I attacked his mailer on Kane which accused him of irresponsibly missing Council meetings in Watertown when he was absent due to his mother's death.

I made light of the fact that Curran pitched himself as Jim Maloney's war advisor.

I noted that Curran clearly has a hot head considering the harassment charges he had to deal with over his threatening midnight calls to a political foe that caused him to do 20 hours of community service.

I also wondered aloud why Democrats would deny a much more viable candidate, a former ambassador, and give the nomination to a hack.

So, I believe there was plenty of substance criticized here. The rest was icing on a delicious cake.

Congratulations to Rob Kane on an excellent victory.

To the loser... may I offer these as a condolence:

Victory for Romney

I actually predicted correctly on Mitt Romney, and I am stunned. But I am also pleased with the results from Michigan.

Am I endorsing Mitt Romney for President? Yes. But I am not going to put a post up explaining my endorsement in sonorous, bloated pompous prose.

Nor will I put up a post on the front page of Connecticut Local Politics saying I endorse Romney as some bloggers on the left did not too long ago with Chris Dodd.

Nor will I put out a press release announcing my endorsement of Romney like Representative William Tong did with Obama.

Why you ask? Because I'm a f**ing blogger and I don't have a warped impression of my significance and I don't need to get over myself like some others out there. And I say that with love. XOXO.

-Hugs and kisses,
The Horseman

Romney's Trouble

Mitt Romney Defends Himself Against Allegations Of Tolerance

This is simply hilarious.

Now for Michigan

We all know I suck at predicting the outcome of primaries... at least if my thoughts on New Hampshire were any indication. But I'm going to try again anyhow!

Conventional wisdom puts McCain and Romney in a tight race for victory in Michigan today. Mike Huckabee is apparently expected to come in third. The pundits say this win is critical for Romney, and I tend to agree to a certain point, but if he does not win, I believe he will continue on, and his campaign will not fold.

So here's my prediction... once again I am going to predict a Romney win in Michigan. While I haven't been excited about any of the Republican candidates in the mix, I am leaning toward Romney as the best viable candidate. I'm hoping he can beat McCain, whom I respect, but is off m political page too much for my comfort.

Democrats? Well, their party has punished Michigan by taking away their convention delegates because they changed the date of their primary. As a result, all the Democratic candidates pledged not to campaign or run ads in Michigan, in essence cheating Michigan voters the opportunity to participate in the process. Obama and Edwards even took themselves off the ballot there.

Now let's see if I still suck at predictions.

Getting Nasty

Tomorrow voters in the 32nd District will decide whether they will be represented in the State Senate by an experienced Watertown Councilman with a family and private business experience, or an inexperienced political hack who shaved his goatee and pulled his dad's ill-fitting blazer out of mothballs to run for office.

Rob Kane, a Republican Watertown Councilman with an excellent record, will face off in the special election to fill Lou DeLuca's vacated Senate seat against Ken Curran, a clown.

Curran isn't going down without a fight, regardless of the incompetence or incapacity of his attack. The Waterbury Republican American reported this morning that Curran circulated a mail piece criticizing Kane for being late by twelve minutes for a meeting once, and attacking him for missing a number of meetings which it turns out Kane missed, neglecting to mention that he missed them due to the death of his mother. Now, that's just getting nasty without anything to back you up.

This is the mark of someone who is politically green, even if he was Jim Maloney's chief war adviser. Curran has never appeared as a serious candidate, and this further demonstrates graphically just how out of his depth he is.

Following tomorrow's election, Rob Kane will hopefully join the State Senate. Ken Curran, who would rather be blogging so much that he wears clothing that declares it (I'm sure he only does this when his Aquaman underoos are in the wash), can return to that habit which doesn't require him to be anything but a blob in a bathrobe.

This will probably be a great relief to him, since the one pair of pants he owns and has abused on the campaign trail is probably about to give out.

Please... residents of the 32nd... send this indolent fool back home.

Cappiello on Face The State

Democrats Undermining Our Troops

A reminder of who has said what is always healthy if you ask me.

Kane v. Curran

The special election to fill the vacated State Senate seat of Lou DeLuca will be held this coming Tuesday, January 15th. And there truly could not be a more stark difference between the two candidates, Republican Rob Kane, and Democrat Kenny Curran.

I hope you will indulge me as I conduct a brief compare and contrast.

EXPERIENCE

Rob Kane - Four term Watertown Councilman, husband and father, private business owner.
Kenny Curran - Political hack, newlywed, claims to have been defeated Congressman Jim Maloney's war advisor.

SKILLS

Rob Kane - Managed to defeat a popular incumbent state representative for nomination and lead a unified Republican effort.
Kenny Curran - Likes to place midnight calls to political foes within his own party threatening them.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Rob Kane - Community service includes Former Board Member of United Way, Waterbury Association of Retarded Citizens, and Regional Workforce Investment Board.
Kenny Curran - Community service performed at the request of a judge as a result of harassment charges against him.

PREFERENCES

Rob Kane - Rather be serving as a Senator.
Kenny Curran - Rather be blogging.

I hope the fine people of the 32nd District make the right choice. With any luck, Come Tuesday Rob Kane will be a new Senator, and Kenny Curran can return to blogging with his Stop & Shop pineapple soda and Funyuns by his side.

Obama Straps an Albatross On

If you listened to the liberal blogosphere, you'd think Ned Lamont was golden. True, he defeated Joe Lieberman in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senator. But he is actually a political failure.

With his defeat by Lieberman in the general election at the hands of an electorate unwilling to go as far to the left as Lamont and those who supported his primary battle, the wealthy Lamont is an ironic icon to the left, and symbol of the power of "people-powered media" or blogging, where most of his inertia originated.

Lamont hasn't entirely gone away. He showed up to endorse Hartford's Working Families Party candidates in their municipal election last year. The he went on the Hustings for Chris Dodd's ridiculous campaign for the White House. We know how well those efforts panned out.

Now Lamont has cast his lot with Barack Obama. He isn't the first Connecticut Democrat to do so. He was beat to the punch by State Representative William Tong, and Senate President Don Williams for starters. Silly and insignificant as those endorsements are for a presidential campaign, Lamont's is even less helpful. It may even be a liability.

He may carry a cache of Internet-addicted left wingers and socialists with him who can't let go of the defeat by Lieberman, but this crowd, as we have seen, does not a winner make.

If anything, it proves that Barack Obama's campaign may be far more to the left than many moderates may initially have believed. An endorsement by Lamont is a stamp of approval by the basest elements of the far-left Democratic establishment. Is this the "change" Obama champions?

New Hampshire In the Rearview

Well, now that I have been exposed as having zero ability to predict the outcome of primaries, we can move along. A tip of the hat to John McCain for pulling out another win.

I am pleased that Hillary beat Obama, although by a slimmer margin than most predicted. I want to see the Democrats hammer each other for as long as possible, drain their energy and resources, filing them all down to ugly nubs.

I enjoyed Hillary's outfit last night... she looked like she skinned my grandmother's sofa to make it. Of course, I remain astonished that my grandmother's sofa would have enough material to drape over Hillary's broad buttocks.

Next up... Michigan.

New Hampshire Predictions

Well, today is the much-ballyhooed New Hampshire Primary. I honestly don't care about it a great deal, but everyone else is making a big deal about it in the blogosphere. I guess I can add my two cents.

Some of the conventional wisdom out there says that McCain will edge out Romney, and that if Clinton loses today, her campaign will fold shortly.

I don't agree with either of these assertions. I think Romney will win New Hampshire today, and while I do believe Obama will win as well, I think Hillary will remain in the race to fight another day.

I do agree with some conventional wisdom, namely that Richardson and Thompson are probably done after today following poor showings.

"What the Hell is so Important...

...that you interrupted my egg substitute breakfast?!"

If I was having breakfast and Congressman Chris Murphy and Ken Curran interrupted my meal with campaign pitches, I know I'd lose my appetite. But here the two are... out on the Hustings... in some restaurant in the 32nd District.

That's 32nd, Ken... not 132nd.

Hopefully Ken didn't yell at the potential voters, or sweat into their meal.

The special election to fill the vacated Senate seat formerly held by Lou DeLuca is one week from today, on January 15th.

Public Service Announcement

We are one month away from the state legislature's 2008 session, so your wallets and pocketbooks should be on a code yellow alert.

Luckily, the legislature will be having a "short" session this year, going from February 6th until May 7th.

Things you can expect House and Senate Democrats to focus on during the 2008 session:

• Raising our taxes
• Blaming the Governor for bad things
• Wasting our money
• Telling us how much they care
• Being weak on crime
• Being tough on us
• Not even lubricating us as they ram it home

Try to keep the House and Senate Democrats in your thoughts as you review how much you have paid in taxes prior to filing your returns this year as well.

Another Democrat With Poor Ethics

When Democrat Phillip Zuckerman ran for the job of Probate Judge in Madison in 2006, he promised to bring greater professionalism to the office. He apparently brought something else to the office as well... an ethics problem.

Zuckerman defeated incumbent Republican Carol Lougee by fewer than 250 votes in part because he was an attorney, and she was not.

Zuckerman apparently spent around $18,000 on his campaign, $10,000 of which was a loan, and sent letters last summer to attorneys across the state asking him to help retire his campaign debt, soliciting as much as $500 from prospective donors. A number of attorneys with business before Judge Zuckerman were solicited with the letter.

Zuckerman is now being investigated by the state probate administrator as two attorneys have come forward to lodge a complaint.

Zuckerman doesn't see the ethical issue here. ""If someone made a contribution it would not influence me in any way, shape or form in any case. It's my way of doing things to be completely fair and objective."

Well, Mr. Zuckerman... we are all greatly assured that it is YOUR way to be fair. However, it is the LAW's way to prevent even the appearance of impropriety that you have now created. Shaking down lawyers who appear in your court for campaign money is disgraceful. If you cannot see that, you are unfit to serve.

Once again, while Democrats in our state legislature pompously wag fingers and promise ethics reform, we see it is Democrats who have the greatest difficulty keeping within the current ethical boundaries.

James Lawlor, the state's probate administrator has said that he will investigate, and all judges should be held to Connecticut's "high ethical standards." Oh sir... I think you'll need to do better than that.

Dodd Incinerated

Well, all good things, including living breathing political jokes, must come to an end. Senator Chris Dodd's absurd bid for the presidency was dealt its death blow by Iowa voters last night.

Despite everything Dodd did in Iowa, living there and missing over half his Senate votes in the meantime, he could never get out of the basement in the numbers game. He has now announced his withdrawal from the race.

Dodd finished DEAD LAST among Democratic presidential contenders, embarrassing himself with obtaining 0.02% of the vote, and one whole delegate (presumably because they can't cut a delegate into pieces). I almost tied Dodd and I didn't spend $15 million.

To me this is bad news. I was having a lot of fun with this silly run for the White House. I will miss the hilariously low poll numbers, the Youtube videos Dodd was releasing from the bowels of a cave somewhere Iowa or Tora Bora, and now Connecticut will have to deal with the results of his return to the Senate casting votes for us.

I was hoping Dodd would remain in the race at least long enough for the primary in Connecticut for the ultimate embarassment of having his home state reject him. But this was not to be.

Chris Dodd, I salute you! Where's my whoopie cushion?

Insignificant in Iowa

The Iowa caucuses are tomorrow. Senator Dodd has moved his family to Iowa. He has lived there. He enrolled his daughter in school there. He played flag football there on Thanksgiving. He missed the lion's share of his Senate votes this year campaigning there.

And Iowa is about to repay his dedication by making him take it in the nuts.

I like this little story about the eminent death of Dodd's campaign over at the New Haven Independent. In particular, the part about an Iraq veteran and member of the Fire Fighter's Union who seems to be forced to support Dodd was delicious:

That quest hit a small roadbump at a morning stop in Clinton, with Dodd’s encounter with Livesay. Livesay showed up to support Dodd, but revealed he is not so eager about caucusing for the Democrat.

“Out of respect for the union, I’m here and I’m going to hear what he has to say,” said Livesay (pictured at right), an Iraq War vet and Clinton firefighter. The candidate earned the IAFF’s support through years of firefighter-specific legislation that has increased funding and aided families that had lost a firefighter in the line of duty.

But Livesay and the senator quickly diverged on the voter’s most important issues.

Dodd calls for withdrawing combat troops by the end of April 2008 and ending the war in eight to 10 months.

“That would be disastrous to pull them out” in that time frame, remarked Livesay. He asked Dodd about border security, and listened politely to the response, but later said he couldn’t commit to supporting the candidate.

It has to hurt. At 1%, even Dodd's supporters don't actually support him.

What Did They Do With the Money?

The Washington-based Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has released its annual report on state funding to prevent tobacco use, and Connecticut has come in last of all states in the nation.

The national settlement between tobacco companies and most U.S. states requires these companies to pay the states $206 billion over 25 years. The states are free to use this money as they see fit, and Connecticut does what you would guess it does: dumps all of it into our general fund. Last year, Connecticut received $140 million from the settlement.

Now, I am not one given to believe that social ills are spread by a lack of government funding. But I do believe that our leaders in the General Assembly should be spending more on anti-smoking initiatives as a result of receiving that settlement money instead of just dumping it all in the general fund.

Democrats in the General Assembly championed the tobacco lawsuit and its resulting settlement saying it would help fight tobacco use. But what have they really done with the money? If these sensitive liberals, who are always bleating about the evil of tobacco, were serious about making changes, they would allocate SOMETHING in that area.

Instead, they have given us the legacy of the Quitline, a program that had success providing counseling, and nicotine replacement drugs, which was allowed to run out of funding after only 30 days.

So, this is the liberal anti-smoking legacy here in Connecticut. After years of being treated to the left's anti-smoking company campaign, their incessant ranting about how tobacco companies target children, and attempts to discern if an image of genitalia is subliminally included in Joe Camel's cartoon face, they feel so strongly about keeping our kids from smoking, they aren't willing to invest anything we have received from the settlement to make it happen.

But they can throw $65,000 away when Speaker Jim Amann decides to throw an impromptu and unnecessary one-hour special legislative session.