Written by Juliana Simone
Hartford, CT – The opening of the new legislative session produced two speeches from incumbent Governor Dannel P. Malloy (D). Neither held much promise for the voters of Connecticut who were not among the 26K that put him back in office for a second term. The slight uptick above the less than 1% Malloy won by in 2010, that garnered him around another 1%, perhaps had a lot to do with the democrat majority passing same-day voter registration under his leadership. Long lines were reported in very democrat held cities like New Haven where lines were long, as unregistered voters waited to fill out whatever simple information was needed to go and cast a vote Election Day.
As in 2010, it was the inner city vote that put Malloy, as well as his sitting constitutional officers, back into office. Former challenger Ambassador Tom Foley, running a second time, continued to win the majority of small towns. Foley did not fare as well as he did in 2010, however, and there has been much discussion about the variables that made this so, including his campaign staff and lieutenant governor choice.
In a state whose general assembly has been led by the Democrat party for over twenty years and thrives on votes from state worker and teacher unions, the vote tally for Malloy was overall meager, and illustrated he would not have won a second term without this stronghold.
Proving this, Malloy’s address to the CGA this afternoon, was mostly dedicated to more funding for the Department of Transportation, Connecticut’s largest receiver of state funds. During his first term, the Governor came up with a plan for a busway from New Britain to Hartford, that the Republican caucus, and then the media, referred to as the ‘magic busway’ – in that no one was expected to actually use this method of transportation between the two cities. The transportation line seemingly came to be for funding for the DOT and its workers, even though the building of the line meant carelessly tearing down graves of the buried in New Britain to make room for the lane.
Listening to the address over the radio, it was shocking for many Connecticut residents to hear that his plan was to give more money to the DOT now under his second term. This time, it’s to widen the most used highways in Connecticut to make it easier for workers to get home during their commutes. Malloy and his spokespeople said that when the highways were built originally, no one ever thought the population of Connecticut was going to grow so large. This is why, they explain, the traffic is so congested on key interstates.
Apparently, it has nothing to do with the mere fact that Connecticut sits between NYC and Boston, and the only way to get from one to the other is through what was once the “Constitution State.” Traffic is also heavy with truckers needing to deliver loads to Rhode Island and New Jersey. Connecticut charges no tolls for those just passing through the state, whether commerce or recreationally related, and this subject is expected to come up once again this new session. Toll booths that used to exist in the state, came down after much discussion over a serious accident that took place at one station in Stratford in 1983.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Turnpike
One can only imagine the extra time commuters will face as this construction is underway. The usual cones and flag wavers will hold up lines for who knows how long before this grand vision is completed.
The early swearing-in ceremony where Governor Malloy’s wife, Cathy, gave a less than gracious address. Reciting how she had to bite her tongue during the debates pre-election, Mrs. Malloy opined that the Republican candidate had no plan. Anyone who follows politics in this state and outside of it, knows that Tom Foley had a long list of business friendly and pro-growth economy incentives that would have turned our state around for the many here who have seen their savings disappear, have become or remain unemployed, and remain here helplessly overtaxed. In her view, her husband’s plan to give more money to the Department of Transportation and to the public Education System, was preferable and sound.
Mrs. Malloy also seemed to elude to Mr. Foley’s comments during one debate that suggested voters should look at who produced more successful and well-adjusted families for insight into the two candidates. This portion of her speech should have been left out on a celebratory occasion that the Malloy’s should be grateful to have received however small a margin. Readers need to remember that former First Lady of Connecticut, Patricia Rowland, was held under extreme scrutiny for any personal comments she made about any members or challengers from the democrat caucus at public venues.
Former Governor, M. Jodi Rell, made few partisan remarks during her tenure, and this passive yet compliant stance got her little in return from her dominating rivals. The popular former Governor who took over when her predecessor John G. Rowland had to resign, Rell (along with Rowland) is consistently referred to by Malloy and his General Assembly majority, as the reason the state is in such dire straits today – regardless of the fact, as the majority, they controlled all of the votes to pass any budget or legislation, the chairmanship of committees, union leaders and influential lobbyists.
Going into the election, respected publication The National Review, dubbed Governor Malloy as the worst Governor in America. http://www.nationalreview.com/article/389857/americas-worst-governor-matt-purple
The majority of Connecticut voters concurred with this assessment, electing ten new Republican State Representatives to the House, and one new State Senator. Constituents also continue to elect Republicans to head the majority of towns here as Mayors or First Selectmen. It is these voters that understand what the best plan is for their future and their children’s future here in the state of Connecticut.
Governor Malloy should perhaps recognize as he begins his second term, that it is he and his now- lessened majority that should be working with the other side of the aisle, to find the needed answers to make Connecticut less-taxed, as one of the most taxed states in the United States, and prosperous once again, returning jobs to its people and profits to the companies and small businesses that employ them. If he truly wishes the best for this great state, as he proclaimed today, he will do so.
For full transcript of inauguration speech:
http://www.rep-am.com/news/connecticut/doc54ad8c724beb5976080560.txt
This post can also be read on Ameriborn News: http://ameribornnews.com/2015/01/07/11675/
