By Chris Powell
Revolutionaries throughout history sometimes have adopted a policy of “no enemies on the left,” figuring that, once in power, they could purge (or murder) those in their coalition who were not leftist enough. Maybe that’s how the Connecticut People’s World Committee, part of the state’s Communist Party, and Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal rationalized each other last week in New Haven at an event celebrating the founding of the Communist Party of the United States 102 years ago.
The committee was presenting its annual Amistad Awards, and the senator attended to give the recipients separate commendations from the Senate itself, indicating that his office and the committee worked together in advance of the event. One recipient was state Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury.
Neither the honorees nor the senator push a particularly communist agenda but rather conventionally liberal Democratic policies like raising the minimum wage and extending paid family and medical leave. But then in pursuing such policies why is it necessary to celebrate communism, a totalitarian ideology with the blood of hundreds of millions on its hands?
Blumenthal said he was participating in the Communist event to honor “activism” and didn’t necessarily agree with the other participants about everything. But then even activism can be bad as well as good. While the New Haven Communists have appropriated the motto popularized by the late civil rights leader and U.S. representative John Lewis of Georgia — “good trouble” — there is more “bad trouble” associated with their banner than “good trouble,” and the ceremony’s organizers invited the participants, including Blumenthal, to join the Communist Party “to create a new socialist system.”
Days later, after suffering criticism and ridicule, Blumenthal said he didn’t know it was going to be a Communist event. But he must have noticed when he got there, and he didn’t run out.
Of course anything government does, from Social Security to police protection to stupid imperial wars, can be called “socialism,” and the New Haven Communists long have been part of the woodwork of the city and are not taken seriously politically even by their friends. They are no threat to national security.
But if a political party intends no more than things like higher minimum wages and civil rights, there’s no need to call itself Communist. That name is needed only if the party still contemplates expropriation and tyranny, which makes Blumenthal’s participation ironic, since his family’s spectacular wealth arises from a real estate empire. Did the People’s World Committee neglect to remind him that property is theft?
PAIGE, CALL YOUR AGENT: A few weeks ago UConn women’s basketball sensation Paige Bueckers was a sensation off the court too when she became one of the first college athletes to win commercial endorsement contracts under the new college sports rules allowing them. Bueckers signed with Gatorade and internet marketer StockX.
Whereupon she injured her knee in a game and will be sidelined for two months at the height of basketball season. Her absence might demolish her value as a commercial spokeswoman.
But all may not be lost. For the women’s college basketball audience goes far beyond young people. UConn’s audience includes middle-aged and older folks, many of whom attended the university long ago and who now face mobility issues like the one just encountered by Bueckers.
StockX can sell more than sportswear. It also could pitch canes, walkers, wheelchairs, and support garments, which Bueckers might tout while she is a bit of an invalid. Being so incongruous, such commercials and ads might become sensations too, and while branding has yet to figure in the sale of medical equipment, maybe Bueckers and StockX could start a trend.
In addition, Bueckers had knee surgery at UConn Health in Farmington, which already does a lot of advertising, so she might have great appeal to basketball fans needing knee and hip replacements and such.
And while Bueckers’ promotion of Gatorade may not be so effective until she gets back in the game and works up a sweat, the advertising for old nutritional drinks used by people who are slowing down — like Geritol and Ensure — might benefit from some modernizing by a college basketball star.
Does Bueckers have an agent who can turn lemons into lemonade?
Chris Powell has written about Connecticut government and politics for many years.
Chris Powell column 