By CHRIS POWELL Will the day ever come in Connecticut when those in authority notice that despite all their chest thumping, posturing, sanctimony, and spending, some very big undertakings of government aren’t working? That is, failing to accomplish their nominal objectives while supporting a bureaucracy with great salaries, benefits, and pensions. Voter registration case isContinue reading “Will state ever reduce poverty or just keep manufacturing it?”
Author Archives: cxpowell
Governor Lamont ignores more misconduct by state police
By CHRIS POWELL Caught up in his primary campaign for renomination by the Democrats, maybe Governor Lamont and his publicists are too busy to notice and respond to news reports about improprieties in state government. Or maybe they’re just not inclined to call more attention to them, even by correcting them. Voter registration case isContinue reading “Governor Lamont ignores more misconduct by state police”
Voter registration case is more than an anomaly
By CHRIS POWELL Maybe the illegal immigrant recently hailed as a martyr by Connecticut Democrats, West Hartford businessman Sead “Seyo” Cecunjanin, made an innocent mistake in 2018 when, in a transaction at the state Motor Vehicles Department, he applied to register to vote, falsely affirmed that he is a U.S. citizen, and was improperly addedContinue reading “Voter registration case is more than an anomaly”
Child neglect is vast in Connecticut and DCF may not be so bad
By CHRIS POWELL Beating up on Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families is easy and politically satisfying. Child neglect and abuse are rampant and worsening in the state and are beginning to overwhelm the agency’s social workers again, if not yet quite as much as the staff was overwhelmed when it was under federal courtContinue reading “Child neglect is vast in Connecticut and DCF may not be so bad”
Legislators try blackmailing Yale to save discriminatory admissions
By CHRIS POWELL It shouldn’t be shocking that the U.S. Justice Department is investigating Yale University in New Haven for illegal racial discrimination in its admissions practices. Higher education long has been discriminating that way and helped concoct a euphemism for it — “affirmative action” — a euphemism that fortunately no longer intimidates the TrumpContinue reading “Legislators try blackmailing Yale to save discriminatory admissions”
Tired of mentally ill defendants, courts consider something new
By CHRIS POWELL Connecticut’s courts are tired of dealing with criminal defendants who are mentally ill but not criminally insane. State government has a place for the latter sort of criminals: Whiting Forensic Hospital in Middletown. But they are a small subset of the mentally ill, criminals so sick that they are not responsible forContinue reading “Tired of mentally ill defendants, courts consider something new”
Democrats would ‘abolish ICE’ but not illegal immigration
By CHRIS POWELL Most Democratic candidates for high office in Connecticut are pledging to seek to abolish the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. “Abolish ICE” or “Stop ICE” appears on much of their campaign material. Why so much special education? And minimum wage bunk Indignation industry triumphs at New London post office Bronin didn’tContinue reading “Democrats would ‘abolish ICE’ but not illegal immigration”
Why so much special education? And minimum wage bunk
By CHRIS POWELL Connecticut is facing another expensive anomaly. The state’s Hearst newspapers report that while public school enrollment has fallen substantially since 2006, from 578,500 to 498,000 students, a decline of 14%, students receiving “special education” — students who have intellectual and physical disabilities — have increased by 39%, from 68,500 to 95,000. Indignation industry triumphsContinue reading “Why so much special education? And minimum wage bunk”
Indignation industry triumphs at New London’s post office
By CHRIS POWELL Connecticut has been just about conquered by the indignation industry, as was indicated again the other day when the post office in New London inadvertently offended a customer — the president of the city’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People — because its doorbell chime happened toContinue reading “Indignation industry triumphs at New London’s post office”
Bronin didn’t fix Hartford; and ‘fair’ just means ‘more’
By CHRIS POWELL What’s the point of former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin’s candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Congress in Connecticut’s 1st Congressional District? Of course Bronin’s immediate objective is to defeat the incumbent Democrat he is challenging in a primary, U.S. Rep. John B. Larson, who has represented the district since 1999. But whyContinue reading “Bronin didn’t fix Hartford; and ‘fair’ just means ‘more’”
Chris Powell column 