By CHRIS POWELL For the sake of argument, concede the premise of much of Connecticut state government policy — that people no longer need to be prepared financially to support their own children and that there is never any shame in thrusting that responsibility on the state. Patronage for higher education is one-sided campaign financingContinue reading “Provide free school lunches but not with a dedicated tax”
Author Archives: cxpowell
Patronage for higher education is one-sided campaign financing
By Chris Powell Even people skeptical of the bloat of the federal government may not have fully appreciated its discretionary political patronage until, upon his return to the presidency in January, Donald Trump began to reduce it. Who outside the universities themselves knew that Columbia University has been getting more than a billion dollars aContinue reading “Patronage for higher education is one-sided campaign financing”
Plenty of money for political patronage despite danger to state budget
By Chris Powell Is state government in Connecticut in a financial emergency because of its likely loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal assistance under the Trump administration? Most Democratic state legislators think so. Led by House Speaker Matt Ritter, they want to remove the “fiscal guardrails” that have restrained state government spendingContinue reading “Plenty of money for political patronage despite danger to state budget”
Welfare continues to hide in Connecticut’s electricity bills
By Chris Powell Why should Connecticut’s electricity grid be incorporated into the state’s welfare system? Why are electricity users in the state who pay their own electric bills being charged extra to subsidize discounts for electricity used by poor people who don’t pay? Why aren’t those subsidies financed by general taxation? Connecticut Democrats insist onContinue reading “Welfare continues to hide in Connecticut’s electricity bills”
Connecticut Democrats insist on open borders or secession
By Chris Powell Rage and indignation again are sweeping the state Capitol and the People’s Republic of New Haven, this time because the city’s “hometown airline,” Avelo, which has revived Tweed New Haven Airport, has contracted with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to fly illegal immigrants out of the country from Arizona. Rule ofContinue reading “Connecticut Democrats insist on open borders or secession”
Rule of law and democracy are abused by Trump’s foes in Connecticut too
By Chris Powell While Donald Trump is reckless, a bully, and sometimes worse, his return to the presidency was caused in part by the sort of hypocrisy shown by the thousands of people who last week protested him in Connecticut and across the country. Who’d want to be governor amid what’s lurking ahead? Connecticut’s electionsContinue reading “Rule of law and democracy are abused by Trump’s foes in Connecticut too”
Who’d want to be governor amid what’s lurking ahead?
By Chris Powell In an interview the other day Governor Lamont sounded unenthusiastic about seeking a third term. He complained that legislators and municipal officials parade through his office asking for goodies at state government expense even as the Trump administration is slashing away at financial aid to Connecticut, punching big holes in state government’sContinue reading “Who’d want to be governor amid what’s lurking ahead?”
Connecticut’s elections can’t be secure without proof of citizenship
By Chris Powell Having fallen in love with executive orders even more than his predecessor did, President Trump is coming down with a bad case of megalomania. He has little authority to command the states to follow any particular election procedures, as he presumed to do with another executive order the other day. Congress canContinue reading “Connecticut’s elections can’t be secure without proof of citizenship”
Waterbury child-abuse case imperiled by local TV news
By Chris Powell While local television news in Connecticut is usually trivial and patronizing, it isn’t always harmless. In recent days it has been creating a great danger with its coverage of the case of the 32-year-old man alleged to have been held prisoner since boyhood by his stepmother at their home in Waterbury. Connecticut’sContinue reading “Waterbury child-abuse case imperiled by local TV news”
Connecticut’s most neglected children are public-schooled, not home-schooled
By Chris Powell Connecticut has just seen another case, this time in Waterbury, of what appears to have been the horrific abuse of a child who had been withdrawn from school, supposedly to be educated at home, but who wasn’t being educated at all, just abused. Connecticut leads Trump in privatizing government Can Murphy andContinue reading “Connecticut’s most neglected children are public-schooled, not home-schooled”
Chris Powell column 