cxpowell

Business executives warn Connecticut about too much higher education

By Chris Powell What a wonderfully subversive and politically incorrect idea has exploded from the committee set up by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities to study the problem of the state’s estimated 119,000 “disconnected” and alienated young people. Meeting this week at New London City Hall, the group heard a vice president of Yale NewContinue reading “Business executives warn Connecticut about too much higher education”

Don’t make businesses pay for the addiction of their employees

By Chris Powell Two Democratic state senators, Saud Anwar of South Windsor and Jan Hochadel of Meriden, plan to propose legislation making Connecticut businesses pay, through their workers’ compensation insurance, for remediating the drug addiction of their employees. The senators contend that much drug addiction is caused by overwork, abuse, and repetitive-stress injuries on theContinue reading “Don’t make businesses pay for the addiction of their employees”

Connecticut’s schools are unlikely to improve until unions are ‘tackled’

By Chris Powell Acknowledging reality sometimes seems like the worst offense in politics and government. Fifty years ago opposing the war in Vietnam got one called a Communist. Today opposing NATO’s proxy war with Ukraine against Russia gets one called a tool or at least an apologist for Vladimir Putin. Something similar happened the otherContinue reading “Connecticut’s schools are unlikely to improve until unions are ‘tackled’”

Connecticut Republicans have lots of opportunities: issues

By Chris Powell Low participation in the recent primary for the Republican nomination for U.S. senator has renewed observations that there doesn’t seem to be much left of the party in Connecticut. Such observations are often accompanied by pro-forma expressions of support for competitive politics, if usually from people who would be appalled if theContinue reading “Connecticut Republicans have lots of opportunities: issues”

With misleading address, Harris poses as change

By Chris Powell As a matter of oratory, Kamala Harris’ address to the Democratic National Convention accepting the presidential nomination Thursday night was excellent — clear, articulate, enthusiastic, empty of cackling — and it excited the crowd. Content was something else. The address was largely about fooling the country into thinking that she represents change,Continue reading “With misleading address, Harris poses as change”

Stop Connecticut’s utility regulator from usurping tax power

By Chris Powell Even a few members of the General Assembly’s Democratic majority last week expressed alarm at the latest arrogance at the Public Utilities Control Authority, its raising electricity rates again. This time the increase is to repay Connecticut’s two largest electric utilities, Eversource and United Illuminating, for the millions of dollars the agencyContinue reading “Stop Connecticut’s utility regulator from usurping tax power”

Without an auditor for prisons, legislature should do the job

By Chris Powell People may never care much about the health of criminals serving prison time, nor about their treatment generally, even if most of them will be released eventually and many may have a barely suppressed desire to take revenge on the world. But Connecticut should start caring more than it has cared lately.Continue reading “Without an auditor for prisons, legislature should do the job”

Will Connecticut ever notice its many chronic offenders?

By Chris Powell According to government officials and politically correct journalism, crime in Connecticut is down. But a dedicated band of chronic criminals is trying to keep up the appearances of a crime wave, even if elected officials refuse to notice. According to police in New Haven, two weekends ago a 49-year-old man hijacked aContinue reading “Will Connecticut ever notice its many chronic offenders?”

Connecticut isn’t ready to prosper; and stop taxing electricity

By Chris Powell When federal census data showed Connecticut’s population increasing by about 57,000 in 2021 and 2022, Governor Lamont construed it as great news, evidence of the state’s prosperity under his administration, a remarkable contrast with the population losses of nearby states. But the other day the U.S. Census Bureau acknowledged that the populationContinue reading “Connecticut isn’t ready to prosper; and stop taxing electricity”