By Chris Powell Government ownership of utility companies can work in the public interest, at least where government wants to work in the public interest. Whether it wants to is always a fair question in Connecticut. The General Assembly again failed the public interest the other day when it abruptly jammed a weighty bill onto itsContinue reading “Water utility purchase bill is Democratic power grab”
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If democracy is at stake, Connecticut Democrats won’t save it
By Chris Powell Despite President Biden’s disastrous performance in last week’s debate with Donald Trump, Connecticut journalists could not find one leading Democrat in the state ready to ask the president to drop his campaign for re-election and let the party nominate someone presentable. Some of those leading Connecticut Democrats say democracy will be inContinue reading “If democracy is at stake, Connecticut Democrats won’t save it”
Climate change fanatics practice totalitarianism
By Chris Powell When, in 1955, Rosa Parks, a courageous Black woman, refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, was arrested, and sparked the modern U.S. civil rights movement, the connection between her protest and her objective was clear: to end the racial segregation maintained byContinue reading “Climate change fanatics practice totalitarianism”
Logan and other Republicans in Connecticut can explain backing Trump
By Chris Powell Why is former state Sen. George Logan, who is sure to get the Republican nomination for U.S. representative from Connecticut’s 5th District again, dancing around the question of whether and how much he supports his party’s presumptive nominee for president, former President Donald Trump? According to the Waterbury Republican-American, at a campaignContinue reading “Logan and other Republicans in Connecticut can explain backing Trump”
Murder in a state prison but who really cares?
By Chris Powell Connecticut’s top elected officials and members of Congress, all Democrats, excel at criticizing the private sector and the state’s regulated utilities. Indeed, there is always much to criticize, as last week state Attorney General William Tong criticized Connecticut Natural Gas for earning more money than authorized by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority.Continue reading “Murder in a state prison but who really cares?”
State Education Department belatedly notices Hartford school disaster
By Chris Powell At last the state Education Department seems to have noticed that long after Hartford’s school system was designated an “alliance district” and given extra state money to execute a special plan to improve student performance, performance has not improved and the school system itself is falling apart, with a $40 million budgetContinue reading “State Education Department belatedly notices Hartford school disaster”
Despite fawning lawyers, courts can be corrupt
By Chris Powell According to the Connecticut Bar Association, criticism of the courts has gone too far, particularly criticism of the New York State court that convicted former President Donald J. Trump of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. In a letter sent this month to the association’s members, its top three officers, includingContinue reading “Despite fawning lawyers, courts can be corrupt”
Coach’s loyalty comes easy; and a one-man crime wave
By Chris Powell Connecticut is not just thrilled that UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley has declined a lucrative offer from the Los Angeles Lakers. People are also moved by the expressions of loyalty from the coach and his wife, Andrea — not just loyalty to the state but, as Mrs. Hurley noted in aContinue reading “Coach’s loyalty comes easy; and a one-man crime wave”
‘Fair share’ won’t persuade suburbs on more housing
By Chris Powell As much as Connecticut badly needs more housing to reduce the cost of living in the state, it’s not surprising that the state law that was enacted last year to spur housing construction is accomplishing nothing. The law requires only that a study be made of how much more housing each municipalityContinue reading “‘Fair share’ won’t persuade suburbs on more housing”
Easier jobs make Dan, Geno better liked than legislators
By Chris Powell Celebrating Dan Hurley’s decision this week to keep coaching the men’s basketball team at the University of Connecticut, state House Speaker Matt Ritter confirmed a thought previously reserved for cynics. That is, UConn’s success with basketball is state government’s great rationalization for giving the university whatever it wants financially year after year.Continue reading “Easier jobs make Dan, Geno better liked than legislators”
Chris Powell column 