By Chris Powell Connecticut can be glad that it has at least one seriously competitive campaign for a major office in November’s election — the campaign for U.S. representative in the 5th Congressional District, where U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, a Democrat, is being challenged by former state Sen. George Logan, a Republican who almost defeatedContinue reading “Hayes and Logan campaign ads mislead and misrepresent”
Author Archives: cxpowell
Voter fraud may be rare, so Connecticut Democrats want more
By Chris Powell Fourteen days of early voting began this week in Connecticut for the Nov. 5 federal and state elections, and since this early voting must be done in person, there’s nothing really objectionable about it. Early voters risk being unable to respond to late developments in election campaigns, but they may avoid longContinue reading “Voter fraud may be rare, so Connecticut Democrats want more”
Even awful school systems must play the hand they’re dealt
By Chris Powell School officials in Meriden are sore that this column recently included the city in a list of Connecticut cities whose schools have serious problems, a list with New Haven, Hartford, Waterbury, and Bridgeport. These problems include chronic absenteeism, an influx of immigrant students who don’t speak English, parental neglect, and other pathologies of poverty. Continue reading “Even awful school systems must play the hand they’re dealt”
Poverty devours Connecticut but who will ask its cause?
By Chris Powell Rising homelessness. Growing demand at food and diaper banks. Chronic absenteeism at schools. Brawls at high school football games. Schools closed by threats of violence. Street takeovers and car thefts by young hooligans. More drug abuse, mentally ill children, teen suicides, and abandoned pets. Such news reports indicating worsening poverty and social disintegration inContinue reading “Poverty devours Connecticut but who will ask its cause?”
Mistakenly doubled salary explains state government
By Chris Powell Miracle of miracles, Connecticut’s Correction Department has arranged to recover a total of nearly $164,000 spent in 54 mistaken salary overpayments to an employee who was the highlight of a report by the state auditors in August. Correction Commissioner Angel Quiros disclosed the repayment plan the other day in a letter toContinue reading “Mistakenly doubled salary explains state government”
Much delusion in Connecticut about a ‘two-state solution’
By Chris Powell This week as Connecticut marked the anniversary of Gaza’s invasion of Israel and the slaughter, rape, and abduction of hundreds of Israelis, there were more calls for a ceasefire not only between Gaza and Israel but also between Israel and Lebanon, whose de-facto government, Hezbollah, has joined Gaza’s war, launching hundreds ofContinue reading “Much delusion in Connecticut about a ‘two-state solution’”
Getting electric rates down requires more natural gas
By Chris Powell Connecticut has nearly the highest electricity prices in the country in large part because it lacks a good mix of sources of energy for electrical generation. The Millstone nuclear power station in Waterford is the biggest source of the state’s electricity, with natural gas second. This year electricity from natural gas hasContinue reading “Getting electric rates down requires more natural gas”
Overgenerous pension system is politically impossible to fix
By Chris Powell An angry reader notes that after 24 years as a judge, the Connecticut Supreme Court’s chief justice, Richard A. Robinson, has just “retired” while joining a big national law firm, Day Pitney, which has five offices in Connecticut. “So now,” the reader writes, “he will be getting a full pension from stateContinue reading “Overgenerous pension system is politically impossible to fix”
Throwing money at schools is a policy needing an audit
By Chris Powell Like public education in most American cities, public education in Connecticut’s cities has been chaotic and ineffective for decades. Ever since the enactment of the Education Enhancement Act in 1986 the state’s response to this failure has been to throw money at schools and particularly at teacher salaries, on the premise thatContinue reading “Throwing money at schools is a policy needing an audit”
Murphy commercial hints at the issues against him
By Chris Powell Connecticut got its nickname as “the land of steady habits” in part because of its resistance to political change and its inclination to keep the same people in elective office for a long time. Comments made by Thomas Jefferson about Connecticut politics in 1801 have been aphorized as “few die and noneContinue reading “Murphy commercial hints at the issues against him”
Chris Powell column 