By Chris Powell According to state Treasurer Erick Russell, a wave of fascism is sweeping over Connecticut. In an essay in the Hartford Courant last week, Russell wrote that several state legislators have “proposed legislation targeting transgender children,” legislation signifying “fanaticism” and an “extreme vision” that would deny rights to people. What exactly is theContinue reading “State treasurer repudiates parental and women’s rights”
Author Archives: cxpowell
Why Connecticut won’t get a ‘public’ electric system
By Chris Powell With Connecticut facing another big increase in electricity rates, this one caused entirely by state government policy, a reader asks: Why can’t Connecticut replace its current power companies with a consumer-run co-operative organization like those that seem to work well in other parts of our country? Government or “public” ownership of electricContinue reading “Why Connecticut won’t get a ‘public’ electric system”
Ban investment takeover of Connecticut’s charitable hospitals
By Chris Powell Governor Lamont and state legislative leaders have not yet completed their health-care proposals for the new session of the General Assembly but they should include legislation forbidding the sale of nonprofit hospitals to profit-making entities. Many nonprofit hospitals in Connecticut have been acquired in recent years by large nonprofit chains like HartfordContinue reading “Ban investment takeover of Connecticut’s charitable hospitals”
High school boys weren’t culture war’s aggressors
By Chris Powell According to a report in Connecticut’s Hearst newspapers, the recent destruction of a feminine hygiene products dispenser that had been installed in a boys bathroom at Brookfield High School “ignited a culture war.” But the “culture war” wasn’t ignited by the vandalism at all. It was ignited by the dispenser’s incongruous installation,Continue reading “High school boys weren’t culture war’s aggressors”
Connecticut’s tenants may block housing; and U.S. meddling in Ukraine exposed
By Chris Powell With its desperate shortage of housing, Connecticut presents what should be a great opportunity to make a lot of money in housing construction. But a hearing held last week by the General Assembly’s Housing Committee suggested that state government instead will be making the shortage worse. Under discussion were bills to prohibitContinue reading “Connecticut’s tenants may block housing; and U.S. meddling in Ukraine exposed”
Overpaid higher educators say they can’t save a cent
By Chris Powell Public higher education in Connecticut is doomed — doomed! — if the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system don’t get at least $110 million more than Governor Lamont has proposed in his budget. That’s what college administrators and students told a hearing of the General Assembly’s AppropriationsContinue reading “Overpaid higher educators say they can’t save a cent”
Connecticut uses electricity to hide cost of government
By Chris Powell Feeling unusually put-upon by state government, Connecticut’s two major electric utility companies, Eversource and United Illuminating, are pushing back, which is good, since, whatever their faults, they are too easily demagogued against, as nearly everybody hates electric companies, electricity being too expensive. Connecticut has the second highest electricity costs in the country.Continue reading “Connecticut uses electricity to hide cost of government”
Education lobby is outraged that it has to compete for money
By Chris Powell For decades and maybe even centuries the sages have noted that to govern is to choose. Charles de Gaulle elaborated that governing is “to choose among disadvantages.” Leaders of Connecticut’s education lobby and the state legislators they control will have none of this wisdom. They’re sore at Governor Lamont for proposing toContinue reading “Education lobby is outraged that it has to compete for money”
Murphy’s pork is inflation; and U.S. wrecks Ukraine
By Chris Powell Connecticut U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, whose idea of national security is to have border control agents wave across 5,000 illegal entrants per day, quite apart from the hundreds more who sneak into the country out of sight, has another great idea. He calls it the Connecticut Fund Finder — an interactive mapContinue reading “Murphy’s pork is inflation; and U.S. wrecks Ukraine”
Press lets Lamont forget he runs a ‘sanctuary state’
By Chris Powell Not since President Richard Nixon went to China to cozy up to the communists there in 1972 has an American politician gotten away with reversing his position as easily as Governor Lamont did this month. In two national television interviews Feb. 2 the governor, a Democrat, said his party had been slowContinue reading “Press lets Lamont forget he runs a ‘sanctuary state’”
Chris Powell column 