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”
Tag Archives: President Donald Trump
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”
Connecticut leads Trump in privatizing government
By Chris Powell Democrats throughout the country, including Connecticut U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, are charging that the Trump administration wants to privatize government. By “privatize” the Democrats really mean that the Trump administration is cutting off their vast patronage from the federal government, as if elections mustn’t be allowed to change things. Can Murphy andContinue reading “Connecticut leads Trump in privatizing government”
Trump and Democrats trade license for lawlessness
By Chris Powell What exactly was President Trump up to this week when he tried to impose a “temporary suspension” on federal government grant payments? His people said it was to make sure that such payments align with the policies of his new administration. ‘Intervention’ in Bridgeport is just cover for a bailout Alphabet peopleContinue reading “Trump and Democrats trade license for lawlessness”
Alphabet people needn’t be so terrified in Connecticut
By CHRIS POWELL Many people are terrified by Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, but perhaps none more so than members of sexual minorities, who lately have commandeered nine letters — a third of the alphabet — to construct an acronym with which to represent themselves. The other day an activist among Connecticut’s alphabet peopleContinue reading “Alphabet people needn’t be so terrified in Connecticut”
Could Lamont ask Trump for help with electricity prices?
By Chris Powell When the General Assembly reconvened two weeks ago, Governor Lamont spoke at length about Connecticut’s outrageously high electricity prices and said that to bring electricity prices down the state needed access to more natural gas and more Canadian hydro-electric power. Connecticut’s Democrats don’t understand their working-class problem City mayors and educators seekContinue reading “Could Lamont ask Trump for help with electricity prices?”
Chris Powell column 