Return of the Cylons: Democrats takeover all of Connecticut

If you thought the last several years under a Republican Governor and a Democrat controlled Statehouse were bad, then you're in for a real treat.  Effective today, the Cylons (mechanical machines without feeling or thought) are back in power for at least four years. And I predict that this occupation is bound to be painful for all of us.

Return of the Cylons:
The Democrats are back in power
here in liberal Connecticut

As you probably know, liberal Bridgeport Mayor Dan Malloy defeated stoic businessman Tom Foley this past November.  This ushers out nearly 20 consecutive years of Republican Gubernatorial rule - or well, sort of.  But what it also ends is some measure of checks and balances, however small, now that the State is under one-party rule.    

Jodi Rell was a polite and graceful Governor, but she wasn't a fighter.  She wasn't willing to go to the mat and battle Democrats tooth and nail over budget issues, or social issues.   Governor Rell wasn't about to stick her neck out to defend traditional Republican positions such as reducing the tax burden on families and business, or  forcing Democrats to reduce wayward spending.  The last budget, a whooper, didn't even see a veto from the Governor's Office.  Sadly, Governor Rell never bothered to use her office to educate the public or rally the people in their own self-interest.  All we ever saw were a few canned press releases from her buddy Lisa Moody, or television appearances by our unkept Republican State Chairman Chris Healy - and eventually a cave in to most of the Democrats desires.

I'm sure this was great PR work for Governor Rell's image.  The sweet lady who never made any trouble.  We all just get along so well here in Connecticut, setting an example for the world to follow on how people from different political parties should supposedly govern together for the good of the people.  Year after year, we saw the same act play out on Capitol Boulevard.  It started with the utterance of polite words of war, shifting to about 24 hours of public sword rattling, all for the sake of TV drama. This was then followed by the appearance of the usual suspects at the podium, with their serious, get down to business looks promising long hours and tough discussions to come.  Then behind closed doors they all quickly put aside their differences,yucked it up over their performances, and negotiated a feigned compromise - one that always gave the Democrats 75% of what they wanted, leaving the remaining 25% on the table so that Governor Rell could save face and give the impression that she didn't give away the entire store.  Meanwhile, taxpayers got 100% of the bill.

Republicans liked her, and Democrats loved her.  If they had to deal with an opposition leader - they couldn't have asked for better than Jodi Rell. 

Now, I know Jodi Rell has her defenders and supporters.  I'm actually keen on Governor Rell as a person.  She must have taken the time to say hello to me dozens of times.  But this isn't about personality and socializing, its about the people's business.  And trust me,  because of her unwillingness to make a stand, its going to be a much harder deal to swallow going forward.

For all her kindness, partisan Dan Malloy spent a lot of time on the campaign trail and in public debates blaming Governor Rell for all the ills of the State.  Not once did Dan Malloy point at his own party which has controlled the entire Statehouse continuously since around 1972; not even a solitary mention of shared responsibility.  Candidate Malloy was keen to lay the entire blame at Republican Jodi Rell's feet.  And sadly, and once again, trying stay above the fray - Jodi Rell remained silent. And of course, no one in the Democrat Party could find a kind word for Governor Rell, nor would take accountability for participating in a never-ending spending spree.   Democrats are right about one thing - Governor Rell never forced the issue, and at the end of the day, she became the scapegoat for the millions in debt, loss of business, the demise of education, and a run-away government.

So now what?

Now we have Dan Malloy and Nancy Wyman at the helm.  You'll never find two more liberal people so entrenched in unions, and advocating for big Government practices than ever before. 

Days before his inauguration, Dan Malloy publicly set the stage for all of us - warning us - that we are all in terrible, terrible trouble (hardly the reassuring leader we had all hoped for).  He's spreading the mantra of huge sacrifices and tough times.  All this, while his inauguration tickets - for the little people - cost a stately $175.  You can already begin to see who is and isn't sacrificing.  And who can afford to be at the table with humble Dan.

Then came the political payoffs.  As if right out of an old time movie, we see that people who delivered like Bridgeport Rep. Chris Caruso, a guy with zero real life work experience,  who wound up with a big time promotion to head the Department of Economic and Urban Development, and of course along with it - a huge raise; going from a meager $29K to $130K.  Boy, patronage pays, doesn't it?

Then there are all of the rest of the political payoff appointments that are happening right before our very eyes (and the expense of special elections on local municipalities).  And this is just the tip of the iceberg, you wait and see.  You'll see the union payoffs next, followed by laws that exempt state workers and state agencies from the laws that the public are subject too.  Meanwhile, the tax and spend policies will go unchecked.  The word "savings" will be used to describe previous expenses temporarily removed to give the impression of thoughtful fiscal responsibility.

You will see the combination of some state agencies, but this is being done to create space for new state agencies and positions that never previously existed.

Oh the fun is just begun. 

Sure, Jodi Rell probably was a RINO.  But I'll bet that Republicans will long for the day when some form of opposition served as a buffer between light and darkness.  And after Dan Malloy and his liberal Statehouse friends are done finding ways to take what's left in your wallet, and scare the remaining private sector jobs away, maybe a few people will wake up and realize that perhaps the trial period of one party liberal rule under Obama was example enough; and maybe few might even be will to admit that socialist policies run amuck aren't the solution.   But don't worry - there will be still the chance to blame Governor Rell for at least the first two years.

Good luck Connecticut.  You will reap what you've sowed! 

This original blog entry can be found at The King's View at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/