Comments on the Week's Activity

This blog has been published under different owners, incantations, writers, and publishing services since 1996.  During those years, there have been a lot of battles won and lost - and being Republican - I'd have to say mostly lost.  You can always tell when you're winning because when your positions have merit and it's impacting the outcome of the game - the opposition almost always turns from the subject at hand to attack the opinion writers. This week we saw one of the most disgraceful attacks on a political activist in recent memory - the unacceptable personal attack on Joseph Visconti.  Our opponents have demonstrated their weakness of character.  And from what I have seen and heard, their actions have caused considerable damage to themselves.  This is the case even in the eyes of the mainstream press.

To set the record straight, there are a few things that need to be said about Mr. Visconti:

-- When the CTGOP was nearly broke and ready to close it's doors this past summer, Mr. Visconti (along with M. Clark) organized a fundraiser "Good Luck Back" to raise cash so that Chairman Jerry Labriola, Jr. and his staff could have a headquarters from which to work from on behalf of Connecticut Republicans.  Don't believe it? Ask Jerry.

-- Despite lacking full-time employment (construction jobs are in the tank),  Mr. Visconti attended multiple fundraisers to support a great number of candidates, and helped Party-build - despite his financial situation, and due injury to himself

-- Mr. Visconti volunteered to assist over a dozen candidates across multiple districts and towns by attending events, helping with campaigns, and advertising through the use of his truck (in fact, he ran the truck into the ground doing so). He accepted only nominal contributions for gasoline reimbursement as part of the billboard hauling cost. 

-- At the end of the Legislative Session when Democrats were forcing the Bathroom Bill on the books, Mr. Visconti went to the LOB and fought alongside the few activists willing to lobby against the bill.  Where was everyone else?

-- Mr. Visconti has recently worked to solicit donations to support both the Family Institute of Connecticut, and the Connecticut Republican Party Straw Poll.

-- Despite false claims by his detractors, Mr. Visconti has neither asked for, nor taken one red cent for any of the work that he has done for the organizations mentioned above, including the Good Luck Back Fundraiser.  Unlike so many others, he didn't barge into Chairman Labriola's office under false pretenses offering his services while at the same time demanding a piece of the action.  In fact, he is one of the few people who has consistently offered to support the CTGOP and has stood by Chairman Labriola, Jr. through a tough start up period   Instead of supporting Labriola like they should, many discontented individuals scheme hard and long about how to undermine him.  Trying to plant a wedge between Labriola and Visconti is just another of those failed schemes.

--And also, if you didn't know, Mr. Visconti after being denied the opportunity to run as a Republican in West Hartford - collected signatures, forced a primary, and ultimately became an elected Town Councilman for our Town of West Hartford!  He did this all while dealing with a tough divorce, raising children as a single parent, and making bi-weekly trips to New York so his father could receive cancer treatments.   Mr. Visconti doesn't have a selfish bone in his body.  Later, after no one had the guts to run against John Larson, Visconti took up the challenge while juggling all of the above, and sadly having to say a final good-bye to his father.  Mr. Visconti kept it all together, and unlike Linda McMahon and others, he didn't give up the ship and file for bankruptcy (like he could of) - or cut and run. 

-- Sure, Visconti has challenged the status quo. He's taken unpopular positions on Blue Back Square (which BTW is for sale), and on conservative issues, and has helped to champion cleaning up the existence of PATRONAGE within our withering Party via the Dean-Visconti Resolutions.  Based on this act alone, we can understand why some feel so threatened.  Why else would insiders and certain Candidates fight something so simple?  This is something that should be a standard and a matter of common sense.  If you're a delegate to the State Convention, are you really afraid to wear a badge saying that you've been paid by or are employed by your Candidate of choice?  You'd think you'd be more than willing to wear a badge and brag about it?  Heck, lobbyists wear badges, what's the big deal?

But to sink to the lowest level possible by posting (and distributing) personal information about a non-candidate's financial life and family history is by far the most heinous act seen in some time.  Believe me, I get a couple emails a week that tell of tales about candidate and non- candidate indiscretions, family issues, arrests, settlements, suspected crimes, and other such things.  But I don't print these types of stories or approve these comments because - there are limits.  I think we learned this week how some people plainly don't know any better - they represent the very worst in our society and are merely bottom feeders.

The simple fact is that what is driving some of these surrogates to act goes well beyond politics - the unwritten story is really about lies and jealousy.  Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn?  Oh, yeah... Bingo!  The political component is just a vehicle to take revenge and the politicians are well aware of exactly what strings to pull to solicit a response.   And it conveniently serves both the personal goal and the political aim to diminish a critic.  It was poorly executed because it backfired!  We'll leave that there for now.

About two dozen of you have written to me out of anger and surprise about what you've seen transpire.  Frankly, some of the names blew me away (hush hush). Of course, we have to realize that when it comes to rocking the boat where money and power are concerned - there are always dangers and the expectation that some people will stop at nothing especially when millions of dollars are at risk.

But just because someone has tens of millions of dollars to blow in their quest for power and position doesn't mean that they are any less accountable for their behavior, product, voting record, candidate contributions, and political positions, etc.  Of course, these candidates rarely get involved directly, instead they send their surrogates to do their dirty work - whether it be a volunteer, paid staffer, or a pretend newspaper reporter, they are all of the same ilk  - temporary, and unprincipled.  They are just like a giddy schoolchild looking for praise and a gold star from their teacher - pick me, pick me!

We at The King's View accept that over the last year or so we have hit a few tender spots and exposed incredible dysfunction within the Connecticut's Republican establishment.  The question people often ask me is why? Why do we bring down fire and rain on our own?  And why now?

Before I begin, I'm going to start by saying that whatever rationale I provide, it will never-ever be acceptable to those who consider themselves the keepers of the the established  Connecticut Republican Orthodoxy (a.k.a. and using the term humorously - "The Establishment").  Here is OUR RATIONALE:

-- The treatment of former Congressman Rob Simmons at the 2010 State Convention by Linda McMahon, Chris Healy and McMahon surrogates was unacceptable. Vote fixing, payments to delegates and RTCs and other forms of patronage damaged the integrity of the process.  Now we are seeing the whole thing starting all over again - a concentrated effort to stock the Convention with paid-for delegates, and make Chris Shays and Brian Hill receive less than 15% so they have to go out and collect signatures.

- We do not support candidates who give or gave donations to Democrats unless they were Democrats or Independents at the time of contribution and later switched Party.  "Business consideration" is not a reason to help unseat a sitting Republican, or donate to Democrats. As a rule, Democrats do not give to Republican Candidates citing the same ridiculous reason. (Note: Lisa Wilson-Foley gave money to John Larson during this time - what a pal).

- We support the overhaul and removal of all deadwood leaders in the Party, and those who only participate solely for personal profit and business reasons.  Many of those in CTGOP positions only seek to expand their personal wealth and have long since given up on advancing Republican ideology/policies. These people are happy to give the public impression that "they tried."  Well, that's not enough.

- We are sick of losing. The last time Connecticut Republicans held the StateHouse was decades ago.  The endless second place finish is appalling, and the fact that some are satisfied willing to see Connecticut gerrymandered in a manner where it doesn't impact their district is disgraceful. 

- We continue to see Connecticut Leaders support poorly qualified candidates, or candidates they know can't win in exchange for financial contributions to their campaigns, businesses or Town Committees.  The fact that these Leaders have supplied their endorsements proves they have lost the plot.  Many of these people have lost ALL INTEGRITY.

- We see a organized effort to undermine Chairman Jerry Labriola, Jr. by those who were part of the political alliance that previous lost or sought power.  And we also see their  ongoing effort to belittle him behind his back, and so forth. It is a daunting task to look out into a crowd and know that a little less than half the people in the gallery have a dagger with your name on it (figuratively speaking of course). To be VERY clear, there are also many GOOD people on the other side of the equation trying to help and get things done.

- We see disrespect and mistreatment of Tea Party Patriots by some elements of the CTGOP, notably those in Fairfield County. Certain campaigns have worked very hard to divide Tea Party members and pit them against each other. Eventually, these issues will come to light.

- For years, Connecticut Republican leaders have surrendered on social issues. We have not.  And we will continue to beat that drum until Social Conservatives have a seat at the table. One leader said "We don't do Guns, Gays, or God." If we don't - who will?  We can see how taking progressive positions on social issues has really helped us at the polls. We're not talking about becoming insensitive or hateful towards various groups - we ask Republican Representatives to stick up for basic traditional principles - such as traditional marriage, and keeping perverts out of our public bathrooms.  Too much to ask?

- On the other side of the equation, we see weak leadership by our Capitol minority leaders who more often then not capitulate to Democrats in the name of progress and collaboration.  Taxes are high, jobs are scarce, and businesses are leaving.  The jobs bill was a disgrace. 

For the most part of our tenure at The King's View we have focused on the State of Calmity owned by the Democratic Party.  Their crimes against Connecticut and its residents are a disgrace. But you can't mount much of an offense with the watered-down version of Republicanism sold here.  The real version which has been successful in the overwhelming majority of the other 49 States is not welcome by our Capitol Leaders and a great portion of our State Party Leadership (Jerry Labriola, Jr. not included - he is the real deal).  Before we ever get to compete toe-to-toe with our mortal enemies, we set ourselves up for disaster.  If we were a basketball team, we'd be considered self-checked.

Avon Native and Public Relations expert Ed Candels once told me, "If you always do what you've always done, you always get what you've always got."  We are experts at that.

There are those who would disagree with The King's View, and that's perfectly fine.  This blog is about a set of opinions on a variety of topics important to The King, not anyone else.  For someone or some group to get bent out of shape about what's written in these pages is pretty pathetic.  The King's View is not state enforced, mandatory reading (although it should be). My favorite insults are: "you're a nobody", "no one reads your blog" and "no one cares what you think."  Ok, Good.  Then what the hell are you doing commenting about it then?  Amazing!

I AM

THE KING

This original blog entry can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com

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