Hartford Courant's anti-Greek rant is a Disgrace

If The Hartford Courant actually

did its homework, it might be surprised
to learn that historically the Greek
Community and Alumni have made
many positive contributions
to the University of Connecticut

This morning I read this outrageous article propagated on Twitter by Hartford Courant columnist Carolyn Lumsden (I'm not sure if she actually wrote the article because it's not attributed to any one specific author). It's no surprise that The Hartford Courant is among those leading the charge to dissolve ties between the Greek Community and the University of Connecticut.  For according to the unholy scripture set forth in the loony land of liberal theology, organizations like 'the Greeks' have no place in our 21st century PC society. This is mostly because Greek organizations maintain the right to discriminate (i.e define or deny membership) based on subjective reasons, or other reasons which include and aren't limited to classifications like gender, age and even race. (To be clear, when I mention 'race' I'm referring specifically to the charter of some black cultural fraternities and sororities which by design grant admission elusively to African-American students; a standard - which by the way - I support given their unique role, ritual, and cultural history; one that they should certainly be proud of).  I'm also willing to guess that anyone who contributed to this editorial was probably never part of a Greek organization or else they wouldn't have written such a lopsided story which draws the unreasonable conclusion that UConn should take steps to sever ties with Greek life based on a few recent acts of student buffoonery.

I find that most of the people who who are critical of Greek fraternities and sororities have never been a member of a Greek fraternity or sorority, but these so-called experts seem to be quite vocal in expressing their negative opinions about our members, or how our organizations work; they characterize our members - especially the men - as chauvinist, elitist, segregationists, rich, or worse - hate-mongering racists who conspire together for the sole purpose of arranging large keg parties in order to perform widespread campus mischief and mayhem, and of course - plot to trap and intoxicate innocent women and engage in date rape, or other morally disgraceful acts. And what they say about Sorority members is even worse from a stereotypical point of view which I find particularly odd coming out of the mouths of many feminists - who, although they deny it, are elitists in their own right. Of course, all of this mis-characterization of Greek members and organizations is pure nonsense and farthest from the truth.

I'm in good company with Rosa Parks,
Pope John Paul II, and Michael Jordan

While socializing and making new friends on a typically large, and sometimes intimidating college campus is probably the main reason one would want to seek Greek membership, there are plenty of other reasons why one joins a social fraternity - sports, hobbies, charity work, leadership training, alumni networking, and making general connections which last far beyond the typical four or five year college stint.  Most students don't go to college with the intention of joining a fraternity.  Indeed, in my own example, I started hanging around with a group of guys around campus, and after a semester received a bid to join.  Figuring that the guys were good natured, and it expanded my social networking (this predates the age of Facebook and Twitter), and that I should probably start kicking in for some of the beer I was drinking at 'the house', I joined. And to this day, we still keep in touch, and remain very close buddies with a few guys who's friendships I value immensely.

One of the reasons I'm particularly outraged by this article is that it paints an inaccurate depiction of the role that the Greek Community plays on campus, particularly at UConn.  Unbeknownst to most people, individual fraternity and sorority members (as well as each Greek chapter, cumulatively) are required to maintain a suitable grade point average (often 2.3) to remain active on campus.  Furthermore, each chapter is mandated by their National chapter to perform works of public service on campus as well as in the local community and report back results to their National chapter.  During my four years, my Greek Chapter solicited gifts from toy stores and orchestrated a 60-70 child Christmas Party in a community center in Willimantic. Trust me, the feeling of seeing Santa Claus pass out gifts while whispering "Feliz Navidad" to each smiling child was worth far more to us than an overflowing red cup of keg-poured Schlitz beer on a Thursday night.  We made a difference in our community.  And it mattered!

Not bad stats!

The Hartford Courant, which - silly as it seems - claims to be fair in its reporting should take the time to reach out to the UConn Office of Greek and Sorority Life and ask the current Greek Advisor about the kinds of contributions which Fraternities and Sororities make on Campus before merely casting us out with the devil for what seems to be purely ideological reasons.  Moreover, UConn is well supported by Greek Alumni Organizations which contribute both time and dollars to University projects, and programs.  Based upon the reasons, I listed earlier - I'm sure The Hartford Courant would like to see UConn flourish without the benefit of fraternal organizations.  But for the time being, it does, and the truth is and whether the media likes it or not - UConn is better off for it.

As far as The Courant's far-fetched notion that Greek organizations have brought ambulances to campuses far too often is a tad bit outrageous to be made part of their sensationalized argument to ban Fraternities at UConn, isn't it?  And how many ambulances have gone to the hundreds of college campuses all over the country for sports-related activities, politically-sponsored clashes, race riots, random shooting sprees, or non-Greek related parties?  And how many people were sent to the hospital as a result of attending a UConn Greek-sponsored party last year?  Or the last twenty years? Or how many people have died resulting from a UConn Greek Party?  The answer might surprise you - it's zero!  A lot of things might happen.  Which is always the excuse to rationalize the argument to tighten the reigns around people, or cast out organizations you don't like - I mean, for the insane, that is.

And if you're out to blame alcohol for every crime that's committed - sure, then work to reduce the drinking age so it's not such a novelty for kids who've been taught alcohol is taboo by rules which exceed those found in most civilized democracies.  Then college wouldn't become the festival of drinking its become for ALL STUDENTS, whether they are members of fraternities or not.  If schools are deemed "party school", its not because of Greek organizations, it's because the University in question has a lax policy on policing underage drinking.

Whatever happened to journalistic integrity where you draw conclusions based on relevant facts?  How is "Let's do away with Greek organizations at UConn - because of what happened at Trinity or Bowdoin, or Middlebury" even be considered a rational argument?  But if I tell you that the state economy in Texas is growing because of reduced taxes and regulation, would the editors at The Courant rush out to push for that kind of pro-business policy here?  Of course not!  Because it's all about the perceived ideology, and social engineering, and not about relevant facts.

And if you want to go down the road and talk about exclusion and anachronisms, we can do that too.  And based on the editors definitions we should also look to ban the African American Cultural Center, the Indian Cultural Group, the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Group, the Latin-American Group, the Woman's Center or many of the other hyphenated groups which exist on Campus, and consume office space free of charge in the Student Union, or elsewhere which are all bastions of exclusion which the editors at The Hartford Courant are all to happy to hypocritically dismiss as merely a cultural organizations dedicated to promoting tolerance and cultural awareness under the banner of organized segregation.

And lastly, let's talk about money.  The Courant argues that it takes courage to ban fraternities and sororities because of the financial dependency Universities have come to have on their Greek-Alumni.  So in light of UConn screaming for more funding every legislative session, do you think it's sound fiscal policy to antagonize those who help to selflessly contribute to offset the bottom line?  Do the editors at The Hartford Courant live in houses with no windows?  Sometimes you have to really wonder.

At the end of the day, it's the same old liberal argument which seeks to control thought, association, and assembly.  These are the same people who fight viciously for individual rights for special interest groups, but can't tolerate a group of 19-year old men (or women) pooling their money to room, drink beer, and run a campus clean up operation.  It's high time that the editors at The Hartford Courant get over themselves.  And focus on more important things like why a one-Party system of Democrats has run Connecticut's economy into the ground.

Good Grief!

I AM,

THE KING

This article may be later amended to address typographical or grammatical errors, and content. All entries are for the sole purpose of entertainment.  This article does not imply endorsement of any candidate, if mentioned above, nor has this article been solicited for publication by any political candidate, campaign, or PAC. 

Connecticut Republican Party: The Epitome of Dysfunction

If press reports are accurate, the CTGOP
could set a new fashion style in 2014
before this is over

Well, you knew this was coming, didn't you?

Before we begin, let's get one thing straight - for years now, and in these very pages, The King has warned the Connecticut Republican Party of it's endless flirtation with calamity and corruption.  If the last two months of full mainstream press exposure hasn't convinced readers that there's a cancer crippling our Party than nothing else will.

Even liberals agree that Governor Dan Malloy and the Democrat-owned legislature have done an exceedingly poor job of handling our economy.  For years, Democrats have successfully chased businesses and jobs away through regulation and tax increases, raised spending to record levels, and turned Connecticut into little more than a social experiment laboratory - pushing the envelope every session to the point where social norms are nearly unrecognizable to the average Nutmegger (legalizing transgender bathrooms, ending the death penalty for murderers, forcing Common Core standards on children, and eroding first and second amendment rights; even Republicans admit that last month's marginal victory over liberals on assisted suicide may be only a temporary victory - as the devil reassesses and regroups, and plots and waits for the next round).

But believe it or not, the problem - or more specifically our problem - isn't with the Democrats. They're going to be what they've always been  - liberal, intrusive, and progressive to the point of madness. And it's not like they have anyone standing in their way to challenge them, or point out their flaws.

If Jerry Labriola were a UConn basketball
player, he'd be "self-checked"

The problem lies with the CTGOP which over the last 10 years has become the epitome of dysfunction. Our current chairman - Jerry Labriola, Jr. hasn't the foggiest idea of what he's doing - anywhere or at any time. Instead of rallying troops from the front like a leader, he's relegated himself to a whispering ghost who nobody actually sees or hears; many of our own candidates can't even pick him out of a crowd (I've actually witnessed this first-hand).

Labriola rarely does television appearances (like he should), and you can count the number of press releases that he's produced over the course of his chairmanship on one, maybe two hands. Jerry is persona-non-grata so much so that Democrat opposition leader Nancy DiNardo has been able to go on vacation mode since Labriola's took office. Aside from a few canned paragraphs he might issue from time to time, she never worries about pressure from a guy who'd much rather spend his evenings in a smoky hotel lounge at his keyboard pretending he's Stevie Wonder.

Oh, he'll tell you he does a lot behind the scenes - but that's the role of the Treasurer, or Secretary, or the Party Twitterina - and not the role of the Party Chairman.  And he does get it, folks.  It's just that he just doesn't want to do the real work.  And you can see that a minimalist effort reaps minimalist results.

I think the final straw came for The King this week when he described recently indicted villains Lisa and Brian Foley as "good friends" who'm he hopes can put this "unfortunate episode" behind them.  Unfortunate episode? Behind them? Really? He certainly wasn't good friends when he was a willing accomplice to help push Andrew Roraback over the line to defeat Lisa Wilson-Foley at the 2012 State Convention. Talk about revisionist history!

Look, Jerry Labriola is a fabulous family man, a good coach, and a decent person. Deep down he probably cares about winning, but it's just that when it comes to leadership -  he's inept. And for those of you who want to make poor Jerry out to be just another victim of this blog - Save it!  Between the Healy years and the Labriola years - there's no where to go but up.  Our last two Chairmen have marginalized our brand to the point where it is unrecognizable to the electorate. We are in the game to win elections, and our Party's record is dismal.

Moreover, Connecticut Republicans have become so irrelevant to the Republican National Committee that Connecticut Republicans had to create a volunteer phone bank to beg local RTC Chairmen for money just to purchase Mitt Romney signs - I think that tells you that there's something seriously wrong.

If Jerry Labriola were a product in store; you'd agree that he didn't come as advertised.  He's not suited for the Chairman role. The CTGOP needs a strong leader who is going to lead from the front, set the tone, and work to coordinate political activity on a statewide basis.

And someone please tell the CTGOP to stop bragging about fundraising totals over Twitter. While we appreciate the hard work and effort, it gives everyone the impression that the CTGOP Headquarters is oblivious to the current crisis.  Few people are going to be distracted by Yea-Rah-Rah-Sis-Boom-Bah,  As someone wrote in a email to The King, "What the F--- is wrong with these people?"

It's hard to explain to people who are probably well-meaning that success isn't determined by how many dollars you raise, or by the number of shots you can do at the bar - but rather but by how many Republican seats you win

Bottom Line:  For the good of the Connecticut Republican Party, Jerry Labriola, Jr. must resign.  And a visible, activist Chairman must be elected in his place immediately following the Prescott-Bush Dinner. State Central must cast a vote of no confidence, or be willing to accept the squandering of limited funds, and the consequence of further electoral defeat in 2014.

If Republicans want to rebuild our brand, and confidence with voters we need to make a few more things happen:

1. Fire Jerry Labriola, Jr. - and most of the CTGOP officer corps (they are no better than he is). Term limits for the same old faces might make way for new ideas, and a new approach.
2. Publicly condemn those Republican individuals who have been indicted, or found an accessory to political improprieties and crimes.  Refusing to do so implies approval of their actions and pursuit of the status quo. And the media, and our opponents have already taken note of the CTGOPs hunker down strategy, and will exploit this fact for all the mileage they can get out of it.

   

   There aren't enough of these to pass out to everyone in an
   elected or leadership position in the Connecticut Republican
   Party. Time to end CTGOP corruption before things get worse 

   
   
3. Adopt a more conservative platform and promote conservative candidates - which was once the key to Republican victories in Connecticut before it became fashionable to emulate Democrats on both fiscal and social issues. Democrat-lite is a sure way to guarantee Democrat majorities for the next 100 years.
4. Stop promoting corrupt former Republican candidates, elected officials and party chairmen to serve as CTGOP spokesmen (and women) - for they have comprised our position, ethics, political process, and integrity.  Every time Governor Rowland squawks on radio, or Chris Healy makes sarcastic comments on Capitol Report, Republicans want to puke. An ex-felon and a failed chairman are the last people we want to take advice from (and the latter couldn't even find a Republican attorney to defend his pathetic ass - guess there were none available - so much for keeping business in the family).  The Curse of Chris Healy is alive and well.
5. Discourage candidates from hiring long-time Party hacks with failed win-loss records from managing Republican campaigns. It's frankly embarrassing how some of our profiteers weasel their way onto campaigns promising everything and delivering nothing!
6. Stop relying on candidates to build the Party apparatus. Create a state-wide organization to  build the brand, and coordinate activities, and formulate a get-out-the-vote campaign.  Today, there is nothing in place!
7. Require all candidates to show up for televised debates. Again real leaders don't cower out of fear of saying the wrong thing, or believing they're not quick enough on their feet to debate publicly with members of their own Party. It's kind of pathetic if you think about it!
8. Work to end the wasteful and rigged State Convention Process and move to a direct primary. Think of all the money we could be saving while the State GOP boozes it up at Mohegan Sun. Donors should think about that when they get mailers asking members to fork over $30/$50/$100 a pop.
9. End Radio Silence! Put the Democrats on the defense! With a record like theirs we should have a field day. Daily emails, tweets, press releases, Facebook posts, mailers, etc. Make Nancy Dinardo sweat!
10. Condemn fringe candidates like Martha Dean who think Sandy Hook is a hoax and think there's an NSA Agent hiding behind every tree. This Party has a hard enough time operating in the real world without public candidates venturing into fantasy and delusion.  It's hard to quantify the level of anger the public feels when a Sandy Hook Truther who wants to train kids to fire guns in school takes to a Mic. (Oh, and Chris Healy's quasi-endorsement of her entrance into the race tells the rest of us that he's ready to be put out to pasture, or take his place at Club-Fed. Get Out! Funny, the political genius didn't mention that Dean has no money and only a few Facebook advocates who surf the web and sit around watching TV in their sweatpants)
11. Stop using the Prescott-Bush award dinner as a platform to prop up billionaire donors, and failed candidates who campaign with the opposition President, or tries to take selfies with the enemy, or does anything else that serves to promote our disgraceful big-government, anti-Republican President. 

Martha Dean and her flying monkeys 

are doing permanent damage to the Connecticut 

Republican Party; she's tearing apart the 

conservative wing for personal gain and ego

Wicked is the best way to describe this one!

It's been said so many times before - when it comes to the Connecticut Republican Party - we are our own worst enemy. The best thing we can do is cut our losses by removing our poor leadership, change direction, and start anew.  Do what's necessary, or anticipate that 2014 will be another banner year for Dan Malloy and his Democrat henchmen. And trust me - Republicans, Democrats, and Independents deserve a viable option for their families, their businesses and themselves - and it's up to Republicans to deliver that option.

I AM

THE KING

Tom Foley: Slinking Away from Debates?

Is Tom Foley slinking away
like a Coward?

Most politicians realize that coming in first place at the onset of a race in a single, arbitrary Quinnipiac Poll over your inter-party rivals doesn't necessarily make you a front runner in anything. This is particularly the case when the alleged-leading candidate is Tom Foley; a man who has been anything but active on the Connecticut political scene since facing defeat at the hands of Dannel Malloy in 2010.

Aside from a few social appearances here and there, Tom Foley hasn't done much of anything to support his Party over the last four years.  He hasn't served as a de facto opposition leader -voicing dissent against poor policy decisions thrusted upon the public by Governor Malloy, or even bothered to show up at the Legislative Office Building to offer his leadership, or uttered a word of support for his Republican colleagues locked in battle (if you can call it that) against Democrats on social and economic issues. Of course, he did once serve as Joe Markley's lackey, and made the claim that both parties are unethical - a comment not very well received by Republican legislators who shook their heads and privately told him to "go away". Heck, who knew that only months later, the FBI would be strolling into town trying to nail Republicans to the wall over a 2008 election scandal. Well, Tom Foley's timing has always been a bit off. (insider's joke - sorry!)

Yet, despite his self-imposed exile from politics, we now hear - far and wide - how Billionaire Tom Foley is the anointed one - all but guaranteed his unearned place as the Republican gubernatorial nominee for all to bow down to and serve - especially certain handsomely paid delegates.  This is typical arrogance of elitist man who sits in his mansion drinking Macallan 64 and dining on five-course meals while his minions shakedown RTCs for delegate votes; Foley has so little in common with the average guy - a disconnect so widely felt that even some of his biggest supporters feel a sense of frustration with his snobbish contempt for "the little people".  A contempt clearly reflected in the same aforementioned Q-Poll which shows him barely neck-and-neck with one of the most unpopular Governors in the history of Connecticut

Now this isn't a discussion on the corrupt and twisted Connecticut Republican Convention process (we will get into that on another day), but rather to call attention to the disgraceful reluctance of an alleged Republican front-runner who outright refuses to exchange ideas and debate with his fellow competitors in a televised venue scheduled by The Hartford Courant-Fox 61 on April 11th (rebroadcast on April 13).  There can be no more sign of disrespect of our American tradition then for Tom Foley to slink away, and thumb his nose at a process that has been in existence since the early 1800s.  (Besides, if you recall the 2010 Foley v Malloy debates, you know darn well that Foley could use the practice - because he wasn't ready then, and he's not ready now).

Hold on there! You didn't say this was going to be Televised!

On their own merits, we thank John McKinney, Mark Boughton, Mark Lauretti, Joe Visconti and even CTGOP Party looney-toon - Martha Dean for their willingness to take tough questions and engage in live public discourse.  Foley's approach makes him look weak and cowardly to the general public, and the media (we remember how well that worked out for Linda McMahon).  And it shows Republican delegates that he lacks confidence by refusing to engage fellow Republicans in front of a Republican friendly-audience.

If Tom Foley isn't willing to debate members of his own Party to win support, then how will he win support from Republicans in the Primary? Or possibly later from Democrats and Independents in the General Election? The prevailing thought is that if he goes off and hides under the bar until after the State Convention that his rivals won't bring him down a notch by forcing him to defend his questionable, and ambiguous positions on Minimum Wage Increase, Pension Reform, Municipal Taxes, Public Unions, and even Second Amendment Rights. But one would think both he and the public have more to lose by him playing it safe. Much like ObamaCare where Congressmen said they had to pass the Bill before knowing what's in it, Connecticut Republicans are being expected to nominate Tom Foley without knowing where he stands. This has been a reoccurring theme by some of our CTGOP nominees over the last few election cycles (and it hasn't boded well for us).

Four years have passed since Tom Foley ran for Governor and lost. Unfortunately, Tom Foley's sole focus has been on how to locate the 6,000 votes from 2010 election which he presumes, if found, will catapult him to victory in 2014. But by trying to rerun the 2010 election, and repackaging himself as the same stale candidate, he wrongly assumes that the landscape hasn't changed, and that he doesn't have to re-earn the support of his own Party, and those who voted for him during he last gubernatorial cycle - a strategy that may prove deadly to his gubernatorial ambitions.

Just because RTC Chairmen and his campaign staff (with the help of Chairman Jerry Labriola, Jr.) may jury-rig and deliver Tom Foley the State GOP Convention, doesn't guarantee that Foley will have the same showing that he had during the 2010 primary.  Given the strong field of candidates who are more than willing to engage the public on issues of the day, and earn the public vote, Foley may find himself trailing behind shortly after he receives the usual temporary State Convention boost.

Connecticut Republicans want to elect a candidate who is unafraid to stand on principle. Not a politician like Tom Foley who would rather lead from the rear and play "the strategy game." He may not know it, and he may not believe it - but Tom Foley is losing respect of Republicans all over the State who are already lukewarm about his nomination to begin with.

Maybe Tom Foley might change his mind. Perhaps he'll show the courage of his convictions and take the stage with his colleagues on April 11th, and just maybe he might earn the respect of the Party faithful and the delegates (many he has already bought) by outlining his vision for Connecticut's future.  But if he's not, then it signals that Connecticut Republicans are ready to nominate a new gubernatorial candidate; someone unafraid to serve as the standard bearer on behalf of voters who have for so long been under-represented. 

I AM 

THE KING

Martha Dean: A Fool's Errand

Even Conservatives Fear the Conspiracy Candidate

Long time readers of The King's View would imagine The King would be excited about the prospect of Martha Dean entering the Connecticut Gubernatorial Race, but if you understood the agenda of one of the CTGOP's loudest, opportunistic, bomb-throwers then you may have second thoughts too.  Dean's run is bad for both the Connecticut Republican Party, and for herself, and her family.

The issue is not one of qualification per se (although God knows we have way too many ambulance chasers holding public office these days mucking up our personal lives through an overreaching political system) but one of conviction and more importantly - of purpose.  Martha Dean's goal is to engage in a stratagem of self-promotion to improve her prestige with the gun lobby, enlarge her client base, and to damage the political aspirations of her Republican political enemies - most who happen to be less extreme than herself, and have a legitimate chance of actually winning the Governorship.  

The facts are clear. Dean has privately told several Republican insiders that she has no intention of campaigning beyond the State Convention (her intention also captured in the CT Mirror piece here) which tells anyone with half a brain that she's already quit before she's started. Since Dean is well aware that the CTGOP Convention process is rigged in favor of the establishment candidate, and she has a snowball's chance in hell of winning then why - pray-tell would she even bother jumping in at this late hour?

"Martha Dean's goal is to engage in a stratagem of self-promotion to improve her prestige with the gun lobby, enlarge her client base, and to damage the political aspirations of her Republican political enemies - most who happen to be less extreme than herself, and have a legitimate chance of actually winning the Governorship. " - THE KING

The reason has much to do with her well-paid role as legal representative of several gun rights groups which may possibly include the Connecticut Citizens Defense League (CCDL), National Rifle Association (NRA) and others - which for disclosure - The King also supports. And given our State Government's antagonistic behavior toward those believing in our Constitutional right to bear arms - then what's a better platform for Dean to expand her client-base than using the CTGOP gubernatorial stage to offer her billable services? It's The King's View that it's a bit disingenuous for her to take up one second of podium time at any Republican Town Committee when she's already announced that she doesn't plan to go the distance!  I would think twice before donating a penny to Martha Dean because she has no intention of being a serious candidate for Governor.

If Tom Foley, Chairman Jerry Labriola, John McKinney, and even Mark Boughton are paying attention (Joe Visconti is already actively engaged in Second Amendment advocacy), then not one of them should be happy to see Martha Dean turn the CT GOP Governor's Nomination process into a single-issue, Second Amendment media shot-storm! You think the media is celebrating now - just wait until the debates take place, and all the remaining candidates take collateral damage defending themselves against Dean's maniacal crusade!

The big problem for Chairman Jerry Labriola, Jr is that Dean's unhinged rhetoric will bring nothing but public scrutiny and humiliation upon the CTGOP. How does the head of Connecticut's Republican Party feel about a seeing one of his candidates for Governor make claims that the Sandy Hook Massacre might have been little more than a Government Conspiracy to erode Second Amendment Rights?  Dean aired her half-cocked conspiracy on both John Rowland's show and on Face the State with Dennis House.  The idiocy is unprecedented! The King can personally introduce Ms. Dean to a close friend of his who lost relatives on that horrific day.  To politicize this matter this way is personally hurtful to all of those who honor both the Second Amendment, and the victims and families of the Sandy Hook nightmare.

Martha Dean fancies herself to be cut from the same cloth as the late, great British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. But the difference between the two is stark; for unlike Martha Dean, the principled Lady Thatcher - never ran from a fight.  For example, back in 2010, Dean secretly met with a handful of Connecticut Republicans to discuss the clear and blatant corruption within Connecticut Republican Party Convention process.  At the urging of others, she penned a set of revised Convention Rules, but when it came time to present them - like a coward, she ran away from the issue, asked that her name be taken off as the author of the recommended rules, and refused in any way, shape, or form to stand with her allies and fight for CTGOP ethics reform.  Martha Dean is well known for saber rattling, but once the artillery starts firing, she's the first person to run away from a fight, and abandon her friends on the battlefield.

Another concern Republicans have about Martha Dean is that her convictions aren't genuine.  Much like this gubernatorial run, she watches quietly from the sidelines, carefully calculating the moves of allies and enemies, and only after determining the coast to be clear - enters the field of battle. Her never-ending, Johnny-Come-Lately waltzing in on the scene is what has frustrates her own friends in GOP-land; many screaming that she's often done nothing tangible (and non-paid) on her own to contribute to the cause, but she'll be the first person to demand an opportunity to address a revved crowd. As everyone knows -  there's never been a microphone that Martha Dean didn't like.  Evidence of Dean's lack of political activism even lead to her being voted down from formal membership on the Avon Republican Town Committee. One RTC Member told The King, "Martha refuses help anyone but herself. She won't lift a finger locally. She doesn't want to get her hands dirty, and thinks campaigning on the local level is for the little people.  Besides, none of what we do [in Avon] fills her coffers."  If it's not for profit, it's not for Martha Dean.

To add insult to injury - in 2010, Dean publicly criticized then-candidate Jeff Wright of Newington  for taking Citizens Election Funding for his State Treasurer campaign calling it UNCONSTITUTIONAL. She also criticized others. Now, only a few years later, Dean is taking what she once referred to as Taxpayer Welfare to run her own temporary spoiler bid for Governor. This shows Dean's lack of consistency, and exposes the hypocrisy of her feigned principle. When challenged about this by Jeff Wright, Dean said, "You can't win without it." Hasn't she earned enough off of the the gun lobby to finance five campaigns?

Wright is Right.  The whole Connecticut political establishment finds
it interesting.  You have to wonder how much longer, Good Ol' Tom will be smiling
once Martha Dean gets rolling!

Another question everyone is asking is since Dean's run isn't going beyond the State Convention, will she return every unused penny back to donors?  Or will she turn the money over to a charity which will then in turn hire her to represent their interests thereby creating a back door money-making scheme?

Lastly, unlike other blogs on the web, we avoid getting into candidates personal lives. But I have to say that given what has been published by media sources during her last campaign, and with what she's initiated as of late, I'm gravely concerned that the current personal controversy being widely-discussed in political circles will have a long term negative impact on both her and her family. Sympathetic Martyrdom is not achieved through self-inflicted wounds. Her conscious decision to nail herself upon the cross for all to see (for a profit) - as she twists and turns in the wind - is hardly worth the pain and anguish she and her family will suffer at the hands of a hostile press. With Dan Malloy on the ropes for his incompetency, Dean has become the Democrats' "great white hope" for survival in 2014.  Let's face it - she's a lightening Rod for GOP negativity which radiates from her out to the entire brand. Dean's claim that her announcement to run is "perfect timing" shows a real lack of judgement considering that the whole gambit is at stake.

Now I'm sure there are Republicans who love Martha Dean. She has some followers who are so out of their minds that they wouldn't care if she tried to pull a coup d'etat with a borrowed pistol (note to all: our pretended second amendment poster child doesn't even own a gun, let alone a pistol permit). And I'm sure her handful of brownshirts mean well when they blast her name everywhere.  But they aught to know that legitimate candidates don't announce a run for big time public office only weeks before the Nominating Convention takes place.  Martha Dean may have well gone to acting school, but she should have gone to scripting school - because there is no way in hell for her to have a happy ending.  A Fool's Errand?  It's already begun.

If Martha Dean loves her state, loves her country, loves her party, and loves her family, then she will not embark on a mission that will undoubtedly yield disastrous results for everyone involved, especially Republicans.

I AM

THE KING

The King's War: Why Principle Matters

The only thing that will change the Connecticut Republican Party
is to wage a full scale political assault on the traitorous ideologues in control

Did you ever wonder why The King's View publishes what it does?  Did you ever wonder why The King puts more pressure on Republicans than Democrats?  Or sound alarm bells when Republicans sell out their constituency to appear popular or to avoid media criticism?

For years, critics have dismissed this space as the ramblings of a Democrat insider disguised as a Republican.  Of course, that line of bull comes from a few members of the GOP State Party establishment who're quite comfortable with their position in the world - and who don't really care whether we win or lose. From their perspective, they only care that we put on good show so those few Republicans left in corners here and there can go back to their districts and tell everyone how we gave it "the good ole college try" and then ask for more donations so they can keep up appearances, and support an all-but-guaranteed second place finish.

If you haven't noticed, most of the people who have stolen the reigns of the Connecticut Republican Party are not Republicans in the traditional sense; I argue that this is by design and not by accident. The consistent bill of goods being sold by our CTGOP profiteers is that we need to liberalize our politics because Connecticut Republicans are somehow - more moderate, more sophisticated, or more intellectually gifted than those in the remaining 49 other states. Of course, this pure nonsense, but that doesn't stop them from saying it. See, there is nothing magical here, nor are there mind-altering spores floating in the air (except at The Hartford Courant) which when inhaled somehow make Nutmeggers any more educated, complex, or superior then - say people in Texas, or North Carolina, or even in neighboring Massachusetts - where a U.S. Senate seat can actually be won by a Republican (if even only temporarily).  And when it comes to election results - we lose!  And why do Connecticut Republicans lose?  Is it because our people are genetically different as our leaders suggest? No! It's because we peddle a watered-down, gutless version of real Republicanism!

Now, I know this upsets many long time holders of power in the CTGOP - particularly those who won't even bother to get off their infinite asses to volunteer their precious time to help candidates go door to door, fold campaign lit, or even make voter calls, but instead will fight to maintain their personal election consulting profit margin - a stream which, incidentally, flows regardless of whether we win or lose.  And I'm sure that this also infuriates many of those, who - let's face it - wouldn't even be Republican at all if it weren't for a desire to trap a few more tax dollars from escaping their greedy pockets.

Fact is, Connecticut Republicans have abandoned their principles and surrendered in the name of compromise so often - that they've forgotten what it means to even be Republican.  What's worse is that we've become so conditioned to losing, that those running or elected are ready to go in and negotiate away whatever remaining crumbs Democrats have left on the table in order to avoid a public fight (or one that lasts more than a day or so).  It's more important to be viewed as popular, or to avoid being characterized as extreme by the Press (which hates and will always hate Republicans no matter what we say or do).  Our fake Republicans want to be seen seen as kind, warm, caring, and collaborative and part of the in-crowd regardless of the negative impact passed legislation has on Connecticut's economy or it's people.  Oh well, we can't win 'em all.  I'd be happy winning some, or even one or two at this point.

Not only does the Connecticut Republican Party lack a statewide strategy, it has no consistent message. Heck, even our Chairman doesn't want to stick his neck out and challenge the opposition - unless he really has to.  Take for example this week's visit by President Obama.  It's true, Jerry Labriola, Jr. did send out a press release - but the harsh reality of it is that - much like our Chairman himself - the message he conveyed was rather meaningless. President Obama came to Connecticut - not to listen to the concerns of our people, or to help address some of Connecticut's specific needs, but to pick up a few big donation checks, and use blue collar New Britain as a place to sell his minimum wage scheme. Do you think Labriola's press release even mentioned the words minimum wage or rebuffed the President by outlining how disastrous minimum wage increases are for businesses?  Hell No! Of course not!  Why? Because our leading party candidate - Billionaire Tom Foley thinks the minimum wage is wonderful - regardless of how many jobs are lost.  Foley undercut the rest of the GOP Field by declaring raising the minimum wage "an act of fairness".  So Foley is liberal on social issues, and now - on economic issues too?  And this is our Republican front runner?

So there you have it.  Not only do we have a watered-down press release, but a watered-down Chairman, and a watered-down Republican gubernatorial candidate too.  Why on Earth would anyone give a penny to an outfit that operates like this?

And we need not get too deeply into how Republican Mayor Erin Stewart made a sideshow of herself this week - cheerleading a President (who has killed our economy, and came to peddle more Government mandates on business),  tweeting shout-outs and selfies (tee-he, giggle, giggle), and ghetto language, and being curt with Dennis House - as if any of that mattered anyway.  For Godsakes, she doesn't get it - the President didn't even take a minute to shake her hand and greet her after she went out of her way to fall at his feet, and piss-off the GOP base by making a public spectacle of herself.  It will be a good day when this childish, one-term pretender is pushed out of office and relegated to a lead-encased, basement appointment where she can't do any further harm to our so-called brand.  Good grief!

Much of this is precisely why we haven't won a majority in the Legislature for nearly half a century.  Our CTGOP charlatan leaders spend all their money at the bar, and their time trying to convince the base that they are doing all of us a big favor running down the middle of the road.  But it's had the reverse effect of what's intended. Case in point, Senator John McKinney has been bouncing from RTC to RTC telling Republicans that his support of the Gun Confiscation Bill was a good deal because it could have been much worse.  The problem with this is kind of thinking is that Legislative Democrats, Gov. Dan Malloy, and Michael Lawlor (despite their theatrics of disappointment that the bill didn't go far enough) got exactly what they wanted; and are emboldened to start down the road to enact more laws eroding basic rights, and liberties.  Now, we have two problems - we have a gun law we don't want on the books, supported by a Republican who has rendered himself nearly unelectable by his own base (or the public based on the recent Q-Poll results) because of his cowardly stance.

The fact remains that the strategy "Something is better than Nothing." has never worked out.  And on the Second Amendment issue - it's killed us.

Think that's bad?  How about Dan Debicella down in CT-5?  Despite what everyone has heard about how detrimental ObamaCare has been on patients, providers, and enrollees - this clown Debicella, alleged to be a Republican candidate, has vowed to keep it in place, and went out his way in a televised interview to condemn anyone who criticized it.  A Republican who vows to support ObamaCare? Debicella must have been one of those morons working on Linda McMahon's campaign who spent his evenings putting pro-Obama door hangers on city dwellings. Debicella: pro-ObamaCare, pro-gay, and anti-gun.  Why in God's name is this guy even running on our ticket?

The sad thing is that despite this, Connecticut's Conservative Republicans almost always inevitably campaign for, and vote for liberal or moderate Republicans.  In contrast, liberal Republicans won't lift a finger to support Conservative Republicans who win primaries in their districts.  Case in point, Conservative activist Joe Visconti helped Christopher Shays in his Senate run despite stark differences between the two on gay rights, abortion, and gun laws. Very few moderate or liberal Republicans can make the same claim - always leaving traditional Republicans to "go it alone."  How many so-called moderate Republicans came down to the LOB to voice outrage over the Transgender Bathroom Bill?  Not many. Not one.  

Some people will claim that it's important to be the Party which is comprised of lots of different ideas, and perspectives. But what happens when you have so many ideas and perspectives running in complete contradiction with each other - so much so - that the public cannot make heads or tails about what you stand for?  The answer is simple - and the evidence is clear - the public shuns the overall brand for something that appears more consistent, easily understood, or perhaps even more organized, and sometimes that comes in the form of a third party - which is becoming an ever-present danger for the CTGOP given so many close races.

And what of Tom Foley?  Is he going to take the Linda McMahon route, mumble incoherent babble,  bob and weave, and keep his views close to his vest and leave it all as one great big surprise for us to uncover on his first day of work?  Or is he, or for that matter - Mark Boughton, Mark Lauretti, and John McKinney going to stand tall on principle and take the lead of the only genuine Republican in the race - Joe Visconti - and stop apologizing for the RNC platform and tell voters why voting Republican is the BEST option for Connecticut?

Take a look around you.  Ask yourself how many U.S. House and U.S. Senate seats Connecticut Republicans own.  Then ask yourself how we stack up in the Legislative Office Building, or in the Governor's Mansion.  Happy?  They say insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.  McMahon, Foley, Debicella, Labriola, Roraback?  Liberal Republicans void of principle giving the public little option but to reject Connecticut Republican for what it is - wishy-washy dribble.

The record for the Connecticut Republican Party is poor.  And it's poor because we don't stand for anything, and voters know it.  Until such time when Connecticut Republican Leaders can stop trying to find a backdoor to victory which doesn't exist, and clean up its own act - then The King's View will keep on going.  This is a war for the heart and soul of the CTGOP.  This is The King's War and it's a war worth fighting.

So go ahead, Labriola - keep abandoning the battlefield for a keyboard in a smoky bar.  Go ahead elitists - go on and push RINOs in favor of incremental tax increases, anti-business legislation, maintaining the income tax, gun confiscation. And keep promoting pro-gay and perverse candidates who erode our social values.  Keep nominating candidates who embrace ObamaCare, or want to increase the minimum wage, or seem to have no coherent position on anything at all.   Keep nominating billionaires void of experience or ideas who have plenty of money to burn and who run commercials to destroy the political careers of real Republicans who might make a real difference on behalf of Connecticut. And lastly, keep praising our opposition, welcoming them with open arms, and treating them as if their ideology is equal to our own, all while they seek to destroy everything generations of Americans have worked, and died for.  You see, we don't need too look far to realize that the bigger enemy is within.

Go ahead... for THE KING and his ARMY OF THE PRINCIPLED are waiting to repel you!

I AM

THE KING

Will New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart Chose a Presidential Photo-Op over Principle?

Erin Stewart: Republican Free-thinker
or modern-day Democratic Prop?

It is reasonable that local politicians should follow expected protocol and extend personal pleasantries when important political dignitaries visit their community. And it is The King's view that this should be certainly be the case when President Barack Hussein Obama visits Central Connecticut State University in New Britain on Wednesday, March 5th.

But make no mistake, President Obama's visit to The Hardware City isn't merely some accidental pit stop on the way to his next golf outing; Mr. Obama is intentionally using a newly reacquired Republican stronghold as the back-drop to promote his half-baked economic ploy to raise the minimum wage.

Mayor Erin Stewart should be cautioned to carefully weigh the role she will play when the President's Circus comes to town.  At a time when Connecticut Republican Party loyalists are furious over the perception that CTGOP leaders (and in particular their would-be gubernatorial candidates) are hesitant and weak on both economic and social issues, it will be critical for Ms. Stewart, a leading Republican, to avoid getting caught up in the theatrics of the moment, and remind Mr. Obama and Mr. Malloy that Connecticut's economy has suffered tremendously as a result of liberal Democrat policies enacted by both of their regime's administrations.

Instead of traveling around Connecticut to promote a short-sighted scheme to raise the wages of high school students employed by their neighborhood grocer, the White House and Governor's Office should be working to create real career opportunities for residents of the Nutmeg State. If Obama and Malloy surrogates persist to sell the line that they are trying to help the alleged 13% of seniors, and 55% of women stuck in minimum wage jobs, then perhaps you could ask them to lay out their specific plans to do so, and urge them to reduce the regulatory and tax burdens on small and large businesses, thereby creating better opportunities for the entirety of Connecticut's struggling workforce. She can also remind him of the CBO report which states that raising the minimum wage will result in the loss over a half million jobs in the USA.

On Wednesday, while the President dazzles his staged union audience, Mayor Stewart has an unique opportunity to either stand in the background, clapping, and cheering like most good little collaborative Connecticut Republicans usually do, or to greet the President like a brave, new opposition leader and point out the misgivings of his band-aid politics. This means refusing to play a part in his public relations charade.

This will be the test for an upstart CTGOP leader who could take this opportunity to teach our present State Party Chairman, noncommittal Republican politicians, and others what it's like to have real courage, and stand up for Republican principles which so many in our Party, have for too long abandoned.  Anyone who tells you to put politics aside to aid the President in his photo-ops endeavor should remember that "silence is acceptance" and it's up to a few brave souls to respectfully protest counter-productive policies.

I AM

THE KING

Jeb Bush Should Skip Connecticut Republican Prescott Bush Dinner

"Hold up there, Labriola.  Son, You're going to need an exit strategy about this big!"

They often say, "You should never abandon your friends in their time of need."  But what happens when your so-called friends use you to climb up out of a swirling toilet bowl, chock full to the rim, to deflect from present controversy, and escape from their own worsening, self-destructive behavior?

If former Florida Governor (and 2016 Presidential hopeful) Jeb Bush and his handlers are doing their job - they're asking themselves that very question right now.  Why would Jeb Bush align himself with a rudderless Connecticut State Republican Party mired in Grand Jury directed FBI investigations, alleged campaign illegalities, and in complete disarray?  Why would a legitimate Conservative Republican like Jeb Bush aid a State Party Chairman who refuses to come out from under his desk and lend his voice to fight Democrats on Second Amendment rights infringements ? Or personally fight the latest CT Assisted Suicide Bill 5326, or Common Core?  A so-called Republican Chairman who openly snubs his nose at the National Republican Party platform, and only pushes liberal Republican candidates for Public Office?

Who thought it was a good idea to run anti-RNC
and total phony Dan Debicella as a Republican?

Jeb Bush aught to know that "Chairman" Labriola has completely lost the plot when he throws his full support behind turncoat Republican candidates like Dan Debicella who appeared on Al Terzi's show and came off as an ObamaCare supporter, who attacked the Tea Party, and brags about his willingness to vote against his own Party as a "Fairfield Republican".  Boy, this guy is a real piece of work.  This is a guy that Chairman Jerry Labriola, Jr. describes as an "A-Level Candidate in the 4th Congressional District Race." Oh really?  This is a clown that Labriola will be spending Connecticut Republicans limited funds on in 2014. Funds raised via Jeb Bush!

The last month has seen an inordinate amount of scandal which has forced Connecticut Republicans to question what the hell is going on?   We've got former Governor Rowland in hot water over the Lisa-Wilson Foley scandal, our Connecticut Republican Chief of Staff resigned in disgrace, and the Feds setting up camp in our own State Republican office from which Grand Jury indictments are likely to come.  We all wonder how many people might be having their Last Supper in Stamford.

If I were Jeb Bush, I would think twice about tarnishing my reputation by coming to Connecticut and posing on the red carpet with potential future jailbirds at $5000 bucks a pop. You'll never know when or where those photos may surface, but it will probably be when you least expect it.  I guess, the only fail-safe is that not all indictments may result in convictions.

Perhaps one day, when the CTGOP can get its act together, and honor Prescott Bush by behaving true to his character, we won't be ashamed to call ourselves Connecticut Republicans.

I AM

THE KING

Republicans Give McMahon Fake Fairytale Ending

How many disasters can we create in a month?

Last week Republican insiders were angered to read the headline that federal agents were swarming the capitol city, interrogating members for evidence that CTGOP officials directed candidates to hire a Clearwater, Florida direct mail and printing firm to the tune of nearly $2 million dollars with an alleged kickback scheme.  As if that wasn't bad enough, we heard the news that the Feds are working with Brian "The Rat" Foley (chief conspirator of the Lisa-Wilson Foley-Rowland-Healy gang) to help return ex-Governor John G. Rowland to The Big House.  The timing of these scandals couldn't be worse - as they come on the heels of Republican Candidate Tom Foley launching his gubernatorial bid by leveling ethics charges at Governor Dan Malloy's administration.  Now that strategy looks to be a hard-sell with the CTGOP mired in it's own mega-controversy.

All of this negative press is very frustrating given that Republican gubernatorial candidates had just finally begun to get their message out to eager constituents.  Well, at least there was some good news - as it turned out - neither John Rowland nor Lisa Wilson-Foley were going to be roasted recipients of this year's Prescott Bush Award.  For that would have almost been worth paying the outrageous $250 a head ticket to attend that media circus.

Knowing full well that two of the CTGOPs biggest stars were about to go Super-Nova, Chairman Jerry Labriola, Jr. and his near-sighted group of politicos decided to chose Connecticut's least-effective candidate - Linda McMahon to receive the Connecticut Republican Party's highest honor.  When announced, Republicans statewide shook their collective heads in unison, screaming: "Do we ever learn from our mistakes?"

The CTGOP has become a lot like Disney's Dumbo Ride:
It goes round and round and never manages to get anywhere

With many of the Party faithful calling for his head - Chairman Labriola, Jr. was quick to defend his selection.  In a rare statement to the press, he wrote:

"Linda McMahon has shown tremendous leadership, both as a candidate herself and as a tireless advocate for Republicans at all levels of local, state and federal government,” Labriola said. “Her experience creating, building and running a business has helped shine a light on the need for government to help, not hinder, the creation of jobs in order to help our state and our economy prosper.” 

Leave it to Jerry Labriola, Jr. and CTGOP to completely rewrite the historical fact.  The truth is that Linda McMahon only advocated for Republican Candidates and Town Committees which endorsed her candidacy over both Rob Simmons, and Christopher Shays.  Anyone else who was found supporting her opposition, or playing neutral, was isolated, ridiculed and harshly, and personally attacked from the word "go".  The only thing "tireless" about Linda McMahon was her campaign for self-promotion, and desire for adulation from her supporters who were all too unwilling to see both campaigns for what they were - pure political calamity; void of content, ideology, or ideas.  Her inability to communicate specific solutions on any issue during her many interviews and debates was enough to expose her candidacy for what it was - shallow theatre.

Moreover, it's very hard for us lifelong Republicans to watch our Chairman (who was punished by McMahon and her minions for quietly, but openly supporting her primary opponents) crawl on all fours, beg her forgiveness, and reward her after she's had a history of donating to Democrats, and spent millions of dollars on door hangers, mailers, and television commercials encouraging voter turnout for Barack Obama.  How humiliating for Labriola!  How humiliating for  Connecticut Republicans! Only the seal-clapping elite at CTGOP Headquarters would both excuse wholesale betrayal of our Republican Presidential Candidate, and then kiss her arse after the fact.  Has the Connecticut Republican Party lost all it's self-respect?

As for Labriola's comments regarding her business - Republicans have long established that the wrestling business it's not the kind of pro-family, pro-traditional values organization which our own GOP brand claims to champion.  It was tough seeing some activists at the Family Institute of Connecticut endorse a candidate who made her millions promoting a raunchy, anything goes mentality which the FIC purports to fight against. Based on the past two campaign cycles, its hard to determine if it was - as Labriola suggests - a shining light that Linda was waving, or a lit fuse of dynamite which twice annihilated our GOP Senate hopes, and destroyed the Party under-ticket.  If there's something the CTGOP does very well - it's that it has a habit of repeatedly rewarding failure.

It will take a cast of characters to explain how McMahon earned this award

Party insiders agree that handing the Prescott Bush Award to McMahon is pay-off for Linda's personal contribution of thousands, and thousands, and thousands of dollars to rescue CTGOP coffers from complete bankruptcy.  It's long been established that RTCs, delegates, state central members, convention votes, and now even awards can be indirectly purchased by those with the deepest pockets (Tom Foley's Convention is likely next). And sadly, now the effects of behind-the-curtain party corruption has been brought to public light; exposing that the CTGOPs internal battle with ethics is more than just a matter of 'inside baseball'.   

Handing the Prescott Bush Award to Linda McMahon is wrong, but its just another chapter in the CTGOPs endless identity crisis. The King supposes that this crime may seem minor when compared with FBI agents turning over Republican desks, or ex-cons acting as head of Party from the WTIC broadcast booth while our Chairman goes AWOL. At the end of the day, the problem for the Connecticut Republican Party is that neither principle, integrity or elections can be bought.  Until that lesson is learned, and we clean up our own house - it's very unlikely that the public will see Republicans as a viable option now or in the near future.

I AM 

THE KING

The Hartford Courant Misfires at Republican Candidate Joe Visconti

Republican Gubernatorial Candidate
Joe Visconti is the latest victim of
The Courant's anti-gun agenda

Have you seen it?  I'm referring to the half-cocked editorial Bravado Alone Won't Stop Gun Toll which served as a hit piece on Gubernatorial Candidate Joe Visconti published by The Hartford Courant's editorial team early last evening.  This entry responds to the the poorly contrived notion that somehow Connecticut's newest gun law - touted as "the toughest gun law in the land" is the panacea for curbing gun violence that both Governor Dannel P. Malloy and The Courant's staff writers claim.  The editorial, much like 2013 law, is an election year stunt contrived to exploit a horrific local tragedy for political gain and to paint Republicans in a bad light in order to deflect away from an incompetent Governor's exceedingly poor performance in Hartford.

The Courant's dismissive characterization of Joe Visconti's view that his armed presence would have made a difference at Sandy Hook (in similar contrast to NRA Executive Wayne LaPierre's viewpoint) is "too simple to be helpful" is an unfortunate attempt to fudge the issue. Whatever one's view of armed police presence at schools, it's irrational to conclude that an armed guard wouldn't have made a difference at Sandy Hook Elementary on that terrible day.  Then to use a singular example of an armed deputy missing his fired shot at Columbine as a justification for their position is simply poor argumentation; The King would urge The Courant to do their homework and research the dozens of stories where shopkeepers, would-be victims, and ordinary citizens have been saved (and saved others) in many situations because they were armed.  

It's a far stretch to assume that registering magazines and guns would've somehow prevented heinous crimes like those which occurred at Columbine, Aurora, the Navy Shipyard, Virginia Tech, or even Sandy Hook, and pure fantasy to assume that taking such action would prevent similar crimes in the future. Registries might be utilized as research tools after a crime has been committed, but it's highly unlikely that any of the villains of the aforementioned atrocities would have gone to their local municipality to fill out a pile of government-mandated paperwork, and even if they did - it's highly imaginative to insist that any of these atrocities would have been prevented.

"The editorial, much like 2013 law, is an election year stunt contrived to exploit a horrific local tragedy for political gain and to paint Republicans in a bad light in order to deflect away from an incompetent Governor's exceedingly poor performance in Hartford. " - The King

This mad line of thinking is further trumped by the insistence that somehow schools wouldn't be safer with armed security guards or any type of armed police or security presence - as is the case in several metropolitan cities and suburban towns.  Not only do children and families feel safe in these districts, they actually are safer as a result of taking such proactive, preventative measures.  Despite the prevailing utopian academic view, not all violent crimes can be magically prevented by the use of over-medication, psychology sessions, and community meetings.

While the editors make the unsourced claim that 32,000 gun deaths occur every year (and taking their word that they didn't make that statistic up), the Center for Disease Control and the NHS report that you're more likely to be killed in an auto-accident than in some random gun shooting.  In fact, according to the FBI, you're more likely to be killed with a club or hammer  or by someone's hand or foot than by a rifle of any type.  Since most union members own a hammer, we won't sit and wait for The Courant and Dan Malloy to seek an outright ban on this controversial weapon. (Mr. Visconti as former carpenter would likely make the short list).

"It was likely Mr. Green in the Conservatory with a Hammer"

And did it ever occur to the Rhodes Scholars at The Courant that it only takes one bullet to commit the act of suicide?  One would surmise this would rule out the use of large capacity magazines as the cause.  If The Courant is so hell-bent on banishing guns, then why not call for an all-out ban on the most utilized weapon by criminals - the handgun?  And isn't this what The Hartford Courant is really hoping for?  An outright ban on all guns? And by the way - while half of suicides are reported to be committed by firearm, the other half are committed by poisoning, suffocation (hanging), and other means.  There is nothing scientific to suggest that if a person intends to commit suicide that if they didn't have a gun that they wouldn't find another method to kill themselves. 

Missing from any argument by liberals are statistics showing gun ownership as a deterrent against crime.  Evidence suggests that due to the increase in gun purchases/ownership that crime is down.  And while mental disorders have played a role in violent crime (and suicides), there is little evidence to suggest that guns of any type are the root cause for these incidents.  

If liberals really want to find out the root cause for violent crime and suicides then they won't have to look very far to find the answer.  It lies in the increasing decay of economic and social conditions in inner cities, and in middle class neighborhoods - and a general ineptitude by parents refusing to properly raise their children.  With the rise in unemployment spurred by anti-business policies enacted by Governor Dannel Malloy, the Democratic Party, and President Barack Obama, coupled with the ongoing state-sponsored mockery of the traditional family unit, it's no wonder that Connecticut crime statistics are increasing to record highs.  It's unfortunate that after years of Democratic Control over both Connecticut Legislative Chambers that Connecticut's media is unwilling to make the clear connection.

Like most other liberal activists, The Courant's editorial team is notoriously anti-Second Amendment.  The past two days of editorials and a scan of their archives illuminates this fact.  Truly, the only time The Courant takes interest in either the Bill of Rights or The Constitution is when they believe their Freedom of Speech or Freedom of Press is being encroached.  Freedom of Religion, they believe, only extends to Muslims who are just trying to navigate their way in a world full of hostile Christian Fundamentalists. The remaining Constitutional provisions, they believe, are best left relegated to the Age of Sail - never to be invoked again.

Before The Courant opts to write a hit piece on behalf its Democratic allies, it would behove them to get their facts straight, source their work, and like a legitimate journalistic shop - recognize that there  very well might be more than one point of view of gun ownership aside from turning all gun owners into potential mass-murderers.  Until then, their editorial is just another self-inflicted wound on their dwindling credibility.

And other Republicans Candidates should heed The King's advice - cowering to progressive whims, or fearing to challenge the looney left's coordinated attack on basic Constitutional Rights (such as Second Amendment Rights) out of fear that they too will be singled out, brought up on stage, and "made an example of" by our local media radicals - will make you not only an enemy of The King, but also of Country.

The bottom line is - if the rest of the country followed Connecticut's lead, violent criminals - nationwide - who would be unaffected by these pointless laws, would have an extended Field Day.

I AM

THE KING

Is Sandy Hook Dan Malloy's Reichstag Fire Moment?

Connecticut Democrats aided by
liberal judges are eager to contrive
their own Van Der Lubbe moment 

The horrific shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School will forever stand out as one of the worst tragedies in Connecticut History; perhaps, only the Hartford Circus Fire of 1944 may be regarded as the single worst disaster of all time in the Nutmeg State which resulted in 652 casualties including 168 deaths.

When incidents like these arise - accidental or not - politicians are quick to seize the moment of exploitation for their own political designs.  In 1944, in order to quell an outraged public, Connecticut politicians performed a knee-jerk reaction and banned Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus outright from setting foot again in Connecticut; a ban which remained intact until the 1970s.  In much the same way, Governor Dannel P. Malloy and his anti-gun antagonists are using Sandy Hook as their catapult issue to advance their ambitions to ban a variety of guns from the hands of law abiding citizens.

While neither the Great Hartford Circus Fire, nor the Sandy Hook Massacre are believed to be a state contrived catastrophes, the Democrat Party has been very quick to utilize the Sandy Hook tragedy as impetus to advance a political agenda which seeks to redefine the Second Amendment and seize personal weapons and ammunition from law-abiding Americans.  At all times in history, from 1774 to 1862 to 1933 to 2014, tyrants have gone out of their way to eliminate the means of citizens to defend themselves - not from each other - but from Government.

After the events of Sandy Hook, Connecticut Democrats quickly maneuvered to pass legislation to enact what they called, "one of the toughest gun laws in the country." Without a public hearing, any debate, rhyme nor reason, the law passed just past 1 am on April 4 in the Connecticut Senate and was immediately signed into law midday on April 4, 2013 by Dannel Malloy.  The law includes creating a registry for guns that hold more than 10 magazines, the banning of high capacity magazines, creating the country's first so-called dangerous weapons offender registry, and most important - a ban on guns considered "assault weapons" (although the definition is highly subjective).

Connecticut law demanded that all gun owners were to register their assault weapons and declare their large capacity magazines prior to December 31, 2013 or face prison sentence up to five years and/or a $5000 fine.  Editors at The Hartford Courant, the liberal newspaper of record were quick today to sum up their position on the matter: "If you want to disobey the law, you should be prepared to face the consequences."  Really?  Funny, did you mean all laws or just these gun laws recently passed?

The King can't remember similar finger-wagging sentiment from The Courant when it comes to following the law to show IDs to vote, or deporting illegal aliens who are here illegally after-all. Taking it a step further we've seen The Courant's employees support other benefits for illegals including free tuition loans, drivers licenses, and even the right to vote for President.  Then we could go into hundreds of examples were laws are bent to support the President's decision to change the HealthCare Reform Bill at least 22 times without a vote, or to expand Executive Power through the use of Executive Orders.  It's amazing to know that those who once spent their college years adorned in beads and sandals, adhering to Dennis Leary's Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out mantra, cursing Richard Nixon and the abuses of the Executive Branch have grown-up to become Big Government's loudest surrogates pushing the expansion of Government control over individuals rights.  Boy, times changed!

So now the media sits and waits.  And we wait - for the knock at the door.  Surely, there must be a Marinus Van Der Lubbe, or Tea Party member who harbors ill-will against Connecticut's Governor and all his statutes.

Malloy will use the State Police to
identify a nice "violator" to make an
example of 

Just think.  There will be a raid on some quaint Connecticut town as if this were Waco, Texas.  The Connecticut State Police, in a blaze of glory, will storm some home (which will referred to as compound) with para-military SWAT teams and tanks.  This will take place in a small town like Morris, or Barkhamsted, or Ansonia, or Chaplin.  Many will be taken into custody, and dozens of so-called "military-style" weapons will be seized, and put on display for the public to see.

A big court spectacle will be held and it will be
covered by George Colli of WTIC who will
tweet us every tasty morsel

The Gun Rights members will be hauled before a Kangaroo Court where they will have already been tried and convicted in the court of public opinion as madmen who adhere to a 225 year old document.

Dan Malloy, and his Democratic cronies will pose with the
offending Constitutionalists, and seek to ban the right of
five or more conservatives so assemble at any given time

Now admittedly some of the worst gun-related shooting sprees have occurred on American soil in only the past few years. We saw Douglas Williams gun down seven people at a Lockheed Martin Plant in Mississippi; then in 2007 Seung Hui Cho shot and killed 32 people near the Virginia Tech Campus, then in 2010, Jared Lee Loughner shot Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford and murdered six others; In 2011, James Eagan Holmes dressed as The Joker shot 12 people in a Colorado movie theatre; in 2012 Andrew Engeldinger gunned down seven people in a movie theatre; in 2013, Gay Muslim Aaron Alexis killed 13 people at a Navy Shipyard,  as we know all too well in 2012, Adam Lanza killed 26 people, mostly children at Sandy Hook Elementary.  And there is one interesting connection  between all of these people  - every single one of them was a Registered Democrat.  And if you check out the local Hartford, Bridgeport, or New Haven police blotter - well, you'll probably find that a majority of those arrested or being sought for gun related murders aren't diehard Mitt Romney supporters.

While Governor Dan Malloy, and his chief hatchet man, Michael Lawlor, scheme up new ways to harass Connecticut gun owners, and The Hartford Courant serves as a Joseph Goebbels-style propaganda ministry on their behalf, we await the first victim (or set of victims) to be put before Connecticut's left-wing judicial firing squad.

And don't count on moderate Republican Leaders like John McKinney, Larry Cafero (or would be leaders like Tom Foley) to come to your rescue.   They're just a band of conscientious objectors happy to sit on the sidelines while law abiding citizens get railroaded.

I AM

THE KING