Election 2006, actually

[oldetowne]

The rumor is out there again that Billy Ciotto isn't going to run for re-election. Our state rep. Paul Doyle must have heard the same rumor. He's set up an "exploratory committee" and has raised about 20K from PACs and lobbyists so far.

[standish]

Who will run as a Republican against Doyle for Senate? Who will run in his spot on the Democratic ticket as State Representative? Who will run as a Republican for State Rep?

Interesting times...

[oldetowne]

There will be a Republican candidate in the 9th senate race. Ralph C did a good job two years ago and I would assume he can have the spot if he wants it. There are others who probably would be interested if Billy steps down.

Again, if Paul D runs for Senate, there would be no shortage of candidates on either side since it would be the first time in 12 years that there was no incumbent. The sport there would be watching the 20 or so Democrats who think they are each the heir apparent tangle it up.

Frankly, I don't see Billy stepping down this time - and Paul D would also quickly discover that a senate race is a whole different ball game, where Wethersfield is only about 15% of the district.

[Dr.Ken Sokolowski]

oldetowne wrote:
"Frankly, I don't see Billy stepping down this time - he seems to love being treated with respect and having the adulation flow his way. Paul D would also quickly discover that a senate race is a whole different ball game, where Wethersfield is only about 15% of the district, and the fact that people liked his mom won't guarantee his election."

Hmmm. This last paragraph, oldetowne, caught me a little by surprise. Your references to a desire for respect, adulation and (what I will call) Mama's apron strings struck me as being a little too personal in each case.

I always look forward to your incisive commentary and wide perspective in political matters. I look forward to more of the same here. Could we speak to issues (important, obvious. overlooked or avoided) instead of more superficial characterizations?

Granted, many times, the public unfortunately relies of family ties, pecuniary concerns, visceral intuitions, and the directives of others, instead of facts, perspectives (pro/con) and personal deliberations to reach electoral decisions.

With the permutations and combinations which you have laid out above, you have a fertile field for exploration and reportage.

I look forward to your efforts to help the public see which candidates should be treated to pre-emergent crab-grass preventatives, those who should be culled at the caucus level and those who would be best extirpated at the primary level.

Lay it out. Bring out the facts. Help us recall the political and legislative perspectives and public history of the candidates. Stimulate the political debate. But, lets leave Mama and Ego alone. All of us have both.

[oldetowne]

Point taken, post modified.

[Dr.Ken Sokolowski]

You dah' Man!

[SyZyGy]

New Play in Production at Bushnell ??

Title: The Hill of Hot Desire

Cast
Devil: Gubernatorial contender, John DeStefano Jr.,(New Haven Mayor)
Faust: Gubernatorial contender, M. Jodi Rell (CT Governor)
Extras: CT residents and voters

The Hook: Discounted Oil offered by Venezuelan, Socialist President (soon-to-be Dictator) Hugo Chavez
The Price: Forfeiture of 2006 election.

The Twist: both DeStephano and Rell defeated

[SyZyGy]

• Point: Salaries of teachers and their administrators comprise the largest portion of our Town budget each year,
  
• Point: Today's HC published a commentary: "Teachers Shortchanged On Pensions."
  
• Point: Comments by Mary Kay Rendock (Bloomfield teacher and CT Teacher of the Year)
  
• Point: State has failed to pay $5 billion into the State teacher Pension Fund.
  
• Point: Rendock wrote: "...it is true that people in many industries - airlines and auto-making to name just a couple - face uncertainty about their pensions these days. But most employees still have SOCIAL SECURITY (my emphasis) even if their pension plan is reduced or fails altogether. Connecticut educators are different. Public school teachers do not participate in Social Security. I cannot rely on Sociel Security at all, even as a retirement safety net.

Questions:

• Why are not public school teachers required to participate (i.e., contribute their fair share) to the Social Security program?
  
• Are public school administrators (non-teachers) also exempt from contributing to (and benefiting from the) Social Security program?
  
• Are public employees (e.g., of the Town) exempt from the SS program?
  
• At what level is this teacher exemption? State or Federal?
  
• How did this short-sighted exemption come to be?
  
• Why not require teachers to participate in the SS program (after the State makes good on its obligation to current and retired teachers under this sweet deal) and drop or sharply reduce the State teacher pension fund for new hires?
  
• Why should teachers as a group be afforded a level of protection and prosperity not guaranteed to the vast majority of working folk in the State?
  
• At one time teachers were grossly underpaid; that is not the case now. Grasped by their short hairs, the taxpayers of the State have had to put up with an ever-expanding, expensive system over which the teacher union bosses and their in-pocket politicians stand guard. What is to be done about this?
  
• Is regionalism more for the teachers or for the taught?