Letter to the editor submitted by Mike Warner
All “cons” are alike, they offer us something for nothing. So, what we see from Republican’s in Connecticut, (and elsewhere), isn’t new, it’s simple and seductive, it offers voters something for nothing, like “no new taxes” with promises of improved services like better roads and rails.
Then there’s the pitch, here’s how that sounds. “Everything is beautiful here in Greenwich, and I’ll keep everything the same. They’ll be no new taxes! Oh, and I’ll give you more stuff, like better roads and rail, and don’t worry, you won’t have to pay for it, someone else will, we’ll just borrow more. No wait let’s just cut more fat out of the state budget, like we’ve been doing for the last 10 years, but this time we’ll cut more. (The Trump/Republican platform? I don’t know anything about that.) But elect me again anyway to keep everything the same in our beautiful town…!”
That’s the well-worn line we’ve heard from the Republican “team” in Greenwich and so far, voters have loved the promises and the pandering, so they believed it. (The “team” are all nice people, by the way. They email us whenever Metro North has broken down again or when I-95 is jammed with a 10-mile backup.)
But this election is different. In this election, it’s the Democratic candidates who are telling voters the truth. They are showing real courage by facing the reality of our State’s troubles and backing up their assessments with sound ideas for solving our financial problems, without the pandering. It’s refreshing to hear someone speak the truth then advance realistic solutions that make sense and will improve the lives of our citizens.
Take Alex Bergstein, for example, who is running against Scott Frantz, for State Senator. Alex started her campaign by taking a position on how new “smart” tolls can bring a billion dollars into Connecticut, mostly paid by out-of-state drivers, just like Connecticut drivers pay tolls when we use roads in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
I love Bergstein’s honesty, not taking the easy way out, but proposing a long overdue realistic strategy for Connecticut, unlike the borrow-and-spend placebos we hear from Republican politicians. Alex’s Democratic running mates, Laura Kostin and Steve Meskers agree, the time for finger-pointing is past, we need enterprising, realistic solutions in Hartford where a new Democratic team can influence real change.
Then there’s the deafening silence we hear from the Republican “team” on the Trump Republican agenda and the debasement of our standards of decency and honest government. That’s the root of the important differences voters face between the Republicans and Democrats this year.
For example, the State Senate is now split 18 to 18 with key issues hanging in the balance. Joe Markey (rated A+ by the NRA) is running for Lt. Governor and he could become the tie-breaking vote on weakening reasonable gun legislation. Scott Frantz tried to weaken gun control measures last term and with Markey’s support reasonable gun safety laws would be jeopardized. (Sorry, I just can’t forget Sandy Hook.)
On November 6, I’ll vote for less pandering and more honesty, for pragmatic economic solutions that make sense for businesses and families. I’ll vote for Democrats and their authentic ideas and realistic solutions. I’ll vote for Alex Bergstein, Laura Kostin and Steve Meskers.