On Small Men in Big Times.....

By using the term small men, I refer to Connecticut's congressional delegation. Sure, Connecticut has two women in the U.S. House of Representatives, but for the sake of this discussion, I'll use the male gender as descriptive for all.

We live in big times. The paradigm of life in America and, more importantly, here in Connecticut has shifted. Gone are the days of fiscal solvency, a vibrant economy and a shared trust in a secure future.
These societal planks have been replaced by budget deficits, a moribund economy and the sad realization that our best days may, in fact, be behind us.

If you're looking to those who represent us in Washington, DC for leadership, you're wasting your time.

Recently, my friends at the Yankee Institute for Public Policy published their "List of Lasts" detailing the areas in which our state is ranked at or near the bottom of the American barrel. A cursory glance at this list displays a stunning lack of leadership; and, what's worse, a lack of desire to fix things.

Caesar's battle plan for Gaul has been pilfered and executed by these small men. Connecticut, a state of some 3-million souls is, today, no more than a patchwork of diverse constituent groups who share no common thread among them. "Divide and conquer" serves the small men exceedingly well and today they traverse the halls of Congress like victorious wizards. Pull back the curtain on these wizards and, like The Great and Powerful Oz, we see them as the truly small men they are.

Looking for a substantive budget proposal from Connecticut's Congressional Delegation and you'll find nothing. There is no Ryan Plan coming from them. A Manchin-Toomey Amendment on gun control? Not a chance. Membership in a "Gang of 8?" No. In fact, it's hard to find a legislative achievement or substantive policy initiative among them. Our small men may decry the defeat of gun control legislation or sound the clarion call for immigration reform, but none of them produces any one thing of substance. They stage their "press conferences" and "town hall style" meetings, smug in the knowledge that they have found the key that keeps them in power.

So then, what do our small men do? Our small men deliver to Washington's big men. They deliver electoral votes and campaign cash.

We shall soon witness the ramifications of having such small men represent us in these big times. Just as the gears of a clock turn, we will see our once proud home discarded by the big men in Washington DC with not one scintilla of regard for the people who call Connecticut home.

We are, in the end, a "Blue" state. Seven meager electoral votes, safely in the hands of the Democrats, served up by our small men. So, when the next Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) comes around or the decision as to where F-35 engines will be built, it'll be the big men in Washington who make the decisions. The need for Virginia's thirteen electoral votes will far outweigh our need for a sub base in New London or a Pratt & Whitney manufacturing facility.

Connecticut is fast becoming a postscript, a footnote in American history. A state of firsts in culture, industry and innovation is gone. In its place you'll find 3-million souls who share nothing more in common than a spot on the map.

We live in big times. Unfortunately, we are represented by small men.

Quo Fata Ferunt!

On Getting in "The Game"

It was really great to see you at the community clean up last weekend! What? You weren't there? Surely I saw you at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday night? The Board of Finance? Planning and Zoning? Rep. Dipstick's Town Hall meeting with constituents?

No?

Lets begin with the simple fact that you can change the world.

The question is, are you ready to do the hard work necessary to accomplish this feat?

Simply put, you gotta get in the game.

Don't like the way your town spends money, get on the Board of Finance. Unhappy with your school system's test scores, get on the Board of Education. Unhappy with the way things are going at Town Hall or the Capitol, then run for office.

Yes! Run for office!

OK, you're honest enough to know you're not the brightest or most successful person; you may even be well grounded enough to know that you're not the most articulate or the best looking. None of these qualities mean a thing in politics. What matters is you and your desire to make the world a better place.

Believe it or not an involved citizenry is the foundation of our nation. The idea that we are stakeholders is critical to how the whole thing works.

Lets face facts. Adding to the comments section of a friend's facebook post or sounding off in a Letter to the Editor is only going to get you so far. And as for snarky comments on Twitter, it's better to leave it to the pros.

The 2014 election cycle started on November 6, 2012. There's always room on the team for players ready to do the hard work. It's up to you to get in the game!

Quo Fata Ferunt!