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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

 
The Foley Odalisque-definition "A  female sex slave in an Ottoman Sultan's Harem"
 
 
A lot has been made about Republican Candidate for Governor  Tom Foley and his $5 million dollar yacht. I was thinking you can't fault the guy for being successful. Besides, imagine the revenue the State of Connecticut must see from the taxes on Foley's yacht, not to mention the revenue from his jet.

Then I began doing the research. Foley's yacht is not registered or taxed in Connecticut. Neither is his jet. The yacht apparently is registered in Fort Lauderdale, but even more interesting is the name Foley chose to "name " his yacht.

The "ODALISQUE", according to Charterworld.com the is based in Palm Beach , Florida. You are probably asking yourself now what is an Odalisque? That is the troubling part to me. According to Wikipedia, Odalisque is defined as "a female slave or concubine in the household or harem of the Ottoman Sultan." . Yes, you read that right, Tom Foley's yacht is apparently named after a female slave. Now I understand politics  but a Governor who names his yacht after a female sex slave? I don't get it

I understand the nature of the beast, politics is a nasty business, made even nastier by close races. Sadly though, I don't think I know anymore about Tom Foley now than I did at the beginning of the Governor's race Despite the millions  spent, on both sides,  the only thing I definitely  know about Foley is that he has a strong dislike for his opponent, and has no problem naming his yacht after female slavery.

I do have to be honest and say I do like Foley's opponent. Dan Malloy. Governor Malloy is someone I would call a friend. Not close "hanging out on the weekend" friends but someone I do respect and talk to occasionally.

I don't flock to Malloy because of the potential of knowing the Governor, but I see him as a genuine human being. I first met Governor Malloy shortly after he began his first term in of all places  a bar. Imagine that, 2 Irish guys in a bar. Little things impress me and I guess, and the first thing I noticed was that Malloy would stand in line like everyone else to get a beer and took out his own credit card to pay for them. We eventually got on the subject of our Irish Heritage and somehow that got to the topic of our Irish Grandmothers.

Everyone tries to make Irish Sodabread  around St Patrick's Day,  but most people don't get it right. I told the Governor my grandmother used to bake it for me all the time, and hers was my favorite. He asked if I made it with buttermilk and raisins and caraway seeds. I told him that was the only authentic way , and baking it in the cast iron frying pan. Governor Malloy asked me to bring him some at the Capitol next time I baked it.

A few weeks later as St. Patricks Day approached I baked several loaves of Irish Sodabread. I called the Governor's Office to see if he could really accept food. His receptionist answered the phone and I was surprised that the voice on the other end was a good friend of mine, Shirley Surgeon. Shirley is a Hartford resident who also loves Hartford and works tirelessly to make our City a better place.

I explained the sodabread story to her and I asked her if the Troopers assigned to the Governor  allowed the food in. She asked me to hold on the phone for a second. Shortly she came back on the line and told me "The Governor says he will be here until five, he is expecting you". I had never been in the Governor's Office and I kept thinking how proud my Grandmother would be that I was delivering Sodabread made with her recipe to the Governor of our State. Like I said before, I guess little things impressed me.

I remembered to  being a toddler, maybe 4 or 5 years old, and my grandmother dragging me up onto a reviewing stand at a downtown parade to introduce me to then Governor Dempsey. It probably would have been a much different  outcome today with Troopers tackling my grandmother. Different times now I guess

I guess the sodabread was a hit. No troopers ever came looking for me for the recipe.

In the end, I don't think any election comes down to how nasty you can be or how much money you can spend to get elected. I think the more important question is di you leave the place better than when you arrived.

It was a terrible time in our State, but I am not sure anyone else other than Governor Malloy, with Lt Governor Wyman by his side, would have handled the Newtown shooting with the same level of dignity and leadership

Malloy and Wyman returned to his Office at the Capitol one morning after attending a funeral for one of the young victims. I happened to be in the Governor's Office and noticed Malloy's often cheerful selection of green neckties had been replaced by a black neck tie. In part defining the sense of mourning that all of us felt at that time. I could tell that the situation was taking a visible toll on the Governor, I don't think any human wouldn't feel it.

No one runs for office expecting theses situation. And Governor Malloy has had his share of trying times, but I doubt, actually No I know, none could take a bigger toll than a situation like Newtown yet Governor Malloy was there from the start right up until the end.

Malloy could have left the task of notifying parents their children wouldn't be coming home to them to State Police, clergy or others, yet he took on the task because that is what leaders do. They don't get elected to do it but when we need that leadership whether in a Hurricane, severe snowstorms  or unthinkable carnage, Governor Malloy has been there.

Unfortunately politics has become such a big business. It would be nice to have a few minutes to talk to our candidates and get to know them, talk about their Irish grandmothers or whatever nationality they are, get a feel for them. I wish that could happen but it's just not the reality.

Dan Malloy hasn't governed by looking to a political future. After years of indecision by others, Malloy made the tough decisions from the start regardless of the re-election consequences. Any one knows  elections are controlled by Unions, but when you are facing multi billion dollar deficits you do what the people elected you to do and make the necessary decisions.

The gunbill may have not been popular but we need to get guns off our streets. Just yesterday, two Hartford Police Officers took an assault weapon known as a Tec-9 off a residential street. The 32 round 9mm clip serves no purpose other that to kill and mame. Luckily the two suspects only had marijuana in their possession, if they were high on PCP or heroin, it could have been a much different outcome
HPD Evidence photo

I won't continue, I am sure half or you already have your minds made up about what direction you think our State needs to go. I am a firm believer that Dan Malloy has the integrity and leadership to keep the great State of Connecticut moving and I would ask you consider giving him the opportunity to continue that..

Our State didn't get where it is overnight and we aren't going to get out of overnight by hoping for a different outcome with baseless promises

Thanks for indulging my thoughts, and yes I know Foley is Irish also . I'm not sure they serve sodabread on the yacht.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

How do feel about Malloy being directly responsible for ensuring Segarra got elected?

Anonymous said...

How does he get to register a yacht in Florida, does he live in Florida 6 months out of the year?

Anonymous said...

I heard an ad in Spanish on the radio this morning for Foley and criticising Malloy. He said Malloy had lied, etc. He was promising to cut some sort of taxes in Hartford for people, I think it was car tax. At the end he said "I approve this message." How does he approve a message when he doesn't speak the language?

On another note, I love your Irish soda bread story. Not many people think about how their ancestors would have felt about certain things (I do). It was heartwarming. Thanks for a smile.

Anonymous said...

You can register the Yacht wherever you dang well please, but I'm pretty sure this yacht is flagged in the marshal islands, which means that typical american labor laws do not apply to his crew.

Anonymous said...

Malloy has been a complete failure as governor. To raise the state sales tax and tax all clothing- even articles under $50- effects the middle class and low income citizens more than anyone. Not to mention raising state income tax retroactive from January. Does anyone remember what their paychecks looked like after the budget was passed? Families had already spent and paid bills with that money. Meanwhile he didn't even freeze spending; he increased it! That's not "shared sacrifice" I don't care about Mr. Foley's yacht or what it's named. Sounds like jealousy to me. I'll vote for Foley because I believe when you've done your job poorly, you should be fired.

Anonymous said...

All of you Connecticut liberal brain dead union members should wise up and realize your democratic slave masters like money as much as Foley. Especially the money they suck from your paycheck.

Votingright said...

My entire family will vote for Dan Malloy on November 4th. I believe he has been a good governor for Connecticut.

Anonymous said...

Hey Anonymous on October 24 at 4:34,, After my Union Slavemasters take "their cut off my hide" ,,,here's what i'm left with..... A BIG FAT PAYCHECK,,,UNBELIEVABLE BENEFITS AND AN AWESOME PENSION FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.. I BET YOU WISH YOU WERE AS "BRAIN DEAD" AS ME !!!!!

Anonymous said...

I have the same kinds of benefits and pension, you and the other brainwashed fools continue to vote for your socialist master. How big is your check really, do you have low standards? You are brain dead...you should see what really successful people have. Union stooge...keep believing the lies.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous, or should i refer to you as "JEALOUS" ?, on Oct 30 at 8:53,,, YOU HAVE THE "SAME" BENEFITS AND PENSION I HAVE????? Can you retire at age 50 with 85 percent of your salary and full medical benefits for you and your spouse???? YOUR EITHER A BIG FAT LIAR OR YOUR WORKING WITH ME AND SHOULD COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS "AND" KEEP YOUR UNGRATEFUL MOUTH SHUT!!!I HAVE A FEELING YOUR A BIG FAT LIAR WITH A "CRAPPY" OCCUPATION!!