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Wednesday, October 6, 2010

DO ENDORSEMENTS MATTER?

I'm just wondering, do endorsements and polls really sway voters?

It surprises me that a candidate who has said that he is not a Washington D.C. insider is trying to stand shoulder to shoulder with just about every Washington D.C. insider willing to take a trip to Connecticut. First Lady Michelle Obama has apparently announced that she will be making a campaign trip to Connecticut to support the "D.C outsider", Richard Blumenthal.

Do voters really make their decision based upon the candidate or are they swayed by who is willing to stump for them. And if Blumenthal is really not a D.C. insider, then how does the President, former President Clinton or even the First Lady feel comfortable talking about him. I know President Clinton apparently spent time with him at Yale, but those may not be the clearest memories.

And what about the debates? Is anyone really listening or is it just a good break from Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune?

And does a neck in neck poll influence your vote for or against a candidate?

Feel free to post your comments.

IT SHOULD BE MANDATORY...

Last week I received a call from Hartford Police Union President Richard Rodriguez late one evening. Now I haven't always been friendly to the Union's stance on some issues, and the call actually caught me off guard.

Rodriguez explained that he was calling to invite me to a seminar that they were offering this week and the Unions Executive Committee had discussed it and wanted me to attend. I agreed to attend.

The seminar was hosted and paid for by the Union and started yesterday at Aetna and is being attended by probably 150-200 police officers from across Connecticut and as far away as Boston PD and Cape Cod. Numerous Hartford Officers are attending as well as a large contingent from the Connecticut State Police and many municipalities. The purpose of the seminar is for police officers that investigate police related shootings.

I am one of four civilians attending and it has definitely been an eye opener. The course outlines the science behind addressing evidence and the questions police shootings usually raise in the community.

I think this is the type of course that should be offered to any community group or residents that want to learn more about what probably is one of the most inflammatory incidents that can take place in any town.

I'll post more on the course itself after we finish the seminar tomorrow, but it definitely points out a major need for some bridge building in our community and probably cities across our country. No one I have talked to has denied that a huge mistrust exists between the police and the community.

The greater question is how to we start building that trust. I think a big part of it needs to start with the Police Department and the way they communicate with the residents. It seems like the Hartford Police Union is taking a major step to be part of the solution and even though there are only a handful of us "civilians" there, it is a start.

During lunch today, myself, Hyacinth Yennie, Stan McCauley, Jackie Maldonado and Richard Rodriguez had a conversation about how to keep the process that the Union started moving forward. Some good ideas came up and we are going to start building on those ideas. Hyacinth and Jackie are also members of the Firearms Review Board.

I think it is important to start the conversation going now and start building the trust, on both sides of the issue. It is going to take the cops to understand residents and the residents need to understand the cops also. The video and materials they have presented have been an eyeopener for me and the others, and I'm already usually pretty supportive of our Police Department.

As an example, most people usually immediately make up their mind in a police shooting that a suspect shot in the back must be an execution. The suspect was running away, the threat no longer existed so why did the cop shoot? I know I'm probably not going to change minds here, but when you see the "science", it is convincing. And this isn't just propaganda to exonerate "rogue" cops, it's documented science and studies.

It is also an eyeopener to the threats Police Officers face daily. With the introduction of dash cams in cruisers and video recording almost constantly everywhere else, documentation is everywhere when a shooting takes place. If a suspect decides to shoot a cop, the officer may not even have the chance to draw his weapon in the time it takes his brain to process the threat to him. The "science" breaks these actions down in to fractions of a second, not even 2 , 3 or 4 seconds but 0.10's of a second.

Like I said, I'll post a lot more after the seminar is done, LAPD shooting
investigators are up tomorrow and it should be interesting.

In the meantime, where is the media? Where is the Police Department communications people? This is something positive being done to better educate police officers and we shouldn't only hear about Hartford cops in trouble. The bridges need to be built and it starts with education like this.

The first two days were presented by instructors from the "Force Science Institute", to get more information click here. The videos on their site are also pretty informative and can explain some things better than I can here

Friday, October 1, 2010

ARE THE DEMOCRATS WORKING FOR REPUBLICAN WINS?

I think I was as surprised as anyone as the polls keep coming out showing strong Democratic candidates losing ground and the Republicans surging ahead. I would think all the Democratic "consultants" would be huddled and strategizing and rethinking their game plans. The Republican "consultants" must all be thanking the Democrats and urging them to keep doing what they are doing.

Maybe I just don't understand this political gamesmanship, but most people I talk to are turned off by the way these campaigns work.

I have to say the Malloy/Foley numbers are a huge surprise to me. I really like Malloy and the conversations I have had with him just make you feel that he is genuine and sincere and someone that is willing to listen. I know that the majority of the time that persona can change after the election, but I think with Malloy, what you see is what you get, now and after November 2nd.

I've never met Tom Foley and have never seen him anywhere on the streets of Hartford. Maybe a wise choice on his part to avoid the political arena in Hartford without a good supply of bleach to cleanse with afterward.

Hopefully the upcoming debates will shed some more light on Foley, and Malloy for that matter, and we can see what they are about and their vision for Connecticut. I really don't care how big Dan Malloy's house is or what people in Georgia think about Foley 20 years ago. A newsflash for those that are trying to crucify McMahon and Foley for private business decisions- try to build a business and you will quickly learn that a safe government job living off the taxpayers is definitely the easier way to go.

Even the media has seemed to jump on the crucifixion. Today the Courant(among others) was hyping a story that Linda McMahon had laid off 10% percent of her employees at one point. Would it be better if she shut down and fired them all?

It was ironic that these stories were right along side another headline "Sikorsky Aircraft Eliminates 200 Jobs". Maybe Sikorsky was forced to cut American jobs because our Washington politicians allowed a huge helicopter contract for US forces in Afghanistan to go to a Russian company recently.

And let me ask an honest question here, do you really think Dick Blumenthal knew what the minimum wage amount was before they embarrassed McMahon about it yesterday? I strongly doubt it.

Then tonight I got one of the numerous negative e-mails that are sent out several times a day by "ctdems.org". If I wasn't still laughing over the earlier Hartford DTC e-mail about the fundraiser, I would have been chuckling out loud. The e-mail was entitled "Linda McMahon's Very Bad week".

Are "ctdems.org" reading the same newspapers I am? I don't think Linda McMahon could have had a much better week except if the headlines read "Blumenthal Drops Out". Blumenthal a few months ago was considered the unstoppable "heir apparent" to Dodd's seat. Now the polls show that Blumenthal has slipped so badly that he is in a statistical dead heat with that "awful" Republican wrestling lady. That sure doesn't sound like a "Very Bad Week" to me.

Then the headlines today that "WWE Defends Accepting Tax Credits". How is that bad that WWE, or any business, takes advantage of a government program that they are obviously entitled to? The article did not mention anywhere the millions of dollars that were pumped back into Connecticut's economy as a result of the WWE operations that qualified them for those same credits.I guess we should be prouder of our Financial Institutions and Wall Street that damn near sucked the life out of our economy until they received billions in bail out money, almost bringing our country crashing to its knees.

I just think people are fed up with politics in general and specifically negative campaigning. As one candidate lobs the first negative ad, the opponent retaliates with even more venom until it is totally out of control. In the end we know nothing about the candidates, what they stand for, what is their vision, why are they qualified. All we eventually know is which one can slide lower in the gutter.

I'll avoid any wrestling analogies here, I'm frankly tired of those also. (If wrestling is so bad, why would anyone know what the term "smackdown" meant, unless you were a follower). Maybe the better way to go would be a duel with pistols on the lawn of the Capitol at high noon. It would end the need for term limits and we would know that the candidates really wanted the job in the end.

Lets see some positive ads and learn what the candidates are about, not why their opponents are bad. Hopefully the poll numbers have shown the "consultants" that like politicians, they have lost touch with what is important to voters.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?



Once Eddie Perez was convicted,resigned and was sentenced I removed a lot of the information and mug shots here thinking that would be the end of the Perez years and we would move on.

I guess not.

It seems that our former Mayor, and now convicted felon, has landed a job with a non-profit that received almost half of its annual operating funds in 2009 from the Perez Administration. The Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition has hired Perez as a "consultant".

In their 2009 IRS form 990, the Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition listed funding from the City of Hartford of at least one grant of $154,268 and another of $498,108.The annual budget for the organization is listed as approximately $1,450,000.

And now back to the title of the posting. What would you do if you were the Executive Director or Board member that had to decide if Eddie Perez should be hired?

As anyone who reads this blog is well aware, I am not a fan of Perez. I am sure that many people will draw the connection between Perez getting his job and John Rowland and his jobs. The big difference is that Rowland had completed his sentence after violating the public's trust. Perez has yet to begin his.

The first thing is that non-profits must have the public trust and confidence to complete their mission in the community. My feeling is that hiring Perez erodes that trust and confidence and draws the entire organization into question.

In an interview and story posted on Jeff Cohen's blog on WNPR radio (link is on the right)the agency's Executive Director John Merz stated to Cohen "that he hadn’t been in the market for a consultant before he hired the former mayor, Merz says hiring Perez just made sense. He calls him a good strategist, and – given his circumstances – he’s a bargain."

Then why hire a convicted felon and disgraced Mayor as a consultant if you hadn't been in the market to hire one? It just reminds me of that phrase we heard so much during the Perez corruption trial "quid pro quo". It might be hard to say no to a man looking for a job who could have said no when your half a million dollars in grants was on his desk each year.

Situations like this raise more questions than answers and unfortunately cast a dark shadow over an organization that otherwise may be very legitimate and actually doing good work.

So again, what would you do and would you have hired Perez ?

The form 990 for the Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition is below:

Form 990 Connecticut Aids Resource Coalition

I WISH I COULD SAY " BETTER LATE THAN NEVER"

Apparently it looks like the Hartford Democratic Town Committee is getting tired of living on life support and is scheduled for a "heart transplant" on October 20, 2010.

The DTC has scheduled a fundraiser to be held at the Connecticut Science Center on October 20th to assist with their "Get out the Vote" (GOTV) efforts. The kickoff for their efforts allows them a whole two weeks before the election to get up to speed and educate and motivate Hartford's voters.

Unfortunately, for most Hartford residents, if you would like to attend it may be necessary to forgo groceries for a week or two. The cost of admission is anywhere from $75.00 to $250.00 according to the flyer. It almost sounds like something the Republicans would do, except they are well beyond a transplant, they have been collecting for their funeral.

Word is that the Connecticut Probation Department will also have a table set up at the event to conduct pre-sentencing interviews for some of the notables that will be in attendance that night.

No word yet if Hartford's former Mayor and now convicted felon Eddie Perez will be in attendance. Now that he has landed a new job as a consultant for the Hartford AIDS Resource Coalition, he can hopefully afford a couple tickets at the top level of $250.00. At the the very least he owes it to the Hartford Democratic Town Committee, many of them made him what he is today.

Hector Robles, listed on the flyer, will be fresh out of his latest hearing October 19th on his charges with the Hartford Police Department that potentially could lead to his termination and arrest. I might also suggest a ticket at the top level also. Political connections can't hurt if you play them right. And if nothing else, maybe another non-profit funded by the taxpayers of Hartford an be called upon to pony up a "consultant" job if needed.

Minnie Gonzalez is also listed as part of the "honorary committee". I would think she will be back from her taxpayer funded junket to Paris in time to attend. Word is she will be greeting those attending with a hearty "bonjour" at the door.

Hartford DTC Secretary Angel Morales will be hosting a second fundraiser at the Hartford Public Library, a youth "GOTV" effort.

For any of the major candidates listed, it might be wise to "mistakenly" double book an event that night about as far south in Fairfield County as you can get. If anyone questions your agreeing to attend, you can just say you "misspoke".

ANOTHER HARTFORD GUN VIOLENCE TRAGEDY

It sometimes seems that as a city we have become desensitized to the violence that plagues our streets day in and day out. People haven't seemed too upset about Hartford's homicide rate this year because up until a couple weeks ago it was half of what it was last year. That seems to have changed quickly over the last few weeks.

Although every shooting and homicide is important, some seem to minimize their effects on the City by claiming they are drug dealers or gang members fighting amongst themselves. Even with that explanation though, we have to wonder what has happened to the value of a human life when young men think nothing of taking another life at the end of a gun barrel.

The saddest part is that lately we have seen bystanders also suffering injury or death from the gunfire.

Recently a pregnant woman and a couple of her friends were shot while standing on her front porch as the bullets began flying. The woman lost the baby she was carrying as a result of the shooting. Another woman got in the way when the shooters were aiming for her sun and she stepped in and the bullet hit her.

Those two women survived but Hartford's latest victim wasn't as lucky.

Last night at the corner of Enfield and Greenfield Streets a 25 year old woman from East Hartford became Hartford's latest homicide victim. From what I am being told, she had gone to the small corner store to purchase candy for some children and as she exited the store she walked into a gunfight that broke out at the same time.

She was hit once and was declared dead shortly thereafter at 10:31PM. Vehicles parked on the street were also hit by the gunfire.

No one should have to live like this or be afraid to exit their homes after dark. Unfortunately though it seems that this violence isn't being confined to take place under the cover of darkness.

Today someone walked into a liquor store on Zion Street and pulled a sawed of shotgun from his pants and robbed the business. All in broad daylight, just before noon time, in the shadows of Trinity College.

How do we stem this gun violence in a city that almost seems to have become immune to it? How do we get the young people that are killing each other to realize the value of human life? How do we insist that every resource is being used, State and Federal as well as local to make sure that guns are being removed from our streets?

The answer is not going to be a quick and simple fix but as a community we can not dump the problem on the Police Department. We need to express our outrage and step up to be part of the fix.

I do not want to belittle any homicide or shooting, but take a moment and ask yourself what the level of outrage would be if last nights homicide victim was actually leaving a Cumberland Farms in Avon and was shot dead in the parking lot.It would definitely be more than a voice-over on one channel on the 11 o'clock news or a short blip in the newspaper.

What level of outrage would be shown if a pregnant mother was shot on her porch in Farmington and lost her unborn child?

We need to demand the same level of outrage for our residents as any other resident across the state. First though we have to step up and acknowledge that it is our problem and we need to be part of the solution.

No Lone Ranger type figure is going to ride in to save us from ourselves, we need to save ourselves.