Archive - Feb 2010
February 2nd
A Busy Day in Connecticut Politics
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Tue, 02/02/2010 - 16:13This morning, the Connecticut Office of State Ethics released a report that a total of $38.6 million dollars was spent on administrative and legislative lobbying in Connecticut in 2009. The top client lobbyists by expenditures were CBIA, Northeast Utilities, AT&T CT and Affliates, CT Hospital Association, CT Conference of Municipalities, Connecticut Bankers Association, the Knights of Columbus, Altria Client Services and Affliates, CT Association of Health Plans and the CT State Medical Society.
Early this afternoon, Attorney General Blumenthal opined
that the requirement of “ten years’ active practice at the bar of this state” set forth in Conn. Gen. Stat. § 3-124 is not unconstitutional, and that it constitutes more than simply status as an active member of the bar.
In short, this opinion is that the law which would prevent Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz from running for Attorney General is valid. What this will do to Ms. Bysiewicz’s plans at this point remain unclear, as do the implications to the races for various constitutional offices.
Also, it was announce today that Janice Andersen has been certified as a Clean Elections Candidate for Special Election Campaign, Stratford’s 120th Assembly District. As such, she will receive, $19,500 to run her campaign. That is, of course, provided that the Second Circuit Court of Appeals does not strike down the law before hand.
Addressing this concern, Gov. Jodi Rell today proposed her ideas on how to save and strengthen the State’s Campaign Finance Law. Key aspects to her proposal include removing the reversion provision, eliminating additional qualifying criteria for candidates of minor parties and petitioning candidates, and adjusting the sizes of the grants.
In other times, all of this would have lead to interesting discussions at Connecticut Local Politics. However, today Genghis Conn, who has run this site since he started it, announced that he was shutting it down. He spoke about seeking to try and keep it going, but recognized that no one wanted a blog with the legal baggage that Connecticut Local Politics has. It don’t know what the legal baggage is and why a group like Citizen’s Media Law Project hasn’t stepped in to address the issue.
Tomorrow, the Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly starts. There will also be a Free Clinic in Hartford. Then, on Thursday, the
Hartford Police Department's Traffic Division will conduct a DUI Enforcement checkpoint on Thursday, February 4, 2010, from 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Returning legislators should consider themselves warned.
In previous times, all of this would have been discussed at CT Local Politics. Now, a new venue will need to be found.
(Cross posted at MyLeftNutmeg.)
Jesus Didn’t Turn Anyone Away
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Tue, 02/02/2010 - 11:32It has been interesting to follow the discussion about the Focus on Family Superbowl Advertisement that CBS will run during the Superbowl that has been getting so much attention. I’ve received emails from advocacy groups urging me to contact CBS to condemn their decision. I’ve read article in the advertising and marketing world analyzing the pros and cons of the decision, as well as some interesting political analysis of the decision. I’ve been looking for an angle to say something that hasn’t been said already about the advertisement, and it wasn’t until I found a blog post talking positively about the advertisement that I found what I wanted to say.
WordJourney Magazine talks about the advertisement as being ‘inspirational’, or at least it is inspiring controversy, but the author hopes it will have the ‘ the intended effect of touching lives for Jesus Christ”. Personally, I have serious doubts and suspect that it may, in fact, drive people further from Jesus Christ. I expressed this view in a comment on the article.
I hope, for our Lord and Savior’s sake, that you are right. However, I fear that this ad may in fact do more damage to the Kingdom than good. Mrs. Tebow made a difficult and noble choice. She should be lauded for that, and to the extent that the ad encourages other young women in her situation to make a similar difficult and noble choice, there is much to be gained. If, on the other hand, the advertisement encourages our leaders to not to allow other women to make this difficult choice, then it may be seen by many as the efforts of the self-righteous meddling in the lives of others. If this is the case, I worry that it may drive others further from looking towards God’s saving grace in times of trouble.
Likewise, it is wonderful that an anonymous person has stepped up to pay for the advertisement, and if the advertisement stays within the realm of encouraging people to make choices in their lives that will draw them closer to Christ, it is a wonderful thing. However, to the extent that it is advocating a political opinion, such illegalizing abortions, then it seems as if the person is at best skirting the laws that require public disclosure about advocating for political positions. It does little good for us as Christians if Christian leaders are perceived as trying to get around are laws to advocate for specific positions.
So, I pray that you are right, and I hope that we all pray that this message might glorify Christ and not drive people away from Him.
I deliberated about whether to post the comment in and of itself on my blog. I don’t often write about religion here. As I thought about it, I decided to go look at the advertisement that CBS rejected last time for the Superbowl. It was sponsored by the United Church of Christ and carried another controversial message. “Jesus Didn’t Turn Anyone Away”.
I do believe that the message of the United Church of Christ that was rejected would have done much more to ‘touch lives for Jesus Christ’ than the Focus on Family ad does.
February 1st
Liveblogging - "Be the Media You Want to See: How Social Media and Citizen Journalism Are Changing the World"
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Mon, 02/01/2010 - 16:13
This Week in Woodbridge
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Mon, 02/01/2010 - 13:16This week in Woodbridge starts off with a Human Services Commission meeting at 7 PM at The Center and a 7:30 PM Town Plan and Zoning Commission meeting at Central Meeting Room at Town Hall on Monday evening. There are no public hearings scheduled for the Town Plan and Zoning Commission, however, they are scheduled to discuss updates from the Economic Development Commission and the “Town Plan of Conservation and Development in particular as it relates to the Town’s acquisition of the properties n/f owned by the Woodbridge Country Club”
Tuesday at 6 PM will see the next in the Town Operating Budget Presentations. Scheduled to present is the Pool and Gym, Building Maintenance, The Center, Benefits, Debt Service , and Revenue. To end off the evening, the Woodbridge Board of Education will present their budgets. There are reports that both supporters and opponents of the proposed school board budget are planning to attend the meeting and a Facebook Events page is up for those on Facebook that will be attending in support of the school budget. It is worth noting that there isn’t a lot of room in the Town Hall meeting room, and many more may end up watching the proposal from home on WGATV.
Also on Tuesday, starting at 7:30 PM, the Commission on the Use of Publicly Owned Property will meet in the Senior Center Lounge. Wednesday the Police Commission will meet in the Training Room at the Police Department. Friday will be National Wear Red in Woodbridge Day, as proclaimed by the First Selectman Ed Sheehy on January 14th. It is part of a national campaign by the American Heart Association to raise awareness about heart disease amongst women.
Also at 6 PM at Beecher Road School is Second Grade Social Night. People interested in participating should contact Margaret Hamilton. Ending up the week, or starting the new week, depending on your perspective, the Tanglewood Marionettes will perform “Hansel and Gretel” at the Woodbridge Library at 2 PM on Sunday.
If you know of other important upcoming events in Woodbridge, please contact ‘editor at woodbridgecitizen.com’ to help spread the word.
(Originally published at the Woodbridge Citizen.)
Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit, Groundhog… Music Monday
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Mon, 02/01/2010 - 10:24It is clear and cold out, but warmer this morning than it has been in the past few days. I look out my office window and wonder if the monthly lapin invocation will bring better luck this month, if it will snap the metaphorical cold spell. Tomorrow is Groundhogs’ day. Will the groundhog see his shadow? Will the rabbits see theirs? Will they all simply huddle in their tunnels waiting for warmer days? We shall see.
“But February made me shiver
With every paper I'd deliver
Bad news on the doorstep, I couldn't take one more step”
I was a paperboy forty years ago. Now, I write blog posts. When someone important dies today, I hear about it on Twitter, instead of finding it on the front page of a newspaper delivered by an aspiring young musician. “Something's lost but something's gained in living every day.”
So, Buddy Holly’s death made Don McLean shiver. Joni Mitchell managed to find something gained in living every day. And then, there’s Buffy:
Every single night
The same arrangement
I go out and fight the fight
Still I always feel
This strange estrangement
Nothing here is real
Nothing here is right
I’ve been making shows of trading blows
Just hoping no one knows
That I’ve been
Going through the motions
Walking through the part
Nothing seems to penetrate my heart
So, what will your February be like? Will bad news on the door step make you shiver? Will you simply be going through the motions? Or will something be gained in living every day?
