There is No Realty

It's hard to keep one's balance or grip on what is going on in the halls of government these days. The more I go into the details of massive government layoffs and debt reduction brinkmanship, the less convinced I am any of it will really happen. In Hartford, the state union leaders, who have done more to destroy themselves than 100 Yankee Institutes, are now planning to move the goal posts to the 50-yard line to accept Gov. Dannel Malloy's original "concession" plan.

This plan, which the union rejected for fear of being dumped into a single-payer system called Sustinet, would guarantee jobs for all state workers for four years, put off some raises for two years and do little to address the $65 billion unfunded pension and health care benefit liabilities to taxpayers.

Gov. Malloy sets off to Utah to be with fellow Governors who understand the real problem and probably lecture them on why his way is the best way to grow the economy. Malloy always seems to have an opinion about every one's business. He scolded Congress for not agreeing to an increase in the debt ceiling by urging members to "grow up."

I mean, what's then big deal anyway? What's another $4 trillion in receivables when you come right down to it.

And while Malloy was away, his able staff were morbidly announcing cuts in spending and personnel. But those "cuts" are merely notices to some 6,500 employees, who can still "bump" other employees due to seniority. And if you add state workers who are retiring anyway and jobs that are still vacant and not filled, it's maybe 4,000. Who knows? Who cares? It doesn't matter because it won't happen. Yet, the Democrats continue to go through this exercise as if it will and that is unfair to everyone. The only good outcome of all of this is it will irreparably divide the union for years.

These massive layoffs won't happen because the Lords of Labor will figure out how to recount the votes, or lower the threshold for passage. They can do that by changing the union by-laws. Under the old rules, 80 percent of union members who voted on the "concession" package, had to approve it. Only 57 percent did while 21,000 members said knet. By the way, has anyone seen or heard from AFL-CIO President John Olsen? Is he okay?

Once the unions come around and bend over, Malloy can say he stood tall, did what he had to do and got the result he wanted - $1.6 billion in savings and no disruption in state services. He will shrug when Republicans and those who reside in this universe that Malloy did all of this by pushing through the largest tax increase in Connecticut history.

And while the executive and judicial branches have at least gone through the motions to cut their budgets, the Legislative branch - those charged with the public purse - have no cut a penny from its bottom line. There has been no shared sacrifice from the Legislature. No one has given up a day's mileage, or part-timers in the mail room or a subscription to Legislature Today.

Again, those in the reality challenged community known as Hartford, have little clue or appreciation for the state of the economy in Connecticut. Malloy's laughable $60 million corporate bribe to CIGNA puts the final candle on the cake.

Isn't CIGNA one of those evil corporations the Democrats spend most of their waking hours deriding and claiming are living well while the rest of us are drowning in a Middle Class quagmire of stagnant incomes and lost opportunities? Shouldn't David Cordani, the CEO of CIGNA, be paying more in income tax to cover the needs of those who are looking for their next meal in dumpster.

Guess not or why would the state give CIGNA, a great company by the way, give CIGNA an interest free $15 million, another $6 million for "job training" with the rest coming in the form of tax credits for the promise of 200 jobs?

That same day, across the state in Groton, Electric Boat announced it was shedding 100 jobs for lack of work.

In Washington, President Obama complains that he would rather be "talking about new programs" than haggling over raising the debt limit. For once, Republicans have a better argument on spending. The country by a large, is done with it, even those programs that they like. They know a fiscal diet is needed and it has to start yesterday.

And while liberals in Washington are deriding any potential cuts in federal spending as a one-way ticket to cat food sandwiches for the elderly, the left in Connecticut has been mute when it comes to what Malloy is doing to state versions of big government.

Most telling is the Malloy administration's attempt to strip down and consolidate all of the good government oversight agencies and place them under one department head. Those commissions include Ethics, Elections and the Freedom of Information panel. These are the crown jewels of the liberal crown and not a word has been spoken by this power play.

It all depends of course, of who's in charge. For years, Democrat decried all attempts by Republican Governors to run the government once the Legislature had passed a budget. Since the unions nixed the deal, House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden and Senate President Don Williams, D-Brooklyn,have freely surrendered their duties to Gov. Malloy - hoping he would make it all go away.

For now, the Democrats hope the union leadership - already divided and under siege from its rank and file members, will make their problems go away by waiving off the reality at hand with a new outcome based on the realities at hand.

Some day, we will get real about this.

CT Post Picks Rob Russo in 22nd Special Election

With a week to go before the Special Election in the 22nd State Senate race in Bridgeport, Trumbull and Monroe, Republican Rob Russo picked up a big endorsement today by the Connecticut Post.

The Post wrote Sunday:

"The Connecticut Post endorses the candidacy of Robert D. Russo III for the seat. Russo possesses an energy and a modicum of "out-of-the-box" thinking that we believe is better suited to the district and its disparate communities and politics.

A former aide to U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-4, and regional office head for Gov. M. Jodi Rell, Russo possesses a firm and deep knowledge of the major issues in the district and at the state Capitol. He realizes the urgency of building bridges between the urban center and its neighboring suburbs.
We feel Russo is representative of a new breed of politicians that is willing to work across party lines to accomplish common goals and we particularly appreciated the recurring emphasis he's placed on state fiscal prudence during the campaign."

Remembering Bill Buckley

It is difficult for many to grasp the impact William F. Buckley had on the modern conservative movement and the political discourse of this country for the last 50 years.

Bill Buckley was the intellectual driving force that propelled Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan and then, Newt Gingrich. He gave many young conservatives and Republicans, like my father and his generation, the ability to stand up in a crowded room and say "yes, we are proud of what this country is and can be," and then took that emotion into elective politics at every level.

When he began his magazine, The National Review, in the mid 1950's, there was little conservative discourse in the halls of power or academia. Much of the Establishment viewed conservatives as lunatics, incapable of understanding the issues of the day or offering coherent solutions to them. Buckley changed all of that through persistence and a true belief in the power of freedom and individual initiative.

He was a writer of letters up to the time of his death, and his use of the English language was without peer. Buckley took on postwar liberalism and in a very short time, brought Conservative thought into practical application. Others can comment better on how it changed the course of human events.

Conservative principles brought this country back from the big government management model to the unlimited potential of the free market and roll back of the New Deal and Great Society. His uncompromising stands against totalitarian regimes and their appeasement led to an end to Communism. He defended Joe McCarthy when no one would, supported giving the Panama Canal to the Panamanians when the right thought him daft and threatened to take Gore Vidal to the parking lot at the 1968 convention.

Bill Buckley also became a writer of great spy novels and a chronicler of sailing, which he did with courage and grace. There was nothing he didn't do well. His sense of humour and loyalty to friends of all political stripes endured throughout his life.

He was above all, a true American, comfortable in his own class and not afraid to challenge the high priests of established conventional thought. As his son, Christopher said, "he died with his boots on," working on another column.

Like Reagan and Goldwater, there was no one like him but he maintain through it all a sense of humility and style that propels others to answer the call to action for years to come.

Go to the New Website

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Senator/Mayor Finch

After Senator Bill Finch was elected to be the Mayor of Bridgeport, most observers anticipated that Mr. Finch would resign his 22nd District seat - made up of a portion of Bridgeport, Trumbull, and Monroe - in the Connecticut State Senate. But much to their surprise, the Senator/Mayor let it be known that he was considering keeping both offices. This revelation is meeting with decidely less-than-remarkable enthusiasm in the "scorned towns" of Monroe and Trumbull.

The good people of Monroe are rightly protesting the Senator/Mayor's action:

"The resolution is being considered with full respect for Finch and the fine job he has done as senator, said Councilman Patrick O'Hara, a Republican who introduced the proposal . . .

"I don't think he can serve the needs of the largest city in Connecticut and serve the needs of the senatorial district as well," O'Hara said Friday."

Senator/Mayor Finch's actions have also had the additional effect of placing his constituents in an untenable position of opposing his actions at their own peril:

"But at least one council member thinks the resolution may be a bad idea because it has the potential to alienate Finch, a Democrat.

"I don't want to see him in two jobs," said council Chairwoman Enid Lipeles, another Republican.

"I don't think he has the right to be in two jobs, but I know this will alienate him when he finds out about it. It's a brand-new government and I don't want to alienate him. I know we're waiting for the courts to have an opinion.""

Any time a public servant's actions force his constituents to choose between opposing his actions at the risk of offending him and standing for their principles, that public servant should resign his office. Mr. Finch - pick one.

Roraback Streak Continues

From Capitol Watch:

"Republican Sen. Andrew Roraback has done it again.

He did not miss a single vote this year - marking the 13th straight year of never missing a vote.

That record covers six years in the House of Representatives and seven years in the Senate - something that no other current legislator has accomplished. The Senate clerk's office, which keeps the records, says that 628 votes were cast this year - and Roraback was present for each one.

"I feel fortunate that neither illness nor any other emergency has interfered with my ability to work'' on legislation, Roraback said.

The streak goes back to January 1995, covering nearly 6,400 votes."

Happy Friday Afternoon

We are Moving!!

After 7 months here at our Blogger-based home, The Everyday Republican will be moving our daily operations to our new address, www.everydayrepublican.com on Monday, December 10th, 2007.

Remember to update any bookmarks or RSS feeds that you may have.

Starting Monday, December 10th, we will be blogging at www.everydayrepublican.com. See you there.

A Date Which Will Live in Infamy

Franklin D. Roosevelt's Infamy Speech
December 8, 1941

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."

Thank You to the Troops

www.freedomwatch.org

Courant: Gaffey Should Be Censured

Today, the Hartford Courant issued an articulate, astonishing editorial on the recent conduct of State Sen. Thomas Gaffey, D-Meriden, saying he should be censured by his peers in the State Senate for failing to disclose a personal relationship which affected $1 billion in education spending.

Republicans should no longer whine and complain about how the Courant is indifferent to the actions of Democrats. At least in this case, the Courant has been thorough in its reporting and now, in its judgment.

"A Compromising Affair" sums up what Sen. Gaffey failed to do during the entire closed door debate and scheme to add $1 billion in state bonding spending on the Connecticut State University System (CSUS) which manages the operations of the four branch colleges of UConn.

In addition, the Courant said Gaffey should be removed from his position as Vice Chairman of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, which has oversight of spending on public colleges and universities.

"Mr. Gaffey's failure to disclose his relationship with Jill Ferraiolo, the assistant vice chancellor for governmental affairs, reflects poorly on his ethical judgment. It should also disqualify him from serving on the legislature's Committee on Higher Education and Employment Advancement, which oversees public and independent colleges and universities, including CSUS."

On Wednesday, Democrats in the Senate huddled in a closed-door meeting without staff at the State Capitol to discuss the Gaffey matter and to question the seven-term incumbent of the details. Sources said several Senators asked specific questions about the nature of Gaffey's role in negotiating the deal which moved $1 billion in spending onto the bonding package that passed the Senate, 24-12, along party lines.

Governor Rell vetoed the bonding proposal, citing excessive spending and a lack of fiscal controls on the CSUS proposal. State Sen. Joan Hartley, D-Waterbury, chairman of the Higher Education Committee, was never consulted on the proposal and vowed not to vote to override the veto until controls were implemented. Senate President Pro Tempore Don Williams, D-Brooklyn, then threatened Hartley with a loss of privileges, including her chairmanship. In the end, Hartley won out and Williams backed off. All the time, no one knew about Gaffey's relationship with the then married Ferraiolo.

State Sens. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk and Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford, were both quoted in the Wednesday Stamford Advocate as supportive of some form of review of Gaffey actions, but they were subsequently mum after the closed door meeting on Thursday.

Gaffey must have given them a convincing story.

Lt. Governor Fedele Drops In

Connecticut's Lt. Governor, Mike Fedele, has been featured in this space for his showing up in unlikely places before. But on Wednesday, rather than unsuspecting Democrats, Mr. Fedele dropped into the tiny town of Sprague to tell 8th grader Micala Smith that her drawing had been chosen as the LG's Holiday Card for Connecticut citizens in the Second Congressional District. Ms. Smith, of Baltic, submitted her drawing of a "Mystic holiday scene" for the Lt. Governor's Holiday Card Contest, which solicited art from schoolchildren across Connecticut for the Holiday Card.

According to the Norwich Bulletin article, Micala, 13, was quite surprised to learn that the Lt. Governor had arrived to see her, commenting, "Then my principal came in and said, 'The lieutenant governor is here,'" Smith said. "I said, 'Really?' It was a big shock. I had no idea".

Huckabee and Chuck Norris on Faith

New! The Everyday Republican

On Monday, December 10th, we will be moving our day-to-day operations to our new home, http://www.everydayrepublican.com/. The new site is now up and open to the public as we make some last minute tweaks to it. Feel free to check it out.

Again, we will be moving our daily operations to the new page on Monday, December 10th. Remember to change your bookmarks to the new address or grab the new RSS feed.

"Faith in America" by Gov. Mitt Romney

"Faith In America"
Remarks As Prepared For Delivery
The George Bush Presidential Library
College Station, Texas
December 6, 2007

"Thank you, Mr. President, for your kind introduction.

"It is an honor to be here today. This is an inspiring place because of you and the First Lady and because of the film exhibited across the way in the Presidential library. For those who have not seen it, it shows the President as a young pilot, shot down during the Second World War, being rescued from his life-raft by the crew of an American submarine. It is a moving reminder that when America has faced challenge and peril, Americans rise to the occasion, willing to risk their very lives to defend freedom and preserve our nation. We are in your debt. Thank you, Mr. President.

"Mr. President, your generation rose to the occasion, first to defeat Fascism and then to vanquish the Soviet Union. You left us, your children, a free and strong America. It is why we call yours the greatest generation. It is now my generation's turn. How we respond to today's challenges will define our generation. And it will determine what kind of America we will leave our children, and theirs.

"America faces a new generation of challenges. Radical violent Islam seeks to destroy us. An emerging China endeavors to surpass our economic leadership. And we are troubled at home by government overspending, overuse of foreign oil, and the breakdown of the family.

"Over the last year, we have embarked on a national debate on how best to preserve American leadership. Today, I wish to address a topic which I believe is fundamental to America's greatness: our religious liberty. I will also offer perspectives on how my own faith would inform my Presidency, if I were elected.

"There are some who may feel that religion is not a matter to be seriously considered in the context of the weighty threats that face us. If so, they are at odds with the nation's founders, for they, when our nation faced its greatest peril, sought the blessings of the Creator. And further, they discovered the essential connection between the survival of a free land and the protection of religious freedom. In John Adams' words: 'We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion... Our constitution was made for a moral and religious people.'

"Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom. Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone.

"Given our grand tradition of religious tolerance and liberty, some wonder whether there are any questions regarding an aspiring candidate's religion that are appropriate. I believe there are. And I will answer them today.

"Almost 50 years ago another candidate from Massachusetts explained that he was an American running for President, not a Catholic running for President. Like him, I am an American running for President. I do not define my candidacy by my religion. A person should not be elected because of his faith nor should he be rejected because of his faith.

"Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or of any other church for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions. Their authority is theirs, within the province of church affairs, and it ends where the affairs of the nation begin.

"As Governor, I tried to do the right as best I knew it, serving the law and answering to the Constitution. I did not confuse the particular teachings of my church with the obligations of the office and of the Constitution – and of course, I would not do so as President. I will put no doctrine of any church above the plain duties of the office and the sovereign authority of the law.

"As a young man, Lincoln described what he called America's 'political religion' – the commitment to defend the rule of law and the Constitution. When I place my hand on the Bible and take the oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God. If I am fortunate to become your President, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A President must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States.

"There are some for whom these commitments are not enough. They would prefer it if I would simply distance myself from my religion, say that it is more a tradition than my personal conviction, or disavow one or another of its precepts. That I will not do. I believe in my Mormon faith and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers – I will be true to them and to my beliefs.

"Some believe that such a confession of my faith will sink my candidacy. If they are right, so be it. But I think they underestimate the American people. Americans do not respect believers of convenience. Americans tire of those who would jettison their beliefs, even to gain the world.

"There is one fundamental question about which I often am asked. What do I believe about Jesus Christ? I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. My church's beliefs about Christ may not all be the same as those of other faiths. Each religion has its own unique doctrines and history. These are not bases for criticism but rather a test of our tolerance. Religious tolerance would be a shallow principle indeed if it were reserved only for faiths with which we agree.

"There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths.

"I believe that every faith I have encountered draws its adherents closer to God. And in every faith I have come to know, there are features I wish were in my own: I love the profound ceremony of the Catholic Mass, the approachability of God in the prayers of the Evangelicals, the tenderness of spirit among the Pentecostals, the confident independence of the Lutherans, the ancient traditions of the Jews, unchanged through the ages, and the commitment to frequent prayer of the Muslims. As I travel across the country and see our towns and cities, I am always moved by the many houses of worship with their steeples, all pointing to heaven, reminding us of the source of life's blessings.

"It is important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in America, we share a common creed of moral convictions. And where the affairs of our nation are concerned, it's usually a sound rule to focus on the latter – on the great moral principles that urge us all on a common course. Whether it was the cause of abolition, or civil rights, or the right to life itself, no movement of conscience can succeed in America that cannot speak to the convictions of religious people.

"We separate church and state affairs in this country, and for good reason. No religion should dictate to the state nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion. But in recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been taken by some well beyond its original meaning. They seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgment of God. Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life. It is as if they are intent on establishing a new religion in America – the religion of secularism. They are wrong.

"The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square. We are a nation 'Under God' and in God, we do indeed trust.

"We should acknowledge the Creator as did the Founders – in ceremony and word. He should remain on our currency, in our pledge, in the teaching of our history, and during the holiday season, nativity scenes and menorahs should be welcome in our public places. Our greatness would not long endure without judges who respect the foundation of faith upon which our constitution rests. I will take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from 'the God who gave us liberty.'

"Nor would I separate us from our religious heritage. Perhaps the most important question to ask a person of faith who seeks a political office, is this: does he share these American values: the equality of human kind, the obligation to serve one another, and a steadfast commitment to liberty?

"They are not unique to any one denomination. They belong to the great moral inheritance we hold in common. They are the firm ground on which Americans of different faiths meet and stand as a nation, united.

"We believe that every single human being is a child of God – we are all part of the human family. The conviction of the inherent and inalienable worth of every life is still the most revolutionary political proposition ever advanced. John Adams put it that we are 'thrown into the world all equal and alike.'

"The consequence of our common humanity is our responsibility to one another, to our fellow Americans foremost, but also to every child of God. It is an obligation which is fulfilled by Americans every day, here and across the globe, without regard to creed or race or nationality.

"Americans acknowledge that liberty is a gift of God, not an indulgence of government. No people in the history of the world have sacrificed as much for liberty. The lives of hundreds of thousands of America's sons and daughters were laid down during the last century to preserve freedom, for us and for freedom loving people throughout the world. America took nothing from that Century's terrible wars – no land from Germany or Japan or Korea; no treasure; no oath of fealty. America's resolve in the defense of liberty has been tested time and again. It has not been found wanting, nor must it ever be. America must never falter in holding high the banner of freedom.

"These American values, this great moral heritage, is shared and lived in my religion as it is in yours. I was taught in my home to honor God and love my neighbor. I saw my father march with Martin Luther King. I saw my parents provide compassionate care to others, in personal ways to people nearby, and in just as consequential ways in leading national volunteer movements. I am moved by the Lord's words: 'For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me...'

"My faith is grounded on these truths. You can witness them in Ann and my marriage and in our family. We are a long way from perfect and we have surely stumbled along the way, but our aspirations, our values, are the self-same as those from the other faiths that stand upon this common foundation. And these convictions will indeed inform my presidency.

"Today's generations of Americans have always known religious liberty. Perhaps we forget the long and arduous path our nation's forbearers took to achieve it. They came here from England to seek freedom of religion. But upon finding it for themselves, they at first denied it to others. Because of their diverse beliefs, Ann Hutchinson was exiled from Massachusetts Bay, a banished Roger Williams founded Rhode Island, and two centuries later, Brigham Young set out for the West. Americans were unable to accommodate their commitment to their own faith with an appreciation for the convictions of others to different faiths. In this, they were very much like those of the European nations they had left.

"It was in Philadelphia that our founding fathers defined a revolutionary vision of liberty, grounded on self evident truths about the equality of all, and the inalienable rights with which each is endowed by his Creator.

"We cherish these sacred rights, and secure them in our Constitutional order. Foremost do we protect religious liberty, not as a matter of policy but as a matter of right. There will be no established church, and we are guaranteed the free exercise of our religion.

"I'm not sure that we fully appreciate the profound implications of our tradition of religious liberty. I have visited many of the magnificent cathedrals in Europe. They are so inspired ... so grand ... so empty. Raised up over generations, long ago, so many of the cathedrals now stand as the postcard backdrop to societies just too busy or too 'enlightened' to venture inside and kneel in prayer. The establishment of state religions in Europe did no favor to Europe's churches. And though you will find many people of strong faith there, the churches themselves seem to be withering away.

"Infinitely worse is the other extreme, the creed of conversion by conquest: violent Jihad, murder as martyrdom... killing Christians, Jews, and Muslims with equal indifference. These radical Islamists do their preaching not by reason or example, but in the coercion of minds and the shedding of blood. We face no greater danger today than theocratic tyranny, and the boundless suffering these states and groups could inflict if given the chance.

"The diversity of our cultural expression, and the vibrancy of our religious dialogue, has kept America in the forefront of civilized nations even as others regard religious freedom as something to be destroyed.

"In such a world, we can be deeply thankful that we live in a land where reason and religion are friends and allies in the cause of liberty, joined against the evils and dangers of the day. And you can be certain of this: Any believer in religious freedom, any person who has knelt in prayer to the Almighty, has a friend and ally in me. And so it is for hundreds of millions of our countrymen: we do not insist on a single strain of religion – rather, we welcome our nation's symphony of faith.

"Recall the early days of the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia, during the fall of 1774. With Boston occupied by British troops, there were rumors of imminent hostilities and fears of an impending war. In this time of peril, someone suggested that they pray. But there were objections. 'They were too divided in religious sentiments', what with Episcopalians and Quakers, Anabaptists and Congregationalists, Presbyterians and Catholics.

"Then Sam Adams rose, and said he would hear a prayer from anyone of piety and good character, as long as they were a patriot.

"And so together they prayed, and together they fought, and together, by the grace of God ... they founded this great nation.

"In that spirit, let us give thanks to the divine 'author of liberty.' And together, let us pray that this land may always be blessed, 'with freedom's holy light.'

"God bless the United States of America."

"Faith in America" Thursday 10:30am

With his poll numbers stagnant and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee on the rise in Iowa and national polls, the long anticipated Romney "religious issue" speech is finally going to happen. Apparently unfazed by the Kennedy parallels, Romney will be in Texas at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library tomorrow to give a speech the Romney campaign has (creatively) dubbed "Faith in America".

It appears as though the Romney folks have a great deal riding on tomorrow's speech, having done a full week worth of buildup and will even be live streaming the event on their website, (creatively dubbed) www.mittromney.com . With so much at stake at such a critical time, many are speculating what Mr. Romney will say in his personally-written speech.

The reality is despite Romney's well-financed efforts in Iowa and New Hampshire, the so-called "Huckaboom" has certainly spooked the high command of the Romney effort. Mr. Huckabee has, according to the tracking at Real Clear Politics, has climbed from fourth to first in the space of roughly six weeks in Iowa polling. The Speech, as they say, certainly has the hallmarks of a "do or die" gamble from Mr. Romney. After the widespread hype, anything less than JFK redux may put the former Massachusetts' Governor's campaign into freefall. And even then, with the expectations bar so high, it is difficult to fathom the benefits to meeting or (how is this even possible?) exceeding them.

Whatever the result, tune into www.mittromney.com tomorrow at 10:30am to see "Faith in America" as it happens.

Big Boy on the Hot Seat

State Sens. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, and Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford have broken from their Democratic delegation, now calling for a review of Sen. Thomas Gaffey's action over a $1 billion bonding proposal.

In today's Stamford Adovcate, Duff said the following:

"If any of what has been published is true, then we do need to investigate. It just opens up a lot of questions."

And McDonald, who is fighting Gaffey for the a future shot at Majority Leader, also landed on the Gaff.

State Sen. Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford, said he wants to hear more of Gaffey's side of the story.


"I think there are legitimate questions," McDonald said. He added, although he might still have voted for the CSU plan knowing of Gaffey's relationship with Ferraiolo,"it would have heightened everybody's scrutiny of the project.

Coming Soon: www.EverydayRepublican.com

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Rob Kane, Republican Nominee for the 32nd District

Robert J. Kane, of Watertown, was nominated last night to be the Republican candidate for the 32nd Senate seat, now vacated after the resignation of Lou DeLuca. He won the nomination at the 32nd District Convention last night, winning a narrow 34-30 vote over State Representative Art O'Neill (R-69th).

Mr. Kane has been active in his hometown of Watertown for years now, having served on the Town Council for three terms and just elected to his fourth in at the beginning of November. He was the Chairman of the Town Council from 2005-2007. A graduate of Central Connecticut State University, Mr. Kane founded KarTele in 1994 at 511 Wolcott Street, Waterbury. He has been honored with the 1999 Malcolm Baldridge Award for Volunteerism and the Harold Webster Smith Small Business of the Year Award in 2004 by the Waterbury Regional Chamber. He is a former board member of the United Way - Waterbury Association for Retarded Citizens. His wife, Marcy Kane Ph.D., is the 2006 Board of Directors Vice President.

Mr. and Mrs. Kane have two children, Aidan and Deana.