Category Archives: State Politics

Politics, Recent Articles, State Politics

CA Recalls: Why Davis and Not Newsom

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September 22, 2021

Written by Juliana Simone

The reason why Gray Davis lost his seat as Governor in 2003 when voters said yes to his recall, and why Gavin Newsom kept his seat as Governor in 2021 comes down to three things. They’re really quite basic.

First and foremost is the mere factor of time. Almost two decades have passed and in CA, where the liberal legislative majority rules the once Golden State, spoon fed voters young and old have by majority bought into their rhetoric in terms of what is good and what is bad for our country and California. Little to none is true, but nevertheless, the daily messaging has taken hold. The people who live there are ripe for this pablum, having lived there myself for over a decade, and their majority vote should not be surprising to Americans. Unlike many commentators’ thoughts I read after the results, as much as I understood their negative remarks against Californians, such as, “you’ll get what you ask for,” I don’t agree as I feel for the many people there who don’t want these people in office and want to see their state turn around for the better. Geographical red/blue maps post elections show much of CA is conservative or Republican but they can’t win over the massive numbers of the liberal southern and northern hubs.

Secondly, syndicated conservative radio host, Larry Elder, the favorable opponent to Newsom in the September 14th recall vote, is an admirable and accomplished Black man, but not in the right Party as a Republican. Ask the brilliant Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, or his predecessor Thurgood Marshall; Accomplished former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Gifted Neurosurgeon Ben Carson; U.S Senator Tim Scott (R-SC). The list is long, actually. All of these amazing people would be lauded 24/7 by the mainstream media and the left, if they only had a D by their name and ran as democrats.

Third and last, Newsom is part of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s cartel, and she made clear in a public appearance that she supported her nephew-through-marriage the evening before the recall vote. This is no small thing in California as politics go. With no lauds available for Newsom on September 13th, the last day for pro get out the vote speeches for the unpopular Governor, as he has created such a large exodus from the state they lost a Congressional seat in re a reduction of population, all the liberals from President Biden to Vice President Harris who flew out there to save him could say about why the people of California should vote for him, was…wait for it…he’s not Trump! Ah, the go-to mantra for the left when another unimpressive failing candidate who has no merits or record to stand on needs something – anything – for why they should be elected. In California, the anti-Trump rhetoric works well enough to get even the most shameful people into office. Fortunately for the rest of America, that’s not the case almost anywhere else, as we all know.

What I admire about Larry Elder, aside from his coming out of South Central Los Angeles to graduate from Brown University and the University of Michigan to then practice law for ten years before his becoming a radio talk show host, is his concession speech. He closed saying , “We may have lost the battle, but we sure as hell are going to win the war.” That is the spirit, gumption and tenacity needed.

Concession speech:

https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/larry-elder-speech-transcript-after-california-recall-election

{Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG}

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Politics, State Politics

Californians: Vote For Larry Elder For Governor

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Elect Larry Elder for Governor of California Campaign Sign

September 13, 2021

Written by Juliana Simone

Like many Americans are thinking tonight, the hope is that Californians recognize what a dire state they are living in under sitting democrat Gavin Newsom and will vote for Larry Elder tomorrow on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. The vote should be unanimously in favor of Elder who would have a strong chance of finally turning the largest state in America in a positive direction and bringing it back to its once golden status. California was a state people dreamed of going to and traveled far to get there to put down stakes and make a successful life for themselves and their future generations.

Under democrat leadership, it’s whittled away to near ruin and drove away many of those born and raised residents to new homes in other states. California is the only place with such a high declining population as people flee from the many and exorbitant taxes, weak illegal immigration policies, skyrocketing crime and homeless rates and an overbearing big government for greener pastures anywhere else regardless of direction. So much so they lost a congressional seat this year.

Newsom personifies all that is negative about California with his reckless spending, liberal legislation, and clueless personal mindset that makes him blind to how the people he represents as Governor live under his rule while he lives above it all flitting from one fun event to another in privileged seclusion from the sad reality all around him. Like most left leaning politicians, his private security detail keeps him away from the violence others have to deal with every day in California, so reducing the police forces that keep his people safe and restricting gun ownership for citizens self-protection seem like fine ideas. His list of failures as the head of this once fine state is long, and it’s why over two million people signed the petition to recall him from office.

The vote is tomorrow for those who still vote the real way, in person. Let’s hope there are a lot of voters who still plan on filling out their ballots in their local polling places, since mail in ballots clearly lose their way or end up counted or uncounted in mysterious ways. There is a news story that’s been out for a few weeks that the vote by mail ballots have been printed in such a way that there is a keyhole type punch on the back of the envelopes that will show if the voter voted for Newsom or not. Unbelievable but if this is still the fact, why was it allowed? Republicans are also reporting they’ve been told that they’ve already voted, when they in fact have not, so the fix is already in as far as democrats and Newsom are concerned.

What they perhaps don’t understand is how many people don’t want Newsom as their Governor anymore and don’t like the liberal policies being shoved down their throats statewide and federally. Perhaps there will be enough fed up Californians regardless of party affiliation or background, to overcome any potential fraud and send the man ruining their state packing. Gavin will be fine. More time to dine at The French Laundry and no one will care he’s not wearing a mask despite his mandate.

Perhaps they’ll elect Larry Elder who, as the mainstream media keeps failing to mention as he’s in the wrong party as a Republican, would be the first Black American to be the Governor of California. A long serving career conservative talk radio host, his fiscal policies would right the state economically. His values would reduce the growing crime wave and make streets and homes safe again. His life travels from growing up in a tough neighborhood in southern Los Angeles to become a successful businessman would focus on education opportunities for those who now find learning impossible. His turning the state around in a positive direction might even bring back some of the native Californians who felt they had no choice but to leave taking their families, businesses and needed taxes with them.

Larry Elder, who’s had to deal with physical threats and harassment while campaigning without a peep of outrage from the typically vocal media, has shown his strengths throughout this unfair negative barrage. How he’s dealt with all of this, except for the conservative outlets that exist for the millions of people who fight for patriotism and love of Country, shows the volume of personal convictions and inner self guidance he possesses. These qualities are what make someone a great leader. 

Living there twelve and a half years over three decades, many people I knew signed the petition for Gray Davis to be recalled at the time including myself. California is special in that it even gives voters this option. Not all states do. Twenty do altogether with different provisions. I wish I could cast my vote for Larry Elder tomorrow. Even though I haven’t lived there in well over a decade, perhaps I already did unbeknownst to me.

Federal Politics, State Politics

Georgia Six – Handel Wins Easily

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Written by Juliana Simone

No surprise for anyone who understands politics, Republican Congressional candidate in the sixth district of the state of Georgia, Karen Handel, won handily tonight by four to five percent, or thirteen thousand votes. This district, most importantly on the map because it was former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s district, showed despite the demographics changing here with more democrats moving out of Atlanta into the suburbs, Georgians still stay true to their beliefs in what America is and still should be today.

Democrats put this race on a historic map in spending over fifty million dollars donated almost solely from out of state sources – the usual suspects – liberals from Hollywood, George Soros PAC’s and former supporters of Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, who both lost big to President Donald J. Trump in the presidential election 2016.

Losing to Handel, was a young former democrat aide, Jon Ossoff. Even with the monumental amount of money donated to him, the most in American history, he failed to give the democrats in the White House and their voters across the country the results they thought they could buy. Ouch. Another example that money can’t buy an election. Liberals and the mainstream media hoped to once again use this election as an example that American’s regretted voting for President Trump and this was a positive indicator Democrat’s would regain majority rule over the House in Washington, D.C. in 2018.

Congratulations to Karen Handel, Congresswoman Karen Handel (GA-6), the RNC, the GA State GOP and all voters who cared about the future of their country from Georgia.

Federal Politics, Recent Articles, State Politics

The Last Gasp for Democrat Party Proof Voters Regret Trump Presidency

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UPDATE: The numbers: Though the promoted Democrat candidate in the Georgia Congressional special election received the most votes cast at 92, 390 votes which gave him 48.1%, again, short of the 50% plus one to avoid a runoff for the House seat, the other four democrat candidates combined only earned 1,521 more making a total of 93,911 votes cast for Democrats, adding an extra .9% to their party total, or 49%. With eleven Republicans appearing on the ballot, splitting their numbers widely among voters who vote Republican, the winning candidate earning the most among them, Karen Handel, receiving 37, 993 and 19.8%, the other ten candidates received 60,004 more votes making a total of 97,997 votes cast for Republicans, adding an extra 31.2% to their party total, or 51%. The two Independents on the ballot earned 176 votes together. These numbers and the history of the district show in the upcoming runoff, Handel will keep the seat Republican. Long pocketed liberals and democrats who care to send more millions to Ossoff, in hopes for an upset can do so, but they shouldn’t bet the house on it.

UPDATE:  Results from Tuesday’s Special Election congressional race in Georgia’s sixth district, have the left in the media narrating today Jon Ossoff’s failure to win the seat last night as a big success. Unable to achieve the necessary fifty percent plus one to avoid a runoff against the Republican challenger who garnered the highest percent out of eleven candidates competing on the ballot, he now will face another election day on June 20th with former Secretary of the State, Republican Karen Handel.

Republican candidate for U.S. House of Representatives Karen Handel (GA-6)

Only the left could skew the fact that Ossoff, despite an astounding cache of eight million dollars in his campaign treasure chest and a divided Republican ticket that gave voters eleven different choices on who to vote for in the Republican Party, somehow was victorious yesterday because he almost reached the needed fifty percent, coming in with 48%. If a candidate has eight million dollars, an out pour of support nationwide from Democrat and liberal advocates, celebrity endorsements and no direct competition in terms of a one-on-one race in a very Republican district and can’t bring in a win, that’s pretty bad. Quite a loss, actually. Handel campaigned with a mere seventy-five thousand.

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Returning numbers show Ossoff failed to win the popular vote, as well.

Update: Networks Reporting Democrats Feeling Good About Tonight’s Georgia Special Election Results

With 95% of Ossoff’s contributions coming from out of state, results will determine if elections can be be bought regardless of voter registration percentages or candidate experience. Ossoff has raised over eight million dollars for his first foray into any elected official status with an eighth of that total alone belonging to the Daily Kos, a liberal advocacy site.

Written by Juliana Simone

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The big political story today is the special election race in the state of Georgia’s U.S. Congressional district six. With polls about to close, and voter fraud nothing new in this country, regardless of any denial by those who commit it or the mainstream media who continue the regular narration that this is not true, unless it benefits those they support, the country will see tonight why and how elections are won in politics.

This long held Republican seat has been held for decades since conservative and long-serving Republican Party veteran, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, won in 1978. The seat was vacated when President Donald J. Trump made the current now former Congressman Tom Price his Health and Human Services Secretary.

Democrat leadership and their followers who still wake in a state of disbelief that President Trump won in November 2016 in such a large way he carried multiple states that have traditionally voted blue or democrat, to the point their party candidates don’t even have to put much campaigning time on their calendars for those areas. They somehow still perceive American’s who voted for Trump realize now the mistake they’ve made and would rush back into the voting booth to vote for Hillary Clinton, and still fail to recognize why Mrs. Clinton was a terrible candidate.

The glimmer of hope for Democrats both nationwide and statewide, is the fact that Clinton only lost to Trump by a little over one percent in November in this district. Democrats like to believe this is because the long held Republican voters here actually thought Clinton would be a better choice than Trump. Conservatives in the Republican Party believe Trump was perhaps too moderate for voters and stayed home giving Clinton a seemingly false advantage in final results.

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These statistics have given Democrats in power reason to flush the district with enormous amounts of money to support their candidate, Jon Ossoff, who has held no former political office and does not even technically live in the district.  In their vision, this would show America that the tide is turning their way.

Ossoff, a former congressional aide who now makes documentary films, needs fifty percent plus one to win this evening without a runoff. The customarily held turnout for Democrats will be their usual lemmings-to-the-cliff call to action, where they will all for one vote for the thirty year old Ossoff, who they have chosen over four other party contenders.

Republicans on the other hand, do their usual divide rather than unite act, which is really the only reason this seat is in contention at all. It’s unfortunate Georgia GOP State Chair, John Padgett, was unable to do a better job of uniting his party and multiple contenders behind one candidate to make a solid victory easy. Eleven GOP members are on the ballot none willing to step down for the arguably best candidate to win. This leaves a fractured vote from their caucus, however strong, to insure Ossoff wins less than fifty percent tonight.

This contest has led to President Trump using his Twitter account to make Get Out The Vote Tweets on the Republican side, to film actor (Samuel Jackson “Pulp Fiction”) making a radio ad to fellow democrats to not stay home on Election Day and help get rid of Trump.

Former Congressman Price won with a whopping 24% lead over his opposition last cycle.

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Tom Price

Political analysts believe if somehow enough Republicans vote for one or two preferred candidates in their party, the runoff which would be held on June 20th, would most likely ensure this district stays red, or in Republican leadership, despite how many tens of thousands or more are pumped into the race before voting day

Federal Politics, Politics, Recent Articles, State Politics

Post-Election Day “Conservative Chat” With Columnist Don Pesci: Video Link

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Connecticut columnist Don Pesci and Barkhamsted RTC Chair Juliana Simone on set of “Conservative Chat” – a half-hour political interview show in it’s 12th year.

The day after Election Day, November 8th, 2016, Connecticut’s veteran columnist, Don Pesci, and Barkhamsted Republican Town Committee Chair and political commentator, Juliana Simone, discuss this past election, Election Day results, national and state, the media and its role in the election, our next President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, the post- Election Day speeches of House Speaker Paul Ryan, losing democrat candidate Hillary Clinton, President Obama, a quick pick choice for Trump’s cabinet, and more! 

Juliana Simone has hosted this half-hour political interview program since December of 2005, has worked on federal and state campaigns, reported from national venues such as CPAC and the Southern Republican Leadership Conference as a writer, ran for the Connecticut House of Representatives in 2006 and worked for the Connecticut House Republicans.  

For more from Don Pesci, who has a long and impressive history himself, visit his blog: Connecticut Commentary: Red Notes From A Blue State. Don and Juliana have taped many episodes of “Conservative Chat” together and will continue to do more. 

Video link to this show: https://communityaccesstv.viebit.com/player.php?hash=c4LOayy2eM8K

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Connecticut political commentator’s Don Pesci and Juliana Simone in 2015.

Federal Politics, Recent Articles, State Politics

“CONSERVATIVE CHAT” CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE MATTHEW COREY (CT-1) ONLINE LINK

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Congressional candidate Matthew Corey (CT-1) and Barkhamsted Chair and Host of "Conservative Chat" in its eleventh year of political interviews.
Congressional candidate Matthew Corey (CT-1) and Barkhamsted Chair and Host of “Conservative Chat” in its eleventh year of political interviews.

 

Written by Juliana Simone

“Conservative Chat” – a show brought to the public from the Barkhamsted Republican Town Committee which airs in six local district towns, Thursdays at 7PM, on Charter cable channel 191, is uplinked online the following week of the original broadcast, at http://www.ctv13.net

This latest episode features First Congressional Republican candidate, Matthew Corey, as he challenges the entrenched democrat opponent, who has been in Washington since 1999.

Mr. Larson, is still perceived by some voters as a moderate democrat, but he left that group far behind many terms ago. A higher up in his caucus leadership, he has been in lockstep with liberal, Nancy Pelosi (CA-12 ),  both when she had the title of House Majority Leader and now House Minority Leader.

In this latest program, Corey and Simone talk about the many issues the democrat’s under President Obama’s two terms, that have harmed our country, our military, our values and overall view of America across the world – from both our allies and enemies.

Candidate Matthew Corey, a hard working small business owner who has invested in Hartford, owns both a skyscraper window cleaning business and a tavern. Clear on policy, he makes many comments in this show that cover everything from the failed program of Obamacare, the immense national debt the Connecticut federal democrat incumbents never address, the excessive taxation the democrats have also burdened our citizens with on whatever income level, and Donald Trump, and what in his view, are his best policy plans if elected.

This program will repeat on Thursday, 9/22/16 at 7PM Charter cable 191. For those not in the viewing area, this program can be seen online: on www.ctv13.net  –https://communityaccesstv.viebit.com/vod/?v=WPoSvM0AP01E&s=false

 

Recent Articles, State Politics

CT State Senate Minority Leader Fasano: Forum: Time to create business opportunity for all, not just the privileged few

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SenateMinorityLeaderLenFasanoHeader

For years, Connecticut Republicans have called for policy changes to reduce business burdens. The less you tax a business, the more capital it will have to invest in growing services and jobs. That growth translates to more funding for the state through sales tax revenue, income tax generation, and individuals investing in their local economies.

The Democrats’ recent publicizing of job growth and potential benefits of the First Five Plus Program actually amplifies the Republican philosophy of reducing burdens to create a more vibrant economy. However, the big difference is that the Democrats have instead pursued a strategy of picking winners and losers, reducing the burdens of a select few through tax credits and grants while increasing burdens on the rest of the state to pay for their choices.

In the typical hypocritical style of the Democratic majority, while promoting the First Five program they also argue that businesses need to pay more in taxes to make up their ‘fair share.’

Rather than reducing burdens on all businesses and allowing everyone the same opportunity to grow and keep revenue, Democrats want only those companies that they select to get special treatment. As a result everyone else pays more for those few. The logic is baffling and boarders on insanity.

Republicans have a different vision. We believe in creating an economy that incentives development by reducing burdens for everyone and moving government out of the way. We need to give every business large and small the same advantage. We have to show job creators that our state is dedicated to helping them succeed, not squeezing them for every penny.

To do this, we have to create new opportunities. We need to stimulate the economy by reducing taxes on businesses and individuals. We need to forge partnerships between new businesses and local schools to create the best trained workforces possible with curriculums tailored to local business needs. We must encourage businesses to breathe life into our cities through a tax exemption program open to any business capable of committing to brownfield redevelopment. We need to create a stable and predictable government so that employers don’t have to worry about what new taxes they might get hit with in a bad budget year.

While many Republicans initially voted in support of the Democrat majority’s First Five legislation, it has morphed into something we never envisioned, which is why we have demanded more accountability for years. We sought to require legislative approval for each participating company and we opposed the inclusion of certain businesses, such as the world’s largest hedge fund. But our protests were ignored by Democrats, and now the program has added a damaging amount of debt to our state placing more burdens on our families and children.

The true absurdity is that to defend their over sized program, Democrats are now latching on to the very argument they have shunned for years: in order to grow our economy, we have to reduce taxes, infuse capital and encourage businesses to flourish. But this rhetoric clashes with their calls for businesses to pay more, with their burdensome business policies, and with the insults Democrats have lobbed at businesses who dare to question state budgets that starve businesses of much needed capital.

Over the past two years, we have seen Democrats call business complaints about being overtaxed “overblown” and “childish.” We’ve heard them mock GE to the point where they up and left. We’ve watched them pass budgets that ignored the concerns of job creators. That’s not how you grow jobs.

Republicans believe that by decreasing the financial and regulatory restraints on employers large and small we can foster sustainable economic growth and job creation. Democrats may finally be seeing the value in that message for those businesses they want to help, but their approach forces more tax increases on all the rest of us. It adds to the problem. Picking winners and losers is no long-term solution.

Len Fasano (R-34) serves as Senate Minority Leader and represents the towns of North Haven, East Haven, Wallingford & Durham.

{Op-ed by Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano as it appeared in the New Haven Register }

Federal Politics, Recent Articles, State Politics

Trump Rally in Connecticut: Huge and Electric

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Republican President Nominee Donald Trump in Fairfield, CT {photo: CT Mirror}

August 13, 2016

Written by Juliana Simone

 

Fairfield, CT – Even in what is considered a blue state, actions (massive crowds attending Trump events) speak louder than words (Mainstream media coverage of Trump events and all things Republican). Saturday evening’s rally in the William H. Pitt Center at Sacred Heart University was another illustration of this phenomena. With notices to potential attendees that there was a capacity limit of 4,500 people in this room required by the fire marshal, the response was huge. Doors opened at 4:30 in the afternoon to assure seats to the general public who wanted to see the Republican nominee live, even though he wasn’t scheduled to appear until 7:30PM. Like all Trump appearances, the bold candidate met the limit easily and left many outside who could not enter, but were able to hear his address outside.

Taking the stage a half hour past his designated time, the crowd was still revved up to hear Mr. Trump even with temperatures above one hundred degrees in the designated space. A few devotees, who must have been there for hours, had to be taken out with help from the uniformed officers on hand, due to heat exhaustion. That said, as someone who has covered national, state and municipal events for years, there was an amazing myriad of combined supporters who came to see Donald J. Trump speak.

Few groups were unrepresented. All understood how vital this election in November is and what it means in terms of the future of our country and its success…

Businessman Donald Trump, couldn’t have looked more perfect – like a million dollars – no pun intended. Suit – perfect. Hair – perfect. Confidence – perfect. Message – perfect. Delivery – perfect. Though he primarily stayed on issue, he did deviate to remind his audience how horrible our Governor and state of affairs in Connecticut were, with our long standing statistics of being first in the highest taxes in the union, last in job/business growth, etc. He even remarked how Connecticut residents were all trapped here, since our houses can’t be sold as no one wants to move here, or houses were foreclosing due to lack of employment, or if willing to sell one’s house for much less than it was worth, one could leave at a loss.

He mused over Governor Malloy trolling for a job in D.C. if Hillary Clinton somehow, unimaginably, gets elected, despite all of her corruption, scandals, lies and crimes. Connecticut democrats met on Friday for a press conference to stipulate why Trump was so wrong for the state of Connecticut, when everything the state believed in was the opposite.

The democrat public appearance was amusing in that it made many residents say, Yes! Exactly! This is why we want to vote for Donald Trump! He is the opposite of the democrat majority in the Connecticut General Assembly and everything this party has instilled upon its residents.

Republican President Nominee Donald Trump spoke for around an hour and fifteen minutes. He recited most of his campaign policies which were met with cheers and chants from the audience whenever he hit a nerve. Immigration? Crowd: “Build the wall!” Hillary? “Lock her up!” Nationalism? “USA!”

Holding up a printed sign of how much his democrat opponent, Clinton, had received in campaign contributions from hedge funders vs. himself, with Clinton at over 48 million dollars, and Trump at 19 thousand dollars, he remarked how he could have chosen to use an unflattering photo of Hillary in this promotional piece, as his campaign preferred, but chose to take the higher road, and use an attractive picture of his opponent. He added Hillary’s campaign used horrible photos of him all the time, but it was more important for him to show the facts.

Trump also made it clear how much he disliked the press, and who largely are in the pocket for Hillary Clinton, despite how horrible a candidate she is. He noted whenever the cameras went on or off from the press, they were turned off when he had a rousing positive response, they did not record the size of the crowd, and they went on if one of maybe three protesters failed miserably in their duty, but made a noise before being escorted out.

He deduced that the New York Times was basically just short of going out of business and how in their constant attacks about Trump, their sources were always anonymous – in his view, not even real. He did give some credit to the Washington Post, another arm for the left, for being a little nicer to him these days.

He gave a shout out to the Connecticut Republican Party’s biggest and most consistent donator, WWE’s Linda McMahon, to former GE executive John H. Myers, who he cited as an example of someone whose company had to leave the state like so many other businesses due to exorbitant taxes, to our state chair and to all attendees as to why they needed to vote for him if they wanted jobs and business to return to Connecticut.

A true gentleman, he stayed an extra fifteen or twenty minutes after concluding his speech to shake hands or sign autographs with his fans. He promised to return to Connecticut again before Election Day.

Lightning was fierce for attendees leaving the event. Officials requested that the crowd stay indoors until the storm passed but many chose to leave after stifling hours of heat. Donald Trump clearly brought real electricity this evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal Politics, Recent Articles, State Politics

Connecticut Republican Delegation At Ohio Convention All In For Trump

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Written by Juliana Simone

 

Speaking with the Connecticut Republican State Party Chairman J.R. Romano yesterday morning from his hotel room in Cleveland, the Republican Chairman who is serving his first term, when asked how the convention was going, said, “It’s been tremendous. The first night was outstanding.” He added all of the 125 delegates from Connecticut were very happy to be there.

Romano is one of the three super delegates of the twenty-eight given to this New England state. The other two are Republican National Committeewoman Pat Longo and and Republican National Committeeman John Frey for the state of Connecticut.

Veteran Connecticut Republican National Committeewoman Pat Longo in Ohio at 2016 convention with friend Ben Proto.
Veteran Connecticut Republican National Committeewoman Pat Longo in Ohio at 2016 convention with friend Ben Proto.

Longo, a veteran member of the GOP who’s served under a variety of titles, is attending the 2016 national convention for the last time in this role. Leora Levy was elected earlier this year by State Central members to be Longo’s replacement in the RNC upon her retirement.

Frey, (R-111) is a state representative in the Connecticut General Assembly, serving his ninth term for the town of Ridgefield. He was appointed by RNC Chairman, Reince Preibus, to be one of three Sergeant-at-Arms, where his job will be to help keep order within the convention.

CT State Rep. John Frey at the 2016 convention in Ohio.
CT State Rep. John Frey at the 2016 convention in Ohio.

In the Connecticut presidential primary, Republicans voted big for the New York businessman Donald J. Trump, with 57.9% and 123, 367 votes. Ohio Governor, John Kasich, came in a distant second with 28.4% and 60, 481 votes. Third place went to Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, with 11.7% and 24,969 votes. Connecticut Republicans backed Trump and after his strong finish were always clear they would give all of their delegate votes to the candidate their party members strongly preferred.

After an exhilarating opening Monday night at the convention that was filled with moving and passionate speeches made by the nights speakers, the Connecticut Party Chair when asked what his favorite moments were from last night, answered, “Marcus Luttrell.” The former Navy Seal known as “The Lone Survivor,” going off teleprompter, gave a heartfelt call to action to attendees and viewers from the next generation for heroes to step up and fight the war that is already here.

Romano continued with his thoughts and said he teared up during the time the mother of the son killed in Benghazi was on stage (Patricia Smith), but even sadder to him were the parents who all lost loved ones who were killed by illegals in our country, even if deported on prior occasions. He said as sad as the stories of the losses were within the military families, they sign up to do this. They know this is a possibility. “When I heard about the 17 year old boy on his cell phone…when you hear this, you feel helpless.”

The father, Jamiel Shaw, was on the phone with his son at the moment he was shot in Los Angeles by an undocumented gang member who mistook his son for a rival gang member because of his Spider-man back pack. Shaw told the convention, “My son’s life didn’t matter.” He said, “when they heard it was an illegal alien, they stopped calling.” Shaw went on to say only Donald Trump called him after this to offer his help.

In terms of the mainstream media’s and its predictable biased coverage of the Republican event, Romano observed, “The only thing the media is focused on is discrediting the Republican Party and making us not look unified.”

When asked about the unexpected spotlight on Trump’s wife, Melania, that the media took to this morning as their major talking point, in that she repeated a couple of lines current First Lady, Michelle Obama, used in her convention speech, Romano broke down the liberal narrative being broadcast today. In terms of this subject, their focus is “fifty word vs. email scandal; fifty words vs. national security; fifty words vs. terrorist bombings.”

He found their continued censorship of damaging news stories against the democrat nominee-to-be, former First Lady/New York U.S. Senator/2008 Democrat Presidential candidate/Secretary of State with her multitude of scandals and lies were illustrated more today with making such a small subject out of Melania’s speech their top news story.

 

In terms of predictions, Chair J.R. Romano has a positive view. He said, “Hillary’s not going to gain ground. All we’re going to see is Trump’s rise in the polls.”

When asked about Indiana Governor Mike Pence as Trump’s V.P. pick, Romano said he adds to that…

As for whether or not he believes there will be coattails for fellow Republicans seeking federal and state seats in Connecticut with a Trump win, Romano replied, “We’re making all the right moves in Connecticut for a Trump victory. There are built in benefits for our candidates.” He thinks in the Fifth District, for example, with coattails, a seven point spread might be enough to beat incumbent democrat Esty. (The Fourth District also has the same returns.)

On Tuesday evening, Party Chair J.R. Romano from the floor of the Cleveland Convention Center announced in his time at the mike, Connecticut is the land where we manufacture Pez, nuclear submarines and the home of WWE.  The delegation delivered as promised and pledged all 28 delegates to presumed-nominee, “the next President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.”

Under the administration of Governor Dannel P. Malloy (D) and the Democrat dominated General Assembly, Connecticut has been in last place in so many important ratings for years, that a first place finish in Slate magazine, not a conservative publication, must have pleased the Connecticut delegation. Slate chose Connecticut as numero uno in best “Best Job Bragging at the RNC.” It took Republicans to do this.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/07/19/all_the_roll_call_brags_by_state_delegations_at_the_rnc_ranked.html

 

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Connecticut Republican Party Chair J.R. Romano announces delegates for Trump. (CT RNC rep Pat Longo to his right)

In regards to Wednesday evening’s drama during Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz’s speech, where delegates and guests shouted from the floor to Cruz to endorse Trump when it appeared he was clearly evading this direct choice of words, it appears this cheer was started from Connecticut’s own Avon RTC VC Stephen Hunt. As he divulged to me today: “I might’ve started the whole controversial Cruz thing…it was me that started yelling “endorse Trump”…then, everyone else did…then he’s like “I can appreciate the NY delegations enthusiasm”, and we all respond “and CT!” He’s at the end of his planned speech, and just sort of stuck there, as we were all drowning him out…now, I’m yelling “come on, you can do it…just say the words”…I’m only like 30 feet away…when he didn’t, everyone boos him off the stage…

Tonight should be another exciting night for all Republican National Convention participants with another impressive line-up of speakers to inspire all supporters “To Make America Great Again.” Enjoy.

{Editor’s note: Updated July 21, 2016}

 

 

Recent Articles, State Politics

Hartford’s Old State House Closes Due to Lack of Funding

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June 29, 2016

Written by Juliana Simone

Hartford, CT – This Wednesday was the final day anyone could visit the esteemed Old State House building in downtown Hartford, due to lack of funding.  The state legislature under Governor Dannel Malloy (D) and a democrat majority for decades, finds itself in debt to the tune of over twenty billion dollars. http://mercatus.org/statefiscalrankings/connecticut – https://ballotpedia.org/Connecticut_state_budget_and_finances

Cuts had to be made and so simple things like closing an educational and historic icon like the Old State House was an easy selection, whereas tougher choices that included annual raises for tenured UCONN employees, http://ctmirror.org/2016/06/22/a-few-top-uconn-officials-get-hefty-pay-increases-despite-tough-times/ special interest groups, major city grants and perks, transportation growth plans that never make any notable improvements but continue to feed perhaps the hungriest mouth in Connecticut, were stricken off the list in what was once known as “the Constitution State.” Liberals here have long preferred its second nickname, “the Nutmeg State” which is much better as it stands now, especially when one drops the ‘meg.’

Yale University, Connecticut’s Ivy League college has made national news recently as the once fine institution which continues to back down to demands by young students who feel it’s their right to dictate in today’s social makeup what the academic program should consist of – or not. Apparently, classic English authors like Shakespeare, Eliot and Milton are being described by this minority group as “dead white men” who “create a culture that is hostile to students of color.” http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jun/2/yale-students-white-male-writers-hostile-culture/

The Connecticut General Assembly has also become more and more lenient in terms of its “Early Release Programs” that allow felons to get out of prison much sooner than their original sentences. Prison guards were another cut from this session’s budget since they are not needed anymore, with fewer and fewer prisoners to watch over every day. Many of the early-released inmates had records which included assault, rape and burglary. Early on when this legislation passed, the test period quickly showed it was a failure with these newly released criminals, immediately returning to a life of crime. http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/TopNews/5512239-154/republicans-blast-early-release-program-following-southington-death.html

The Old State House, which first opened in 1792, was purportedly designed by architect Charles Bulfinch, and designated a national landmark in 1960. It is something the liberal legislators down at the Capitol, could easily dispense with in terms of financing, and in terms of satisfying their supporters who continue to fight to erase America’s forefather’s from our currency, to call for statues of our finest Presidents to be taken down and even for classic movies like “White Christmas” to be deemed offensive and either stricken from airplay or remade.

Despite all the bizarre, unbalanced and inflamed politics that exist today, in Connecticut, throughout the country and the world, something as informative and inspiring as the Old State House in Connecticut should not be closed. For many children, it is a field trip that first opens their eyes to the wonders of history and the lessons behind it. For adults who revisit either with their own children, to attend an event or take in an exhibit, the Old State House has always made a case for why it was an important museum and fixture of downtown Hartford.

On May 3rd of 2011, an original copy of the July 4th, 1776 Declaration of Independence was made available for viewing at the Old State House. Writing for Ameriborn News, an on-line news site based in Connecticut, I covered this story.  It was a thrill to stand in front of the document and read it line by line.

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Americans and all people who cherish freedom and liberty should remember this Independence Day and what July 4th really means, and what had to transpire to make the United States what it is today, even if it means including voices of dissent who don’t really understand they are fighting against something that gave them this privilege. Let’s hope the Old State House reopens soon and that current and future generations can learn from all the vast information that it contains within its walls.

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Juliana Simone in the Old State House with the Declaration of Independence, May 2011 {All photos in this article by Juliana Simone except photo of Simone by William Landers}

{Editor’s Note: Still searching, but at the time of this post I’m unable to find the original article I wrote about this event at the Old State House. Over the years, writing for Ameriborn News, when the site would suddenly be taken down, some articles would be lost if not backed up yet at the time. Still have the photos, however, and if anyone wants to see the two-headed calf from the mammal room, I’ll post my photo but here’s a link about the small room on the top floor: http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/museum-natural-other-curiosities }