Larry Cafero, Norwalk state Representative in a recent meeting with republican candidates has called the state legislature "unfriendly to small business."
In a partisan and divisive attack, Rep. Cafero blamed the house Democrats as the culprits behind the economic turmoil in our state. Cafero has claimed that our state legislature was rated "50Th out of 50" as the least friendly legislature to small business in America.
As a small business owner myself, I can certainly agree that there are challenges, but placing blame one single party is a stretch unless we exclude the Rowland era corruption and the accusations of bid rigging and beyond all over the state.
From my vantage point, and as a small business owner myself, I can personally attest that the problems I face are more to do with my customers struggling to make ends meet. While I, like most businesses do no not have a Beverly Hills elite clientele but rather the everyday middle class family people as my customers, charging a profit in the wake of fierce competition can hardly be blamed on any one single party let alone the Democrats.
What challenges small business in Connecticut is as simple as the cost of living, Food and Energy inflation and the availability of living wage jobs. Our state legislature certainly can make things easier by lowering the price of gas, but I assure you that if the energy price drops to that of New Jersey we will need tolls. Even in NJ where gas is cheap in the long run you pay more just through the aggregate taxation of tolls added to the cost of getting around.
With our legislative record now marred as the worst in America perhaps it is time to get serious about providing solutions and not blaming Democrats for political gain. When Cafero indicated in his July stump speech that he let the National Republicans define the scope and purpose of our state leaders, he admitted that their complacency and trust for their national party has become a problem.
The Republicans now are composed of less than 400,000 to the overwhelming 700,00 democrats in this state. Nothing however compares to the largest group of registered voters the "Unaffiliated" (Or as I believe the Independents) now registered to the tune of 800,000.
These numbers speak clearly to me about how the public feels toward the policies of the Republicans and the national agenda that Cafero wants to step away from. Cafero has good reason to try and reinvent the Republican Party in this state, he needs to take it back from the national leaders who have let the Bush Cheney legacy erode at the core of its scope and purpose.
The Republican party, as I remembered it was one that marked the progress and protections of the Constitution and kept the Republic of America strong. The Republicans were the precursor to the agenda of the upper class in America. Today we are struggling to maintain the integrity of the U.S. Constitution, we are debating things like freedom of speech as basic civil rights again. These were all policies imposed after 9/11 by the Republican administration.
In 2005 Bush called the constitution a "Goddamn piece of paper" and followed up with the Patriot act 1 & 2, started multiple wars with botched CIA intelligence and promoted the Anti-American agenda of the PNAC (Project for a new American Century). These are not to include the colossal bipartisan blunder of NAFTA, GAFTA and every other policy that allows for foreign invasion and export of jobs. Also, Illegal migrant workers were permitted leniency by both parties and are now the subject of angry debate not only in Connecticut but all over America.
How do we restore a sound macro-economy in connecticut when our biggest industry is weapons? Connectut makes Submarines, Helicopters, Satellites, Armaments, Radar, and yes of course gambling. Tradgically war is good for the state economy, however sad and frustrating this is to me Connecticut spoke again when our favorite war hawk Joe Lieberman was ousted from his own party. Our state is craving a peace industry, we do not desire to be a global supplyer of death merchandise and gambling.
Personally I respect Rep. Cafero, however I do not agree with his rhetoric that divides the parties rather than unites them. The problems we all face are not Republican or Democrat problems, they are Federal problems, they are global competition problems, energy problems, inflation problems and deficit in leadership problems. I know Mr. Cafero knows this, that is why I wrote this article today to take issue with his polarizing blame of something he clearly knows better on.
The answers to small business in Connecticut, is good Jobs, not just any job but good paying living wage jobs. Tax cuts for unemployed people do not help small business, nor does a little cheaper gas. What helps small business is for our kids and grand kids to have a future in which they can afford a home, a car, an education, and to go shopping. I cannot emphasize enough that jobs and living wage incomes is what this state needs and Connecticut should be focused on that, not blaming opponents for Connecticut's horrible record. Show me real solutions not blame!
The Milford Independent Party, which ran a slate of candidates in local elections last fall, is splitting in two, with neither of the new groups apparently keeping the party's name.
