What could go wrong?

Charlie (`Chas') Miller's Supporting Mike Fedele

Charlie Miller's worried about you, and the economy of Connecticut.

Miller knows the affluent and he's noticed some of them aren't quite as affluent as they used to be - and that's not good news for Charlie.

Charles Miller's made a living selling high-end automobiles for decades.
I met Charlie in the mid-1980's when he was among the top Porsche Salesmen in the world. Charlie was #12 in 1988.

You don't sell to that caliber clientele in a polyester sport coat using glib lines like "state of the art" or "whadda I havta do to put ya in a car today?"

Quite the contrary, knowing the product backwards and forwards is virtually required for success. Miller was always beyond encyclopedic. After 35 years in or around the automobile business, I've only seen 3 or 4 others even in his league; he's fascinating to listen to.

More importantly, a good salesman is observant and learns to read and size others up, often pretty well too. Law enforcement profilers could learn from automobile salesmen consummate at their craft.

High end automobiles largely attract two separate prospects.
Upbeat successful people that are almost always a pleasure to be around and to deal with and of course the "others" - the folks that send their shirts out to be cleaned pressed and professionally stuffed.

Miller can tell one from the other.

For the past several years, (now known as "Chas") Miller, has been representing a large Lexus dealership where I stop in to see him occasionally.

Considering the man has a client file dating back decades to when new 911's wore window stickers below $47K, Miller no longer has "bad" years; he has moderate, good, and occasionally fabulous years.

Never-the-less, Chas has noticed signs he's seen during previous economic downturns but notes that many of his confederates elsewhere in the country are often not sharing the same experience as of late and that gives him concern.

Miller and I shared a couple of hot-dogs at Mickey's in E. Hartford recently and the conversation turned to gubernatorial candidates.

I ticked off what I saw as the strength's and weaknesses of various contenders in both parties but noted that only Fedele has the life's story worth running on; immigrant, worked hard, stayed straight, built a company from nothing to a national firm, no layoffs and created hundreds of jobs and remained a decent likable normal guy that I've called "Mikey" to his face and not gotten in any trouble for it.

Charlie asked, "You've called him `Mikey'?"
I nodded, then Charlie took out his checkbook and asked, "What's the name of his campaign again?"

As he wrote the check and filled out the required donor form he added;
"We need someone that gets it and has done it. Not some policy wonk; and a friendly guy that's not uptight will get us a lot farther too."

Charles Miller knows a nice upbeat successful guy sometimes without even meeting them in person; and he can sell more cars if more people have jobs.

The False Allure of Self-Funding Candidates

Oh yes, they're attractive candidates alright, after all no one has to do any heavy lifting to fund-raise for them!
Yet in truth they're the Halle Berry's of candidates; beautiful and alluring ....but the relationship never ends well.


We're it hearing all the time lately;
"But, but, look at all the money (he or she) has!
How can they lose?

How? Easy - no one has any skin in the game.

Candidates who need neither volunteers nor cash fail to attract true believers in meaningful numbers.
By election day, having invested neither time nor money the self-funding candidates supporters fail the intensity test.
Having been asked to do nothing throughout the entire campaign they're certainly not inclined to take a day off to work the phones in a GOTV (get out the vote) effort and might even forget to go to the polls themselves.

You can review all the data yourself here.

Data from Open Secrets

Tip of the hat to WNTH's Geoff Fox who I stole the Halle Berry line from.

Mr. Grigsby Was Right!

Happy Birthday Dick Bozzuto!

Former Connecticut State Senator Dick Bozzuto (R-32)
turns 80 March 16th 2010.

Richard Carl Bozzuto, Sr. served 8 years in the Connecticut Senate first elected in 1972, including 2 years as minority leader (1978-80)

Bozzuto also served locally on the Watertown Town Council for two two year terms.

He has been the Director of the Waterbury Foundation, Waterbury Club, Litchfield County University Club and Naugatuck Valley Community College Foundation. He has been active in his community, serving as Vice-President of the Connecticut Jaycees, and President of the local chapter in Watertown.
Dick has been the Director of the Waterbury Foundation, Waterbury Club, Litchfield County University Club and Naugatuck Valley Community College Foundation.

Bozzuto's selfless, altruistic dedication to public service remains unwavering as Dick continues to serve, currently as a Commissioner on the Elections Enforcement Commission.

In 2006 someone on the then largest political blog site in the state,(however now defunct) Connecticut Local Politics inquired:
"...can you give us a history lesson? What is the big deal with Bozzuto?"

I gave a lengthy response which along with the entire thread remains online here: http://www.ctlocalpolitics.net/archive/?p=1073#comment-21367

Dick was the most loyal ranking Republican I ever had the honor to associate with in my life.

Many single words could be used to describe him, including; Good, fair, honest, but the one overwhelming characteristic he still enjoys is kind. The man is kind to fault even eclipsing the one thing upon which he most prides himself – loyal.

An idea whose time has come

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they didn't pay into Social Security, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws.

The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that is being considered...in all of its forms.
Somehow, that doesn't seem logical.
We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever.
The self-serving must stop.
This is a good way to do that.

It is an idea whose time has come.


Proposed 28th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution:

"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States ".

Tom Scott Launches Website

Authentic Connecticut conservative legend Tom Scott has launched a site that's sure to be informative and easily even more opinionated (and further to the right) than this one!



Go ahead and put this address in your favorites right now!
http://tomscottreports.com/

(Don't worry, we've added a permanent link below on the main page.)

2010 Alfa Romeo

Further proof of a kind and loving God.
The next Alfa Spider.

Gentlemen, let me assure you that the only way a normal man can derive more pleasure 
than from an Alfa Romeo, is a woman.

And unfortunately, not all of them!

.

.

What kind of watch do you wear?

Former legislator, sometimes columnist and South Windsor attorney Keven Rennie has posted an interesting piece on his site, "Daily Ructions"; Will Anyone Answer, “The Bada Bing”?

Rennie begins:
`The Heart papers of Connecticut (Connecticut Post, Danbury News-Times, Greenwich Time, and Stamford Advocate) have posed 16 questions the candidates for governor and the United States Senate. They’ve also requested a photographer be allowed to take pictures of each candidate’s living room.'

While Rennie's piece has a sarcastic tone, "........will they answer honestly?" it stuck me that assuming they did, such seemingly obscure information would paint a clearer picture of just who the candidates are than they're respective handlers might approve.

Personally, I don't care how much money they've got - I just want to vote for the candidate that strikes me as thrifty; hopefully at least one of them will admit to decorating in part from tag sales or thrift stores.

Here are the 16 questions, and below them in italics my own answers.

1. How many residences do you own? What is the size of each house (including lot size)? How many rooms? What is the assessed value? Would you agree to have a photograph taken in your living room?

one; the rest is none of anyone's business


2. Would you provide us a photocopy of the front sheet of your most recent IRS tax filing, including income, tax deductions and taxes paid?

No

3) What are the years, makes and models of the personal vehicles owned or leased by you/for you and your immediate family members?

97 Buick
99 Cadillac
04 Mercury

4) Are any boats, planes or recreational vehicles owned by you or leased by you or for you? If so, please provide the particulars.

Regretfully - No

5) What kind of watch do you wear?

Timex

6) Where was your most recent family vacation? Where did you stay?

Cape Cod at my in-laws

7) Where do you buy your business attire?

Syms & Ebay (Yes, as a matter of fact I am a cheap Yankee!)

8) Where do your children attend school?

CCSU

9) Are you a member of any private clubs – country clubs, dinner clubs, etc.?

Freemason, otherwise no

10) How much do you pay for a haircut/hairstyling? Where do you go?

12 bucks, someone downtown


11) What is your favorite alcoholic beverage?

none - prefer coffee (I am however fond of the Italian Liqueur, "Strega", but rarely have any around (see #7))

12) Do you have any hobbies?

What'a a hobby?

13) What restaurant do you most frequently patronize?

A nice place in Meriden

14) With what insurance company do you have family health coverage? Is it employer-provided? What are your own monthly premiums? Deductibles and co-pays?

N/A

15) Do you employ any household staff? If so, please detail.

nope

16) How much did you donate to charity last year? What charity is the principal recipient of your donations?

beween 8 - 11% of our total gross income to church and other non-politically charged charitable groups; 5% (not a write-off) to various Republican causes

Our Tax Dollars At Work

The same folks that want to redesign our entire health-care industry.

Thought for the Day

A congressman was seated next to a little girl on the airplane leaving from Atlanta when the he turned to her and said,

Let's talk.

I've heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger.'

The little girl, who had just opened her book, closed it slowly and said to the total stranger, 'What would you like to talk about?'

'Oh, I don't know,' said the congressman. 'How about global warming or universal health care', and he smiles smugly.

'OK,' she said. 'Those could be interesting topics. But let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?'

The legislator, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, 'Hmmm, I have no idea.'

To which the little girl replies, 'Do you really feel qualified to discuss global warming or universal health care when you don't know shit?

If George W. Bush had..

If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how inept he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?

If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you have approved?

If George W.. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky?

If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia , would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent "Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?

If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current in their income taxes, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the 5th of May (Cinco de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?

If George W. Bush had mis-spelled the word "advice" would you have hammered him for it for years like Dan Quayle and potatoe as proof of what a dunce he is?

If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single tree on Earth Day, would you have concluded he's a hypocrite?

If George W. Bush's administration had okayed Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually get what happened on 9-11?

If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans , would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?

If George W. Bush had created the position 32 or more Czars who report directly to him, bypassing the House and Senate on much of what is happening in America , would you have approved.

If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?

If George W Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again within 10 years, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had spent more than all the Presidents combined since George Washington, would you have approved?

So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive?
Can't think of anything?
Don't worry. He's done all this in 10months -- so you'll have 3 years and 2months to come up with an answer.