WASHINGTON – Sen. Richard Blumenthal plans to attend Sen. John McCain’s funeral services here later this week and Sen. Chris Murphy will likely attend the invitation only ceremony, too. The adulation of McCain by Democrats is based on his heroic military service and his willingness to cross party lines. But McCain’s feud with President Donald Trump made him more likeable among Democrats, too.
Why Connecticut Dems love John McCain
Posted inNews
Federal judge blocks release of plans for 3D-printed guns
A federal judge in Seattle issued a preliminary injunction Monday reaffirming a temporary restraining order preventing the release of downloadable plans for 3D-printed, plastic guns.
Posted inCT Viewpoints, Talking Transportation
Trucks as traffic scapegoats
“Why don’t we just ban all trucks from our interstate highways in rush hour?” The question was asked of me by a small town mayor in Fairfield County who’d obviously given a lot of thought to solutions to our traffic woes. He’s a smart guy and thought he’d come up with “the answer” to our transportation crisis.
He said he wasn’t in favor of tolls, but liked them as a traffic mitigation tool. By charging trucks more to drive our highways in rush hour, they’d be incentivized to instead go off-peak. He was just taking the idea a step further: ban them completely at certain hours.
Posted inPolitics
Lamont’s property tax plan faces steep obstacles at outset
While Democratic gubernatorial nominee Ned Lamont’s tax relief plan is less grandiose than that of GOP rival Bob Stefanowski, it still remains unclear whether Lamont can pay for that plan given the huge deficit looming in post-elections state finances.
Posted inPolitics
Independent Party cross-endorses Stefanowski and GOP ticket
WATERBURY — An Independent Party caucus cross-endorsed Republican Bob Stefanowski for governor Sunday night, voting for the second time in four years to give a GOP gubernatorial nominee a second line on the ballot in November.
Posted inNews
Two wrongs rattle the Right
The criminal convictions of two close associates of President Donald Trump rattled him, the White House and the Republican party last week — and changed the tone of politics in Connecticut as well as Washington, D.C.
Posted inHealth
Religious conservatives’ ties to Trump pay off in AIDS policies, funding
Evangelical activist Shepherd Smith has spent more than three decades cultivating relationships with leading AIDS researchers and policymakers to promote abstinence-only sex education. Those connections now could influence government programs and funding within the Trump administration.
Posted inPolitics
Lamont challenges Stefanowski to Sept. 5 debate in West Hartford
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Ned Lamont challenged his Republican rival, Bob Stefanowski, on Friday to participate in a Sept. 5 debate at the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford.
Posted inHealth
State warns of increased West Nile virus risk, especially for elderly
While state experts are warning residents of an increased risk of West Nile virus infection right now, a UConn Health doctor is stressing that it’s rare for people infected with the virus to develop symptoms, let alone to develop a serious illness.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
An overdose outbreak could happen in Hartford and your town, too.
If you think what happened in New Haven can’t or won’t happen in your town or city, think again.
Here in Hartford, It’s not a matter of if but when.
While the massive drug overdose story in New Haven made for some shocking headlines, I am honestly surprised this hasn’t happened sooner.
Posted inMoney
IRS blocks Connecticut plan to bypass SALT tax deduction cap
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday issued new rules aimed at preventing taxpayers in Connecticut and other high-income and high-cost states from avoiding a new cap on the deductibility of their state and local taxes.
Posted inPolitics
Lamont: Property-tax relief possible, not income-tax repeal
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont said Thursday he wants to restore Connecticut’s incredibly shrinking property-tax credit: Worth about $385 million in middle-class relief nearly 20 years ago, it now provides just $50 million annually and is limited to poorer property owners.
Posted inEducation
Murphy tries to block DeVos from using federal funds to arm teachers
WASHINGTON – The possibility the Trump administration would allow the use of federal funds to arm teachers prompted Sen. Chris Murphy on Thursday to try to block the move through legislation. It may be a long-shot effort, but it’s leading Democratic opposition to the plan.
Posted inEducation, Justice
Inmate education to continue in Connecticut, at least for now
Second Chance Pell Grants will continue in Connecticut until at least 2020, putting to rest recent concerns that federally funded inmate education programs would be ending this year.
Posted inPolitics
Q poll: Murphy’s job approval grows, would beat Corey 59-31
A new Quinnipiac poll of Connecticut voters gave Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy high job approval ratings and said Murphy would beat GOP challenger Matthew Corey by a 28-point margin if the election for the Senate seat were held today.