Connecticut began 2016 with more structural deficits coupled with a refusal by the majority to address the size and burn rate of our bloated state government. Instead, they blamed our chronic fiscal problems on a “new economic reality” — i.e., more political spin and another pusillanimous excuse for failed leadership. Indeed, despite record high state tax receipts over these last few years, extracted by our record high tax increases, we still have not kept pace with spending.

Most people, even very young children, have an intuitive sense that proof of the existence of something is required before that “something” is acknowledged as true. Kids say “prove it.” Adults understand that the burden of proof is almost always on the party asserting the truth of something. For example, in our justice system the burden of proof is on the state (in a criminal action) and the plaintiff (in a civil action). A defendant does not have to prove his innocence; the state must prove his guilt–beyond a reasonable doubt. For some reason, however, this very simple concept seems to get lost in the political realm.