Connecticut Commentary: Red Notes from a Blue State

By Chris P. Janelli September 11, 2010 “But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope that it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen, if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country . . Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty . . .”   --  Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775 In a perfect world we would have perfect candidates and elected representatives. Welcome to reality, particularly to Connecticut’s US Senate race between World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) co-founder and former CEO Linda McMahon and the state’s twenty-year Attorney General Richard “Dick” Blumenthal. If you listen to McMahon’s detracto...

We all know that after reading a news account of his own demise, Mark Twain advised, “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” In much the same way, reports that political parties are languishing on their deathbed may be greatly exaggerated – or not. In this talk, I’d like to take you to the early nineteen hundreds and back again to the twenty-first century, so that we might have a rounded historical view of political parties and how they changed over the years. I should begin by putting before you two propositions that few people here may disagree with. The first is that political parties are necessary. The second is that no party can be successful unless it can maintain itself – financially and organizationally. It will come as no surprise that there are dissenters to the first proposition. Some people believe that political parties are an encumbrance to good government. It may be an instance of advanced hubris, but there are political writers abroad in the land who believ...