Connecticut Commentary: Red Notes from a Blue State

If state Republicans could adopt a slogan that might be useful to them in the future, it might be: “Real change for a change.” The “change” slogan worked well for president-elect Barack Obama, and not only because the heavens smiled upon him when Wall Street took a bath. When a person’s perceived wealth – say, his 401k is diminished – he becomes ready and eager to herald in change. But Americans like change for change’s sake the way artists like art for art’s sake. To become perfect, Emerson said somewhere, is to have changed often. That is typically an American perception. Our political progenitors came to these shores to begin anew. Americans then are prejudiced in favor of change, or at least they do not fear it, which is why Obama struck a responsive chord with his slogan “change you can believe in.” It is still very much an open question whether the changes Obama will inaugurate will usher in fundamental change, but that is a different matter for a different day. Here in Connectic...