Steve Choi, a member of the Trumbull Board of Finance and Republican candidate for State Senate challenging Democratic incumbent Marilyn Moore, writes “The wheels of government turn slowly, but they should never stop.”
Since taking office and prior to the outbreak of covid-19, Governor Lamont issued six (6) executive orders. Beginning March 12 and up through today, Governor Lamont has issued seventy-six (76) executive orders and in comparison, the CT legislature has only passed 10 bills. While the Governor performed his official duties, the leadership of the Connecticut General Assembly took unprecedented measures in suspending lawmaking at the State Capitol and closing the Capitol indefinitely. The legislative session formally ended in early May with the General Assembly passing one (1) bill, a bonding resolution that totaled $4.7 billion on March 11, 2020. The Governor has ruled by fiat in the absence of the State Legislature for the past seven months and will continue to solely run state government until February of 2021.
Like the State Capitol, towns and cities were struck by the coronavirus, but in contrast to the State Legislature, municipalities continued operations. Apps such Zoom and Google Meet facilitated the resumption of commerce for some businesses and provided mayors, town councils, boards of finance, boards of education, and planning and zoning members the means to conduct meetings and keep local government functioning. If municipal boards and commissions could adapt to the challenges of virus protections, then why did the State Legislature fail to uphold its obligation to keep the Executive Branch in check and accountable? The wheels of government turn slowly, but they should never stop.
When Representatives and Senators take a hiatus from legislating, citizens suffer. When would one need a legislator? When their business is declared non-essential and forced to close? Or when an elderly parent is convalescing at a rehab facility and state policies force these facilities to accept patients who have tested positive for covid-19? To date, 65% of covid-19 deaths in Connecticut occurred in assisted-living facilities and nursing homes. Legislators should be there for us during a crisis, period. Despite ongoing emails, social media posts, palm cards, or mailers, that state the usual platitudes of helping us in times of crisis, they have not. Every election year, tired slogans, and phrases such as “working for you” and “proudly serving” litter campaign palm cards and mailers of candidates on both sides of the aisle. It is difficult to believe that the legislators are actually “working for the citizens” when they have not shown up to work.
Throughout this pandemic, nurses, doctors, delivery drivers, grocery workers, first responders, and other “essential workers” continued to enter the burning buildings. But State Legislators fled. They had the privilege to watch from the safe confines of home, cash their state paycheck, and earn another year of service towards obtaining lifetime retiree health care and a state pension. In March, one particular legislator had the audacity to post on social media, “when you get those stimulus checks, make sure you save $$ some for Moore for Senate 2020. Just sayin’.” As businesses continue to close, and families struggled to work and educate their children from home, they were asked to use their relief funds to pad legislators’ retirement, and fund Cadillac health care plans. Really?
When voting this year, ask yourself the following questions: Did they return my call? Did they help my family? Did they help my business? Did they make my community more or less safe? Did they allow me to attend church? Wasn’t my legislator “essential?” Why weren’t they at work?
Stomp your feet and ask: What have you done for me, lately?
It was while The GA did nothing during their pandemic-shorted session that the Bond Committee
voted to increase Connecticut’s $81B debt. What’s good for Marilyn Moore is bad for Connecticut.
I cannot name one Bridgeport state legislator who opposed this decision.
Honestly……”Steve Choi for Republican Senate challenging Moore-No-Moore”! I am in total agreement with you and I hope you do a great job at rallying the residents within that district! Stay in this vein and rally up and down the State!! I will stand in agreement with you in prayer for Victory over this territory!!!!
I will be voting for Moore. Has anybody been around black rock and Brooklyn lately seems like Stafstrom campaign has done a good job campaigning the neighborhood his signs are everywhere on residents lawns! I even came home to a miss door knnock with flyer on my door from his campaign. It’s one thing when you know your going to win but it’s another thing when you take the time to campaign in your district old fashion way kudos to his campaign.
LMAO, a republican asking what have they done for me! Let me tell you what Republicans done for me and the rest of America, killed 220,000 Americans with your failed Covid-19 response, killed businesses in America with your my way or the highway we gave you ungrateful Americans $1200 and $600 extra unemployment for 6 months. You told Americans not to wear masks while the pandemic went through a 1st phase and entering its 2nd phase without regard to the safety of the health care workers who put their life on the line because of your stupidity. I could go on and on, but I’ll just end with, Steve Choi set your ignorant ass down.
You’re talking about Presidential politics.
Stay on topic and sit your misguided ass down.
(thud)
Please, Steve Choi shows no courge, there are residents in his district who have died from Covid-19 and the Republican President has failed the 220,000 Americans who have been killed by this pandemic. Republican Steve Choi has shown no empathy for the death of those killed in his district and he’s scare to speakout.
Paul, we’re talking politics, sit your drunk ass down.
Steve Choi spends taxpayer dollars (CEP FUNDS) advertising on OIB, so Lennie prints his drivel.
Steve, you should know that the even year is the short year of the two year term of a state legislator, add to that the shortened term for Covid 19 and your claims are insulting and baseless.
Have you no shame to run on a ticket headed by the bigot, white supremacist Trump who is always touting the China Virus and blaming the country of your heritage for America’s ills. Meanwhile he keeps secret bank accounts there, pays much more in taxes to China than the USA and his POS daughter gets preferential trademarks from China.
If you had any balls, you would not be running on the Republican ticket with Trump.
Not one word have I received from you in Trumbull this campaign, no mailers, no phone calls, no door knocking.
Posting meaningless rhetoric on OIB will not get you elected. You will just be another notch in Moore’s belt, while issuing paychecks from your campaign to 2018’s loser Rich Deecken, Did they promise you those checks in 2022 when they get another pigeon to run for this office.
Such a shame, what a lovely mother you have, what a nice person you are and I hear those twin babies are great. Why associate yourself with the garbage heading your ticket?
Marshall Marcus plays identity politics.
He ignores local policies when discussing Steve Choi.
He chooses to connect him with the President.
Not once did Steve Choi mention Trump in his remarks!
He’s a politician using foul language with another politician.
I think he’s running scared.
Local Eyes plays identity politics when ever he sees a post from Marshall Marcus. Say anything negative and defuse the impact.
I didn’t see Republicans rushing up to Hartford to be there every day.
And I didn’t see ANYWHERE where Steve Choi said he would serve for free. Or where he would not take a pension. Or where he said he would not take a retirement.
But his defense of Steve is he didn’t say anything anything about Trump. And I am sure his lit doesn’t say anything about being a Republican.
Good night Local Eyes. Get some sleep. And tomorrow when your rest read between the lines some more. Maybe on a full night’s sleep you’ll see more clearly.
Unlike Bob Walsh, I’m from the enlightened wing of the Democratic party.
It was in August of 2010 when I saw Bob Walsh at Democratic HQ on North Avenue. I had a phone in my hand. He wasn’t an active worker just an active observer.
That was my intro to Bridgeport politics.
(wink)
Local
Steve espoused NO local policies. He has merely parotted Republican talking points.
I have said repeatedly I like Steve as a person, but not his party politics and allegiance to the Trumplicans. The fact that he was originally brought to us by Terrible Timmy Herbst is not in his favor, either.
Steve Choi shows absolutely no empathy for the residents in his district who are dead from COVID-19, Choi doesn’t care about those deaths.
Ron…
If they are dead, they are FORMER residents.
That said, I disagree with you. Steve is a caring individual who has unfortunately chosen to align himself with the party that doesn’t care about individuals, from Trump on the top of the ticket to Dave Rutigliano, enemy of the working stiff and opponent of increases in the minimum wage. Choi and Rutigliano signs are planted in tandem, as if Choi’s campaign efforts are being run by Dave.
The Republicans couldn’t beat Moore with a white male, a white female and now they are trying an Asian male. What’s next? After all, the other three state legislators who represent Trumbull are all Republican and have been for years. Perhaps with all the disgust with the Trumpers, Rutigliano and Devlin might lose their seats this year.
Hot New Trend / make the switch
Democrats for Steve Choi.
The incumbent spends too much and has costs that exceed their value.
In 2020, that’s what counts.