Phineas Taylor Barnum died on this day in 1891. He was 80, a prolific number for the era. That guy was no sucker. Well, maybe a little gullible.
The single greatest contributor to Bridgeport’s history never said there’s a sucker born every minute, but it’s fitting that the prince of humbug is best known for the apocryphal quote.
Still, who do you think is feeling like a sucker these days? (Or maybe sucker-punched?) City Council members weighing a budget that has a tax increase and a built-in gap of at least $8 million?
City employees who’ll once again have to help close that gap at the point of a bayonet?
Maybe Mayor Bill Finch for state aid cutbacks? Mayors are at the mercy of state aid. By the way to see the mayor’s budget ci.bridgeport.ct.us/2010-2011may.aspx
Or maybe on a state level, voters tired of the shameless self-promotion of Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz–no, wait, I wanna run for governor, no, wait, I wanna run for attorney general, no wait, what I really wanna be is United States Senator!!! Yes, the most gullible–she loves her own press–the biggest sucker of them all … SuBy.
From The Hartford Courant:
Bysiewicz’s Testimony: She Says She’s Qualified For AG, But She’s Rarely Been In Court And Never Tried A Case
By Jon Lender on April 6, 2010 4:44 PM
Despite Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz’s public claim that she is as qualified to hold the office of state attorney general as its current occupant, Richard Blumenthal, she conceded in newly released sworn testimony that she has rarely set foot in a courthouse and never tried a case there in her life.Bysiewicz, a Democratic candidate for attorney general, was questioned under oath by the state Republican Party’s lawyer, Eliot Gersten, in a deposition on March 31. It was part of her pending lawsuit seeking a judge’s ruling that she is qualified to serve as attorney general under a state eligibility statute for the office.
She initially tried to block release of the testimony, but gave up that effort Tuesday after opposition from The Courant’s lawyers.
“You’ve actually said you’re every bit as qualified as Dick Blumenthal was [in 1991] when he took this position, based upon your legal experience, correct?” Gersten asked during the March 31 desposition.
“Yes,” she answered.
“And you’re aware, aren’t you, that prior to the time Mr. Blumenthal became attorney general, he actually, in contrast to you, appeared in court, correct?”
“Yes,” she said.
“In fact, he tried a bunch of cases, didn’t he?” Gersten said. “You never tried any cases?”
“No,” Bysiewicz said.
However, Bysiewicz said she still is eligible under a statute statute that requires the attorney general to have accumulated 10 years’ “active practice” of law in Connecticut. “I’m a corporate lawyer, not a litigator,” she said.
A transcript of Bysiewicz’s testimony was released to news organizations late Tuesday afternoon by Blumenthal’s office, in response to Freedom of Information Act requests. The deposition continued Monday and Tuesday, for a total of about 10 hours’ testimony over the three days
I only believe what I read here. Sometimes.
The proposed municipal budget appears endowed with the beauty of a Fiji Mermaid … and some of the physical characteristics as well.
I wonder in today’s dollars how much to the Egress would cost? Would Jumbo the Elephant be “TBTF?”
Today another poor soul lost his life on I-95 as a result of a speeding 18-wheeler jackknifing and crashing into a State road-work vehicle. The Hartford Courant reports State Police took nearly 20 minutes to arrive on the scene since there were no patrols on I-95 at the time of the accident. This weekly occurrence of continual carnage, in my opinion, is directly related to the complete lack of police presence on what has become the most deadly highway in the country.
Local Eyes once suggested in rebuttal because I do not live in Bridgeport, my opinion does not matter. I assure you on this issue, it does.
Who died and left Local Eyes in charge of the blog? BTW Local Eyes does NOT live in Bridgeport.
*** Local Eyes or anyone else who wishes to blog their opinion or info. without being disrespectful to others should always be welcomed on “OIB.” *** Suby should stay right where she is & hope for a Dem Gov so she may have a better chance of getting reappointed back to her present job. If she had made up her mind from the beginning instead of wanting special political treatment, I might have voted for her. But now, I’m not so sure I would vote for her to be the state’s dog warden! *** I-95 does not have enough road pavement to really do a hell of a lot depending on the particular stretch of highway in certain areas. And tolls @ all the major points of state exits would help big time for much “needed” state revenue to help maintain & provide better police presence during highway cleaning or repairs, etc. However, the focus should be on more & better public transportation in & out of the state. Also tractor-trailers should “not” be allowed on I-95 during @ least 3 hours of morning & evening rush hours. Mon-Fri, say 7-10am and then again 3-6pm to help reduce & prevent large-scale dangerous accidents with such large vehicles and the loads they carry. *** As far as the budget is concerned,”some” on the council do not have the brains or guts to really make the hard changes that are needed, & to stick to their changes after the political pressure is put on! Why, because too many are either city employees themselves or they have family or friends who are. So it puts them in a limbo position which time & time again lets the present admin. do & say what they want. In other words, it’s basically useless & just a matter of going through the P/R process and city’s budget & state rules concerning the city’s yearly budget. *** FORGETABOUTIT ***