If Mayor Joe Ganim’s to gain traction, assuming he makes the ballot for the presumed August primary for governor, he’ll likely need to stitch together a constituency that does not include organized labor, generally a force in statewide Democratic primaries. From Mark Pazniokas, CT Mirror:
Ned Lamont, the wealthy Greenwich businessman who electrified progressives with an antiwar challenge to Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman a dozen years ago, easily won a straw vote for governor Friday at the Connecticut AFL-CIO’s political convention, an unusually early effort by labor to shape the crowded race for the Democratic nomination in a pivotal election year.
The 48-percent vote was a boost for Lamont, who also won the loudest applause of the five Democratic gubernatorial candidates, but it was not nearly strong enough to convince delegates to attempt to make a formal endorsement. A two-thirds vote is necessary to make an endorsement, something that might be difficult before the primaries in August.
But labor is intent on trying. Its leadership pointed to a Republican gubernatorial field that snubbed labor’s invitation to address 216 delegates from 67 union locals in Hartford. The leaders see that as a reflection of a GOP intent on weakening collective bargaining rights for public-sector workers, especially as they apply to pension and health-care benefits.
Full story here.
Ron Mackey // Apr 6, 2018 at 7:47 pm
Lamont, D’Agostino easily win straw polls at AFL-CIO convention
By Dan Haar Updated 6:48 pm, Friday, April 6, 2018
HARTFORD — It was just a straw poll of 216 AFL-CIO delegates, not a binding vote, not a union endorsement. But Democrat Ned Lamont of Greenwich trounced the rest of the field so strongly Friday that it’s hard not to read much into it.
Jonathan Harris, former state senator, West Hartford mayor and commissioner of consumer protection, 15 percent; Sean Connolly of East Hartford, former state veterans affairs commissioner, 11 percent; Former state Rep. and Secrerary of the State Susan Bysiewicz of Middletown, 11 percent; Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, 6.6 percent.
The Bridgeport mayor talked about his hundreds of millions of dollars in pro-labor constructioin and redevelopment contracts, for example, but he was apparently hurt by perceptions he can’t win because of his felony conviction and prison term.
Ganim didn;t shy away from his criminal history. “I made some terrible mistakes, I broke the law. I learned from that,” he said in a slightly cracking voice. “I think I understand even more, the sanctity of not only the public trust, but the need for accountability and transparency in every level of government.
At this point in time of all of the Republicans and Democrats running for governor Jonathan Harris has impressed me the most, again, at this time.
You’re more optimistic than I, Ron. Not a one of ’em has impressed me, least of all our illustrious mayor.
Just because Labor supports Lamont doesn’t mean Lamont supports Labor.
well, um, uh, er….
Looks as if organized labor is not too keen on endorsing a convicted felon. Good.
I think Mario and mini Mario are having second thoughts.
Danny Roach aka mini Mario.
Neither can be terribly enthusiastic over Ganim’s political science project. But then, I’m just another Black Rock bitch. What do I know?
Mario and Mini Mario, like Austin Powers? Mario as the Evil Emperor is more apt. Ganim is the Darth Vader character in this pseudo epic battle of good and evil.
I think that Guy Smith, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate has a good point here.
BlairContact Reporter
rblair@courant.com
Frustrated by the intractable gun control debate in Congress, Guy Smith, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, says Connecticut leaders should be pressing major financial institutions to stop doing business with companies that sell assault weapons.
Smith wants to see credit card companies like Mastercard and Visa change their terms of service to prohibit any of their merchants from selling the weapons, effectively forcing the businesses to change their inventory or cease accepting credit cards as a form of payment.
“This is not a 100 percent solution but it is a big step because it removes so much money from the process,” said Smith, who lives in Greenwich and is a retired business executive.
He’ll make his pitch to the legislature’s judiciary committee on Friday as a proposed amendment to bills to ban “bump stocks” – devices that allow semi-automatic rifles to fire at near-automatic speed – and “ghost guns” – a term used to refer to firearms that can be assembled from parts bought online.
R. Mackey, I support the 2nd amendment along with the rest of the constitution but this isn’t about that. Regarding politicians pressuring financial institution, I’m not sure you thought this through thoroughly. Basically you are say you would support controlling the people through pressuring financial institutions. Lets say the financial institutions go along with this idea, what politician or party or big donor would decide the matter or item to be pressured next? Who controls what pressures are put on the financial institutions? Will Dunkin Donuts or maybe McDs & B King’s unhealthy food or maybe all fast foods. Maybe the people won’t be able to donate to a specific politician via credit card or debit card? Maybe they can control what foods you can buy from the grocery store, healthy or not?
WHERE WOULD IT STOP?
Ganim is holding court at the Cuban Club on Fairfield Avenue with Danny Roach, begging for money.
What this blog needs is a member of organized labor who claims to add value in excess of their cost.
How about an Agressive and not another Progressive! SEIOU??
Go Ned!!!!
It’s not complicated.
It is a given that the AFL-CIO will endorse a democrat.
They see Ned Lamont as the only democrat who can win.
From this point they will insist his platform conform to their’s.
Maybe when Republicans start to care about workers rights, their health and safety, their work conditions, then maybe unions will support a Republican but we all know that’s other going to happen right, White?
that’s not going
the unions will endorse a ham sandwich if it has a DTC endorsement.
As usual, Ron Mackey cuts and pastes his posting. This time from the age-old position taken by unions. The issue is not unions though. The issue is government employee unions, specifically Connecticut State employee unions.
The AFL-CIO will not support a Republican because Republicans see what the challenges to good government are and much of it has been caused by Democrats being in bed with State employee unions.
Now, let’s see if Mackey can find something to copy and paste.
All you do is to throw stones and you never have anything to backup your comment but then again that’s what 45 does, he just runs his mouth like you.
C’mon you two, fight nice.
Adding value is a required trait of all employees-public or private.
Otherwise, your state runs a deficit or your company goes bankrupt.
In a world that glorifies entrepreneurial zeal and talent, public unions are old fashioned and privatize gains while socializing losses.
Paul, deficits are no problem for the federal government especially with Republicans. Bush 43 NEVER veto any spending bill during his 8 years as President and 45’s new tax cuts is not being balance with spending cuts thereby creating a deficit.
You promised you would not address me. Please obey your own intentions.
Since America’s worst recession, Malloy and Wyman have been too kind to its largest workforce, state employees. Consequently, major corporations have left and deficits deepen.
Does the backlash await?
Washington Post
by Jeff Stein April 9 at 2:04 PM
“America’s deficit is growing sharply and will surpass $1 trillion per year by 2020, the Congressional Budget Office reported Monday.”
The federal deficit will hit $804 billion in fiscal year 2018, a 21 percent increase from 2017’s deficit of $665 billion, CBO said.
President Trump and congressional Republicans in December passed a new tax law projected to cut government revenue by more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years. In March, members of both parties approved a funding measure to increase military and domestic spending by nearly $300 billion over the next two years.
Speaking of Trump, the FBI raided the home and office of Michael Cohen, Trump’s longtime personal attorney. Bet he can’t wait to order Syria bombed into glass to get this off the fromt oage.
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The AFL-CIO is reluctant to endorse a convicted felon. Jimmy Hoffa did. He also did business with organized crime leaders…
The budget signed by Donald Trump, the one with all the tax cuts for wealthy an corporations, has increased the national debt by more than $800,000,000.00. Hey Andy, when’s your Republican savior gonna make America great again, before or after his impeachment?
For all your claims Robert Mueller’s investigation hasn’t uncivered anything his office has been wuite busy. Three guilty pleas including prison time for one of them, subpoenas served on the banks Trump does business with, a raid on the home and office of Michael Cohen, Trump’s fixer. The FBI seized documents and computer files including emils related to The $130,000.00 paid to the porn star Trump got busy with while his wife was nursing his newborn son, one of the problems Cohen “fixed.” (It’s been reported Cohen also kept Eric and Junior out of trouble.)