Chris Meek - Our CT GYP

Eyes Forward to 2011: Part II

2011-01-09T08:28:00.003-05:00

I received several comments following my New Years blog 'Eyes Forward to 2011.' That was exactly the result I was hoping for. My intent was to start a conversation about how we can move forward as a Party in a very blue state. Now more than ever we need as many people involved in the process as possible. I am NOT advocating for change at the state party headquarters, but rather for change in how we as a party work together to win in the future.

Below are a few of the responses I received -- all wil be posted anonymously.

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Chris Healy has done an incredible job for our State and obviously you are one of the group who believe "blame runs down hill." We won 14 seats.
Chris is excellent with the press and can write very well. He got us back from red ink to black. He took on the secretary of state and won and he did it with a great team (lean and mean)

The state party is not there to run individual campaigns. The state party can assist on finding good candidates for offices, but they can't chose them. Enfield lost an open seat. We didn't do our job. So I guess you should blame me, I'm the chairman.

The candidate is the only person who can win a campaign. The rest of us are suppose to help and support. Candidates have their own game plan, and guess what happens when a chairman tries to "stick their nose in"...it will be cut off.

So before WE spend more time trying to find blame - how about support for what was accomplished.

I will be waiting to see how all shakes out in the upcoming election of the state party chairman. Interesting so many people are counting Chris Healy out, he has said nothing about his future intentions. I guess that is politics - I don't have to like it. The people's whose names are currently being "percolated" may not make the party better. We will have to review their resumes for the job.

Let's hope that leadership is what is matters and not political agendas.
Chris Healy has always had the party's best interests at heart and I will stand with him until there is a reason not to.

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On your web site you mentioned; "Please contact me with any questions or ideas and make sure that your voice is heard."

As a member of an RTC and also involved with Tea Party people; I'm hoping that the Republican party will entertain the thought of collaborating with the Tea Party in areas of common interest and purpose.

The Tea Party people are a tremendous resource, though they're independent; their goals and aspiration seem to line up with ours as Republicans.

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I am EXTREMELY disappointed with your message and could not disagree more with your conclusions.

(1) It is a cop out to suggest all of our candidates lost because they lacked a message. In the 4th CD, Dan Debicella ran on a clear platform of permanently codifying the Bush era income tax rates, stimulating the economy with a payroll tax, a signature feature of the recent tax bill, repealing and replacing Obamacare with a sensible, cost-effective free market alternative that contains costs while maintaining quality, and a strong national defense with unqualified support for our strongest allies such as Israel. Sam Caligiuri, Tom Foley and Linda McMahon ran on similar platforms that were clear and in stark contrast to those of their Democrat opponents. I would hardly suggest that these candidates lost because they lacked a clear message.

(2) I am OUTRAGED! at your suggestion that lowering taxes is a "kitcshy" message. Connecticut has added no new net jobs in 20 years and the ONE industry that is growing within this state, financial services, is an extremely tax sensitive one. Many private financial firms moved to Connecticut from neighboring states because of the relative tax advantage but could just as easily move to another state should Dan Malloy and Connecticut Democrats raise taxes as they are likely to do. The Wall Street Journal has run numerous articles documenting how business and income has left Oregon, Maryland, Maine, New York, New Jersey and California among others because of creeping increasing taxes on the upper income brackets. Given that many in the 4th CD are dependent on the jobs that these hedge fund managers make and the state budget is dependent on their tax revenue, I find it unconscionable that you find the tax issue "kitschy" and do not take it seriously!

(3) I find it puzzling that you spend so much time articulating why you hope Linda McMahon runs again. Not everyone makes a good candidate. The fact that she spent $50 million on her race yet lost by more than ten points to a guy who repeatedly lied about his wartime military service should inform you about her likely prospects the next go around. As someone who knocked on doors in the 4th CD, I never saw such visceral negative reaction as when I tried to hand out flyers for Linda McMahon. As an active political partisan, I cannot imagine you are unaware of the negative polling of women toward Linda McMahon. Unfortunately, not everyone makes a good candidate no matter how qualified. Considering that she got her hat handed to her in the last election, I would consider it an act of supreme selfishness if Linda prevented another qualified candidate from challenging Joe Lieberman.

(4) Finally, as someone who performed election monitoring in Bridgeport, I find unconscionable that the state party accepts no blame for the non-existent GOTV effort and the invisible anti-fraud effort, especially in cities such as Bridgeport. I have served on Republican election day anti-voter fraud efforts in other states and your lack of preparation was appalling. As someone who was in Bridgeport until 10pm when the polls finally closed, I can say with certainty that Tom Foley lost his race because you were unprepared to combat the rampant cheating that occurred. If I were you, I would man up and do some serious soul searching or I guarantee you will get your hat handed to you in repeated elections no matter what the rest of the country does. Feel free to contact me should you wish to discuss how to improve your election day monitoring.

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I think the Republican party in Ct. was interested in self preservation of the hierarchy, not in what was best for the citizens. You had a super candidate for Senator and you ignored him. You had a great candidate for Governor, but instead you let her run for the Senate. You lost both and you deserved to. There is a reason we get very little help from the National Party--they've written this state off as a lost cause. Perhaps the first thing you ought to work at is developing a strong TV station or newspaper that could cover the state that is not SO LIBERAL!

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Your email of earlier today was brilliant. I agree that the R message has not been clearly articulated or communicated. A point of real frustration. You make some very good suggestions.

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Simmons is a RINO and never had a real private sector Job. His wife is a union member. I agree with you on Linda, how she managed to get on the defensive is beyond me. How many jobs did Blumenthal createte? How about how many did he destroy? Answer; MANY Foley was good or great problem was Malloy is a whore to the unions and Foley has some other problems too.

I'm not sure what your other comments mean.

Ultimately the voters are the ones who selected these idiots. The problem lies with them.

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Eyes Forward to 2011

2011-01-09T08:25:00.000-05:00

My mother always advised me to move forward in life, focusing on the end result and overcoming adversity along the way. Her advice, to focus on the future and leave the past behind you, is incredibly appropriate for the Republican Party here in Connecticut. As we look to 2011 we must not only learn from the past, but focus on and work for the future. There is much to take away from our disappointing elections in 2010, the most important lesson, as Tip O'Neill wisely said, is that "all politics is local."

So, before we look to 2011, let us take a moment to quickly reflect on the past. In 2008 we saw the National spirit lurch to "hope" and "believe", in a grandiose campaign, with very little behind that positive and optimistic rhetoric; only to then have the tone two years later revert focus to the local scene with a message of individual responsibility and conservatism. While many, on both the left and right, chose to depict a larger National picture with the rise of a new "Tea Party", the truth is that no single party emerged victorious in 2010; rather the locality won as we returned power to the people. Despite the portrayals in the press and by many in the political media, for every Rand Paul there was a Carl Paladino, for each Marco Rubio there is a Christine O'Donnell and the differentiation between them lies solely in the local circumstances and candidates themselves.

As we examine the mistakes of the Republican Party in Connecticut this year, we must look to each individual race and every candidate because the lesson to learn is that counting on a National mood or backlash is taking the easy way out; we all deserve better. While we fielded some great candidates, we the voters allowed the political machine to make choices for us and often, each of us across the state missed our chance to set our own agenda and live by our choices. Let the coming of 2011 be the end of our passivity and trust in the political establishment, for at the end of the day that is the one lesson that is hard to ignore.

Lesson number one: Each candidate for every office must have a story, a narrative, to tell the voters which explain why their ideas and views are the best for all and why they are the candidate we should trust to represent us. In 2010 we failed on this count in practically every race. Where we were fortunate to have strong candidates, we lost control of the message. That is primarily the fault of each candidate, but also of the establishment, as it is their job to ensure there is a consistent message. Linda McMahon is an American success story and a role model for all of us who have daughters. She has built an incredibly successful company which employs women as well as men in it's most senior levels, and she has been involved not only behind the scenes, but also in the actual forefront of the branding of her company. Mrs. McMahon is a pillar of the community, personifies the spirit of charity, and strongly supports education in the community. Certainly she has nothing of which to be ashamed, and yet she lost control of the dialogue. Consequently, our Senator-Elect is a man who has lied to the public concerning his Service in Vietnam, certainly something of which he should be ashamed.

I do not want to postmortem any campaign, however, clearly the message got away from Mrs. McMahon and I only hope she decides to return to the fight and learn from this experience because she clearly is someone to admire, an individual who possesses great leadership skills. I will be thankful should she decide to run again. We must heed lesson one and demand a Chairman who is able to lead our party and promote a consistent, clear message. We have a very powerful and strong platform to take to the voters. In 2010 we lost touch with that, and thus, lesson two is to effectively take the message to the voter.

Living in Connecticut, all of the issues facing the nation are local for us due to our location, industry, business base and demographics. We need to stand up and be Connecticut citizens, not worry about what Nancy Pelosi or Sarah Palin says or does. We are impacted by homeland security, financial regulation, healthcare, and foreclosure; we have the nation’s best schools from liberal arts to service academies all right here in our backyard. We, in a very real sense, are America.

Connecticut republican politics in 2010 can best be described as rudderless. We were against the President, the democratic majority, and in a large way George Bush. Now that we have that covered, can anyone define the platform for which the Republican Party stood? Lower taxes and less government intrusion is kitschy, but as far as real issues and solutions went, we abdicated to the democrats. We have messages, we are the insurance capital of America and if we don't lead on that front then we deserve to lose. We have major urban cities and business from construction to foodstuff to defense and high finance. If we can't lead on the issues important to business then we fail. In 2011 we must demand that our leaders, of either party, clearly define their plan and their views. We need to pay attention and hold them accountable in 2012. Our political leaders must realize that not having a view or plan is not acceptable and it is up to each one of us to ensure that we have leaders that understand what it means to lead.

We are lucky to have a slate of qualified people ready to step up. Rob Simmons is extremely qualified and is a man who understands not only politics but why we are doing all this. Mr. Simmons has fought for us and understands what all those in the trenches of the war on terror are facing. He is truly a great American and I am sure would be a great Chairman. Lieutenant Governor Michael Fedele knows the politics of this great state better than most and has served all of her constituents tirelessly for years. He could bring a unique perspective to the office and an understanding of each district and every race. Chris Munger understands what it takes to win, while not well known across the state; he is the one of the few local Chairmen to have a string of winners under his belt. As head of the Stamford RTC, he worked tirelessly to get Mayor Michael Pavia elected and has built an organization that thrives and serves as a model for the rest of the state.

As we look forward to 2011, let us all accept a bit more responsibility tackling the landscape we face next year. As one of our resolutions, I hope we all try to be a bit more involved since these tough times will require everyone to contribute. I hope each of us learns to take a bit more personal responsibility to make sure we are doing all we can. Our politicians need to work harder to have and convey a message. Our party leaders need to be less stubborn and less egotistical and we need to all get a little more involved. My resolution for 2011 is to remember that politics is local, and that all good things begin at home.

I wish all of you the best. May 2011 bring you happiness, health and your families closer together. God willing, all those serving abroad will be safe and our leaders wise. Into the future we all plunge, eyes forward.

Happy New Year,

Chris Meek

Giving Thanks and Looking Ahead...

2010-11-25T07:33:00.001-05:00

As we move past the election of 2010 and towards the new year of 2011, it is only right that we take a minute this week to reflect and be thankful. While many of us in Connecticut are upset at our election results in what was otherwise a national story, we still have much for which to be thankful. It is critical that we turn towards the future right now, that we do not become cynical, and that we learn from our mistakes and strive to improve in the future.

While our party suffered setbacks at home, we still should be thankful for the work and service of those around us. We are lucky to have business leaders and entrepreneurs, public servants and military heroes amongst the ranks of those willing to serve and work for the values that we hold dear. While it is upsetting that many of these individuals will not be representing us in Hartford or Washington in 2011, they will be here to work with us as we look towards the future, and specifically 2012. The experience and dedication of these individuals is truly something to be thankful for, and something we need to learn from and work with. Wouldn't it be tragic if we blamed our broad setbacks on the individual candidates that participated, rather than on the underlying problems we are all facing?

As we move towards 2011, we should stop and be thankful for the host of new young people that are realizing that the GOP is not a party of the rich, old, white man; but rather one that offers a broad platform with a wide range of ideas and views for shaping a better, stronger, safer tomorrow. These young republicans are the future. They are the energy that will push our ideas to the forefront and they will be the votes that ensure a strong and resilient party in the days to come. It is important that we embrace them, and use the network of schools and universities that call Connecticut home, to reach out and connect with them.

We should also be thankful that the national party has done well. They are continuing to push forward, and we should follow their example. While the Democrats have chosen to stick with the leadership of the past, we are having a vigorous debate centering on changing our party leadership. As we discuss who will run our party apparatus, our elected leaders are making changes to the system from the onset, and that is a good thing. The new Speaker has said he will fly commercial. This seemingly small gesture carries immeasurable weight as our nation looks to take a firmer hand at controlling spending. While this gesture may largely be symbolic, if this sets the tone for how our new Congress leads, I am thankful for it. Congress has also moved to ban earmarks, which is an often maligned process overall, but one that will be ultimately embraced when the money comes to our state. While we enjoy the direct benefits, the larger picture simply makes this process not workable at this time. Making difficult decisions such as these are what set leaders apart and following these examples, among others, will go a long way towards our success as a party and a state in the future.

As we sit with our families this holiday, let us all take a moment to give thanks to those who can't be with theirs because they are fighting for us. Thank each of those who put party and politics aside, who always find the positive, and never stop fighting for the ideals in which they believe. They set examples and that is the beacon for which we should aim in our own lives, service to ones country, an unfailing resolve, and a love of family and friends.

While 2010 hasn't gone exactly as we had hoped, if we learn from our mistakes, recognize our missteps, and work together, 2011 can go wherever we take it. This year has marked the first step towards a brighter future. The next step must come from Connecticut and our ability to reach out and embrace new plans. Stronger methods and wiser policies will take us forward in 2012, and for that let us all give thanks.

Chris Meek

Young Republicans time to step up

2010-01-18T13:10:00.001-05:00

Fellow Young Republicans,

As we approach the one year mark of this administration, our nation is forced to look at the individuals we voted for and the issues we hoped would be addressed. As a young Republican, I am both concerned and optimistic about the direction of our great country The high unemployment numbers, the Christmas terror scare, the bribing of votes for health care reform - these are just a few of the recent situations which have created concern for all Americans - concern about effective economic policies, the stimulus package, national security and defense. These aren't small concerns, either; economic stability and national defense are safeties we cannot afford to jeopardize any further.

Fortunately, this is the time for young Republicans to step up. Our generation will soon have the chance to lead the nation, and it is the responsibility of the youth to influence the direction toward which our country is moving. As Americans realize that fiscal responsibility is necessary and oversized government destructive, there is a chance for our generation to lead the government back to a healthy state - of the people, by the people, for the people. I maintain a lot of optimism for the 2010 and 2012 elections as Americans turn to responsible governmening to work through the challenges we face.

That said, there are no guaranteed victories and the younger members of the GOP must take the initiative to create real, effective, and beneficial change in Washington. As a College Republican, I feel that it is our responsibility to watch the mistakes and the successes in government, foresee the unique issues which face our generation, and understand the necessary actions to perpetuate the freedom and strength enjoyed by America for many generations before ours.

I am very excited about Our CT Grand Young Party as the organization facilitates communication between young people and encourages involvement of young conservatives. I think the organization has a great future in keeping post-college grads involved as well. As they begin new jobs and start to encounter some of the actual issues facing Americans today, the College Republicans can learn from them and collaborate in working toward a better future. I hope that through this organization young people will understand and value the impact they can have in volunteering, voting, and taking unique approaches to the conservative effort.

So, in all of this, I hope that we, the youth in society, can maintain an optimistic outlook on the future of our nation while understanding the issues facing us. I sincerely hope that as a member of the Board of Advisors for Our CT GYP, we can create an open dialogue which will allow young people to voice their concerns and suggest innovative approaches to spreading responsible and effective government.

I'd like to also extend a thank you to Chris Meek for this wonderful opportunity and for being one of the few politically active adults who listen to both the concerns and the ideas of young people. Congratulations to all other members of the Board - I look forward to working with you on this great endeavor!

Happy new year!

Josie Amendola

US Rep. Jim Himes... Your Time Is Up.

2009-12-19T09:56:00.000-05:00

Standing in Hartford alongside members of our state government I was moved while listening to people speak of the sacrifices our men and women serving abroad are making, especially this time of year. Unfortunately, reality intruded when someone showed me a letter that Congressman Himes recently sent out. It was then that I realized that for once I really did understand the saying: "the silence is deafening."

As members of both parties stood together our Congressman was one of the few people of prominence to ignore the request to stand together for our brave soldiers. When I read his email I was shocked at the callous way he spoke of taking a trip to Afghanistan after he rolled up his sleeves to get back to work on financial regulation. He spoke of the wonders of being with old friends and that is family is growing up so fast. At the same time, Washington is making the decision to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. That's in addition to the hundreds of thousands that are already there that haven't had the privilege of spending the holidays safe at home with family and friends.

While the Congressman was relaxing, members of both parties were working right here in Connecticut to bring some assistance to those that truly serve. Most importantly, while the Congressman was eating his turkey, those soldiers were risking their lives while waiting for their government to decide if they would get the help they needed to get the job done.

How much rolling up of the sleeves will Congressman Himes be doing on financial regulation while he is in Afghanistan under the protection of those he works so hard to ignore? I can only hope the Congressman decides to break his silence and explain to those risking their lives why it took so long to decide? Or why he chose not to stand with us and support them in Hartford or anywhere else. Perhaps as a member of the homeland security committee he can explain why they are risking their lives to pull terrorists out of caves so that we can ship them to NY for trial as if they were common criminals. Somehow, I doubt he will do any of those things. My money is on a trite tweet and nice photo of the Congressman eating an MRE and comparing it to M&M's from Air Force One.

The really sad part was reading the ending of Congressman Himes' letter. As he spoke of the Holiday Season and the trip to Afghanistan, he had the gall to ask for a donation to his campaign. While most of us see this time of year as a chance to give to others, Congressman Himes feels no shame in asking for 10 dollars for himself. That money can buy a pack of ten pair of socks for those soldiers he is visiting. Jim Himes speaks of walking 6 miles a day at work and using a pedometer to measure them. Try walking in someone else's socks and measuring distance in villages and mountain tops. I challenge the Congressman to take only one pair of socks on his trip, I will even give him his ten dollars is he does.

The callous tone and clearly out of touch message speaks volumes to the need for change in our representation. Congressman Himes may be playing fireman, and hitching a ride on the President's plane while waiting to take a junket to a war zone for a photo op, but he is clearly not doing work for our State. We need a leader that doesn't brag about walking 6 miles at work before drinking a glass of wine. Instead we need one that sticks around and actually gets something done. Connecticut, it is time to declare our resolution for the New Year, we resolve to elect someone that will get things done.

Chris Meek

Stamford

NEVER FORGET...

2009-09-09T10:11:00.000-04:00

There are transcendent moments in history that define a generation – for many, it was the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 or the day World War II ended where people rejoiced at the end of long, and devastating war and cities celebrated. For others, it was that November day in Dallas when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and the dream of Camelot ended, or when families huddled in front of the television in July of 1969, and watched in awe as man walked on the moon.

For my generation, a defining moment was the explosion of the Shuttle Challenger in 1986 when all seven crew members were killed seconds after take off. Fifteen years later on that sunny September morning, a new moment occurred and changed the lives of so many in profound ways – when Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

These moments define us – unite us, give us courage, change the course of lives, the way a country shapes its policy. While some of these events become memories, we must never forget; we must never forget the lessons they teach us.

As a society we all shuddered the moment the South Tower toppled, and each of us felt the tremors through our entire being. But we survived; we moved forward, we pushed on as time heals all wounds, even ones as deep and raw as this one. We have progressed from the shock of having missed the seemingly obvious signs to anger about why we didn't take more notice as terrorists attacked our interests abroad in Kenya and Tanzania? How did we not see this coming after watching the attacks on the U.S.S. Cole or more importantly, the first attack on the World Trade Center itself? How did we not notice people attending flight schools in Florida who weren’t concerned about learning how to land the planes? Everyone came together and the nation refocused. We reworked our intelligence agencies and created the Homeland Security Department We passed the Patriot Act and other laws in an attempt to ensure that we would not miss similar signals again. We all rallied around our flag, and cheered when our government agreed to take the fight to our enemies to ensure that no nation was allowed to grant sanctuary and solace to those seeking to terrorize anymore. We warned the Taliban. When they didn’t heed our warnings, nor fully comprehend our resolve, we showed them that this time was different. We were serious, and again the world learned that it is not a good idea to stoke the fires that burn in all of us as Americans.

The repressive, fundamentalist and terrorist supporting Taliban Regime came tumbling down as a coalition of forces joined together to hunt those responsible for the attacks on our soil. We sent the message that these terrorist regimes were no longer something that we would turn a blind eye towards. As the focus of our attention shifted to Iraq (and now back to Afghanistan again) we have seen both ups and downs in our attempt to stabilize and liberate this historically difficult region. What hasn't waned, however, is the dedication and resolve of the men and women who seek to serve their nation and participate in this fight. They believe in the goals and understand the stakes better than any of us, as they have been the on the ground in all of the places we discuss in the safe confines of our local Starbucks.

These mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters are all out there fighting in conditions we can’t even imagine. They put their lives in danger every day to ensure that we never have to watch as our friends and families, colleagues or neighbors face the unimaginable choice of either dying in a burning building or jumping from the top of a sky scraper. To them, we all owe a sincere thank you.

Today many of us at home are questioning why and how we are fighting, Are we winning or losing? As a society this is a good thing as it shows that we are moving through the stages of grief post 9/11. As a nation I have to question; are we glossing over the hard learned lessons? Healthy debate is a good thing and should be encouraged, however there
are universal facts that are still being debated and its time we accepted them. The goal of terrorists is to terrorize and no matter what happens there will always be some people that feel this is a viable way to achieve their goals.

As a nation, it is the job of our leaders to ensure that our citizens are not targets of this method and any attempts at it at are met with painful reminders that this is not to be tolerated. People want to live in an open society but when the stakes are raised by the availability of more sophisticated weapons the importance of diligence, thorough examinations of intelligence and effective means of gathering intelligence are more important than ever.

As Americans, we are now looking to recover from the economic collapse and put in place measures to protect us from a similar occurrence in the future. Let us not forget we have had other even more expensive lessons and renew our efforts to learn from them. Economics and healthcare are today’s buzz words. We need to ensure that we don't focus
solely on the issues that affect our lives today; instead we need to focus on everything that can affect our lives tomorrow. While we have been spared any other attacks in the last 8 years, does anyone doubt that should we become victims again it would be more painful? How many of the lessons we should have learned in 2001 will we be able to say that we are still being vigilant with in 2009 or 2010? After all, there are still men and women risking their lives 8 years later for this cause. How sad would it be if we weren't willing to at least remember why they were risking their lives by fighting for something that history has already moved past?

Chris Meek
Stamford, CT

Rep. Hwang Opposes Largest Tax Increase in Connecticut History

2009-08-30T20:30:00.000-04:00

State Representative Tony Hwang (R-134) yesterday stood in opposition to another budget proposal which was unveiled today by legislative majority Democrats, again resulting in the largest proposed tax hike in state history. Hwang opposed the measure before the Appropriations Committee on July 30th in a meeting at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

Hwang noted that the legislative session ended two months ago, and that the fiscal year had ended last month with no budget being acted on by the legislature. Governor Rell and legislative Republicans called for making all possible cuts to state spending before enacting tax increases. Following six months of fruitless budget negotiations where the Democratic majority leadership refused to make significant cuts or give up on massive tax increases, Governor Rell announced that she would reluctantly agree to some tax increases to move the process forward.

“I understand the dilemma Governor Rell is in,” said Rep. Hwang. “Democrats in the legislature have simply been unwilling to consider significant cuts. There is a veto-proof majority of tax-increase advocates in the legislature, so she has little recourse. However, I do not believe that tax increases during these rough economic times is a good idea. It only serves to hurt the people who are already hurting the most, your neighbors and mine.”

The Democratic proposal raises taxes by $1.85 billion including a huge increase in the income tax, and a hefty new tax on businesses that will likely lead to more job losses in the state.

Hwang also noted that the Democratic plan relies on billions of “one shot’’ revenues such as the $1.4 billion Rainy Day Fund, $3 billion in federal stimulus money and “securitization’’ of $835 million in unspecified state assets that have to be replaced within two to three years. Hwang said that the state will have to raise taxes on more taxpayers to cover a projected $5 billion deficit in the future, and would have to borrow to cover the immediate shortfall for last year’s budget caused by the delay and inefficiency of the Democratic majority leadership.

The revised Democratic plan also includes a new 15 percent surcharge on all business profits, a 75 cent increase on cigarettes and a 30 percent surcharge on estate settlements.

“I think this Democratic majority leadership budget takes the easy way out,” said Rep. Hwang. “There is no effort here to make structural changes to the state’s spending habits, and no consideration given to the potential loss of jobs in a state that has already hemorrhaged 65,000 jobs during this recession. In addition we will be committing future generations to bail us out of the problems we are in today which will lower the quality of living for them.”

Hwang joined House Republicans which twice proposed No-Tax-Increase budgets that are balanced and spend nearly $1 billion less than the Democrats’ latest version. Hwang expressed frustration that diligent debate and consideration of those budget proposals still has not occurred in Appropriation Committee and General Assembly sessions. “The people of Connecticut deserve a more transparent and sincere effort to resolve our financial budget crisis,” he noted.

Himes and Health Care

2009-08-19T04:32:00.000-04:00

I am heartened to hear that Congressman Himes believes that the current House Resolution 3200, commonly called the Health Care Bill, need not and should not be rushed. While I am a bit wary of politicians speaking of moral embarrassments and those voting for the biggest one year spending spree in history preaching about economic liabilities, it is certainly true that something must be done. To argue with Rep Himes two goals; access to high-quality and affordable care, would be as silly to argue against eliminating world hunger.

Unfortunately, that is where our common ground appears to end. Congressman Himes and those in the government favoring the current proposals tell us that the medical system in the U.S. is broken and the "reform proposal" is the answer to fixing this "broken system." According to Congressman Himes, who for the sake of argument we will assume has indeed read the entirety of the bill; this proposal will cover almost all Americans. It will create an "exchange" where private insurers and a public option can compete freely in an "Orbitz.com" style system. It’s an interesting way to depict the discussion, but leads to a few clear questions. I think we all agree that the lowest price and best quality are achieved best in an open and competitive marketplace. This is what drives our anti-trust rules and allows us low cost essentials from telephone and cable to the internet and the Mac vs. PC debate.

Congressman Himes has said, "Properly structured to assure a level playing field, a public option will provide much needed competition for the insurance companies and help bring down costs nationally, given that 90 percent of Americans live in markets dominated by one or two insurers." Interesting statement, so why not allow insurance to cross state lines as we do with our auto, home, life and all other policies we hold? It doesn't matter if you live here in CT, or in CA or anywhere in this country; we all know that gecko and the duck so why not let them compete for our health insurance dollars? Do we need the government to come into all 50 states and start competing in a fractured system? Is there a reason why the policy that works so well for all our other insurance can't work for our health insurance also?

Another question is how will this government option work? Congressman Himes as said it will need to level the playing field, so will it be required to earn a profit? Is it really a fair market if we allow a government entity to jump into the fray and do things that economically don't make sense in order to drive costs down? Sure we can subsidize it, the Treasury can provide almost infinite funding and costs would come down. However, what would happen to those companies that answer to shareholders and not to elected officials? The ability of these companies to remain in the medical insurance business will decrease as long as the "public option" is allowed to operate at a loss and then who will we be able to choose from?

According to Rep. Himes, "We must revisit our current fee-for-service, volume based model, in which every provider at every step has powerful incentives to order test after test, procedure after procedure, with little regard for what is actually effective" Let me begin by suggesting that Congressman Himes get a new doctor if he honestly believes this is the case. Does the Congressman really intend to argue that all of our nation’s doctors are getting wealthy by ordering extra tests that don't need to be taken? Or, is his issue with the concept of needless testing, in which case perhaps Congress should investigate and regulate auto mechanics.

Who among us wouldn't go for a second opinion if we were faced with a diagnosis for ourselves or our loved ones that carried significant risk? With treatments and procedures out there often being as severe and dangerous as the ailments they seek to cure, do we really want to cut back on the quantity or quality of the tests used to make accurate diagnosis? Is the Congressman honestly pushing for a buffet style approach to health care? One where you get quick commoditized treatment based on what the problem probably is as decided by the government option following on a quick and inexpensive diagnosis? If so, no wonder he doesn't trust his physician.

Why do the bills being discussed now not attempt to address some of the cost of care issues which the doctor faces? Has anyone discussed the dramatic increases in the cost of insurance paid by the doctors and hospitals? According to an article in the Boston Globe from June 1, 2005; "malpractice insurance premiums have skyrocketed since 2000, jumping 20 to 25% in 2002 alone. In Massachusetts, ProMutual Group, which covers about one-third of the state's doctors, raised rates an average of 11 percent last year (2004), 20 percent in 2003, and 12.5 percent in 2002." The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has named nine "Red Alert" States where the medical liability insurance situation threatens the availability of physicians to deliver babies. West Virginia, Florida, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. They have also cited data from a survey by Medical Liability Monitor that the median insurance premium for OB/GYNs increased 167 percent from 1982 to 2008 and from 2000 to 2002 it rose more than 44 percent.

These figures show that the statistic Rep. Himes tosses around about our cost of health care doubling in ten years makes sense. So if the government wants to drive down cost and level the playing field by entering the insurance market, why not start offering medical malpractice insurance? This is an incredibly important issue and a debate that we all need to have. As a result, all options should be on the table and we really shouldn't be racing through this without fully understanding what the changes mean. Simply yelling that the system is broken and we can't afford to wait doesn't mean that we need to jump on the first idea we see or hear. I urge Congressman Himes and the rest of his friends in Washington to remember the corollary to the Hippocratic Oath. First, do no harm.

Chris Meek

Vision of the Young Republicans

2009-07-27T04:26:00.000-04:00

I was recently asked what my vision of the Stamford Young Republicans is, and here it is.

The vision is to engage more people, broaden participation both among those that currently are involved and by bringing more people and ideas in. With the extreme actions being taken today under the democrats, this is the time to attract people with a clear and inclusive party.
From government control of 2/3 our automakers, many of our banks, possibly our healthcare and the explosive spending on pet and pork projects we are running our economy into the ground in the same way we saw our housing markets and values destroyed.

The youth of our communities need to ensure our voices ard heard, and we are comfortable with those representing us as the decisions they make will affect us and our children for decades to come.

For this reason we will continue to strive to bring those individuals that do represent us, as well as those that seek to directly into dialogues with our members, and I encourage everyone to participate in the opportunities to speak with them, as we did with Lt. Gov. Fedele, Sen. L. Scott Frantz and Rep. Fred Camillo at out first wine tasting last week and at our next scheduled event.
Please bring friends of any political persuasion to these events as that is the only way we can grow our ranks. After all, in a thoughtful discussion of ideas, we have nothing at all to fear.

Equally important is to have more people participate in our blogs and discussion groups. Nobody wants or needs an echo chamber, and todays issues are certainly complicated enough to warrant thoughtful discussion znd debate.

I have become absolutely convinced that if we come together and everyone reaches out a little bit, we can truly do amazing things. This motto has driven us to saving dozens of families homes, brought thousands of dollars of essential supplies to our men and women serving abroad and can certainly bring us the best leadership possible here at home.

This is our time, it is our responsibility to set the course for our families and to ensure that they grow up in the same America that we, our our parents, and granparents did. President Obama and Congressman Himes and those who think as they do believe we either can't make those choices, or we don't want to. If we prove them correct, and allow Washington to make all of our choices for us, God help us, but we were warned!

Chris Meek
Chairman - Stamford Young Republicans
Chris.Meek@StamfordCTYR.org

Charles Krauthammer

2009-06-29T04:35:00.000-04:00

Last Monday was a profound evening, hearing Dr. Charles Krauthammer speak to the Center for the American Experiment. He is brilliant intellectual, seasoned & articulate. He is forthright and careful in his analysis, and never resorts to emotions or personal insults. He is NOT a fearmonger nor an extremist in his comments and views. He is a fiscal conservative, and has a Pulitzer prize for writing. He is a frequent contributor to Fox News and writes weekly for the Washington Post. The entire room was held spellbound during his talk. I have shared this with many of you and several have asked me to summarize his comments, as we are living in uncharted waters economically and internationally. Even 2 Dems at my table agreed with everything he said!

Here is his resume from Wikipedia: _http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Charles_Krautham mer_ (http://en.wikipedia%20.org/wiki/%20Charles_Krautham%20mer)

A summary of his comments:

1. Mr. Obama is a very intellectual, charming individual. He is not to be underestimated. He is a 'cool customer' who doesn't show his emotions. It's very hard to know what's 'behind the mask'. Taking down the Clinton dynasty from a political neophyte was an amazing accomplishment. The Clinton's still do not understand what hit them. Obama was in the perfect place at the perfect time.

2. Obama has political skills comparable to Reagan and Clinton. He has a way of making you think he's on your side, agreeing with your position, while doing the opposite. Pay no attention to what he SAYS; rather, watch what he DOES!

3. Obama has a ruthless quest for power. He did not come to Washington to make something out of himself, but rather to change everything, including dismantling capitalism. He can't be straightforward on his ambitions, as the public would not go along. He has a heavy hand, and wants to 'level the playing field' with income redistribution and punishment to the achievers of society. He would like to model the USA to Great Britain or Canada .

4. His three main goals are to control ENERGY, PUBLIC EDUCATION, & NATIONAL HEALTHCARE by the Federal government. He doesn't care about the auto or financial services industries, but got them as an early bonus. The cap and trade will add costs to everything and stifle growth. Paying for FREE college education is his goal. Most scary is his healthcare program, because if you make it FREE and add 46,000,000 people to a Medicare-type single-payer system, the costs will go through the roof. The only way to control costs is with massive RATIONING of services, like in Canada . God forbid.

5. He's surrounded himself with mostly far-left academic types. No one around him has ever even run a candy store. But they're going to try and run the auto, financial, banking and other industries. This obviously can't work in the long run. Obama's not a socialist; rather he's a far-left secular progressive bent on nothing short of revolution. He ran as a moderate, but will govern from the hard left. Again, watch what he does, not what he says.

6. Obama doesn't really see himself as President of the United States , but more as a ruler over the world. He sees himself above it all, trying to orchestrate & coordinate various countries and their agendas. He sees moral equivalency in all cultures. His apology tour in Germany and England was a prime example of how he sees America , as an imperialist nation that has been arrogant, rather than a great noble nation that has at times made errors. This is the first President ever who has chastised our allies and appeased our enemies!

7. He's now handing out goodies. He hopes that the bill (and pain) will not 'come due' until after he's reelected in 2012. He'd like to blame all problems on Bush from the past, and hopefully his successor in the future. He has a huge ego, and Mr. Krauthammer believes he is a narcissist.

8. Republicans are in the wilderness for a while, but will emerge strong. We're 'pining' for another Reagan, but there'll never be another like him. Krauthammer believes Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty & Bobby Jindahl (except for his terrible speech in February) are the future of the party. Newt Gingrich is brilliant, but has baggage. Sarah Palin is sincere and intelligent, but needs to really be seriously boning up on facts and info if she's to be a serious candidate in the future. We need to return to the party of lower taxes, smaller government, personal responsibility, strong national defense, and states' rights.

9. The current level of spending is irresponsible and outrageous. We're spending trillions that we don't have. This could lead to hyper inflation, depression or worse. No country has ever spent themselves into prosperity. The media is giving Obama, Reid and Pelosi a pass because they love their agenda. But eventually the bill will come due and people will realize the huge bailouts didn't work, nor will the stimulus package. These were trillion-dollar payoffs to Obama's allies, unions and the Congress to placate the left, so he can get support for #4 above.

10. The election was over in mid-September when Lehman brothers failed. fear and panic swept in, we had an unpopular President, and the war was grinding on indefinitely without a clear outcome. The people are in pain, and the mantra of 'change' caused people to act emotionally. Any Dem would have won this election; it was surprising is was as close as it was.

11. In 2012, if the unemployment rate is over 10%, Republicans will be swept back into power. If it's under 8%, the Dems continue to roll. If it's between 8-10%, it'll be a dogfight. It'll all be about the economy.

I hope this gets you really thinking about what's happening in Washington and Congress. There's a left-wing revolution going on, according to Krauthammer, and he encourages us to keep the faith and join the loyal resistance. The work will be hard, but we're right on most issues and can reclaim our country, before it's far too late.

We can make a difference...

2009-06-22T20:57:00.000-04:00

The more things ‘Change,’ the more they stay the same…

Last Fall’s elections and call for ‘CHANGE’ sent shockwaves throughout our nation and the world. Five months into the Obama Administration, we find ourselves in a much different place than the masses expected when casting their votes in November.

Recent Rasmussen polls show 53% of voters believe government spending is hurting the economy and 51% already approving an across the board tax cut for all American’s. 61% say the government should not regulate compensation once a firm is out of TARP the same week Obama announces his “Pay Czar.”

Six out of ten issues of importance to voters now go to the GOP including the economy. Republicans in Congress have their highest approval ratings over the past year, while Democrats are on their lows for the same time period. 56% of voters view Pelosi unfavorably and only 39% would vote for Roland Burris. When asked if we are heading in the wrong direction, 59% of Americans say yes!

Where is this ‘Change’ we were promised?!

With all this going on in America, it is time for the average Republican to stand up and start to make a difference. We need to stop allowing the only voices that are heard to be those of Rush Limbaugh and Dick Cheney, even if you personally agree with them. Nobody is talking about Cheney’s statements in favor of same sex marriage by the way. Now we as a party and as a team need to stand up and show our neighbors in the categories listed above that they belong in the GOP and they have a place. With the Stamford Young Republicans they also can find a voice and we will ensure it is heard.

Now is the time to demonstrate that the government option is not the only option, and certainly it isn’t the best option. This is the time to work together, to demonstrate what happens when Americans join together for a common cause. We can seize the moment, by generating dialogue, in social assistance and community awareness. With the numbers we are seeing, if we act responsibly and we come together and embrace our responsibilities we can stop things before we get too far down the road of government control. We can turn away from government mandates; we can turn away from wasteful spending and dangerous foreign policy. We can prevent our national security from being endangered in an attempt to appeal to an unrealistic base and we can stop the patronage and bullying that we see in our politics now, from Sen. Burris to the Inspector General Gerald Walpin who had investigated a Presidential friend. We can not let Nancy Pelosi and Jim Himes continue to destroy our economy and security, and our children’s future, because they don’t want to waste a crisis that may allow them to advance an agenda that otherwise wouldn’t have a chance.

Now is the time for us to show the world that change can be done. I was recently involved in two loan modification events that helped 58 families avoid foreclosure and keep their homes. We didn’t receive any state or federal funding. In fact it was a Democratic friend who bet we couldn’t get anything done without Government support! I now realize what can be done and that we can do it.

It is more important than ever for all of us to get involved. After the success of the loan modification events, I will bring more projects like these to the table and encourage all of you to think outside the box, and see where and how everyone can get involved. Helping will serve to make a real difference, as well as alter the public’s perception and impression of Republicans. We, as Young Republicans, have the most vested in what is going on right now – it is our employment and environment being manipulated, our retirement jeopardized, our social security spent and our future health care destroyed.

It is time to start taking action and responsibility together. It is time to start now.

Chris Meek
Chairman – Stamford Young Republicans

From State Senator L. Scott Frantz

2009-06-13T14:19:00.000-04:00

Having just returned from my session in Hartford, I would like to share with you some highlights and a few thoughts on a subject that should be of concern to all of us, the state budget. I also want to thank you for the trust you have placed in me - it will always be a profound honor to serve you in the State Senate for as long as you see fit.

The General Assembly has passed bills concerning improvements in firearms safety, changed the bottle bill to apply to noncarbonated beverages, named bisphenol-A from drinking containers for infants, expanded health care coverage for autism, added nutritional information to restaurant chain menus, revamped the probate court system, and enacted a Silver Alert System for seniors amongst others. I have to say that a large part of this job is helping to prevent bad ideas from becoming law, and I believe we were successful in our Republican Caucus in stopping bills that included a law dictating to the Catholic Church would form a lay board of governance to manage the Church’s finances, a clear violation of the U.S. Constitution.

I would like to share with you my off the cuff observations regarding the legislative process. Despite the simple logic behind how a bill becomes law, it is laborious exercise that, at times, can be inefficient and nonsensical. Hundreds of days of effort can go into an effort to pass a bill only to find that it became caught up in the vortex an argument on the floor and mysteriously dies. As the clock ticks down to midnight on the last day of session, the multi layer “game of chess” becomes ever more complex, and the best of ideas can be lost or the worst of ideas can be voted on favorably.

As this relates to the creation of a budget, we experienced a breakdown very early on in the year due to major philosophical and political differences in our approach to the expected budget deficits for this fiscal year and for 2010 and 2011. Plain and simple, the Republicans see our fiscal crisis as an opportunity to reign in state spending and maintain our competitive advantage with respect to our neighboring states on the issue of taxation. Democrats see our fiscal mess as a golden opportunity to raise taxes for not only the current period, but forever. The problem is that spending always rises to the current revenue levels and is oftentimes legislated or contracted into permanent spending with built-in annual increases. Unlike the private sector, the General Assembly is simply incapable of making meaningful cuts regardless of the extreme need to do so. Our Governor has been a stalwart to date on the issue of maintaining tax rates at current levels. If we do not use the worst economic and fiscal circumstances in many lifetimes to stop state spending from growing at just under 7%, as it has for the last 15 years, we risk putting ourselves out of business for the long term. The tax base can only bear so much of the responsibility of picking up the state’s spending tab. Those corporations, partnerships, families and individuals who pay the vast majority of taxes can easily and quickly move to another state.

The budget negotiations are now out of our hands, at least for the near term. The Governor and leadership from the majority party will be working towards a resolution, which I believe will take the better part of the summer, if not longer. I could be wrong, but the issues are as contentious as they get, and there are no simple fixes. My job at this point, as I see it, is to influence decision makers and negotiators to not waste the opportunity of a lifetime to make Connecticut the most competitive state in the northeast. If we are successful, our tax base will grow significantly and swiftly, setting the stage for another bright chapter in our state history. We sure could use your help in contacting the Democrat Legislators to express your disapproval of the idea of raising taxes.

At the end of the day, our success in the General Assembly boils down to numbers. We are in the super minority in both chambers and are unable to sustain a veto. This changes the dynamics on the floors dramatically and almost always guarantees being outvoted on any given issue. We need more Republicans in Hartford ! If you have ever thought about running for office, now is the time to seriously consider taking that step. If that is not your cup of tea, please consider helping us get good people elected so we can stop the hemorrhaging and assure a brighter future for our state.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and please always feel free to contact me at 860-240-0474 or online at scott.frantz@cga.ct.gov.

From Lt. Gov. Mike Fedele

2009-06-05T10:47:00.000-04:00

If you are on this blog reading my column and the other guest columns, congratulations! You have taken the first step in getting involved.

That’s all it takes and never before in the history of our country is it more important to be aware, concerned and involved. I’ll say that again it is so important: be aware, be concerned and be involved. Having been in politics for more than 20 years now, it doesn’t matter whether you run for office, work on the town committee, run a campaign, write letters to the editor or something else.

The point is to be aware, become involved and be a part of a philosophy that is bigger than yourself and affects everyone in our community.

Is it pretty? Not always. Is it fun? Not always. But it is important and will impact you whether you are active or not. I’m the type of person that if someone else is making decisions that impact me, my family and my ability to run my business and succeed in life, it is my responsibility to be part of that conversation.

Thank you for the invitation to be part of the Young Republicans blog and welcome to the conversation!

Why START Now?

2009-06-01T12:33:00.001-04:00

This letter is in response to James Hagerty’s and Ruth Simon’s article “Activist Financier ‘Terrorizes’ Bankers in Foreclosure Fight,” in May 20th’s edition of the ‘Wall Street Journal.’
I appreciate and applaud what Mr. Marks and his Neighborhood Assistance Corp. of America is trying to accomplish in helping homeowners through the foreclosure process. We all need to do our part in helping families in need in these trying times. However, we believe there is a more constructive way to help these families other than terrorizing banks and CEO’s or picketing homes of bank employees. We don’t need to use demonizing tactics, just some cooperation by all those involved.
I was part of a loan modification event on April 18th at the Yerwood Center in Stamford, CT. The program consisted of 5 banks and 6 agencies all working under the HOPE NOW alliance. During the three hour event, more than 100 families attended and were educated on the process and 41 loans were modified at an average savings of $441 per month, while the families were sitting at the event. This program was so well received that it has led us to host another one on May 30th, also at the Yerwood Center, and we are looking to schedule more within Fairfield County.
I would like to point out that the difference between these two events. START Now!, organizer of the Yerwood events, receives no money from a federal or state program. This is a grassroots driven program organized by members of the community who understand the issues we all face and are trying to help those truly in need. We don’t have a $40 million budget mostly covered by the banks doing the modifications, and we haven’t received $3.5 million of the government’s $34.5 million federal program designed to counsel distressed mortgage borrowers.
Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America is also a mortgage broker. If a homeowner becomes one of their borrowers, they must become members of NACA and participate in protests and work in NACA’s offices for several years – isn’t there a conflict of interest in there somewhere? NACA is being paid by the banks and funded by the federal government to hold events, wherein they can then try to sign families up as borrowers for their own originated mortgage. Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this?
In The Journal’s article, words such as ‘Terrorize, Threatened, Scourges, and Predator’ are used to define actions taken by Mr. Marks and NACA. The world is a terrifying enough place as it is now. Do we need someone with a bullhorn (he literally uses a bullhorn) out there putting more fear into people who just need some guidance and help?
START Now! reached out to all banks with operations in Stamford and asked for their assistance. Not all banks have participated, specifically Citibank and Wells Fargo, but a majority have signed on, including Bank of America, HSBC and JP Morgan Chase. It didn’t take any federal funding, protesting, or picketing someone’s private residence to get them to agree. It merely took a few phone calls consisting of a few key points – those being that people need help and that if the lender and borrower worked together, something could be resolved. The cooperation, understanding and willingness to work together are what have made the program the success it has become.
That is how results get achieved. If we all work together and stop pointing blame at this bank or that CEO or this group of homeowners, we can make real progress and can help to stabilize our housing crisis. It doesn’t matter who is to blame anymore. It’s about taking responsibility and working together as a community, as a society, to get positive results. If we stay focused on these few simple things, we can really start solving the issues we have here in our own backyards.
I agree with some of NACA’s views of favoring a return to more traditional mortgage standards, with full documentation of income, and with preparing renters for the responsibilities of home ownership. However, these partisan, angry attacks organized by Mr. Marks and his organization serve to do nothing other than tear society apart, which is what START Now! is trying hard to prevent.
Mr. Marks talks about using his Machiavellian ‘Know the enemy’ tactics to push these banks into participating. It’s time to realize we are our own enemy and we need to take responsibility for our actions. It is said about many addictions that “admitting the problem is the first step to recover”; if we acknowledge our problems, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish by working together to fix them. Working together, constructively, is a far better way to rebuild our communities than to use more tactics of aggression and fear-mongering.
Chris Meek

From Rep. Floren

2009-05-31T11:19:00.001-04:00

The future of the Republican party lies in attracting young people to become active participants. Our tent is a large one that should attract a new generation of leaders.

From Rep. Camillo

2009-05-31T11:17:00.000-04:00

The CT House of Representatives is debating bills this session such as Paid Sick Leave and government-run healthcare. These are the priorities of the House Democratic leadership. Now, one might say this is a strange agenda to bring forth when Connecticut is in the middle of the worst economic decline since the 1930s. The former would affect any company with over 50 employees. If they have, say, 57 employees, to avoid this costly mandate, they would undoubtedly terminate the employment of seven employees. I wonder what those hypothetical seven employees would pick if the choice was paid sick leave or secure job?

Regarding the latter, if the State of Connecticut were to offer insurance under the guise of offering competition, how would private insurance companies be able to compete with the government? Remember, if a privae sector company goes in to the red, it goes out of businees.If the government does the same, it will dip in to the General Fund to cover is losses. Guess where the money in the General Fund comes from?

Instead of reforming governement to become more lean, efficient, and effective, the state Democrats have focused on the above, with a smattering of such vitally important bills like Blower Ball, Paint Ball, Water Lettuce, and the initiative to call food stamps something other than food stamps! You can't make this stuff up!

The Connecticut Democrats certainly have a right to run the show as they please. They have won the majority of elections across the state and with victory comes control. Until we change that, we will have to live with the results of the previous election cycles.

With a popular Governor most likely heading the CT GOP ticket in 2010, with a severely wounded and tarnished Sen. Chris Dodd facing the biggest challenge of his 30 plus year career, and with a line up of energized Republicans running across the Nutmeg landscape, the opportunity is there to retake our state and make it a leader in jobs, new, cleaner technologies, and affordable living.

The ball is in our court.

Fred Camillo
State Representative
151st District

Welcome to the SYR Blog

2009-05-29T13:18:00.001-04:00

Here's our first blog... We'll have more soon!