Editor's note: Democrat Terry Masters is running for the 120th District seat currently held by Republican Laura Hoydick
What's the real difference between the Democrats and the Republicans?
The sound bites are pretty stale: Republicans are "fiscally conservative" and Democrats are "tax and spend."
The truth is so much different.
Republicans, from Romney on down to my opponent, all tout cutting taxes and cutting waste; but not one of them will admit to what they want to cut -- besides taxes for the wealthy.
If you cut taxes, you will also have to cut expenditures. Again, we hear sound bites about "cutting waste" but nothing concrete. If their plans are good and have value, what's the problem with bringing them out into the open? Or are they unwilling to show how their plans add to the deficit?
In Stratford, my opponent Laura Hoydick states she has worked on legislation to grow Connecticut’s economy. And in fact she, along with all but four members of the House, voted for Democrat Chris Donovan's economic stimulus package (HB 6801).
She then voted against another bill proposed in the Senate and sponsored in the House by Donovan (SB 1152). This bill will have created 3,000 construction jobs each year between 2012-18 and an additional 16,400 jobs with $4.6 billion in personal income by 2037.
Even if no one from Stratford gets hired at the construction site or at the Biosciences Center, the state coffers will be growing and we have a better chance of funding our programs.
Are Democrats the "tax and spend" party? Actually, I think we're the real business-friendly and business-like party. We know that to grow something -- whether a company, an economy or a society -- you need to invest in it.
Public education is an investment that we've forgotten. It's not a coincidence that our kids are missing basic skills sets. Our transportation system is another investment that has not been nurtured. How many lost work hours and lowered productivity were incurred because the Metro-North rail cars couldn't run in either the snow or the heat?
The same types of programs that are under attack in Washington are under attack in Stratford:
- The same party that wants to privatize Social Security wants to privatize Stratford's water treatment facility.
- The same party that voted against funding the Violence Against Women Act in Washington voted against adding a $20 fee to a Connecticut marriage license to provide services for domestic abuse victims.
- The same party that wants to dismantle Medicare and Social Security for everyone under 55 voted against helping Stratford residents who are under-insured or un-insured get healthcare coverage.
- The same party that fought campaign finance reform in Washington voted against greater campaign transparency in Connecticut.
Neither party is all bad nor all good; we and our institutions are not that simple. But the differences are stark between the parties -- and their candidates -- at all levels.
There is a real difference between me and my opponent. I have fought for equal rights, animal welfare, health care, and environmental issues. I have been a union member, I am a small business owner, and I have fought for an equal playing field for over forty years.
I am, as of this writing, endorsed by:
Rosa DeLauro
Kim Meuse
AFSCME
Connecticut Citizens Action Group
CT PACE
CSU AAUP
SEIU
Sierra Club, CT Chapter
Working Families Party
I'm asking for your support and your vote in November. I won't make false promises or make snappy sound bites. I will do everything I can to work productively with my peers in Hartford and to help Stratford.
Like Rosa, I'm a fighter and I will fight for you.
"Public education is an investment that we've forgotten. It's not a coincidence that our kids are missing basic skills sets. Our transportation system is another investment that has not been nurtured" And you think you will make a difference if you are elected?
Another striking difference is the parties position on Social Security and Medicare. If we have a Republican in the White House who is set on privatizing Social Security and voucherizing Medicare, do you know where your state reps in the Republican Party will stand? Recent history shows us that the GOP is ousting moderates in their midst for Tea Party activists. Look at how your incumbents have voted and what they stand for before giving them a second chance to affect issues that matter the most for our society. Ms. Masters makes a GREAT argument for giving her a chance to ensure Stratford's best interests are considered at the state level, as well as working to keep Social Security and Medicare out of the hands of Wall Street.
And let's face it, Walt, the issues we see being obstructed by the Republicans at the national level - and those they tout instead - tell us precisely how the down-tickets will work for us.
Rell refused to increase taxes on the wealthiest residents in CT...you know, the 'job creators' who hide their potential 'job creating' millions in tax havens offshore...while raising taxes on property owners and cutting social programs on the least among us. Your whining doesn't serve or impress anyone but yourself.
"But other actions and decisions haven’t been so positive. There is almost a sense of obstruction: a vote against raising the minimum wage, a vote against programs for victims of domestic abuse, and a vote against openness in campaign financing. Beyond these votes, there’s been inaction on current state measures that could help Stratford: the Energy Improvement Districts and ECS funding are just two examples." So what you're saying Terry is it's the members of your party that are the obstructionists, since they control both chambers in Hartford.
"Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell passes $391 million in tax hikes" http://www.atr.org/connecticut-governor-jodi-rell-proposes-million-a3613
Go figure - a Republican on this comment page pretending that their party isn't in fact the party of "tax and spend". Cognitive dissonance has a tea party ideology.
Sandy and Nancy -- you both may want to do some fact-checking on what Republican Governors with Republican-controlled legislators do in other parts of the country to run their states. As it stands, those Republican-controlled states DRAIN the MOST federal dollars from the Government teat, while states like ours foot the bill for those Republican.....what did Romney call the 47%? Oh, yes..... MOOCHERS.
Here's the facts about Walker, whom you cite as having 'inherited' a deficit and claim to have now 'rid' his state of that deficit. How did he do it? Apparently, by also ridding the state of some 80,000 jobs. I kind of remember Walker promising during his recall election that he'd create 250,000 jobs during his first term, and furthermore said that there would be a "dramatic turnaround" and "a tremendous takeoff" in the jobs numbers after last June 5th as political uncertainty was removed. Doesn't look good for the old teacher-hater. By the way, Walker now enjoys a Democratically-controlled legislature to keep his asinine hate in check. Kasich actually DID raise taxes, Nancy -- he called for higher taxes on oil and gas drillers and environmental rules that his administration says no other state requires. Sounds a bit more Democrat than Republican, don't you think? Not surprised that he took a Democratic approach to get those unhealthy approval ratings up after smiting the unions' right to negotiation....