New Britain TownBlog

Iraq On $330 Million A Day: Cong. Murphy Responds To Bush Plan To Stay The Course

By NBpoliticus | September 13, 2007

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More and Better Democrats: Centano and Rocha Win Ward 5 Primary

By spazeboy | September 12, 2007

A quick follow-up on yesterday’s post about the primary in New Britain’s 5th Ward. Democratic endorsed candidates Roy Centano and Lori Rocha won, leaving incumbent Democrat John Carroll off the November ballot.

An excerpt from The Hartford Courant’s brief report:

Unofficially, Rocha received 349 votes. Centeno, a retired police officer and political newcomer received 328 votes.

John Carroll, the only Democratic incumbent not to receive his party’s endorsement, received 245 votes.

Rick Guiness’s report in the New Britain Herald this morning is much better:

Carroll campaigned with postcards and fliers, but he didn’t have an army of door-to-door campaigning volunteers.
The town committee did.
“The Democratic Town Committee did me in,” Carroll said after learning of the results. “I lost. No hard feelings. No remorse.”
If anything, the primary resolved the question of just how powerful the Democratic Party machine really is, although Democratic Town chairman John McNamara was quick to say Tuesday that “it is not a machine; it is a group of dedicated individuals who work like a machine.”

More and better Democrats for New Britain!

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Ward 5 Primary Today in New Britain

By spazeboy | September 11, 2007

Via the New Britain Democrat blog:

The Democratic Primary for Ward 5 seats on the New Britain City Council will take place at three polling places on Tuesday, September 11th. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m at Gaffney School, 322 Slater Road (District 4), DiLoreto School, 732 Slater Road (District 15) and Holmes School, Nye Road (District 14).

The Council district includes 3,388 registered Democrats who will be eligible to vote in next Tuesday’s primary. Endorsed Democrats Roy Centeno and Ald. Lori Rocha (Row A) face incumbent John Carroll in the primary that will mark the city’s first use of optically scanned voting cards that are being introduced statewide this year.

Centeno and Rocha received the endorsement of the Democratic Town Committee at its July 24th meeting. “Roy Centeno and Lori Rocha represent a good team on the City Council for Ward 5 residents,” said Democratic Town Chair John McNamara. “They will proactively represent residents on neighborhood issues. Residents are going to need strong and independent voices on the council from that area, particularly as the Mayor’s office seeks development of Pinnacle Heights.”

I don’t live in the 5th ward, but will be following the results of this primary with interest. Both Rocha and Carroll are incumbents, and newcomer Centeno hopes to replace Carroll.

As Atrios would say, it’s all about “electing more and better Democrats.”

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Young Dems Endorse Wyskiewicz

By spazeboy | September 7, 2007

Good news for Jim Wyskiewicz today — he’s been endorsed by the CT Young Democrats! Here’s an excerpt from the press release:

Alderman Wyskiewicz was interviewed by several representatives on these and other issues before his endorsement was voted upon by the state party caucus. Ultimately, Jim Wyskiewicz’s campaign was recognized as a living embodiment of youth inclusion, given its growing legion of active interns and student representatives contributing several hours a week knocking on doors and calling on voters since the announcement of his candidacy in early April.

As Jim Wyskiewicz attests, “Getting our youth involved is what it’s all about. Their participation strengthens us as a municipality. We are enriched by their commitment to our campaign and we will remain connected and inspired as an administration.”

Alderman Wyskiewicz’ platforms for economic development and education were also recognized by the Connecticut Young Democrats. “Our kids must be focused on their learning and not distracted by the overcrowding or lack of materials or lack of funding which currently threatens their education. Similarly, our development, our economic initiatives, and our downtown must lend themselves toward the retention of our youth and of all their contributions as an integral part of our society and our future.”

It’s important to get the young folks on your side. I don’t know what kinds of resources come along with the endorsement of CT’s Young Democrats, but I hope that with CCSU in town that the Young Dems nod to Wyskiewicz will activate the college Dems there.

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Food and Preaching

By spazeboy | September 4, 2007

Rick Guinness wrote an article for today’s New Britain Herald about a former member of the Latin Kings who has since reformed and found God, but whose plan to serve meals to the needy while preaching gospel over loudspeakers was rejected.

Amen.

OK, seriously. It’s not an idea that would work well. The feeding people part is admirable and it alone would have gone swimmingly, but the bit about preaching over the loudspeaker would have been…let’s say ineffective…at best. Assuming that most people are believers (not such a leap) and assuming that most of the believers go to church every Sunday (kind of a leap), just think about the sermon you go to hear on Sunday. Why do you go to the church that you go to, and not another one? Probably because you are cool with one philosophy over the other. Would you want to hear the other church’s message broadcast on a loudspeaker that’s sound penetrated your living room? Not likely.

This guy’s proposal was to give food to some but to force his sermons on many, and the many are likely to already be believers who know the message or seek it out on their own each Sunday morning. The message won’t be what drives up attendance at his church, the free food will.

That’s the problem I have with this proposal, and that’s why I’m glad it was denied. I am an atheist, but I live down the street from a big church. The bells are quite nice, but if I woke up on Sundays to the sound of a preacher instead…yuck! From what I can tell, the church is well attended (though nobody has to park near my place and walk except on Christmas and Easter) and I don’t think that broadcasting sermons on loudspeaker would increase the attendance or the effectiveness of the message. Besides, no preacher’s loudspeaker is going to be outdone by the car stereo systems of New Britain, which keep me up to date on popular music in brief snippets that find their way from the intersection to my apartment.

Praise be to the Board of Police Commissioners for rejecting the proposal!

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