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A few months ago, the VA (Veterans Administration) was refusing to pay for a glaucoma medication that was crucial in preserving the sight of one of my patients. After filling out multiple forms, being placed on hold by bureaucrats who couldn’t care less and getting nowhere, I decided to call the local Congressman, John Larson, as my practice is in Rocky Hill, part of his district.
I explained the situation to one of his aides, a pleasant but concerned woman who took notes while I aired my grievance. Within three hours, my patient called the office and said his medication was approved.
John Larson, a Democrat, takes care of his constituents. And he brings home the bacon. Roads in the First Congressional District of the Hartford area are constantly being repaired and improved upon. Larson, a former mayor of East Hartford and a graduate of East Hartford High School and Central Connecticut State University, is a down-to-earth politician who does his job.
Contrast this to Fairfield County’s Congressman Jim Himes. Such proletariat nonsense such as improving roads, fixing bridges or improving our train system is beneath him.
He is a graduate of Harvard College and a Rhodes scholar. He was a Master of the Universe at Goldman Sachs. He serves on the Intelligence Committee playing what the British Empire once called, The Great Game, as he appears on CNN and MSNBC, waxing eloquently on the Ukraine, Israel, Yemen, Afghanistan or whatever latest foreign policy fiasco he and his ilk have created.
I have never seen Congressman Larson on CNN. I would not be surprised if he doesn’t even know what channel it is on. He is too busy going to bat for his constituents.
For every dollar the hard-working taxpayers of Fairfield County send to the Federal Government, we receive 70 cents back. In the infrastructure bill passed by the Biden administration, Fairfield County received very little. For example, the Congress Street Bridge has been in a state of disrepair for years, greatly inconveniencing Bridgeport drivers.
According to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, road improvements are ubiquitous in Waterbury, Hartford, East Lyme and many other towns. There is even a project to improve I-95 in southeastern Connecticut even though heavy traffic is rare.
But as Jim Himes’ Republican opponent Michael Goldstein has pointed out, there have been no significant improvements on I-95 in sixteen years! Why can’t exit ramps be widened? Why can’t there be movable barriers when one direction is overwhelmed with traffic at rush hour?
A more efficient Metro North must be created. Fairfield County needs rapid transit trains that run exclusively between Bridgeport and Greenwich. With our educated workforce, corporations and tech companies would set up shop within walking distance of these stations, clearing up I-95 and the Merritt Parkway. Our children and grandchildren would choose to live here.
But Jim Himes does nothing.
The reason for this is simple. He doesn’t have to. The huge amounts of campaign money he raises from Wall Street insulates him from doing his job. Thus, his seat is perceived as safe and the Democratic Party ignores the district when it comes to allocating highway funds.
Both political parties play this game, with disproportionate amounts of infrastructure money going to swing districts depending upon which party is in power.
If Michael Goldstein wins this election, all sorts of transportation funding will come to Fairfield County, not only because Dr. Goldstein will fight like a dog to receive it, but because House Republicans want to protect the seat and keep what could be a slim majority.
But unfortunately, Congressman Himes has little interest in improving Fairfield County’s traffic fiasco. But maybe he could suggest some talking books his constituents could listen to while stuck in traffic. That Harvard education must be worth something.
Yeah, that’s tellin em’.
Wielding those conservative, small government principles like a broadsword.
NOT!!
Instead of hand-wringing for more money to come back to Fairfield County, and instead of lauding “government-is-my-mommy” chuckleheads like John Larsen, how about fighting for less money leaving the county for both Washington D.C. and Hartford?