Chris Shays is going home.
http://www.shayswatch.com/...
Home may mean a job as a lobbyist without much clout. Home may mean unemployment.
Home will mean a job in the private sector. With a lot of work, and a little luck, Chris Shays is going down, and the Dems may take back Congress.
In 277 days Chris Shays is hopefully going home, and I'll tell you why.
Yesterday, I received a call from friends in Connecticut. Just one of those hello how are you calls. Toward the end, we had the following exchange--I've abbreviated it a bit, but the essence is there. Follow me, it'll put a big smile on your face.
The background:
Before the last election, I begged these people to vote for Diane Farrell, who is running for Shays' seat this fall. Diane recently concluded her second term as First Selectwoman of Westport, where she was noted for running an open, honest, responsible administration with bipartisan support.
Diane was reelected with 71% of the vote in 2001, and was succeeded by Democrat Gordon Joseloff. In 2004, she ran against Chris Shays, winning 48% of the vote in one of the closest elections in the country, and now she's back for a rematch.
I explained then to these good, card-carrying Democrats, that a vote for Shays was a vote for Bush. They explained, he was a moderate republican--a "good" republican. I explained that there are no moderate republicans or good republicans. They didn't listen. They voted for Shays, then yesterday came the call.
When you read this, keep in mind that these people are facing the same realities as many strapped and frightened Americans. An elderly parent, a disabled child, staggering home heating oil, a government working against them.
One more thing that seems to resonate with voters is that at the end of the day, all roads lead to Washington. Gas prices, heating oil, Medicare D scandal, funding cuts for education, health care, mental health--the disasters hitting families across the country, are the responsibility of a corrupt Republican government--and in Connecticut, for some, Joe Lieberman.
Connecticut friends:
We made a mistake.
Me:
A mistake?
CFs:
We should have listened to you. The community center where we've been taking Jason (names changed) every day for years told us they will probably have to cut his days.
Me:
That's terrible, why?
CFs:
They told us, less government funding--budget cuts, so we're scrambling to find another place, but he's been there for years so the change is going to be traumatic.
Me:
So much for "family values and compassionate conservative".
CFs:
You were right.
Me:
About Shays?
CFs:
Yup. Our heating bill was over $500.00 last month, and it wasn't even that cold.
Me:
You blaming Shays for that?
CFs:
We're blaming Shays, Bush and Lieberman for everything.
Me:
What does Lieberman have to do with this, he's a Democrat.
CFs
Like shit, Lieberman is a Democrat. He voted for the bankruptcy bill. He's knee deep in bed with Bush.
Me:
So you're lumping them all together into one toxic sewage dump?
CFs:
You bet. Watch Shays try and backtrack, but no one's buying this time.
Me:
But what does Lieberman have to do with any of this?
CFs:
He was too busy campaigning to even bother to vote against the Medicare prescription drug bill. It's a disaster. I've spent the last six weeks trying to figure out what to do for my mother!
Me:
I know. My mother is going to opt out until, we get a program that benefits seniors not the pharmaceutical industry. By the way, did Shays vote for it?
CFs:
I don't care what he voted for. He's finished, and we're not the only people fed up with him and all of them.
Me:
Well I hate to say, I told you so but . . .
Message to Diane Farrell. This is your year.
Message to Ned Lamont. Maybe your year too.
http://www.nedlamont.com/