Chris Dodd Out; AG Blumenthal In

If you haven't heard yet, you may want to watch the news tonight: Senator Chris Dodd has decided not to run for reelection in November 2010, and the longtime Attorney-General Richard Blumenthal has entered the scene to attempt a run for the U.S. Senate seat. He vowed in his press conference to continue the same policies, which is exactly the opposite of what Connecticut voters are looking for. Dodd has fallen in disgrace in recent years because of his close ties to the banking industry, which rewarded him with sweetheart mortgages in return for beneficial votes. In what amounts to corruption, the Democratic-controlled Senate Ethics Committee miraculously found no wrongdoing, but the (possibly damning) papers have still not been released. What is the point in stepping down if the replacement is simply a wolf in sheep's clothing? Blumenthal is an ultraliberal who has never had to fight for his seat as attorney general. For example, he has called for the banning of wood-burning stoves which use a "renewable, nonfossil" fuel source. These stoves are plentiful in our state and represent a tie to our Yankee past, where we harvested our land (of wood) to provide for ourselves (to keep us warm). It seems that with this current move, Blumenthal would rather us be dependent on using oil (from countries that "don't like us very much") to heat our homes. This issue alone is a testament to his liberal tendencies to limit freedom (i.e., the traditional freedom to burn logs to keep us warm). This is not the last piece that will be written on this subject, as Blumenthal's campaign is just starting. I encourage all you readers out there to support one of his opponents in any way you can, be it in volunteer hours, hosting a yard sign, donating money, or simply telling a friend about how we feel. Here are the better candidates for Senate: Rob Simmons, Linda McMahon, and Peter Schiff.