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Health & Fitness

Powell Criticizes Legislature Controlled by Special Interests

Chris Powell,Reflections on Contemporary Issues

Never one to shy away from expressing his opinions, Chris Powell, Managing Editor of the JI, appears on Manchester Review in May to discuss a host of issues. He has a special abhorrence of the apparent control special interest groups have over our State Legislators, claiming that they seem more interested in taking care of “any group that has three members and a letterhead, than taking care of our citizens.”  He describes what he sees as the essence of special interest politics in Connecticut- “unions support and elect candidates and in turn receive kickbacks in the form of salaries, perks and benefits  from the government.” He points out that while legislators are cutting funding for programs for our most needy, State employees are protected from any reductions in force or benefits.
Powell talks about ECHN’s “terribly excessive salaries for management,” voter apathy, the achievement gap, drug legalization, social disintegration (fatherless families), mental illness and the liquor lobby- all in a quick thirty minutes! Agree with him or not, Powell makes some cogent arguments. On fatherless families, which he feels is the root cause of many of our social issues, he decries the lack of any State policy while we spend millions on an ineffective “war on drugs.” He would decriminalize and medicalize the drug problem to reduce crime and violence.  A self proclaimed libertarian, he says he could care less if someone wants to shoot themselves up with drugs- it’s their choice- as long as they are not going to burglarize  his home.
Powell welcomes debate on these issues and asks his critics to counter his arguments with evidence in a letter to the editor rather than just a protest on the streets with signs as happened recently over his comments on mental illness and discrimination. After all, if he gets a response it may show the public is not as apathetic as he claims.
“Chris Powell, Reflections on Contemporary Issues” with host Jack Peak can be seen on Manchester Review, Monday nights at 9 PM  in May on channel 15, Cox PATV. It can also be seen in two parts on You Tube at any time. The Manchester Review Volunteer Crew includes Jim Perry and Don Modean, technical directors, and  John Barno, Dick Christian, Kathy Corcoran and Ellen Strano on cameras, graphics and audio.
Comments and questions are welcome at manchesterreview@gmail.com.

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