House Republican Press Release

December 26, 2006

Press Office: 860-240-8700

Leftovers……

We are rapidly running out of 2006, and next Wednesday, January 3 the new General Assembly Session convenes. I don't know about you, but the approaching New Year causes an angst attack for me on all of the things that I wanted to do and never was able to get to. So with that trepidation in mind, let's touch on a few columns that I wanted to do this year:

- "political experts”: I briefly mentioned this topic, an expanding development by the "major media" where an "expert" (usually from academia) opines on a governmental issue. This "op from expert" trend only reveals the weakness of the media where any insightful political analysis is a thing of the past. Who are these "experts", who selects them and defines what constitutes expertise? What credentials are needed? If you watch "College Gameday" Saturdays on ESPN you might know, for example, that Lee Corso never won half his games in his head coaching stints, while Lou Holtz not only won a National Championship and coached batches of All Americans, he turned every failing program into a bowl game participant in 2 years. Does background information on the "expert's" credentials influence what weight you might give to their prognostications?

- hubris: that common fatal flaw in Greek tragedies sure gets lots of play in the media !Really now, does ANYONE think Chris Dodd has any chance as a Presidential candidate ? And to be bipartisan in our incredulity, why is George Pataki even considering trips to Iowa? (I am not ordering "Ryan for President lawn signs", by the way....) With so many important governmental issues that deserve discussion, why does the media waste our time on this silliness?

- the Elias Sports Bureau for campaign promises : I wanted to develop a column on the notion that as voters, we are horrible consumers of important information. If you follow any pro sport [or participate in fantasy leagues] you can consider zillions of different statistics and indicia to measure athletic performance. If you wish to purchase almost any product, there is Consumers Reports. So will anyone ever keep track of what promises candidates make at election time, as compared to how they vote on legislation?

- "Good news": we all lament the negative news trends, and the fascination with what some ding-a-ling pop star is wearing today. And in my view, headlines about politicians who abuse the power of their office are well-deserved (and I would double or triple the penalties for offenders, if it were up to me). But considering how difficult it is to recruit sane, experienced, community-minded folks to serve on the large numbers of boards and commissions that make up our government, is there some way of doling out a smidgen of positive press for the overwhelming number of people who devote long hours to meetings and public hearings, would not even consider doing anything remotely unethical, and will never get so much as a "thanks" from the community?

And there were many more items I wanted to get to, such as an analysis of election endorsements or predictions vs. results......but time flies when you are having fun! Best wishes for a healthy, prosperous and happy New Year.

Please feel free to contact me with your concerns and issues. As your state representative, it is my job, and my priority to represent you and to make sure that your needs and concerns are addressed at the capitol. You can write to me at Room 4200, Legislative Office Building, Hartford, CT 06106-1591, send me e-mail at John.Ryan@housegop.ct.gov or call my office toll-free at 1-800-842-1423.