The chairman of Yankee Institute’s board, Rob Simmons, was quoted in a Wall Street Journal piece discussing the outcome of Connecticut’s gubernatorial race.
Of course, as a 501(c)(3), Yankee Institute does not participate in partisan politics. But given Yankee’s mission to develop and advance policies that offer opportunity, ensure fairness and promote prosperity — and as an organization committed to the well-being of Connecticut’s people — we have a decided point of view about what governing approach will yield the best results for our citizens.
In the wake of Tuesday’s election, some in the state have actually implied that proponents of less-greedy, less-intrusive government somehow cannot win statewide — an implication suggesting that for undefined reasons, Connecticut voters are somehow less receptive than other Americans to policies that will promote economic opportunity and result in a smaller, more efficient government.
In our view, nothing could be further from the truth. And every single day, those of us at the Yankee Institute will continue to promote the ideas that will make Connecticut’s economy more prosperous and more vibrant — so that people want to move here, rather than wishing they could move away; so young people can find good jobs here at home; and families won’t be separated because grandparents pend half the year in Florida to avoid Connecticut’s confiscatory taxes so that they retain some assets to pass on to their children.
Those who insist that Connecticut’s people are resigned to an unacceptable status quo are just plain wrong. What they need are voices willing to speak out: On behalf of ordinary people against the special interests who receive favored treatment from a state government that’s supposed to represent all of us; against a government class that cares more about its own perpetuation than the well-being of Connecticut’s people; and against all elected officials who proclaim their own “compassion” based only on the amount of taxpayer money they are willing to spend.
On Tuesday night, citizens of Maryland, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan — long considered states that embraced a “big government” status quo — spoke clearly: They believe they deserve better, smaller, more accountable governments that promote opportunity and prosperity, and which answer to the people, rather than to the special interests or the government class.
Connecticut deserves all those things, too — and we at Yankee Institute will remain committed to fighting for them.
