Will Scott Frantz join him?

The Narcissist of Riverside – at least Barry takes his selfies with hot chicks

Peter Tesei to slither over to anti-gun rally next week. There’s nothing much left to do in Connecticut but to finish the job and confiscate weapons. Jonathan Perloe, one of the Greenwich residents behind this rally, is for exactly that. Tesei, like Frantz, like our other selectman, Drew Marzullo, claims he only wants to see ‘common sense” regulations. Well the boys of Greenwich got that last year and exactly as predicted, they’re back for more.

UPDATE: On Saturday, March 8, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at Town Hall. It’s (yet another) bicyclist rally. Pray for snow*, but be there.

* Or bring bags of caltrops

And our politicians cry hosannah

John McKinney, R. Fairfield: “In the name of God, go.”

Sturm Ruger is apparently moving out of state. One of the true Connecticut success stories, Bill Ruger built this company from nothing to the fourth largest gun manufacturer in the country. Crazed gun nuts know that much its success was built on its line of .22 caliber rifles and pistols, used exclusively for target shooting and small game (rabbits, squirrels) hunting. Connecticut’s politicians, Republican and Democrats alike, have banned the purchase of such ammunition by anyone who hasn’t gone through a six-month application and background check. “These bullets may look small,” Greenwich’s Scott Frantz warned, “but they can grow into really, really big bullets – deadly! –  when stored in dark closets.” Governor Malloy, meantime, cheered news of Ruger’s departure: “That’s two evil-doing, wicked gun makers in two weeks”, he crowed, “hundreds of jobs leaving for Mordor while we will be just that much purer. Hip, hip, hooray!”

It’s not the heat, it’s the stupidity

Libertarian Advocate writes, speaking of Scott Frantz,

I’d thought he was a tough minded businessman. He fell for the Chinese Ploy: Demand the most egregious terms, pretend to cave and get more than you’d ever dreamed for.

Bye Scott.

Which is true, but more distressing is the demonstrated ineptness of our local Republicans to employ the very basic principle that when you’re outnumbered by your enemies, out think them.

Frantz and his few compatriots should not have attempted to water down the bill but instead should have cheered it on. By removing the most egregious elements of the law they helped the Democrats minimize the chances of the entire law being declared unconstitutional. But better than just standing aside, they should have encouraged, even introduced the grossest excesses advocated by the confiscators. Two possible results, had this strategy been adopted: either the law would have been stopped from enforcement by the federal courts and ultimately declared unconstitutional or, had smart Democrats seen what was happening and blocked the Republicans’ proposals it would have put the Democrats in the position of seeming to resist “common sense” laws to end violence. The general public  doesn’t know a constitutional issue from their right nostril and so wouldn’t understand or approve of the Democrats spurning the chance do “really do something”.  Result: Democrats lose, Republicans win the PR game.

Instead, Frantz fell for the Democrat’s gambit, accomplished nothing and looked like the fools that they are. Stupid, stupid , stupid.

Riverside smack down

Riverside’s Scott Frantz being urged to run for Senate. I’ve said here before I’ve only met the man a couple of times but I’ve observed from afar his charitable acts, his credible job of running Bradley Airport and noted his fiscal conservatism. I think he’d be a most excellent candidate and senator, and I hope he runs. Surely an improvement over bringing our lady wrestler back for Round Two.

Besides all that, those people who do know Frantz, and we have many mutual friends, all say he’s one of the nicest guys on earth. Scott’s suffered some dreadful personal losses over the years and I believe that raises one’s compassion to a different level. We probably need him more in Hartford than in Washington, but if he’s destined for a larger stage, which I think he is, then that’s what he should do.

He’ll have to do something about that hair but otherwise, why not?

Okay, so I have a bad barber – sue me!

Some years ago I created a (very modest) stir in Connecticut political circles when I invented a few quotes from Scott Frantz claiming that he’d run for Joe Lieberman’s seat.  I was just having fun, but now, it turns out that, as I suspected, he is interested. And why not? You won’t find a nicer guy, he’s smart as a whip, and has the money to campaign. I hope he goes for it.

Scott Frantz gunning for Himes

So I ran into our State Senator at Arcadia Coffee yesterday and, naturally, asked when he was going to announce for Jim Himes’ Congressional seat. What he actually said was, “oh, the timing’s not right, there’s so much work to do in Hartford”, but those with a keen ear for politicoease, like me, know that what he really meant was, “Are you kidding? I’m going after him with a red-hot set of pliers and when I’m done twisting him in all his sensitive spots, that wealthy son of privilege will be howling to be sent back to his prep school detention hall.”

Or that’s how I heard it; your interpretation may differ.

Okay, Scott Frantz is not bored

So says this blog, the link to which was provided by a reader. I’m delighted to hear it. I also note that he didn’t rule out running for Jim Himes’ seat, either. I guess my only question for Mr. Frantz is, why the hell aren’t you bored? Sitting around as a minority party member while some of the dumbest people in this state pontificate and dream up new ways to soak Fairfield County residents sounds like a pretty awful assignment to me. Whereas in Washington, you could sit around as a minority party member while some of the dumbest people in the country pontificate and dream up ways to soak the rich. You see the difference?

For What It’s Worth staff photographer Edgar Martins snapped this picture of Greenwich’s State Senator in the Capital today during a mandatory screening of “An Inconvenient Truth”.

Scott Frantz listening to Al Gore

Scott Frantz

My mention of a rumor that Scott Frantz might run against Jim Himes unleashed a torrent of comments from readers, almost all complimentary of Frantz. I don’t know the man, and have met him just once, but I’ve always been impressed by him. Back in the day, when Pal Nancy was President of the Riverside School PTA and was seeking funds to install computers in the school, Frantz was by far the largest contributor and that was, I believe, before he had children of his own. He’s always been known as a soft touch for local charities, doesn’t blow his horn about his generosity and, by all accounts from friends of mine who do know him, he’s a sincere, honest, genuinely nice guy. Why he’d want to pursue a political career with those characteristics beats me but I’d certainly be grateful if he did.

Which is not to say that Jim Himes, another person I don’t know, isn’t also a nice guy, but I see Himes votes and positions and I disagree with all of them while Frantz and I are closer to being on the same page. That may seem likea good reason for you not to vote for Frantz, if he runs, but just becaue I agree with someone doesn’t (automatically) make his position wrong. A stopped clock and all that ….