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Showing posts from November, 2020

Enfield Can’t Outsource Its Conscience

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  Community Conversation forum May 7 2025 Sometimes you have to explain yourself. At the Community Conversations last night, I was slightly angry when speaking about the waste outsourcing issue—especially when I demanded the release of the “damn” consulting report. That was rude of me, and I felt bad afterward. Still, my anger over outsourcing comes from years of experience. I don’t fault the Council Republicans or Mayor Ken Nelson, who received my quiet anger, for investigating outsourcing. It’s the government's job to explore options. Many towns outsource; many reject it. But if this town thinks residents will approve it in a referendum, they’re not reading the room. Anyone who’s worked for a sizable company likely knows someone affected by outsourcing. Few speak well of it. As a former tech reporter at Computerworld, I covered IT management, which often meant reporting on outsourcing. Companies rarely wanted to talk. My job was to find the IT workers losing their jobs and repor...

Will Enfield vote for Trump again?

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Signs on Hazard Ave. near the Eastern intersection of Middle Road. The "Love will always win" sign speaks to the Enfield's socially liberal values, which may way heavily against Trump this time around.  Voting lines are long, with an hour-long wait at polling places, say social media reports. Connecticut will vote for Joe Biden in this race, as it did for Hillary Clinton in 2016. But Trump won Enfield in 2016, 9,238 to 8,548 . Will Trump repeat his 2016 Enfield victory? It's possible. There is one big local issue in play: Defense spending. Connecticut  ranks 7th in the nation  on defense spending. Trump increased defense spending, as promised, and Connecticut has benefited from the increases. Residents here are aware that many jobs are defense-related. But if Trump loses in Enfield, it might be around social and character issues. The town carries the New England traditions of live and let live tolerance, for all its conservative leanings. Enfield is generally social...