Chris Murphy

A few days ago , I pointed out how Democrat Chris Murphy, who received $500,000 in campaign funds from financial firms as a member of the Financial Services Committee, and then rewarded his donors by supporting the $700 Billion Wall Street Bailout, was responding to the charge with a cloying saccharin laden ad  

http://www.thenextright.com/ironman/ct-democrat-uses-saccharin-overdose-to-counter-gop-charges

Well, although I am not privy to Murphy's polls, the saccharin failed. Tonight he is up with a new attack ad trying to link his opponent to President Bush.

http://www.murphyforcongress.org/christv/help

I suppose there must be some form of moral equivalence here for Murphy.  What's wrong in his mind is a Republican president raising money for a Republican candidate. What's not wrong is a member of the Financial Services Committee following in Chris Dodd's footsteps by shaking down the firms he regulates.

I note that Murphy makes no link to Obama in his ad, just the usual MSM liberal incumbent endorsements. And that as an incumbent with a 2/1 funding advantage in a Blue State he needs to attack his opponent. To quote L.P. Berra, "sometimes you learn a lot just watching"

I did a drive to the other end of CT 5 this afternoon and there is a lot of Cappiello visibility in the Danbury area. This race may be headed back to the radar screen. 

So, how does a politician respond when his opponent complains he gave away $700 Billion taxpayer dollars to the same people who gave him $500,000 in campaign cash?

http://davidcappiello.com/dc/content/view/169/75/

You do what Chris Murphy did. You trot out your infant son!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXKps6L8Krc

The only printable term for this stunt is shameless.

Like the day you vote to give the tycoons on Wall Street  $700 Billion

It just might be the wrong day to put the hit on the American Bankers Association for three large. Especially when you lambasted your predecessor for soliciting cash from folks who worked with her committee, and now you sit on the Financial Services Committee. 

http://davidcappiello.com/dc/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/

The bailout is NOT going to go away as an issue for awhile, I suspect.

Ads on the politics of bailing out Wall Street are starting to hit airwaves across America. This ad just went up today in CT criticising Financial Services Committee member Chris Murphy (D- CT)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZHfuQU6bZc

This may draw blood for a variety of local reasons. First, Murphy's 2006 campaign to unseat 24-year Republican Nancy Johnson was relentless in attacking Johnson for allegedly raising too much money from special interests. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LBV1UTPQgg

Of course, as soon as Murphy got in office he went to work shaking down the exact same people to build his own multimillion dollar warchest. http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00027566

He actually winks at the hypocrisy---he told radio hosts Chaz & AJ on 99.1 WPLR that the would "pander to any special interest groups besides Yankee fans"

This maniacal money chase reached the absurd this week as Murphy decided to make common cause with former Republican Governor John Rowland to host a local fundraising event. This would have been a masterstroke for Murphy but for the small problem Rowland resigned his office over a corruption investigation.   http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-webgovwatch0928.artsep28,0,7408215.story   Evidently, Murphy's alleged 2006 ethical purity did not survive contact with Congress.

The Cappiello ad also subtly points out that  Murphy has been financed by many of the same firms who have had his political mentor, Senator Chris Dodd, on retainer all these many years. Readers of this blog know what a train wreck this is going to be for Dodd. This week, the Hartford Courant started reporting how the wheels left the track    http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/hc-dodd0929.artsep29,0,1341992.story

This Courant cartoon states the obvious. The financial meltdown is now the only issue in CT and here at least, some Dems have had to buy into it, big time.

Now Chris Murphy is neck deep in all this. I sure hope Nancy Johnson right about now has a nice glass of wine in her hand and a smirk on her face. 

A while back I suggested liberal CT  freshman Democrat would be running against himself.

He still is.

He was quoted in the New Britain Herald as giving the President's financial bailout plan a "thumbs down". Now most of the article was pretty much the usual gnashing of teeth that Republicans have tas well about giving megabucks to Wall Street without adequate oversight and preventing windfalls for failed financiers.   http://www.newbritainherald.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20136456&BRD=1641&PAG=461&dept_id=10109&rfi=6

But what I found interesting was Murphy's critique of the root cause as being

The subprime mortgage market was the Wild Wild West of Wall Street. We need to put basic underwriting criteria through regulation that applies to prime and subprime mortgages. For example, we need a requirement for all lenders making loans that the borrower has a reasonable ability to repay the loan

You know, what Chris doesn;t say is he is a member of the House Financial Services Committee. http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ct05_murphy/financialservices.html

Has Congressman Murphy proposed any legislation in the past two years to do what he suggests ought to be done?

NOPE

Indeed, earlier this year  Murphy criticised the President for NOT wanting to fund more subprime mortgages!

http://www.murphyforcongress.org/news/housing-bills-face-bush-veto

and whose lead was Murphy following?

The plan by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., is the centerpiece of a broader package of bills approved Thursday that Democrats say will prevent more foreclosures and help homeowners and communities deal with the fallout from the mortgage meltdown.

Yep, his committee chairman Barney Frank. The man who prevented Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from being reformed for a decade--only to see them fail and pull the economy into the abyss with them.

In fact, Murphy was a key supporter of the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007, a plan to raid funds from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to pay for "affordable housing"

http://www.ctreachinghome.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=88&Itemid=115

Now that''s the way to solve the financial meltdown==drain more money from firms about to circle the drain!

Barney Frank and Chris Murphy had two years to fix the mortgage mess.

They failed---because they didn't try.  (perhapse because the Senate Banking Chairman, Chris Dodd... was MIA for 2007)  http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/d000388/votes/missed/

Now onto energy

Chris Murphy in recent weeks has tried to turn his persona around round from being a Rachel Carson clone to being a J.R. Ewing mini-me, even running a TV ad praising oil drilling.

Well, his opponent called him on it.

http://www.everydayrepublican.com/2008/09/25/cappiello-takes-murphy-to-woodshed-on-energy/

OUCH! 

Any doubts that the electoral tide is now breaking our way were dispelled when I opened my mailbox this afternoon.

I got my first political filer of the season. In it, liberal Democrat Chris Murphy claims to be someone who "puts progress ahead of politics" The flip side is a reprint of an August news article detailing Murphy's newfound support for domestic oil drilling. http://thenextright.com/ironman/drill-never-ct-democrat-twists-in-wind-flip-flops-on-drilling

Based on the chronology, I presume that until August, Murphy had chosen to prevent progress because of politics, since he had been a steadfast member of the "Drill Never" caucus.http://www.thenextright.com/ironman/my-tone-deaf-democrat-congressman-mouth-works-ears-and-brain-dont whose agenda was  "we need to find a way to wean ourselves off of petroleum."

So what changed from July to August this year to suddenly make a freshman Democrat pretend to be the next J.R. Ewing?  (Drill Now?)

In any event, Murphy's claim is so weak as to defy credibility.   He has consistently opposed oil drilling and his "compromise" would still leave some of the most productive oil fields off limits.

No, Murphy is just trying to play moderate to fool the voters. When in DC, he is just a pathetic lackey boy for Speaker Pelosi and her Nancystate, where oil drilling is a "fraud"  and as he posted on the Speaker's own blog in April, there's not a word about increasing oil supplies, just hackneyed partisan rhetoric about "Bush" and "oil executives"  http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=1292

In 2006, Murphy won an upset victory by running against George W. Bush. This year he seems to be trying to hold his seat by running against himself. 

I think the Culture Club music in this web ad is perfect. Liberal CT Democrat Chris Murphy has recently been trying to present himsel as a supporter of oil drilling. Much as Boy George could dress up like a woman, Murphy is dressing himself like a realist, not who he really is-a clueless foot soldier who blindly supports the Nancy-state in D.C. . 

 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1661874453047759429&ei=5_mtSJHrD46yrQKO2-WjAg&q=chris+murphy+chameleon&vt=lf&hl=en 

Let's not stop with this, folks. We are just starting to have fun with these jokers.

A few weeks ago I blogged about my brain dead Democratic Congressman telling me we ought to "talk about solutions to our oil crisis" http://www.thenextright.com/ironman/my-tone-deaf-democrat-congressman-mouth-works-ears-and-brain-dont

Sounds like Chris Murphy, a charter member of the "Drill Never" caucus,( his statement to that effect http://dems.house.gov/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={2D7E6E08-EBA9-41F2-96E7-638CAE603CE3}&DE={006C3F9C-40F2-485F-9381-34E1D740316F disappeared from the House web site) must regret asking people for their solutions, as it seems he must have gotten an earful

The very next day after John Boehner came to CT to "hang" Nancy-state Pelosi's "save the planet" agenda around Murphy's neck, http://ctlocalpolitics.net/2008/08/13/boehner-to-headline-fundraiser-for-cappiello/   this profile in correctness raced to the press to reinvent his agenda on energy.

Cappiello calls out Murphy

<!--subtitle-->

State senator: Congressman flip flopped on offshore drilling position

 

U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy said Thursday he asked House leaders to bring a comprehensive energy package that includes expanded offshore drilling to a vote in the near future.

Murphy, D-5th District, said in a press statement that he sent a letter to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, asking Democratic leaders to find a compromise with Republicans and pass an energy bill. Murphy previously rejected calls for increased offshore drilling.

State Sen. David Cappiello, R-Danbury, who is challenging Murphy for the 5th District congressional seat, issued his own press statement Thursday, calling out the congressman for flip flopping on the issue.

"Murphy's election-year conversion on offshore drilling is a day late, a dollar short, and totally disingenuous," Cappiello said. "His latest flip flop proves he cannot be trusted to address America's energy crisis unless he is dragged kicking and screaming to do so

http://www.newstimes.com/ci_10210304

It's hard to take Murphy's alleged change of heart  seriously since just weeks ago he lambasting oil drilling as just a means to for that evil oilman Dubya to boost oil industry profits   "The president should stop doing long-term planning for oil company profit-making and start doing short-term planning for American families," said Rep. Chris Murphy, D-5." 

I also notice this occurred on the heels of Mark Udall flip-flopping on drilling in the Colorado senate race.  http://www.clubforgrowth.org/2008/08/udall_flipflops_on_energy.php.

I suspect the same pollsters are showing these Democrats their poll numbers are sinking as deep as the Continental Shelf by opposing drilling.

This is a political gusher, folks. Keep at it!

The House Democrats are in an uproar over remarks made by Minority Leader John Boehner which they deem to endorse physical violence against Speaker Pelosi.

This is the incinidiary language which appalls the Democrats.    This was offered in support of Drill Now as Boehner announced a campaign trip to CT to pressure Nancy-stater Chris Murphy to adopt a realistic energy policy.

“She’s gonna bring us back and not deal with it? The American people are gonna hang her,” Boehner said. When pressed further, Boehner said it would “be fine, as long as we get a vote on our bill.”

Democrats Miller (CA) and Markey (MA) responded to Boehner’s comments:

Mr. Boehner’s comments about the Speaker are offensive, inappropriate and deliberately misleading.

First of all, no public official should use language implying bodily harm to anyone, whether they are referring to the Speaker of the House or any other American. That is completely outrageous. [Miller]

…

Assertions of physical violence toward the Speaker of the House have no place in the halls of Congress. Period.
…
Democracy is about settling differences through debate, without violence. It is unfortunate that the Minority Leader allowed violence to creep into his overheated rhetoric. [Markey]

http://ctlocalpolitics.net/2008/08/13/boehner-to-headline-fundraiser-for-cappiello/

Now I find it rather odd that two partisan Democrats not known for prior restraint in their criticism of Republicans are so irked at this rheotorical florish.

First, Boehner was not suggesting he wanted to "hang" Pelosi, or recommending it. He predicted the "American people" would do so.  Evidently the Democratic party has rather low regard for the Americans people's  judgment in this regard.

It's also odd that a liberal CT blogger known for wishing all sorts of ill to occur to Senator Joe Lieberman would suddenly develop such a delicate sense of decorum.  

But maybe the biggest problem is a sense of humor which is akin to the 1980 comedy hit Airplane!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080339/

Implying Boehner's comment were anything more than a projection of future election results makes as much sense as this dialogue

Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious.
Rumack: I am serious... and don't call me Shirley

I'd ask Pelosi, Miller and Markey to shed some light on these remarks, but just like the movie, they might just dump a bunch of old lamps out of a truck.

We have a bunch of comedians in the Democrat Party. Sadly, they aren;t even good ones.

Yesterday morning, as Republicans in the U.S. House were trying to summon the place back to work on the energy issue, I spotted my Democratic Congressman, Chris Murphy,  in his official car getting on I-84.

Murphy's official car is a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. . According to www.fueleconomy.gov  this model consumes an average of 23 mpg, using 626 gallons in a normal driving year. 

Murphy talks the talk on fuel economy  

Last July, he presented an energy platform that called for at least half of the motor vehicles made in the United States to have flex-fuel capacity by 2015. His initiative included higher mileage-per-gallon standards http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18201067&BRD=2303&PAG=461&dept_id=478976&rfi=6

But obviously that does go as far as ditching the ride he has now,  even though he voted for legislation that will probably ban production of such cars in the not too distant future http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_Average_Fuel_Economy#Future since the minimum will be 35 mpg for the American auto fleet.

Murphy could have switched to one of the most popular passenger cars in America http://www.autoobserver.com/2008/07/june-car-sales-us-buyers-almost-veer-off-the-road.html and gotten a Toyota Corolla, which is good for better than 30 mpg as long as you let up a bit on the pedal and stay near posted limits.

But I guess leg room matters more than authenticity. He tells the rest of us to make do with less, and he doesn't. ...and remember he is the guy who is telling his constituents  "its time to wean ourselves off petroleum" http://www.thenextright.com/ironman/my-tone-deaf-democrat-congressman-mouth-works-ears-and-brain-dont  well, weaning begins in your own driveway, Chris! 

I don't know where Murphy was off to yesterday morning , but I can be sure it had nothing to do with increasing domestic energy supplies. Whadda putz!