Hartford, CT – Yesterday, the University of Connecticut released the Winter 2014 edition of “The Connecticut Economy,” which included findings about the impact the Republican Tea Party shutdown had on Connecticut’s economic progress.  The CT Mirror reported, “The winter issue of ‘The Connecticut Economy’ found that more than a half-dozen partisan battles between 2009 and last October’s federal government shutdown have taken a steep toll on job growth in the Nutmeg State,” and went on to say that, “The uncertainty index showed that job growth generally would weaken shortly after these ‘shocks.’ And while the damage generally would peak after about 9 months, it’s effects would be felt for as long as three years.” [The CT Mirror, 12/17/13]

CT News Junkie reported, ‘”As long as we are, in fact, able to avoid the kinds of problems that we had this fall with the government shutdown and all of the gridlock, the prospects are for growth in 2014 and beyond,’ Lanza said.” [CT News Junkie, 12/17/13]

“While the report points to the progress Connecticut’s economy is making under Governor Malloy’s leadership, it also makes it clear that the Tea Party government shutdown negatively impacted that progress.  Despite the negative effects on Connecticut, Toni Boucher, Mark Boughton, Tom Foley, Mark Lauretti and John McKinney stood with the Tea Party on the shutdown,” said former State Senator and Connecticut Democratic Party Executive Director Jonathan Harris.  “When will the Connecticut Republican candidates for governor stand up to the Tea Party and disavow its reckless agenda?”

Background:

UConn Economist: Washington’s Political Uncertainty Cost Connecticut A Year Of Job Growth. [CT Mirror, 12/17/13; UConn, Connecticut Economy Quarterly Review, Winter 2014]

CT Politics Blog: Foley “Stood With The House GOP” On The Government Shutdown. According to the CT Politics blog, “The congressional impasse over Obamacare that brought the federal government to a screeching halt Tuesday has created a schism among some of the Republican contenders for governor. Tom Foley, who is eyeing a rematch with Democrat Dannel P. Malloy in 2014, stood with the House GOP caucus and Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio,  on their attempt to force Congress to delay the start of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act. ‘I blame the president and I blame Harry Reid,’ Foley, the 2010 GOP nominee for governor, said of the controversial shutdown.” [Hearst Media, CT Politics Blog, 10/1/13]

McKinney Blamed Both Democrats And Republicans For The Government Shutdown. According to the CT Politics blog, “State Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, of Fairfield, the lone Republican to formally declare his candidacy for the state’s highest office, said he watched TV Monday night shaking his head with “disgust” at the partisan shenanigans in Congress. ‘I’m disappointed and frustrated that both sides have engaged in a lot of partisan politics and not a lot of honest policy negotiations,’ McKinney said, adding that he was ‘stunned’ by U.S. Rep. John Larson’s attack on Republicans. ‘These are the people who are running our country and they can’t sit down together?’ McKinney said. ‘It amazes me at how there is a refusal at a time when both sides need to compromise. The Republicans have one chamber and the Democrats have one chamber and there is no movement.'” [Hearst Media, CT Politics Blog, 10/1/13]

Boughton Called The Government Shutdown A “Bipartisan Train Wreck.” According to Hearst Media’s CT Politics blog, ” Danbury Mark Boughton, who was Foley’s running mate in 2010 when the pair lost by 6,500 votes to the Democratic ticket of Malloy and Nancy Wyman, didn’t spare Republicans. ‘It’s a bipartisan train wreck,’ said Boughton, who is also exploring a run for governor. ‘Both Democrats and Republicans have backed themselves into a corner. What we have is a divided, split government. The president refuses to take a modest request on Obamacare. The Republicans won’t manage their demands a little better, so we end up with intractable stalemate.'” [Hearst Media, CT Politics Blog, 10/1/13]

CT Politics: Boucher “Downplayed The Gravity Of The Shutdown.” According to Hearst Media’s CT Politics blog, “ State Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, who last month filed exploratory paperwork for a potential run for governor, downplayed the gravity of the shutdown. ‘We’ve had federal shutdowns many times in the past,’ Boucher said. ‘They were very short-lived. The impacts were not as great as the alarm is. I think a lot of it could be theater to put pressure on other folks.’” [Hearst Media, CT Politics Blog,10/1/13] 

New London Day Editorial: “None Of The Republicans Running For Governor Could Bring Themselves To Renounce The Extremists” That “Shut Down The Government.” In October 2013, the New London Day wrote in an editorial, “And now, there are signs of this infection spreading to Connecticut. During the recent crisis over the attempt by the Tea Party Republicans controlling the House to shut down the government if they couldn’t change Obamacare, none of the Republicans running for governor could bring themselves to renounce the extremists. Tom Foley, the 2010 Republican nominee, even said, ‘I support what they’re doing.'” [New London Day Editorial, 10/28/13]

# # #