“RACE FOR CONN. U.S. SENATE SEAT: Schiff embraces tea party philosophy (video) - New Haven Register” plus 1 more

RACE FOR CONN. U.S. SENATE SEAT: Schiff embraces tea party philosophy (video) - New Haven Register

Posted: 08 Aug 2010 06:38 AM PDT

By Ed Stannard, Register Metro Editor
estannard@newhavenregister.com

Peter Schiff. (Mara Lavitt/Register)

Peter Schiff is a true believer.

He believes government should be small; he'd close the federal Education, Energy and Agriculture departments. He believes taxes should be low and regulations few: It's business that creates jobs, not government.

Schiff is running for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Christopher Dodd. It's been an uphill slog: He had to collect more than 8,000 signatures to get on the ballot because he did not win 15 percent of the convention delegates. He's trailing badly in the polls.

Linda McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, is the endorsed candidate and has spent more than $20 million of her own money on the campaign. Former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons is actively campaigning after having suspended his campaign.

Schiff is shocked and disappointed that more people aren't responding to his message, given how badly the country is faring economically — and how much worse he says it will get if big changes don't come soon.

On a visit to the New Haven Register in his recreational vehicle, in which he's touring the state, Schiff is steadfast.

"I'm the one person that people can count on to try to argue for the free market, to argue for capitalism, for the Constitution, for limited government, for all the things that theoretically define the Republican Party. I personify them."

Schiff says he's the candidate of the tea party movement, but he's not mentioned with other tea party candidates, such as Rand Paul in Kentucky and Sharron Angle in Nevada.

He's a bedrock conservative — he doesn't shy from the label of libertarian — and he believes he's more representative of Republican principles than those in the Senate and House.

"If you're a Republican, you should be so fed up with all the Republicans ... who have governed like Democrats, who have used their power in Washington to expand the role of government, to increase regulation, to increase government spending, to increase taxation. There are very few Republicans that actually take Republican principles into the Congress and fight for them."

Schiff, 47, of Weston, has made his name as a financial analyst and commentator, and owns several companies, including the brokerage firm Euro Pacific Capital. His campaign is built on the dire warnings he delivered as far back as 2006: the collapse of the credit and housing markets and the recession that followed.

"Things are going to get very bad in this country very soon, and electing people like me is about the only thing that we could do to prevent it," he says.

Schiff says he's the candidate of the tea party movement. "They're good people, they're concerned Americans, they understand the Constitution; they understand what the proper role of the federal government is."

He also sees himself as a libertarian, one of those "that believe in individual liberty. They want limited government," including allowing people to make their own decisions about their personal lives.

On taxes, he says the Democrats and Republicans are arguing about whether the top tax rate should be 39 percent or 35 percent. "What about zero?" he asks. "Why do we have an income tax at all? Or why not have a flat tax? Why not have real substantive difference between the two parties?"

As much as he hates taxes, he hates borrowing even more. "I never want to give Washington more money, because they'll just spend it. ... But unfortunately they're going to borrow right now, so we have to cut down on the borrowing. ... I want to lead a filibuster against increasing the debt ceiling."

Schiff would take seemingly drastic actions, such as abolishing the Education and Energy departments, ideas proposed by President Ronald Reagan. "We don't really talk about shrinking government and making it smaller," Schiff says. "Republicans want to talk about tax cuts, but tax cuts mean nothing if the government keeps getting bigger."

The Energy Department was created by President Jimmy Carter to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, which was less than 40 percent in 1979 and is now 70 percent. "So based on that objective measure, it's been a complete failure," Schiff says.

He says the biggest job the Education Department has is guaranteeing student loans, which just allows colleges to charge more in tuition to the point that few students can pay for college on their own. "Colleges can charge whatever they want, because the students will get the money. But in a free market they can't charge whatever they want. They have to charge what the students can afford."

And Agriculture? "The biggest part of the Department of Agriculture is subsidizing farmers not to grow food. … The goal of the Department of Agriculture is to make food more expensive than if the Department of Agriculture didn't exist."

As for the remaining federal employees, he'd cut their pay, because government workers make twice what private sector employees do, when years ago they made less. "Every time you give a pay raise to a federal worker, you give a pay cut to the taxpayer, because we're stuck with the bill," he says.

Other cuts he'd make are in Social Security and Medicare. "The only way to pay Social Security benefits is to tax the people who are still working. Well, you know what, we can't tax them enough. They won't stay in this country. They will leave." People who think socalled entitlements are their money "were lied to," Schiff says. "There are a lot of people who collect Social Security who are a lot richer than the people who are struggling to pay those taxes. It's not fair," he says.

Click here to view Schiff's website.

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VOTE TUESDAY: Our guide to the Aug. 10 Connecticut primary - Register Citizen

Posted: 08 Aug 2010 09:16 AM PDT

By Register Citizen Staff

Connecticut voters will go to the polls Tuesday, Aug. 10, to Republican and Democratic nominees for the U.S. Senate, Congress, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of the state and comptroller.

Unenrolled voters have until noon on Monday, Aug. 9, to register with one party or the other to participate in Tuesday's primary.

Click on each candidate's name below for a biography provided by their campaign and links to their campaign Web site, Facebook page, Twitter feed, Youtube page and other resources and information.

U.S. SENATE:

Three Republicans are competing for the nomination to face Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in the race to succeed longtime retiring U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd.

Republican LINDA McMAHON is the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment and a member of the state Board of Education.

Republican ROB SIMMONS is a former U.S. congressman from Connecticut's 2nd district.

Republican PETER SCHIFF is an author, investment advisor and was a consultant to Ron Paul's 2008 campaign for president.

Democrat RICHARD BLUMENTHAL is Connecticut's longtime attorney general.

GOVERNOR:

Three Republicans and two Democrats are competing for the chance to face off in November in the race to succeed retiring Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

Democrat DAN MALLOY is the former mayor of Stamford. He ran unsuccessfully for governor four years ago.

Democrat NED LAMONT is a businessman who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate against Joe Lieberman four years ago.

Republican MICHAEL FEDELE is Connecticut's current lieutenant governor.

Republican TOM FOLEY is a businessman and former ambassador to Ireland.

Republican OZ GRIEBEL is CEO of the Metro Hartford Alliance and former bank executive.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR:

Two Republicans and two Democrats are vying for the nomination to be on their party's ticket to replace Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele, who is running for governor.

Democrat MARY GLASSMAN is first selectman of Simsbury. She is Ned Lamont's running mate. She ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor four years ago and for governor this year.

Democrat NANCY WYMAN is Connecticut's longtime state comptroller. She is Dan Malloy's running mate.

Republican MARK BOUGHTON is mayor of Danbury. He is Michael Fedele's running mate. He ran unsuccessfully for governor this year.

Republican LISA WILSON-FOLEY is a businesswoman from Avon. She is running as an independent candidate for the Republican nomination rather than being the "running mate" of any particular gubernatorial candidate.

ATTORNEY GENERAL:

Two Republicans are competing for the nomination to face unopposed Democrat George Jepsen in the race to succeed Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who is running for the U.S. Senate.

Republican MARTHA DEAN is an attorney from Avon who ran unsuccessfully against Blumenthal four years ago.

Republican ROSS GARBER is an attorney from Glastonbury who has run unsuccessfully in the past for state Senate and state treasurer.

Democrat GEORGE JEPSEN is a former legislator and state leader of the Democratic party.

SECRETARY OF THE STATE:

Two Democrats are competing for the nomination to face Republican Jerry Farrell Jr. in the race to succeed Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, who is stepping down this year after making a brief run for attorney general but being ruled ineligible for the ballot by the state Supreme Court.

Democrat GERRY GARCIA is a former New Haven alderman.

Democrat DENISE MERRILL is majority leader of the Connecticut House of Representatives.

Republican JERRY FARRELL JR. is the state's commissioner of consumer protection.

STATE COMPTROLLER:

Two Democrats are competing for the nomination to face Republican Jack Orchulli in the race to succeed longtime State Comptroller Nancy Wyman, who is running for lieutenant governor this year.

Democrat MICHAEL JARJURA is mayor of Waterbury.

Democrat KEVIN LEMBO is a health care activist and former assistant state comptroller.

Republican JACK ORCHULLI is a businessman who ran unsuccessfully six years ago against Sen. Chris Dodd.

5th DISTRICT U.S. CONGRESS:

Three Republicans are competing for the nomination to challenge incumbent Congressman Chris Murphy in Connecticut's 5th U.S. Congressional District.

Republican JUSTIN BERNIER is a veteran of the Afghanistan war and the state's former military liaison.

Republican SAM CALIGIURI is a state senator from Waterbury.

Republican MARK GREENBERG is a businessman from Litchfield.

Democrat CHRIS MURPHY has served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.

1st DISTRICT U.S. CONGRESS:

Two Republicans are competing for the nomination to challenge incumbent Congressman John Larson in Connecticut's 1st U.S. Congressional District.

Republican ANN BRICKLEY is a former GE executive.

Republican MARK ZYDANOWICZ is a dairy operator and Iraq war veteran.

Democrat JOHN LARSON is the 1st District's longtime incumbent congressman.

Five Filters featured article: "Peace Envoy" Blair Gets an Easy Ride in the Independent. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Philosophy

Monday, August 9, 2010