Susan Bysiewicz? She is heavy and not my sister

I don’t like Susan Bysiewicz for a variety of reasons. Whenever an election comes, I get bombarded by emails from every dreaming candidate of all ideologies at Central Connecticut State University; my workplace. That is her legacy.

As a secretary of the state, she unethically collected the email addresses of thousands of state employees. The list itself has been subsequently submitted to a Freedom of Information request by all political wannabes. Reading those emails from every aspiring candidate while on state time, instead than focusing on answering those from my students is a waste of tax payers money. Thanks Susan.

As a politician, she has tried to entice the Latino community with limited success. Many years ago, my beloved friend John Soto, a hero of our community, held a reception for her at his house in Orange. He was the owner of Spacecraft Industries, one of the most important Latino manufacturers of aviation parts in the United States. Secretary of the State Bysiewicz arrived more than an hour late in her state-issued Crown Victoria and her off-the-rack black pumps, treated everyone with sweet political disdain, distributed business cards and left as she came.

Despite having met her many times before, she still had the social grace of telling me “pleasure to meet you.” I think it must have been the fifth time she had told me so. Like the church lady from Saturday Night Life says: “Isn´t that nice.”

She has an arrogance that deflates me. I once saw her return a plate at a Thai restaurant three times. Apparently, it was neither to the taste of her palate or the customs instilled in her at Yale or Duke. I scratch my head when the Democratic Party endorses a women like Bysiewicz to be the Lieutenant Governor. She should not have been bestowed with that recognition. She believes she is entitled to the position and above the common folk.

The good news is for the next elections we have choices.

First, we have Eva Bermudez. My favorite as of now. She is only 30 and she doesn’t wear black pumps. Nor is she part of the corporate legal world. Ms. Bermudez been a community activist for most of her professional life both here and in Brazil. As a member of the Working Families Party, she is fully familiar with issues of income inequality, poverty, disenfranchisement and the needs of the community and the state. She has walked the walk and understand those from the working class. She understand what is to be black, white and Latino poor. She understand that there are some fundamental structural imbalances in Connecticut and what the solutions may be.

If Eva is not got going to be a candidate of choice, there is my dear former student Erin Steward. She is community-minded, a great administrator, colorand race-blind and a person with a great heart. Look at what Erin has done for New Britain. I have a soft spot in my heart for her.

Susan Bysiewicz, thinks she can be Ella Grasso. No! We have had some great woman politicians in the state. Some of them have even great taste in selecting their shoes. Substance and style go together, I am afraid that with this one we are getting none of them.