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Approved by Claude Johnson. Paid for by Claude For Greenwich 2010, Erick Steen, Treasurer.
Connecticut state representative candidate Claude Johnson studies silent auction offerings at a recent Urban League of Southern Connecticut fundraiser.
It was a wonderful event, for a great cause. Many VIP guests in attendance included U.S. Congressman Jim Himes, outgoing U.S. Senator Chris Dodd, State Attorney General Dick Blumenthal, Connecticut gubernatorial candidates Ned Lamont and Dan Malloy, and former Congressman Chris Shays.
I had a chance to meet Senator Dodd. He seems like a very personable, energetic, humorous guy. I was glad to see the historic legislation, written by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, which he chairs, passed into law. (Committee summary here.)
I remember how long it took me to pay off my credit card bills from college — years and years, it seemed. And how seemingly easy it was to get credit cards in the first place, in those days — too easy, I thought. But by then it was too late.
Senator Dodd is also a member of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, which, a few months ago, approached my company, Black Fives, Inc., about finding ways to collaborate with it in connection with their new National Museum of African American History and Culture.
So I mentioned this to the Senator, and how much I appreciated that our Connecticut-based business had the opportunity to partner with the Smithsonian Institution on some level. Maybe that could result in bringing extra business opportunities or revenues or other kinds of attention back to the state. He was glad to hear it, and had nothing but encouragement. Basically, I just wanted him to know about the existence of my business.
I was also really glad that the dust came off of my tux so easily, and that it still fit. It’s the same one I wore in my wedding, which seems like it was only yesterday! :-)
(Updated August 23, 2010)
Tags: Attorney General Dick Blumenthal, Black Fives, Congressman Chris Shays, Congressman Jim Himes, Greenwich, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Ned Lamont, NMAAHC, Senator Christopher Dodd, Smithsonian, Urban League
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My wife and I met you and your wife at the Middle School during the primary. You both were very nice. Take this as you wish, but you represent yourself as someone with a fresh new outlook and for better representation, you should then avoid politicians like Dodd as he represents the old corrupt ways of Washington.
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words; Cassandra and I both appreciated meeting you and your wife.
I was only making the point that I appreciate the new financial reform regulations — they seem to be favorable for working people, for students, for small businesses, and even for Wall Street itself.
More than that, I was finding a way to tie my getting a chance to meet Dodd, to sharing something about my small business, and about creating opportunities for Greenwich and Connecticut, however small they might be.
Typically, I don’t like generalizations, and the “corrupt ways of Washington” position is certainly a sweeping generalization. Surely, all of Washington isn’t corrupt, or else, shame on us. We are the government, after all, in many ways. That’s one of the reasons I’m running for office. If I don’t run, who will? Who else is supposed to? Who is “they”? The answer is that we are they.
Some (a minority) of Americans do not appreciate this. Yet some of those same people are quick to demand or criticize what the government should- or should not be doing. It takes courage to change something that takes more than one term to fix.