Fascism, Environment and Democracy on the Ballot in 5th CD

We have learned some hard, environmental lessons in the Naugatuck Valley recently. Rain storms, super charged by climate change, have wreaked havoc in our Valley and surrounding towns. Housing has been lost, literally, and two lives swept away by raging surface water.

Both in January 2024, and in a bigger way in August, storms brought large volumes of water. For example, in Naugatuck the main road of Rubber Ave. was cut off by overflowing stream water in a number of places. This meant that emergency vehicles could not reach certain areas in a timely manner. 

Southwood Apartments, with hundreds of multinational, working class residents, were among those cut-off. Climate justice is very much an issue here. 

The preservation of passive open space (no hard surfaces) in the Gunntown ecosystem, just west of the Southwood complex, is a front burner issue. These lands play a crucial role in water retention. Housing, that is very much needed, must be planned for the center of town.

But the lessons were political too. 

George Logan (R), former State Senator of the 17^th District which covers much of the Valley going south, is challenging incumbent Jahana Hayes (D) for a seat in the U.S. Congress. The 5^th Congressional District covers most of Waterbury and the northwest corner of the state. 

Logan had multiple negative votes concerning environmental quality. He voted to privatize public land that had quality wildlife habitat. Privatizing public land almost always leads to less passive open space, more carbon in the atmosphere contributing to climate change, and more pollution in the air we breathe. 

These are huge issues for our health. The World Health Organization (WHO) finds that air pollution causes 7 million deaths per year.

The old labor adage, that what is won locally can be taken away in Hartford and Washington D.C., is very much in play. 

Logan, a Trump clone, has a lifetime environmental score by the Ct League of Conservation Voters (LCV) of 69%.  The national LCV lifetime score for Jahana Hayes is 98%. That latter score was the leading percentage among the Ct Congressional Delegation. Her votes on preventing climate emissions and supporting off shore wind stand out.

Fascism, the environment, and democracy are very much on the November 5^th ballot.