The New Story Behind the 2013 West Hartford Halloween House

“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” - Michael Corleone, Godfather III.

Just when Matt Warshauer, the owner of the home on 115 North Main St. - better known as the “Halloween House” - thought he was taking a year off from politics in his annual spooky display, the pols pulled him back in.

Indeed, the government shutdown and crisis over the debt ceiling led Warshauer to abandon his plans to just have an up-the-middle Halloween motif, including hanging bats, severed limbs and misguided witches.

“I was avoiding politics this year, but the government shut down pushed me over the edge and I felt compelled to speak out,” Warshauer wrote in an e-mail to Patch.

So he recently hung two signs making it known where he stands on the matter - that, he believes that Congressional Republicans are fearmongers (the word “FEAR” spells out the iconic GOP elephant in one sign) who are acting like zombies (“Republicanzombiedefense.com” is posted on another sign).

One sign also has the following message:

Warshauer elaborated further why he added the politically charged signs to his display:

As an historian and a citizen I firmly believe in the Founders’ consistent admonitions that a vigilant citizenry is the greatest bulwark against the downfall of our republic.  They viewed this nation as a great experiment. One that speaks to the question of whether or not human beings can effectively govern themselves, rather than being ruled autocratically. Our current government is answering that all-important question by failing. We can certainly have, and need to have, a wider conversation about the direction in which the U.S. should go. Our problems lay at the feet of both parties. The current crisis, however, is totally the responsibility of the Republican Party. Anyone who denies that is lying to themselves or so influenced by partisan rancor that they are no longer able to see objectively.