Challenge the Future We Are Being Given

By DAN MALLOY

The internet is abuzz over what’s transpired at our state’s capitol in recent days. The legislative Democrats voted successfully to override Governor Rell’s veto of the SustiNet health care bill and six other pieces of legislation. Governor Rell vetoed a staggering 20 bills during this legislative session, many of which were bipartisan efforts.

It’s been two decades since Connecticut last saw so many vetoes

It’s been two decades since Connecticut last saw so many vetoes, and 35 years since so many were overturned in a single session. Even legislative Republicans were unhappy with some of the governor’s vetoes, casting a total of 89 votes to overturn them. It all just goes to show how out of touch Jodi Rell has become.

But the people of this state continue to inspire me as I explore my run for Governor

Behind all of the political maneuvering, beyond the stall tactics and the ongoing lack of leadership on the budget, it’s become clear that the voice of the citizens of Connecticut is no longer heard at the governor’s mansion. Who is advising Governor Rell on issues like health care? It’s certainly not the working families of Connecticut. As I travel across the state, I hear stories of the struggles that families are experiencing during these difficult times. Stories of challenge, courage, and capability that contrast so heavily with the political games Governor Rell has chosen to play.

These are the stories that have inspired me, and informed my thoughts as I continue to meet with many of you and explore a run for Governor. It has never been more obvious that the state of Connecticut is in need of a shift in leadership. We truly need change, and the sound of your voice is the single most powerful tool we have for bringing it about. As many of your voices have gone unheard in Hartford, I invite you to participate in our ongoing dialogue, and to share your stories, concerns, and hopes for a better Connecticut. To make change a reality, it is essential that we continue to communicate with one another in significant and meaningful ways.

Together, we can continue to push for a better Connecticut

Make no mistake, these are tough times for Connecticut. Yet we must stand together, and not sit idly by as the problems facing our state go unaddressed. Join our team at DanMalloy.com and become part of our ongoing efforts. Together, we can overcome adversity. Together, we can continue to push for a better Connecticut. Together, we WILL bring change to Hartford.

Progress on Health Care

By DAN MALLOY

Today, the Democrats in the State Senate and State House today voted to override Governor Rell’s veto of the SustiNet Bill (HB 6600), to which I issued this statement:

Democratic senators should be proud of what they accomplished today, and the people of Connecticut should be grateful to them – and, of course, to Democrats in the House. Their action on the SustiNet bill will make health care more affordable and accessible for many people in Connecticut, and they’ve helped put us on a path to universal health care. While it’s unfortunate that other health care vetos – such as those of the Pooling and Standard Wage bills – were not similarly overridden in the Senate, that failure rests squarely at the feet of the Governor.”

“The fact is, the Governor should’ve had the good sense to sign all of these bills instead of vetoing them. Time and again — almost without fail, whenever she’s given the choice – the Governor comes down on the side of special interests and against people who need health care. It’s disturbing, to say the least. I really do wonder who she and her staff are meeting with, talking to, and listening to when it comes to this issue. As I’ve said before, it sure isn’t the average person in Connecticut.”

“As I’ve traveled the state exploring a run for Governor, one of the issues I hear about most from just about everyone is health care. People who have it are having a hard time paying for it, and they’re worried about losing it. Owners of businesses of all sizes are getting killed by the costs, and then there are the people who are worst off: the ones who don’t have health care at all. When it comes to health care, Governor Rell has let the people of Connecticut down time and again.”

I encourage you to continue to look for further updates here at danmalloy.com

The Trillion Dollar Answer

By MICHAEL K. NORRIS

Let me get this straight: we have a popular president, 60 Senators – one of which used to write for Saturday Night Live - and a fat majority in the House of Representatives.  Yet somehow we might flat on our faces with health care reform.

 

The GOP couldn’t be luckier. They haven’t had to do anything new or innovative to rebut our arguments about how reform is necessary. Sure, we spend more and get less each and every year (the opposite of how a free market is supposed to work). Sure we have 46 million-plus people without insurance and one of every five people in an emergency room has no insurance. Sure, everyone has to navigate a maze of paperwork and voice mail trees just to be told their doctor’s visit won’t be covered because of a “pre-existing condition.”  But hey, a political victory is a political victory, and the strategy – that last worked in the early nineties – they are using is twofold:

 

1)      Dupe elected Democrats into believing the public doesn’t want health care reform (though many congressional Democrats were elected by promising to deliver health care reform).

 

2)      Scream that reform costs too much.

 

There is something we can do to combat step one and that is for you to call or write your representatives and tell them that you want health care reform. Then write a letter to the editor of a local paper explaining why you want health care reform. Then talk about health care reform with anyone and everyone. It’s too important to not discuss; especially with people who disagree with you about what this country needs.

 

Combating step 2 is pretty easy to think about when you get your mind right. Think of the scene in ‘Jaws’, when Richard Dreyfus wanted to take a photograph of the shark and Roy Scheider refused to stand on the gangplank in the foreground (“I need something in the foreground to give it some scale!” Dreyfus pleaded).

 

The GOP love using numbers that are big to scare people. The number we see in the press a lot is that health care reform is expected to cost $1 trillion over ten years.

 

That’s a big number. Until you remember that according to the Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. had about $2.2 trillion in health care expenditures in 2007

Just one year. $1 trillion or even more over ten years is a comparative bargain, especially when you consider how much health care costs go up each year. And we already know most bankruptcies are linked with high medical bills, and when someone goes bankrupt there are a lot of negative affects that can’t be found in spreadsheets.

 

Not spending the money on reform is more expensive and dangerous than anything we’ve seen come out of congress so far this year, and that’s how we need to rebut complaints about the cost and keep from losing this debate once again.

Governor Rell, What Are You Thinking?

By DAN MALLOY

Today, the governor chose to veto two more very important bills on health care, the SustiNet and Pooling bills, after recently vetoing the standard wage and rescission bills.  I issued the following statement:

It’s stunning that at a time when the people of Connecticut are
looking to Hartford for help, our Governor has declared war on health
care by continuing to veto critical legislation passed by our
legislature.  Today, Governor Rell’s actions were wrong, and her
rationale for those actions was even worse.  It once again raises the
question – who is advising the Governor and her staff on health care?

“Unfortunately, what we’ve seen today is typical of Governor Rell’s
leadership style in Hartford.  She uses three excuses, none of which
are rational or good in vetoing these bills.  First, she claims that
these bills are too expensive, but the truth is we can’t afford not to
pass them – health care costs are killing us.  Then, the Governor says
we should set up another commission to study an issue that we have
studied to death for more years than I can remember.  If she is so
interested in studying this issue, why has it taken her years to do
it?  Third, the Governor says we should wait for Washington’s help.
While I’m thrilled President Obama and Democrats in Congress are
taking action on health care, since when has waiting for Washington
been a sound strategy on anything?

“I urge the legislature to override these vetoes, and once again do
the work that our Governor refuses to do.  Earlier this week I asked
the question of who is advising the Governor and her staff on health
care.  I’m asking it again today.  God knows it isn’t working families
or consumers.”

I hope you will join me in calling for the Governor to disclose her advisors on this issue, and give the citizens of Connecticut the health care initiatives they deserve.  Learn more and join the team at danmalloy.com.

Governor, Who’s Advising You on Health Care?

By DAN MALLOY

This morning, I issued this statement following the Governor’s health care vetoes.  I’d like to share it with you here:

In the wake of Gov. Rell’s vetoing of the Standard Wage and rescission bills, with two other important health care bills awaiting her signature or veto, and with her silence on Anthem BCBS’s proposed rate increases of as much as 32 percent, Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy, who is exploring a run for Governor, today questioned who is advising Gov. Rell on health care policy.  Likening it to the way the Bush Administration dealt with energy legislation, Malloy said the Governor should “come clean and tell the people of Connecticut who’s advising her on health care policy.”

 

“The Governor’s veto of the Standard Wage bill left a lot of people without health care, and it will end up costing taxpayers a lot of money,” said Malloy.  “And the Governor’s veto of the rescission bill will not prevent health insurers from rescinding individual policies in Connecticut.  Both of these decisions were wrong.

 

“In addition, her silence on the outrageous proposed rate increases by Anthem BCBS – as much as 32% — is deafening.

 

“With a growing sense that she may well veto two other important pieces of health care legislation – the SustiNet bill, and the pooling bill – it’s time for the Governor to come clean and tell the people of Connecticut who’s advising her on health care – and if it’s her staff, then who’s advising them?  God knows it’s not Connecticut’s working families.

 

“Many people couldn’t understand why the Bush Administration consistently came down on the side of energy companies at the expense of the environment and consumers…until the American people later found out that the energy companies were secretly meeting with Administration officials to exert their influence.  Is something similar going on here?  When it comes to health care, exactly whose side is the Governor on?

 

“The Governor owes the State of Connecticut an explanation.”

I encourage you to stay posted for updates and go to danmalloy.com to join our team in calling for better health care for all of Connecticut’s citizens.