the vision thing02.09.09

Our Governor's VisonBudget speech 02.04.09

The harsh winds of economic turmoil have spread across the nation and now buffet nearly every aspect of our lives.

We will overcome our economic distress and we will emerge the better for it.

Make no mistake, our journey will be a long and painful one. But it will be a shared journey.

We will stand arm in arm, sharing our burdens and turning our challenges into opportunities, positioning ourselves so that we may soar when those harsh winds of economic turmoil finally fade.

Yes, there is pain, there is sacrifice and there is some long overdue trimming.

Simply put: The bloat of bureaucracy is no longer affordable. Over the years, over the decades, state government often lost sight of what its core mission was and who it was serving.

The naysayers will tell you it can't be done, it shouldn't be done.

Well, to the soothsayers and naysayers I say: Step aside. We need leaders.

Help me as I lead Connecticut to a smaller, more affordable, more responsive government.

Our journey begins today but it will not end until the darkest of ocean clouds dissipate and the brightest of blue skies open to a future of endless possibilities for our citizens.

If that's the vision, what's the program?

"less"

less of what works for the middle class

less for the people who deliver goverment services

raise health care taxes on the poor and those of us

who are laid off

You're screwed...and don't expect any help from us

make our employer-sponsored health insurance system, with its public “safety net,” the model for the nation

Better health care means making private insurance more affordable and accessible....

not handing over the management and control of health care to state government under single-payer or poolingschemes with their more expensive benefits.

Enable employers to purchase health care plans that are appropriate for them and their employees, in particular by not burdening small businesses with expensive new health benefit mandates.

Make private insurance more affordable by increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates and eliminating cost-shifts to the private sector

Raise Medicaid reimbursement rates, which will encourage more health care providers to participatein public programs.

Increase outreach efforts for HUSKY and other public health care programs.

Expand the use of community- and school-based health centers, to provide better care to more patients and improve access to providers.

continuation of the failing system of medical apartheid

the vision:

You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried

everything else

Each of us deserves health care that:

keeps us healthy

and

takes care of us when we are sick

offers quality health care choices for us all

gives us more for our money

delivers peace of mind

3 months ago: 61% = Obama's vision 38% = McCain's vision

tell us about how our visionhas helped you make a surprising connection