Save the Children, a humanitarian organization in Westport, released its ninth annual Mothers’ Index that ranks the best — and worst — places to be a mother and a child. The Mother’s Index compares the well-being of mothers and children in 146 countries.

The Nordic countries sweep the top rankings of the best places to be a mother, while countries in sub-Saharan Africa dominated the bottom tier. Sweden tops the list, while Niger ranks last among the 146 countries surveyed. The United States placed 27th this year, one slot down from last year’s ranking.

Click here to view the full 2008 report card on mothers.

CANTON, Conn. - For voters in Connecticut’s Fifth District who are appalled by the Republicans’ disastrous foreign policies, and disillusioned by the Democrats’ broken promises to fix them, the November 2008 elections will offer a third choice.

Harold Burbank II is running for Congress as the Green Party candidate for Congress, challenging first-term incumbent Democrat Chris Murphy and Republican state Sen. David Cappiello.

Burbank, a human rights attorney, has never worked for a corporation. He has an impressive record of public service in government, in international relations and law, and in the peace movement for over 30 years. It is this experience in justice work and what Burbank calls this “critical moment in history” that drove his decision to run for the Fifth District congressional seat.

Click here to continue reading Gale’s report.

Compared to two years ago Saturday’s Democratic State Convention at Central Connecticut State University was by all accounts uneventful.

There were no challenges to the three Democratic National Committee member nominations and the rule changes were fairly straightforward.

Without much fanfare, John Olsen, Ellen Camhi, and Anthony Avallone were nominated to go to Denver in August as members of the Democratic National Committee. The largest applause erupted when Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy took the podium and nominated Mrs. Camhi, as a national committee member.

Continue reading "Democratic State Convention A Contrast From 2006" »

One’s a city Democrat. The other, a suburban Republican. The two state legislators went toe-to-toe on the question of whom to fault for the collapse of a reading program and other New Haven budget woes.

The friendly but impassioned Crossfire-like exchange took place Thursday afternoon between New Haven State Rep. Cameron Staples, the legislature’s finance co-chairman; and State Sen. Len Fasano, who represents Wallingford, North Haven and Cheshire.

Click here to continue reading Paul’s report or click the play arrow to witness the exchange.

The debate on universal health care was postponed last year because the 2007 General Assembly wanted to study the issue before passing legislation like its neighboring states.

In the absence of a major statewide policy on access to affordable health care, the 2008 General Assembly did pass five smaller health care bills being praised by health care advocates.

With only a few days left in the session, the General Assembly was able to approve all five bills:

-A bill to establish a new Health Equity Commission, whose mission will be to eliminate disparities in the health status of minorities;

-A bill to expand a pilot program, known as Money Follows the Person, designed to help transition people from nursing homes to less restrictive community settings;

-A bill amending the Medicaid program to include hospice services for low income people who are terminally ill;

-A mental health bill that eliminates the requirement for a three-day stay in an acute care hospital setting before an insurance plan will allow coverage of medically necessary psychological services in a residential facility, and;

-A bill opening the state employee health insurance pool to municipal, nonprofit, and small business employees.

Continue reading "No Universal Plan, But Health Care Advocates
Still Have Small Successes To Celebrate" »

(Updated 9:36 p.m.) City Hall now plans to start turning away some men from homeless shelters, kill an early-reading program, eliminate 160 positions, and close a senior center, three police substations, and the Dwight School in order to balance the coming year’s budget.

The Shubert theater, Market New Haven and Tweed New Haven Airport would also receive budget cuts under a revised budget plan Mayor John DeStefano announced at City Hall Thursday afternoon.

Click here to continue reading about the cuts New Haven will be making.

Democrats in the Senate and the House called separate press conferences Thursday to tout the successes of the legislative session, while Republicans in the House and the Senate held a joint press conference criticizing the majority Democrats for not adjusting the 2009 budget—an agreement that was reached in unison with Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

Senate President Donald Williams, D-Brooklyn, said by sticking with the $18.4 billion state budget, which increases spending 4 percent, it means the state is “living within our means,” not unlike Connecticut families. Speaker of the House James Amann, D-Milford, said the current budget does not create any new taxes, however, it does include an increase in the state’s petroleum gross receipts tax and it may include the extension of the real estate conveyance tax, if lawmakers call themselves back into special session.

Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, R-Norwalk, said he’s disappointed Rell and Democrat-controlled legislature agreed to stick with last year’s budget and ignore the GOP’s alternative budget proposal that hinged on an early retirement program for about 4,200 state employees.

Continue reading "Critique of Legislation Session Differs by Party" »

With a special session on the horizon and an ever-growing list of retirements the end of the session was bittersweet for many.

Speaker James Amann, D-Milford, who announced he would not seek re-election last month, described the past four months as a “rollercoaster ride.” Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, R-Southport, said, “It’s not the best session we’ve ever had.” In fact, it was “less than stellar,” he added.

Senate President Donald Williams, D-Brooklyn, said, “We got a number of good things accomplished,” including the mortgage relief bill and a health care bill that provides relief to cities and towns. But there was also a list of bills lawmakers were unable to pass during the short four-month session.

Continue reading "Bittersweet Session Comes To An End" »

A bill that would allow workers to accumulate one hour of paid sick time for every 40 hours worked died Wednesday night.

The Paid Sick Days bill passed the senate, but was stalled for the second year in a row on the House calendar. Sen. Edith Prague, D-Columbia, who championed the bill, said its defeat was making her sick.

“It’s dead,” she said as the clock approached midnight. “Next year.”

There had been talk earlier in the day that if lawmakers intended to call themselves back into special session to extend the real estate conveyance tax then they could include Paid Sick Days in the call to special session. However, Democratic leadership in the Senate didn’t want to make it part of the debate, since it had already passed the bill twice.

“This is a disappointment for the thousands of Connecticut residents who called, emailed, and wrote to their legislators in support of Paid Sick Days,” Jon Green, executive director of the Working Families Party said.

Continue reading "Paid Sick Days Bill Dies on House Calendar, Again" »

At an early evening press briefing, Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell said she would not be giving the traditional speech at midnight to adjourn the legislative session. However, she also noted that this is not like any other session she’s ever experienced.

Usually during the final days of session lawmakers are scrambling to get their bills passed, but with the budget in place lawmakers have “too much time on their hands,” Rell said.

“I’ve decided that everybody’s temper is just getting a little too short right now and by midnight everyone is going to be a little tired and will want to go home,” Rell said.

Continue reading "Rell Calls It A Night; Lets Lawmakers Duke It Out After Giving Them Mixed Reviews" »