By WILLIAM CIBES and NED LAMONT, February 1, 2009
In order to secure a prosperous future for all people in Connecticut, we must build an economy that is fully competitive in the global marketplace. During the coming years, we must emphasize investment in the pillars undergirding that competitiveness: innovation, human capital, infrastructure and the factors that improve the quality of life. And we must make our governments more effective and efficient, focused on achieving results our citizens want.
A working group of key leaders from business, human services and labor unions — of which we are members — believes that the above paragraph outlines a vision to which the state should aspire. The group is convinced that Connecticut’s future should not merely be subject to the whims of fortune, like a leaf blown about by swirling winds in a chaotic storm of events, but that our state should develop a strategic plan to make that vision a reality….
This video contains the full address given by Jim Dean, Tom Swan and Ned Lamont at last week’s DFA health care forum.
Lamont cited the recent crowd that gathered outside Hillhouse High School starting at 4 a.m. when a group called Mission of Mercy offered free dental care. Most of the people desperate for care have jobs, he noted. “That’s what wrong with health care today,” he said.
“Speaking in Mansfield this week a tanned Ned Lamont just back from the Middle East spoke about his visits to Israel and the occupied West Bank and Gaza strip, as well as Syria and Lebanon. ”
“In order to secure a prosperous future for all people in Connecticut, we must build an economy that is fully competitive in the global marketplace.”
“For years, the federal allocation of money has been based upon rank politics, and Connecticut received 69 cents back for every dollar we sent to Washington, almost dead last in the nation. Let’s hope that with a new administration, the merits of the case will be more important. Connecticut must be prepared to make our case on the merits. We are one of the oldest states, with some aging infrastructure. The Obama stimulus bill could be just the jump start our state needs. We’d better be prepared to use this opportunity — or lose it. ”
Ned was on the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC with guest host Alison Stewart.