19 January 2009

"When I recall the image of that preacher at the Lincoln Memorial on Tuesday, I'm sure he will be smiling, and both of us may have eyes moistened with tears of joy. I'm equally certain that we will continue to pray for justice to roll down as waters, and for that day when there will be peace in the valley, and for that day when every man and every woman will sit under his or her own vine and fig tree and none will be afraid, and for that day when black will not be asked to get back, brown can stick around, yellow will be mellow, the red man can get ahead, man, and white will embrace what is right! Amen!"

The Rev. Joseph Lowery, a contemporary of the Rev. Martin Luther King, who will give the Inaugural benediction. From his essay in the Chicago Tribune
http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/chi-lowery-essay-19-jan19,0,5436309.story

Inaugural Reception And Thank You To New Britain For Obama Committee Tuesday 5:30-8 pm at Pride of Connecticut Lodge of Elks

The New Britain Democratic Town Committee and the city's Black Democratic Club will hold an Inauguration Day Reception on Tuesday, January 20th, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Pride of Connecticut, Lodge of Elks, 24 Elm Street, New Britain. Food, music and good company to thank the New Britain for Obama committee.

All Democrats and friends are welcome to attend the celebration that will coincide with Inauguration Day activities in Washington, D.C. The festivities will be black tie optional :). The suggested donation for the reception is $25 to the NBDTC but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

A Call For Action By Service Employees International Union On Bailout

When taxpayers gave Bank of America a $25 billion bailout, the country's largest bank was supposed to use the funds to help jumpstart the economy. Bank of America instead misspent the money on foreign investments, executive salaries, and corporate jets. To top it off, Bank of America double-dipped, taking more money from our cash-strapped states by not paying for their workers' healthcare.

Yet this morning, the Wall Street Journal reports that Bank of America wants "billions" more in bailout funds.

Well, enough is enough. It's time for Bank of America to either use its bailout to help the economy and its workers - or give back the bailout.

Click here to watch and sign: http://freechoice.seiu.org/page/s/bankofamerica

What can Bank of America do? To start, it can provide health care for its 247,000 workers using the money it spent last year on executive salaries and bonuses.

We're also asking that Bank of America:

• Keep over 12,000 troubled borrowers in their homes with executive bonus money
• End the practice of unilaterally changing credit cardholder agreements.
• Sign new leases with renters who live in buildings that are being foreclosed upon

JPs Who Missed Deadline Will Be Re-Nominated By Town Committee

With the January 5th deadline now passed for Democratic Justices of the Peace to be sworn in for this new term at the Town Clerk's office, JPs who did not meet the deadline but were nominated last May will be re-nominated at the January 29th meeting of the Democratic Town Commitee. Nominees will then have 10 additional days from the 29th to be sworn in for the four-year term. The Town Committee will continue to fill vacancies for Democrats in good standing who demonstrate they are volunteering a minimum of two hours per month in the community. Justices of the Peace terms run concurrently with the Presidential election year and are four years in length. For more information email newbritaindemocrat@gmail.com.

End Quote

"The betting here is he will recall that long ago August 28th as he prepares to lead Democrats into the fall election. The moment will not be lost on Obama that his political ascendancy this week is a direct consequence of both King's movement and Johnson's Democrats and what was said and done a generation ago. Obama's nomination will not be the end all for civil rights struggle, but a fulfillment of a huge piece of the "Dream". An NB Politicus comment before Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination on the 45th anniversary of the "I Have A Dream" speech. http://nbpoliticus.blogspot.com/2008_08_24_archive.html

Murphy To Meet Constituents In New Britain Saturday, Jan. 10
Donations For Food Bank To Be Collected

Less than a week after the opening of the 111th Congress, U.S. Rep Chris Murphy will be back in New Britain Saturday, January 10th, to meet and greet constituents and collect non-perishable food donations.

Murphy, who garnered 80 percent of the vote in the city on Nov. 4th, plans to be at the New Britain Stop & Shop on West Main Street at 2 p.m. on one of his regular listening stops in the 41-town 5th Congressional District. Non-perishable food items for a newly-opened pantry in the city will be welcome.

Focus To Be Health Care In 2nd Term

Murphy is beginning a second term and he immediately indicates that health care will be a priority in the current session with his appointment to the Energy and Commerce Committee. In a statement released today, Murphy's office announced the additional assignment of serving on the Energy and Commerce Committee's Health Subcommittee. In the state Senate, Murphy served as Co-Chair of the General Assembly's Public Health Committee

According to Murphy's office, "the influential subcommittee will be responsible for crafting landmark health legislation, extending health benefits to millions of America's children, unlocking the promise of stem cell research, and ensuring America's food and drug safety."

Said Murphy: "This subcommittee will be the epicenter of any health care reform debate in the coming Congress, and I am thrilled to have the chance to be at the table to represent Connecticut in these deliberations.

"I am pleased to have the chance to continue the work I started in Hartford, as the Chair of the Public Health Committee. Now more than ever, as our economy is teetering and we are seeing its ugly cracks, we have to make changes that will pay off in the long run. And an investment in a universal and cost efficient health care system will go a long way toward improving the lives of families and the balance sheets of businesses.

"I am looking forward to working with the members of this influential subcommittee - some of the brightest minds in the nation - to make our vision for equal access to quality, affordable health care a reality."

Photo: Rep. Murphy and Ward 3 Alderwoman Shirley Black on the campaign trail

More information is available at http://chrismurphy.house.gov/

6 January 2009

Celebrating A New President: New Britain Democrats' Reception On 1/20/2009

The New Britain Democratic Town Committee and the city's Black Democratic Club will hold an Inauguration Day Reception on Tuesday, January 20th, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Pride of Connecticut, Lodge of Elks, 24 Elm Street, New Britain.

All Democrats and friends are welcome to attend the celebration that will coincide with Inauguration Day activities in Washington, D.C. The festivities will be black tie optional :)

The suggested donation for the reception is $25 to the NBDTC. For tickets and information email newbritaindemocrat@gmail.com or call the Town Chair at 827-9469.

State Central Vacancy To Be Filled On January 15th; DTC Thanks Ned Statchen For His Service

Ned Statchen, a former New Britain DTC member, city commissioner and State Central Committeeman for the 6th Senatorial District, has re-located to the Unionville section of Farmington, and has resigned his seat on the 72-member state party committee.

In a letter to State Party Chair Nancy DiNardo Statchen said it "has been an honor to serve and represent Democrats of my district and a pleasure to work with and to get to know you, the staff and the other members of the State Central Committee. I was very pleased to play a role in electing the first woman to Chair the Democratic State Central Committee and I would like to say you have certainly earned my support with the great work you have done with the Committee."

Democratic Chairman John McNamara praised Statchen's service on the Town Committee and State Central and his continuing support and volunteer work on Democratic campaigns. "We wish Ned and his young family well in their new home and know we will continue to work with him on behalf of Democratic candidates and for the labor movement," said McNamara.

The 2006 Delegates to the the State Convention are being re-convened on Thursday, January 15th at 6:30 p.m. at the Italian Independent Political Club, 16 Harding Street, in Berlin to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. The meeting is being convened by State Central Committeewoman Emma Pierce, who also serves as the state party treasurer.

City To Hold Breakfast and Ceremony On Rev. King's Holiday, January 19

The city's Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities will hold observances on the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday, January 19th. The Commission is organizing a breakfast at Angelico's Restaurant at 9 a.m. to be followed at 10:30 a.m. by a program at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park at the corner of Martin Luther King Drive and Stanley Street. For information call the Commission at 826-3410.

Deadline Passes For Justice of the Peace Swearing In; DTC Will Continue Nominations

With the January 5th deadline passed for Democratic Justices of the Peace to be sworn in for a new term at the Town Clerk's office, JPs who did not meet the deadline and interested Democrats may be nominated at a meeting of the Democratic Town Committee.

The next meeting of the Town Committee will be January 29th. Prospective Justices of the Peace are asked to demonstrate that they are volunteering in the community for a minimum of two hours per month. For more information email newbritaindemocrat@gmail.com

25 December 2008 -- Best Wishes For the Holidays from New Britain Democrats

Looking Back: Holiday Greetings and A Quote From the "New Deal"

"Finally, in our progress toward a resumption of work we require two safeguards against a return of the evils of the old order; there must be a strict supervision of all banking and credits and investments; there must be an end to speculation with other people's money, and there must be provision for an adequate but sound currency."
-- President Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933.

Photo Credit: U.S. Government

Looking Forward:Toward Peace On Earth: The Global Zero Initiative

In a post Cold War world facing the constant threat of terrorism, peace advocates and nuclear arms experts are pushing for "the abolition of all nuclear weapons from the earth," according to a December 15th report in the National Catholic Reporter by reporter Rich Heffern.

At a meeting held this month in Paris, France an international group of business, civic and military leaders issued a "Global Zero" declaration that sets a goal for a "binding and verifiable agreement to dismantle all nuclear weapons by a specified date."

The Global Zero declaration, endorsed by a “who’s who” of the world’s foreign policy aristocracy from the past 30 years, calls for a binding and verifiable agreement to dismantle all nuclear weapons by a specified date. Signatories on the declaration include former President Jimmy Carter; former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev; Nobel Prize winners Muhammad Yunus and Bishop Desmond Tutu; British businessman Sir Richard Branson; Ehsan ul-Haq, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Pakistan; Brajesh Mishra, former Indian national security advisor; and Amr Moussa, Arab League secretary-general.

The NCR report quotes President-elect Barack Obama with a qualified endorsement: "As long as nuclear weapons exist, we’ll retain a strong deterrent. But we’ll make the goal of eliminating all nuclear weapons a central element in our nuclear policy.” Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also issued a supportive statement and pledge of cooperation to engage the Obama administration in the effort to reduce the real and present danger presented by nuclear stockpiles.

Global Zero's strategy, backed by the leadership of the "super power" nations, involves the following steps: “de-alerting” U.S. and Russian weapons from their current ready-to-launch status, followed by major weapons reductions in the two nations; total elimination of these weapons by all nuclear-armed nations accompanied by strict verification of nuclear fuel activities around the globe. According to the report:

There are now nine countries with nuclear weapons and 40 more with sufficient nuclear infrastructure to build their own arsenal, according to Global Zero’s fact sheet. “The gravest danger facing the world now is that these weapons continue to spread until one day they are used by a country or a terrorist group, with catastrophic consequences,” it says. The only lasting solution to this grave threat, it says, is to eliminate all weapons.

“We cannot persuade terrorists to stop seeking nuclear weapons,” the Global Zero fact sheet says. “The only solution is to eliminate the weapons themselves: to drain the swamp. Global Zero’s plan calls for the verified and enforced destruction of all nuclear weapons and international oversight of all nuclear energy production to prevent the clandestine development of weapons.”

For more information on the nuclear disarmament campaign visit www.cnduk.org

At The State House

Geragosian To Chair Appropriations Committee
New Britain Lawmakers Get Leadership Assignments
Health Care Partnership Expected To Be Key Cost Saving Item In New State Budget

State Rep. John Geragosian (D-25) will be the new House Chair of the Legislature's Appropriations Committee when the General Assembly convenes for 2009 on January 6th. The General Assembly will adjourn in June. The session is expected to be dominated by steps to reduce a growing deficit for a next two year budget to begin next July 1.

A veteran member of the budget-writing committee, Geragosian was first elected to the Legislature in 1994. He is a former New Britain alderman and is the senior member of the city's all Democratic state House delegation. During the last session Geragosian served as Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. Incoming House Speaker Chris Donovan (D-84) named Geragosian to lead the Appropriations committee, the first New Britain lawmaker to do so since former State Senator Joe Harper led the Committee as the state Senate Chair.

State Rep. Betty Boukus (D-22), who represents voting district 15, Plainville and parts of Bristol, will serve in leadership as a Deputy Majority Whip.

Incoming Majority Leader Denise Merrill, who is vacating the Appropriations Chair, has named State Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-26) to be one of seven Deputy Majority Leaders. Tercyak will also lead the Appropriations subcommittee on collective bargaining. State Rep. Tim O'Brien (D-24) will serve as an assistant majority leader and will be vice chairman of the Labor and Public Employees committee.

State Senator Don DeFronzo (D-6) will return to the Chairmanship of the Transportation Committee in appointments announced by Senate President Donald Williams.

The Town Committee extends congratulations to state House members and Senator DeFronzo for their leadership roles in the 2009 session.

The session is expected to be dominated by steps to reduce a growing deficit for a next two year budget to begin next July 1.

At the December 11th Democratic Town Committee Rep. Geragosian said that the 2007 proposal for a Health Care Partnership will be on the table next year as lawmakers seek to reduce costs of health care. The partnership plan, introduced by Rep. Donovan last year, would allow municipalities, agencies and small businesses to join the state's health care pool as a means of reducing soaring costs of medical coverage. It has been implemented in more than a dozen other states providing lower insurance premiums to cities and towns.

To contact your legislators and/or follow legislative issues go to

http://www.housedems.ct.gov/index.asp

Thank You

Thanks to members of the Democratic Town Committee and friends for donating non-perishable food items for the needy at the December 11th Town Committee meeting.

26 Days Left To 1-20-2009

For President-elect Obama's weekly address and Transition Updates Visit

www.change.gov

A conversation on January 21, 2009

When: 1/21/2009

Where: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue


A visitor knocks on the door of the White House in the morning.

"I would like to speak with President Bush. Is he here?"

"No," comes the reply from a White House aide. "He no longer lives here."

The visitor returns at noon and knocks again.

"I would like to speak with President Bush. Is he here?"

"NO," comes the reply again.

Not to be denied, the visitor comes back in the evening.

"I would like to speak with President Bush. Is he here?"

"For the final time, he is not here. Don't you know the inauguration was yesterday?"

"Yes," says the visitor. "But I just love to hear you say President Bush is no longer here."

13 December 2008

A Vote of "No Confidence" In Senator Lieberman

The city's Democratic Town Committee approved a "resolution of no confidence" in Senator Joe Lieberman at its December meeting. The move came at the December 11th meeting held at City Hall.

The 12-point resolution, adapted from a more detailed censure resolution adopted by the Glastonbury Democratic Town Committee, won unanimous support at the New Britain meeting. It took issue with Lieberman's role in the 2008 campaign, including a speech at the Republican National Convention and months of campaigning on behalf of GOP nominee John McCain outside of Connecticut.

The statement went on to oppose Lieberman's position on a range of issues including:

- Missed votes on increased funding for Homeland Security despite public statements supporting additional resources. "His absence in a debate on legislation to potentially increase security funding to Connecticut's cities meant the difference between the bill passing and losing." said one clause of the resolution;
- The vote to confirm Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General (the only Democratic senator from New England to do so) "in spite of Gonzales' support of torture, rendition and eavesdropping on US citizens";
- Support for the Military Commissions Act of 2006 that denies prisoners the right to habeas corpus, sanctions torture and protects members of the administration from prosecution for war crimes;
- The only Democrat to support the president's idea of private accounts. "Once it was clear that the issue had no traction, Joe Lieberman joined Democrats in opposing the President's plan," according to the resolution;
- Support for NAFTA and CAFTA --the free trade agreements approved without a process to negotiate worker rights, human rights and environmental safeguards;
- Unwavering support of the Iraq war, the greatest contributing factor to the growth in the national debt.

Democratic Town Chair John McNamara said Lieberman's expected pro-Democratic votes in the next Congress will be welcome. And he acknowledged Lieberman's recent statements that he would be in lockstep with the Obama administration on a new economic stimulus package after Lieberman retained the chairmanship of Homeland Security from the Democratic Senate caucus.

"The point of these censures and no-confidence votes, however, should be to send a message to Joe that we are looking for a new senator in 2012," said McNamara. "Going back on your commitments while hiding behind the cloak of 'bipartisanship' or, worse, opposing the nominee of your own party, give politics and politicians a bad name. Senator Lieberman has repeatedly turned his back on Democrats who made it possible for him to serve in the U.S. Senate in the first place."

The no confidence vote from New Britain Democrats did not come as a surprise. In 2006, the New Britain Town committee sent 24 of 31 delegates to the Democratic State Convention in support of candidate Ned Lamont over Lieberman, the largest block of votes opposing Lieberman's re-nomination for U.S. Senate.

The New Britain Committee will be sending its resolution on to state party leaders and to Senator Lieberman to express its concerns on his voting record and role in the 2008 campaign.

Originally Posted By NBpoliticus to New Britain Community News at 12/12/2008

7 December 2008

Democrats To Hold December Meeting Thursday 12/11; Lieberman Resolution, Legislative Priorities for 2009 On Tap
The Democratic Town Committee will hold its last meeting of the year on Thursday, December 11, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at New Britain City Hall, 27 West Main Street. The agenda will include consideration of a resolution expressing no confidence in Senator Joseph I. Lieberman for his role in the 2008 presidential campaign and support of the Bush Administration. Resolutions may also be raised in support of universal health care and other issues expected to come before the state legislature next year. Member and friends are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for donating to local food banks. All Democrats and friends are invited to attend.

Republicans Descend Into Personal Attacks Over Board of Education Seat
A Common Council vote to appoint Republican Leslie Jacobs to fill a vacancy on the Board of Education has prompted a veto by Mayor Timothy Stewart and a torrent of attacks by Republicans. In his veto message, Stewart referred to Jacobs as "flippant" and "arrogant" but cited no votes or actions by Jacobs as a school board member to oppose her nomination. Jacobs has previous experience on the BOE but has long since fallen out of favor with her party's leadership. Dismayed that the GOP's hand-picked recommendation, Jamie Giantonio, was not accepted by the Council, Republican leaders have denounced the Council move to replace Marilyn Kraczkowsky, a controversial Republican member of the BOE, who resigned earlier this year. Jacobs and Council Democrats have been the target of personal attacks and harsh words from Republican Chair Paul Carver and others. Derogatory comments have been posted anonymously on local blogs, including one threat of violence against City Alderman Phil Sherwood. Democratic Town Chair John McNamara criticized the Mayor's veto message for claiming Democrats are putting partisanship ahead of city schools and children. He also faulted the tone and content of the Republican attacks as "mean spirited", "divisive" and nothing more than the tactics of "schoolyard bullies." The Council is exercising its judgment and responsibility in accordance with the city charter, according to McNamara. "The Mayor and Republican Chair Carver should make their arguments on the merits of their candidate, and not engage in partisan attacks on members of the City Council and Ms. Jacobs," said McNamara. "This is the same Republican Party that nominated as their local standard bearer this year Tom Bozek for State Senate, a candidate who suggested that New Britain should downsize its schools by reducing the number of school children by 4,000 through draconian anti-family policies." McNamara said the record of the Mayor and Carver on education and addressing the school district's fiscal challenges has been "abysmal" over the last two years. "If I were a member of the the City Council concerned about the quality of education the last person of either party that I would pick would be a rubber stamp for the Mayor," said McNamara.


Hearing Is Tuesday For New Britain-Hartford Busway:
Officials Criticize DOT For Delay, Higher Costs
The Department of Transportation is holding a series of public hearings throughout the area on the long-awaited busway that would start in New Britain at the former Greenfield's store along a railroad right of way. The New Britain hearing will be held Tuesday, December 9, at New Britain City Hall (27 West Main Street) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. A Monday December 8 meeting will be held in Newington at the same time at the Newington Town Hall (131 Cedar Street) in the Helen Nelson Room.

According to the DOT announcement of the hearings: "When the busway opens for operation, bus routes in New Britain, Newington, West Hartford, and Hartford will change. The public is invited to come and share what is important to them and to help the Department of Transportation design a bus system that more efficiently serves their needs. During these meetings, the public can review work in progress, view a brief presentation of the project, ask questions and provide feedback, and meet the project team."

State Representative David McCluskey (D - West Hartford), House Chair of the Transportation Bonding Sub-Committee and an advocate of using public transit for economic development criticized a DOT official last week for saying that the earliest commuters could ride a proposed New Haven-Springfield commuter rail service is “optimistically, 2015-16”.

Said McCluskey: “This coupled with the long delay in the 11 year-old proposal to operate Bus Rapid Transit Service between New Britain and Hartford clearly demonstrate that the Department really does not want to increase public transportation in Connecticut. DOT just doesn’t get it. Connecticut residents want alternatives to cars now. The New Haven to Springfield commuter rail service would operate on an existing active rail line. This idea has been languishing since the early 1990s,” Rep. McCluskey added. “The fact that DOT cannot figure out how to add this service quickly demonstrates their lack of interest and seriousness about providing public transportation to Connecticut residents.”

Similarly, New Britain officials including State Senator Don DeFronzo, Chair of the Transportation Committee, State Representative Tim O'Brien and Mayor Timothy Stewart have expressed concerns about the delay in the New Britain-Hartford busway and the escalating costs of what would appear to an uncomplicated re-use of a railroad right of way for the single bus lane. Said O'Brien: "Connecticut, especially the greater Hartford area, has been hurt economically and in terms of quality of life, by the sorry state of our public transit system. New Britain has been especially harmed because the highways that went up in decades past have largely cut New Britain out of our regional economy. Having New Britain as the primary starting point for a new, regional public transit system can be a major development in the economic renewal of our city. Plus, especially in as global warming and other environmental concerns become more pressing, public transit is important for a low-pollution future - and if it needs to happen anyway, it should be done so that New Britain benefits from it." Estimated costs for the busway have gone form $80 million to $600 million. "I consider this to be an enormous failure on the part of the state DOT, and I can find no excuse for it," said O'Brien. "I agree with Mayor Timothy Stewart that there needs to a change in "the culture of the DOT, which is to mire these projects in bureaucracy." O'Brien urged Stewart to press the issue with Gov. Rell and to work with the city's legislative delegation to accelerate the public transit alternatives.

CT Obama Group To Hold "Celebrating our Victory Going Forward"
Meeting December 13th

Connecticut volunteers for Barack Obama plan an organizing meet on Saturday Dec. 13th to keep the grassroots organization together for future political action. "The conversation in America has changed on many levels, revitalizing the hope and potential of a great nation. This movement has opened the door to immeasurable possibilities and laid those possibilities at the feet of the people," says Val McCall, a leader of the CT Obama campaign this year. "We will discuss the issues that are important to us in the communities where we live and how we can change them." The meeting will be held from 10 am to noon on the 13th at the Afro-American Culture Center of Yale University in New Haven (211 Park Street). More information at 860-995-3364.