1. Peace/Economic Conversion Symposium: Nov. 14
“Symposium on Conversion to a Peace Economy in Connecticut”
Sat., November 14, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Konover Auditorium, Dodd Research Center, UConn/Storrs
Continental Breakfast as of 8:15
Public invited free of charge.
Parking available in the South Garage at $1/hour within a short walk
to the Dodd Center. For handicapped access, use contacts below.
INFORMATION: mimbck@yahoo.com or 860-429-3107
2. Voices of A People’s History-By Howard Zinn: Nov. 14-15
Theatrical performance of great dissident voices from throughout American history. 8pm Nov 14th and 2pm Nov 15th at The Old Town Hall, 221 East St. Stafford Springs, CT. Tix available at: 860-684-9500
3. Two Presentations on two growing movements in Latin America,
followed by a meeting of Connecticut United for Peace: Nov. 15
-“Class Struggle and Colonialism” in Puerto Rico
-"Nobody Here Surrenders!" The Struggle in Honduras Continues
Sunday, November 15, 2:00pm at The Church of the Holy Trinity
381 Main Street, Middletown, CT
4. Cindy Sheehan speaks at CCSU: Nov. 16
2pm: Torp Theatre, Davidson Hall at CCSU in New Britain, CT
“Where Has The Antiwar Movement Gone?”
Panel discussion with Cindy Sheehan
7pm: Torp Theatre, Davidson Hall at CCSU in New Britain, CT
“What One Woman Can Do”
Lecture and discussion by Cindy Sheehan
Open and free to the public
5. Protest the Escalation of The War in Afghanistan: TBA
4:30 p.m. the day after any official announcement of troop escalations by the president. Rally at the federal buildings in Hartford or New Haven
6. Socialist Party of CT, December Meeting: TBA
Join the lively and growing movement here in CT!
contact: spcentralct@gmail.com www.socialistpartyct.org
Now on facebook, search: Ct Socialists
7. Call-In For The Kucinich State Single-Payer Amendment: TBA
When the house and senate go into committee to jive up their two bills we have to raise holy heck to have the Kucinich Amendment inserted into the final legislation; this would allow individual states to create their own single-payer systems if they so choose.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
My Town Hall Experience
After waiting 90 minutes with my hand raised to speak, I was finally selected. The entire town hall meeting about healthcare had been unfolding just like all of the reports I'd been seeing and hearing in the media. Loud and disruptive naysayers overpowering any voice that proposed modifying our broken health system.
My heart and mind were racing. So many things that I'd like to say. So many falsehoods and misconceptions to counter. So many facts to share. As I waited behind two others for my turn I scratched some notes on piece of paper I dug from my pocket. Finally, the mic was to be handed to me, and...... "I'm sorry folks that's all we have time for, we have to leave the auditorium at 8pm sharp!" I couldn't believe my ears.
I had so much to say! So little had been accomplished! What a sham!
The whole ride home my father and I, who had attended with me, were simultaneously angered and disheartened by the experience. We discussed a myriad of ways in which the forum could have been better organized. We took turns saying things that we would have liked to have had the opportunity to say.
To paraphrase my own thoughts, (and possibly brush up the language) I would have liked to have said something like this:
"Thank you for taking my question. My name is Todd Vachon from Colchester and I'd like to start by saying that I have spent several years working as a teacher in that 'oh so socialist' institution known as public education. And if this were my classroom, the disruptive members would be on their last warning. But since the principal is not here, perhaps we could call on the uniformed folks standing in the back, who work for that other socialist institution-- the police department, to escort them to their cars. From there, they could drive home on those 'socialist' public roads, abiding by the 'socialist' traffic signals before crossing any 'socialist' bridges.
I think we should also thank the Stalinist 1st selectman and communist regime of Montville for allowing us to use this 'socialist' high school auditorium, free of charge; a beautiful and brand new one at that.
It is unfortunate however, that over 100 folks had to be turned away at the door. The maximum capacity has been reached and the 'socialists' from the fire department deemed it a matter of public safety.
But seriously, all sarcasm aside, what I'm getting at with these examples is that NOT ALL THINGS are handled best by the so-called 'free-market'. Imagine if we all had to subscribe to fire, police and medical service. Many folks would not be able to afford the premiums. What happens when your neighbor's house is on fire and they didn't pay their fire bill? Or better yet, the fire companies deny coverage to your home because it is too old or has a pre-existing condition. I know, it's ludicrous to consider, but what is so different about health services?
If you get in an accident today, the fire and police department respond as a public service. EMT's respond and start treating you on the scene, but as soon as you arrive at the ER the treatment now becomes a commodity that you must pay for.
Every other industrialized country spends considerably less per capita on healthcare; half to be exact. They provide it universally to all of their citizens; we leave 50 million without, and they have better service than we do; we rank 38th in the world.
So, my question is this: Can the naysayers suck it up, get past the ideological free-market dogma, and consider practical solutions to a real problem? Or are they too damned stubborn to ever admit that they are wrong? Thank you."
Well those are my two cents. A day late and a dollar short, but still here anyway.
You know, in retrospect, I think that merely organizing the two opposing factions on opposite ends of the parking lot and allowing them to yell back and forth at each other would have been equally as productive.
My heart and mind were racing. So many things that I'd like to say. So many falsehoods and misconceptions to counter. So many facts to share. As I waited behind two others for my turn I scratched some notes on piece of paper I dug from my pocket. Finally, the mic was to be handed to me, and...... "I'm sorry folks that's all we have time for, we have to leave the auditorium at 8pm sharp!" I couldn't believe my ears.
I had so much to say! So little had been accomplished! What a sham!
The whole ride home my father and I, who had attended with me, were simultaneously angered and disheartened by the experience. We discussed a myriad of ways in which the forum could have been better organized. We took turns saying things that we would have liked to have had the opportunity to say.
To paraphrase my own thoughts, (and possibly brush up the language) I would have liked to have said something like this:
"Thank you for taking my question. My name is Todd Vachon from Colchester and I'd like to start by saying that I have spent several years working as a teacher in that 'oh so socialist' institution known as public education. And if this were my classroom, the disruptive members would be on their last warning. But since the principal is not here, perhaps we could call on the uniformed folks standing in the back, who work for that other socialist institution-- the police department, to escort them to their cars. From there, they could drive home on those 'socialist' public roads, abiding by the 'socialist' traffic signals before crossing any 'socialist' bridges.
I think we should also thank the Stalinist 1st selectman and communist regime of Montville for allowing us to use this 'socialist' high school auditorium, free of charge; a beautiful and brand new one at that.
It is unfortunate however, that over 100 folks had to be turned away at the door. The maximum capacity has been reached and the 'socialists' from the fire department deemed it a matter of public safety.
But seriously, all sarcasm aside, what I'm getting at with these examples is that NOT ALL THINGS are handled best by the so-called 'free-market'. Imagine if we all had to subscribe to fire, police and medical service. Many folks would not be able to afford the premiums. What happens when your neighbor's house is on fire and they didn't pay their fire bill? Or better yet, the fire companies deny coverage to your home because it is too old or has a pre-existing condition. I know, it's ludicrous to consider, but what is so different about health services?
If you get in an accident today, the fire and police department respond as a public service. EMT's respond and start treating you on the scene, but as soon as you arrive at the ER the treatment now becomes a commodity that you must pay for.
Every other industrialized country spends considerably less per capita on healthcare; half to be exact. They provide it universally to all of their citizens; we leave 50 million without, and they have better service than we do; we rank 38th in the world.
So, my question is this: Can the naysayers suck it up, get past the ideological free-market dogma, and consider practical solutions to a real problem? Or are they too damned stubborn to ever admit that they are wrong? Thank you."
Well those are my two cents. A day late and a dollar short, but still here anyway.
You know, in retrospect, I think that merely organizing the two opposing factions on opposite ends of the parking lot and allowing them to yell back and forth at each other would have been equally as productive.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Bringing Single-Payer InToThe Media
Friends,
In case you have not heard, Representative Courtney will be hosting a town hall forum on health reform this Wednesday, September 2nd at 6:30 p.m. at Montville High School.
I would like to make an appeal to progressives, folks on the left and anyone who wants a real discussion about our broken health care system to attend:
1.) To counter the right-wing nonsense about death panels, Adolf Hitler and Darth Vader.
~and~
2.) To advocate for single-payer instead of this band-aid, doomed-to-fail, "public option". HR3200 does not address the real core of the problem: that multi-payer systems are bureaucratic nightmares, required to put profit before care in every instance. HR676 is the logical solution and must be considered.
As most of you know, I have been advocating for the single-payer solution for a very long time. Pre-dating my challenge to Mr. Courtney at the ballot last fall. I have attached below a few recent breakthroughs into the media that I have made for the single-payer option.
Hope you enjoy and hope to see you on Wednesday in Montville!
-Todd
Trying To Bring Single-Payer In To The Media:
Some Health Proposals Address The Issue of Waste
By Todd Vachon
Norwich Bulletin
http://www.norwichbulletin.com/opinions/columnists/x769901449/Todd-Vachon-Some-health-care-proposals-answer-issue-of-waste
Health Care: What’s The Diagnosis?
By Todd Vachon
New London Day
http://archive.theday.com/re.aspx?re=3d92d656-ccbb-491e-9839-716af30f2a6b
WHUS Radio Interview with Todd Vachon about Single-Payer
http://www.4shared.com/account/file/126038457/84651d11/whus_interview.html
Other Great Resources on Health Reform:
Physicians for a National Health Program
www.pnhp.org
House Bill 676
www.hr676.org
Frontline: Sick Around The World
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/
Bullying, Hate-Mongering Have No Place In Health Debate:
In a reasoned debate, single payer will come out on top
By Laura S. Boylan, MD and Joanne Landy, MPH
http://pnhp.org/blog/2009/08/18/bullying-hate-mongering-have-no-place-in-health-
debate/
In case you have not heard, Representative Courtney will be hosting a town hall forum on health reform this Wednesday, September 2nd at 6:30 p.m. at Montville High School.
I would like to make an appeal to progressives, folks on the left and anyone who wants a real discussion about our broken health care system to attend:
1.) To counter the right-wing nonsense about death panels, Adolf Hitler and Darth Vader.
~and~
2.) To advocate for single-payer instead of this band-aid, doomed-to-fail, "public option". HR3200 does not address the real core of the problem: that multi-payer systems are bureaucratic nightmares, required to put profit before care in every instance. HR676 is the logical solution and must be considered.
As most of you know, I have been advocating for the single-payer solution for a very long time. Pre-dating my challenge to Mr. Courtney at the ballot last fall. I have attached below a few recent breakthroughs into the media that I have made for the single-payer option.
Hope you enjoy and hope to see you on Wednesday in Montville!
-Todd
Trying To Bring Single-Payer In To The Media:
Some Health Proposals Address The Issue of Waste
By Todd Vachon
Norwich Bulletin
http://www.norwichbulletin.com/opinions/columnists/x769901449/Todd-Vachon-Some-health-care-proposals-answer-issue-of-waste
Health Care: What’s The Diagnosis?
By Todd Vachon
New London Day
http://archive.theday.com/re.aspx?re=3d92d656-ccbb-491e-9839-716af30f2a6b
WHUS Radio Interview with Todd Vachon about Single-Payer
http://www.4shared.com/account/file/126038457/84651d11/whus_interview.html
Other Great Resources on Health Reform:
Physicians for a National Health Program
www.pnhp.org
House Bill 676
www.hr676.org
Frontline: Sick Around The World
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/
Bullying, Hate-Mongering Have No Place In Health Debate:
In a reasoned debate, single payer will come out on top
By Laura S. Boylan, MD and Joanne Landy, MPH
http://pnhp.org/blog/2009/08/18/bullying-hate-mongering-have-no-place-in-health-
debate/
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