Jonathan Kantrowitz

For representing mobsters like Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti! Apparently she thinks any Italian is a mobster.

And, as a lawyer herself, she should know better than demeaning lawyers who defend the accused, as Ryan McKeen points out.

But what the hey, it’s one Republican attacking another, so I should be happy.

Labor and Business Leaders Praise Lamont’s Strategy

Today, Democratic candidate for governor Ned Lamont released his Plan for Affordable, Accessible Health Care. During a press conference at Meriden’s Community Health Center, Lamont and his running mate, Mary Glassman, laid out the strategies they will employ to lower health care costs for the state, businesses, and families; improve care and modernize our health care system; and put Connecticut in a good position to benefit from reforms on the federal level.

“Connecticut families pay more every year in health care premiums, and aren’t getting any healthier. High health care costs keep small businesses from hiring, and make it risky for workers to take a new job or start their own company,” Lamont said. “To get serious about fixing our budget deficit, we need to talk about fundamentally reforming our health care system, which accounts for 40 percent of our budget. That’s what I’ll do as governor.”

Sal Luciano, AFSCME Council 4′s Executive Director, said “Walter Cronkite once said, ‘The American health care system is neither healthy, caring, nor a system.’ Ned has proposed a true system that is both healthy and caring. Because it focuses on prevention and is evidence-based, it will achieve better health outcomes for all residents of Connecticut, while also reducing costs.”

Mike Critelli, the former CEO of businesses services company Pitney Bowes, said “Good health is good business. Ned’s health plan–and the collaborative and thorough process by which he developed it–demonstrate that he understands a strong focus on making people healthier and the commitment to driving economic growth reinforce one another.”

As governor, Lamont will:
• Spread consistent health information technology statewide. Different systems should be able to talk to each another so that critical medical records are available they’re needed, wherever a patient may be.
• Leverage the state’s purchasing power to phase in payment reform over time. Rather than a “fee for service” model that rewards providers for the volume of tests and services they perform, we should pay based on how patients fare.
• Expand access to primary care by establishing “medical homes” for families who have state health care. Every patient deserves an informed caregiver who can “quarterback” his care.
• Rewarding state employees who take care of themselves. We’ll reduce co-pays and give rewards, like a $50 savings bond for expecting mothers who go to all of their prenatal care visits.
• Create a cabinet-level position focused on long-term care and giving Connecticut residents community-based alternatives to nursing homes.

I just love it when Republican get nasty to each other:

Chris Cooper, Communications Director for Fedele 2010, made the following statement after yesterday’s hearing in Hartford Superior Court over Tom Foley’s request to obstruct the disbursement of up to $2.5 million in Clean Election Funds:

“Despite Foley’s attempt to obstruct the political process with a frivolous lawsuit, this campaign will be about more than who has the biggest checkbook, but rather a debate on the agendas and character of the candidates. It is no wonder given his history of arrests, imprisonment, business failure, misrepresentation of his foreign service record, and refusal to produce related documents that this is a debate Foley desperately hopes to avoid. We look forward to tomorrow’s decision, and are confident voters will have the opportunity to hear from Mike Fedele, a man of unimpeachable integrity and a positive, conservative agenda for Connecticut, and the choice in this election will be clear.”