After listening to a presentation on the perilous future of Social Security from Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Alan Schlesinger, New Britain octogenarian Tom Phmann, a retired Fafnir worker, told The Herald: "I don't care if there's no money in the till, as long as they give me my check and I can cash it."
Other speakers included Democratic candidate for the U.S. 5th District Chris Murphy, Green Party candidates for the U.S. Senate Ralph Ferrucci and for governor Clifford Thornton. U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson was in Washington for a house vote and could not attend the forum. State Sen. Don DeFronzo, and state Reps. Betty Boukus, Chris Donovan, John Geragosian, Timothy O'Brien and Peter Tercyak also spoke.
Schlesinger, former mayor of Derby, spoke the longest and drew the ire of some in the audience when he tried to explain the link between the "Social Security crisis, the energy security crisis, and the national security crisis."
About Medicare, Schlesinger said the government needs to create "realistic policies with affordable eligibility requirements. The alternative is a $30 trillion fiscal train wreck that most politicians choose to ignore."
Murphy told seniors the election is "about putting us - not corporations - first again." A New Britain native, Murphy said middle class jobs are not here any more "because chief executives and boards of directors decided they could make a quicker buck moving jobs overseas."
The state representative added that the healthcare system has become a center for profit and gain.
"But, it doesn't have to be that way. The Medicare program will now cost $1.2 trillion, yet the benefits aren't any better."
Donovan, who represented Ned Lamont, likened the Lamont-Lieberman contest to Herbert Hoover/Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy/Richard Nixon races. He compared Lamont favorably to both Roosevelt and Kennedy.
Todd Stein, policy director for Lieberman, assured seniors that the senator wants to protect and strengthen Social Security, and has challenged the Bush administration's attempt to increase Medicare premiums.
Ferrucci, an independent truck driver, said Medicare needs to be expanded to cover all Americans. Thornton, a former middle manger for Southern New England Telephone, said he is the first African-American to run for governor in the state.
He said he was running for office because he was "sick and tired of being sick and tired. The Green Party is the party of environmental and social justice. Our society is neglecting our senior citizens."
Tom Gross, 5th Congressional District coordinator for DeStefano, said the New Haven mayor could not appear because of a scheduling conflict.
Gross called DeStefano "a man of progress and ideas, not afraid to take on difficult challenges."
Following the presentations, Gross told The Herald he expected his candidate would soon start raising questions about Gov. M. Jodi Rell's "squeaky clean image. What did she know about corruption in the Rowland administration and when did she know about it?"
|
|
