Health Care Reform Rally

Here is the Health Care Reform rally at the Danbury Library - which was discussed in the aforementioned Progressive Soup discussion with Mike Toto, James Root and David Stevenson :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6m8JHaCdZk&feature=channel_page

Health Care Reform - recent town hall meetings and rallies

Here is Progressive Soup's discussion between James Root, Mike Toto and David Stevenson about recent Health Care rallies and town hall meetings in Connecticut's 4th and 5th Congressional Districts :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-sccDBUMq0&feature=channel_page

Global Climate Change specialist for the Connecticut League of Women Voters

Here is "Progressive Soup's" visit with Lynn Taborsak - the League of Women Voters' specialist on Climate Change and Global Warming :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRLY0xXyPSs&feature=channel_page

Global Climate Change specialist for the Connecticut League of Women Voters

Let's try that one again.

Here is Progressive Soup's interview with Lynn Taborsak :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRLY0xXyPSs&feature=channel_page

CT League of Women Voters specialist on Climate Change

Here is Progressive Soup's interview with Lynn Taborsak -the Connecticut League of Women Voters specialist on Global Climate Change. She addresses climate change issues - both specific to Connecticut and worldwide :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRLY0xXyPSs&feature=channel_page

Here is the "Progressive Soup" program on The Peace Alliance :

http://hatcityblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/progressive-soup-july-29-2009-broadcast.html

The Peace Alliance - idealistic and practical perspectives

This is an interview with Neci Marr - the Fifth District (CT) team leader for the Peace Alliance. She discusses both the idealistic and practical reasons why a Cabinet level Department of Peace is a good idea.

A Department of Peace within the Executive Branch would monitor international peace matters. However, the majority of its efforts would be within America's borders, focusing on the following national issues :

1. Domestic Violence. Violence within American households is currently monitored by local police departments. Police officers receive training on dealing with domestic violence, but their specialty remains apprehending criminals who rob or assault strangers - less complex crimes with a less complicated set of motives. Many Americans - most often women and children - die as a result of understaffed and undertrained local police intervening in family disturbances. Allowing violence to fester within a household could be better handled by interveners trained in the complexities of family dynamics.

2. Prison Rehabilitation. Studies in prisoners and prison guards skill-building in conflict avoidance show the value of this important skill learning within even the most maximum secuity facilities. These learning opportunities have been proven to lead to a large reduction in violence in prisons - and a reduction in violence after parole and recidivism. Conflict avoidance training becomes a means of reducing prison populations long-term. America has more people in prisons and jails per capita than any other nation in the world. The cost of incarceration in America exceeds 700 Billion dollars per year. Each person who leaves prison with conflict avoidance skills has a much better chance of not returning to prison, and every reduction in America's prison population saves tens of thousands of tax dollars per year - dollars much better used in areas other than incarceration.

Here is the program :

http://hatcityblog.blogspot.com/2009_07_26_archive.html

Welcome to Progressive Soup-Connecticut !

Welcome to Progressive Soup !

"Progressive Soup" is exactly as it sounds - a show which seeks the progressive, rather than the regressive voice in people. Regardless of political affiliation or religeous background, nearly everyone is looking to make the world a better place and build bridges to the future rather than regress to the past. I say "nearly everyone" with the full understanding that there will always be scattered loud voices of unreason which find their way onto media outlets simply because they are loud, rambunctious and want their 15 minutes of fame. Loud voices have no place anywhere - and will never be given the stage on Progressive Soup. Progressive Soup is a forum for people with diverse opinions on some subjects to find common ground on other subjects. If we waste our time rehashing our differences about issues which we might never find agreement on - then we will miss a great opportunity to find common ground and surprisingly find out how much we have in common with each other.