Maria Horn

My recent schedule has made it difficult for me to provide a written version of my weekly video, but this week I forgot to mention something that’s been top of mind, and that’s different approaches to negotiation. 
 
We are in the midst of all kinds of negotiation at the moment – from the details of smaller technical bills, to big picture issues as we work to get a lot of different interests and perspectives to agree on a framework for a budget that will address both immediate needs and longer-term threats. 
 
In addition to substantive differences, people have different negotiating styles, and a recent article by Michael McFaul, the former Ambassador to Russia, illustrated that. In his article, he contrasts “coercive power” with “cooperative power,” drawing on recent examples of coercion at the federal level.  Generally, coercive power tends to be zero sum – I win by taking your stuff.  It highlights division, and is less stable because one side is often left nursing wounds and looking for the next opportunity to “win”  by destroying their opponent. On the other hand, cooperative power holds the possibility of expanding the pie – creating policy and legislation that can acknowledge and serve many diverse needs in our communities.  It brings us together to solve the complicated problems ahead of us, and makes you want to get up the next day and do it again. We get a lot of good work done in CT by leaning into cooperation, and I hope we can keep that up.

I hear from a lot of you who are unhappy about the slashing of services happening at the federal level, and worried about what this means for you, your families, your neighbors, and your country.  There will be many people out this weekend expressing those concerns at a variety of “Hands Off” events throughout the Northwest Corner.  If you’d like to express your opinion, here are some of those events on Saturday, April 5:
 

• 9 am - Warren (Community Center, 7 Sackett Hill Rd.)
• 11 am - Salisbury (White Hart Inn, 15 Undermountain Rd.)
• 12 pm - Cornwall (triangle at intersection of Rts. 4 & 7 in Cornwall Bridge)
• 1 pm - Torrington (Social Security office, 147 Litchfield St.)
• 3 pm - Hartford (CT State Capitol, 210 Capitol Ave.)
• 11 am - Great Barrington (Town Hall, Main St.)
• 11 am - Kingston (Academy Green Park, 238 Clinton Ave.)
• 11 am - Albany (West Capitol Park, State 85, S Swan St.)
• Search for all protests here

Here’s a list of today’s topics: 

• CTDOT Launches Distracted Driving Awareness and Enforcement Campaign to Keep Connecticut Roads Safe. Click here.
• March Madness and Safe Gambling Practices. Click here.
• Events in the Northwest Corner. Click here. 

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and I would like to share with you that the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is taking a stand with the launch of a statewide Distracted Driving Awareness and Enforcement Campaign to help keep Connecticut roads safe.

In partnership with State and local law enforcement and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the campaign will step up efforts to enforce distracted-driving laws for the month of April.

Nationally in 2022, 3,308 people were killed, and nearly 290,000 people were injured in traffic crashes involving distracted drivers. In Connecticut in 2022, the last year of verifiable data, there were 5,318 crashes attributed to distracted driving that resulted in eight fatalities and more than 787 injuries.

The CTDOT urges drivers to prioritize safety by eliminating distractions while driving. Follow these simple tips to stay safe on the road:

• If you need to send or receive a text, pull over and park in a safe location before using your phone
• Designate a passenger to manage calls and messages while you drive
• Avoid social media use while driving—no post is worth risking your life
• Do not use a vehicle’s “infotainment” screen or other portable video players while operating a motor vehicle
• If you struggle to resist checking your device, enable the “Do Not Disturb” feature, silence notifications, or place your phone out of reach in the glove box or back seat until you arrive

Click here for more information on distracted driving prevention.

The National Council on Problem Gambling estimates about 2 million people in the U.S. meet the criteria for a severe gambling problem, while another 4 million to 6 million people experience mild or moderate issues. The cost to the country -- $14 billion annually – is incredibly steep. Yet the ability to place a sports-related bet has never been easier – in most cases just a few clicks on a smartphone.
 
The lower barriers to place bets and the removal of the social stigma on gambling has had devastating consequences for some. Indeed, one of the most vulnerable demographics to problem gambling are youths. The NCPG and Responsible Play CT cite data that shows more than 75% of college students have gambled in the last year.
 
There are state and national resources for help.

• Responsible Play CT offers information and a toolkit on problem gambling.
• The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling offers trained helpline specialists who connect callers to free, immediate support & treatment options in Connecticut. Its number is 888-789-7777.
• The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (860-344-2244) offers problem gambling services.
• The National Problem Gambling Helpline is available at 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537)
• The NCPG's problem gambling toolkit can be found by clicking here.

Please see the graphic below for more tips and resources.