September 3, 2014 – RI Future

September 3, 2014September 5, 2014

Clay Pell was a registered Republican until 2003

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Clay Pell, Democratic candidate for governor, was a registered Republican in Pima County Arizona until 2009, according to the County recorder’s office. Pell’s campaign manager Devin Driscoll countered that the candidate was a registered Rhode Island Democrat as of 2003.

“Per our conversation, Mr. Pell was registered as a Republican in Pima County from 6/10/1999 until he voluntarily cancelled his registration on 5/18/2009,” Pamela Franklin, the executive assistant in charge of public records requests for the county recorder’s office, emailed to RI Future this afternoon. “I will send the forms to you via US Mail.”

When presented with the information from Pima County, Driscoll said Pell registered as a Democrat in Rhode Island in 2003, when the candidate was still in college. Driscoll did not comment on why Pell changed his party affiliation. “I cannot speak to what was in his mind,” Driscoll said. “I can give you the facts.”

The Taveras campaign declined to comment.

An archived Newport This Week post about a Pell family funeral indicated a teenage Clay Pell was a Republican. It said:

Wimby Hoyt, recalled a conversation last Christmas aboard a family-ladened sailboat in the Caribbean.Discussing Mr. Pell’s son, Clay’s activities with the Republican party, Mr. Pell asked his father, the former Senator (a Democrat), if Clay were to run for office, would he vote for him.The senator and grandfather replied, Blood is thicker than politics.

Earlier in the campaign Pell’s voting record came into question, but never his party affiliation.

September 3, 2014September 3, 2014

Senate President Paiva Weed wins Sierra Club endorsement

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The environment has a friend in Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, who again earned the endorsement of the local Sierra Club chapter this campaign season. The state’s highest ranking senator who represents Newport and Jamestown has won the Sierra Club’s support going back to at least 2006.

“I sought out the Sierra Club’s endorsement because I have great respect for them as an organization,” she told me. “Anyone who crosses the Newport Bridge as often as I do can’t help but take in the beauty of Narragansett Bay and realize how important of an asset it is to our state.”

Paiva Weed has a mixed record on progressive issues – she was a holdout on same sex marriage but has pushed hard to fight poverty. She’s never been wavering on her commitment to environmental causes though, including habitat restoration efforts and growing green jobs. This past year she was an early and ardent supporter of the recently-enacted Resilient RI climate change bill that will help the state prepare for rising sea levels, super storms and other climate change impacts.

Rober Malin, political chair of the Sierra Club said she obviously knows her stuff.

“The endorsement committee was impressed that Teresa Paiva-Weed displayed a depth of knowledge about environmental issues when answering our questions and has been outspoken in her views on the importance of dealing with climate change,” he said. “In the interview it was clear that she is someone who understands that prioritizing this problem is essential to Rhode Island’s economic future.”

Paiva Weed said she thinks coastal communities like the ones she represents have shown a stronger commitment to addressing climate change and a clean environment. “Often it’s more of a priority for those of us from coastal communities than those from urban districts,” she said.

September 3, 2014

Monday Night: Adia Benton addresses West African ebola crisis

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The Humanists of Rhode Island are proud to host medical anthropologist Adia Benton, delivering a presentation, “Addressing the Ebola Crisis in West Africa” in the auditorium of the Knight Memorial Library on 275 Elmwood Av, Providence, RI 02907 at 6pm on Monday, September 8, 2014.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has reached crisis proportions, and the world response has so far been inadequate.

“In this talk,” says Adia Benton, “I will provide an overview of the factors that have helped to propel the Ebola crisis in West Africa. I will also address some of the important social, economic, political and cultural consequences of a delayed and inadequate response, as well as the concerted efforts occurring worldwide to control the spread of the disease.”

Adia Benton is an assistant professor of anthropology at Brown University. As a public health specialist, she has worked and lived in various parts of Africa, with long-term experience in Sierra Leone. As an anthropologist, she studies the impact of public health, humanitarian and medical interventions on communities.

This presentation is open to the public and there will be time for questions and answers. Time will also be made for questions from the press.

September 3, 2014September 3, 2014

Block and Fung: mutual disrespect

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Republican gubernatorial candidates Allan Fung and Ken Block both support Common Core, cutting taxes, shrinking government, federal – not local – immigration reform and a women’s right to an abortion.

And despite admitting they would support the other in the general election during Tuesday night’s WPRI/Providence Journal debate, the thing they seem to agree on the most is the belief that their opponent would be a bad governor of Rhode Island.

Fung called Block a “political opportunist” and “not a real Republican.” He said he “has a difficult time reading municipal budgets” about an accounting error Block admitted to. “How can we trust him” with the state budget, he asked.

Block, on the other hand, said Fung is too familiar with local government. “If you’re happy with Rhode Island the way it is, vote for my opponent, or one of the other Democrats,” he said during his closing remarks.

At different points during the debate, they each paraphrased Ronald Reagan’s famous “there you go again” quip to Jimmy Carter. They each blamed the other for the negative tone of the campaign.

“This campaign has been full of venom, vile and half truths,” Block said. “We didn’t start the negativity. You have to respond at some point, anyone who watches politics knows it.”

Fung responded, “I think the viewers of Rhode Island see where much of the negativity and half truths have been coming from in tonight’s debate.”

They even both agreed they didn’t know yet whether they support Education Commissioner Deborah Gist’s recent decision to delay implementing a high stakes test graduation requirement. (Don’t forget, she was appointed by Republican Gov. Don Carcieri)

One rare instance of policy disagreement came on unemployment insurance.

Block says unemployment insurance in Rhode Island covers more seasonal employees than in other states. “We must fix it,” Block said. “There’s no more Republican ideal than having those who heavily use the system pay their fair share.”

But Fung counters that Block is effectively advocating for raising taxes on seasonal businesses such as those in tourism, agriculture and construction. “That is going to crush the seasonal industry,” he said. “I would not support tax raises to those seasonal industries.”

Both, however, agree that the economic burden is best dealt with at the employee level.