October 21, 2014 – RI Future

October 21, 2014October 22, 2014

RI Progressive Dems don’t endorse Raimondo

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After endorsing Clay Pell in the primary, the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats decided not to endorse a gubernatorial candidate in the general election.

“While our concerns with (Republican Allan) Fung are far more severe,” according to a press release from RIPDA, “we see (Democrat Gina) Raimondo as a Wall Street Democrat with unacceptably conservative positions on economic issues.”

Sam Bell, director of RIPDA, said those positions include Raimondo not supporting repealing tax cuts to the rich and pension reform. He also found fault with Raimondo’s plan to fund new school construction by diverting sales tax revenue rather than bonding and her manufacturing plan, which he said will “allow corporations to control curriculum at CCRI.”

The left-leaning group only endorsed two candidates, both Democrats, in the general election: Nellie Gorbea, who is running for secretary of state against Republican John Carlevale, and Seth Magaziner, who is running for general treasurer against independent Ernie Almonte.

In their press release, RIPDA had more to say about whom they didn’t support, than who they did. decided not to endorse in the lt. governor’s race and the attorney general’s race.

For Attorney General, progressives face a difficult choice. We cannot endorse either candidate. Peter Kilmartin has a weak record on core civil liberties issues like racial profiling and consumer protection, and Dawson Hodgson is more liberal on issues of individual rights. As a moderate, pro-choice Republican with a voting record well to the left of the median state Senator, Hodgson is the sort of Republican that liberals can find appealing. However, Hodgson has expressed troubling views on guns, workers’ rights, and economic policy. We also have concerns with Kilmartin’s record on access to public records and open government.

Having served as a top lieutenant to former House Speaker Bill Murphy, Kilmartin has close personal and political ties to the conservative machine politicians who run our state so poorly. Hodgson, however, holds no love for Rhode Island’s right-wing Democratic establishment. Given the Attorney General’s ability to prosecute corruption, this is a vital concern.

And here’s what RIPDA said about the lt. governor’s race.

In the Lieutenant Governor’s race, we have also opted not to endorse. While Catherine Taylor is a moderate Republican, we believe she is superior to the Democratic nominee, Dan McKee. Although we certainly cannot endorse her, we do believe that Catherine is the better choice for progressives, despite her party affiliation.

October 21, 2014October 21, 2014

Conservatives from both parties scramble NK political alliances

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Rep. Doreen Costa is too conservative for North Kingstown Town Council President Liz Dolan, a Republican who endorsed Democrat Julie Casimiro for the House District 31 seat.

But Costa’s conservative credentials didn’t stop the local fire fighters’ union from throwing their support behind the tea party right-winger who sponsored a right-to-work bill in the state legislature.

“We haven’t had that conversation yet,” said Ray Furtado, president of IAFF 1651, which represents NK fire fighters, when I asked him about Costa’s support for right-to-work legislation. “We looked at who has been in our corner.”

That’s not how Dolan decided who to support.

The town council and fire fighters are mired in a bitter legal battle over staffing issues, and both House candidates have been advocating that the council drop its lawsuit. Furtado said “in no way, shape or form is this negative about Casimiro” noting they decided to endorse Costa before Casimiro decided to run.

Dolan said she broke ranks and backed a Democrat because “I have not been impressed with Doreen’s record.”

She said Costa’s allegiance to the NRA, her role in the Exeter recall election and her hyper-concern over holiday decorations have made her ineffective at representing the district. “We need to bring this party back to where it is more moderate,” Dolan said.

Costa accused Dolan of lying saying, “I had nothing to do with that Exeter recall.”

She also portrayed herself as a moderate. “People have me as this extremist and I find that very offensive,” she said. “I’m not as to the right as people think I am.”

At least not two weeks away from a general election, she’s not.

When asked why she sponsored a right-to-work bill, Costa said, “I did it because I was asked to do it.” At first she said she didn’t recall who asked her to sponsor this bill, and then she remembered, she said, that it was two union teachers whose names she did not know.

“It’s not something I would ever revisit,” Costa said about right-to-work legislation. “Not right now anyway.”

About her bill to drug test people who benefit from certain public subsidies, Costa said, “I still think it’s a good idea but I am not going to put it in again.”

She is still undecided about payday loan reform and raising the minimum wage, but she walked back her vote against same sex marriage. “If I had that to do over again, I would probably vote yes on marriage equality,” she said.

On guns, though, Costa said she’s as conservative as ever. “I will not change my mind on gun legislation.”

Casimiro chalked up Costa’s tack to the center as typical election-year politics. “I think Doreen is running scared right now,” she said.

But Casimiro also has a reputation for being a conservative – a conservative Democrat. “I am fiscally conservative,” she said.

She said she’s also pro-choice, pro-marriage equality and will support working class legislation. “I would absolutely raise the minimum wage,” Casimiro said. “It’s not a living wage.”

Casimiro is a board member of two charter schools in Rhode Island: Blakcstone Valley Prep in Cumberland and Southside Elementary in Providence. “It doesn’t make me anti-labor,” she said. “It means I’m pro-kid.” She added that she “works in some of the worst performing schools in the state” through her work with Family Services of Rhode Island.

Her husband is a Republican and she says she donated to Allan Fung’s first campaign for mayor of Cranston when they worked together at MetLife. This year Casimiro is voting for Gina Raimondo, whom she said she has been campaigning with. “I’m on Team Raimondo.”

October 21, 2014October 21, 2014

Why the left should embrace a ConCon

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Some progressive groups and labor unions are actively opposing holding a constitutional convention. Indeed, I just got a letter for the head of the RI Federation of Teachers to that effect. It seems there was no rank and file input into that decision. Similarly as a member I had no input into the ACLU decision to oppose.

This is a disappointment, as Rhode Island is not doing that well, especially for working people, and much of the public is cynical about government, disengaged from civic activity and the political process. This is not in our interest as ultimately we need a more positive attitude to get the public support needed for government programs.

A constitutional convention can address this by reforms getting at the who-you-know insider system, Assembly procedures allowing midnight sessions with rules suspended, judicial selection abuse, 38 Studios type end runs around voters, fair redistricting, campaign finance, ethical requirements on legislators. It can build democracy, especially if voter initiative is approved, as it almost was the last time. The RI Sierra Club chapter had supported VI because of our experience elsewhere where it was used to pass environmental legislation, including CA coastal protection that real estate interests had blocked in their Assembly, and “bottle bills” blocked here by the throwaway industries. Indeed much of the energy these day on voter initiative is in the progressive direction, raising minimum wages, paid sick days, labeling GMO food, repealing anti-labor laws, expanding a bottle bill, but many of our progressives seem not to have caught up with that.

Civil rights is a legit concern, but I see little threat voters will restrict the rights of minorities in RI. MA is similar to RI but though they have voter initiative, this has not been a problem. Indeed a constitutional convention or VI could EXPAND rights such as the right to privacy, rights of the terminally ill, rights of children to an adequate education (recently ruled not now a constitutional right,) the right to vote, maybe even improved rights to shoreline access.

As for reproductive freedom, it is a big factor in my support for a con-con in hopes of getting Voter Initiative which of course the Assembly would never voluntarily give up any power and allow. Think ahead. If the GOP wins the next election, a shift of 1 US Supreme Court justice could overturn Roe v Wade, not an unlikely prospect. What are our prospects in the Assembly then, especially with Mattiello and Paiva-Weed in charge? Very low. Pro-choice people would be much better off with the voters, but without VI we’d have no recourse.

I think it would damage the union movement and the progressive community if they are seen as being afraid of the people voting, especially as Rhode Island voters consistently support infrastructure, transit, and public higher education investments, facilities for veterans and the disabled, and environmental protection, even voting pro-choice when that was once on the ballot. We have a small progressive group, Just Reform RI, that is advocating for the constitutional convention, we are developing a website www.justreformri.org and a “civil rights pledge” asking candidates for any convention to sign pledging not to reduce the civil rights of anyone. Please consider meeting with us as appropriate. Lets give democracy a chance!

Barry Schiller

bschiller@localnet.com