RI Democrats – RI Future

November 6, 2012November 6, 2012

Ed Pacheco to Dems: ‘Let’s Finish What We Started’

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The history of our nation has been shaped by the outcome of over two centuries worth of elections and the leaders that have risen from them.

Casting a ballot is our connection to the democratic foundations on which this country was founded. Our forefathers each cast an historic single vote in 1789 – as you did for Barack Obama four years ago.

We live in a great country today because Americans have elected leaders who are strong and respected, yet compassionate and advocates for change.

Four years ago, we as Americans voted to support change and to move forward when we elected Barack Obama President of the United States.

In the past four years America has moved forward through the hard work and dedication of people just like you.

Today as voters throughout Rhode Island go to the polls, they will face a critical decision: four more years of Democratic progress, or an unsure future at the hands of disconnected Republican leadership.

Let’s finish what we started.

PROUD TO BE A DEMOCRAT!

Sincerely,

Ed Pacheco
Chairman

P.S. If you’re unsure where your polling place is, click on this helpful link!

And don’t forget to join us for Election Night in the 17th Floor Ballroom at the Providence Biltmore, doors open at 7:30 p.m.

October 5, 2012October 5, 2012

Doherty Doesn’t Want to Protect Transgender People

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doherty2 — Brendan Doherty demonstrating uncommon integrity

Amidst the diversionary tactics Republican congressional candidate Brendan Doherty attempted to perpetuate Wednesday, the root cause of his opposition to expanding and strengthening the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) for some of society’s most vulnerable populations – Native Americans, immigrants and members of the LGBT community – has become apparent.

In response to a media inquiry from Ian Donnis, a political reporter for WRNI, regarding concerns related to VAWA, the Doherty camp told Donnis:

“To the extent that federal funds are directed to investigate and prosecute violence against male transgender individuals, it should not be part of VAWA.”

“Every victim of domestic violence deserves equal access to services, regardless of ethnicity, gender, identity or sexual orientation. A victim is a victim; and all individuals should be treated equally,” said RI Democratic Party spokesperson Bill Fischer. “Expanding and strengthening VAWA would extend protections to domestic violence victims who are most vulnerable.”

The Senate passed bipartisan legislation to expand and reauthorize VAWA, which had 68 votes, including the support of every Republican woman Senator. It also had widespread support among anti-domestic violence groups. GOP House leadership has blocked the Senate bill from becoming law.

“Today we understand what Doherty meant when he told the Providence Journal in September that he was against reauthorizing and expanding the Violence Against Women Act because of the legislation’s ‘protections for people in other walks of life,’” said Fischer. “Unfortunately, Mr. Doherty has decided to support his Republican colleagues on this important issue and embrace the right-wing cultural values of exclusion.”

October 3, 2012October 3, 2012

Dems Say Doherty Fell Short on Pro-Women Bill

In light of congressional candidate Brendan Doherty’s Women for Doherty rally tonight, the Rhode Island Democratic Party today questioned Doherty for not supporting legislation that would expand and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. Specifically, the party questions Doherty’s unwillingness to expand and strengthen protections to Native American women, members of the LGBT community and immigrants.

On April 26, the Senate passed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (S.1925) by a vote of 68-31 that extended protections to Native Americans, undocumented immigrants and members of the LGBT community. Even though thirteen female senators, Republican and Democrat, called upon House Speaker John Boehner to pass the Senate’s legislation, the House GOP passed its own reauthorization that excluded these expanded protections. The VAWA expired without Congress reaching consensus and the Republican-led House left town without passing a strengthened, bipartisan VAWA reauthorization.

In comments published in a Sept. 16 column in the Providence Journal, Doherty would only voice his support for the Violence Against Women Act in its current version, but was unwilling to support legislation to also expand and strengthen protections for Native Americans, immigrants and members of the LGBT community. “If members of Congress want to add protections for people in other walks of life, that’s fine, but submit another bill,” Doherty told the Journal.

“Brendan Doherty talks about being bipartisan and the need to compromise, but with his comments dismissing people ‘in other walks of life,’ he is siding with the Republican right, even though every Republican female senator, among several Republican senators, voted for a bipartisan compromise on this issue,” said Rhode Island Democratic Chairman Ed Pacheco. “We want to send a message to Mr. Doherty that actions speak louder than words.

“As the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence launches their ‘No More’ campaign and given that October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month, now is a great time for Mr. Doherty to clearly explain his reservations about protecting some women, but not all women, from domestic violence,” Pacheco said. “The Democratic Party believes that protection should be extended to all women, and Senate Democrats, along with many Republicans, voted for that this spring. Most Americans understand that domestic violence is domestic violence – period – and it’s not a less important issue for any individual.

“Voters have every reason to be concerned about Mr. Doherty’s position on this important issue,” Pacheco concluded. “Unfortunately, Mr. Doherty has chosen to stand with the House Republican leadership above the needs of victims of domestic violence.”

September 25, 2012September 25, 2012

Dems to Doherty: Why Is Romney ‘Fantastic’ Again?

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Earlier today the Cicilline for Congress campaign released a new commercial, which features Republican congressional candidate Brendan Doherty telling supporters that Mitt Romney will be “fantastic for Rhode Island.” The 30-second spot asserts that Doherty is wrong about Mitt Romney and “wrong for Rhode Island.”

In response to the commercial Doherty told 630 WPRO: “Having been the Governor of the state of Massachusetts he understands the New England region very well and how we need to bring New England states in line with some of these other states that are doing better and one of the ways we need to start is infrastructure,” said Doherty.

“We were somewhat confused by Mr. Doherty’s response today, given the fact that there is virtually no mention of rebuilding America’s crumbling bridges, roads or schools in Mitt Romney’s 150-page jobs plan,” said Bill Fischer, spokesperson for the RI Democratic Party. “Mr. Romney has called the 2013 Republican budget proposal that reduces transportation spending by 25 percent over the next ten years a ‘bold and exciting effort.’ In contrast, Congressman Cicilline supported a Democratic alternative that maintained robust funding for important transportation priorities, including highways, transit systems and rail.”

In February of this year, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood (a former Republican Congressman) called the Republican budget “the worst transportation bill I’ve seen during 35 years of public service.” It’s estimated the Republican plan would have cut more than $228 million in transportation funding for Rhode Island over five years.

“The fact is that the Republican agenda would have a devastating impact on our country’s infrastructure, slashing spending for schools, bridges and roads, while giving away massive tax breaks to the very richest Americans. Rhode Island voters should be deeply concerned about Doherty’s support for Romney’s infrastructure plan,” added Fischer.

February 4, 2012February 9, 2012

Sound Fair to You?

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Cities and towns across Rhode Island have faced financial hardship over the last several years. Cities have been devastated by the economic crisis, which itself was caused by a complete lack of oversight on Wall Street, oversight that even today Republicans are fighting tooth and nail. They even oppose the idea of having an agency whose job it is to protect consumers and prevent such a collapse from ever happening again.

Now comes a Congressional candidate who has called for the capital gains tax to be dropped to zero, a policy that would mean his endorsed presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, would pay not a dime in income taxes. So, it was surprising to see Carcieri protégé and Romney supporter Brendan Doherty weigh in on the current Providence budget crisis by calling for “tax fairness.” Sound fair to you? He has even argued for slashing corporate tax rates from 35% to 22%. That’s right, Doherty has called for corporate taxes to be even lower than proposed in the Paul Ryan budget plan that the Tax Policy Center estimates would cost taxpayers almost a trillion dollars over the next decade.

While Doherty is running on a platform of trickle-down economic policies that helped create the economic crisis which so weakened municipalities, he makes no mention of the need to scale back the outrageous COLAs given away in the 1990s. Nor did he acknowledge the role his mentor and major fundraiser, former Governor Carcieri, played in slashing aid to cities and towns, shifting the burden to local communities while still leaving the state with a huge budget shortfall.

Doherty has shown a lack of understanding of what has really been happening to cities and towns across Rhode Island and his plans of more big giveaways to corporations and millionaires and billionaires is exactly the wrong approach to get our state and country back on track.

Doherty has been quick to dismiss any critique of his far-right policies as partisan rhetoric but the fact is that policy differences matter. Doherty supports the same economic proposals as Carcieri and Romney that have done so much damage to our local and national economies. This upcoming election will offer voters a choice as to whether they want to send someone to Washington who will side with the wealthiest Americans and corporations or whether they want a representative who will stand up for the interests of seniors, students, small businesses and the middle class.

January 19, 2012

RIDP 2012 Delegate Academy: How to Run for Delegate

Would you like to be a Rhode Island delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention?

With the declaration period approaching, the Rhode Island Democratic Party is calling on Democrats across the state to declare their candidacy and run for delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention to officially nominate President Obama. Delegates will travel, at their own expense, to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina the week of September 3, 2012.

If interested in running, you must be a registered Democratic voter in RI – the deadline is Monday, January 24.

The RIDP will be hosting informational workshops: RIDP 2012 Delegate Academy: How to Run for Delegate. We will focus on filing deadlines, garnering signatures and other matters related to the convention. While attendance at an academy is recommended, attendance is not required in order to become a delegate.

Go to our Website for dates, RSVP info and more: http://www.ridemocrats.org/about-the-party/convention.html