A closer look at the Center for Freedom and Prosperity
The debate continues here in Rhode Island. How do we repair our sluggish economy and begin the process of putting our citizens back to work? How do we collectively regain the vibrant economy which at one time was the pride of New England? There is no shortage of ideas, strategies and recommendations coming from elected [...]
GOP helps RI make marriage equality history
Congrats, Lil’ Rhodey! Remaining true to the uniqueness of this state that I have found so endearing, Rhode Island made history BEFORE voting on same-sex marriage. The Rhode Island Senate Republican caucus announced its support for a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, becoming the first legislative caucus in the nation to unanimously back marriage [...]
Rowley on Madison
A common rhetorical technique within the Tea Party right is to wrap their personal opinions in those of the Founders, lending an air of gravitas and implying that those revolutionaries would, in modern days, hold opinions identical to their own. There’s certainly much there to choose from. The Founders were nearly entirely of a class [...]
Breakdown In RI GOP
In case you haven’t heard, the election for Rhode Island Republican chair has turned into a mess. And let’s remember, this wasn’t a paid position or even a position of much influence or power. After invalidating the 94-93 vote by the party’s central committee to make Warren Republican Town Committee chair Mark Smiley chair of [...]
Supreme Court Declines To Hear My RNC Civil Suit
I was arrested while walking through a park at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota four years ago. Along with many other alarmed citizens, I was charged with Felony Riot and taken to Ramsey County Jail. With the support of Minneapolis Hip Hop group Atmosphere and the Rhode Island music label Strange Famous [...]
Songs of Rage
“What do I know that would cause me, a reticent, Midwestern scientist, to get myself arrested in front of the White House protesting? And what would you do if you knew what I know?” With these questions James Hansen opens his riveting presentation Why I must speak out about climate change on TED. Hansen, whom [...]
Which Side of the Tent Should You Be On?
I have been thinking about the RI GOP situation for a while. I’m one of those people who agree that it would probably be better if the Republicans were a stronger party, that they could actually threaten the Democratic agenda in the state, etc., etc. A problem, I think, is that there are plenty of [...]
Rhode Island Republicans Want To Lose Elections
After the shellacking on November 6th, political voices across the ideological spectrum called on the Republican Party of Rhode Island to adapt or die. Words like “moderate,” “women,” and “Latinos” were thrown around, often with reckless disregard for their meanings. Appeal to these voters, so the story goes, and the Republicans will regain competitiveness. Now, [...]
Voters Reject Libertarian Lie of Self-Made Millionaire
The 2012 elections have been seen by many as a bold refutation on the part of voters to extreme religious conservatism: marriage equality made big strides in four states, women’s rights took a small step forward as the Senate is now comprised of 20% women and reproductive rights were supported as voters saw fit to [...]
Rhode Island Republican Party On Life-Support
On Election Day 2012, there were 786 candidates for all offices across Rhode Island, from U.S. Senator to Town Sergeant. According to a list provided by the Secretary of State’s office, the make-up was such: 301 Democrats 209 Republicans 116 Independents 4 Moderates 1 Libertarian (Independent) 1 Vigilant Fox (Independent) 154 candidates for nonpartisan offices [...]
Don Carcieri’s 38 Studios Silence: Selfish and Foolish
It turns out even Republicans are miffed at Don Carcieri for hiding from the media when one of his signature decisions as governor blew up in the face of Rhode Island. “Former Gov. Donald L. Carcieri’s long silence on the 38 Studios bankruptcy wound up putting fellow Rhode Island Republicans on the spot this week [...]
Overzealous Security Guard at Hinckley Fundraiser
While Barry Hinckley was inside the Ocean House wining and dining with Steve Forbes, the only man richer than Mitt Romney to run for president since Ross Perot, I was being verbally accosted outside by a security detail while the Raging Grannies sang a catchy tune. I had shown up at the Ocean House, a [...]
Carcieri Always Represented Conservatives, Not RI
It should come as no surprise to see former Governor Don Carcieri, the architect of the 38 Studios fiasco, yucking it up at the Republican Convention even though he has yet to answer questions about his role in state’s biggest economic blunder in a generation. After all, Carcieri always represented conservatives first and then Rhode [...]
Chris Christie’s Mom Didn’t Teach Him Enough
Chris Christie of New Jersey spoke last night at the RNC. I am not sure whose agenda he was pushing … his own or Mitt Romney’s. Interesting that after I turned off the RNC speech made by Gov. Christie, I should see this in today’s Dr Diane Ravitch’s blog: I will protect your pensions. Nothing about your [...]
Raging Grannies Protest Forbes, Hinckely Event
Steve Forbes, a multi-failed candidate for the presidential nomination of the Republican Party, will be hosting a fundraiser for Barry Hinckley’s campaign and the Raging Grannies of Greater Westerly will be present at 4:45pm to welcome them. The event will be at The Ocean House in Watch Hill on Wednesday, August 29. Mr. Forbes is [...]
The Video Barry Hinckley Doesn’t Want You to See
It must be that Barry Hinckley really doesn’t want Rhode Islanders to see the video we posted of him telling out-of-state donors that although they can’t vote for him, he will vote for them if they help fund in Senate campaign. It’s a damaging look at his candidacy, especially since he has already been labelled [...]
Barry Hinckley Is For Sale
Barry Hinckley isn’t running for a seat in the Senate to represent Rhode Island, he’s running to represent donors to his campaign – he doesn’t even care whether they live in the Ocean State or not. Here’s his message to donors: “Hi, I’m Barry Hinckley. I’m the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate here in Rhode [...]
What Does Doherty Think of Akin’s Rape Remarks?
No one in America today is less popular than Republican Todd Akin, who said “legitimate rape” rarely ends in pregnancy because women can cause some sort of self-abortion to occur in their bodies when such tragedy happens. As we reported yesterday morning, it was a ridiculous thing to both say and/or believe. The fallout: the [...]
RISC-y Reporting
Recently, I reported in Progressive Charlestown about major leadership changes in the Rhode Island Statewide Coalition (RISC) and their plan to move out of their long-time headquarters in Charlestown to new quarters in the metro area (they’ve moved to West Warwick). RISC is Rhode Island’s most prominent right-wing political organization. They’re always getting mentioned in the news when they [...]
Projo Misses News at Doherty, Brown Event
So, if you still have doubts that the ProJo editorial board is the tail wagging the newsroom’s dog; those fears should be laid to rest after the Newspaper Spin Cycle of record’s coverage of the Brendan Doherty event at Metacomet Country Club in East Providence. Journal scribe Phil Marcelo, covered all the political details about [...]
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