In a decidedly calculated political move, Frank Caprio rebuffs the labor movement in the state when he spoke these words:

“I am running for Governor because people want leadership and they want change. If they want the old way of doing business than follow the old business model, and latch on to the candidates that are talking about that business model.”

Taken out of context, the words seem benign enough, but this was spoken at a job fair at which the anti-labor group RISC “declared war” on labor, with Caprio’s vocal support.  Caprio probably figures that labor isn’t going to support him anyway since Lynch is more reliable in that respect.  Caprio is turning to the right not only because it’s natural for him to do so, but in order to gain support from the large contingent of conservative Democrats and Independent voters for the primary.  Strategically it makes sense, but he’ll be fighting for the same Independent voters who may also lean Republican.

What frustrates me is the inference that unions are the basis for all of the state’s economic problems, and that being pro-labor and pro-small business is incompatible.  If anything, workers earning more money from their labor will only grow the economy in the long-run because they’ll have more money to spend in the state.  There’s always such a strong focus on growing high-wage jobs via tax credits and corporate subsidies, specifically because of the positive economic impact of having high-wage earners in a community.  Why that concept is absent when discussing small business growth seems disingenuous and platitudinous.

There’s a larger component at play also.  The anti-labor and conservative DINOs (Democrats in Name Only) in the General Assembly are well aware of the Progressive movement angling to unseat a great many of them in the upcoming 2010 election.  Progressives in every corner of Rhode Island will be engaging conservative Democrats in primaries, and DINOs will be moving slightly to the left in order to cover themselves. 

Progressives, do not be fooled.  David Segal may offer a positive endorsement for the likes of David Caprio, suggesting that his leftward lean is a net positive for the long term.  But these very same conservative DINOs are organizing against solid Progressive voters like David Segal.  We don’t need conservative Democrats who will lean slightly to the left when it’s politically convenient and advantageous to do so.  We need solid Progressives in the General Assembly who will be vocal advocates for a Progressive agenda which will solve the problems facing the state.