2014 Election: More Important Than You Think
When the next gubernatorial inauguration takes place in January 2015, for preceding 30 years, a single Democratic governor will have reigned in Rhode Island for just 4 years and 2 days (barring any unforeseen circumstances leading to a Governor Elizabeth Roberts). Republicans will have ruled for 22 of those years. This is odd for a [...]
Kate Brock: Goodbye OSA, Hello Governor’s Office
The local progressive movement isn’t losing an activist, we are gaining a voice inside of government. Kate Brock is leaving her job as the executive director of Ocean State Action to take a policy position in Governor Chafee’s administration. In an email to OSA supporters this morning, she writes: It is with both heaviness in [...]
Who Matters: Bond Traders Or Rhode Islanders?
Local labor unions are protesting all of Gina Raimondo’s public appearances to call attention to their cuts to their retirement security she shepherded through in 2011. But their appearance in front of the Bond Buyers conference this morning was especially poignant because many think Raimondo represents Wall Street first and foremost, and Rhode Island is [...]
George Nee Still On EDC
I was curious how the game of EDC board membership chicken between Gov. Chafee and George Nee was going to play out. Was Chafee going to raise the stakes by demanding, rather than simply asking for, Nee’s resignation (a win for the media and loss for all other parties involved: labor, the governor, the people [...]
EPI on Gov’s Budget: Right Problems, Wrong Solutions
The Economic Progress Institute, Rhode Island’s lone progressive economic think tank, has released a report that is largely critical of Gov. Chafee’s budget proposal. Like our analyses of Chafee’s speech and proposal, it acknowledges that the governor has identified the right problems, but not the right solutions. According to the Institute’s report released this morning: [...]
Read Chafee’s State of State Speech; Budget Proposal
Below this graphic are the prepared remarks of Gov. Chafee tonight. You can read his proposed FY 2014 Budget Summary here. Mr. Speaker, Madam President, members of the General Assembly, Congressman Langevin, fellow General Officers, members of the Judiciary, distinguished guests, and my fellow Rhode Islanders, I am honored to join with you tonight in [...]
Chafee Takes Economic Center Stage Tonight
While Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed may have tried to focus some of the attention away from marriage equality with a press conference on the economy yesterday, the real news will happen tonight when Gov. Linc Chafee gives the annual State of the State speech. In it, he will outline his proposal for next year’s [...]
An Epic Economic Fail
The experiment to build our economy with tax breaks for the wealthy continues to be an epic failure. A healthy middle class grows the economy, not giveaways to rich and powerful. We’re gearing up for another year at the State House to ensure all residents pay their fair share in taxes, not just you and [...]
Payday Loans, Poverty on Tap Today at State House
Payday loan reform legislation has one of the most interesting coalitions at the State House; it includes the progressive community, the faith community and General Treasurer Gina Raimondo. This is because payday loans are bad for the state in general, poor people in particular and a net drain on our economy. Today on Smith Hill, [...]
Gary Sasse Op-Ed: Not Only Wrong, Not Constructive
Gary Sasse is generally an honest actor and sometimes a smart economist, but his piece in today’s Providence Journal displays neither of these attributes. Sasse argues that because the governor did not follow the bad advice of right-wing think tank he used to lead that, “Rhode Island leaders are denying economic reality.” Not only is [...]
Pension Reform Goes to Court
Much will be said, written, ranted, argued, distorted and down-right lied about as Rhode Island’s landmark pension reform law heads to court today. But if there is one thing that everyone from David Boies to Bob Walsh can agree on it’s that the case hinges on whether or not the courts think public employees have [...]
Chafee on Pension Talks: Keep Options Open
After a day of various politicians and special interests volleying back and forth about whether or not the state should negotiate with organized labor while its appeal of the pension reform law is making its way through the courts, Gov. Linc Chafee released this statement on why he thinks it’s smart to keep talks open: [...]
Almonte: State Should Negotiate With Labor
Ernie Almonte – former auditor general, a candidate for governor and a member of the 2011 pension reform panel – told WPRO this morning that the state should be negotiating a settlement to the landmark pension law and subsequent lawsuit with leaders of organized labor. He said the specifics of the legislation were never debated [...]
Linc, Gina At Odds Again
It’s interesting that both Gov. Linc Chafee and General Treasurer Gina Raimondo will be far flung tomorrow, talking about Rhode Island’s success in slashing public sector pensions. For one thing, the issue is far from resolved. In fact, the courts only begin to consider the matter this Friday. And if precedent from other states is [...]
Catholics Should Focus on Christ, Not Holiday Decorations
Christmas tree, holiday tree … whatever you want to call it, it has absolutely nothing to do with Christianity and the religious connections to the season. So why is Bishop Tobin so eager to weigh in on this media-fueled dust up? I would think the leader of the Catholic Church would use his ever-shrinking pool [...]
In EG, DePetro, RI Future’s Hometown, It’s a Holiday Tree
The decorated tree in front of East Greenwich Town Hall, like the one on the State House rotunda, is called a holiday tree, reports East Greenwich Patch. “Was this a Christmas Tree lighting?” wrote editor Elizabeth McNamara. “Not according to the notation on the town’s calendar, which referred to a ‘holiday tree lighting.’” Ironically enough, [...]
Chafee Takes On O’Reilly, Defends Religious Freedom
Earlier this week I criticized Gov Linc Chafee for not taking on John DePetro, whom we all knew was champing at the bit to spew his annual holiday hate about all things secular – most specifically the dead fir tree in the State House serving as a yuletide decoration. Tonight Chafee did me one better, [...]
Chafee: RI Should Honor Religious Tolerance
After unceremoniously flipping the switch, Governor Chafee said he is surprised Rhode Islanders aren’t more supportive the state’s long history of religious freedom and tolerance but said he’s surprised more of the local media isn’t focusing on how those values contrast with controversy over the holiday tree. “I’ve been surprised there hasn’t been more respect [...]
Fact Checking DePetro
John DePetro is spreading holiday lies again this year. Yesterday he falsely claimed a “flash mob” he organized last year did not interrupt the Children’s Choir when they began singing “O’ Christmas Tree” to drown out the kids who were singing “Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas.” Video, taken at the scene, proves otherwise. Also keep [...]
Will DePetro, Tobin Incite Holiday Hate This Season
I’m a little disappointed that Gov. Chafee is attempting to sidestep a skirmish with John DePetro and Bishop Tobin. Call it a holiday tree and let these two continue to alienate themselves from mainstream Rhode Island by acting like dogmatic religious bullies out of touch with the concept of equality. Last year, Tobin likened Chafee [...]
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