laura pisaturo – RI Future

State House Dome from North Main Street — The State House dome from North Main Street. (Photo by Bob Plain)

While there was no landslide for liberal State House candidates, Tuesday’s primary still proved to be a big victory for the progressive agenda.

Gayle Goldin easily beat charter school advocate Maryellen Butke in one of the most ballyhooed contests of the primary. Goldin’s victory ensures that Rhoda Perry’s former seat will stay in the hands of a true progressive.

West Warwick’s Adam Satchell, a supporter of marriage equality, collective bargaining rights and renewable energy, was another big win. He beat Michael Pigna, a foe of gay marriage, by a healthy margin.

But even more important is who lost. Woonsocket’s Jon Brien, an ALEC board member and one of the most conservative members of the General Assembly, fell to local firefighter Stephen Casey. While Casey could prove to be a good progressive, Brien was a sworn enemy of left and the legislature gets demonstrably more liberal with his absence.

While both Lauara Pisaturo, of Warwick, and Bob DaSilva, of East Providence, lost, they both had strong showings and only lost to powerful incumbents by a total of of less than 300 votes. That doesn’t speak well for Michael McCaffrey or Dan DaPonte, who beat them, both who are committee chairmen and are in the good graces of leadership. Their votes may not change on marriage equality because of the nail-biting victories (though DaPonte was on the fence) others may swing once they see that even powerful incumbents can be vulnerable.

It wasn’t a great night for House leadership either. Peter Petrarca, the House Deputy Majority Leader, lost to Greg Costantino. And even more significantly, Rep. Spencer Dickinson, a fiscal progressive from South Kingstown, beat Kathy Fogarty, the chosen candidate of House Speaker Gordon Fox.

Popular progressives like Art Handy, Chris Blazejewski and Grace Diaz all won by comfortable margins.

But the primary wasn’t without it’s defeats for progressives as well. Gus Uht lost to conservative Karen MacBeth; Libby Kimzey lost to John Lombardi; and Frank Lombardi beat Gene Dyszlewski.

jamestown beavertail — Beavertail in Jamestown. (Photo by Bob Plain)

Central Falls is again making national news. And unlike last year, both the city and the state are winning praise from the press for their ability to quickly bandage the struggling city’s fiscal woes in bankruptcy court. But the national media is focusing on an aspect of Central Falls’ restructuring that local reporters here in Rhode Island don’t like to talk about.

According to the New York Times: “The plan, which is expected to become effective in mid-October, will ensure that the city repays its bondholders, largely by raising taxes and making deep cuts in pensions and other employee benefits.” And according to Reuters: “The case has garnered attention for its treatment of the city’s bondholders, who remain unscathed while pensioners took a huge hit, in contrast with some other recent U.S. municipal bankruptcies.”

The Providence Journal story, on the other hand, contains no such reference to the preference given to out-of-state investors over in-state economic participants.

Did you miss President Obama’s acceptance speech at the DNC last night? If so, here it is. He made the case that he can better grow the economy, protect the middle class and handle foreign policy. Some reactions here.

One of the most hotly contested State House primary races is Laura Pisaturo’s challenge to Michael McCaffrey, and it’s now making national news with a story with a story in the Washington Blade (Hat tip to Ian Donnis). McCaffrey is a staunch opponent of marriage equality but enjoys the backing of organized labor because he supports binding arbitration. Pisaturo, on the other hand, is a lesbian and a lawyer who enjoys the support of the rest of the progressive community. Our prediction: it will be close.

Verizon can keep them, but it seems that a judge has ruled that text messages are protected by the Fourth Amendment.

Here in the DINO capital of the Northeast, we like to pretend that teachers’ unions are to blame for our poor public education system. More likely, though, poverty is the real problem.

One way to make Anthony Gemma look sane is to stand him next to Chris Young.

It turns out we are better off than we were four years ago.

Ever wonder how the U.S. got the nickname Uncle Sam?

Today in 1933, Cape Cod cranberry bog workers go on strike.

Three years later Buddy Holly is born.

Tag: laura pisaturo

Primaries Prove Fruitful for Progressive Agenda

Progress Report: Central Falls Plan Protects Investors Over Locals; Poverty Plagues Public Education; Obama’s Speech