This is exactly why Rhode Island reelected Congressman David Cicilline: so we would have someone who would stand up to Paul Ryan.

From The Hill today about his bizarrely inappropriate budget proposal:  “Ryan this year made a concession to conservatives and moved up the date when his budget balances.” Paul Ryan making a concession to conservatives is like saying the Sex Pistols made a concession to punk music – it’s hard to tell what’s the dog and what’s the tail and which is wagging which!

“With all due respect Mr. Chairman, that question was asked by Mr. Van Hollen and there actually is no substitute in this document,” Cicilline retorted to a Ryan non-answer. (Ed. note: The phrase “with all due respect” is not a way to convey respect for someone!)

Cicilline should get a couple pats on the back in the House Lounge for this one: “My question is a factual one,” he said. No one on Ryan’s leadership team seemed to know how to field such a question.

Enjoy…

This misidentified footer was only up for a moment, but it’s a scary thought:

So bad have things gotten in Rhode Island that the state’s largest homeless shelter has failed a building inspection. Jim Ryczek, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, told the Providence Journal, “It was pretty much a foregone conclusion that the shelter would not pass inspection. Harrington Hall is clearly not an acceptable place to house people.”

Unrelated, Dan Lawlor reports that homelessness has increased by about 10 percent over the last five years.

And here’s a headline that shows another sign that things are getting tougher for the poor here in Rhode Island: Food-stamp rolls jump 136% in RI, double US increase.

Meanwhile, the state is spending almost $10 million to buy land in nearby Warwick for a public park.

When taken all together, it’s little surprise Mitt Romney’s 47 percent comment didn’t make a bigger splash here in the Ocean State. . Speaking of which, here’s President Obama talking about it with David Letterman last night.

Even Paul Ryan criticized Romney’s take on the 47 percent. The Republicans running for office here in Rhode Island had no comment. I’m a little surprised the local mainstream media didn’t press them more for a comment on the matter.

New York Times numbers-cruncher Nate Silver thinks popular progressive incumbent Sheldon Whitehouse might not have his re-election campaign completely locked down. He calls Barry Hinckley an “interesting and unorthodox candidate.” Indeed, he is. He’s already on record as saying he’ll represent out-of-state interests in exchange for campaign donations. That isn’t being “libertarian-leaning” as Silver describes him, that’s called being for sale to the highest bidder.

The Democratic National Convention kicks off tonight and the question Rhode Island should be asking when will Gov. Chafee addresses the convention is not when will our independent governor become a Democrat; the question is why would he. Two reasons he won’t: Angel Taveras and Gina Raimondo. Great piece by Dan McGowan.

Speaking of the convention, here’s a link to the Democrats platform for 2012.

The Wall Street Journal editorial board, one of the most conservative groups of writers around, thinks more Democrats should act like Gina Raimondo. Or, in other words, they think more Democrats should act like Republicans. In other news, the editorial board at The Granma (the state run newspaper in Cuba) thinks Democrats should act more like Hugo Chavez.

Forget, for a moment, Paul Ryan’s draconian economic plan that would crush the middle class or his bigoted social policies, the worst thing about the GOP candidate for vice president is that he’s apparently a giant liar. Here’s a list of some of his bigger fibs from the convention.

How did Central Falls fare in bankruptcy? From Reuters: “…the plan for Central Falls reassured the credit markets, but scarred the city. The smallest city in Rhode Island and the only one ever to file for bankruptcy will emerge with powerless elected officials, property owners facing tax hikes every year and retired public employees irate about having their pensions slashed.” Bond investors 1, local residents 0.

More on the North Kingstown strike to fight for economic justice for the school janitors: “It’s an understatement to say that the pressure is building. But it’s hard to avoid the metaphor when you see the bursts of steam. You can still hear the lid rattling, and you know it’s going to erupt. The only question is when. That latest burst of steam in Rhode Island came on August 28, when North Kingstown Schools did not open on schedule.”

It’s organized labor vs. Super PACs in swing state Ohio. The presidency might hang in the balance.

On this day in 1886, Geronimo surrenders.

If you had any doubt that this year’s campaigns for General Assembly seats would be colored by last year’s pension debate, just look at the news cycle this morning: Ted Nesi reports that EngageRI is attacking those who had the nerve to speak out against cuts to retired state worker’s salaries, while the Projo editorial board condemns organized labor for doing the same.

Thanks to RIPTA for trying to stave off reductions in public transportation. Doing so would certainly be bad for our already struggling economy. Remember, the goal is to make society work well, not for it to be inexpensive.

What do Paul Ryan and Todd Akin have in common: radical beliefs on reproductive freedom.

A new report claims religious people tend to be more generous than the secular folk among us. While they may give more to their church than others do to charities, I don’t buy for one minute that they are holier than the rest when it comes to giving. In fact, WPRO’s Matt Allen points out the last paragraph in the story:  “People in less religious states are giving in a different way by being more willing to pay higher taxes so the government can equitably distribute superior benefits, Wolfe said. And the distribution is based purely on need, rather than religious affiliation or other variables, said Wolfe…”

The state is looking for ideas for the old Shooters building next to India Point Park. As Providence begins its massive redevelopment project, this will be one o the lynchpins to overall success. How about an aquarium?

Poor Curt Schilling … he still somehow thinks it’s Gov. Chafee’s fault he doesn’t know how to run a video game company. In fact, he’s resorted to name calling over the matter. Even the Boston Herald recognizes this isn’t going to do him any good.

Did you hear that Augusta National is finally allowing women to join the exclusive Georgia golf country club? Well, Providence progressive activist Jessica Sherwood called upon them to do so two years ago!

Today in 1959, Hawaii becomes the 50th state.

When we reported on Anthony Gemma’s suspicious social networking prowess way back in March, we just knew things didn’t seem right. WPRO actually put it to a test and found out as much as 79 percent of his Twitter followers might be fake. While having 80 percent of your followers might seem high, it actually might be low; if WPRO’s analysis is correct, he’d still have almost 200,000 real followers and I doubt he does.

GoLocal accuses Gina Raimondo of helping to funnel state work to a venture capitalist who donated to her campaign and helped launch her career in finance.

The Providence Journal editorial board seems to be the only ones in the nation who doubt Paul Ryan’s conservative credentials. They say not until Obama became president did “the deficit and Big Government suddenly became all-important to Mr. Ryan.”

Here’s more on his Medicare proposal.

And we meant to mention this one the other day … the Rhode Island Center for Freedom for the Prosperous got a half true from Politifact for its assertion that RI has the highest number of health insurance mandates in the country. It’s actually not true, but the Projo gave them half credit because they did read it somewhere.

On this day in history both Elvis Presley and Babe Ruth died. Conversely, Charles Bukowski and Madonna were born. By the way, Babe Ruth died when he was one year younger than Madonna is now. Elvis was only 42 when he left the building once and for all.

Happy Victory Day, Rhode Island. We make our case to change the holiday’s name here. And here’s another story that points out some reasons to do away with the holiday. This, by the way, wouldn’t be a bad tradition to replace Victory Day with.

I’m often confounded with how the conservative media works, as some of it doesn’t seem to make any sense. The Projo editorial board makes a case for Paul Ryan being less conservative than he’s given credit for because he voted to fund two wars … which is considerably less misleading than WPRO’s headline on the Ryan/Romney story: “VP Pick Ryan seen as Romney’s bridge across the GOP spectrum”

Speaking of WPRO, did anyone notice yet the irony that John DePetro dedicated a portion of Friday’s show to chastising Mike Tyson for not owning up to his raping a Rhode Island woman. Later that day, news broke that he was being sued by a co-worker for sexual harassment.

What’s going on with Rhode Island – or the world, for that matter – when a town like Jamestown turns its back on clean energy?

12 things you should know about Paul Ryan.

Shark week in Rhode Island? Or at least on GoLocal.

Happy birthday, Fidel Castro. The Cuban dictator turns 86 today.

Earlier this month, Bill Fischer, spokesman for the Rhode Island Democratic party, prophetically said in a statement to the press: “Paul Ryan may not be a household name to everyone in Rhode Island, but if you’re a senior citizen who relies on Medicare, you should know who he is and what he stands for, because these are the types of Republicans Brendan will be standing with and voting with, if elected to Congress.”

Well now that Paul Ryan is a household name, time will tell whom he proves to better benefit as a vice presidential candidate: Mitt Romney or President Obama. But his selection is certainly not going to help Brendan Doherty. The conservative-thinking, political newcomer is trying to parse himself as a moderate. But he’s has already suffered some from his close relationship with Ryan.

In May, Doherty told a Tea Party group in the East Bay that he supported Paul Ryan and his Medicare-cutting budget proposal. “I had a great opportunity to meet with Paul Ryan about a month ago and that’s his position and he’s digging his feet in and I applaud him for that and I support him,” Doherty said.

Later on the trail, Doherty said he wouldn’t vote to cut Medicare. But Paul Ryan donates to Doherty’s campaign and he *really wants to cut Medicare. “Furthermore, Mr. Doherty has gladly accepted $5,000 in campaign contributions from Mr. Ryan’s Prosperity PAC, further proof that Rhode Island’s seniors cannot trust Brendan Doherty to protect Medicare,” Fischer said in early August.

Perhaps this is why RIPR political reporter Ian Donnis said Doherty “walks a fine line in backing Romney’s pick of Paul Ryan.” (At least, I assume Ian writes his own headlines) in his statement on the selection.

Indeed, Doherty practically cops to the fact that Ryan is one of Washington’s most polarizing power players: “I do not believe that one political party is good and the other is bad. I do not believe that one party is for the middle class and the other is against it. I will focus on ideas that are formed through the cooperation of like-minded leaders from both parties, and those leaders then build consensus on both sides of the aisle.”

Great. If it’s true. But because Doherty is a political novice we have no idea what he will do if he ever gets elected to office. We know just since running for office he has changed what he thinks – or says – about Paul Ryan’s extremist budget proposal, among other issues.

After pretty much declaring himself president of the local chapter of the Paul Ryan fan club, conservative congressional candidate Brendan Doherty is now trying to distance himself from Ryan’s plan to slash medical benefits for retirees. Democrats don’t buy it, though.

“Paul Ryan may not be a household name to everyone in Rhode Island, but if you’re a senior citizen who relies on Medicare, you should know who he is and what he stands for, because these are the types of Republicans Brendan will be standing with and voting with, if elected to Congress,” said Bill Fischer, a spokesperson for the state Democratic Party in an email today. “Mr. Doherty’s statements on Monday supporting Medicare are simply not credible after he clearly supported Congressman Ryan at a tea party gathering in May.”

In May, Doherty said told an East Bay Tea Party group the opposite: “I had a great opportunity to meet with Paul Ryan about a month ago and that’s his position and he’s digging his feet in and I applaud him for that and I support him.”

Here’s the video:

Doherty was talking about Ryan’s budget proposal, which would indeed slash Medicare benefits. So which is it Brendan? Do you stand with Rhode Island retirees and the elderly or do you stand with Paul Ryan.

This is how Washington – and politics in general for that matter – works. Whatever Brendan Doherty might say to you while he’s on the stump, you can bet he’ll be voting in lock step with the most conservative Beltway Republicans in the country just as sure as his political mentor is former governor Don Carcieri.