Progressive News, Opinion, and Analysis
This endorsement is one of the most difficult to make because, based on this author’s personal, professional and procedural experiences with Speaker Fox, he is unlikeable on all counts. In the spirit of full disclosure, when a written appeal for help on a personal level as well as a statewide plea for any continuing aid, …
Continue reading “Leave Gordon Fox in Hen House of Representatives”
A defining moment of the David Cicilline v. Brendan Doherty campaign was captured by Phil Marcelo of the Providence Journal this weekend … both candidates were in a South Providence fruit store when a Cicilline “Spanish-speaking emissary,” according to Marcelo, said of Doherty, “He shouldn’t be in this neighborhood. He talks about undocumented immigrants posing …
I have long argued that the key to contemporary Rhode Island politics lies almost entirely within the RI Democratic Party. “With Democrats like these, who needs Republicans,” I quipped. In 1995. The laws our General Assembly has FAILED to pass undermine our “most liberal state” reputation. The keystone legislation for any liberal issue area never …
Every progressive – indeed every Rhode Islander, if not all Americans! – owe it to themselves to spend some time reading Providence Monthly’s awesome feature on the state of journalism in Rhode Island. The magazine put together a group of the best and brightest reporters we’ve got here in the Ocean State who kicked around …
Gordon Fox’s reelection battle has become one of the most watched contests in Rhode Island, and Ian Donnis yesterday busted out what I think is the best local campaign journalism of the year summarizing his race against Mark Binder. “Fewer than 9,000 voters will decide one of Rhode Island’s most important elections on November 6,” …
It’s not easy to endorse the opponent of a colleague, but I’m supporting Speaker Gordon Fox over RI Future contributor Mark Binder. Binder may, as he’s claimed, be a more progressive voice for the East Side of Providence – a neighborhood that certainly warrants one – but I can’t find reason in his credentials to …
Continue reading “House Speaker Gordon Fox Should be Re-Elected”
I’m starting to get the feeling that Brendan Doherty doesn’t even want to serve in Congress. If he did, he’d probably audition for the job a just little bit rather than just trying to convince voters to reject incumbent David Cicilline. This campaign has become ridiculously negative, and their debates remind me of when my …
Jim Langevin may not be the most progressive member of Congress, but he could be a whole lot less liberal too. John Mulligan, the Providence Journal’s Washington corresponden,t sums up Langevin’s place on the political spectrum well in this graph: “…he has built a voting record that makes him solidly liberal on most issues by …
It’s not a great week to be Gordon Fox. As his leadership team is literally crumbling around him, his political opponent Mark Binder is stepping up his campaign. Problems with Fox’s leadership team have been mounting for weeks now. Two of the most conservative members of the team lost in primaries: Peter Petrarca and Jon …
I’m in a particularly foul mood this evening, so I thought I’d share. And I’ll get right to the point: America, you’re screwed. With growing frequency, I’ve heard or read conversations between people of opposite political philosophies that go something like this: Sap #1: X is bad and ruining the country. Sap #2: Yeah, well …
Continue reading “Why America Is Screwed, but How RI Can Help”
When I started this column, Bob suggested that I stick to “Progressive political issues.” This column is one exception. It’s going to be a collection of political shenanigans, conversations with constituents, notes and anecdotes from the trail so far. The Article that Was/Wasn’t… I’ve been noticing a lot of divergence between the Providence Journal’s paper paper …
Continue reading “I’m not Bruce Bayuk, and Other Tidbits from the Trail”
Looking for ways to attract businesses? Improve education. Want to reduce crime? Improve education. Open opportunities? Education. The key to improving our state is reinvigorating our public schools—especially schools that serve urban or lower-income communities. Businesses say they want educated workers. Executives and employees want to send their children to good schools. According to the …
Rhode Islanders often forget how many advantages we have. I’m relatively new. I’ve only lived here (on and off) for more than 20 years, but I still remember the thrill of discovering this wonderful state. It was the late 1980s and everyone was depressed. I left New York to come here and found that everything …
Continue reading “A Positive Business Message for Rhode Island”
Bob Plain asked me to keep the focus of this blog on the progressive aspects of my campaign. (And thanks, Bob, for standing up for the rights of the free press — particularly in an election.) I’ll do my best, but the writer in me also thinks that the strange things you need to do as …
The ProJo reports that House Speaker Gordon Fox, or at least his staff, is “miffed” that Mark Binder, who is challenging him for his seat in the House, is blogging about it for RI Future. Who can blame him? I’m sure Fox would much prefer to run either unopposed or against a candidate that doesn’t …
A number of people have asked about my decision to allow candidates for public office contribute posts to RI Future about their campaigns, so I thought it was a worthwhile editorial decision to address here. To set the scene, Libby Kimzey and Mark Binder – both of whom are self-described progressives, semi-regular contributors to RI …
The nation, and Rhode Island for that matter, turns its attention to the Supreme Court this morning as the justices are expected to release their decision today on President Obama’s signature act as chief executive: health care reform. The New York Times says the landmark legislation affects “nearly every American from cradle to grave.” Depending …
Three Rhode Island progressive authors will “battle it out” at Netroots Nation in what is being billed as “an idea free-for-all.” The meeting of the minds will take place at 2 p.m. on Thursday in the fifth floor Rotunda of the Convention Center. Not only are all three published by Light Publications – billed as …
Continue reading “Three Local Authors, RI Futurists Present At Netroots”
This morning, former Red Sox Pitcher Curt Schilling blamed the State of Rhode Island for the failure of his video game company. According to the Providence Journal, he blamed the state for not giving him more tax breaks. Additionally, the Journal reported, Schilling has lost “33 pounds in the past 45 days, which he calls …
Continue reading “No Reckoning: The RI Corruption Video Game”
Every two years I consider the possibility of running for Congress… Again. Yes, I ran for the US House of Representatives in 2004 in the Democratic Primary challenger to Patrick Kennedy, who had cast an insanely foolish vote for the war in Iraq. At the time, I joked that my slogan was, “More liberal than …