July 24, 2007
Jim Baron on Ryan Bilodeau
Sure, national recognition is nice, but yesterday, College Republican Federation of Rhode Island President Ryan Bilodeau received the kind of recognition that proves he’s a real up-an-comer -- he was covered by Jim Baron in the Woonsocket Call…
It's not hard to think that someone with [his] kind of knack for drawing media attention while selling an idea like opposition to affirmative action and other race-based preferences, just might have a future in politics.Might he run for office on his own someday? "I've thought about it. I am interested in solving problems in whatever role I can. If that means entering the political arena as a candidate, then I will. If I find my time, my resources, my energy are better used behind the scenes, then I'll do that. I think that we all have a role to play in this life, based on the talents we are given."
That is a perfectly good politician's non-answer to a reporter's question. But Bilodeau can't resist taking it a step further, perhaps showing more of his hand than originally intended.
"When the General Assembly is doing their budget at 11:30 p.m.," he says. "and (Democratic Cranston Rep. Charlene Lima's privatization bill gets slipped in at the last minute and all these common sense bills by Reps. (John) Laughlin and (Joseph) Trillo are putting out there are denied because they have an R (for Republican) after their name and because the people voting against them are beholden to the special interests like the unions, that can anger me enough to want to be a voice on the floor, sitting at the table."
i wouldn't trust that kid as far as i can throw him. he's like a john holmes jr. or buddy cianci wannabe, and no, those aren't good things.
i've been around ri politics for a long time, and i personally i think we need less people like billodeau in politics not more
Posted by: Don't believe the hype at July 24, 2007 12:01 PM...on the other hand, Bilodeau does express his opinions, even his "controversial" ones, under his real name...
Posted by: Andrew at July 24, 2007 12:15 PMI disagree, "Don't believe the hype". Bilodeau has taken firm positions on unpopular positions, even though the conservatives there at URI almost got kicked off of campus. That's guts and thats principle. I look forward to big things from him in the future.
Posted by: Tom at July 24, 2007 12:30 PMWow, Andrew and I find common agreement on something....
Posted by: Pat Crowley at July 24, 2007 12:40 PMThe "right-wing garbage" that Steve Laffey wrote in College,came back to bite him,and may have cost him the election.The same will happen to this punk.
Posted by: steven at July 24, 2007 4:03 PMRyan Bilodeau is a conservative god.
Bow before him, repent your sins and beg for forgiveness, oh ye progressive weenies, lest you burn in the fires of collectivist hell!
;-)
Seriously, you've got to give this young college student an "A" in both "Sarcastic Creativity 101" and "Conservative Cajones In The Face Of Academia's Political Correctness"!
Posted by: Tom W at July 24, 2007 4:56 PMI think "steven" is smoking something if he thinks that anything Laffey may have done while in college "cost" him the election. The only people that even remember that are a few out of work Chafeeites with too much time on their hands with which to ruminate. It just wasn't Laffey's time. He'll be back ... sooner than you think.
As for Ryan, he is doing an outstanding job as State Chair of the College Republican Federation of Rhode Island, and previously as URI CR chairman. He was recently recognized as one of the top 15 conservative activists in the country by the YAF -- and they're pretty selective about who they choose. He's guided both organzitions through some rough waters, and they're poised to take on major role in the upcoming state and national elections.
Regardless of whether I agree with someone's political phiolosophy (though I generally do agree with Ryan) or how they exactly go about accomplishing the goals that they set for themselves, one has to hand it to people when they operate based on principle first, and who don't back down in the face of adversity, when it is easy to do so -- or because their stance on a particular issue may be considered "unpopular" by some. We have too much of that at the national level. It's nice to know some people, such as Steve Laffey and Ryan Bilodeau put their adhereence to principles before politics.
Posted by: Will at July 24, 2007 5:02 PM{Potentially libelous comment deleted.}
Posted by: WIll at July 31, 2007 9:32 AM