That may not be Avedesian's decision to make if Laffey gets his way.

Speaking of Laffey, I haven't seen it noted here that his campaign was ordered by the FEC to pay a $25,000 fine for concealing that contributions were funneled through the Club for Growth.

I found it interesting that Avedesian didn't exactly recoil at being referred to as a "Rockefeller Republican." It's certainly possible that if he seeks a higher office, as is often rumored, that it may not be as a Republican.

As for Laffey, there was no effort to "conceal" anything. The names and other pertinent information about the donors was fully available (unlike that of some of our own general officers in the last election). What was originally omitted (and later amended properly), due to an honest misinterpretation of the law, was that the contributions were soliticited through an arm of the Club for Growth (but in this case, were not actually made by the CFG).

Anyway, Laffey made the right move of settling it quickly for a relative pittance, instead of dragging it out.

Tough going or not, "Rockefeller Republicans" are not Republicans at all.

(The only differnce between Chafee and Avedesian is that Avedesian has the capacity to form a complete sentence.)

Looks like there may be three peas in that pod!

"Real" Republicans vs. Rockefellar Republicans.

Just out of curiosity, who was the last non-Rockefellar Republican to win state-wide in Rhode Island?

OK, I might grant you Gov. Carcieri, but can you name another one? In the last thirty years?

Reagan in 84 won RI

Avedesian is a union backed sellout. In short-a joke. Laffey, with all his flaws is our only shot. Otherwise, let the people have Sissyline, Looney Left Liz or Grace Diaz for governor and at least we can keep active enjoying the "show" as the progressives hurtle us to insolvency. It's going to be quite a panic when they start raising state taxes and revenues stay flat or go DOWN (as happened when they raised cigarette taxes to highest in America). They will then have to choke on their own progressive puke.

Good point about the cigarette taxes, Mike. I buy my smokes in Boston where I work, not in RI where I live. Got a lady friend who buys 'em from the Injuns (oops! Native Americans). Pack in Boston costs $5.75. Here in RI? $6.96. Bye, bye, dippi-libs, kiss your tax dollars good-bye!!! Sometimes, I feel so guilt-ridden!

Not just cigarettes, but booze and gasoline.

We all know about New Hampshire.

But MA is better than RI even when NH doesn't make sense (I'll stop when passing through, but it's not worth a special trip unless you really intend to stock up).

RI and MA Both have excise taxes built into the price of beer / wine / liquor - we just don't see it because it's already built-in.

But unlike MA, RI taxes you twice by charging sales tax on top of the excise tax.

So if you buy in RI you get socked by pay sales tax on the the excise tax (which of course is that much more fuel to operate the corruption machine on Smith Hill)!

So one can go to those other states, gas up the car to take advantage of lower gas taxes, buy cigarettes and liquor, and have a nice meal since those states' meals taxes are also considerably lower than Rhode Island's, and then return home after a nice shopping jaunt.

Kind of a "no brainer," isn't it?

As for Rhode Island's merchants who lose out, well heck, the General Assembly obviously doesn't give a sh** about them, so why should we?