November 17, 2007
Nuances of Communication
Let's play a new game.
It's called: "Identify That Whine"
It's simple. Read the following two statements. Determine which is a declaration of facts designed to educate and motivate and which is whining.
But the overall budget - taxes and spending - is set by the General Assembly. All of the increases in Marc's chart are their doing. The fact that we are seventh highest taxed is their doing. The fact that Rhode Island has the most onerous corporate taxes and one of the worst overall business climates - thereby driving businesses which pay taxes and employ people out of the state - is their (the General Assembly's) doing. The fact that public pensions went under funded while social spending was maxed out is solely their doing.
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The ProJo has editorialized in favor of maintaining the working waterfront, and I tend to agree. Thanks to public access, Boston does a far better job than Providence in making use of the waterfront along the Charles River and parts of Boston Harbor than we do with comparable areas. While some envision more economically productive uses for the Providence waterfront, it shouldn't come at the cost of public access, and longstanding businesses could be an important part of this mix.
Perhaps Ian Donnis would like to go first.
Well, since you invited me, Monique. Frankly, I don't see the connection (or maybe it's just convenient amnesia regarding my own propensity to whine. Should the Dem-controlled legislature be a better economic steward? Yes. Would Providence benefit, IMHO, from maximizing public access to certain key parts of the waterfront, particularly India Point and the area being made available by the relocation of I-195? Yes.
Posted by: Ian Donnis at November 18, 2007 2:13 PMIan, in a recent article you said:
"... many [Republican] party supporters prefer, essentially, to whine about the ruling Democrats on Smith Hill"
My question is, how does one identifying whining? Are either/both/neither of the statements (the first written by me, the second written by you) in the post whining?
Is it as simple as this: if I disagree with a statement, it's whining?
Posted by: Monique at November 19, 2007 7:43 AMAm I whining if I say Ian is a joke for not reporting that the economic collapse of the state is due to the Democrat GA following, for decades, the economic ideology espoused by Ian, Segal, Jerzyk and the rest of the august (LOL) Phoenix staff?
Posted by: Mike at November 19, 2007 9:59 AMActually, Monique, your post is riddled with untrue statements of facts. 7th highest? Nope. Onerous corporate taxes? Yeah, ask GTECH, Fidelity or Amgen about that one! Worst overall business climate? Hmmm.... must be why Carnegie Abbey is building a gated community for America's richest of the rich in Portsmouth!!!
Would you like some cheese with your....
Posted by: Matt Jerzyk at November 19, 2007 12:43 PMJust to let everyone know, Matt Jerzyk had his webmaster Alex Moore (4th out of 4 in last year's 8th Ward Council race) blocked me from posting on his Marxist blog.
My "crime"? In response to someone slandering our heroic governor with a taunt that he "has never worked a day in his life" I responded by pointing out that description more aptly fits tax hike advocate David Segal, the son of a millionaire Baltimore doctor who by his own admission is a full-time "activist".
must be why Carnegie Abbey is building a gated community for America's richest of the rich in Portsmouth!!!
I didn't realize that there was such ignorance on this point. The "richest of the rich" have multiple homes. Rhode Island is where they come to play, not to work (not that most of them work, anyway).
Is this going to be your strategy as the state collapses, Matt?
Posted by: Justin Katz at November 19, 2007 8:47 PM>>Actually, Monique, your post is riddled with untrue statements of facts. 7th highest? Nope. Onerous corporate taxes? Yeah, ask GTECH, Fidelity or Amgen about that one!
How many of them would be here but for the special deals they got from the state? Do you remember that APC almost moved out until it got a special deal from the state?
Oh, and Operation Dollar Bill just might clue us in on some of the special "under the table" deals that CVS (and Gtech?) also got from our Democrat leadership.
EVERY reputable survey places RI amongst the highest taxed states; with among the worst business climates; with amongst the highest "education" spending (read teacher union coddling) for below average results.
We're often called "the Louisiana of the North" in honor of our national reputation for political corruption. Gee, Louisiana is a Democrat state too, isn't it?
>>Worst overall business climate? Hmmm.... must be why Carnegie Abbey is building a gated community for America's richest of the rich in Portsmouth!!!
We're among the worst business climates! To borrow one of the Poverty Pimp Institute's favorite phrases, we're winning the "race to the bottom" on economic competitiveness and vibrancy - thanks to our "world class welfare magnet" status; onerous taxes to support the unions and welfare industry; and political corruption. A wonderful legacy after 70 years of Democrat rule.
As for Carnegie Abbey, how many of its residents actually live there vs. have second homes there? How many actually have their TAXABLE RESIDENCE in RI? How many actually operate a business in RI?
Oh wait, there's one we know of: Democrat Party money man Mark Weiner.
I'm sure he'll be entertaining some of the Motley Rice crew in his new, no lead paint digs.
And when never worked a day in his life Patrick Kennedy is sober enough to drive he can come over from his waterfront house on the other side of Portsmouth and visit. (Apparently Weiner isn't too offended by the windmill next door - which is more than we can say about Saint Teddy Kennedy - Patron Saint of Limousine Liberal Hypocrisy!)
Posted by: Ragin' Rhode Islander at November 19, 2007 8:49 PMSo, Matt J, how do you like our $450m+ deficit? Isn't it great that we have something that so many other states lack? Gosh, those Dems have been doing a great job, haven't they? With a virtual cornucopia of good governing decisions lo these many years, it's difficult to choose. But I would have to say that my personal favorite is how they've maxed out social benefits all around the budget while short changing public employee pensions. (Although if it's built, the Frank Williams Memorial Courthouse, highly supported by both Democrats and Repubs in Lincoln, will be a close second.)
So what's your favorite?