Closer to the Mark

David Anderson, who's running for the 4th representative district seat in the General Assembly is closer to the necessary strategy than Edward Mazze:

If elected I will sponsor or support legislation aimed at:

Lowering taxes on businesses and individuals. The state must spend less to lower taxes. Let's cut unnecessary government activities while making essential government services more efficient. If we spend less, we'll tax less. That will attract and keep businesses here. That means more jobs for Rhode Island citizens. And it means higher wages.

Managing an optimum regulatory environment. Let's get smart about regulations. Let's educate ourselves about the best practices proven in other states and implement them here. Doing this will attract businesses to our state

Reducing the cost and expanding the availability of clean energy. Instead of paying foreigners for our energy why not pay Rhode Islanders for it? I applaud the state's recent decision to bring wind power to offshore areas in the ocean. When the need develops or when the current gas fired power station is decommissioned, I will work to bring clean, safe and cheap nuclear power to the state.

Encouraging the development of a fair and healthy labor market. When workers are unionized at a work site, instead of forcing them to join one union they should be allowed to join any legitimate union or guild to represent their professional interests. Kind of a "different strokes for different folks" approach. While sharing characteristics with right-to-work systems found in many western and southern states, it would remove the coercive powers currently held by unions and we think would foster more harmonious relationships with employers. Businesses would flock to our shores.

I'm not sure why it's so in vogue to list clean energy as a separate jobs item, these days, but it's not objectionable. I'd also suggest, with regard to the fourth point, that workers ought also to be allowed to represent their own interests without any group behind them.