April 26, 2009
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Operation Clean Government Panel Audio (Continued)
Justin Katz
As some have already noted in Anchor Rising's play-by-play, some significant and interesting things were said at Operation Clean Government's spring forum. Last night, I posted audio of Governor Carcieri's unscheduled speech; thereafter, the panel took the stage:
- OCG President Arthur "Chuck" Barton introduces the panel, points out some significant people in the audience, and gives brief opening remarks: stream, download (2min, 9sec)
- WPRO talk show host Dan Yorke kicks off the discussion, asking the panelists to give their diagnosis of Rhode Island's illness: stream, download (3min, 53sec)
- Dan directs the question to RI General Treasurer Frank Caprio, who gives a solutioning speech (state must be "user friendly" to business), leading Dan to drive the conversation to the question: stream, download (4min, 10sec)
- John Hazen White, Jr., President & CEO of Taco, Inc., repeats the governor's take, "We are creating a much bigger tax burden; at the same time depleting the tax payers": stream, download (41sec)
- Unfortunately, an attempt to locate a beeping noise (which turned out not to be my equipment), rendered the short response of Director of Administration Gary Sasse, as well as the beginning of Rep. Dennigan's response, inaudible.
- Representative Elizabeth Dennigan (D., East Providence, Pawtucket) points the finger at efficiency and transparency, saying "I can tell you as a long-time member of the finance committee that we don't know how we are spending millions": stream, download (29sec)
- University of Rhode Island Economics Professor Leonard Lardaro blames an endemic approach of Rhode Islanders, specifically that "Too many people in this state have a very exogenous view of the world; things just happen; they don't really associate actions now with outcomes later": stream, download (2min 32sec)
- Yorke redirects the question redirects the question to define Rhode Islanders: stream, download (3min 20sec)
- Caprio mentioned the sacrifice of our parents and noted an inclination to help each other, to which Yorke responded that he's describing Americans: stream, download (2min 33sec)
- Hazen White lauds ingenuity, creativity, etc: stream, download (1min 31sec)
- Yorke specifies that he's looking more for the philosophical in order to resolve RI's status as "submerged": stream, download (50sec)
- Dennigan says that we should stop "complaining and encouraging our young students to leave and go somewhere else" and market the state: stream, download (1min 58sec)
- Yorke suggests that Rhode Islanders must and can be honest about themselves; "The doctor doesn't say, in his mind, you're dying of cancer, but you know what? You're a good egg.": stream, download (1min 34sec)
- Lardaro says that Rhode Islanders are "deeply caring" but are "consumption oriented" and are "way too trusting of our leaders"; "Tone always seems to supersede accuracy": stream, download (1min 33sec)
- Sasse expands that "what happened is we became an entitle-mentality state" based on political decisions, which fostered "an inferiority complex": stream, download (1min 42sec)
- Yorke asks Dennigan whether Rhode Islanders have courage; the crowd says, "no"; Dennigan points to the people in the room as an example of courage: stream, download (33sec)
- Yorke defines the question as having the grit to change our lifestyle, making it healthier; "Would Rhode Islanders rather die than do the things that the doctor has prescribed?"; audience member: "They don't believe it": stream, download (1min 9sec)
- Hazen White says there's "a tremendous lack of courage and maybe an uninformed path" and that he was "dumbfounded" that the Democrats expanded their power in the last election; and another thing, "we've got a union problem": stream, download (1min 56sec)
- To laughs from the crowd, Caprio shifts to call it "a special interest problem" in that there's no opposing force for the taxpayer against them: stream, download (1min 8sec)
8:21 AM
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It's great to have a nice gathering and be inspired by speeches. But who among them can translate ideas into action? The governor has proven to be pretty inept at that.
Caprio? He's been an elected official in RI for 20 years. He's part of the problem. What has he accomplished, besides sinking the pension fund?
We had a gift - Laffey - someone who wasn't all talk, with a proven record of leadership, courage and accomplisment. He was the guy who could take all those inspiring words and turn them into bold action - in his first month in office!
I was ready to work my ass off to get him elected, not as much for who he was, but for what he WOULD get done.
All those words sound great, but there is not a single candidate in the entire state right now, for whom I would even consider putting a bumpersticker on my car, becaue I don't trust a single one of them to make any difference.
Posted by: George at April 26, 2009 9:40 AMI'd suggest that the words are a necessary precursor to action not necessarily, even, among those speaking, but among those hearing. More than an Laffeyesque icon, we need a team of Laffeys. An army. And the call to those individuals has to begin with talk and dull organization.
Posted by: Justin Katz at April 26, 2009 11:13 AM"Sounds" good Justin. I'll believe it when I see it. Meanwhile, I'm sitting this one out.
Posted by: George at April 26, 2009 11:44 PMis in itself 'unto God,' one and the same 'sweet savour in Christ.' Leave arms to men, like us, nor meddle with the war." as she cast her eyes on the prince, she knew the man for whom so
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