April 7, 2010
Washing Out the Apathy
In a related way to that in which the healthcare debate has galvanized public action, Ed Achorn wonders whether the flooding of Rhode Island will bring people to the conclusion that I mentioned on last week's Matt Allen show: The impact would not have been as terrible had our government been concentrating on the things for which it is actually intended, such as infrastructure and community protection.
Interestingly, the trauma of Hurricane Katrina jolted the people of Louisiana to rethink their ways. They elected a governor, Brown-educated Bobby Jindal, on an anti-corruption platform, and supported efforts to improve the economy by attacking special-interest politics."The average person out there understands now that public corruption has adversely affected his or her quality of life, whether it’s the crumbling streets they drive on, the dismal state of the public school system, the crime rate or the lack of jobs," U.S. Atty. Jim Letten, based in New Orleans, told the Chicago Tribune.
Our state is heavily taxed. It's in a tremendous amount of debt. And yet its roads, bridges, and dams are crumbling, and its very expensive public sector is ineffective and focused on the wrong things. I'm not optimistic, but at least there's reason to hope that the Great Flood of 2010 has provided a stark example of the consequences of wayward government.
One thing I know is very apathetic is a Governor taking off not even a week after the floods. I am sure the sun in Florida is nice, but leaving the state when the people are in need is horrible!
What an epic failure Carcieri has been.
Speaking of "epic failure" and the whole culture of corruption theme, this Attorney General's race will be huge for RI. Let the local and state police go after the street crime. We need an AG who will go after the white collar crime, the corruption. How many corruption conviction has the current AG originated? I don't mean following on the coattails of the feds, I mean how many has he unearthed and gained a conviction on himself? And isn't he the guy who openly admits that he will not investigate or ask anyone in his office to investigate any "friend"? So doesn't that basically tell you that if you're corrupt in RI, make Patrick Lynch your friend and you have a free pass to do what you want?
Let's pay attention to the platforms of the next AG. Drugs? Local and state police. Gangs? Local and state police. Prostitution? Local and state police. Politicians taking money for their votes? Attorney General. State workers stealing money and/or time and/or supplies? Attorney General.
Posted by: Patrick at April 7, 2010 10:44 AMWhat exactly is the Governor expected to do about the flood recovery? He has hired department heads to execute the actual work. Is he supposed to lean on his shovel and watch them like a union foreman at RIDOT? Complaining about this is like saying that Allen Mulally of Ford should spend his days on the assembly lines.
RI's infrastructure is crumbling because it has spent tax revenue subsidizing the consumption of welfare recipients and state employees rather than on maintaining the public assets that taxes are supposed to be used for. Only when we get government out of the (Marxist, class-envy based) income redistribution business will there be enough money for its proper functions.
Posted by: BobN at April 7, 2010 11:52 AMI am sure the sun in Florida is nice, but leaving the state when the people are in need is horrible!
Why, yes. The executive officer of the state should stay local and direct disbursements from the rainy day fund prudently set up by the legislative branch. Well, if that's the only reason to stay, there is no reason for any RI governor to stay, because if you seek an antonym to prudent, it would be the RI GA.
Carcieri should have stayed - and hammered on the fundamental lack of integrity of the legislative branch over the past several decades of single party rule.
Posted by: chuckR at April 7, 2010 12:04 PMThe whining from Nanny State has actually been highly amusing in many ways. The citizens and business community in this state have the state government they have blindly supported for decades and so richly deserve.
Why all the whining boys and girls??
The Gov was around when it mattered i.e. when we had a life threatening emergency in parts of this state that required coordination of agencies/services.
There is no such emergency now.
The appropriate local, state and federal agencies are engaged at the present.
Personally I would have loved if the Gov had been in Florida before the floods and stayed down there throughout and then stated he was simply giving the citizenry a taste of their own medicine i.e. repaying the citizens and business community in Rhode Island for their apathy towards his attempts at reform and their failure to have helped him out in any way for the last 8 years.
That would have been so so sweet.
Whine On greater Rhode Island but please know there are many of us who are smirking and are throughly enjoying the issues you have with the state government you so richly deserve.
Do enjoy!!
Btw is there anything funnier than members of the General Assembly whining because they aren't getting access to and info from state leaders?? lol
Members of the General Assembly, who are indifferent to the citizens of this state 364 days of the year, are whining about being excluded??
You can't make this stuff up. (still smirking)
Don Carcieri has done his best against a corrupt and profligate legislature.
He's appointed some good people(note I said SOME)and he's spoken plainly.
Wiat till a brain damaged disaster like Linc Chafee takes over.It'll be like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".
Carciere's best appointment has been Brendan Doherty.