June 30, 2011
UPDATE: For Binding Arb, as the Magic 8-Ball Might Say, It's Very Doubtful
Lisa Blais of the Rhode Island Tea Party just posted the following to her Facebook page...
League of Cities and Towns received assurance that binding arb. will not be a problem tonight. RI School Committee Association Exec Dir. given same assurance but will not leave the State House until the session is officially closed. We may indeed be out of the woods for this year.ADDENDUM:
Jennifer D. Jordan has a story up at 7-to-7, including an official quote from House Speaker Gordon Fox...
House Speaker Gordon D. Fox announced at 7:45 Thursday evening that a bill that would expand binding arbitration for teachers will not move foward, ending one of the most contentious battles of the last days of the legislative session.
The wailing and gnashing of teeth has been heard by the gutless legislators. No profiles in courage there.
Posted by: Phil at June 30, 2011 8:13 PMFox killed the bill:
newsblog.projo.com/2011/06/ri-house-kills-binding-arbitra.html
Posted by: Max Diesel at June 30, 2011 8:23 PMGreat job, everyone.
Thanks to the House and House leadership for seeing the grave folly of this legislation.
Posted by: Monique at June 30, 2011 9:39 PMOn the contrary, I think it took a surprising amount of fortitude to stand for the citizens against the money and manpower of the thuggish union bosses. When the issue comes up next year, with campaigns underway, it will be much more difficult for the GA Democrats to resist.
Posted by: BobN at June 30, 2011 9:47 PMAnd now not only can the Senate 20 be targeted for their votes in the next election, but also the five who sponsored the bill in the House:
McCauley, Savage, Blazejewski, Lally, Carnevale
Yeah, that's the "Republican" Savage.
Posted by: Patrick at June 30, 2011 9:50 PMAnd don't forget Tassoni, who co-sponsored the bill in the Senate and then abstained from voting when it hit the Senate floor.
What was THAT about?
Posted by: stuckhereinri at June 30, 2011 11:34 PMPhil's disappointment at the failure of this irresponsible bill sounds like whining.
Posted by: joe bernstein at June 30, 2011 11:50 PMTassoni's on the arbitrator list. It would be the mother of all conflicts of interest if he actually voted on it.
Sponsoring or lobbying for it, he's playing up to the line without going over it. It's what a skilled lawyer does, good or bad.
How telling it is that Phil considers listening to constituents to be a form of cowardice. Phil - your elitist political philosophy is truly despicable and is what destroys free states. Nobody familiar with how binding arbitration works in practice who isn't directly self-interested could possibly support it.
Posted by: Dan at July 1, 2011 7:57 AMPhil is as much a quahogger as I am James Bond.
Phil=total A-hole NEA fraud. Likely Linedecker or Crowley.
Tassoni's on the arbitrator list? Of course...no conflict with submitting a bill that would direclty enrich himself. Not in the GA. That's called busines in the the GA. They have no shame and literally no ethics.
Posted by: JTR at July 1, 2011 10:20 AMTassoni is a walking-talking conflict of interest but I don't believe he is on the arbitrator list. He's on the mediator list. He's not a lawyer so he didn't qualify. Basically, he's a windbag for the unions and hopefully Smithfield voters will finally see the light.
Posted by: Max Diesel at July 1, 2011 11:18 AMJoe is always on the money but I don't think it's whining.
Personal attacks instead of argument. I gave my reasons for my support of the bills and I didn't personally attack anyone who expressed views contrary to mine. I have only one question of the one who calls himself Tommy Cranston... Shaken or stirred?
Phil is far too intelligent to be Crowley. And no, that is not a compliment for Phil's intelligence.
Posted by: Dan at July 1, 2011 5:00 PM