A Not-So-Idle Question
Pondering something not at all self-referential, I got to wondering who might rank on a top 10 list of conservative Rhode Islanders. (Given the competition, let’s define “conservative” as “right-of-center.”) Some names and placements are obvious, but what would the breakdown be?
I suppose one would first have to settle on criteria. There are folks who, by the nature of their positions, have a certain amount of power. Others have influence of which the public is hardly aware. Still others are very visible, but their influence beyond their visibility is a question. How does one measure a legislator against a radio personality? A newspaper editor against an activist?
What do you think?
# 1 on my list would be Mike,
he never used his last name when he commented here,so I will call him Mike from AR, he said what many righties think, but do not have the guts to say.
He is a true right of center conservative.
FREE MIKE FROM AR
everone deserves a second chance
Can’t be Laffey. He’s not in the state anymore.
I nominate the founders of the 1772 Society. Those guys get it.
I could certainly name 10 conservatives from Rhode Island, but assigning them numerical importance might be a difficult task, since they aren’t given nearly as much airtime and ink as their liberal counterparts. The media are largely in the pocket of the general assembly leadership and the public sector unions. As you also stated, the criteria is probably the main issue, as not all conservatives are necessarily Republicans (and vice-versa). I think Matt Allen has done a pretty good job on the radio as a conservative voice. He certainly has the most informative and entertaining show on WPRO. The successful format is probably a function of its late time slot. He also lets his callers actually talk (hint, hint). I think Bill Felkner from OSPRI deserves a lot of credit for bringing different conservative center-right groups together in regard to policy issues. Ray McKay from RIRA has done a lot to lead the right side of the Republican Party into a cohesive force. Travis Rowley of the RI Young Republicans is relatively new to the political scene, but has been making good inroads. He’s reviled by the right (or left) people. He’s an excellent writer, too. More to come. As for legislators, it’s definitely slim-pickings. There are probably more conservative Democrats in the GA than there are Republicans. Disregarding his penchant for pensions as of late, I think Rep. John Loughlin would definitely qualify for the list. Last but not least, Gov. Carcieri, if for no other reason, that he’s married to Sue! I’d put her on the list! If she ran for governor in 2010, we could recycle the signs and bumper stickers! I asked her recently at an event to consider it. Just imagine the reaction! Just to peave the lefties a little, perhaps we should put Frank… Read more »
1. Todd Barry
2. Donald L. Carcieri
3. Jeffrey Mailhot
4. Rev. William O’Connel
5. Vincent “Buddy” Cianci
6. Joseph Mollicone
7. Craig Price
8. Big Blue Bug
9. Christopher Hightower
10. Stanley Kobierowski
If the criteria includes their effectiveness (in promoting “right of center” politics) than Carcieri shouldn’t even be on the list. The gay guy that lives downstairs from my friend on Smith St who still has a McCain 2008 poster in his window does more to promote a viable conservative movement in RI than the Gov ever could…
If the criteria includes their effectiveness (in promoting “right of center” politics) than Carcieri shouldn’t even be on the list. The gay guy that lives downstairs from my friend on Smith St who still has a McCain 2008 poster in his window does more to promote a viable conservative movement in RI than the Gov ever could…
Hey Phil, Chris Hightower was once my manager at Newport Creamery. He was about as liberal as you could get. I was not at all surprised at where that led him.
At the top of the list of former Rhode Islanders, Club for Growth Pres. and second-time’s-a-charm challenger to Arlen Specter, Pat Toomey originally from E.P.
John McLoughlin. He was pounding the bully pulpit panel on cable long before FNC.
In no particular order:
Doc
Sleepy
Grumpy
Sneezy
Dopey
Happy
Bashful
Carcieri
Cianci
Laffey
1. Lust
2. Gluttony
3. Greed
4. Sloth
5. Wrath
^. Envy
7. Pride
8. Obscene Wealth
9. Infliction of poverty
10. Environmental pollution
Number 8 would be John Depetro……
But if his wife is counting the ballots
he would be NUMBER ONE
then he would throw her under the bus
—————————-
George, did you alert the athorities about Chris Hightower ???? since you
could see into the future?
Hey George
I was just having a little fun with you conservatives and top ten lists. So here’s the reason he made the list.
Christopher Hightower became a financial advisor and made a killing in Barrington.
He was a strong proponent of the constitutional right to bear arms.
When he was tried for his crime he sought to shift blame to an ethnic minority member.
He lived in Barrington.
He is nuts.
Ron G. I said I was not surprised. Not that I saw it coming.
Phil-I was going to stay out of this.Then you made a joke about about Hightower making a “killing”in Barrington.It involved burying an 8 year old girl alive after kidnapping her from school.
Have a long talk with yourself.
Thanks Joe
It’s always good to be reminded that real people are involved in sensational news stories. Now go get your shine box.
Phil-very funny haha- I actually had a shine box back in Brooklyn complete with Griffin ABC wax polish and that orange leather cleaner-the Brendel killings were not a “sensational”story like the circus around that blonde bimbo who od’d in Florida.It was one of the worst crimes in the state’s history.This Hightower prick went out of his way to get the little girl after he killed her parents.I just didn’t see it as the basis for a joke.I see nothing remotely funny about murdered children.You don’t sound like a thoughtless person so maybe it didn’t register with you for some reason.An acquaintance of mine worked that case and it sickened him for good,and this was an experienced cop.
George,
Your Hightower comment is most ignorant comment,that i have ever read
Tim McVeigh was a right-winger,so i was
not surprised when he murdered 180 people
That’s interesting, Bernard.
How would you explain Stalin (40+ million murdered), Mao (20+ million dead) and Pol Pot (2+ million murdered)?
“Chris Hightower was once my manager at Newport Creamery. He was about as liberal as you could get. I was not at all surprised at where that led him.”
So, George, only liberals commit murder? And all liberals commit murder?
Phil-did Hightower use a firearm?I don’t believe so.Correct me if you know better.
Monique-let’s settle this now-murders are committed by murderers.Mao and Stalin used liberal fools until they were no longer needed and then were turned into mulch.They were hardly liberals themselves.Pol Pot was just one of those horrors spawned by war.
Monique
Stalin,Moa and Pol pot,were not liberals
if anything they were conservatives,all
three of them murdered gays and lesbians
none of them did anythng to help the poorest people in their contries.
But Tim McVeigh WAS a conservative
Does George have any prof that Hightower was a liberal,i googled Hightower and could not find anyting
that would prove Georges comments
Yes, Monique, don’t you know that “liberal” just means “good”? How, then, can bad people be considered liberals? Sheesh. So what if a tyrant’s policies were consistent with a text-book definition of the Left? The modern Left has decided to embrace homosexuals, ergo anybody in history who deviated from that view was a conservative.
“none of them did anythng to help the poorest people in their contries.”
Actually, Bernard, everything that Mao and Stalin did while in power was in the name and for the betterment of the poor and poorest in their countries. Further, if they did target gays among others for horrible treatment (I don’t remember reading that but okay, maybe) that doesn’t change the fact that they did, indeed, implement communism and socialism respectively; as Justin said, textbook leftist/liberal governing philosophies.
At Joe’s suggestion, however, I withdraw Pol Pot as an example of a murderous leftist. He may well have been more murderous than anything. But part of the horror of Mao and Stalin is that 1.) they were on a mission and 2.) their mission was to “equalize” everything for everyone. (How could anyone argue with that?) And nothing was going to stop them, not even the fact that they were violating the most basic principle: human rights – and on a massive scale.
Sorry but calling Stalin,Moa and Pol Pot
liberals is just stupid.
As to the left embracing homosexuals,
Ronald and Nancy had many Gay friends
so i guess they embraced homosexuals.
Dick Cheney also said he was pro gay civil rights,is Cheney a liberal?
The question is did Hightower murder because he was liberal?…as George claimed,now that is just stupid
Even Joe Berstien said “they were hardly
liberals”
And
Tim McVeigh WAS a conservative
Rev Fred Phelps is one also
that sould be
Ronald and Nancy Reagan
on my above post
Actually, Bernard is sort of right. Stalin, Mao Pol pot et. al weren’t “liberals” as much as they were “progressives”.
Stalin,Pol Pot,Mao,Enver Hoxha,Kim Il Sung and his son,Kim Jong Il,Hitler,Bokassa,Mugabe,etc,etc are people who developed cults of personality and used ideology more as a tool than an ideal.Castro too,and now the budding Chavez.
These individuals made the state synonymous with the man.
Murder becomes legal and terms like liberal and conservative become irrelevant.It is the antithesis of the rule of law.
Most of these leaders are also non pracitioners of any religion,because they don’t like competition from God.
I notice sort of a personality cult with Obama,but our national history militates against that kind of thing here.Americans are too idiosyncratic to accept one man rule.