In addition to that other thing going on around the country, there are two good government events happening here in Rhode Island on Tuesday.
The first, on the subject of illegal immigration, is a hearing at the State House for House Bill 7107, which would require Rhode Island employers to verify on line that new employees are legally present in the United States. In the maintenance of our sovereignty and borders, employment is one of the critical areas of focus – or perhaps dissuasion would be more accurate. House Lounge after the Rise of the House (around 4:00-ish). Those who wish to testify should sign in with Chairman Corvese.
The second event involves bringing much needed balance to the General Assembly. Jim Haldeman, Republican candidate for House District 35, is holding a “Watch the Super Tuesday Results” fundraiser. Casey’s, Wakefield, at 7:00 pm.
Forgive this possibly selfish item but Mr. Haldeman’s opponent, incumbent John Patrick Shanley, has not been looking after the best interests of the state or his South Kingstown constituents on Smith Hill. He opposed Voter Initiative. He was the legislator who put forward the bill to unionize – i.e., make into state workers – 1,200 day care providers. And he has never seen a bloated state budget to which he could say “no”, a costly impulse which persists even this week as he follows up a statement to the South County Independent, “We are pretty much committed to no new major tax increases” with some perplexing and contradictory hand-wringing about where to raise more revenue. During that interview, he remarkably could not even bring himself to express opposition to the tax payer funding of social services to illegal aliens. (More on why this is problematic here.) A change to House District 35 would not only add party balance to the General Assembly but also a much needed incremental shift in budgeting and tax philosophies.
[Please note that no cross endorsements – by Jim Haldeman of House Bill 7107 or by legal immigrants of Jim Haldeman – should necessarily be construed by this joint announcement.]