Carroll Andrew Morse

Senate Education Committee First to Fully Comply with Rules On Publication of Committee Votes

By Carroll Andrew Morse | January 31, 2012 |

Let’s give immediate credit to the Rhode Island Senate Education Committee, led by Chairwoman Hanna Gallo (D-Cranston), for being the first RI General Assembly Committee, definitely in this session and maybe ever, to post its votes to hold bills for further study to the “Committee Votes” section of the General Assembly website, providing the public…

The Most Disingenuous Argument Against Mayoral Academies

By Carroll Andrew Morse | January 30, 2012 |

Suppose you have two schools. Both are funded with public money. Each is run by a principal, with both principals reporting to a superintendent, who reports to a school committee. (This is a small-scale model of what opponents of structural education reform, in Rhode Island and elsewhere, believe is the primary way — if not…

Coming up in Committee: Seven Sets of Bills Scheduled to be Heard by the RI General Assembly, January 31 – February 2

By Carroll Andrew Morse | January 30, 2012 |

7. The House Corporations Committee will be considering a typically eclectic set of regulatory bills on Wed, Feb 1, on subjects such as allowing “hospitals and treatment centers located in Providence to calibrate scales within their facilities” (H7231) and requiring flashing lights on snow-removal equipment, in addition to snow plows (H7230). It’s always both fun…

Liveblogging-Livetweeting the CNN Presidential Debate (But Really Testing out the Twitter Interface)

By Carroll Andrew Morse | January 26, 2012 |

(Twitterscript from last night’s CNN Florida Presidential debate). 18 minutes ago » Andrew Morse If we put a base on the moon, won’t the nuclear waste dumps explode and send it hurtling out of orbit? 18 minutes ago » Andrew Morse But no one asked the really big question… 18 minutes ago » Andrew Morse…

GOP Primary Ballot Update

By Carroll Andrew Morse | January 26, 2012 |

Courtesy of Dave Talan and the R.I. Republicans, here is an update sent out yesterday on the effort to get all of the Republican Presidential candidates on to the April 24 primary ballot… As of this afternoon, 16 of the 32 Signature Parties have taken place, and we have gathered at least 480 signatures for…

The Cranston West Banner and State Inhibition of Religion

By Carroll Andrew Morse | January 25, 2012 |

Folks who invoke ideas like the “the enduring legacy of Roger Williams” as a means for deciding contemporary policy issues such as Steve Ahlquist of the Humanists of Rhode Island, continue to be confused about what that legacy actually entails. A Saturday Projo op-ed by Mr. Ahlquist from which the above quoted phrase was taken,…

Joseph Garrahy, 1930-2012

By Carroll Andrew Morse | January 25, 2012 |

Multiple media sources have reported that former Rhode Island Governor Joseph Garrahy passed away earlier this morning.

Gingrich to Win South Carolina

By Carroll Andrew Morse | January 21, 2012 |

It looks like Newt Gingrich will win the South Carolina Republican primary with about 40% of the vote. Mitt Romney will finish second around 27%, and Rick Santorum and Ron Paul will be 3rd and 4th, with 17% and 13% respectively. (Link to results from CBS News). Last cycle, I thought that one of the…

Welcome to the 2012 Edition of the Journal of Held For Further Study

By Carroll Andrew Morse | January 19, 2012 |

I attended last night’s hearing of the Rhode Island House of Representatives Municipal Government Committee on House Bill H7098, which would change the way that vehicles are valued for purposes of assessing the state’s car tax. Municipal Government Committee Chairman Jon Brien (D-Woonsocket) gaveled the meeting to order, took the roll, and asked Rep. Joseph…

Coming up in Committee: One Bill Scheduled to Be Heard Tomorrow (Relating to Car Tax Valuations)

By Carroll Andrew Morse | January 17, 2012 |

The Rhode Island House of Representatives Municipal Government Committee is scheduled to hear a bill tomorrow that would, according to the official description, change the car-tax valuation “so that the assessment of used motor vehicles would be based on the average trade-in price, rather than retail price” (H7098). All five of the bill’s sponsors (Joseph…