Engaged Citizen
We, as a society, need to give deference to traditions upon which good governance is built, but, like corsets, manual typewriters, and LP records, the Rhode Island “Master Lever’s” time has passed. It is time to allow it to retire with dignity into the memories of our grandparents and public affairs’ historians. Contrary to what…
On Thursday evening, the RIGOP will choose a new Chair. Mr. Smiley is the second of two candidates. Check out both Mr. Smiley and Dr. Harrop on this week’s Newsmakers on WPRI 12. Let me introduce myself, I’m Mark Smiley and I’m running for Chair of the RI Republican Party. I’ve been the Warren Republican…
On Thursday evening, the RIGOP will choose a new Chair. Dr. Harrop is one of two candidates. Check out both Dr. Harrop and Mr. Smiley on this week’s Newsmakers on WPRI 12. I am writing to let you know that after much consideration I have decided to run for Chairman of the RIGOP. As we…
That is the headline you might be reading in your local paper this coming Thursday! Unless YOU do something about it! The R.I. GOP Candidate Recruitment Committee has come up with strong candidates in about half of the 113 Legislative Districts (38 Senate & 75 House). They have vetted these people. And have provided practical…
[Tomorrow, the RIGOP will consider a resolution to close its primary; i.e., the requirement that a voter must have been registered as a Republican for at least ninety days in order to vote in a Republican primary in Rhode Island. This afternoon, Dave Talan sent the following e-mail with his thoughts on the subject.] I…
(Following are the prepared remarks of Mr. Ward at the Publick Occurrences Forum, “Pension Puzzle: What Can We Afford?” of this evening.) My thanks to the Providence Journal, Leadership Rhode Island and Rhode Island College for allowing me the honor of participating in this forum. There was an advertisement in yesterday’s Providence Journal placed by…
Dear Representatives and Senators representing Woonsocket: I write today to express my strong opposition to the H5961 and S0794, teacher binding arbitration bills to be heard in each chamber’s Labor Committee on Wednesday. Representative Phillips and Senator Picard, as members of the labor committee in each chamber, I am asking that you vote in opposition…
I’m not sure if everyone is feeling the same way I am about the budget Governor Chafee introduced to the General Assembly a few weeks go. Besides talk radio, the reaction has been muted. And even more maddening are the people that don’t mind the new taxes (like Ernie the Barber) or say “eh, what…
Last night I had the chance to attend two quite different public meetings. I began at the newly reemerging Warwick Mall where Rhode Island Second District Congressman James Langevin was holding a hastily arranged public event. Although it was billed as a ‘Town Hall Meeting’ the actual ground rules Rep. Langevin established for the affair…
I feel compelled to clarify some of the misstatements made by reporter Gene Emery in a PolitiFact hit piece which gave me a rating of “Pants On Fire”. First off, when I first spoke with Mr. Emery, he stated that he became interested in the cost of illegal immigration after seeing a RIILE sign at…