Justin Katz

Shortsighted inspectors of disaster

Politics This Week: An Establishment Without Clarity

By Justin Katz | February 26, 2024 |

On WNRI 1380 AM/95.1 FM, John DePetro and Justin Katz discuss: Political establishment deteriorating with the Washington Bridge Safety falling through the gaps of immigration euphemism Media punts on journalism when it comes to people they hate Tidewater beneficiaries “Quiet campaigns”   Featured image by Justin Katz using Dall-E 3 and Photoshop AI.

A water drop and ripples

Yes, pet euthanasia often comes down to convenience.

By Justin Katz | February 26, 2024 |

I mean, I know from experience it can still be sad and traumatic, but at the end of the day, few people exhaust the medical possibilities before concluding the cost is too high.  That’s why this tweet is an example of the way in which political arguments can brush aside the most significant distinctions: Kelsey…

A water drop and ripples

The cause of the young-adult suicide drop is less important than the cause of its resumption.

By Justin Katz | February 24, 2024 |

Armand Domalewski asks an important question, when he observes a quick decrease in teen and young adult suicide after 1994, which held until about 2008 and in 2017 exceeded its previous high: The more important question, though, is what has been happening since 2007/2008. Having graduated high school in 1993, I’d speculate that the drop…

A water drop and ripples

The union push is a bad sign for ABC6.

By Justin Katz | February 23, 2024 |

Entirely apart from ideological battles, the push at the ABC6 news operation in Rhode Island is a bad sign for the station: Over a quarter century of living in Rhode Island, I’ve seen no movement from ABC6 toward a greater competitive position against WJAR (10) and WPRI (12).  The perennial third-place laggard from a struggling…

A water drop and ripples

McKee is a great representative… of RI insiders.

By Justin Katz | February 22, 2024 |

I’m a little slow with this, but I still want to chime in on how telling this is: It’s never a good sign when politicians find themselves explaining to constituents why they (the People) are exaggerating the difficulties they (the politicians) are causing them with unarguably incompetence, but it’s so, so emblematic of RI government.…

A water drop and ripples

This should be the repeated proposition for a better future in RI.

By Justin Katz | February 21, 2024 |

The following sentiment, expressed here by a small-business owner being crushed by the Washington Bridge closure, has been expressed by people seeking to reform Rhode Island for decades, so it is encouraging to find it somewhere outside of our meetings and events: “think of how successful we could be if we weren’t having to pick…

A man in a suit holds a soccer ball decorated with dollar signs

Elaborate government investment fraud creates incentive for election fraud.

By Justin Katz | February 21, 2024 |

The latest shiny news object in Rhode Island media is the revelation that the Tidewater soccer stadium will cost Rhode Island taxpayers $132 million in order to finance $27 million of the construction costs, or $4.4 million per year for 30 years.  Grumbling is being heard from people with familiar names — “obviously these are…

A water drop and ripples

It’s not a good sign when a museum of government is the best use of prime real estate.

By Justin Katz | February 21, 2024 |

The signs of Rhode Island’s decline are piling up, but here’s a small one worth noting: Once considered a pipe dream, a new $100 million Rhode Island state archives museum is closer than ever to being built. … … McKee’s office has asked to investigate whether the land next door to the Providence Amtrak station…

Rising tide floods a city

Politics This Week: High Tide for Special Interests

By Justin Katz | February 19, 2024 |

John DePetro and Justin Katz discuss unions, immigration, infrastructure, borrowing, and other ways special interests profit from government.

A water drop and ripples

We need to ask the “and so” of healthcare principles.

By Justin Katz | February 19, 2024 |

When I see statements like the following (from a former Bernie Sanders surrogate, in this case), my reaction is usually, “Fair enough, but then what”? So what’s the alternative?  If we move toward the single-payer, government-managed system Dr. Dooley likely supports, then it’ll be politicians and bureaucrats rather than doctors.  And even in the case…