Marc Comtois

Money Well Spent?

By Marc Comtois | October 23, 2008 |

$605 million and $350 million. That’s how much Barack Obama and John McCain, respectively, have raised in this year’s presidential run. Almost $1 Billion. Of that, Obama has raised slightly more than $543 million from individual donors while McCain has raised a little over $151 million. Almost $700 million sent from individual Americans to two…

Me-Too “Conservatives”

By Marc Comtois | October 22, 2008 |

Tony Blankley provides some historical and practical context for the rash of conservative commentators who have become enamored with Obama based on his “temperment”. He calls them “me-too Conservatives.” He also forecasts what will happen post-election: I suspect that the conservative movement we start rebuilding on the ashes of Nov. 4 (even if McCain wins)…

Hassett Calls for Utility Rate Cuts

By Marc Comtois | October 22, 2008 |

Providence City Council member Terry Hassett wants the Public Utilities Commission to revisit this summer’s rate increase (h/t): “If the rationale was to boost the rate for electricity here in Rhode Island because it is directly related to the cost of oil, then the PUC is obligated to summon National Grid before them to reconsider…

A Free and Fair Press

By Marc Comtois | October 22, 2008 |

By now, conservative complaints about media bias is well-trod ground and indulging in them tempts the tune-out factor, but when Mark Halperin of Time magazine, former CBS newsman Dan Rather and sci-fi writer and registered Democrat Orson Scott Card are publicly acknowledging the media slant in this year’s presidential campaign, well, it’s worth a mention.…

Ethical Motivations

By Marc Comtois | October 22, 2008 |

From the ProJo: [Rhode Island] Ethics Commission members said yesterday that they suspect that if a Rhode Island official (Governor Carcieri, for example) did what an investigation in Alaska found that [Alaska Governor Sarah] Palin did — used her office to advance a personal, although not financial, cause — it would probably not violate the…

Powell Latest to Endorse the Obama Aesthetic

By Marc Comtois | October 20, 2008 |

Progressives are excited by Colin Powell’s endorsement of Sen. Obama for President. It will be interesting to see how some will square it with their anger at the then-Secretary of State for purportedly helping the Bush Administration lie us into war, etc. (Though some liberals haven’t forgotten). Hey, maybe they were right after all and…

Fighting My Inner Pollyanna

By Marc Comtois | October 17, 2008 |

OK, I could be accused of trying to “turn those [conservative] frowns upside down” with the imminent Democratic takeover of our government. Part of it is because I’m trying to take the long view, part of it is because I’m basically an optimistic guy. So, more for myself than perhaps others, here’s a little cold…

Presidential Candidates Put Things in Perspective

By Marc Comtois | October 17, 2008 |

The Al Smith Dinner is an opportunity for presidential candidates to take a break and poke a little fun at each other and themselves. Here is John McCain (part 1 and part 2) and Barack Obama. Kinda puts things in perspective. As I’ve written before, while politics is important, they need to be kept in…

USA Today: No Card-Check

By Marc Comtois | October 16, 2008 |

To follow up on Don’s post, from the editors of America’s middle-of-the-road (to be generous) national newspaper, USA Today, an essay against “card-check” legislation: A win for Obama and big gains for Senate Democrats could remove the remaining obstacles to the euphemistically named “Employee Free Choice Act.” Cajoled choice is more like it. The proposed…

The Wisdom of Joe the Plumber

By Marc Comtois | October 16, 2008 |

Google “Joe the Plumber”: you’ll get 1,953 news articles, like this. For those who don’t know, Joe Wurzelbacher had this conversation with Senator Obama last weekend: Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn’t it?” the plumber asked, complaining that he was being taxed “more and more for fulfilling the American dream.”…