Marc Comtois

HAPPY 4TH!!!

By Marc Comtois | July 4, 2007 |

RE: DCYF’s Problems

By Marc Comtois | July 3, 2007 |

Pat Crowley–who throws ad hominem attacks around like a Fenway Park Vendor throws peanuts (though they’re more accurate)–has peeked in to drop a couple bombs concerning my DCYF post. However, he did attempt a more substantive critique at Kmareka (a post which Justin already mentioned). Crowley thinks that my calculations don’t take into account compounding…

DCYF’s Problems: A Matter of Fiscal Priorities

By Marc Comtois | June 29, 2007 |

The ProJo reports: Rhode Island’s Child Advocate Jametta O. Alston is pursuing class-action status on behalf of the 3,000 children now in state custody, aiming for nothing less than an overhaul of Rhode Island’s child-welfare system, which the suit portrays as overburdened and mismanaged. “It’s beyond broken,” Alston said of the system. “It’s demolished. It…

Your Growing State Government (Or, Fun with Numbers)

By Marc Comtois | June 28, 2007 |

Well, with the budget passed, let’s look at the damage. First, here’s how much we held the line, broken out by major department (all % are rounded): 2007 to 2008 Expenditure Growth Department 2007 2008 Change($) Change(%) General Government $1,409,253,153 $1,421,934,563 $12,681,410 1% Human Services $2,567,110,918 $2,715,812,422 $148,701,504 6% Education $1,848,828,527 $1,909,134,809 $60,306,282 3% Public…

ProJo’s Perpetual Port Promotion: What Say You?

By Marc Comtois | June 28, 2007 |

Another week, another pro-Port development editorial from the ProJo: Port jobs pay exceptionally well and tend to be outsourcing-proof, since businesses must move goods to population centers, wherever they are produced. Further, the ports spin off other business, for which there is plenty of room at a place like Quonset Point, in manufacturing and services.…

Immigration Anecdote

By Marc Comtois | June 27, 2007 |

Strictly political “kudos” to the Democrats for making the ongoing immigration debate a Republican affair. The GOP has rent itself in two over the issue while the Dems have been able to sit back and grin. But the honeymoon may be over. A co-worker–this person is predisposed to Democrats, doesn’t like Bush and is only…

So Let me get this straight….

By Marc Comtois | June 27, 2007 |

We’re going to take a buyout and use future money from a tobacco settlement–money that was supposed to go towards anti-smoking education and help alleviate the pain and suffering of actual smokers (ahem)–so that we can, among other things, pay for some overtime that some sheriffs didn’t work in the past, but that they should…

RE: The AG and the Tobacky

By Marc Comtois | June 26, 2007 |

Surprise! After some weird deliberation, AG Lynch went ahead and signed the bond authorizing grabbing tobacco money as per the GA. He will supposedly elaborate at 4:30 today. Summary: much ado about nothing…except some PR, I guess.

Where Art Thou, Liberal Talk Radio?

By Marc Comtois | June 25, 2007 |

One of the side conversations in the comments to my “Media Bias” post concerned the possible resuscitation of the so-called “Fairness Doctrine,” which Sen. Diane Feinstein floated on FOXNews Sunday: WALLACE: So would you revive the fairness doctrine? FEINSTEIN: Well, I’m looking at it, as a matter of fact, Chris, because I think there ought…

Media Bias

By Marc Comtois | June 22, 2007 |

I don’t expect anyone was really surprised to learn that journalists open their wallets and donate to Democrats over Republicans by a 9:1 ratio. Well sweep me off my feet. In a trade where the panacea of “objectivity” is touted…well, these polls just don’t help, do they? But you know what? Bias isn’t an inherently…