Marc Comtois

Health Care Wrangling

By Marc Comtois | January 19, 2011 |

The U.S. House of Representatives will most likely try to repeal the Obama Health care program this week, though that’s where the effort will stop because of the political realities (Democrats control the Senate) while on another front, we are now up to 26 states that are suing the Federal Government over the imposition of…

Bai on the lack of shared experience

By Marc Comtois | January 18, 2011 |

Thanks to Ian Donnis’ “Tip Sheet” (a daily read for me), I read Matt Bai’s latest column discussing “the fractiousness of our modern society” and how, in the wake of the Tucson shootings, it’s “impossible now for any one moment to transform the national debate.” This is because, according to Bai: There is very little…

Obama Presidential in Tucson

By Marc Comtois | January 13, 2011 |

President Obama’s remarks at the memorial service in Tucson were exactly what was called for. His tone was spot-on and he displayed leadership by reminding us all that there isn’t always a simple explanation for tragedy. For the truth is that none of us can know exactly what triggered this vicious attack. None of us…

Day Late and a Dollar Short: ProJo & Harrop Decide Now is the time to Blame Tea Party and Conservatives for Tucson

By Marc Comtois | January 12, 2011 |

After the meme has all but been destroyed, the ProJo editors and columnist Froma Harrop (one in the same?) have thrown in their lot with the “blame the right wing/tea party for Tucson” crowd. The editors: While there has been some menacing left-wing rhetoric (the left was particularly extreme in its attacks on George W.…

Congresswoman’s Shooting, Mass Murder is a Tragedy, Not a Partisan Opportunity

By Marc Comtois | January 8, 2011 |

Prayers to Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her family, including my fellow USMMA alumnus Mark Kelly, and to those who lost people in the horrific shooting in Arizona earlier today. Such a tragedy, especially when we may never be able to make sense of the actions of a deranged man. But boy, don’t we try–and unfortunately,…

Science, not Sensationalism

By Marc Comtois | January 6, 2011 |

Many have probably heard about the “Great Garbage Patch” in the Pacific Ocean, which is “roughly the size of Texas” though some have claimed it’s even bigger. Well, maybe not. Claims that the “Great Garbage Patch” between California and Japan is twice the size of Texas is “grossly exaggerated” said the research which reckons it…

UPDATED: Profiting from Ethics, the Chafee Way!

By Marc Comtois | January 5, 2011 |

UPDATE: According to WPRO, Governor Chafee has decided to remove the Amazon link to his book from his official RI Governor’s website. Awaiting news on when the Chafee Administration initiates and internal ethics investigation. UPDATE II: Ooooooh. Of course!!!! BLAME THE INTERN! ORIGINAL: Hat tip to WPRO’s Dan Yorke (and one of his unnamed listeners).…

And so it begins

By Marc Comtois | January 5, 2011 |

The Chafeedom has begun. In his inaugural address, Governor Chafee clearly sought to link his new administration to the historical tenets espoused by Rhode Island’s founder, Roger Williams. I will not rest until we reclaim the promise that lay in the heart of our founder Roger Williams some 375 years ago….Today, I ask all Rhode…

Hess: An Important Voice on Education Reform

By Marc Comtois | January 3, 2011 |

I’ve mentioned The American Enterprise Institute’s Rick Hess before and how he has a lot of interesting and, to my mind, good things to say about education reform. In short, if you want to stay up on the current EdReform movement, Hess is a good resource. For instance, he has recently explained how school reformers…

Only in RI can Taxes go down but the amount withheld go up!

By Marc Comtois | January 2, 2011 |

Lower taxes? Sounds good: Rhode Island begins to put in place provisions of state tax legislation that…make the state tax system easier to understand and calculate, said Michael F. Canole, the Rhode Island Division of Taxation’s chief of examinations. “We’ve simplified our personal income tax,” he said. The changes will also ultimately reduce overall state…