Marc Comtois

Senator Tardy

By Marc Comtois | October 29, 2008 |

H/T

Redistribution Obama Is Opposed To

By Marc Comtois | October 29, 2008 |

Well, this struck me as apropos of so many things. Sorry if you’ve seen it elsewhere:

Transportation Bond: Let Them “Scramble”

By Marc Comtois | October 29, 2008 |

The Governor was out pushing the $87.2 million transportation bond yesterday. I understand the pragmatic reasons–especially in a tight budget year–but the fiscal irresponsibility of taking on 30 years of debt to fund a portion of what should be a regular budget item has to stop. Gov. Donald L. Carcieri and R.I. Department of Transportation…

The Cash and Carry Politics of Obama

By Marc Comtois | October 29, 2008 |

With a week to go, former Democratic Senator Bob Kerry, CNN’s Campbell Brown and the Washington Post have decided to pipe up about the gobs of cash Barack Obama has raised. Kerry notes the Democratic Party’s hypocrisy on the subject: On the question of public funding of presidential campaigns, we Democrats who strongly support Sen.…

Sayonara Stevens

By Marc Comtois | October 27, 2008 |

I referenced the Ted Stevens conviction earlier, here are more details. There are several counts against him, but count #1 contains the gist of it: Stevens engaged in a scheme to conceal from his Senate financial disclosure documents home renovations and other gifts he received from Allen and VECO from 2000-2006. Stevens contends he never…

The Final Week (Thank God!)

By Marc Comtois | October 27, 2008 |

It’s the final week of this never-ending election and people who can make up their minds await the decision of the 10% (or so) who can’t. I can never figure out how you could be undecided at this point, but people are. In the Senate, despite the conviction of Ted Stevens (AK), it still looks…

ProJo Endorses Obama

By Marc Comtois | October 26, 2008 |

I wonder if local liberals feel like they’re in bizarro world? What to do when the much maligned “BeloJo” endorses The One? The next president will have to deal with a Congress that, although almost certainly Democratic, will sometimes want to go its own way. And all successful American politicians must be willing to shift…

Council 94 Accepts “New” Deal

By Marc Comtois | October 24, 2008 |

In July, Council 94 tried to ignore economic reality and rejected this deal: 1) Pay raises of zero, 2.5 percent, 3 percent and 3 percent during each of the next four years; 2) a one-day pay reduction in the current year that employees can recoup as a paid leave day; 3) escalating increases in the…

Frank: Democrats Will Cut Defense Spending by 25%

By Marc Comtois | October 24, 2008 |

As Monique mentioned, the ProJo has endorsed Barney Frank. I wonder if they would reconsider, given that Frank now says he will cut defense spending–an important piece of Rhode Island’s economy–by 25%. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said Democrats will push for a stimulus package after the November election, and called for a package reducing defense…

25th Anniversary of Beirut Barracks Bombing

By Marc Comtois | October 23, 2008 |

Today’s the 25th anniversary of the Hezbollah bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut. On my way to work, I pass a memorial to Edward Iacovino of Warwick, who lost his life that day. Though it’s been a quarter of a century, for Elizabeth Iacovino, who lost her son Edward S. Iacovino at the…