Monique Chartier

Public Pension Escrow Accounts?

By Monique Chartier | January 7, 2012 |

Liz Boardman and Iain Wilson have an excellent article in Thursday’s South County Independent previewing the new General Assembly session from the perspective of some area legislators. In it, Rep Spencer Dickinson (D-South Kingstown) stated that He plans to call for the creation of state and municipal escrow accounts, so the money is there if…

“Medicinal Marijuana” Is Already Legal (In Pill Form) – Why Are We Trying to Re-Legalize It?

By Monique Chartier | January 5, 2012 |

Last month, Governor Chafee petitioned the federal government on Wednesday to reclassify marijuana as a drug with accepted medical uses … Last week, Speaker Fox added his voice to the effort by appeaing to the law enforcement side. House Speaker Gordon D. Fox says he’ll personally petition the U.S. Department of Justice to seek a…

Jim “Color Me Unimpressed” Baron On The Iowa Caucuses

By Monique Chartier | January 1, 2012 |

The views expressed by Mr. James Baron in tomorrow’s Pawtucket Times – about both caucuses and pig farmers – are not necessarily shared by yours truly. • Finally, the Iowa caucuses are tomorrow. How did it come to be that a bunch of pig farmers who apparently spend every fourth year sitting around in coffee…

Why Barack Obama’s College Records Were Sealed

By Monique Chartier | December 31, 2011 |

Now all is clear. Andrew D. Basiago, 50, a lawyer in Washington State who served in DARPA’s time travel program Project Pegasus in the 1970’s, and fellow chrononaut William B. Stillings, 44, who was tapped by the Mars program for his technical genius, have publicly confirmed that Obama was enrolled in their Mars training class…

“Drill”, “Strain”, “Collapse” (No, It’s Not a Greenie’s Nightmare Vision of Offshore Oil Drilling)

By Monique Chartier | December 29, 2011 |

Readers are warned to comment with care; Big Sister is (probably) now watching, attracted to this post by the words included in the title. In America’s brave new world, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has set up fake Twitter and Facebook accounts in order to catch a potential criminal. They claim to be protecting…

A Touch of Chicken or Egg? – Does State Intervention Accelerate Municipal Receivership?

By Monique Chartier | December 27, 2011 |

Last week, the state escalated its involvement in East Providence’s budget problems by putting in a Budget Commission. It did so only one month after sending in a Fiscal Overseer. Observers have correctly pointed out that this was three full months earlier than called for by the procedure outlined in the so-called Fiscal Stability Act…

Fabulous – An “Office of the Repealer”

By Monique Chartier | December 26, 2011 |

When the General Assembly reconvenes shortly, I would urge that both they and the Governor give very serious consideration to implementing this, out of Kansas. A new “Office of the Repealer” has been created to reduce the number of laws and regulations, and the Repealer is canvassing the state for more cut suggestions. Those who…

RIGOP Chair Candidate (Third of Three): Mark Zaccaria

By Monique Chartier | December 20, 2011 |

On Wednesday evening, the RIGOP will be choosing a new Chair. Anchor Rising is profiling each of the candidates. This is Mark Zaccaria. Background Mark Zaccaria is a lifelong Republican whose campaign experience dates back to his High School days, distributing literature for Barry Goldwater’s run for President. Mark’s campaign experience also extends forward to…

RIGOP Chair Candidate (Second of Three): Raymond McKay

By Monique Chartier | December 19, 2011 |

On Wednesday evening, the RIGOP will be choosing a new Chair. Anchor Rising is profiling each of the candidates. This is Raymond McKay. Background Military Service: 11 years United States Army 21G Pershing Electronic Material Specialist and 74F Computer Programmer Work: 19 years working in MIS for the City of Warwick – network and telecom…

RIGOP Chair Candidate (First of Three): Tina McKendall

By Monique Chartier | December 19, 2011 |

On Wednesday evening, the RIGOP will be choosing a new Chair. Anchor Rising is profiling each of the candidates. This is Tina McKendall. Background I am a member of the Rhode Island small business community, an employer, the mother of three children, a wife, sister, friend and neighbor. My husband, Don, and I have been…