Monique Chartier

NEA-RI Promotes John Leidecker

By Monique Chartier | October 6, 2011 |

EastBayRI reports – exclusively, it appears – in an article that also describes the latest development (mediation) in the stalled Bristol/Warren teacher contract negotiations. Mr. Leidecker is the lead negotiator for the NEA-RI in those talks. … Mr. Leidecker, negotiator for the Rhode Island chapter of the National Education Association (NEARI), was recently found guilty…

Mental Illness: Rhode Island Ranks Highest

By Monique Chartier | October 6, 2011 |

Must. Resist. Wisecracks. And. Speculative. Correlations. ( Via the Sacramento Bee.) A new report providing state-by-state analyses of the prevalence of any mental illness including serious mental illness (SMI) reveals significant variation across the country. For example, among adults aged 18 or older, the rate of serious mental illness in the past year ranged from…

Does Anyone Else Find It Ironic, Or Possibly Redundant, That They’ve Come to Occupy the Most Anti-Corporate State in the Country?

By Monique Chartier | October 4, 2011 |

A contingent from “Occupy Wall Street” is now gearing up to “Occupy Providence”. Earlier this evening, WPRO’s Matt Allen interviewed Bob Plain. He is covering the Occupiers’ Rhode Island campaign, which is currently in the planning stage. (Hey, Bob, when you get a minute, can we hear more about the hand signals employed at their…

Via WPRO, John Loughlin Checks In From Iraq

By Monique Chartier | October 1, 2011 |

John Loughlin, currently serving in Iraq, sent a letter to WPRO (was this via snail mail?), mainly describing his duties and schedule but also touching on living conditions. Below is an excerpt; inexplicably, WPRO did not put up the entire letter. I found his description of the living quarters especially enlightening. Keep in mind that…

Grotesque Claim: Reduction of Welfare Benefits A Violation of Due Process

By Monique Chartier | October 1, 2011 |

Michigan, in the face of a not unique budget crunch, recently implemented a reduction in social assistance (cash payments) from five years to four with, it should be noted, ample exemptions. A group of recipients filed a lawsuit to overturn this new, lower cap, which went into effect today. The basis of the suit? The…

Lawsuit Against 2012 Casino Referendum: Do the Narragansett Have a Point?

By Monique Chartier | September 29, 2011 |

The ProJo’s Kathy Gregg reports. (All emphasis added.) In a lawsuit filed in Superior Court on Wednesday, the tribe contends the law calling for the referendum is both “unconstitutional and vague.” Why? The tribe hung its legal argument on the same requirement in the state Constitution that tripped up its first two efforts to get…

And Now: Drivers Licenses

By Monique Chartier | September 27, 2011 |

Incrementalism is a beautiful thing. E-verify rescinded earlier this year. In-state tuition passed yesterday. Now the latest: drivers licenses. Governor Chafee said Tuesday that he is looking into the possibility that the state might issue driver’s licenses or driving permits to illegal immigrants. Responding to questions about a vote by the Board of Governors for…

The Newest Cost of Global Warming Madness: Killing & Evictions To Preserve a Carbon Credit Forest

By Monique Chartier | September 25, 2011 |

Apologies for bringing this up on a Sunday. Then again, perhaps it is appropriate to do so as global warming is now treated by some not so much as a scientific theory which demands (so boring) consistency in data and observations and models but more as a sort of warped religion where questions and empirical…

Yoo Hoo! PolitiFact! How ‘Bout Rating Assertions by the Board of Governors On In-State Tuition For Illegal Aliens?

By Monique Chartier | September 24, 2011 |

It has come to my attention that the ProJo’s infamous PolitiFact is currently investigating one of RIILE‘s several objections to in-state tuition for illegal alien students. So how about some sauce for the gander? In fact, a strong case could be made that all politi-fact checking on this matter should be directed to the RI…

In-State Tuition for Illegal Aliens: The Misinformation and Non-Responsive Justifications Persist

By Monique Chartier | September 24, 2011 |

On Thursday morning, a member of the Board of Governors for Higher Education, Attorney Eva Mancuso, appeared on WPRO’s John Depetro Show to explain why the BOG was considering extending in-state college tuition to illegal alien students. Unfortunately, her answers fell short in a couple of key areas. Asked by her host why the BOG…