Monique Chartier

Candidates Who Made the Ballot (Coverage Courtesy of Jim Baron at the Paw Times and Definitely Not of Some Apparent Neophyte at Fountain Street) and a Possible Challenge to Candidate Order

By Monique Chartier | July 25, 2010 |

Naturally, being agog for the last week about who did and did not made the ballot, I clicked on an article in today’s ProJo which looked like it might answer the question. Immediately, however, the headline They’re off! Candidates for offices across R.I. file paperwork posed more questions than answers. Candidates had “filed papers” –…

Is Rhode Island Getting Full Value of the G.T.’s Time?

By Monique Chartier | July 23, 2010 |

The RIGOP is not wrong to raise this matter. (Press release.) The Rhode Island Republican Party today called on General Treasurer Frank Caprio to account for the value of his time and energy spent campaigning rather than doing the job he was elected to do. Citing a steady stream of campaign events this week, the…

One Teachers Union Endorses Chafee While Another Unendorses the Master Lever

By Monique Chartier | July 22, 2010 |

Confirming what a teacher had told me last week, Katherine Gregg reports yesterday on projo.com that the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals has endorsed former Senator Linc Chafee (I) for governor. Right around the same time, Ian Donnis breaks the news that NEARI Exec Dir Bob Walsh, in what is probably a…

The Nine RISC Business Network Endorsed Candidates

By Monique Chartier | July 21, 2010 |

Interesting mixture of Dems, Repubs and Independents; incumbents and challengers. House Lisa Baldelli-Hunt (D, Woonsocket) – Incumbent facing a primary Jon D. Brien (D, Woonsocket) – Incumbent facing a primary Douglas W. Gablinske (D, Bristol) – Incumbent facing a primary Brian Newberry (R, North Smithfield) – Incumbent Stephanie Santos Sivalingam (R, East Providence) – Challenging…

“Contract From America”

By Monique Chartier | July 19, 2010 |

Browsing around on a google search to see whether an l.t.e. by S.K. Town Council candidate Andrew McNulty got printed (apparently I’m too proud to just ask), I stumbled on this. With heavy emphasis on scaling back the size and spending (there isn’t a non-cliche adjective that properly describes how out of hand both have…

It Appears that Paris Hilton is a Pothead. Now Will You Think Better of Her??

By Monique Chartier | July 17, 2010 |

For the second time in a month, suspicion of cannibis possession has caused Miss Hilton to be detained abroad. Unlike last month in South Africa (ahem, unless the substance and the attendant culpability were quickly and conveniently shifted away from the dilettante … er, debutante as the South African gendarmerie approached), however, this incident turned…

Patrick Lynch Dropping Out

By Monique Chartier | July 15, 2010 |

WPRO’s Steve Klamkin report during the 6:30 am news that the AG will be withdrawing from the governor’s race sent me to projo.com which had a confirming article by Katherine Gregg and Tracy Breton on the front page. On Wednesday, a source close to Lynch said, the two-term attorney general was telling people close to…

So the New-and-Now-Defunct Non-Space Goals for NASA Were Just a Trial Balloon?

By Monique Chartier | July 13, 2010 |

Well, at least that would be sort of related to space, unlike the goals themselves, which have apparently been … withdrawn. [NASA Administrator Charles] Bolden caused a global stir last week when he said President Obama had asked him to reach out to Muslim leaders on science issues. He made the comments during an interview…

Cost of Illegal Immigration to Rhode Islanders

By Monique Chartier | July 12, 2010 |

My main focus with regard to illegal immigration has been its implications to US sovereignty and, with the recent rise in kidnappings and violence along the border, the personal safety of those who reside there. It is not unreasonable, however, to also examine the more pragmatic impact that it has on Rhode Island wallets and…

Tom Ward Gets to the Core of the Question of Government’s Philosophy

By Monique Chartier | July 12, 2010 |

… in his Vally Breeze column a couple of weeks ago for the Fourth of July. Do we want to be left alone for “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” as Thomas Jefferson wrote in our Declaration of Independence, or do we prefer the soft tyranny that comes with the security of a welfare…