Monique Chartier

The S-Word: Glenn Beck Refines the Reason Behind the Tea Parties

By Monique Chartier | April 14, 2009 |

It’s not so much taxes as what creates the necessity to tax. (And look, once again, Rhode Island earns a national mention for a dubious achievement.) The mainstream media will report on the tea parties as if they’re just a bunch of whack-job Republicans who only care about taxes on the rich (like New York’s…

Federal Judgeships and Campaign Contributions – Two Completely Unrelated Items?

By Monique Chartier | April 13, 2009 |

Kudos to John Mulligan and the Providence Journal for shining some light on the nice chunk of change that proposed federal judge John McConnell has contributed to his political sponsors. The McConnells [John and his wife Sara Shea] gave $8,800 to Reed’s reelection campaign. They gave $3,000 to reelect Rep. James R. Langevin and $4,600…

Fiji, the Tax Man and Joe’s Estate

By Monique Chartier | April 13, 2009 |

Under “Fiji: Undemocracy in Action”, commenter Joe B reminds us that Fiji is a tax haven for many, including the family of the senior senator from Massachusetts. The Obama administration and some members of Congress would like to begin cracking down on tax havens by giving … U.S. regulators the authority to take special measures…

What is the Procedure for Removing a Supreme?

By Monique Chartier | April 13, 2009 |

United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg furnishes grounds to ask inasmuch as she has demonstrated that she misunderstands the fundamental requirements of both American laws and the function of the court on which she serves. I frankly don’t understand all the brouhaha lately from Congress and even from some of my colleagues about…

Fiji: Undemocracy in Action

By Monique Chartier | April 10, 2009 |

For those of us living in countries with democratic processes and smooth transitions of power, it’s good to be reminded what the opposite looks like. From the Telegraph. (Scroll past the excessively long ad at the top.) President Ratu Josefa Iloilo used a nationally-broadcast radio address to announce that he had abolished the constitution, assumed…

Remote Control: Good for televisions; Not So Good for the Internet

By Monique Chartier | April 8, 2009 |

Computer and internet tech stuff is not my forte. But wouldn’t it be far more effective to build (or bolster as needed) protections and barriers into critical computer infrastructure – electric, water, banking – rather than create a shut-down switch to be operated remotely and, most likely, after the infrastructure has been attacked and damaged?…

House Judiciary Committee – Hearings of Interest Today

By Monique Chartier | April 8, 2009 |

At the Rise of the House, 4:30-ish, in Room 313 at the State House. (True, all bills and resolutions before the General Assembly are of interest!) House Bill No. 5298 BY Palumbo, Corvese, Malik, Gablinske, Jacquard ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – THE RHODE ISLAND TAXPAYER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION ACT OF…

2009 Supplemental Budget: Gov Refuses to Sign

By Monique Chartier | April 7, 2009 |

… nor will he veto it. Citing the absence in the budget of statutory pension reforms which are absolutely necessary to ensure sustainability Governor Carcieri has returned H5019 Sub A to the General Assembly, permitting it to become law without his signature. Additionally, his letter to the G.A., available

Re: Tea Parties and Federalist 33

By Monique Chartier | April 6, 2009 |

From Federalist 33, Andrew pulled this quote: If the federal government should overpass the just bounds of its authority and make a tyrannical use of its powers … It should be emphasized here that the federal government is not justified in doing so even with some noble intent: to revive an economy, to save the…

Cell Phone Miscellany

By Monique Chartier | April 5, 2009 |

[Nothing in this post should be interpreted as support for the various proposed bans on the use of cell phones, hand held or other, while driving. Frankly, some of us would like to amend the Constitution, or at least see a Supreme Court ruling, forever guaranteeing the use of cell phones while carrying on the…