Monique Chartier

How about Merit Pay … for the General Assembly

By Monique Chartier | November 3, 2008 |

Rather than to the Consumer Price Index, shouldn’t raises for members of the General Assembly in some way be tied to job performance? My own thought would be a factor which combines the growth in jobs in the state with the increase in the median salary in the state. What other factors should be considered?…

Breaking News: East Providence Teachers Vote to Work-to-Rule

By Monique Chartier | November 2, 2008 |

Further to a prior conversation thread, Anchor Rising does not specialize in scoops. But if someone – in this case, Will Ricci of the Ocean State Republican, with access to a telephone but not a computer – kindly offers one, this contributor at least will not refuse it. East Providence teachers met this afternoon to…

Re: Any bids for $75,000?

By Monique Chartier | October 31, 2008 |

Donald notes the latest lowering of the income level at which a taxpayer “will not see one dime’s worth of tax increase” in an Obama administration. Let’s be clear that it has been a steady and orderly backing down from that $250,000. > Starts at $250,000. [The campaign presumably figures out shortly thereafter, either from…

Debate: Second Congressional District Race

By Monique Chartier | October 31, 2008 |

Mark Zaccaria (R) and Congressman James Langevin (D) square off this afternoon at 4:00 on WPRO‘s Dan Yorke Show.

But Tax Policies Have no Impact on Behavior in the Real World

By Monique Chartier | October 29, 2008 |

From the Orlando Sentinel. Dolphins owner H. Wayne Huizenga said Sunday no date has been set for selling up to 45 percent more of the team to Stephen Ross, but the presidential election is among the issues weighing on his decision. That’s because a Barack Obama administration is expected to mean higher capital-gains taxes. “He…

Shocked, SHOCKED at Such Mortgage Terms

By Monique Chartier | October 27, 2008 |

Not a.r.m.’s or balloon payments this time. It seems that Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), in addition to millions in campaign contributions from the industry he purports to regulate, also received a couple of sweetheart mortgages totalling $800,000 from Countrywide Financial. Kevin Rennie in Sunday’s Hartford Courant: Sen. Christopher Dodd’s bewildering odyssey of entitlement, evasions and…

Add One More Name to the Invite List of that Forum, Gov

By Monique Chartier | October 26, 2008 |

Jack Welch, former Chairman and CEO of General Electric was a guest this morning on ABC’s This Week. He describes his company’s first hand experience with Rhode Island’s anti-business climate and how it is the “Don’t” model for dealing with a financial crisis. [Commenter Mike points us to this item.] The New York Times this…

Isn’t This Just Social Security on Steroids?

By Monique Chartier | October 26, 2008 |

Possibly hoping to tap disenchantment with the recent performance of the stock market, Workforce Management reports that Powerful House Democrats are eyeing proposals to overhaul the nation’s $3 trillion 401(k) system, including the elimination of most of the $80 billion in annual tax breaks that 401(k) investors receive. House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George…

Endorsing Bad Government

By Monique Chartier | October 23, 2008 |

You know, for a gang that claims to be enamoured of regulations and regulating, too many Democrats sure dropped the regulation ball when it came to mortgage guidelines and Fannie and Freddie. One of the more egregious offenders as we now know was Congressman Barney Frank. From September 9’s Wall Street Journal. At least the…

“… we’re going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy”

By Monique Chartier | October 21, 2008 |

Setting aside for a moment matters of substance as well as my own preference in the presidential race, Senator Obama has to be saying to himself right about now, “Why didn’t someone tell me about this guy’s mouth?” Enter Joe Biden. Yesterday, the Republican camp was trying to score some points from speeches the Delaware…