Governor

A water drop and ripples

McKee jumped out of the municipal frying pan and into the 38 Studios fire.

By Justin Katz | September 7, 2021 |

This blows my mind.  As his former chief of staff, Anthony Silva falls issues a series of retirements, resignations, and property donations in an effort to put an influence-peddling scandal behind himself, Democrat Governor Dan McKee goes and fills his position with somebody who carries the stain of the 38 Studios scandal: On Tuesday, McKee…

Handcuffed resist fists

McKee takes a step toward lockdowns with new “quarantine and isolation executive order.”

By Justin Katz | September 2, 2021 |

Frankly, I intend to ignore Democrat Governor Dan McKee’s latest executive order, issued late yesterday, and make informed decisions for my own health and those with whom I come into contact.  All five of the “whereas” clauses — which are supposed to explain and justify this sort of resolution — are purely generic.  There is…

A man falls down stairs

Politics This Week with John DePetro: Stumbles in the State House and the Teacher Union Hall

By Justin Katz | August 30, 2021 |

John DePetro and Justin Katz talk about high-profile slip-ups by politicians and political actors.

Gustave Courbet's The Stormy Sea (The Wave)

Politics This Week with John DePetro: A Storm of Bias

By Justin Katz | August 23, 2021 |

John DePetro and Justin Katz discuss the ways in which the movers and shakers in RI avoid things everybody knows.

RI House district map

Politics This Week with John DePetro: The Government We’ve Got

By Justin Katz | August 16, 2021 |

John DePetro and Justin Katz discuss the ways in which Rhode Island politicians are making things political that shouldn’t be, and not doing so for things that should be.

Richard August and Daniel Munoz on State of the State

State of the State: Luis Daniel Munoz Candidate for Governor

By Richard August | August 12, 2021 |

Munoz offers the progressive version of acknowledging that the Democrat Party is the problem in Rhode Island.

A locked luggage box

Politics This Week with John DePetro: Boxed in by the Past

By Justin Katz | August 9, 2021 |

John DePetro and Justin Katz take on unprecedented developments in RI government and politics.

A more-descriptive restroom sign

Thanks to McKee and the General Assembly, 2021 is the year Rhode Islanders lost religious freedom.

By Justin Katz | August 6, 2021 |

The amazing thing, when government officials establish a religion, is that everything becomes clear and easy.  Through a clerisy, their god (even if it is an undefined Great Progressive Spirit) tells them what is right and wrong, and they simply conform the law to those requirements.  Anybody who believes differently has to put their beliefs…

Liquid pouring into an invisible glass

Alcohol-to-go is an example of how our government should function in changing circumstances.

By Justin Katz | July 5, 2021 |

As suggested in this post from last month, it is inappropriate for the governor to continue using an emergency declaration to preserve exceptions to the law.  Emergencies are (or should be) circumstances in which it isn’t possible for ordinary government processes to continue.  We can argue about when that ceased to be the case in…

Dan McKee on WPRI

McKee’s excuse for extending the state of the emergency isn’t very good.

By Justin Katz | June 12, 2021 |

In fact, when pressed for justification, Governor Dan McKee ends up illustrating how fully our government operates along lines of special interests. From an Alexandra Leslie article on WPRI: The governor said there were a few reasons behind the decision, including keeping certain opportunities extended to businesses in place, like allowing takeout beer, wine and…