Rhode Island Politics

Patrick Crowley and Richard August on State of the State

State of the State: Pending Legislation from a Labor Union Perspective

By Richard August | April 24, 2022 |

Richard August and union organizer Patrick Crowley discuss legislation and unions’ power as a special interest.

Handcuffed resist fists

New England Democrats are edging toward a Chinese Communist social credit system.

By Justin Katz | April 20, 2022 |

In China, the Communist Party has implemented and is continually expanding a social credit system that seeks to use economic opportunities and restrictions to reward behavior the party likes and punish those who do things it doesn’t.  The system affects where people can live, how easily they can access credit, the speed of their Internet…

Arms hold an anchor above the water

Politics This Week with John DePetro: RI’s Same Ol’ Story Needs a Refresh

By Justin Katz | April 18, 2022 |

John DePetro and Justin Katz talk about Rhode Island politicians’ battle against the need for change in what they do and how they run.

Billy Hunt joins Richard August on State of the State

State of the State: Libertarian Party of RI

By Richard August | April 17, 2022 |

Libertarian Party of RI Chairman Billy Hunt discusses issues and his campaign with Richard August

A man falls down stairs

Politics This Week with John DePetro: The Way Things Don’t Have to Be

By Justin Katz | April 13, 2022 |

John DePetro and Justin Katz take on the recent craziness of RI politics.

A water drop and ripples

Ashley Kalus’s introduction video shows promise and dangers.

By Justin Katz | April 13, 2022 |

The recently released video promoting Republican Ashley Kalus’s campaign for governor provides reason to think she’s got some real opportunities and exposes some of the risks her campaign faces:   On the risk side, her references to bringing policies from specific other states is the sort of thing that rubs provincial Rhode Islanders the wrong…

Working on a checklist

Politics This Week with John DePetro: Talking Points and Ruts

By Justin Katz | April 4, 2022 |

John DePetro (now back in the states) and Justin Katz pick RI politics back up with missing a step.

A water drop and ripples

We could use more elected officials like Frank Maher.

By Justin Katz | April 4, 2022 |

When Bill Felkner introduced me to Republican state Senator Frank Maher on the back steps of the State House, I was still new enough to politics-in-the-flesh to think he was a representative sample of elected officials.  “He’s one of the good guys,” Bill told me, and he was right. On another occasion, not long after,…

Man walking in the desert

Politics This Week with John DePetro: Everybody’s Election to Lose

By Justin Katz | March 28, 2022 |

John DePetro and Justin Katz review shifts in the electoral landscape of the Ocean State.

Firedancer in a ring of fire

Politics This Week with John DePetro: Setting RI on Fire (and not)

By Justin Katz | March 21, 2022 |

John and Justin discuss high-profile political races, threats to RI freedoms, and the possibility of arson.