Rhode Island Politics

Stick It

By Marc Comtois | April 25, 2005 | Comments Off on Stick It

As a non-native Rhode Islander, I continue to learn of the little traditions of which I have never heard, here or anywhere else. Coffee milk, “cabinets”, hot weiners, etc. Now I read in today’s ProJo of the “tradition” of handing out “Rhode Island Official” stickers. At first, it just seems like yet another case of…

Arlene Violet Radio Show Today

By | April 22, 2005 | Comments Off on Arlene Violet Radio Show Today

I will be on the Arlene Violet radio show today at 3 p.m. WHJJ 920 AM. Primary subject will be public education issues in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island Politics & Taxation, Part XV

By | April 14, 2005 | Comments Off on Rhode Island Politics & Taxation, Part XV

This posting continues a periodic series on Rhode Island politics and taxation, building on fourteen previous postings (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV). Sometimes certain news events do not need a lot of commentary because they speak for themselves. This posting on the latest developments in the…

Selfish Focus of Teachers Unions: Everything But What Is Good For Our Kids

By | April 11, 2005 |

I received an email today from someone, who wrote: …how shockingly demanding the unions are at this point. I feel like they are outting themselves as the unreasonably greedy private concerns that they are. This posting is about yet another Rhode Island case study of unreasonable greed by public sector unions.

Another Resource

By Justin Katz | April 2, 2005 | Comments Off on Another Resource

You know, perusing the latest newsletter (PDF) from Operation Clean Government, it occurred to me that, if somebody were to piece together all of the discrete (and too discreet) bits of advocacy writing from around the state of Rhode Island, it might amount to a full-sized publication. The audience might be limited, of course; unleavened…

Rhode Island Politics & Taxation, Part XIII

By | March 30, 2005 | Comments Off on Rhode Island Politics & Taxation, Part XIII

This posting continues a periodic series on Rhode Island politics and taxation, building on twelve previous postings (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII). Raymond Brooks of Providence wrote a letter to the editor of the ProJo that highlights how Rhode Island Speaker Murphy’s new House rules violate all sense…

Maybe Your State Representatives Want You to Be Poor

By Justin Katz | March 19, 2005 | Comments Off on Maybe Your State Representatives Want You to Be Poor

It’s called “the Curley effect,” according to an absolutely must-read column by Tom Coyne of RIPolicyAnalysis: The authors note that “in his six mayoral races, between 1913 and 1951, James Curley represented the poorest and most ethnically distinct of Boston’s Irish. The city’s Brahmins always despised him because of his policies, his corruption, and his…

Without a Culpable Citizenry, There Is No Freedom

By Justin Katz | March 18, 2005 | Comments Off on Without a Culpable Citizenry, There Is No Freedom

I was going to respond to a letter by Jayne Platt: We can call and write our representatives. I do, I really do. Should I quit my job and babysit the Assembly, watching every bill that comes to the floor? Then, I ask, why should I vote? Stopping a self-serving, destructive bill needs to be…

Rhode Island Politics & Taxation, Part XII

By | March 15, 2005 |

This posting continues a periodic series on Rhode Island politics and taxation, building on ten previous postings (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI). Ed Achorn of the ProJo is back with another thoughtful commentary that deserves to be shared and read in its entirety: Last week, I sat in on…

Your Freedom Is Slipping Away

By | February 22, 2005 |

I have updated an earlier posting to report on the unbelievably anti-democratic actions late last week in the Rhode Island State House. Speaker Murphy and his cronies are stealing our freedom in broad daylight. And they don’t give a damn. Do you?