Rhode Island Politics
I made that mistake, and the House is debating H5582, which would mandate the number of apprentices who can be supervised by journeymen in trades. Majority Leader Gordon Fox just gave an impassioned speech about good workmanship, living wages, people of color, etc. In short, it’s a lot of rhetoric by people who have no…
Monique and Matt called for more content, specifically streaming online video, coming out of the State House on last night’s Matt Allen Show. Such a feature could not only provide a window into committee meetings about which few people are interested, but also remedy very odd omissions, such as the blackout of the House Labor’s…
Probably the most significant item to emerge, thus far, from the legislative appendix underway at the State House was House Majority Leader Gordon Fox’s assurance that binding arbitration for teacher contracts is not going to make a surprise appearance: Fox confirmed that a proposal to allow binding arbitration in contract disputes with teachers’ unions is…
Thomas Sowell pauses for a moment of disbelief at the conversation in America: Just one year ago, would you have believed that an unelected government official, not even a Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate but simply one of the many “czars” appointed by the President, could arbitrarily cut the pay of executives in private…
Well, he’s a Democrat and a lawyer, which means he’s got two strikes against him, but Scott Pollard (D., Coventry, Foster, Glocester) counterbalances with a dozen good ideas on saving Rhode Island. Here’s the first: Problem: Rhode Island’s tax structure is not business- or citizen-friendly, which harms the state’s reputation and potential for growth. Solution:…
As Justin warily explained, we’re about to witness two fun-packed days of legislative confusion–at least to outsiders. For, as Lt. Holden said in Operation Petticoat, “In confusion, there is profit.” Just so. The line was uttered at a point in the movie when the submarine aboard which Holden served as the supply officer was in…
This is not encouraging: [Rhode Island’s] Legislative leaders have scheduled hearings or floor votes for 196 individual proposals between Tuesday afternoon and Thursday night. And that number is expected to grow. … The scope of the agenda apparently surprised several political observers. “I thought it was going to be more targeted,” said John Marion, executive…
It’s a small thing, really, but curious to note: The Providence Journal‘s “In Quotes: The Week That Was” section touches on Patrick Kennedy’s attack on the Catholic Church and Bishop Thomas Tobin’s reply, but it puts the bishop’s call for an apology first and then doesn’t quote the more aggressive line from Kennedy’s interview. “If…
So, Chiefygate has driven former Chief Justice Frank Williams from his post-retirement seat on the court: [Chief Justice Paul] Suttell called Williams’ decision to step aside “best for the court.” He said he will not ask Williams to perform any further judicial duties, but that Williams will continue to deliberate and write decisions on cases…
Want another bit of evidence that Rhode Island ain’t done sinking, yet? Tune into the Speaker of the House race, as Ed Fitzpatrick does, here. Ed’s right that this story is very Rhode Island: In the small world of State House politics, the contest is coming down to three lawyer/legislators who shared a Broadway office…