The Chafeedom

Both Sides of the Chafee Raises

By Patrick Laverty | March 29, 2013 |

I have to admit, I’m torn on this one. The headlines and many people are screaming because Gov. Chafee wants to give two 3% raises to his cabinet members, just six months apart. Yeah, he wants to give more than a 6% raise, in less than a year to directors already making well into the…

Government Authority and Respect

By Carroll Andrew Morse | March 26, 2013 |

In case you missed it, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee had this to say, during a taped interview broadcast this past Sunday on WLNE-TV’s (ABC 6) “On the Record With Buddy [Cianci]” and linked to by Katherine Gregg of the Projo…[T]he media just gets themselves whipped up…who’s the piñata of the day, who’s the punching…

Kicking Off the Office Pool on the Size of the Block-Report Scandal

By Justin Katz | March 13, 2013 |

With Governor Lincoln Chafee planning a “media availability” at 2:30 this afternoon related to an analysis by Ken Block’s Simpatico Software to find waste, fraud, and abuse in Rhode Island’s social services programs, many residents are wondering whether he’s been hoping to hide something. Governor Chafee has excused his early decision not to release the…

Trust Chafee? You’re Kidding, Right?

By Patrick Laverty | March 8, 2013 |

My, how quickly Governor Chafee can change his opinion on things. First, on January 10th of this year, his office issued a press release that began: Governor Lincoln D. Chafee Announces New Transparency and Accountability Initiative, Signs Supporting Executive Order Providence, RI – In his continuing efforts to promote open and honest government in the…

The Political Philosophy of Our Governor

By Justin Katz | February 5, 2013 |

This month, The American Spectator magazine introduces its readers to Rhode Island’s Independent Governor Lincoln Chafee through a profile by Ethan Epstein in its “Eminentoes”section. The gist of the piece is that Chafee comes from an old-money political dynasty and views political party more as part of a heritage that he, by rights, ought to…

Things We Read Today (43), Tuesday

By Justin Katz | December 18, 2012 |

Explaining Rhode Island’s decline in four brief sections: legal process, the economy, the media, and fashionable graft. Continue reading on the Ocean State Current…

The Self-Censorship of the Community and a Loss of Rights

By Justin Katz | December 10, 2012 |

This is quite a thing to read, in a region and a nation that prides itself on tolerance and freedoms of expression and religion. A Tiverton family has spent recent years investing in a spectacular show of Christmas lights on their house, to the extent that they’re finding the visitor traffic to be an opportunity…

Economic Freedom? Not in Rhode Island.

By Justin Katz | December 4, 2012 |

To kick off a two-year planning process, the RI Economic Development Corporation under Governor Lincoln Chafee is seeking a contractor to, among other things, “analyze existing business climate reviews from the past three years, such as the Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index, Beacon Hill Institute’s State Competitiveness Rankings, and Forbes Best States for…

Governor Gives Thirty Minute Notice For Tree Lighting

By Monique Chartier | November 29, 2012 |

Yes, you read that correctly: thirty minutes. Governor Chafee deliberately excluded the people of Rhode Island from the lighting of THEIR tree (whether “Christmas” or “holiday”) at THEIR State House. Chafee’s office announced at 11:31 a.m. on Thursday that the governor would host a lighting of the tree at noon. Typically, several days’ notice is…

Cato Gives Governor Chafee a D in Fiscal Policy

By Justin Katz | October 10, 2012 |

In a white paper out yesterday from the Cato Institute, Governor Lincoln Chafee (as the chief executive of the Rhode Island government) received a score of D for fiscal policy.  His score of 41 is based on spending, revenue, and tax changes that he proposed and/or that were implemented under his watch from January 2010…