The Chafeedom

Fear of the Unknown (But Suspected)

By Justin Katz | January 6, 2011 |

This week, reading the paper has become a discouraging exercise. We’ve entered a world in which social issues like same-sex marriage and a welcome sign to illegal immigrants are declared, without challenge, to be economic development issues, with tax increases as the grease for growth — in which an all-white collection of left-wingers, unionists, and…

Happy New Year, Commissioner

By Justin Katz | January 6, 2011 |

We may look back at the fifth day of January as the first instance of Education Commissioner Deborah Gist’s changed work environment, thanks to a press release by Sen. James Sheehan (D, Narragansett, North Kingstown): “If good teachers are the most important element to education, the Department of Education shouldn’t allow uncertified individuals to teach…

Immigration and Buzzards

By Justin Katz | January 6, 2011 |

Monique and Matt talked of illegal immigration policy and a meaningful juxtaposition of headlines on the Matt Allen Show last night. Stream by clicking here, or download it. We’re still not to our goal of funding a full-time job, by the way, so please email or call (401-835-7156) me to pledge financial support — as…

UPDATED: Profiting from Ethics, the Chafee Way!

By Marc Comtois | January 5, 2011 |

UPDATE: According to WPRO, Governor Chafee has decided to remove the Amazon link to his book from his official RI Governor’s website. Awaiting news on when the Chafee Administration initiates and internal ethics investigation. UPDATE II: Ooooooh. Of course!!!! BLAME THE INTERN! ORIGINAL: Hat tip to WPRO’s Dan Yorke (and one of his unnamed listeners).…

And so it begins

By Marc Comtois | January 5, 2011 |

The Chafeedom has begun. In his inaugural address, Governor Chafee clearly sought to link his new administration to the historical tenets espoused by Rhode Island’s founder, Roger Williams. I will not rest until we reclaim the promise that lay in the heart of our founder Roger Williams some 375 years ago….Today, I ask all Rhode…

If You Love an Idea, Set It Free

By Justin Katz | December 30, 2010 |

I’ve got the third offering in Ted Nesi’s week-long series of letters of advice to Governor-elect Lincoln Chafee: Cynical political observers might suggest that Chafee should take a lesson from Politics 101 and host short, pointless meetings with his issue-by-issue opposition in order to deflate their claims of exclusion. The governor-elect’s problem goes deeper than…

Common Sense Locked Out

By Justin Katz | December 29, 2010 |

With Governor Lincoln Chafee determined to ease the way for illegal immigrants in Rhode Island society, some legislators will surely increase their attempts to affect the relevant aspects of Rhode Island law through legislation, as Rep. Peter Palumbo (D, Cranston) has promised to do: Palumbo also said he will introduce another bill, or package of…

UPDATED: Trainor’s Had That First Bitter Taste

By Justin Katz | December 28, 2010 |

Ian Donnis reports that the voice of Chafee, Michael Trainor, may not be on board for the job post-inauguration: Michael Trainor, who managed Lincoln Chafee’s winning gubernatorial campaign after the departure of J.R. Pagliarini — and who had been expected to serve as communications director in the Chafee administration — might not be staying with…

Call in the Gov

By Justin Katz | December 22, 2010 |

This’ll be a useful test case for Governor-elect Chafee: On the snowy steps of the high school, Frank Flynn, president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers, said he had called Chafee Tuesday morning and asked him to convene a group of teachers, school and district administrators, union leaders and state education officials to “move…

A Snicker from “the Differences”

By Justin Katz | December 20, 2010 |

I had to chuckle at this gem, given Governor-elect Lincoln Chafee’s all-but-established precedent of rebuffing requests for meetings from folks with whom he disagrees: During the 45-minute long ceremony, Chafee will give his first address as governor, focusing, in part, on the idea of “setting aside differences and focusing on commonalities as we move the…