RI General Assembly Leadership Needs to “Cede Excessive Powers”—Stenhouse on LIVE

Thursday, November 29, 2018

GoLocal LIVE

Mike Stenhouse

Mike Stenhouse with the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity appeared on GoLocal LIVE on Tuesday where he said that a number of legislative reforms should be codified via a constitutional amendment -- and more.

"Now is the time to demand better government. Now is the time for General Assembly leadership to cede some of their excessive powers and to reform our government so that all lawmakers on Smith Hill are freer to represent the families and businesses in their districts. No more excuses," said Stenhouse. "It is far better that the many elected representatives have a greater say in the legislative process than to be pressured to support the agendas of the few in leadership."

Stenhouse, who said that he supports the reform ideas previously put forth by Representative Jared Nunes (D, Coventry), added that with the statewide debate gaining momentum, that the Center recommends that a more "permanent solution" should also be considered.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

The first piece of legislation, Stenhouse said, would immediately implement certain reforms during the 2019 General Assembly session -- while the second piece would call for a ballot-referendum in 2020, whereby voters could approve codification of tose reforms into the Rhode Island constitution.

"The recently concocted 'Reform Caucus', led by progressive-left activists, is currently making disingenuous calls for similar reforms. It should be clear, however, that their motives are not for good-government purposes, but rather as a means to advance their radical agenda," warned Stenhouse. "We must institutionalize these reforms in our constitution, because the ultra-left cannot be trusted not to reimpose authoritarian measures if they ever assume leadership control."

Stenhouse said the Center calls on lawmakers from the left and the right to publicly back this legislative initiative, and for leadership to consider how they can be viewed as heroes by supporting these obvious good-government reforms.

Among the high-level goals that the legislation and constitutional referendum should seek to reform, include:

* Less control by leadership over what legislation will advance, with more power provided to legislative committees
* A more democratic process to 'advise and consent' over committee chair appointments and other leadership positions
* An end to the corrupt end-of-session "cattle-call" votes, whereby dozens upon dozens of bills are rushed through committees and brought up for floor votes in the course of just a few late-night hours
* A process that restricts the capacity of majority and minority leaders to 'suspend the rules' to circumstances where only true emergencies may occur, and with limited duration or scope.
* An end - or significantly increased transparency - to the corrupt legislative and community grant process, which is often used as a coercive legislative sledge-hammer.

RI General Assembly Leadership Needs to “Cede Excessive Powers”—Stenhouse on LIVE

Related Slideshow: Election Night 2018: Photos of Democratic Heaven and GOP Hell in RI

Related Articles

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Sign Up for the Daily Eblast