Don Roach: Rhode Island, You Are To Blame
Wednesday, April 09, 2014
Back in 2010, when I had just begun writing for GoLocal I made a video imploring Rhode Islanders to choose different representatives at the State House because (at the time) we were in pension crisis mode and our economy was still in the tank. Democratic leadership hadn’t solved the problems facing our state and I tried to get you to change your voting patterns to give new people a try. At the very least, it would create some balance of power at the State House so that one party doesn’t simply do whatever they want without accountability.
I begged you to not to reelect David Cicilline in 2012 because of how he left Providence. I began the ABC (Anybody But Cicilline) Coalition asking each of you to become card carrying members. My reasoning was that we couldn’t let a politician get away with the financial shenanigans that occurred under Cicilline’s leadership.
Each time, no one listened. We elected the same people back to office and nothing changed. I’m not arrogant enough to think every eligible voter reads my musings each week, but I am certain there are a fair number of you who are faithful readers each week (thank you). And at the risk of losing you, I’m disappointed that you continue to make the same electoral choices cycle after cycle.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTIn case you were focused on basketball over the past few weeks, Gordon Fox resigned as Speaker after his offices were raided by the FBI. The raid made national headlines and yet again, Rhode Island was in the news shining a light on Rhode Island politicians behaving badly.
But you know what? I don’t think Rhode Island voters are going to care. If we didn’t care before now, what about a little old FBI raid is going to change anything? What will continued lagging employment do? One word: nothing.
Yesteryear, I would have had more confidence that something could change that you’d read the same news I read and make different electoral decisions. I mean does it make any sense to elect the very same people who put us in this mess? No it doesn’t and yet we do…again….and again….and again. In 2014, I’m not going to fool myself because if the Rhode Island electorate has proven anything, it’s that it is fiercely loyal to picking candidates who have proven that they don’t know how to fix the mess.
I know what some of you are thinking and I’ve heard that argument before – even if we elect new people, these new politicians could be the same as or worse than what we have today. To that I say, I can’t guarantee that the next group of politicians will be better but I can guarantee that if we elect the same people we can expect more of the same. If you want more of the same from the past decade, elect the same people.
Once again, I’ll challenge you to try something different. Most of Rhode Island registered voters are Independent and yet the Democratic Party dominates. I’ve written about why that’s the case, but without balance at the State House we screw ourselves. This may come as a shock but most politicians are power hungry people who want to be in charge. In a one party system the people in power don’t have to be accountable to anyone because they have no challengers. The RI Democratic party faces more challenge from fighting themselves than from than Republicans.
Sure, we can blame Rhode Island Republicans for being “out of touch” and not change our voting patterns, but if we continue voting for the same people who haven’t solved our problems, we doom ourselves to unending Democratic control and excess.
I used to think words could persuade Rhode Island to think differently and try a new candidate or two. But, it seems that we’re hooked on the same mediocrity. If what I’m saying riles your feathers, prove me wrong by voting in different people in 2014.
I’d love to see it but won’t be holding my breath.
Don Roach can be reached at [email protected]. You can also follow Don on Twitter at @donroach34.
Related Slideshow: Rhode Island’s History of Political Corruption
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