Guest MINDSETTER™ Gregg Amore: Why I’m Running for State Rep.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
My father met John Kennedy in 1960 and for as long as I can remember he relished in telling the story of how he shook his hand and patted him on the back. My father passed away in 2008 and I know that until his last day he lamented the fact that the nation was robbed, on that fateful day in Dallas, of a true leader with unlimited potential.
My father’s Kennedy devotion led me to read everything I could find on John Fitzgerald Kennedy and I continue to read everything new that is written on the nation’s 35th president. The constant theme that runs through most of these works is not associated with foreign or domestic policy in particular, but a call to public service. Kennedy inspired Americans to serve their communities and their country and cliché as that may sound in this day and age, I truly believe in public service and that is what has led me to run for a seat in the Rhode Island General Assembly.
I also believe that good public policy can improve the lives of Rhode Islanders and that it must be crafted in a deliberate and thoughtful manner that considers all stakeholders and all segments of our population. While I acknowledge, accept, and admire the role of the rugged individualist in American society, I know that we all do better when we have a collective mindset that ensures that we are looking out for our neighbor and not abandoning them in their time of need.
There is no doubt that there has been mismanagement, waste, and a lack of foresight in crafting some aspects of collective bargaining agreements at the local and state level, but the greatest burden on our distressed cities and towns is that the state has shifted far too much of the burden from the collective Rhode Island tax base to the taxpayers in cities and towns that can least afford it. Some of those cities and towns are literally being crushed under the weight of this shift and their property tax payers can no longer bear it.
Instead of crafting a fair broad based state tax system and a fairer school funding formula, we have fallen victim to a narrative that scapegoats public employees and ignores the perfect storm that has placed us in our current state. That’s not good policy, its demagoguery.
I am all for streamlining the business regulatory process and engaging in business friendly economic policy which must include serious infrastructure improvements and a focus on keeping the enormous talent pool that exists at our state’s colleges and universities, in our state. More importantly, we have to invest in our community college and create a curriculum that serves the needs of Rhode Island business. There are burgeoning programs all over the United States that bring together industry and community colleges in order to meet the labor needs of these businesses. This is the direction we must follow.
My daughter Tess is 13 and my daughter Megan is 10 and I want them to be able to stay in this beautiful state where their family has prospered for generations. In order for that to happen, good people have to step up and heed the calling to public service.
Gregg Amore is a Democratic candidate for State Rep. in District 65 (East Providence).
Comments:
Common Sense RI
8:02am on Saturday, July 14, 2012
Blah blah blah. Can we get some specifics please? Or just more cliches and odes to JFK? Read between the lines: "We need to raise state taxes in order to avoid hurting public employees." The sad part is that this guy may not really beleive that but he obviously thinks he needs to at least say that in order to win the primary.
Guido Fawkes
9:19am on Saturday, July 14, 2012
Gee, what a bold new thinker!
Studied EVERYTHING he could read on JFK...I guess
he just couldn't manage to find a copy of
"THE DARK SIDE OF CAMELOT"
Art West
10:11am on Saturday, July 14, 2012
"While I acknowledge, accept, and admire the role of the rugged individualist in American society, I know that we all do better when we have a collective mindset that ensures that we are looking out for our neighbor and not abandoning them in their time of need."
That is nicely crafted code for "tax-and-spend Democrat."
Perhaps Amore did not read JFK's repeated calls for fiscal responsibility:
“Our tax system still siphons out of the private economy too large a share of personal and business purchasing power and reduces the incentive for risk, investment and effort – thereby aborting our recoveries and stifling our national growth rate.”
– John F. Kennedy, Jan. 24, 1963, message to Congress on tax reduction and reform, House Doc. 43, 88th Congress, 1st Session.
Dan McGowan
11:27am on Saturday, July 14, 2012
We're thinking of running this feature all summer. Different candidates weighing in on why they're running.
What do you guys think? Post here or e-mail me (danmcgowan21@gmail.com)
Aaron Regunberg
12:24pm on Saturday, July 14, 2012
I think it's a good idea, Dan. I wouldn't have heard of Gregg otherwise, great to know there'r more folks running who want to represent working families.
"While I acknowledge, accept, and admire the role of the rugged individualist in American society, I know that we all do better when we have a collective mindset that ensures that we are looking out for our neighbor and not abandoning them in their time of need."
Funny, when I read that I don't think of tax-and-spend Democrat--I think of some very similar words and lessons from the New Testament.
Art West
12:26pm on Saturday, July 14, 2012
Dan,
Great idea. I would just ask each candidate to complete a short list of key questions, such as:
How would you promote business growth in RI?
In what areas would you reduce or increase spending?
Do you support public pension reform for municipalities?
Etc.
Art West
12:36pm on Saturday, July 14, 2012
Aaron,
Yes, and no doubt that's the intended thought.
donatello gori
8:09am on Sunday, July 15, 2012
translation: i can't wait to eat up the hill every night and put RI further in debt.
guy smily
8:54pm on Sunday, July 15, 2012
"There is no doubt that there has been mismanagement, waste, and a lack of foresight in crafting some aspects of collective bargaining agreements at the local and state level, but the greatest burden on our distressed cities and towns is that the state has shifted far too much of the burden from the collective Rhode Island tax base to the taxpayers in cities and towns that can least afford it."
NEWSFLASH --The Democrats put us here! You know the party that has ruled the General Assembly for 70 years. The same one that follows the leaderships every whim. The same party that did NOTHING to help the economic climate and jobs this year! The same party you admire and are running under. How about some information on you. What do you do for a living? What degrees do you hold? Where do you stand on key issues? Crickets................