Russell Moore: Fox’s Departure Shouldn’t Overshadow Achievements
Monday, March 24, 2014
Make no mistake about it: Friday was a bad day for Rhode Island.
When federal agents stormed the statehouse and raided the House Speaker Gordon Fox's office in what was apparently a search for evidence, we all ended up a little bit worse off--regardless of the political fallout or who gets to call the shots on an ongoing basis.
Let's face it: the turn of events that followed was nothing if not predictable. The whole House of Representatives kicked into succession mode--some overtly, others covertly. They had to. Legislation and state business as a whole must continue. Keep in mind: the House is smack in the middle of their mid-season business. This isn't January where there isn't much going on yet.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTNo one can blame the ambitious folks who moved quickly to consolidate support in an effort to become the next statehouse top dog. If they didn't get their ducks in a row quickly, their opponents certainly would have. It's called game theory.
With respect to Fox, call me crazy, but it really does rub me the wrong way that the FBI can merely begin gathering information on a public official and that forces him to resign from office. I totally understand why he needed to resign, as FBI agents raiding your office does cloud your ability to lead, but the federal government with that kind of power does have a chilling affect.
Let's keep in mind, Fox hasn't even been charged with a crime, let alone been proven guilty of anything. Last I heard, The American Way is presume a citizen innocent until proven guilty. Fox should be given the same exact benefit of the doubt and presumption of innocence that every single other citizen of the country is entitled.
Regardless of what happens going forward, what's sad about the latest turn of events is that it will, in all likelihood, overshadow what really should have been considered a successful political legacy by observers.
Fox certainly wasn't a perfect Speaker of the House, but I'd argue that he was good. Under Fox's leadership, the legislature passed a fair and equitable school funding formula. The legislature passed pension reform, shaving $4 billion off of the pension fund's unfunded liability and in the process making the system more affordable for taxpayers and more secure for current and future retirees. And the state joined the rest of New England in making gay marriage a reality in Rhode Island--an issue that is the civil rights issue of our era. (Let's also not forget that he killed Governor Lincoln Chafee's regressive and economy killing sales tax hikes.)
Every single one of those issues was thought to be a political non-starter at one time or another. But Fox knew how to build consenus for the issues he cared about. It got things done.
The best way to know that Gordon Fox was a political moderate was the fact that he was always subject to criticism from both sides of the aisle. The conservatives would have you believe he was Bernie Sanders. The liberals (progressives) would portray him as if he were somehow our own Barry Goldwater. When you're getting criticized by purists from both ideologies, you're probably doing something right.
As someone who has observed the political process in Rhode Island for about a decade now, I can say for certain that it's pretty easy to stand on either side of the political spectrum, whether it be a conservative or a liberal (progressive), and refuse to compromise or listen to your adversaries. You'll never actually accomplish anything, but at least you'll still have your purity. That and $2 dollars will get you a large Del's lemonade.
It's not as glamorous to be a consensus builder like Fox. And those who do tend to tick off their colleagues on both sides of the political aisle. But here's the thing: they actually get things accomplished.
Gordon Fox sure did.
A native Rhode Islander, Russell J. Moore is a graduate of Providence College and St. Raphael Academy. He worked as a news reporter for 7 years (2004-2010), 5 of which with The Warwick Beacon, focusing on government. He continues to keep a close eye on the inner workings of Rhode Islands state and local governments.
Related Slideshow: Rhode Island’s History of Political Corruption
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