Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics
Friday, May 27, 2011
GoLocalProv gives you its weekly look at who's on top and who's on the way down on the Rhode Island political scene.
Who’s Hot
Providence City Council -> Kudos to the City Council for stepping up and banning the selling of single cigarettes, known as “loosies.” As they deal with the city’s crumbling fiscal situation, the Council deserves credit for taking on a cause that will protect the children of Providence. Good luck actually enforcing it, though.
Josh Miller -> As the state considers virtually every option when it comes to saving money, why not take up Sen. Miller’s idea to decriminalize marijuana in small amounts? Thirteen states have already done it and it might be time for Rhode Island to do the same. It’s a better idea than cremating people who die in state care.
Justin Krebs -> The founder of Drinking Liberally, a national progressive social organization, was in town chatting with the Rhode Island chapter this week. Krebs was pushing his entertaining new book, titled 538 Ways to Live, Work and Play Like a Liberal. It’s worth the read if you’re into that sort of thing.
Bill Lynch -> With Congressman Cicilline struggling, Lynch says he’s not ruling out another run in the Democratic primary. His decision not to sling mud at Cicilline last time worked against him in November. It will be interesting to see what his strategy will be this time if he ends up running.
Gordon Fox -> The House Speaker wouldn’t run against Congressman Cicilline, but with nearly $200k in the bank, he’d make a fine candidate. He’s relatively popular and is clearly establishing himself as an effective Speaker. If it were any other struggling Democrat in the U.S. House seat, he would be a prime candidate.
Arlene Violet -> Be sure to head over to Trinity Rep next week to catch the former attorney general’s mob musical, The Family. Violet is entertaining when she opines on local political happenings, but the mob is her bread and butter. The Family will undoubtedly be a can’t-miss performance.
Student Equal Economic Opportunity Act -> Connecticut, which has a far more conservative General Assembly than Rhode Island, passed a local version of the DREAM Act this week. It’s time for Rhode Island to get this passed as well.
Regionalization -> Get ready for more regionalization talk as cities and towns continue to struggle financially. Central Falls and Pawtucket are an obvious pairing, but how about Aquidneck Island, or maybe Providence and Cranston. If everything is on the table, this has to be an option.
Who’s Not
Fran Gallo/Central Falls Teachers -> Nobody is getting it right here. Both sides continue to blast each other, and everyone is forgetting about the students at Central Falls High School. It seems like change on both sides is the only option here.
Gina Raimondo -> Produced a pension report long on details but pretty short on recommendations, leading some analysts to question whether the general treasurer was more concerned about her political future than her job. Let’s hope that’s not the case.
Governor Chafee -> Probably not the best idea to suggest cremating folks in state care as a way to save money. The governor often receives unfair criticism, but he set himself up for this one.
Eric Holder -> It was a weak move when Vice President Joe Biden backed away from a trip to Providence a few summers ago, and it’s equally weak for the U.S. Attorney General to do it now. Holder should honor his commitment to the Providence Police Department and celebrate the work the police are doing in the city.
Patrick Lynch -> Another name being thrown around for that 1st District seat, but the former AG made a poor decision this week to sign on as a consultant to for-profit colleges. The last thing this country needs is more money-hungry institutions preying on low income students.
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- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics
Comments:
Charles Drago
9:58am on Friday, May 27, 2011
In re the Lynch Mob:
1. Bill Lynch did NOT decide "not to sling mud" at David Cicilline during the 2010 campaign.
Rather, Bill Lynch decided not to speak the truth about David Cicilline during the 2010 campaign.
And somehow this act of cowardice born of political expediency makes Lynch the Loser "hot"???
That’s Bill Lynch, the former powerful chairman of the RI Democratic Party who based his congressional campaign on a lie – namely that he was a political “outsider”.
That’s Bill Lynch, the former powerful co-leader of Pawtucket’s most influential political family who could not come close to carrying the Blackstone Valley and its largest city.
But wait, it gets worse: Why did Bill Lynch promise, at the beginning of his 2010 congressional campaign (including during the first debate), to “talk about the ‘real’ Providence,” and then fall deathly silent regarding David Cicilline’s incompetence and lies?
If one were inclined to harbor a cynical world view, one might conclude that Bill Lynch was consciously working for David Cicilline’s election by splitting the anti-Cicilline moderate vote.
Should Bill Lynch or his brother, the shameful and inept former RI Attorney General Patrick Lynch, seek the Democratic nomination for Congress from the RI First, you can bet your house that they’ll be doing so at the behest of David Cicilline.
Cicilline’s ONLY chance in the primary is to force a three- or four-candidate race. And the Lynch family – who collectively represent all that is wrong with the Democratic Party in Rhode Island – apparently once again has put up the FOR SALE sign.
David Cicilline is salivating once again at the prospect of being the first on his block to own TWO Lynches.
Bill and Patrick Lynch are among those most responsible for the 2010 election of the corrupt liar David Cicilline. And now they want to drive another stake through Rhode Island’s heart in 2012!
The Lynches certainly are “hot.” As denizens of political hell, what else could they be?
Charles Drago
10:11am on Friday, May 27, 2011
_______________________
P.S.
Patrick Lynch and Brendan Doherty are very, very close friends.
Brendan Doherty would not run against Patrick Lynch -- or, for that matter, his brother Billy -- in a General Election.
All of which sets up the following scenarios:
1. Patrick Lynch, with $500,000 in his political account, makes a run for the Democratic nomination. If Lynch, by mid-campaign, is showing that he can win -- which happens immediately after pigs are sighted in the treetops of Slater Park -- Doherty ends his Republican candidacy and affiliation and throws his support to Bill.
2. Substitute “Bill” for “Patrick” in Scenario One above – minus, of course, the half-mil.
Bill Lynch’s 2010 congressional campaign was a total charade – one consciously designed to help elect David Cicilline.
A 2012 Lynch campaign – and Bill and Patrick are interchangeable, bought-and-paid-for dinosaurs – would be launched for the same terrible purpose.
A dollar for a Lynch is a dollar for Cicilline. A dollar for Cicilline is a dollar for the Republicans.
Democrats, send the message to the Lynch Mob TODAY: The damage you've done to your state, your nation, and your party by electing David Cicilline is sufficiently grave.
Don’t even think about re-electing David Cicilline!
Gary Arnold
8:29pm on Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Unfortunately anyone with Democrat association is a loser in RI, but the biggest losers are the voters that keep putting these people back in the GA and state/federal government.
I am not support the RI Repubs as they are a lost bunch. Our best bet is Independents (not just stripe changers as our present Gov) and Moderate candidates.