Side of the Rhode: who’s hot and who’s not in RI?
Friday, June 11, 2010
Read Side of the Rhode - Who's Hot and Who's Not in RI Politics - every Friday only at GoLocalProv.com!
WHO'S HOT
Peter Neronha -> In just his first year as being US Attorney in Rhode Island, Neronha has led high-profile arrests in North Providence and of four police officers in Providence. This past week, two dozen additional people were arrested in Operation Deception. The feds are on fiyah!
Bill Clinton -> When most pundits declared Arkansas US Senator Blanche Lincoln all but done in her Democratic Primary runoff against Lt. Governor Bill Halter, Clinton traveled back to his home state, hit the stump and cut a series of compelling TV ads yielding the surprise victory on Tuesday night for Lincoln. Here's the big question for Rhode Island. Which gubernatorial and congressional candidate can bring the Clinton magic to Rhode Island?
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Karina Wood and Maryellen Butke -> These parent leaders of RI is Ready have been a non-stop presence at the State House as they have led a statewide campaign to have Rhode Island join the other 49 states in enacting an education funding formula. Butke, in fact, was a newsmaker in using Twitter to post regular updates from the House and Senate floor on the funding formula votes.
Deepwater Wind -> This new off-shore wind company won important legislative approval to circumvent the State's consumer protection body on utility matters - the PUC. An off shore wind farm is a great idea for Rhode Island and manufacturing parts at Quonset for turbines from Cape Hatteras to Cape Cod could yield hundreds, if not thousands of jobs. But, we shouldn't be setting the precedent that companies can circumvent the PUC. Still, a huge win for Deepwater.
Frank Caprio -> This Democratic gubernatorial candidate had a clean and characteristically well-scripted kickoff to his campaign this past week. In addition, he was no holds barred in taking direct aim at Lincoln Chafee during the gubernatorial debate, deriding the former Senator for his sales tax plan and the teacher's contract in Warwick.
Frank DiPaolo -> This 103-year-old official doorkeeper of the House of Representatives and godfather of Patrick Kennedy's rise to Congress retired this past week. DiPaolo witnessed 15 gubernatorial and 30 General Assembly elections in his decades at the State House
Rhode Island's Rich -> Big victories for the wealthy this past week in the General Assembly as the top tax rate plunged nearly 3% and the amount exempt from the estate tax was increased as well. The rich will certainly get richer from these policies.
Scott MacKay -> This former newsprint scribe and current WRNI political analyst is one of the few pundits keeping the Ocean State honest about its immigration history and its current anti-immigrant present. MacKay seems rightly intent on reminding Rhode Island that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
WHO'S NOT
Rhode Island BP Station Owners -> Rhode Islanders only seem to stop at a BP gas station these days if they are running on fumes and there are no other gas stations in the area. Bottom line is that Rhode Islanders love the Bay and are outraged at the largest environmental disaster in American history. BP station owners in Rhode Island might want to consider a career change.
Pro-Banking Legislation -> One bill that was making its way through the House in the last days of the Assembly session was a bill - H-8154A - that was a direct frontal assault on Providence's attempt - through city ordinance and recently upheld by the courts - to help homeowners who are facing foreclosure by establishing a mandatory mediation process between the homeowner and mortgage holder. State government should be supporting homeowners facing foreclosure, not supporting the banks that caused the problem.
John Robitaille -> The former Carcieri staffer who is the favorite in the Republican nomination for Governor was out-played by his opponent Victor Moffitt in Thursday night's debate. Robitaille appeared stiff and awkward with an overdramatic furrowed-brow and failed to provide any substantive policies or witty talking points compared to Moffitt, who presented several specific policy ideas.
Pot Smokers -> While a Senate Commission recommended the decriminalization of a small amount of marijuana in Rhode Island, the General Assembly ended their 2010 session without seriously debating the measure. Then, during the gubernatorial debate, only 1 out of the 6 candidates - Moffitt - said that they supported this effort to end the War on Drugs and the resulting prison expansion.
Jeremy Kapstein -> This Red Sox senior adviser made waves when he announced that he was taking on Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts for the Democratic nomination. But, where's he been since?
The Providence Police -> A 4th police officer was indicted this week in Operation Deception. This comes on the heels of an officer convicted of rape and a video tape showing officers beating a handcuffed suspect. The Pride of Providence is anything but, these days.
The PCCC -> This national progressive group made waves in raising millions of netroots money in support of Bill Halter's attempt to unseat Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas Democratic Primary and then coming to Rhode Island to support David Segal's bid for Congress. This past week, the PCCC took a major hit when Halter suffered a surprising defeat.
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- Side of the Rhode: who’s hot and who’s not in RI?
