Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics?

Friday, January 28, 2011

Dan McGowan, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™

 

Who’s Hot

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Gordon Fox -> It’s been a great week for the House Speaker. Last weekend, he threw his complete support behind Education Commissioner Deborah Gist and this week he followed through on his pledge to create House Commissions on tuition and municipal finance. Kudos to the Speaker for continuing to put constituents first without worrying about who he’s going to piss off politically.

Senator Reed -> Continued his rise up the Democratic ladder with an appointment to Chair the subcommittee on the powerful Appropriations committee. Reed, who has long been rumored as a possible Defense Secretary, is virtually unbeatable in Rhode Island and it is clear that national Democrats are taking notice.

Tara Pinsky -> You’re more likely to spot Steve Laffey hanging around the state than you are to find anyone willing to admit they’re a Republican in Providence. So congrats to Pinsky, who not only identifies as a Republican, but is now the Chairman of the city’s GOP. She now has the unenviable task of actually getting someone elected, which won’t be easy.

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John Lombardi -> Nice to see a decent man who ran an excellent-but unsuccessful- race for Mayor get an appointment from the Senate Government Oversight Committee. This week, Chairman Frank Ciccone III named the longtime former councilman committee clerk.

Joseph M. McNamara & Grace Diaz -> Two members of the House who truly get it. McNamara and Diaz have reintroduced legislation that would require students to stay in school until they turn 18. All the major education groups in the state seem to support this and now it’s time for the rest of the General Assembly to act.

Donna M. Walsh & Jeremiah T. O’Grady -> It’s about time we learn where $82 million in corporate tax breaks are going. Kudos to these two State Reps for cosponsoring legislation that would require just that.

Ray Hull -> The newly elected state rep is getting off to the right start by standing up to the Providence Police Department and urging the retirement board to move against the pensions of officers Joseph A. Colanduono and Stephen T. Gonsalves.

Charles Lombardi -> Kudos to the North Providence Mayor for guaranteeing his town would see a budget surplus six months ago and then having it actually be true. You can make every joke in the book about North Providence, but Mayor Lombardi got it right this time.

Who’s Not

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Lincoln Chafee -> Unemployment is at 11.5%, the kids are the worst in New England for science, Sam's Club just closed and Governor Chafee is sending out poems via e-mail—a patrician’s view of opiate of the masses.

Deborah Gist -> I’m a huge fan of the Education Commissioner, but she’s making a huge mistake with this three-tiered diploma idea. As if she wasn’t walking on eggshells with the Governor already. Why would she try to pass an idea even her most ardent supporters don’t support?

Don Carcieri -> The last thing any Rhode Islander wants to hear is the former Governor (thank god) is considering forming a committee to looking into a Senate run. Please just go to Florida, play golf and never step foot in the state again, sir.

Congressional Unity -> It seemed like such a nice idea to have members of opposite parties sit together during the State of the Union. Unfortunately, it ended up incredibly awkward, mostly for the President, who delivered a great speech but never seemed to get the applause he deserved.

Michele Bachmann -> Because she ought to make the Not List anytime she speaks.
 

 

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