The tale of two speeches. At the GOP Convention last week in Cleveland, RI GOP Chair Brandon Bell highlighted the corruption in RI when announcing how the delegates were assigned. On Tuesday night in Philadelphia, Nick Mattiello, Speaker of the House, took a far more positive approach. Read the two speeches.
MADAM SECRETARY, I AM THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF THE GREAT STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. HOME OF OUTSTANDING BEACHES AND COASTLINES, HOME OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD, GREAT COMPANIES WORLD, GREAT COMPANIES -- SOME OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD, GREAT COMPANIES SUCH AS HAS ROW AND NOW GE -- HASBRO AND NOW GE, STATE THAT IS PROBABLY ELECTED OUR FIRST FEMALE GOVERNOR, THE SMALLEST STATE IN THE UNION WITH ONE OF THE BIGGEST HEARTS, HOME OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN THE COUNTRY, THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND PROUDLY CASTS 17 VOTES FOR BERNIE SANDERS AND 19 VOTES FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON.
Brandon Bell, RI Chairman
Republican Convention
MADAM SECRETARY, BRANDON BELL, STATE CHAIRMAN OF THE RHODE ISLAND REPUBLICAN PARTY AS WELL AS THE DELEGATION CHAIR OF THIS INCREDIBLE RHODE ISLAND DELEGATION WHICH INCLUDES MY COLLEAGUE LEE ANN SENNICK, OUR NATIONAL COMMITTEEWOMAN, AND MY COLLEAGUE AND COMMITTEEMAN STEVE FRIAS, WHO WILL BE THE NEXT STATE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT 15 IN CRANSTON AFTER HE BEATS THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IN RHODE ISLAND, WHO IS A DEMOCRAT. ROGER WILLIAMS FOUNDED THE COLONY OF RHODE ISLAND IN 1631 BASED UPON PRINCIPLES OF COMPLETE RELIGIOUS TOLERATION, SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, AND POLITICAL DEMOCRACY.
THE UNITED STATES WOULD AFTER BE FOUNDED UPON. WE ARE THE OCEAN STATE AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL BACK HOME. UNFORTUNATELY, GOVERNMENT IS NOT WORKING IN RHODE ISLAND FOR THE PEOPLE. THE STATE IS RUN BY A CORRUPT DEMOCRAT POLITICAL MACHINE THE LAST 80 YEARS.
IN OUR STATE, WE ARE CONSTANTLY RANKED NEAR THE BOTTOM, REGIONALLY RANKED 50TH WORST IN TERMS OF OUR BUSINESS-FRIENDLY CLIMATE. DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP IN OUR STATE HAS BEEN RAMPANT CORRUPTION, LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, AND UNETHICAL CONDUCT WHICH MAKES IT KNOWS THE PRIZE THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE IS SUPPORTED BY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF RHODE ISLAND'S STATE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP.
IT SHOULD THEREFORE COME AS NO SURPRISE THAT RHODE ISLAND DELIVERED, SORRY JERSEY, THE LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY IN A THREE-WAY RACE WITH THE MOST AMOUNT OF VOTES CAST IN THE HISTORY OF REPUBLICAN PRIMARY WITH OVER 64% FOR DONALD J. TRUMP. THEREFORE, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CAST FROM A PROUD AND UNIFIED RHODE ISLAND REPUBLICAN PARTY, TO VOTES FOR SENATOR CRUZ, FIVE VOTES FIRST FOUR JOHN KASICH, AND 12 VOTES FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, -- DONALD J. TRUMP.
Related Slideshow: 5 Upstart Political Groups - Rhode Island Politics 2016
A number of groups in Rhode Island are working to have a say in the outcome of election 2016, either directly or indirectly.
Here's five who are working behind the scenes - out out in front.
"Sometimes we're portrayed as the 'Bernie movement' -- it's true Bernie won in Rhode Island, but our battle in the local party is not that," Bell told GoLocalProv.com. "Our movement isn't 'Bernie-only.' We welcome Clinton voters who support core Democratic values. But here in Rhode Island, the Democratic machine is controlled by people whose values are more aligned with the GOP."
Many Democrats wonder how Rhode Island can be in so much trouble. How can a state where Democrats have almost total control have one of the highest unemployment rates in the country? Why can't we have the strong, growing economies that other blue states like Massachusetts and Connecticut have?
The answer is simple. Although Democrats hold the vast majority of the seats in the Rhode Island General Assembly, they do not vote like Democrats. Our Democrats are political conservatives. On core Democrat-Republican issues like a woman's right to choose, common sense gun reforms, and tax cuts for the rich, our Democrats consistently stand with the national Republicans.
As the former Executive Director of the Rhode Island Republican Party put it, "We have a lot of Democrats who we know are Republican but run as a Democrat — basically so they can win."
This is the problem our organization was created to solve. At the state house, we advocate for progressive legislation. At the ballot box, we fight to elect strong progressive Democrats. So join us as we fix the Rhode Island Democratic Party!
"Do you believe that government should be limited in scope, and efficiently run? That personal liberty, self ownership, and a life of self-determination is granted to you by birth, and that your rights are not privileges to be doled out to the few? Congratulations! You are a Libertarian," Libertarian Party of Rhode Island Chair Ford said to GoLocalProv.com. "Locally, our 'rebirth' was born of the ruins of 38 Studios. We fought to keep taxpayer funds from subsidizing the corporate cronyists at the Providence Red Sox. Just last Saturday, we picketed the public relations exercise, aka "The Tour" of the Superman Building. Nope, not one shekel ... not one red cent."
ABOUT:
The purpose of the Libertarian Party of Rhode Island is to promote libertarianism as expressed in the Statement of Principles of the Platform of the Libertarian Party of the United States.
The National Libertarian Party platform can be found here.
The Libertarian Party is America’s third largest and fastest growing political party. Libertarians engage in a variety of projects, working for everyone’s liberty on every issue.
The Libertarian Party was created in December of 1971 by people who realized that the politicians had strayed from America’s original libertarian foundation, with disastrous results. Their vision was the same as that of America’s founders — a world where individuals are free to follow their own dreams in their own ways; a world of peace, harmony, opportunity, and abundance.
Libertarians are practical; we know we can’t make the world perfect. But, it can be better. Libertarians will keep working to create a better, freer society for everyone. As William Allen White said: “Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others.”
Leader of Gaspee Project: Chairman: Dr. Ellen Kenner
"We will pick certain races and engage in traditional political activities including robocalls to social media advertising. We're going to spend money. And donors will have to be disclosed as we do have to file reports," said Gaspee member Mike Stenhouse. "We'll have to list our top five donors. I can assure you that there is zero out of state dollars, despite with Democratic Party Chairman [Rep. Joe McNamara] falsely alluded to. They don't understand the level of outrage in the state."
ABOUT:
The Gaspee Project's mission is to return government to you - the people - by actively opposing special interest public policy and advancing market-based solutions that can transform lives through economic competitiveness, educational opportunity, and individual freedom. This election season we will be actively punishing lawmakers who have ignored the voice of the people.
The brainchild of John Vit, the site expected to get ramped up in the next two weeks -- to provide information to voters about incumbents.
"I came up with this, after John Flanders and I were effective on Don't Tolls," said Vit, of their successful campaign and failed Sakonnet Bridge toll effort. "I'm waiting for all the challenges are over. I'll be talking to folks in different districts, to find about how effective the incumbents are. We'll be asking about this tourism spending, any number of issues."
ABOUT:
It is our mission to get Good Government by recruiting, training and supporting challengers to the present, senators and representatives that occupy the present RI legislature.
"We are in no way politically driven, nor is it any way part of our mission," said Block, the former Moderate Party founder turned gubernatorial candidate for two parties. "Our charter is to conduct data intensive research. We do data and records, which we go into it without knowing what we'll find. The research we do touches on how government intersects with peoples lives. Pulling the ethics filings was to see if they mattered, for instance."
Rep. Anastasia Williams came under fire following said research into ethics filings -- and disclosures, or non-disclosures -- this past spring, prompting GOP Chair Brandon Bell to file an ethics complaint against her filings. Block can purport that his work is non-political, but the ramifications for his studies' findings for incumbents and challengers should certainly not be overlooked.
ABOUT:
We are dedicated to the idea that a good government is an open government. We rely heavily on Rhode Island's Open Records laws to obtain access to the data that is needed to help inform public policy.
Watchdog RI is dedicated to the idea that we will get better public policy when our elected leaders are given solid data and research to act upon.
Watchdog RI makes comparative analysis a key element of our research. How local governments compare to each other, and how Rhode Island compares to other parts of the country are crucial data points necessary for policy makers to have and understand.
