slides: Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - Dec. 30, 2016
Friday, December 30, 2016
Russ Moore, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™
Every Friday, GoLocalProv's Russ Moore breaks down who is rising and who is falling in RI politics, business, and sports. Moore has worked on both sides of the desk in Rhode Island media, both for newspapers and on political campaigns.
Related Slideshow: Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - Dec. 30, 2016
View Larger +
Prev
Next
HOT
Nicholas Mattiello
The Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives enters the new year seemingly as powerful as he’s ever been, despite narrowly winning re-election this fall. Yet that being the case, he faces challenges this year, as Governor Gina Raimondo and he do not appear to be on the best terms, and that may derail his efforts to fulfill his campaign promise of phasing out the car tax. That being said, the Speaker will remain the focal point of Rhode Island politics in the upcoming year.
View Larger +
Prev
Next
HOT
Happy New Year
Happy New Year: Here’s hoping 2017 will be filled with peace, joy, and prosperity for all the good people of Rhode Island.
View Larger +
Prev
Next
NOT
Barack Obama
Maybe the time has come for the President of the United States to just stop talking and leave office gracefully? This week, Obama said that he is confident that he would have won a third term if term limits didn’t preclude him from running. But Obama also told us, just a few months ago, that there’s never been anyone more qualified to become President than Hillary Clinton. The President doesn’t seem to have the pulse of the American electorate the way he once did.
View Larger +
Prev
Next
NOT
Gina Raimondo
If the Governor wants to thrive in the new year and beyond, she needs to start taking transparency more seriously. A perfect opportunity to achieve that end would be to release all of the documents pertaining to the 38 Studios Investigation, which resulted in no charges of criminal conduct. If Raimondo fails to do this, the situation will remain an albatross hovering over her all next year and into 2018’s race for Governor.
View Larger +
Prev
Next
NOT
Seth Magaziner
Count the Rhode Island General Treasurer as another one of the state’s politicians who needs a strong 2017 to buoy his political career. Magaziner grabbed some positive headlines in 2016 thanks to his decision to slash a large portion of the state’s hedge fund portfolio (a move that was a very long time coming.) Yet the state’s unfunded liability grew slightly last year, and the fund will require tens of millions more to keep the plan afloat. Magaziner needs to start showing returns from the fund.
View Larger +
Prev
Next
NOT
Legalized Marijuana
The state of Massachusetts decided this week to delay the legalization of retail sales of marijuana by six months in an attempt to improve the law and make sure public health and safety safeguards are written into the law. Further, it’s still unknown how the incoming Trump administration will handle the issue, since it’s currently still illegal under federal law. It’s starting to look like it was a wise decision by the legislative leaders in Rhode Island (Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed and House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, to take a wait and see approach on the law.
View Larger +
Prev
Next
NOT
Rank-and-File Legislators
Wouldn’t it be nice if the Rhode Island state legislature became a bit less monolithic in the upcoming legislative session? In previous eras, legislators were far more comfortable speaking their minds and bucking leadership. Politics was much more fun back then. These days, you’d think Darth Vader was the Speaker of the House, as most legislators seem more scared of offending the power structure than anything else in this world.
Related Articles
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - August 26, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - August 19, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - September 2, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - September 9, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - September 16, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - August 12, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - August 5
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not - July 8, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - July 15, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - July 22, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - July 29
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - September 23, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - September 30, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - November 25, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - November 18, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - December 2, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - Dec. 9, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - Dec. 16, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - November 11, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - November 4, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - October 7, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - October 14, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - October 21, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - October 28, 2016
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not? - Dec. 23, 2016
Enjoy this post? Share it with others.