After a historic 60-39 vote in the US Senate to begin consideration of the Protect Patients and Affordable Care Act of 2009, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement:
“Tonight the Senate voted to move one step closer to enacting the most significant health reform that this country [...]Advocates for more effective sentencing are celebrating a victory that has been four years in the making as S0039aa and its companion bill H5007aa became law this month, effective without the Governor’s signature, after passage with overwhelming support in the General Assembly on October 29th.
This step is an [...]
I'm not really sure anyone remembers this, but we had a bit of a financial crisis last fall. Remember that? Banks too big to fail, but they failed anyway? Financial armageddon avoided via all-weekend meetings in New York and DC. Sunday evening announcements about who'd get billion-dollar bailouts the next [...]
I was great to see how much of a twist was caused by my last post. Let's see what more fun we can have with Property Tax facts, at least as presented by the Tax Foundation.
So, here is an interesting facet of the debate [...]
Everyone should check out Ian Donnis's "Ten Things about Frank Caprio."
On Wednesday, November 25 starting at 7pm at The Wild Colonial, Drinking Liberally will host the second part of its three-part countdown to Election 2010 with special guest host General Treasurer Frank Caprio. The event is FREE.
PLEASE NOTE: [...]
Earlier this year, Mayor Cicilline unveiled plans designed to make Providence a "creative capital" for the 21st century. Granted, it has been focused on the arts, but all the uproar about the City's new recycling program and the contentious City Council meeting last night make it pretty [...] Apparently we've not given enough blood and treasure to get 'er done.
US lawmakers: New tax should pay for Afghan war
Influential US lawmakers on Thursday called for levying a new income tax to pay for the war in Afghanistan, warning its costs pose a mortal threat to efforts [...]
State Senator Leo Raptakis is again filing his Inspector General legislation (his previous bill floundered in the Senate Finance Committee). Raptakis justifies this legislation as follows:
“The fact that $75 million in taxpayer funds were lost in a sinkhole of corruption and mismanagement at the Central [...]
There is a new report out by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) called Who Pays? A Distributional Analysis of the Tax Systems in All 50 States. As you may have guessed, it analyzes each state’s tax system in relation to the burden placed on the [...]
One of the many things I learned about on a quick trip to DC this week was about a new project by American Rights at Work. The project launches at 10 AM today: here are details and a link from The Hill:
Labor group launches 'Twitter flash mob' [...]The Gov just released a statement on his veto of basic civil rights for people who lose a loved one. Sadly, it appears his arrogance is now forcing him to lash out at those who would dare to call him out on his bigotry. From the Projo:
In the [...]
UPDATE: Jim Taricani had a great story on Channel 10 about the issue:
Most people don't know it, but one of the largest food distribution centers for needy people in Rhode Island is hosted at the Open Table of Christ church building in Providence. Late last week, the church was [...]
With Scott Slater’s impressive victory in the District 10 election earlier this month, he became the newest Representative-Elect. His swearing-in ceremony will be held on Monday, November 23 at 4:30pm, in the House of Representatives Chamber.
Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis will administer the oath of office [...]Lt. Gov. Elizabeth H. Roberts will convene the Small Business Advocacy Council on Friday, November 20, at 8:00 a.m. to help small business owners get answers to their questions about Rhode Island’s stimulus plans. Small business owners who have questions about what stimulus programs they can apply for, who to [...]
There was an article in Tuesday’s Boston Herald about a report commissioned by Deval Patrick regarding the immigrant community living in Massachusetts.
The 56 page report, called Massachusetts New Americans Agenda, details 131 recommendations to better integrate immigrants (both authorized and unauthorized) and refugees into the Bay [...]
There's been speculation here and elsewhere that Carcieri's trying to line up a post-gubernatorial gig with the RNC or another national-level tentacle of the Republican Party. If there's truth to those rumors, does the funeral rights veto -- and all of the terrible national exposure that's come with it -- [...]
As far as I can tell, the "good jobs accomplishments" section of Gov. Don Carcieri's website hasn't been updated since before the 2006 election. That is telling.
Perhaps the web editor was laid off?
PS. If the website is taken down for any reason, you [...]
The tricky part everyone keeps bringing up in greening the economy is the investment required, and how we fund changes required in our public infrastructure, such as our power grid and roads.
Geek Night tonight provided some insight into a local company building out a powerful platform for exactly [...]
This is the first of a two-part blog on Queer Action of RI's meeting with Governor Donald L. Carcieri. Part II will go into detail about what we said to the Governor and what he said to us.
So you've read the papers, watched the TV news, and listened to the [...]
On Nov. 2, 2009 the City of Newport’s Water Division filed an application with the RIPUC to changes its existing rates. The impact on customers will vary based on customer class, but a typical residential customer could see a decrease of $18.20 in their annual bill (or a decrease [...]
Congressman Bart Stupak announced on Fox that if his Stupak Amendment does not remain intact in the final version of the Healthcare Reform Bill that "at least 10" Democrats may not vote for the final Healthcare Reform Bill to be passed. Is Congressman Langevin one of those 10-20 "democrats" [...]
On Tuesday November 10, 2009 Governor Carcieri killed a bill that would allow non-married couples the right to plan the funerals of their deceased partners.
Please join in solidarity for a vigil and funeral procession this Thursday in protest of Carcieri's veto.
Vigil and Funeral Procession [...]
Today, the Organizing for America campaign selected a video to be its flagship ad for healthcare reform. According to David Plouffe (President Obama's campaign manager), there were nearly 1000 videos submitted from ordinary Americans, and this was the one selected.
See if you can guess what two words are missing from [...]
Just an FYI: there will be a City Council meeting tonight at 700pm. They are looking to put a stop to the program until there is further education. I have sent a letter to the council regarding my opinion and can't see how after all the free PR they have [...]
Tip o' the hat to Hard Deadlines for pointing out that Stephen Colbert took Rhode Island's Republican Governor - Don Carcieri - to task last night for his awful veto of a bill allowing domestic partners to have funeral rights.
The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c[...]Thanks for coming out of the closet:
While many pundits whistle past the graveyard of the Nov. 3 elections, the political professionals know the truth: There has been a stark shift of independents away from the Democrats.
Finally we get an acknowledgement that you are [...]
No wonder folks on Fountain Street seem cranky lately...from today's Providence Business News:
PROVIDENCE – The relentless decline in The Providence Journal’s advertising sales worsened slightly from July through September as the newspaper’s performance continued to lag its sister publications, according to a new financial statement from its parent company.
The [...]
Economist Richard Wolff’s “Capitalism Hits the Fan” began as a lecture that grew into a book and documentary film. Wolff will present his nationally acclaimed analysis of the current economic crisis on Wednesday, Dec. 2, from 12:30-1:45 p.m. in Gaige Hall Auditorium at Rhode Island College. [...]
I’m not sure how I missed this poll conducted for BBC World.
Only 11 percent of people surveyed across 27 countries thought free market capitalism is working well, while nearly a quarter -- 23 percent -- said the system is "fatally flawed." A bare majority, 51 percent, [...]
I’m not sure if everyone has seen the new online action by CREDO Mobile which will be sending coat hangers to the 20 pro-choice Democrats, all of which are men of course, who voted to pass the Stupak Amendment.
In case the symbolism escapes you, [...]
Update: In response to Governor Carcieri's statement that he would be willing to look at domestic partnerships, Betsy Dennigan released the following statement.
Betsy Dennigan, Democratic candidate for the second congressional district says Governor Carcieri's support of domestic partnerships is on the right path but is still discriminatory.
"Marriage equality for" [...]
Speaking of legalizing marijuana, there was a must-read article by Georgetown Law Professor David Cole in the NY Review of Books recently that included a review of the book Race, Incarceration, and American Values by Brown University professor Glenn Loury. Here is just a snippet of the [...]
A legislative commission is exploring how much revenue could be generated by legalizing and taxing marijuana sales:
The group intends to study issues surrounding the state’s position on marijuana, including money the state might make if it legalized it and enacted a $35 “sin tax” for purchases of an ounce [...]
From my legal blog... congratulations to RWU School of Law and Professor Michael Yelnosky for having a great forum on the process by which judges are selected in Rhode Island:
The percentage of state judges who earned degrees from Suffolk University Law School has grown since the state [...]
Last week, Congress finally passed an extension to unemployment benefits, after about five weeks of debate in the Senate. The final vote in the Senate was 98-0, but the bill had to overcome three Republican filibusters along the way. In other words, zero Republican Senators were brave enough to vote [...]
Tuesday, November 17th at 6pm
Barus & Holley - Room 166
182 Hope Street, Providence
How should America approach the challenges of immigration in the context of globalization? Should we close the borders? Should we limit the number of those who are allowed to come? How should we [...]
"Whoever came up with implementing this has no common sense" Councilman Joseph Deluca (Providence Journal)
As most Providence residents found out this week the City implemented the "no bin no barrel" program. The concept is simple: place one green, one blue, recycle bin for each 60 [...]
