R-ISLANDER

IT IS TIME RHODE ISLAND--SAME SEX MARRIAGE

The California courts said bans against same sex marriage is unconstitutional and permits California to join our sister state of Massachusetts in marrying same sex couples.  Here's a piece of the decision:

The California Supreme Court has overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage in a 4-3 decision. The opinion is lengthy, and I'm just getting through it, but here's an excerpt: "Furthermore, in contrast to earlier times, our state now recognizes that an individual’s capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual’s sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual’s sexual orientation — like a person’s race or gender — does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights. We therefore conclude that in view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship, the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as to opposite-sex couples."

Maybe this decision by one of the country's most prestigious courts will convince an otherwise disappointing Democratic legislature here in Rhode Island to give the "okay" to same sex marriage in Rhode Island.

DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATURE BACKS CARCIERI CUTS OF HUMAN SERVICES

The RI Legislature closed the budget deficit.  How did they do it?  As reported in the Projo, ..."cutting health-care and welfare benefits for thousands of children, and reducing retirement benefits for all state workers who retire after Sept. 30, not to mention cutting benefits in other human services programs. 

How cowardly is it for the Assembly to balance the budget on the backs of children and state workers?  CHILDREN...no health insurance for children.  A major cut in health insurance for the working class on a variety of fronts.

They cut needed benefits of poor children and save dollars...and then give it away with tax cuts for the rich and coporate entities.  I can understand the Republican Carcieri making such unconscionable choices, but a D_E_M_O_C_R_A_T_I_C legislature?  I thought Democrats supported those at the margins of our society.  What the hell happened?  When did they become Republican who gleefully cut programs for the poor and working classes?

SHAME, SHAME....time to check voting records and to "reward" those democrats who are so in name only!

RI Bill to Allow Same-Sex Divorce

Bill would allow same-sex divorce

House Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox will sponsor a bill allowing married gay couples to divorce in Rhode Island. The bill is to be submitted in the coming days, but it could face a rough road in the legislature.

CARCIERI PONDERING SELLING THE STATE, LOL

The headlines in this morning's Providence Journal make it clear just how awful things have become because the state elected one of the worst if not the worst Governor ever.  Don Carcieri's stewardship of the state was really never rated as "good" or even "passable."  Now however, there is clear evidence that the Governor who touted his business experience as a manager for voting Republican in the last two elections for governor, has failed the state and its citizens miserably.  By any metrics you might choose, under Carcieri, the state, its economy, its quality of life for citizens is in a free fall. 

The proposed solution now is to sell the state's assessts to private investors thereby insuring not only that the present will be awful, but the future prospects of the state as well.  Time to dump Carcieri.  We can't stand another 3 years of this man.

What will he do next?  Sell off the University of Rhode Island?

Its time the democrats in the legislature stepped forward to stop Carcieri ... from destroying our present and our future.  One solution might be to sell off certain rights as other states have done to save their economies.  We should be looking in that direction.  There are ways to do it...I just don't trust Carcieri to make the right decision.  He doesn't have the best track record, lol. 

House Speaker Murphy Makes the Right Move

Gordon Fox came out immediately to support Frank G. Ferri in the Nov. 27th special election to replace Rep. Peter T. Ginaitt, D-Warwick in the RI House.

House Speaker Murphy came out for the Ferri opponent and endorsed candidate instead of Ferri who is openly gay.  Recently however, even though he donated money for the Ferri opponent, Chair Murphy has seen the light and has himself endorsed Ferri, who like Fox is an openly gay man.  He's also very much in the leadership of same sex marriage rights in Rhode Island.

Maybe this will be the year.  Projo

House Speaker Murphy Makes the Right Move

Gordon Fox came out immediately to support Frank G. Ferri in the Nov. 27th special election to replace Rep. Peter T. Ginaitt, D-Warwick in the RI House.

House Speaker Murphy came out for the Ferri opponent and endorsed candidate instead of Ferri who is openly gay.  Recently however, even though he donated money for the Ferri opponent, Chair Murphy has seen the light and has himself endorsed Ferri, who like Fox is an openly gay man.  He's also very much in the leadership of same sex marriage rights in Rhode Island.

Maybe this will be the year.  Projo

BISHOP TOBIN ON QUEERS...AND THEIR RIGHTS

I just wish I had the energy to respond to "his excellency"...there is an email address for the good bishop on this page.  m.

Without a Doubt -- Nov. 1 2007:

Why You Should Worry About “Gay Marriage”

Bishop Thomas J. Tobin

"Charlie Bakst has written yet another column in favor of gay marriage. It seems to have become somewhat of an obsession for him. If he’s not on the payroll of GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders) or Marriage Equality Rhode Island, he should be. MORE...."

LOL...an obsessin for Charlie?  Excuse me "excellency" but the obsession seems to be yours and in defiance of all scientific evidence, you know, like the scientific evidence you and OUR Church denied for hundreds of year in the case of Galileo.  Finally the Church admits it was wrong on the issue of the sun revolving around the Earth...and the Church finally comes around to TRUTH agreeing the Earth is not flat!   

This is What Carcieri Has Brought Us: Economic Crisis

A failing economy is projected for Rhode  Island.  The Governor, Carcieri,  who claims to know business, budgets, etc. has failed us  enormously!  This from the Projo:

An economic upturn involving substantial job growth, higher wages and lower energy prices would help close a 2008-09 budget deficit now projected at $211 million. More income would mean more income taxes, the state’s largest revenue stream. And more income also suggests Rhode Islanders would have more to spend, which would create more sales taxes, the state’s second-largest revenue stream.

But the economists concluded yesterday that job growth would be relatively flat in the coming fiscal year — up just 1 percent over this year and in line with expectations set last May. Wages and salaries increases across the state will not meet expectations, they said, projected at 3.7 percent instead of 4.1 percent.

“To think that there may be a slowdown in the Rhode Island economy … it’s the last thing we need,” said Ellen Frank, chief economist for the Poverty Institute at Rhode Island College. “A lot is going to hinge on what happens over the next week.”

Thank God for Labor Unions

Rhode Island's Twelfth has a posting by Eileen Spillane that lays the Chair of the Republican Party in RI out for his continuing anti-worker, anti-union rhetoric.  Well worth the read. 

One only needs to read the paper every morning to see the brutal, inhumane, and unconscionable attacks by Gov. Carcieri, who leads the republicans in this state, on our working-class, the poor, and RI's labor unions. 

Carcieri doesn't remember that without labor unions, and how they integrated Irish, Italian, and other immigrants into the economy of this state, and this country, immigrants from the early 20th and late 19th century, our grandparents, would still be living in inner city walkups without heat, plumbing or security.  Thank god for labor unions.

Carcieri, Democratic Leaders Beating Up the Middle Class

RI is in deep trouble with its budget deficits being predicted by the Carcieri Administration and the Democratic Legislature.  Carcieri announced yesterday that his job cuts will amount to 414 real people, with the remainder being contracted workers with no union protection and currently unfilled positions.  Added to that will be $50 million in cuts to social-service programs and another $50 million in “labor contract savings” by raising co-pays on health insurance premiums and lengthening the 35-hour workweek.

Carcieri has recently given tax cuts and tax credit programs to the wealthiest RIslanders and it is really not fair to the average Rhode Island taxpayer … Capital gains tax cuts, personal income tax cuts, etc.

So while he favors his rich buddies and himself, he institutes the above cuts that amount to taxes to be paid by the middle class and the poorest of RIslanders to pay for these MILLIONS in tax cuts for men like Tom Ryan who makes $24M in compensation each year.

Charlie Bakst has a good column today, and even that doesn't go far enough. 

Carcieri is a total failure as governor.  He beats up psychologically, economically, and spiritually the poorest among us and those who work for the largest employer in the state:  public employees.

The Governor has no problem throwing nearly 500 RIslanders into the streets without jobs and has no problem cutting health protections by raising costs for insurance for thousands of other RIslanders while giving the richest RIslanders more and more access to millions of dollars in profits.

AND the democratic legislature seems to be backing him on these unconscionable actions.  Where is Murphy?  Montalbano? Costantino?  I remember when Democrats stood up for the middle and lower classes who elected them.  Not anymore.  They've bought into the nonsense that giving the rich and corporations tax breaks, enormous tax breaks, brings jobs to RI.  Yeah maybe initially, but once those benefits run out...the businesses leave ... check on that.  Corporations and men who make millions each year in personal salaries have no loyalty to RI.  Their loyalty is to increasing unconscionable profits for themselves and their corporations at the expense of state workers.

Carcieri is one of them...let's recall him....,.