R-ISLANDER

RI STATE BUDGET: OTHER TRUTHS

Here are some truths about the budget we are not hearing in RI: (from URI economist R. McIntyre)

It is true that health care costs, pension costs, and education spending,
especially on special ed, have risen in RI (and nationally). But the attention
to these issues in the media is way out of line with their relative
importance. Consider the following, all taken from Tom Sgouras's wonderful
publication, "Rhode Island Policy reporter" (www.whatcheer.net):

Corporate taxes have declined from 14% of the general
revenue in 1990 to less than 7% today. In today's
dollars, this is around $200 million in lost revenue.

We've cut the capital gains tax twice at a cost of about $40 million.

The personal income tax was cut 9% between 1997
and 2002, costing us about $110 million this year.

The phaseout of the car tax is costing $140 million
this year.

We've cut taxes on the richest taxpayers to a degree
that will eventually cost us $100 million.

So as the governor, the supposedly democratic legislature, and the supposedly
independent media, tell their story as if it were the only truth, there are
certainly others.

PENSIONERS AND POOR CHILDREN ARE DESTROYING RHODE ISLAND

Yes, the problem with the RI budget problems and we do have those, are the pensioners and poor children.  That's what Sen. Stephen Alves, Senate finance chair, URI Professor Maureen Moakley, and RI rich kid and corp. executive John Hazen White, Jr. (wearing all his gold "bling" to make sure we know he's "cool" and he's rich) said this morning on PBS' "Lively Experiment".

Imagine.  These people all think it is a hard thing to do, that is cutting services and pensions of RI's neediest, but they are advocating, indeed proposed, that we do it.  Hazen White was beside himself praising Carcieri and the Democratic legislature coming together to finally screw children and pensioners and balancing the budget on their backs rather than raise taxes...on corporations.

Even Alves noted that there are HUNDREDS of RI corporations making profits of over $10M per year who pay the minimum tax of $500.00.  Yet these people pass laws (Alves) or support passing laws (Moakley, Layman, Hazen White of Tacky, Inc.) that will reduce pensions for pensioners and cut THOUSANDS of poor children from the RI Ritecare (health insurance) roles.

RI constituencies, voters, unions, Hispanics, academics (Hazen White flaunts his money by donating to places like URI), public workers, and firefighters and policemen ( whom this group of VERY UNREPRESENTATIVE Rhode Islanders attack unmercifully as underserving of pensions and health care they negotiated in good faith with the state and or cities and towns) should come out in force to make sure they are all "thanked" for their concern about our first defenders and Rhode Island's working classes and the poorest of our children.

What is wrong with these people?  Heartless ... what is government for anyway, if not to help those in need...and yet they support corporations and the state's wealthiest by cutting their taxes and adding to the burdens of our citizens...who actually work for a living.

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!

Carcieri Screws Up Again!

This time, Carcieri is screwing up the justice system.  His slothful, poor administrative style is being slammed by the Chief Justice of RI as ineffective leadership that could severely hamper the justice system:

From the PROJO:

Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice Frank J. Williams says it’s time to start filling the growing number of state judicial vacancies.

In a one-page letter to Governor Carcieri on Feb. 15, Williams noted that District Judge Walter Gorman notified the governor a week earlier that he planned to retire March 31.

“Judge Gorman’s departure will bring to seven the number of judicial vacancies in the unified court system — more than 10 percent of our judges — a work-force reduction that affects every court and threatens our ability to fulfill our responsibilities to the citizens of Rhode Island, including their access to justice,” Williams wrote. “Because many of these appointments are overdue, I write respectfully to request, once again, that you now fill these vacancies.”

Williams noted that under a new law, which Carcieri pushed for, the governor is able to choose from candidate lists that are up to five years old, in addition to the new lists of finalists that the Judicial Nominating Commission produces each time there is a vacancy.

“Clearly, this measure allows you to select from a broader field of qualified individuals — especially women and members of the minority community,” Williams wrote. “Thank for your anticipated, immediate attention to this important responsibility.”

Santorum: Obama Easier to Beat in General Election

Here is a video of former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum on Fox News discussing Barack Obama and the presidential campaign.  Santorum says Obama is a far-left idealogue (I like that, LOL) who he believes would be actually easier to beat in the general election than Hillary Clinton.

Thousands At Rally for Clinton

While Patrick Kennedy, a Barack Obama supporter, spoke to a few people in Pawtucket (most of the people were from Massachusetts btw--NOT Rhode Islanders--canvassers for Barack) THOUSANDS, at least two thousand people were in the RIC Auditorium today to hear the next president, Hillary Rodham Clinton.  The size of the crowd though lively and huge, could have been better, but it was great to see people of all ages, all colors, all genders, and all cultural backgrounds as excited as they were for Hillary.

She won thunderous applause for her emergency economic plan and--unlike Obama--her UNIVERSAL healthcare plan.

She faces an uphill battle against Obama and his forces from Massachusetts, LOL, but we hope for the best.  President Bill Clinton, the rock star of the democratic party will be here on Thursday.

It was great to see Sheldon Whitehouse and all those other democratic leaders at the rally.  Mayor Cicilline was disinvited because Hillary did not want the Firefighters with whom he is fighting to picket.  She is solidly union.  I was thinking about donating and voting for Cicilline for Governor, but unless he comes out in support of Hillary as he promised, or so I thought, I will rethink that....if he can't see that she is THE candidate who can accomplish more for us, I'm not impressed with his judgement.  He'll come around and BEFORE the primary on the 4th I hope.

Patrick said they are working on bringing in his father, Ted Kennedy, before the primary.  Nice, but Rhode Island wants Hillary and Patrick should be with us and let's hope that Ted, who I love, will be as effective for Obama in Rhode Island as he was in Massachusetts.  ;-) 

"It takes a woman to end this war" as one of the signs at today's great rally stated, and that woman is Hillary!

Want social security left alone, vote for Hillary.  Want healthcare, vote for Hillary.  Want to save your house, vote for Hillary.  She has solutions not just verbiage.

WILL TOM RYAN GO TO JAIL TOO?

After reading this article about how legislators have been found guilty of influence peddling, the question is will the corporate officers who benefitted monetarily also go to jail? I bet not!

Rhode Island: Prison for Ex-Official

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (NYT)

A former top state lawmaker was sentenced to more than three years in prison for using his legislative influence to benefit a pharmacy chain and an insurance company. Judge Mary M. Lisi of Federal District Court said Gerard Martineau, a former House majority leader, had used his office “in the most perverse way” but also had shown genuine remorse. Judge Lisi sentenced him to 37 months and fined him $100,000. Prosecutors also said Mr. Martineau, a Woonsocket Democrat, was cooperating in an influence-peddling inquiry at the Statehouse. Mr. Martineau pleaded guilty to using his influence to benefit the CVS pharmacy chain and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island while doing hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal business with them.

WHY HILLARY WILL WIN IT ALL

Several points can be made after Super Tuesday as to why Hillary will win this election:

1.  The Kennedy "Magic" is either long dead or not easily transferable, and in fact in many ways it may have been a huge negative.  After all, as much as we love the memory of JFK, and even Teddy, who wants to go back to the Sixties? Ted Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, Little Patrick, Maria Shriver, Ethel Kennedy, all joined Oprah in campaigning against Hillary Clinton and for Barack.  The result?  She won bigger in Massachusetts than she was expected to and won in California and Arizona where the Kennedys were expected to influence the election in, as we had been hearing since Ted broke his neutrality, a "huge" way.  Just the opposite seemed to have happened.  Even in California where pundits were saying Hillary would lose to Barack by 5-10 points she won in a HUGE way.  Even if we factor out the fact that some voters voted early when Hillary had a big lead in California, she would have beat Barack without breaking a sweat.

    The key to Hillary's success:  women, union membership, and all minority groups except African Americans.

 

2.  The so-called move to Obama that was to kill off Hillary just didn't materialize again.  We where told that after Iowa, Obama's "Big Mo" would kill off Hillary in New Hampshire.  Didn't happen.  We were told the same thing in the hours and days before Super Tuesday .... "Barack's momentum will drown Hillary on Super Tuesday."  That didn't happen last night.  Hillary whooped Barack and those pundits--most of them--who got it wrong again.

3.  With a few exceptions, Barack won in the states (caucuses) where people had to vote in public.  Why is that?  There is something VERY DARK going on here that speaks volumes about how race is a huge negative factor in American politics.  How else do we explain which states Barack won and which he lost but the polls said he would win, but didn't?  It's really sad that such racism still exists...but we all sorta knew that it did, and African Americans surely know that it does.

4.  Hispanics, women and union membership were the keys for Hillary, and it is that support in incredibly high numbers that will carry her to a win over either McCain, or Mitty, or the Huckster.......

What happened in Massachusetts on a smaller scale number-wise will happen in Rhode Island, too, come March....thanks to women, Hispanics, Asians and union membership.

HOW TO BALANCE RI'S BUDGET MESS

Gov. Donald L. Carcieri proposed deep budget cuts to close a $151 million deficit, including forcing state workers to take unpaid days off, removing children of illegal immigrants from state health care rolls and cutting back on welfare spending. The plan by Mr. Carcieri, a Republican, seeks to close a budget gap in the current fiscal year. It now goes to the General Assembly, which Democrats control.  That's what this a.m. newspapers are reporting.

Notice that all the correctives are aimed at those least able to survive such budget cuts.  He's also called on retirees to pay for their healthcare benefits...you know, those people on a fixed income!  He's balancing the state budget, the disaster he created in the first place with his tax credits and tax cuts for the wealthiest Rhode Islanders, on the backs of Rhode Islanders least able to tolerate cuts to their salaries and incomes.

How about instead of screwing the middle class and the poorest among us how about we ask churches, privates universities and colleges, and all those others not paying any taxes to get together and come up among them the needed $$$ to balance this year's budget deficit and next year's as well.  That will give the state legislature and the governor time to develop a plan that doesn't screw the middle classes and the poorest of Rhode Islanders.  The Casino owners might want to kick in too!

Come on Bishop Tobin, Brown University, Roger Williams, Johnson and Wales, Providence College, CVS and other corporate people....come up with the money to bail out the state....to help the middle class and poorest among us.  Rhode Island has been giving you huge $$$ perks for years...time to help out! 

BLUE CROSS DEMANDS AN INCREASE...lol...Carcieri Admin Asks "How Much?"

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is asking for substantial increases in premiums — an average of 12.7 percent — for its Direct Pay program for individuals, saying that both the cost of care and the frequency with which people seek care have been going up says the Projo.

They need state approval.  Will the state government of Don Carcieri protect its citizens from vultures like Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island?  I don't think so.  This is what Carcieri's policy man, Matt Stark (the principal policy advisor to Health Insurance Commissioner Christopher F. Koller) says about the increase:

“You’ve got to acknowledge that medical costs are going up. You can’t zero out an insurer from year to year. If you’re not going to zero them out, what’s an appropriate increase?”

LOL.  The assumption Carcieri's men make is that the health insurers deserve an increase...can you imagine that as the starting point for negotiations with the insurers?  LOL...oh yeah, Carcieri and his buddies have our interests at heart!