R-ISLANDER

CQ RATES RI GOVERNOR'S RACE...CARCIERI FINALLY GONE!

CQ rates the RI Governor's Race as Tossup between the Democratic nominee and former Senator Lincoln Chafee who is running as an independent.  The only Republican, so far, to step forward is Rep. Joe Trillo...CQ gives him no chance whatsoever...gee, why?  Seems the very lackluster and failed Governorship of Don Carcieri has killed the chances of ANY republican winning in Rhode Island...let's hope for the sake of the state!

ED SHULTZ SHOW ON MSNBC

I am so happy that MSNBC has given Ed Schutz his own program.  Locally he is on Cox Cable at 6 pm and I never miss it if at all possible.  His perspectives are progressive, and he shows a great respect for the working American.  It's a perspective that is all too often missing from TV programs, even on MSNBC with clearly right-slanted programs such as Morning Joe.  The only reason I watch Mornng Joe is for Willie Geist and Mike Barnicle.  With Ed you get a progressive perspective (finally with the great Olbermann and Maddow) and yet with Ed he brings on those guests who might take an alternative perspective.  Ed confronts them with the Progressive perspective and does so with class and FACTS.  I hope MSNBC is bright enough to keep Ed Schultz for a long, long time.  GO ED!!!  THe American viewing public needs your insights to make this country work again!!!

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!

PROVIDENCE, RI BISHOP AND THE NUN ON GAYS

Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin should certainly read about this nun.  It would do him and Benedict xvi some good.

If anyone has seen this silly article in the Rhode Island Catholic, "Same Sex Marriages Would Have Disasterous Effects on Churches", you will more than agree with me.

Buona Pasqua and prayers for the Bishop's soul for sending these hateful articles as we approach Easter.

OBAMA, WRIGHT AND GAY PEOPLE

The church attended by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) fought back Sunday against mounting criticism of its pastor, Jeremiah Wright, Jr., accusing the media of character assassination and “crucifixion.”

In a Friday column posted on The Huffington Post, Obama both rejected and condemned Wright's statements.

In the statement released to reporters, the new Pastor, Rev. Otis Moss said called criticism of Wright and the church an “attack on the legacy of the African American Church which led and continues to lead the fight for human rights in America and around the world.”

I'd like to believe that, but unfortunately, the African American Churches have been the most condemning of gay rights in the country and continue to be. Homophobia among African Americans is rampant, and the African American Churches have done very little if anything to change that. Will Obama, so tied to this mentality, work as hard for gay Americans as needs to be done?

BARACK MUST STEP ASIDE AND NOW...

Barack Obama has run a great campaign. He is intelligent, a great speechmaker, and certainly a compassionate human being. His campaign has made the need to unify the country and the Democratic Party the hallmark of his campaign. But, with the current nasty campaign that is destroying Democratic chances to defeat the Republicans and John McCain in November, Barack Obama needs to step aside and take the Vice Presidency under Hillary for the country, for the Democratic Party, and especially for those low and middle income Americans who are depending on a Democratic win to help them find jobs, healthcare, housing, and education. He needs to do this to stop the divisive in-fighting.

Everyone knows that the splitting of the Democrats that is happening now, needs to end and before the Pennsylvania primary.

I am sure the super delegates know that, at least I hope they do. But, why should Barack step down and not Hillary?

Barack has been successful in more states in this convoluted, silly, undemocratic primary structure set up by previous Democrats to avoid disasters that help the Party to “snatch defeat from the jaws of victory,” as is common to observe these days. Hillary has, however, won the largest, usually Democratic-voting states. Barrack’s wins have been mostly in small states that always vote with the Republicans in the general election. Barack cannot win the big states, because he cannot win the traditional components of the Democratic base, the blue-collar workers, whites and Hispanics, who earn under $50K. Without them the Democrats will not win in November. Hillary can win them, Barack cannot.

Barack cannot win among women, also a huge component of the Democratic base.  His strengths are among African Americans, the young (who usually—almost never—vote), Republicans sick of this presidency, and independents. Hillary can attract that base, but Barack cannot attract Hillary’s base. The Democrats will lose if Barack is the nominee. We need California, Florida, Ohio, New York, maybe Texas to win. With Barack as nominee, we won’t win those states and especially the state no Democrat will win without: Ohio. Barack does not want to lose this race for the country and the party and those voters depending on him. He will. If he steps aside and takes the Vice Presidency, he assures himself a bright future and he WILL be president in 8 years. If he loses this November, the Democrats will NEVER forgive him and he will not be nominated again. After all, nobody wants a loser as their nominee.

When the Democrats win with Hillary/Barack he will be vice president (and he shouldn’t take that position until he gets promises of real power) and can take-on issues like health care or housing and build a huge and powerful resume. He’s only in his forties; he will be only in his 50s when he becomes president after Hillary’s terms. He will then be the undisputed leader of the party, the nominee and the next president after Hillary.

Heck, even if the Hillary/Obama ticket loses, and it won’t, Obama will be the party’s undisputed nominee in 4 years. He will not be tarnished by a loss that is led by someone else.

So, Super Delegates: You need to vote for Hillary for the Presidency and Barack needs to take the Vice Presidency AND NOW for the sake of the party, the country, the low and middle classes and just as importantly, FOR HIMSELF.

Show us that inner strength, step aside for yourself and for us…PLEASE…I don’t want John McCain for president, the country could not survive that.

SAVE THE COUNTRY. SAVE THE PARTY. STOP THE IN-FIGHTING.

RI LOSES JOBS UNDER CARCIERI

Under the Republicans, Rhode Island is going down the tubes economically.  Under the current Republican Governor, Don Carcieri, the state has lost more jobs under his stewardship than under any recent governor. 

Workers in RI are also in a panic over the Governor's fiscal policies, especially state employees.  He's recently given very high paying patronage jobs to his friends while at the same time telling those at the bottom of the economic ladder to essentially "Eat Cake!"

The Democratic legislature has done very little to help those in need, either.  Rep. Steve Costantino, the Leader of the House Finance Committee, has worked closely to help the Governor destroy the future of many working class Rhode Island families.  It must stop somewhere and only the Democratic legislature in Rhode Island can turn the state around.  Legislators like Costantino need to stop the cutting of taxes of the very rich, stop the patronage of the Carcieri Administration, and begin to focus on how to shore up the loss of jobs, especially those of the state workers.  They are Rhode Islanders, too, they make little in comparison to most workers, and it is time to give them their due instead of demonizing them as Carcieri and the Democratic legislature have done recently.

CARCIERI CUTS JOBS TO PAY HIGH SALARIES FOR HIS CRONIES

Steve Kass, a former radio talk-show host and Gov. Carcieri's director of communications, is now the spokesman for the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency.  The current director makes about $47,000 but Gov. Carcieri, making sure his "boys and cronies" get the big bucks is paying Kass $126,541.  How embarrassing for anyone other than Carcieri is that?  Kass will be making more than the about-to-be-appointed Director of the Rhode Island Emergency Agency to whom Kass will report.

So, let's get this straight:  Gov. Carcieri gives tax cuts to RI's top 500 richest citizens and high paying jobs that usually pay much less to his cronies while at the same time cutting all the state's social services to the lower and middle classes and Carcieri also cuts the jobs of hundreds of state employees and then threatens their pensions as well.

Too bad ENRON went under.  After destroying this state, with his management record in Rhode Island, Carcieri certainly could be hired as the new Ken Lay.

Kass was the host for RI Public Television's Lively Experiment and also served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Rhode Island PSC Dept.  Kass' radio and television programs usually talk about corruption and public ethics and the lack thereof in Rhode Island state government.  LOL.