Lisa Blais: RI Needs to Rise Above Sexy, Gossipy + Juicy Politics
Lisa Blais, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™
Lisa Blais: RI Needs to Rise Above Sexy, Gossipy + Juicy Politics
Who knew?
The State Properties Committee (who knew about this committee or paid attention to it?) is the committee that garnered public attention as a result of having approved a no-bid contract, behind closed doors, to move a Probation and Parole Office to the heart of downtown Providence. It remains unclear if that move would have resulted in 3 times the cost for taxpayers, as has been reported, or an inconsequential increase as Richard Licht, the Director of Administration for Governor Chafee has inferred. And, they have admitted to failing to post those meeting minutes. Either way, it took public pushback for this administration to move off of its original position to go forward with the move. No surprise there. We have seen the Chafee administration make bold statements that they would move forward with their closely held decisions on a variety of matters and then back peddle when faced with public disdain or as a result of failure of transparency.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTStop yawning!
During the question and answer period following Block’s press conference, a member of the media queried Block looking for the scandal – my word. What were the dirty or back room deals? How has this hurt the taxpayers?
I am not being critical of those questions. They reveal a lot about our political culture. Was Block’s press conference sexy? Did it drop a bomb, so to speak, on any one individual thereby gaining riveting attention even from the family dog?
"Gotcha" mentality.
It seems that we thrive on waiting, with baited breath, the next big hit of outrage or “gotcha” moment in matters of politics and governance. Well, yes, you may say…after all, this is RI!
But the meat of the matter that appeared to drive Block to hold that press conference boiled down to exactly what should capture people’s attention. It isn’t sexy but it cut to the heart of the matter. He demanded government accountability to the people it serves. Friendly reminder, that’s us.
Culture adjustment.
Do we have what it takes to recognize what good government looks like? Do we have what it takes to demand it regardless of our political affiliations? Or, are we content with measuring the value of a message by looking at it narrowly as measured by poll results?
It is high time that we collectively rise above the juicy, sexy, gossipy garbage all too prevalent in too many places, whether it’s to be found in the offices and hallways of the State House, media lunch rooms, local political committee meetings and union offices. Ah, and on social media sites.
If we are serious about (groan) “moving the needle” in RI then we must embrace, no, demand, that we have leaders in place who know that the public’s voice on committees and commissions must not be relegated to the backseat. We must demand good government practices and be passionate about it!
Lisa Blais is a board member of OSTPA, a taxpayer advocacy organization in Rhode Island.
13 Best MINDSETTER™ Columns of 2013
LOOKOUT: Rhode Island Needs to Talk Twin River
By John Hazen White
Demand for table games at Twin River casino has prompted the Lottery Commission to grant the facility additional gaming tables, and the state’s take from the combination of video slot machines and table games is going up each month as a direct result of the tables in place.
The 14 new tables to be added will make for a grand total of 80. More gaming tables will surely be added down the road.
I suppose we should all be cheering about this because of the enhanced revenue stream the state will enjoy, which it desperately needs, but it begs a larger and more troubling question: what will happen to Twin River – and more importantly to the state – when Massachusetts’ three casinos and its single racino slot parlor come on line?
Climate Change On the Table… Finally!
By Rob Horowitz
A leaked draft of a major report expected to be released in the Fall by the International Panel on Climate Change(IPCC), an international group of scientists under the auspices of the United Nations, landed on the front page of The New York Times last week. The report, a comprehensive and consensus analysis of the latest scientific research on climate change, finds that if greenhouse gas emissions continue apace a sea level rise of as much as 100 feet by the end of the century is a real possibility. It characterizes the assertion that human activity is the cause of most of global warming as a “near certainty.”
Trying To Make Sense Of The Zimmerman Verdict
By Don Roach
I’m struggling to make sense of the verdict in the Trayvon Martin case as I’m sure many people are. I have a number of gut reactions at war with my respect of the justice system. And it’s a battle. So, what I decided to do Sunday was investigate as much of the public facts as possible in order to piece together why in the world a 17-year-old boy is dead.
In US Schools, Incorrect Answers Are ‘Un-American’
By Julia Steiny
Back in the 1990s, circumstances so maddened Dr. Matthias Felleisen, he felt forced to create Program by Design (PxD) to bring life back to computer science and algebra, both. Since then, thousands of students have used it to learn the elements of programming, with or without a teacher. Even I could understand its free, online textbook. The PxD target audience were first-year college students, but Felleisen's team wanted it to be accessible to clever 10-year-olds. The NSF and other major funders continue to be impressed.
Big Labor Wants To Shuffle The Deck On Obamacare
By Lisa Blais
While the beat goes on across Rhode Island to trumpet information about HealthSourceRI, the health insurance exchange created as a result of Governor Chafee’s Executive Order in response to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the AFL-CIO has been pleading with the Obama Administration to waive some requirements of the ACA, otherwise known as Obamacare, for members of their multi-employer health and welfare plans.
3 Ways to Restore Confidence in RI’s Government
By Gary Sasse
In the late 1960’s when I was in graduate school many of my classmates sought careers in government and not on Wall Street. They believed that public service could make a difference in the lives of Americans. This positive view that government was part of the solution has been replaced by a more cynical view of government at all levels. This should not be surprising because too many times government has been ineffective in providing essential public services. Earlier this year the Pew Center for the People and the Press found that “trust in the federal government remains mired near an historic low and frustration with government remains high.”
Time for a Bold, New Budget Process
By Donna Perry
Governor Chafee’s State of the State blueprint is not yet 24 hours old and so the reactions and assessments of it are still pouring in. However, before the battles begin over spending, borrowing, cuts, labor provisions, and whether or not there will be any meaningful changes to spur economic development, both the Governor and General Assembly members should pause, take a deep breath, and consider a proposal from a wise and truly independent voice in the State Senate.
Rhode Island’s Gina Raimondo Turns Opaque
By Russell Moore
Gina Raimondo was all about transparency—during her first year in office. Apparently, sunlight was so 2011. The General Treasurer, who admirably took up the fight for pension reform after her predecessor—Frank Caprio—lost his campaign for governor thanks to his leadership on the issue, named her report describing the need for pension reform “Truth in Numbers”. It was a brilliant move, as she successfully separated the issue from emotional politics over the promises made to retirees that the state couldn’t keep.
CITY/STATE: How White Providence Really Is
By Aaron Renn
The city of Providence is a very diverse place. In fact, it’s over 62% minority, making it a so-called “minority majority” city. However, the city of Providence is only a very small part of the overall state and region. 
Metropolitan Providence is one of the whitest major regions in America. Looking at metro areas with more than one million people, Providence ranks third in the country for the total non-minority population. The percentage of the population that is “white only, non-hispanic” – Hispanic people can be of any race – is nearly 80%. Only Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are higher.
What Politicians Can Learn From the Pope
By Carol Ann Costa
In less than a month since Jorge Mario Bergoglio emerged as Francis the 1st , this new Pope has through his decisions and actions gained my full attention and respect. What he has shown us is that you rarely go wrong when you return to your mission. Perhaps Francis’ undeniable devotion to the works of Mercy, both corporal and spiritual, can provide a teachable moment for each of us— and our politicians in particular.
Corporate ‘Reform’ Alienating Teachers/Principals
By Aaron Regunberg
Want Better Schools? Stop Making Educators Miserable.
The Metlife Survey of the American Teacher recently released a report from their 2012 investigation into the state of U.S. educators. The annual survey, which was conducted among 1,000 K-12 public school teachers and 500 K-12 public school principals, offers an invaluable snapshot of the condition of those professionals to whom we entrust the educating of our nation’s youth. This year’s results continue a disturbing—and an escalating—trend that should have all of us seriously reconsidering what kinds of strategies will actually, positively reform our education system.
Helen Glover, Keith Olbermann + Broadcast Brutality
By Andrew Gobeil
"The television business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."
The quote above is often attributed to Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, who frequently denied he was a journalist at all. Whether or not he said it isn’t necessarily the point; whether or not it was said to describe the television business, or music business, or radio business isn’t necessarily the point either. Hell, you could be nodding in affirmation as you read it at your desk in the finance world, or the world of politics or sales or law or….well, now you do get the point.
Lessons From Boston’s Post-Bombing Lockdown
By Travis Rowley
In the midst of the ongoing debate over the 2nd Amendment, I discovered lessons to be learned from the events in Boston this week.
Let me start with this: Owning a gun is not a natural right. After all, how can a firearm be a natural right if man had to invent and manufacture it?
But the right to defend oneself is a natural right...
