Side of the Rhode: Who's Hot and Who's Not in RI Politics?

Side of the Rhode: Who's Hot and Who's Not in RI Politics?

{image} Read Side of the Rhode - Who's Hot and Who's Not in RI Politics - every Friday only at GoLocalProv.com!

WHO'S HOT

Ben Mondor  ->  This Rhody baseball giant brought the PawSox to the prime time and, at the same time, kept McCoy an affordable family activity for working class Rhode Islanders.  A real class act.

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Question #2  ->  As has recently pointed out, the General Assembly has cut funding to URI, RIC, and CCRI by more than $40 million since 2007. This of course has forced tuition hikes which make the cost of college unaffordable for many working class students and their families. That’s why voting YES on Question 2 is so critical: it will approve $61 million for the construction of a new chemistry building at URI and $17 million for the renovation and construction of an addition to the Art Center at RIC.

Ken Block  ->  A repeat pick on our "Not" list, this Moderate gubernatorial candidate comes over to the good side for three reasons: (1) my wife - who is a swing, independent voter - liked his performance in the WPRI debate and (2) Dan McGowan thought the same and (3) David Scharfenberg hears the same.  Who does he take votes from: Chafee or Caprio?   I think the former. 

The Clowns  ->  What better way to confront the vagaries of hate that compose the anti-immigrant movement than to dress up like clowns?  Peter Palumbo.  Clown in Chief.  Nice.

Republican Sex and Marriage Advice  ->  Your humble editor's former high school classmate - Elliot Greenebaum - is quite the filmmaker (see Assisted Living) and his latest venture reveals the hypocricies inherent in the conservative ideology.

Patrick Kennedy  ->  Kudos to this retiring Congresman for being willing to write a memoir detailing his own personal struggle and leading the fight to destigmatize addiction and other neurological ailments.

Ben Bernanke  ->  This Federal Reserve Chairman spoke with college students and then the RIPEC banquet at the Rhode Island Convention Center on Monday night and, while he strove to apply the lessons of the Great Depression to the current economic crisis, most Rhode Islanders were itching to get to the TV for the Pats/Fins game.

Clean Water Action  ->  This environmental group not only keeps your air and water clean, but they are busy supporting pro-green candidates for office and their Wednesday night shin-dig at the Hot Club was another terrific event featuring a who's who of pro-environmental pols in Rhode Island.

RIPTA  ->  Glad to see at least one state agency taking the green economy seriously.  This week RIPTA unveiled a new fleet of nearly 80 hybrid buses that is designed to reduce the state's reliance on fossil fuels and decrease the car pollution that clogs our roads and dirties our air.

Political Spies  ->  Made mainstream by the Macaca Moment, a generation of young people are putting their careers on the line for their candidates in following around their opponent with video equipment and attempting to film a gaffe and create a game-changing political moment (like this in CA). 

Tax the Rich  ->  The latest Brown poll had 56% of Rhode Islanders supporting raising taxes on the rich as a way to balance the state's budget as opposed to 34% opposed.  Those with much should give to those with little.  Novel concept, eh?

Wyclef Jean  ->  This international star is coming to Brown University as a visiting fellow to their program on Haiti and, despite the valid questions about his foundation's work in Haiti, this appointment will up the ante on Providence's international resume (Plumpy'Nut too!).

WHO'S NOT

Lincoln Chafee  ->  The "trust" motif is challenged when investigations reveal that (1) Linc is involved with a group established by a Ukrainian billionaire with widely reported ties to organized crime and (2) the Chafee stock portfolio includes $100k in BP and other investments in Dow Chemical Company and the Exxon Mobil Corporation.  What happened to socially responsible investing?

John Loughlin ->  The NRCC is not coming. Stick a fork in it.  He's done.

The DOT  ->  Utter incompetence is what it appears like in Warren where a $2.5 million curb cutting project was done so poorly that the town’s head of public works says a do-over is in order.  Whatever happened to DOTting your I's?

Thomas Carroll  ->  This Republican candidate in House District 68 (Bristol, Warren) is in serious trouble with the Board of Elections since he has not filed a campaign finance report in the past four years. And, Carroll is now facing over $31k in fines as a result.  Does the General Assembly really need someone like this -- who can't even keep track of basic and legally required information? 

Erik Wallin -> This Republican candidate is supposedly running as a tough-on-corruption candidate for Attorney General, but a GoLocalProv review of court records shows that he plead out the only public corruption case he tried, giving the defendant one year of home confinement rather than jail time. Some tough guy!

Christine O'Donnell  ->  "I'm not a witch."  Really?  Then what is this Delaware Republican senatorial candidate doing with all that smoke behind her?

John Robitaille  ->  Is it just me or is this Droopy Dog just a tad too thespian for a candidate for Governor?  The drama!  And the black/white ad just makes it worse!

Send me your HOT and NOT tips to mjerzyk at gmail dot com.