Sen.Tassoni says Mr Dionne and I need to get our facts straight. I am up for that challenge.

Mr Dionne said the senator’s sponsorship and support of Binding Arbitration was based on his past relationship with labor unions. The senator’s  answer was that he’s no longer employed by a union. Correct. But that does not change the fact that he was in the past as Mr Dionne stated. Not to mention his newspaper’s (http://www.commongroundnews.net) advertisements are at least half for unions, affiliated organizations or businesses owned by fellow democrat politicians. While the senator is no longer a public union employee, he  is clearly in good standing with the public sector union political action committees. In the 2nd quarter of this non-election year he received over $2500 in public sector PAC donations. (http://www.ricampaignfinance.com/RIPublic/Filings.aspx)

Moving on to the Binding Arbitration Bill (S0794   http://www.rilin.state.ri.us//BillText11/SenateText11/S0794A.pdf )and the Senate votes on it on June 29th. (The Senate Journal http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/journals11/senatejournals11/SJournal6-28.pdf). Sen.Tassoni sponsored the bill. If it is a conflict to vote for a bill, how can it not be to sponsor it?

There were 7 votes related to the bill. 5 amendments,  a motion to move the final vote to June 30th and the actual vote on the bill. Sen.Tassoni recorded no vote on the first 6 votes and finally abstained on the 7th. Final total 6 walks, 1 abstention.

Is binding arbitration bad for Smithfield and North Smithfield? I am not an expert so I’ll defer to the elected municipal officials. Of the 21 elected municipal officials (Smithfield 5 council, 5 school committee; N. Smithfield 5 council, 5 school committee, 1 administrator), 15 are listed in opposition at the RI Coalition Against Binding Arbitration website (www.ricaba.org). The rest have not answered, yet. The opposed includes the 3 members of the democratic majority on the Smithfield School Committee.

Clearly the municipal officials in the 22nd senate district  think this idea is a bad one. From the national media it appears states are not enacting this idea right now. Most are running away from it. 

Yes, sometimes our General Assembly members should recuse themselves. Sen.Tassoni has sponsored hundreds of bills in his time in the RI Senate. He generally makes the top 5 in the number of senate bill filled every year. Researching how many time he has recused himself since his election is not an easy task. However, I would bet the number can be counted on 2 hands.

Recusing oneself from an issue should include not submitting bills on the subject, not voting on the subject and not advocating for the subject. About a third of the senator’s letter was singing the praises of the binding arbitration bill he submitted. Score 1 out of 3 on recusing.

Phil Hirons, Jr.

Chair, Smithfield Republican Town Committee

Vice President, RIRA

Click here to view the embedded video.

Source: Americans for Common Sense Solutions

Former President Bill Clinton will lend his star power to veteran Democratic Rep. Barney Frank (Mass.) at an afternoon rally on Sunday.

The 42nd president’s appearance with the powerful 15-term House member comes as conservative bloggers and commentators have energized nationwide support for Frank’s GOP challenger, 35-year-old former Marine Sean Bielat. (Bielat now serves in the Marine reserves.)

Bielat said Clinton’s visit shows that Frank is getting nervous about his reelection bid.

“It means he’s taking us seriously, he realizes that there is a threat this year. I don’t think he’s campaigning effectively, but he hasn’t had to do it since the ’80s,” Bielat said in an interview with The Hill…

Read More: The Hill

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Source: Republican National Committee

Suggests Caprio Voluntarily Reduce His Pay to $1000 Every Two Weeks

Warwick — The Rhode Island Republican Party today called on General Treasurer Frank Caprio to account for the value of his time and energy spent campaigning rather than dong the job he was elected to do.

Citing a steady stream of campaign events this week, the RIGOP questioned how Caprio could justify taking his full salary while doing half his job.

“We know that Rhode Island has a reputation for creating ‘no-show’ jobs,” said party Chair Giovanni Cicione, “but usually the people who are slacking off try to avoid the TV cameras when they’re not at work.” “This week Frank managed to dedicate a homeless shelter, attend a taxpayer forum, and participate in a debate, all before the week was half over.”

“Even worse,” continued Cicione, “is that the Democrats called on Gubernatorial candidate John Robitaille to leave his public service job the second he even hinted that he was considering a run for Governor.” “What hypocrisy that Caprio continues to vigorously campaign on the taxpayers dime when he should be working day and night to fix the pension disaster his office is supposed to be managing – it’s no wonder the unions, whose members’ pensions are at risk, won’t support him.”

Citing a recent Pew Center on the States study that made note of the fact that the Rhode Island pension system had unfunded liability that equaled 277% of covered payroll, giving us a grade of 1 out of a possible 5, and making us the third worst state in terms of pension funding (http://media2.wpri.com/_local/pdf_files//The_Trillion_Dollar_Gap_final.pdf) the RIGOP requests an accounting of the Treasurers time spent campaigning to date and for him to step down if he would prefer, as it seems, to dodge the pension issue and focus on campaigning instead.

News Release: Rhode Island Republican Party

Apparently, Patrick Lynch has finally acknowledged the political reality which virtually everyone else out there already knew months ago — he can’t win.

While this certainly frees up Frank Caprio in so far as the Democratic primary is concerned, it probably will benefit ex-RINO Linc Chafee more in the long run, as it should help Linc to solidify support among the left-of-center and so-called “progressive” voters in the general election. Caprio will no longer be under any pressure to appease the left-wing “Myrth Yorke” part of his party, and will turn his focus and his public speaking towards the general election. Those lefty voters who usually vote Democrat may very well turn elsewhere, such as to liberal independent candidate Linc Chafee or the (not so) Moderate Party’s Ken Block.

This would be in sharp contrast in both style and substance to Frank Caprio, who has a reputation — whether deserved or not — of being a relatively more conservative and disciplined candidate (and he can even form complete sentences, too!). Expect Caprio and Chafee to spend more time (and a lot more money) attacking each other directly. This may also end up affecting the race in the First Congressional District race as well. I think it could very well end up helping the other Lynch brother and hurt Cicilline.

While on the surface, this may not look good for either of the Republican candidates in the short term, it may actually be good news for John Robitaille and the others, as they will be able to focus on their own positives, and leave Caprio and Chafee to draw blood from each other. However, the Republicans and the Moderate in the race will have to do a lot more to get noticed, and to raise a lot more money to make the race at least competitive.

With the release of his second book, Travis Rowley reveals the radical actors operating within the RI Democrat Party, the far-left ideology guiding the party in power, and precisely why blame for the Ocean State’s desperate economic scenario should be placed entirely at the Democratic doorstep.

Today, a state well-known for corruption and governmental allegiance to special interests is now also known for its atrocious economy – and most notably, its inability to rectify the situation.

“Travis Rowley will have everyone debating about Rhode Island politics with his provocative writing. Agree or disagree, he will shake things up in a state that has been Democrat controlled for too long.”

RI Governor Donald L. Carcieri

The Rhode Island Republican takes its readers through a dissection of the leftist mind and morals, exposing not only the true Democratic agenda, but the political gall and prowess that have enabled Democrats to dupe Rhode Islanders into supporting candidates who actually aim to destroy individualism, redistribute wealth, and bankrupt the state – politicians with no allegiance to liberty, or any reverence for the nation’s founding principles.

Pulling no punches from those who deserve the harshest reprimand, Rowley informs his readers that through the purposeful implementation of an expansive welfare state, the steady establishment of public sector unions, and the shameless manipulation of the minority community, Democrats have been incrementally socializing Ocean State industry for decades – denigrating Republicans and achieving widespread voter loyalty along the way.

Then he offers his readers the only remedy to their state’s dire economic conditions – uplift a team of conservative Republicans into higher office to undo what the Democrats have done. According to Rowley, nothing short of the wholesale defeat of the Democrat Party can lead Rhode Island out of economic ruin.

In the wake of a far-left takeover of Washington, and in a period of enhanced political attention, The RI Republican also serves as a case study and a warning to the rest of the nation – This is what happens when you elect Democrats.

“I can’t imagine a more concise, coherent, and hard-hitting synopsis of Rhode Island politics. This should be required reading for every Rhode Island voter.”

Helen Glover, 920 WHJJ

The RI Republican on Facebook

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Specter thanked President Obama for his support (Thanks, President Obama!).

Click here to view the embedded video.

(We’ll spare you all the blah, blah, blah…)

…With that in mind, I’d like to invite you to bring your family and friends and join me for a free macaroni and meatball community dinner to share your personal story regarding flooding in your neighborhood, and to speak with representatives of FEMA, SBA, and RIEMA directly.

Sunday, May 16, 2010, 6:00 p.m.

Cranston Senior Center
1070 Cranston Street
Cranston, RI

This free event is open to all Rhode Islanders. You can RSVP by calling 401-453-5294 or e-mailing to rsvp_whitehouse [at] whitehouse [dot] senate [dot] gov. RSVPs are encouraged, but not required and the event is first come, first served. In order to make sure everyone can see, banners and posters will not be allowed into the event. (Yeah, right!)

I hope to see you on the 16th!

(See, he really wants us there!)

Source: Office of United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse