Free Republic

There is a long standing argument about which state is the most corrupt. Is it New Jersey or New York? Is it Louisiana or Illinois? Maybe any one of these Democrat controlled states could take the crown, but it would be hard to overlook little Rhode Island. To use a boxing phrase, “pound for pound” Rhode Island might be the most corrupt of all. Last January 1st marked the seventy ninth anniversary of what is known as “Rhode Island’s Bloodless Revolution.” In this totally lawless power grab, carried out on January 1st 1935, the Democrats decided that they could not...

Was posted on another thread, but it's sort of buried now. Just a fantastic, perfect speech for 12-13 year olds.

WESTERLY, R.I. (AP) - A $3 cup of shave ice is at the center of a dispute in this beach town between street vendors trying to stay in business and town officials who say the vendors cause traffic congestion and increase the potential for accidents. George Manko sells Hawaiian shave ice in a private parking lot for beachgoers in Westerly, where celebrities including Taylor Swift and Conan O'Brien have summer homes. The town recently banned street vendors, except for at festivals and one-time events. Town councilors who supported the ban said they did so because the police chief expressed safety...

Grown-up time means Jim Vincent, president of the Rhode Island NAACP, calling a news conference on the steps of the Garrahy Judicial Complex in response to a drive-by shooting in Chad Brown late Tuesday night in which five people were injured. The NAACP, in consultation with other neighborhood groups, issued a “Call to Action,” demanding that Providence Mayor Angel Taveras call a leadership conference to discuss solutions to a problem that is putting families and children at risk. In addition to the leadership conference the NAACP also called upon Governor Chafee to direct the Governor’s Workforce Board “to establish targeted...

Blue-state defenders say that progressive policies work. After all, liberal-leaning states boast some of the nation’s wealthiest and best-educated populations. But many are also reeling from problems ranging from high costs of living and widening income inequality to chronic fiscal crises. And leading blue states such as California, Massachusetts, and New York possess unique assets—respectively, favorable climate, educational hubs, fortress industries—that shelter them, at least for a time, from the full economic consequences of their public policies. What happens when you go blue in a more average, workaday place? Rhode Island—a blue state in its purest form—provides an answer. “Rhode...

At the behest of House Judiciary Committee Chairman Cale Keable, D-Burrillville, the Rhode Island House has finally voted to ratify the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reqired direct election of U.S. Senators. Before the amendment took effect in 1913, senators were elected by state legislators. That system was widely criticized for breeding corruption as senate aspirants bribed lawmakers to secure the votes needed to win senate seats. The ceremonial resolution approved by the House doesn’t change anything, Keable acknowledged, but he said it does send a message ``that Rhode Island values democracy.’’ Rhode Island never ratified the 17th...

The Tea Party Patriots group has accused Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) in a formal complaint of breaking ethics rules by pressuring the administration to target conservative groups engaged in political activities. Jenny Beth Martin, the co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, sent a letter to the Senate Ethics Committee Monday urging an investigation of Whitehouse’s activities. She argues the senator's “inflammatory attacks” against conservative groups appear to constitute “improper conduct which may reflect upon the Senate,” citing the Senate’s ethics manual. She claims Whitehouse “publicly berated” the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Justice for not prosecuting conservative groups classified...

Top White House officials have reportedly been holding private meetings with lawmakers this week to boost support for the president’s foreign policy strategy, although the outreach effort appears to have left some lawmakers confused and upset. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) described a meeting with White House chief of staff Denis McDonough and National Security Adviser Susan Rice earlier this week as “one of the most bizarre I've attended on Foreign Relations on foreign policy in our country.” “I know several of us were involved in a very bizarre discussion last night. This continues a very bizarre discussion,” Corker added, according...

EAST GREENWICH, R.I. —Citing concerns about the “exclusive nature” of the annual honors night at Archie R. Cole Middle School, school officials have decided to scrap the tradition. Instead, students who would normally be recognized at the annual spring tradition will be honored during team-based recognition ceremonies and graduation. The notice was sent to parents over the weekend in an e-mail signed by School Principal Alexis Meyer and Assistant Principal Dan Seger. “Members of the school community have long expressed concerns related to the exclusive nature of Honors Night,” the email stated.

The slaughter of Democrat sacred cows continues and writing it off as mere coincidence becomes harder. It started several weeks back with a series of FBI raids; on the Speaker of the Rhode Island Assembly, an openly Gay married bi-racial man. From there in rapid succession there were FBI raids/arrests and/or indictments of the Black mayor of Charlotte North Carolina – bribe taking; a White Illinois State Senator – child pornography; a Black New York State Assemblyman – padding his expense account; a Black female Indiana County treasurer – stealing county funds; a Chinese American California State Senator- gun running...

The movement to change how presidents are elected is gaining steam and proponents of the long-stalled popular vote initiative are predicting victory by 2020. Eleven states/jurisdictions have enacted the National Popular Vote (NPV) bill, giving the proposal 165 electoral votes — 61 percent of the 270 electoral votes needed to trigger the new voting system. Legislatures that passed the law include California, Illinois, New Jersey. Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, Rhode Island and Vermont. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a popular vote bill into law last week. All of these states, as well as the nation’s capital...

The Internal Revenue Service has revoked the tax-exemption for a conservative charity, saying the group’s criticism of Hillary Clinton and John Kerry violated rules against political activity. The Patrick Henry Center for Individual Liberty engaged in “deliberate and consistent intervention in political campaigns,” according to the IRS decision released Friday and first reported by USA Today... Tax-exempt groups are restricted from engaging in certain political activity, including participating in partisan campaigns in support or opposition to a candidate. The IRS said the Patrick Henry Center violated this rule, in part, by publishing “alerts” on its website that highlighted columns by...

Prop 19 went down in smoke, but the world's fifth biggest economy passed three propositions that address its yearly budget crisis. One makes it better and two make it worse, according to Bond Buyer. First, California voters passed Prop 25 to allow the legislature to pass a state budget without a 2/3 supermajority. This was the main obstacle to passing a budget this year for over 100 days past due. Arkansas and Rhode Island are the only states that still require a supermajority to pass the budget, and Rhode Island is another fiscal disaster. Second, California voters passed Prop 26...

Governor Cuomo has signed off on the National Popular Vote Compact, giving New York's 29 electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote. SILive: Count New York in. The Empire State has joined the National Popular Vote compact with legislation signed Tuesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. States that have signed on to the interstate agreement will award electoral votes for president to the candidate who receives the majority of the national popular vote. "With the passage of this legislation, New York is taking a bold step to fundamentally increase the strength and fairness of our nation's presidential elections,"...

A plan, now stealthily making its way through state legislatures with astonishing speed, would junk the Electoral College and award the presidency to the winner of the popular vote. The plan involves an Interstate Compact where states would commit to select electors pledged to vote for the national popular vote winner regardless of how their own state voted. When enough states pass this law, sufficient to cast 270 votes which is the majority of the Electoral College, it will take effect. So far, nine states and the District of Columbia, casting 136 electoral votes, have joined. This is halfway to...

For all the noise about the State Department's final environmental review of the Keystone XL Pipeline being a "blow" to pipeline opponents, the report contains more than enough information for Secretary of State John Kerry -- a respected environmental champion -- to conclude that the pipeline is not in the national interest. Although you have to dig a bit, the report recognizes the dangers associated with the tar sands fuel that the pipeline would transport. Kerry's obligation is to determine what is in the national interest. For all its flaws, the report acknowledges that the tar sands that would get...

“Well, we couldn’t be happier to have that conversation,” the senator declared, starting off strong by highlighting people in his state who received timely preventive care thanks to their new insurance. But that one point was about all the Democratic lawmaker could muster. “Over and over again,” he went on, “people still on the uh… healthcare benefits from uh, the… um… um… of the seniors who are… uh… getting their, uh, pharmaceuticals paid for… I’m struggling for the, for the — donut hole! There we go!” “It’s been very good for most Rhode Islanders,” an embarrassed Whitehouse continued. “And there...

GARY, Ind. - Federal agents raided a northwestern Indiana township trustee's office Thursday, although they stayed mum on the reasons for the raid. FBI agents were joined with officers from the Indiana State Police and the IRS in a sweep of Calumet Township Trustee Mary Elgin's office in Gary on Thursday. Call 6 Investigator Kara Kenny found a 2011 audit of the trustee's office that raised concerns about the township's finances, including nine employees with take-home cars.

Has Nancy Pelosi seen a newspaper lately? (Pro tip, hon: Like the Obamacare monstrosity, you have to read it to find out what's in it.) I'd love to see her face in the wake of the veritable epidemic of Democratic corruption now sweeping the country. Pelosi's blink count must be off the charts. I'm going to make it easy on Pelosi and put all of the latest cases in one handy rogue's gallery reference list. But let's not be naive. It's clear to me that the Barack Obama/Eric Holder DOJ is clearing the decks before the midterms. Prediction: The FBI's...

Three Democratic lawmakers were either arrested or had their office raided Wednesday by the FBI. Two of the Democrats, including Charlotte, N.C. Mayor Patrick Cannon, were charged in connection with FBI stings that caught them allegedly taking bribes from undercover agents. Coupled with an FBI raid that led to the resignation of a prominent Democratic lawmaker in Rhode Island this past weekend, four Democrats have recently come under the FBI’s radar. Here are the four: New York state assemblyman The FBI raided Democratic New York Assemblyman William Scarborough’s Albany office Wednesday morning and also took papers from his office in...