Free Republic

A battle is brewing in Rhode Island and you can weigh in with other Americans to stop this War on Christmas! November 30, 2011 Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee does not like a Christmas tree being called a Christmas tree. So he is changing it. According to FoxNews, Gov. Chafee has said the Christmas tree in the State House Rotunda in Providence, as of this year, will be called a "holiday" tree.

(NewsCore) - A Rhode Island lawmaker is calling Gov. Lincoln Chafee "Governor Grinch" for defying politicians and deciding that the state would have a "holiday tree" instead of a "Christmas tree." The governor defended his decision by arguing that it is in keeping with the state's founding in 1636 by religious dissident Roger Williams as a haven for tolerance -- where government and religion were kept separate. Chafee, an independent, said in a statement issued Tuesday that his stand was a continuation of past practice, "and does not represent a change of course on my part." But Rep. Doreen Costa,...

R.I. Gov. Lincoln Chafee says former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney is “a completely different person” as a presidential candidate than the man who was once a fellow member of the Republican Party’s moderate wing in the Northeast.“It’s the same thing I saw with John McCain, and I saw with George Pataki and with Rudy Giuliani,” Chafee told WPRI.com during an interview at his office Wednesday. Referencing a speech on foreign policy Romney gave last week at The Citadel, Chafee said: “The appeal you have to make to the Republican primary audience – that’s just alien to what’s in our best...

by John HillStand With Arizona Over 500 people turned out for a protest against R.I. Gov. Lincoln Chafee's support for in-state tuition for illegal aliens - which was implemented with a lawless decree by Chafee's education "czars" when he failed to get the Legislature to pass the outrageous bill. Local media hailed the "unusually large turnout for a weeknight" at the the State House in Providence, which included many Stand With Arizona activists, along with members of Rhode Island for Immigration Law Enforcement, and average citizens furious at the Obama-style bypassing of elected officials on behalf of illegal aliens....

EVENT: JOIN R.I. LEGISLATORS AND PROTEST THE LAWLESS DECREE OF SUBSIDIZED TUITION FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS BY GOV. CHAFEE'S UNELECTED 'BOARD OF GOVERNORS'WHO: SWA Activists from RI, CT and MA - and ALL SWA'ers to call, fax or email. 6 Rhode Island Representatives and Senators will be attending the protest and holding a press conference (see below).WHERE: Rhode Island State House (Smith St. Side). Providence, R.I.WHEN: Wed., Oct 5th, 2011, 5:00 P.M. NOTE: SWA will be providing signs for you to print out (if you need them please email us at act@standwitharizona.com). Otherwise please bring your own (non-political) signs against in-state...

Less than a week after New York became the nation's sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage, Rhode Island state lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favor of a bill that permits civil unions between gay and lesbian couples. The measure, which passed the state Senate by a count of 21-16, is widely seen as a compromise intended to provide same-same couples with added rights and benefits, while also preventing an expanded legal definition of marriage. The legislation, which passed overwhelmingly in the state's lower house on May 19, affords same-sex couples a host of new state tax breaks, health-care benefits and...

It wasn't long ago that the conservative, free-market Club for Growth was viewed by a swath of Republicans as a furtive, well-heeled enemy whose efforts to purge moderates from the GOP had to be thwarted. The club and its agenda are "not representative of the Republican Party," the director of the Republican Main Street Partnership, a group of moderate GOP congressional members, once said, adding: "We raise money on a daily basis to defeat them." When asked this week about the Republican animus the group faced in the recent past, Club for Growth executive director David Keating replied: "That sounds...

When talk radio hosts use harshly divisive language, "The advertisers should shut them down," Governor Lincoln Chafee said this morning. Chafee said the solution to the vitriolic rhetoric -- which some have linked to the shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords over the weekend -- is for people to stop paying for it, including not buying books from people who use such language. Chafee made his comments in response to reporters' questions after a meeting on health care. He noted that he had been a target of violence-tinged criticism himself. In 2006, conservative commentator Ann Coulter wrote a column, "They...

PROVIDENCE — No one is likely to confuse new Governor Chafee with his Republican predecessor, Donald L. Carcieri, and now here’s another way to tell them apart: Chafee doesn’t plan to spend his own time on talk radio, and he intends to ban state employees from spending their state work time talking on talk radio, which was Carcieri’s favorite medium and an integral part of his communications operation. Spokesman Michael Trainor said a directive will go out over the next day or so that reflects that new policy. He said the policy emanates from a belief that talk radio is...

On Wednesday, newly installed Rhode Island governor, Lincoln Chafee rescinded an executive order put in place by his predecessor, Gov. Donald Carcieri which ordered state agencies and their vendors to use the E-verify system to screen-out illegal aliens for employment. Gov. Chafee also ordered the Rhode Island State Police to stop participating in the federal 287(g) program which allowed them direct access to an immigration database when they suspect an arrestee to be in the country illegally. The program has proven very successful in identifying and reporting illegal aliens to federal authorities. Immediately after signing the order, Chafee said: “My...

In an election cycle that has Democratic candidates running as far as they can from an unpopular president, Rhode Island's Democratic gubernatorial candidate made a sure to go viral comment today when he didn't get President Barack Obama's endorsement. Democrat Frank Caprio told a local radio station, "He can take his endorsement and really shove it" and went on to criticize Mr. Obama for ignoring Rhode Island's recent floods and "treating us like an ATM machine." So was this a real snub of a fellow Democrat or a well-orchestrated plan to help both Mr. Caprio and the president?

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Democratic candidate for Rhode Island governor is telling President Barack Obama to "shove it" after learning Obama would not endorse him. Frank Caprio's campaign last week said he would welcome Obama's endorsement. But on Monday, the same day Obama is set to visit Rhode Island and a day after the White House said Obama would not endorse anyone, Caprio told WPRO-AM that Obama can "take his endorsement and shove it."...

Former Senator Lincoln Chafee remains the leader in the race to be Rhode Island’s next governor, with State Treasurer Frank Caprio the strongest Democrat in the contest for now. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in Rhode Island shows Chafee, who is running as an independent, earning 39% support to Caprio’s 28%. Likely Republican nominee John Robitaille picks up 22% of the vote, with 11% more undecided. Chafee pulls 37% of the vote if state Attorney General Patrick Lynch is the Democrat in the race. Robitaille is in second with 26% support, and Lynch runs third with...

Providence, R.I. (AP) -- Both Democrats running for governor and former Sen. Lincoln Chafee, an independent candidate, will publicly pledge to sign a gay marriage bill if elected, gay rights activists said Monday. Attorney General Patrick Lynch and General Treasurer Frank Caprio, the Democrats, and Chafee have been invited to make their promise public at a Statehouse rally scheduled for March 3, said Kathy Kushnir, executive director of Marriage Equality Rhode Island. Republican John Robitaille has not responded to an invitation from Marriage Equality, and he did not return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment. Robitaille opposes gay...

(CNN) - Lincoln Chafee Monday will formally announce his bid for Rhode Island governor Monday. The former Republican senator-turned-independent will officially jump into the race at an event in Warwick, where he once served as mayor. The 56 year old Chafee lost his U.S. senate seat in 2006 to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse after a bitter Republican primary battle against Stephen Laffey. Chafee eventually left the GOP and is now an independent.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Former Sen. Lincoln Chafee created a committee on Monday to explore a run for governor next year as an independent candidate after leaving the Republican Party, his first formal move to enter the race.

The cameras focused on a tearful Jesse Jackson, and the reporters seemed more interested in talking to Spike Lee, Brad Pitt and Oprah. But at Chicago’s Grant Park, when President-elect Barack Obama declared “Change has come to America,” there was another face in the crowd that Rhode Islanders would have recognized. Former U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee, the Republican-turned-independent who campaigned for Obama, was about 20 feet from the side of the stage. Chafee and his wife, Stephanie, waved to Obama’s brother-in-law, Craig Robinson, and his wife and two children. The Robinsons, who were on stage with Obama, used to...

WBBM 780 - Chicago's #1 source for local news, traffic and weather Posted: Thursday, 11 September 2008 2:02PM Former GOP Sen. Lincoln Chafee: Sarah Palin a 'Cocky Whacko' PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Former Rhode Island Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee has called vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin a "cocky whacko" and said her selection as John McCain's running mate has energized supporters of Democrat Barack Obama. Chafee left the Republican Party last year after losing his bid for re-election and now supports Obama. He told an audience Tuesday at the New America Foundation in Washington the Alaska governor has revived a...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Sept. 11) - Former Rhode Island Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee has called vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin a "cocky wacko" and said her selection as John McCain's running mate has energized supporters of Democrat Barack Obama. Chafee left the Republican Party last year after losing his bid for re-election and now supports Obama. He told an audience Tuesday at the New America Foundation in Washington that the Alaska governor has revived a "lackluster McCain candidacy." "They've just thrown this firestorm, this tornado, into the whole presidential election," Chafee said in response to an audience member's question about whether...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Former Rhode Island Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee has called vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin a "cocky wacko" and said her selection as John McCain's running mate has energized supporters of Democrat Barack Obama. Chafee left the Republican Party last year after losing his bid for re-election and now supports Obama. He told an audience Tuesday at the New America Foundation in Washington that the Alaska governor has revived a "lackluster McCain candidacy."