Clay Johnson: Let Us Be Thankful

We are living through one of the most peaceful times in human history. Given the tumult of 2020, it is easy to lose perspective. The number of people living in poverty is plummeting – globally. And even with a pandemic raging, we are seeing extraordinary advances in our ability to fight disease. Whether together or apart, we will soon see the arrival of Thanksgiving – a pause to give thanks, and maybe gain some perspective.

Before we arrive at this pause, we have an election to endure. The Gaspee Project board is committed to advocating for free market principles and supporting conservative candidates. These principles lead to more freedom. Freedom leads to prosperity (jobs). History has shown this to be true.

Conservatives believe in the individual rights and a free society. This is why private property and a limited government are so important.

… Except that Rhode Island’s COVID Positivity Rate Is Lower than Two Months Ago

Graph by epidemiologist Dr. Andrew Bostom basis State of R.I. data

At her press conference currently ongoing, Governor Gina Raimondo is announcing new restrictions, including reduction from fifteen to ten at social gatherings; no spectators at any sports for next two weeks; and fines, including fines on households, saying she doesn’t want cases to “explode”.

You’d reasonably conclude from these serious measures and language that Rhode Island’s case positivity rate, the newest panic-promoting selling point of the lockdown, was at a recent high, wouldn’t you? In fact, as epidemiologist Dr. Andrew Bostom said yesterday on the R.I. Center for Freedom and Prosperity‘s “Mikes with Mics” and shows in his graph, above, the current, very modest rise in case positivity is actually lower than the modest rise of August 1.

Steve Laffey Jumps in for Gaspee Project – and Rhode Island

From a just-issued press release by Gaspee Project Chairman Clay Johnson:

Steve Laffey, the former Mayor of Cranston, has volunteered his time and voice to bolster an ad blitz for The Gaspee Project in the final week of the 2020 campaign season.

Laffey’s has recorded a radio spot and multiple robo-call ads that will run this week in support of 8 General Assembly candidates and the Republican party. In the spots, Laffey stresses how the Democrat party is no longer the party of JFK and has been taken-over by radical-left mobs, while the Republican party is still the party of Lincoln and stands for common-sense, pro-jobs policies.

Also this week, a second round of mailers, social media ads, and print ads by Gaspee are expected to run, which in combination with previous Gaspee election materials, will reach almost one-hundred thousand households, social media accounts, print ad readers, and radio listeners.

Thanks very much to Steve Laffey for doing this. He understands, as many of us do, that Rhode Island would be very poorly served by the election of far left, “progressive” candidates who will push to put on steroids the misguided, leftie policies that have already damaged the state: raising of taxes (often disguised as fees, tolls and budget scooping) even higher; ratcheting up of already burdensome regulations (that often pose as a redundant effort at diversity) on business; more encroachment on private property rights; and the cramming down of effectively non-existent, exorbitantly expensive, politically correct energy sources.

(Seriously, “progressive policies” has to be one of the biggest oxymorons in the history of political branding.)

If you are alarmed at the prospect of the expansion of these non-progressive policies in Rhode Island, please consider pushing back by donating to the Gaspee Project to bolster the reach of these radio ads and mailers.

Hospitalization Data: Why is Rhode Island Still Locked Down Five Months after Flattening the Curve?

What does perhaps the most important COVID-19 data point show and say about the case for continuing Rhode Island’s lockdown?

Charles Callanan: Rhode Island’s Leadership Void

So far this year, this is what your state government has produced. If you want to talk about business as usual, well here it is.

In the Dugout: Stephen Moore

RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity CEO Mike Stenhouse speaks with nationally renowned conservative Stephen Moore about economics, President Trump, and politics.

Aging Population No Excuse for RI

Putting aside whether we should care about the size of our labor force, it isn’t true that Rhode Island’s has been disproportionately affected by the aging population.

More than Just a Tax Increase from Raimondo

Our state’s record following the COVID-19 recession shows Raimondo’s approach to the economy simply doesn’t work. And now she wants to make things worse with taxes?

Last Impressions #50: The Laughable & the Ominous

A new Not Real News segment explores what RI politicians are really thinking, the Conservative Binder catches up on some right-leaning news from the state, and Justin discusses the Providence College lockdown and ominous economic news for the state.

Wrong Direction Rhode Island: Employment

According to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT), the unemployment rate actually went up in August.

Income Distribution “What Ifs”

“Proofs” of systemic inequality tend to skip over important points.

Use Your Voice – Huge Deficits Cannot be Plugged with Even Higher Taxes

Before the coronavirus crisis… the Ocean State was already hemorrhaging people, because of its existing cruel business climate. Now, Rhode Islanders cannot afford tax hikes to plug huge projected budget deficits.

Lawmakers are being pressured by public sector unions and the radical far left movement to put the burden on you… and to raise your taxes. That’s why the Center has launched a new counter campaign to the government-union led effort to raise taxes in RI. Take action now.

Raise Sales, Not Taxes

Because we are not in the best of times, now is the worst of times to raise taxes.

Watching the News Without the Scary Soundtrack

If Block Island tourists’ behavior isn’t having a measurable effect, maybe it isn’t actually “behaving badly.”

Observations from a Circle of Rhode Island

Nobody seems concerned that we’ve turned summer into winter on America’s Cup Ave.

Politics This Week with John DePetro: Protests and Snitches

My weekly call-in on John DePetro’s WNRI 1380 AM/95.1 FM show, for August 10, included talk about:

  • Protests at Gina’s house
  • The snitch line
  • A dictated last call
  • Will schools open?

I’ll be on again Monday, August 24, at 12:00 p.m. on WNRI 1380 AM and I-95.1 FM.

Vision of Raised Taxes Not the Answer for Economic Crisis

The coronavirus pandemic has left Rhode Island with significant revenue loss after forced government shutdowns.

Now, legislators are being pushed by public-employee unions and the progressive-left to put the burden on you… and to raise your taxes. This is not a burden Rhode Island can bear.

Raimondo Rips out Goalposts Altogether as Governors Carefully Disregard Most Important Datapoint

As you probably know, the original justification for the COVID-19 lockdown was to prevent the overwhelming of hospitals. This never happened; not in Rhode Island nor in any state other than hotspot New York (where it got close); not even at the height of the pandemic. Click here to view Justin Katz’ latest, very informative tracking graph of COVID-19 trends in Rhode Island. You’ll note that hospitalizations in Rhode Island, in fact, peaked THREE WHOLE MONTHS AGO.

Keep this critical piece of information in mind as we move now to Rhode Island’s COVID-19 press conference yesterday.

In the Dugout: Lori Giuttari on RI Small Business Coalition

Everyone knows Rhode Island small businesses are hurting; is more government intervention really the answer? Lori Giuttari from the RI Small Business Coalition joins us- watch this new episode now of In The Dugout with Mike Stenhouse.

Politics This Week with John DePetro: Corruption All Around

My weekly call-in on John DePetro’s WNRI 1380 AM/95.1 FM show, for August 3, included talk about:

  • The union Iron Triangle in RI
  • The status of the education commissioner
  • The controversy of mail ballots
  • Stuck in phase 3 with hopes of school fading

I’ll be on again Monday, August 10, at 12:00 p.m. on WNRI 1380 AM and I-95.1 FM.

Union Political Spending: A Web of Corruption

Not every teacher, first-responder, clerk, or other public servant considers themselves to be Democrats or part of the “progressive-left” movement in Rhode Island. Yet every employee who is member of a government union in our state is paying dues that directly support this extreme political agenda… along with the corrupt quid quo pro that comes with union political spending. A new report, from our Center, exposes that Rhode Island’s hyper-partisanship and radical agenda is funded by government union political spending: Click Here Now To Read It.

In The Dugout: Len Lardaro On The Rhode Island Economy

Politics This Week with John DePetro: Restrictions and Reparations

My weekly call-in on John DePetro’s WNRI 1380 AM/95.1 FM show, for July 20, included talk about:

  • Elorza reparations
  • Gina beach restriction
  • Gorbea ballot intentions
  • Unions’ school reservations

I’ll be on again Monday, July 27, at 12:00 p.m. on WNRI 1380 AM and I-95.1 FM.

Death Arrives – Lockdowns Now Demonstrably Indefensible

The survival rate for COVID-19 is now in the range of 99.35% – 99.74%, per CDC data. But even this high rate is almost certainly on the conservative side as it does not include all unidentified cases, an important data point which scientists continue diligently to try to quantify.

Moreover, COVID cases are rising but COVID deaths are falling.

Conversely, grimly, deaths from the lockdown have moved from projection to reality and are rising.

Federal Aid or Budget Relief

Roland Benjamin: $23,000/Student is Already More than Sufficient Funding

I have been close to these budgets. Very close.

A “lack of funding” cannot be the culprit for every decision from local officials that change services or reconsider programming. When a 1% or 2% fiscal nudge in anything is blamed, I seriously question the competence and/or the integrity of those using the argument.

Politics This Week with John DePetro: Muted Independence

My weekly call-in on John DePetro’s WNRI 1380 AM/95.1 FM show, for July 6, included talk about:

  • Phase 3
  • Lack of budget
  • The secret consultant
  • Nursing home problems
  • Not a real Bristol parade
  • RI schools’ future
  • Lt. Gov. McKee tries an online petition

I’ll be on again Monday, July 13, at 12:00 p.m. on WNRI 1380 AM and I-95.1 FM.

Ideals that Make America and Rhode Island Strong

Have a happy and proud Independence Day weekend. Now is the time to celebrate America’s great and noble ideals. Sadly in the Ocean State, the political class has taken too much from hard-working Rhode Island families and businesses. The chosen few have benefited from the broken system, while the rest of us have suffered.

Headlines Designed to Divide

If you were trying to sow division and promote civil unrest (and maybe civil war), you would promote the narrative of these CNBC headlines.

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