Let’s get this straight. The former Tax Collector in Providence states that on numerous occasions he was pressured to give preferential treatment to friends of and contributors to Mayor Cicilline – including not cashing a $75,000 bad check written by the mayor’s brother.
1) The mayor himself acknowledges that he stepped in on behalf of these friends and contributors.
2) Two (not just one, but two) senior staff members of the mayor state that they spoke to the mayor regarding his brother’s bad check.
3) According to one of these mayor’s aides, the mayor simply stated (about the $75,000 check), “Why would he do something like that?”, but did not even give the aide any instruction as to how to handle the situation.
4) This above mentioned Tax Collector was put on paid leave shortly after a ProJo story reported the mishandling of the mayor’s brother’s check, yet the mayor states that “management deficiencies” on behalf of the Tax Collector had convinced the mayor to get rid of him just prior to the ProJo story – even though he (the mayor) took no action toward this end until after the ProJo story triggered a possible corruption investigation in the Cicilline administration.
The statements above are the reported series of events regarding the Tax Collector’s Office under the Cicilline Administration. Inventoried on the following list are the explanations of these reported facts by Mayor Cicilline.
1) The mayor states that there have been no improprieties in this area by himself or his staff. According to the mayor, “Campaign contributions should not disqualify someone from relief from unfair treatment”.
We are left to take the mayor’s word that despite the “appearance” of preferential treatment, there was none
2) The mayor’s “explanation” to these official statements made to authorities investigating possible corruption under the Cicilline Administration. “I told him (former Chief-of-Staff Christopher Bizzacco) that I know that you think that we had a conversation about this (John Cicilline’s $75,000 check) but you’re mistaken.”
Despite overwhelming evidence that the mayor was informed about his brother’s bad check early on in the process, we are left to accept the mayor’s explanation that he remembers what didn’t happen and that two of his top aides are mistaken in their remembrance of what they say did happen.
3) The mayor’s non-committal as to a plan of action regarding his brother’s bad check left the decision as to whether or not to go after the brother of the man who controls their employment squarely on the shoulders of his aides. This ‘dodging of the tough decisions’ is not the type of leadership we need from our elected officials.
This type of action is, however, exactly the type of behavior one would expect by a person who wanted the “issue” to disappear but did not wish to go “on record” as to having been responsible for the decision.
4) The suspension of the Tax Collector after the ProJo story accused the mayor of inappropriate interference on behalf of his friends and contributors would seem to be nothing more than political retribution. The mayor, however, states that the decision to replace the Tax Collector was made before the story broke – he had simply not shared this decision with anyone else.
We are forced to believe the mayor at his word on this issue, despite the obvious conclusion one would arrive at after reviewing the chain of events.
The only way to avoid the acceptance that there was, at minimum, inappropriate behavior and possibly full-fledged corruption in the Cicilline Administration is to accept the word of the mayor over the word of his former Tax Collector; to accept the word of the mayor over the word of two (2) of his top aides; to accept the word of the mayor over common sense regarding a seemingly political retaliation on his part against the person who began the allegations against him.
For myself, I don’t have that type of blind belief in David Cicilline. I have personal knowledge of lies he has boldly told in the past.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Governor's Irresponsible Proposals
The Governor’s Irresponsible Proposals
In the year 2012 (or so) former RI Governor Donald Carcieri will be the defendant in a wrongful death suit brought by the widow of a RI firefighter, police officer or the family members of multiple fire victims.
Unfortunately for the taxpayers of RI, a wrongful death suit will also be brought against the State of RI and a city or town to be named later by the same victims.
The exact legal issues and the time frame stated here are not written in stone, but the fact that people will die in this state as the result of Governor Carcieri’s proposed changes in his supplemental budgetary proposals is, in my opinion, only a matter of when, who and how many people will die. The changes he proposes are far-reaching and very dangerous, not to mention completely irresponsible.
Public Safety is not a convenience; it is a necessity, and should always be a priority – not only when the economy is flourishing. In fact, when the economic climate is at its worst is when the greatest demands are placed on both police and fire departments.
For those of you who may not be aware of the changes the governor is proposing that would trigger a chain of consequences that would result in decreased public safety throughout the state of RI (particularly in fire departments), I will attempt to connect the dots.
First of all, the governor’s proposed supplemental budget cuts millions of dollars in promised state aid to RI’s cities and towns. This is a substantial amount of money per town. Mayors and Town Managers throughout the state are already publicly stating that layoffs of municipal workers are the most likely place to cut such an amount from their budgets. This, in itself, is a matter of great concern. RI’s unemployment level is already the 2nd highest in the nation. These types of layoffs would certainly gain us the dubious distinction of being #1 once again.
The sole ‘safety valves’ in the present system that could keep desperate Mayors and Town Managers from ravaging their public safety personnel, to a more dangerously critical level than they are at present, are the minimum staffing provisions in the respective CBA’s (Collective Bargaining Agreements) with their police and fire unions. If not for these provisions, there would be nothing to safeguard the minimum number of firefighters or police officers on the street at any given time.
Governor Carcieri, being well aware of the minimum staffing levels in public safety contracts, has also proposed that police and fire unions be allowed collective bargaining and the right to “binding” arbitration on issues that cannot be resolved via negotiations. Police and fire unions already have these ‘rights’ under RI law. Governor Carcieri is, however, proposing changes to these rights as currently enforced.
He proposes that the right to “binding” arbitration remain intact for monetary issues regarding salaries and benefits. He wants to take away the union’s right to “binding” arbitration regarding minimum staffing levels, minimum equipment levels, and deployment of personnel issues. In other words he wants to put the question of how many police officers or firefighters are on duty at one time into the hands of the politicians. He wants to give the politicians the right to close fire stations (by not replacing worn out Engine companies or Ladder companies). He wants to allow politicians to double up police officers and cut the number of vehicles responding to calls in half – or worse.
His irresponsible handling of the State’s fiscal crisis is putting the cities and towns in desperate financial shape. They have been put in a position where the only options afforded them are to raise taxes or to cut services. These types of choices are never easy but, no matter how desperate the economic climate, we should never allow our citizens to be placed in harm’s way to help balance some politician’s budget.
In the year 2012 (or so) former RI Governor Donald Carcieri will be the defendant in a wrongful death suit brought by the widow of a RI firefighter, police officer or the family members of multiple fire victims.
Unfortunately for the taxpayers of RI, a wrongful death suit will also be brought against the State of RI and a city or town to be named later by the same victims.
The exact legal issues and the time frame stated here are not written in stone, but the fact that people will die in this state as the result of Governor Carcieri’s proposed changes in his supplemental budgetary proposals is, in my opinion, only a matter of when, who and how many people will die. The changes he proposes are far-reaching and very dangerous, not to mention completely irresponsible.
Public Safety is not a convenience; it is a necessity, and should always be a priority – not only when the economy is flourishing. In fact, when the economic climate is at its worst is when the greatest demands are placed on both police and fire departments.
For those of you who may not be aware of the changes the governor is proposing that would trigger a chain of consequences that would result in decreased public safety throughout the state of RI (particularly in fire departments), I will attempt to connect the dots.
First of all, the governor’s proposed supplemental budget cuts millions of dollars in promised state aid to RI’s cities and towns. This is a substantial amount of money per town. Mayors and Town Managers throughout the state are already publicly stating that layoffs of municipal workers are the most likely place to cut such an amount from their budgets. This, in itself, is a matter of great concern. RI’s unemployment level is already the 2nd highest in the nation. These types of layoffs would certainly gain us the dubious distinction of being #1 once again.
The sole ‘safety valves’ in the present system that could keep desperate Mayors and Town Managers from ravaging their public safety personnel, to a more dangerously critical level than they are at present, are the minimum staffing provisions in the respective CBA’s (Collective Bargaining Agreements) with their police and fire unions. If not for these provisions, there would be nothing to safeguard the minimum number of firefighters or police officers on the street at any given time.
Governor Carcieri, being well aware of the minimum staffing levels in public safety contracts, has also proposed that police and fire unions be allowed collective bargaining and the right to “binding” arbitration on issues that cannot be resolved via negotiations. Police and fire unions already have these ‘rights’ under RI law. Governor Carcieri is, however, proposing changes to these rights as currently enforced.
He proposes that the right to “binding” arbitration remain intact for monetary issues regarding salaries and benefits. He wants to take away the union’s right to “binding” arbitration regarding minimum staffing levels, minimum equipment levels, and deployment of personnel issues. In other words he wants to put the question of how many police officers or firefighters are on duty at one time into the hands of the politicians. He wants to give the politicians the right to close fire stations (by not replacing worn out Engine companies or Ladder companies). He wants to allow politicians to double up police officers and cut the number of vehicles responding to calls in half – or worse.
His irresponsible handling of the State’s fiscal crisis is putting the cities and towns in desperate financial shape. They have been put in a position where the only options afforded them are to raise taxes or to cut services. These types of choices are never easy but, no matter how desperate the economic climate, we should never allow our citizens to be placed in harm’s way to help balance some politician’s budget.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
John DePetro: Still on the air at WPRO?
17-SEPT-08
The following letter (bold print) was sent to Paul Giammarco (630 WPRO’s Station Manager) over a month ago…..the second part of this letter (italics) was sent about one week ago.
Paul,
About a month ago I sent you the following e-mail:
Mr. Giammarco:
With regards to your morning radio host John DePetro:
Fact 1: It appears that there has been a huge "fix" of the latest Arbitron ratings.
Fact 2: It has been reported that 6 ratings diaries were from a single E Greenwich household.
Fact 3: DePetro lives in E Greenwich.
Fact 4: Arbitron has learned that the six Spring 2008 Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket metro diaries in question were returned from a media-affiliated household.
Fact 5: The six diaries indicated they listened to WPRO from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. for over 109 hours (out of a possible maximum of 120 hours) during a single week. That's when DePetro is on the air.
Fact 6: The ratings for DePetro's show went through the roof among 25- to 54-year-old listeners - the money-making demographic that advertisers target. DePetro skyrocketed from a 2.0 share in 11th place this winter to a 6.8 and 4th place this spring.
Assumption 1 (not fact): John DePetro had something to do with this "fix".
sub-facts:
a) He had the most to gain from this deception.
b) He has the understanding of what this could mean to his value.
c) It "may have been" from his household based on reports.
d) The "fix" involved only his show.
e) He (DePetro) has had a very controversial career.
The "assumption" of DePetro's guilt in this scandal, based (not entirely) on the above sub-"facts" listed under the "assumption", would be more than enough evidence for DePetro to publicly crucify someone else for "alleged" wrong-doing. He would publicly humiliate the "alleged" conspirator on his radio show and laugh down anyone who had the nerve to point out that all the facts were not in.
I suggest we treat him the same way that he would treat someone else – fire him immediately!!!
Tom Kenney
Paul:
Since then it has been revealed that the diaries did indeed come from DePetro's home. Mr. DePetro claims that Mrs. DePetro was responsible for this unlawful and fraudulent act.
Your radio station has taken no action toward removing Mr. DePetro from the airwaves. I am forced to assume that your station, your parent company, and all the advertisers of DePetro's show condone (or at best, excuse) his and his wife's actions.
This type of behavior has been a continual problem with DePetro over the years. On his morning radio show, John DePetro continually attacks the poor, gays and lesbians and people of color, while fanning the flames of anger toward immigrants. Similar derogatory comments led to his firing from a Boston radio station.
It was with great regret that I tuned into Dan Yorke's radio show Tuesday afternoon only to hear an advertisement for Mr. DePetro's radio show scheduled for the next morning. I had assumed that he would be fired by this time in order for the radio station and advertisers to avoid alienating listeners who care about honesty and integrity in journalism and hold these reporters to a higher standard of ethical conduct due to their influence on the community.
I need to inform you that I will no longer be listening to your station. I have been a semi-loyal listener for years to your station during the late morning / late afternoon timeframe. I have never been a loyal listener of DePetro's because he has always lacked the integrity needed to be a journalist. He has always lacked the ability to examine an issue from both sides. He has always preached his cause/opinion and shouted down or hung up on opposing views.
I do, however, intend to listen to Mr. DePetro's program on one more occasion. I intend to listen on Friday to make a list of advertisers who still choose to fund his program. I will contact every advertiser and forward a copy of this e-mail along with my intent to boycott their company. I will also advise them that I will forward this boycott list to as many of my business, union, political, and family friends as I can reach. I will also post this list on as many political forums as I belong.
There is absolutely no room for a person with such low moral standards on the "public" airwaves. People and businesses who ignore (and thereby condone) his inappropriate actions will be exposed and boycotted.
Tom Kenney
Warwick, RI 02888
Note: As of 9/16/08 the following JohnDePetro advertisers have been identified, with more to follow:
RI Hospital/Lifespan
Lopco Contracting
Somersett Auto Group
Kevin Trudeau’s Debt Cures
Samson Realty
Paul Masse Auto
Miracle Method
Everclense
Super 8
Veazie Financial Advisers
Sherwin Williams Paint
Michelin Tires
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
Searchbiddrive.com
The following dealers belong to this service:
Bald Hill Kia
1021 Bald Hill Road
Warwick, Rhode Island 02886 USA
401-262-4102
www.baldhill.com
Barry's Auto Maul
250 W. Main Street
Milddletown, Rhode Island 02842
401-847-1231
www.barrysautomall.com
Cerrone Cadillac Pontiac GMC Buick
68 Washington Street
South Attleboro, Massachusetts 02703
508-915-8213
www.cerronegm.com
Flood Ford Greenwich
2535 South County Trail
E. Greenwich, Rhode Island 02818
401-884-4000
www.floodauto.com
Hyundai of Newport
1133 W Main Street
Middletown, Rhode Island 02842
888-234-7021
www.hyundaiofnewport.com
Jaguar Wellesley
962 Worcester Rd.
Wellesley, Massachusetts 02482
866-542-4533
www.jaguarwellesley.com
Land Rover Cape Cod
100 Barnstable Road
Hyannis, Massachusetts 02601
508-778-0044
www.rovercapecod.com
Land Rover Hanover
2144 Washington St.
Hanover, Massachusetts 02339
781-659-4000
www.roverhanover.com
Lee Volvo
962 Worcester Road
Wellesley, Massachusetts 02482
781-235-8841
www.leevolvo.com
Mazda Galley
918 Providence Hwy
Norwood, Massachusetts 02062
866-771-1530
www.mazadagallery.com
Paul Clark Volkswagen
122 Liberty Street
Brockton Massachusetts 02301
508-587-9040
www.paul-clark.vwdealer
Rodman Suzuki /Ford/Lincoln /Mercury
53 Washington Street
Foxboro, Massachusetts 02035
800-574-6892
www.rodmanford.com
Rt 44 Toyota Scion /Hyundai
1154 New State Hwy
Raynham, Massachusetts 02767
888-237-1391
www.route44automile.com
Saturn of Dartmouth
143 Faunce Corner Road
North Dartmouth, Massachusetts 02747
866-655-2902
www.saturnofdartmouth.com
Scott Volkswagen
260 Newport Ave
East Providence, Rhode Island 02916
800-568-5550
www.scottvolkswagen.com
Somerset Chrysler Jeep /Subaru
1451 Brayton Point Rd
Somerset, Massachusetts 02725
1-800-495-5337
www.somersetautogroup.com
Toyota Scion of Newport
285 East Main Street
Middletown, Rhode Island 02842
888-234-7014
www.toyotaofnewport.com
Viti Mercerdes
975 Fish Road
Tiverton, RI 02878
888-289-8484
www.viti.com
VW Gallery
1280 Providence Hwy
Norwwod, Massachusetts 02062
www.vwgallery.com
Also, the following restaurants:
Top of the Bay Restaurant (Oakland Beach)
898 Oakland Beach Ave
Warwick, RI 02889
(401) 921-3663
Timmy’s One Bay Ave.
1 Bay Ave
Warwick, RI 02889
(401) 738-4777
www.timmysonebayave.com
The following letter (bold print) was sent to Paul Giammarco (630 WPRO’s Station Manager) over a month ago…..the second part of this letter (italics) was sent about one week ago.
Paul,
About a month ago I sent you the following e-mail:
Mr. Giammarco:
With regards to your morning radio host John DePetro:
Fact 1: It appears that there has been a huge "fix" of the latest Arbitron ratings.
Fact 2: It has been reported that 6 ratings diaries were from a single E Greenwich household.
Fact 3: DePetro lives in E Greenwich.
Fact 4: Arbitron has learned that the six Spring 2008 Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket metro diaries in question were returned from a media-affiliated household.
Fact 5: The six diaries indicated they listened to WPRO from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. for over 109 hours (out of a possible maximum of 120 hours) during a single week. That's when DePetro is on the air.
Fact 6: The ratings for DePetro's show went through the roof among 25- to 54-year-old listeners - the money-making demographic that advertisers target. DePetro skyrocketed from a 2.0 share in 11th place this winter to a 6.8 and 4th place this spring.
Assumption 1 (not fact): John DePetro had something to do with this "fix".
sub-facts:
a) He had the most to gain from this deception.
b) He has the understanding of what this could mean to his value.
c) It "may have been" from his household based on reports.
d) The "fix" involved only his show.
e) He (DePetro) has had a very controversial career.
The "assumption" of DePetro's guilt in this scandal, based (not entirely) on the above sub-"facts" listed under the "assumption", would be more than enough evidence for DePetro to publicly crucify someone else for "alleged" wrong-doing. He would publicly humiliate the "alleged" conspirator on his radio show and laugh down anyone who had the nerve to point out that all the facts were not in.
I suggest we treat him the same way that he would treat someone else – fire him immediately!!!
Tom Kenney
Paul:
Since then it has been revealed that the diaries did indeed come from DePetro's home. Mr. DePetro claims that Mrs. DePetro was responsible for this unlawful and fraudulent act.
Your radio station has taken no action toward removing Mr. DePetro from the airwaves. I am forced to assume that your station, your parent company, and all the advertisers of DePetro's show condone (or at best, excuse) his and his wife's actions.
This type of behavior has been a continual problem with DePetro over the years. On his morning radio show, John DePetro continually attacks the poor, gays and lesbians and people of color, while fanning the flames of anger toward immigrants. Similar derogatory comments led to his firing from a Boston radio station.
It was with great regret that I tuned into Dan Yorke's radio show Tuesday afternoon only to hear an advertisement for Mr. DePetro's radio show scheduled for the next morning. I had assumed that he would be fired by this time in order for the radio station and advertisers to avoid alienating listeners who care about honesty and integrity in journalism and hold these reporters to a higher standard of ethical conduct due to their influence on the community.
I need to inform you that I will no longer be listening to your station. I have been a semi-loyal listener for years to your station during the late morning / late afternoon timeframe. I have never been a loyal listener of DePetro's because he has always lacked the integrity needed to be a journalist. He has always lacked the ability to examine an issue from both sides. He has always preached his cause/opinion and shouted down or hung up on opposing views.
I do, however, intend to listen to Mr. DePetro's program on one more occasion. I intend to listen on Friday to make a list of advertisers who still choose to fund his program. I will contact every advertiser and forward a copy of this e-mail along with my intent to boycott their company. I will also advise them that I will forward this boycott list to as many of my business, union, political, and family friends as I can reach. I will also post this list on as many political forums as I belong.
There is absolutely no room for a person with such low moral standards on the "public" airwaves. People and businesses who ignore (and thereby condone) his inappropriate actions will be exposed and boycotted.
Tom Kenney
Warwick, RI 02888
Note: As of 9/16/08 the following JohnDePetro advertisers have been identified, with more to follow:
RI Hospital/Lifespan
Lopco Contracting
Somersett Auto Group
Kevin Trudeau’s Debt Cures
Samson Realty
Paul Masse Auto
Miracle Method
Everclense
Super 8
Veazie Financial Advisers
Sherwin Williams Paint
Michelin Tires
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
Searchbiddrive.com
The following dealers belong to this service:
Bald Hill Kia
1021 Bald Hill Road
Warwick, Rhode Island 02886 USA
401-262-4102
www.baldhill.com
Barry's Auto Maul
250 W. Main Street
Milddletown, Rhode Island 02842
401-847-1231
www.barrysautomall.com
Cerrone Cadillac Pontiac GMC Buick
68 Washington Street
South Attleboro, Massachusetts 02703
508-915-8213
www.cerronegm.com
Flood Ford Greenwich
2535 South County Trail
E. Greenwich, Rhode Island 02818
401-884-4000
www.floodauto.com
Hyundai of Newport
1133 W Main Street
Middletown, Rhode Island 02842
888-234-7021
www.hyundaiofnewport.com
Jaguar Wellesley
962 Worcester Rd.
Wellesley, Massachusetts 02482
866-542-4533
www.jaguarwellesley.com
Land Rover Cape Cod
100 Barnstable Road
Hyannis, Massachusetts 02601
508-778-0044
www.rovercapecod.com
Land Rover Hanover
2144 Washington St.
Hanover, Massachusetts 02339
781-659-4000
www.roverhanover.com
Lee Volvo
962 Worcester Road
Wellesley, Massachusetts 02482
781-235-8841
www.leevolvo.com
Mazda Galley
918 Providence Hwy
Norwood, Massachusetts 02062
866-771-1530
www.mazadagallery.com
Paul Clark Volkswagen
122 Liberty Street
Brockton Massachusetts 02301
508-587-9040
www.paul-clark.vwdealer
Rodman Suzuki /Ford/Lincoln /Mercury
53 Washington Street
Foxboro, Massachusetts 02035
800-574-6892
www.rodmanford.com
Rt 44 Toyota Scion /Hyundai
1154 New State Hwy
Raynham, Massachusetts 02767
888-237-1391
www.route44automile.com
Saturn of Dartmouth
143 Faunce Corner Road
North Dartmouth, Massachusetts 02747
866-655-2902
www.saturnofdartmouth.com
Scott Volkswagen
260 Newport Ave
East Providence, Rhode Island 02916
800-568-5550
www.scottvolkswagen.com
Somerset Chrysler Jeep /Subaru
1451 Brayton Point Rd
Somerset, Massachusetts 02725
1-800-495-5337
www.somersetautogroup.com
Toyota Scion of Newport
285 East Main Street
Middletown, Rhode Island 02842
888-234-7014
www.toyotaofnewport.com
Viti Mercerdes
975 Fish Road
Tiverton, RI 02878
888-289-8484
www.viti.com
VW Gallery
1280 Providence Hwy
Norwwod, Massachusetts 02062
www.vwgallery.com
Also, the following restaurants:
Top of the Bay Restaurant (Oakland Beach)
898 Oakland Beach Ave
Warwick, RI 02889
(401) 921-3663
Timmy’s One Bay Ave.
1 Bay Ave
Warwick, RI 02889
(401) 738-4777
www.timmysonebayave.com
Saturday, September 13, 2008
7th Anniversary Remembrance for 9/11
The Tolling of Firehouse Bells
The bells in firehouses throughout New York
Echoed in harmony that morn
Calling our brothers to the fight of their lives
Fulfilling the duty they’d sworn
All those who responded carry the scars
Some physical, and some not
Three-hundred-forty-three of whom never returned
More broken, yet all but forgot
So today as we gather in solemn remembrance
For those brothers who gave all
We also remember those men who returned
Who too, answered the call
Some brothers are wracked by survivor’s guilt
Some continue to ask why
Why they were spared the horror of that fate
Why they weren’t destined to die
In the midst of vast despair and destruction
Beyond comprehension in its scope
It was a picture of three firefighters raising a flag
That gave America hope
Firemen everywhere walked a little taller
Though hearts heavy with pain
This country leaned on the strength of these heroes
To help it stand tall once again
Neither firefighter nor civilian should ever forget
How helpless we felt that day
I fear if we succeed in softening these horrors
Our determination will fade away
As firefighters we could never be the same
Changed forever that morning
It’s our duty to keep these memories alive
So that others heed the warning
They echo still, those firehouse bells
Every day in our great nation
Calling firemen to the scene of yet another tragedy
Which depends on our dedication
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Basic Healthcare:
The Right of Every "Working" American
I was once a Yuppie – or at least I thought I was. I was young, I had a good job with good benefits, my wife had a good job (at the Providence Journal) with good benefits, and we had a single child - a beautiful daughter. Life was good and getting better! I had every reason to believe that I, along with my new family, would have a better life that my father and mother had – at least materialistically and by virtue of increasingly better opportunities.
Here I am thirty years later wondering what the heck happened. Life happened…
Two more beautiful kids (one more girl and a little boy), and private school tuitions for all of them. I lived in Providence and had no choice but to send them to private school. Divorce. Inflation. College tuition. More inflation.
Hey, I’m not complaining – it’s been a wonderful ride. I just have to laugh at those of us regular people who think we’ve got it made. Working class people aren’t meant to “have it all”. It’s meant to be a struggle for us. Some victories and rewards, but few life-altering or generational-changing increases in our upward assault on the social class ladder.
It’s with this in mind that I’d like to call your attention to one of the tactics employed by our upper-class to keep us lower-to-middle-class imposters in our rightful places – self destruction. They set us up to turn on each other and fight from within our own ranks. Divide and conquer.
The upper-class is the richest 1% of the population who control most of our country’s wealth. You know, the ones that were taken care of by Bush on the federal level and Carcieri on the state level. These are the people (and companies) with all the power.
Consider our health care system...
I’ve been in many heated debates over the last few years with many different people of all(not) most income levels and all political and ethnic backgrounds defending my position on employer-paid healthcare. I’ve debated in the workplace, on the streets, in coffeehouses, on talk radio and in many different political blogs and forums. There are many people who are ready to resort to a physical confrontation because of their belief that anyone who has a smaller burden due to healthcare premiums than they do, are stealing from the rest of the hard working people who are paying larger amounts.
I’ve never, however, been in any debate, in any of these places with a single member of the 1% elitist club. Of course not. They are quite happy that some of us are demanding that other lower-to-middle-class workers pay a heftier share. This never ending debate, along with the extremely hard feelings it creates in the ranks of workers, keeps us (the true majority) from demanding that those who control, and profit from, the health insurance companies and drug companies to cut back on their record setting earnings.
CEO’s, Corporate Board Members and the majority share-holders are all among the 1%. Upper & middle management are not, but they are usually generously compensated by the 1% to dole out the company rhetoric. That is really their only function – a buffer zone between the 1% and the workers. This is part of the reason that middle management positions are the first to go when profits are down. They are expendable. So ask yourself, if middle management (and even much of upper management) are expendable, of what value is the line worker?
The 1% are a crafty bunch. They, and their ancestors, have perfected the manipulation of the system to the point that we, as working class people, can’t even think of reaching or affecting them. The real problem with the 1%, however, is that this latest generation of power players have gotten too greedy. They’ve pushed the envelope to the point of absurdity. Can you even imagine one of their grandfathers stating to a reporter that $4.00 plus p/gallon gasoline is beyond the company’s control the day after their company had posted a world-record quarterly profit?
It’s time for a working man’s revolt. Instead of angrily complaining that I receive relatively inexpensive health care benefits; angrily complain that you are being fleeced by the healthcare companies, the drug companies and your employer. Take your anger to your U.S. Senator and demand action and regulation on this absurdity. Take your anger to your U.S. Representative. Take it to your Governor. It’s time for all workers to demand affordable healthcare as a basic part of employment conditions.
It’s a true shame when “working” people are dying due to delayed diagnosis of serious disease because they can’t afford to see a doctor unless it’s an emergency. The political blogs were full of people up in arms recently over the death of a detainee for a similar type of delay. Is it any less an outrage when hard-working people are facing the same fate??
I was once a Yuppie – or at least I thought I was. I was young, I had a good job with good benefits, my wife had a good job (at the Providence Journal) with good benefits, and we had a single child - a beautiful daughter. Life was good and getting better! I had every reason to believe that I, along with my new family, would have a better life that my father and mother had – at least materialistically and by virtue of increasingly better opportunities.
Here I am thirty years later wondering what the heck happened. Life happened…
Two more beautiful kids (one more girl and a little boy), and private school tuitions for all of them. I lived in Providence and had no choice but to send them to private school. Divorce. Inflation. College tuition. More inflation.
Hey, I’m not complaining – it’s been a wonderful ride. I just have to laugh at those of us regular people who think we’ve got it made. Working class people aren’t meant to “have it all”. It’s meant to be a struggle for us. Some victories and rewards, but few life-altering or generational-changing increases in our upward assault on the social class ladder.
It’s with this in mind that I’d like to call your attention to one of the tactics employed by our upper-class to keep us lower-to-middle-class imposters in our rightful places – self destruction. They set us up to turn on each other and fight from within our own ranks. Divide and conquer.
The upper-class is the richest 1% of the population who control most of our country’s wealth. You know, the ones that were taken care of by Bush on the federal level and Carcieri on the state level. These are the people (and companies) with all the power.
Consider our health care system...
I’ve been in many heated debates over the last few years with many different people of all(not) most income levels and all political and ethnic backgrounds defending my position on employer-paid healthcare. I’ve debated in the workplace, on the streets, in coffeehouses, on talk radio and in many different political blogs and forums. There are many people who are ready to resort to a physical confrontation because of their belief that anyone who has a smaller burden due to healthcare premiums than they do, are stealing from the rest of the hard working people who are paying larger amounts.
I’ve never, however, been in any debate, in any of these places with a single member of the 1% elitist club. Of course not. They are quite happy that some of us are demanding that other lower-to-middle-class workers pay a heftier share. This never ending debate, along with the extremely hard feelings it creates in the ranks of workers, keeps us (the true majority) from demanding that those who control, and profit from, the health insurance companies and drug companies to cut back on their record setting earnings.
CEO’s, Corporate Board Members and the majority share-holders are all among the 1%. Upper & middle management are not, but they are usually generously compensated by the 1% to dole out the company rhetoric. That is really their only function – a buffer zone between the 1% and the workers. This is part of the reason that middle management positions are the first to go when profits are down. They are expendable. So ask yourself, if middle management (and even much of upper management) are expendable, of what value is the line worker?
The 1% are a crafty bunch. They, and their ancestors, have perfected the manipulation of the system to the point that we, as working class people, can’t even think of reaching or affecting them. The real problem with the 1%, however, is that this latest generation of power players have gotten too greedy. They’ve pushed the envelope to the point of absurdity. Can you even imagine one of their grandfathers stating to a reporter that $4.00 plus p/gallon gasoline is beyond the company’s control the day after their company had posted a world-record quarterly profit?
It’s time for a working man’s revolt. Instead of angrily complaining that I receive relatively inexpensive health care benefits; angrily complain that you are being fleeced by the healthcare companies, the drug companies and your employer. Take your anger to your U.S. Senator and demand action and regulation on this absurdity. Take your anger to your U.S. Representative. Take it to your Governor. It’s time for all workers to demand affordable healthcare as a basic part of employment conditions.
It’s a true shame when “working” people are dying due to delayed diagnosis of serious disease because they can’t afford to see a doctor unless it’s an emergency. The political blogs were full of people up in arms recently over the death of a detainee for a similar type of delay. Is it any less an outrage when hard-working people are facing the same fate??
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The Providence Fire Department:
Already Stretched to the Limit
For the past few years the Providence Fire Department has been fortunate in that there have been very few 4-Alarm (or higher) fires in the city. There have also been very few occurrences of two or more serious fires burning simultaneously in the city. We (the Providence Fire Department) and the citizens of Providence have indeed been very fortunate.
All that changed at the end of May 2006. There was a serious fire in an old commercial building on Weybosset Street which was connected by a common wall to the buildings on the rest of the block. The fire was a stubborn blaze that snaked its way through the building via voids and spaces left after numerous renovations. Try as they may, the 1st Alarm assignment of firefighters were unable to expose all of the fire and extinguish it before it became unstoppable. That’s what happens sometimes – especially when you don’t have enough manpower on the scene in the early stages of a fire.
Eventually this fire grew to greater than 4 Alarms. With the additional manpower the firefighters were ultimately successful at keeping the fire from spreading beyond the original fire building. That in itself was no small accomplishment and required multiple companies to remain on the scene for days after the original alarm was sounded. This is not an unusual occurrence when a large building has been destroyed by fire and is rendered structurally unstable. Firefighters, unable to enter the building due to the unsafe conditions must continue to pour water on the rubble until demolition crews remove enough debris to expose the hidden pockets of fire.
Less than a week later there was a serious fire on the upper floor of a building under construction at the Manchester Street power plant. There was also a worker injured on the fire floor who needed to be rescued. A fire 7 stories above the ground of an unfinished building required firefighters to carry all of their equipment to the scene. Carrying 100 lbs. of equipment (including their turnout gear) up seven flights of stairs on a hot summer day would be beyond the endurance level of most people. Unfortunately for these firefighters, that’s when the real job began. It’s easy to see that this fire required more than a 4-Alarm assignment to provide the needed manpower to allow the Chief in charge of the operation to alternate fresh crews in order to prevent heat related exhaustion to cripple the attack. Don’t forget that these firefighters were wearing heavy turnout pants, coat, bulky boots, helmets and air pacs.
Once again the Providence Firefighters were up to the task. The fire was extinguished, the worker rescued, and the building sustained minimal damage. Both these fires, however, required virtually every working member of the department to be utilized in order to gain control of the emergency. Luckily for the city, these fires did not grow any larger or advance so quickly that the members of the Providence Fire Department could not get ahead of them and bring them under control.
In these instances we were all fortunate in that another dwelling fire did not erupt during the many hours the entire working shift was tied up. What if a 3-story, 6-unit occupied apartment building – and there are many throughout the city – caught fire and people were trapped in the upper floors? Many areas were completely without fire protection. Other areas were covered by fire companies from other cities and towns via our Mutual Aid agreement with other communities. The members of these companies don’t, however, have a working knowledge of the streets and the neighborhoods – causing a major delay in getting to the scene. Many of the companies sent here to cover our city are woefully undermanned – many with just 2 firefighters! Many of these companies don’t have the proper equipment to quickly hook up to our hydrants or our buildings’ sprinkler systems. Some are manned by firefighters who have never fought a fire in a three-decker!
This is a formula for disaster. Once again, on these two occasions, we dodged a bullet. No other fires occurred during this time frame. I am, however, not sure of how many Rescue calls were victims of delayed responses due to out-of-town companies covering them. I’m also not privy to any information regarding serious consequences resulting from these delays.
Again, on the night of July 18th, there was a serious fire which required the entire Providence Fire Department to bring it under control. The fire at the Port of Providence on the dock of Motiva Enterprises’ terminal was potentially a disaster which could have easily grown beyond our capabilities to contain it. It required the fast action and professionalism of the workers at Motiva and those of the Danish tanker, Nordeuropa, as well as those of the Providence firefighters to avert a major disaster that evening - not to mention to incredible conditions they were forced to work under due to the storm. This left much of the remainder of the city unprotected. There were some Mutual Aid companies at our stations, but most of our neighbors were busy themselves and couldn’t spare too many resources. Once again, despite so much potential for additional disaster, we were fortunate that the storm didn’t cause more life threatening situations to which we would have been unable to respond.
Again Providence dodges a bullet. A question for all you gamblers out there – how many more times do you think we’ll be able to dodge the bullet before we pay a hefty price in destruction?
Mayor Cicilline remains committed to gaining “staffing prerogatives” from the Providence firefighters. Enough with the political double talk. I think every citizen understands that the mayor means staffing cuts. He is determined to be able to either cut the number of fire apparatus on duty at any given time in the city or to cut the number of personnel on many of the trucks – period. Either way he saves money on the fire department’s budget, therefore he’ll take either option. He wants to cut the fire department in a city that’s been called one of the fastest growing cities in the Northeast! Just look around at all of the new construction going on in the city. Look at all of the new luxury condos that the mayor himself has boasted about. Look at the incredible resurgence in the city that he so proudly points out has taken place under his administration. The number of people in the city at any given point is growing at an alarming rate, yet the mayor is determined to cut back the fire department resources that are already being forced to stretch to the brink of disaster time and time again.
I think it’s time for Mayor Cicilline to find another place to balance his budget other than on the backs of the City’s firefighters. I believe that we’ve been fortunate up to this point but I am not willing to leave the safety of the citizens of this great city to chance. It would take but one time for a secondary disaster to strike while the majority of our fire department is tied up to wreak upon us a hefty price for his short-sightedness – very possibly a price measured in human lives.
For the past few years the Providence Fire Department has been fortunate in that there have been very few 4-Alarm (or higher) fires in the city. There have also been very few occurrences of two or more serious fires burning simultaneously in the city. We (the Providence Fire Department) and the citizens of Providence have indeed been very fortunate.
All that changed at the end of May 2006. There was a serious fire in an old commercial building on Weybosset Street which was connected by a common wall to the buildings on the rest of the block. The fire was a stubborn blaze that snaked its way through the building via voids and spaces left after numerous renovations. Try as they may, the 1st Alarm assignment of firefighters were unable to expose all of the fire and extinguish it before it became unstoppable. That’s what happens sometimes – especially when you don’t have enough manpower on the scene in the early stages of a fire.
Eventually this fire grew to greater than 4 Alarms. With the additional manpower the firefighters were ultimately successful at keeping the fire from spreading beyond the original fire building. That in itself was no small accomplishment and required multiple companies to remain on the scene for days after the original alarm was sounded. This is not an unusual occurrence when a large building has been destroyed by fire and is rendered structurally unstable. Firefighters, unable to enter the building due to the unsafe conditions must continue to pour water on the rubble until demolition crews remove enough debris to expose the hidden pockets of fire.
Less than a week later there was a serious fire on the upper floor of a building under construction at the Manchester Street power plant. There was also a worker injured on the fire floor who needed to be rescued. A fire 7 stories above the ground of an unfinished building required firefighters to carry all of their equipment to the scene. Carrying 100 lbs. of equipment (including their turnout gear) up seven flights of stairs on a hot summer day would be beyond the endurance level of most people. Unfortunately for these firefighters, that’s when the real job began. It’s easy to see that this fire required more than a 4-Alarm assignment to provide the needed manpower to allow the Chief in charge of the operation to alternate fresh crews in order to prevent heat related exhaustion to cripple the attack. Don’t forget that these firefighters were wearing heavy turnout pants, coat, bulky boots, helmets and air pacs.
Once again the Providence Firefighters were up to the task. The fire was extinguished, the worker rescued, and the building sustained minimal damage. Both these fires, however, required virtually every working member of the department to be utilized in order to gain control of the emergency. Luckily for the city, these fires did not grow any larger or advance so quickly that the members of the Providence Fire Department could not get ahead of them and bring them under control.
In these instances we were all fortunate in that another dwelling fire did not erupt during the many hours the entire working shift was tied up. What if a 3-story, 6-unit occupied apartment building – and there are many throughout the city – caught fire and people were trapped in the upper floors? Many areas were completely without fire protection. Other areas were covered by fire companies from other cities and towns via our Mutual Aid agreement with other communities. The members of these companies don’t, however, have a working knowledge of the streets and the neighborhoods – causing a major delay in getting to the scene. Many of the companies sent here to cover our city are woefully undermanned – many with just 2 firefighters! Many of these companies don’t have the proper equipment to quickly hook up to our hydrants or our buildings’ sprinkler systems. Some are manned by firefighters who have never fought a fire in a three-decker!
This is a formula for disaster. Once again, on these two occasions, we dodged a bullet. No other fires occurred during this time frame. I am, however, not sure of how many Rescue calls were victims of delayed responses due to out-of-town companies covering them. I’m also not privy to any information regarding serious consequences resulting from these delays.
Again, on the night of July 18th, there was a serious fire which required the entire Providence Fire Department to bring it under control. The fire at the Port of Providence on the dock of Motiva Enterprises’ terminal was potentially a disaster which could have easily grown beyond our capabilities to contain it. It required the fast action and professionalism of the workers at Motiva and those of the Danish tanker, Nordeuropa, as well as those of the Providence firefighters to avert a major disaster that evening - not to mention to incredible conditions they were forced to work under due to the storm. This left much of the remainder of the city unprotected. There were some Mutual Aid companies at our stations, but most of our neighbors were busy themselves and couldn’t spare too many resources. Once again, despite so much potential for additional disaster, we were fortunate that the storm didn’t cause more life threatening situations to which we would have been unable to respond.
Again Providence dodges a bullet. A question for all you gamblers out there – how many more times do you think we’ll be able to dodge the bullet before we pay a hefty price in destruction?
Mayor Cicilline remains committed to gaining “staffing prerogatives” from the Providence firefighters. Enough with the political double talk. I think every citizen understands that the mayor means staffing cuts. He is determined to be able to either cut the number of fire apparatus on duty at any given time in the city or to cut the number of personnel on many of the trucks – period. Either way he saves money on the fire department’s budget, therefore he’ll take either option. He wants to cut the fire department in a city that’s been called one of the fastest growing cities in the Northeast! Just look around at all of the new construction going on in the city. Look at all of the new luxury condos that the mayor himself has boasted about. Look at the incredible resurgence in the city that he so proudly points out has taken place under his administration. The number of people in the city at any given point is growing at an alarming rate, yet the mayor is determined to cut back the fire department resources that are already being forced to stretch to the brink of disaster time and time again.
I think it’s time for Mayor Cicilline to find another place to balance his budget other than on the backs of the City’s firefighters. I believe that we’ve been fortunate up to this point but I am not willing to leave the safety of the citizens of this great city to chance. It would take but one time for a secondary disaster to strike while the majority of our fire department is tied up to wreak upon us a hefty price for his short-sightedness – very possibly a price measured in human lives.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Haves & Have-Nots (and the Unions)
.
The Haves and Have-Nots
(and the Unions)
The present administrations (federal, state and local) are adamant about lumping people in two categories – the Haves and the Have-Nots. The middle class, particularly the upper middle class, is a dying class. Many of those people who were among this group are still trying to live the good life – at the expense of burying themselves in debt.
When the economy is booming it’s OK for those in control – the lawmakers, who are almost exclusively part of the Haves – to share the wealth. If a bill is introduced to increase the minimum wage…why not? Another to extend unemployment benefits…sure. Then there’s another vote – on the funding of the free school lunch program…passed. Tax breaks and incentives are routinely doled out to big businesses and universities as they expand their operations and threaten to move to a more tax-friendly location. When the country’s economy is flourishing (and therefore there is less urgency to these programs) the votes are always there to push them through – even in a Republican controlled body.
When the economy slows down, however, support for social programs and bills designed at aiding the Have-Nots suddenly disappears. It’s now down to an “us against them” mentality for our lawmakers. Bills are introduced which are designed to allow the Haves to hold onto their wealth – tax cuts for the wealthy or reduction of the capital-gains tax are the orders of the day. When discussions turn to social programs the attitude is generally, “We took care of them is the last session, now is the time to be tightening our belts, not the time to be digging ourselves a deeper hole”. This, despite the fact there is a much greater need for these types of programs in a tough economic climate. The first ones to feel the effects of this belt-tightening are the Have-Nots. The next ones to feel the pinch are the state and municipal unions.
When the politicians are ‘circling the wagons’ to desperately keep their budgets in the black, the first thing they do is turn to their Tough Times Playbook. Right there on the front page, between ‘No increases in programs that don’t generate income’ and ‘Increase incentives to big business to stimulate the economy’ is ‘Demand give-backs from unions’. Listed in this section, under the heading ‘Strategies’, are suggestions on how to make the union workers seem over compensated. Suggestions such as, ‘Compare their salaries with the lower income manufacturing and jewelry industry workers’. ‘Point out that the citizens are paying for the union member’s pension’.
There are also sub-sections on topics to avoid. ‘Don’t allow the unions to compare their compensation with decent-paying companies such as the public utility workers – gas company, electric company, telephone company, etc.’. These companies pay better wages than the state and municipal workers receive and have generous benefit packages. ‘Don’t allow the unions to compare their salaries to successful private employers in the area. Companies such as the Providence Journal, Textron, Blue Cross, etc.’. These non-public companies have good compensation packages and incentives for their employees – far and away more generous than those of state and municipal workers.
Above all else, the number one subject to avoid is wage, benefit and perks packages for CEO’s and upper management of large corporations that have benefited from tax breaks and incentives. Even when these figures are estimated by reporters or others, the only defense (there is no reasonable defense) is to ignore the questions until media and public attention can be successfully diverted in another direction. These people are, after all, the constituents who finance the campaigns that will keep them in office. They will also be the corporations that will employ these politicians after they leave “public service”.
This is the point we find ourselves in at this time. Until a Democrat takes the White House I fear we’re in for more of the same.
The Haves and Have-Nots
(and the Unions)
The present administrations (federal, state and local) are adamant about lumping people in two categories – the Haves and the Have-Nots. The middle class, particularly the upper middle class, is a dying class. Many of those people who were among this group are still trying to live the good life – at the expense of burying themselves in debt.
When the economy is booming it’s OK for those in control – the lawmakers, who are almost exclusively part of the Haves – to share the wealth. If a bill is introduced to increase the minimum wage…why not? Another to extend unemployment benefits…sure. Then there’s another vote – on the funding of the free school lunch program…passed. Tax breaks and incentives are routinely doled out to big businesses and universities as they expand their operations and threaten to move to a more tax-friendly location. When the country’s economy is flourishing (and therefore there is less urgency to these programs) the votes are always there to push them through – even in a Republican controlled body.
When the economy slows down, however, support for social programs and bills designed at aiding the Have-Nots suddenly disappears. It’s now down to an “us against them” mentality for our lawmakers. Bills are introduced which are designed to allow the Haves to hold onto their wealth – tax cuts for the wealthy or reduction of the capital-gains tax are the orders of the day. When discussions turn to social programs the attitude is generally, “We took care of them is the last session, now is the time to be tightening our belts, not the time to be digging ourselves a deeper hole”. This, despite the fact there is a much greater need for these types of programs in a tough economic climate. The first ones to feel the effects of this belt-tightening are the Have-Nots. The next ones to feel the pinch are the state and municipal unions.
When the politicians are ‘circling the wagons’ to desperately keep their budgets in the black, the first thing they do is turn to their Tough Times Playbook. Right there on the front page, between ‘No increases in programs that don’t generate income’ and ‘Increase incentives to big business to stimulate the economy’ is ‘Demand give-backs from unions’. Listed in this section, under the heading ‘Strategies’, are suggestions on how to make the union workers seem over compensated. Suggestions such as, ‘Compare their salaries with the lower income manufacturing and jewelry industry workers’. ‘Point out that the citizens are paying for the union member’s pension’.
There are also sub-sections on topics to avoid. ‘Don’t allow the unions to compare their compensation with decent-paying companies such as the public utility workers – gas company, electric company, telephone company, etc.’. These companies pay better wages than the state and municipal workers receive and have generous benefit packages. ‘Don’t allow the unions to compare their salaries to successful private employers in the area. Companies such as the Providence Journal, Textron, Blue Cross, etc.’. These non-public companies have good compensation packages and incentives for their employees – far and away more generous than those of state and municipal workers.
Above all else, the number one subject to avoid is wage, benefit and perks packages for CEO’s and upper management of large corporations that have benefited from tax breaks and incentives. Even when these figures are estimated by reporters or others, the only defense (there is no reasonable defense) is to ignore the questions until media and public attention can be successfully diverted in another direction. These people are, after all, the constituents who finance the campaigns that will keep them in office. They will also be the corporations that will employ these politicians after they leave “public service”.
This is the point we find ourselves in at this time. Until a Democrat takes the White House I fear we’re in for more of the same.
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