Carcieri's Budget Slammed by Republicans

You heard it here first. I could not understand how any reasonable person could except the future vision of Rhode Island as presented by our Governor. Today we learn that Democrats and Republicans alike slammed Carcieri's proposed budget (Providence Journal Article) for the next fiscal year. The budget was so bad that no Republican would carry the bill forward in the state legislature. Carcieri was put in the awkward position of having no sponsor. This must be a first for Rhode Island government. Amen.

Here is what the minority leader, Bob Watson had to say; "I am disappointed that this budget apparently is reliant upon raising taxes in order to balance it". Bob Watson was concerned about the impacts to the middle class. Understand that the Governor pitched his budget under the cloak of cutting taxes. Even Republicans recognized that the vast middle-class was going to suffer the consequences of cutting the taxes for the wealthy. I truly believe that our Governor envisions himself as the "great tax eliminator". How the hell does he think government is going to work in the future. His vision is to lay the burden squarely upon the middle class. We, the vast majority don't have our 30 foot yachts, which pay no annual excise tax, lined up along the shores of Narragansett Bay. I'm sure he enjoys his yacht and I know he enjoys his annual pension that exceeds $500 thousand.

Rhode Islanders will have to endure this dearth of leadership for the next year and a half. I hope that the leadership vacuum will lead to a truly great transforming figure for our State. So far, I think this has been the case on the national level. Our Country has gone through a period of reawakening during the last hellacious eight years. I hope Rhode Island can find true leadership as our Nation did.

Thank you, Rhode Island Republicans for bolstering my case.

tomtoak