This is my chosen fight. I care and I am committed to helping. For two years, I have stood this ground. My Primary Care Protection Act, and the legislation that surrounds it, must pass the bicameral process. RI is unhealthy and hurting. I will stand up for the docs, I will stand up for you.

• The tree will vote for the ax if the ax promises it will only cut down the tallest trees. • The tree will vote for the ax if the ax tells it the forest is the problem. • The tree will vote for the ax if the ax offers it a job swinging the blade. • Yet the tree won’t vote for the planter, because it’s been told the planter is the "real" threat. And basically, that's where we are politically.

"But Trump" Meanwhile, RI decoupled from no tax on tips and the generous fed tax scholarship savings... Can we just focus on our state for a change without blaming the DC boogeyman for every bad decision we have brought on ourselves?! Read the post.

I can only parse this as RO- DIE. What the what. Implies that Dems love the millionaires tax and the ACA. Plenty of Dems beg to differ. Is this only for the TiKTok voters?

Question. Who has greater impact on your daily cost of living, taxes, health and wellness, education, and safety? A) Legislative seats: City Council, State Representatives, State Senators, and your School Board? B) State executive offices: Governor, Treasurer, Secretary of State? If you answer A, which is the correct answer, PLEASE make a plan to vote. Many people pay attention to high-profile races. High-profile races tend to attract the circus of media and the voices of multitudes of NPCs. RI data shows folks track and follow those top races, but cannot name their local legislators. I need you to show up. I need you to cast your vote for the down-ballot local candidates who have tremendous impact on the real, in-the-weeds, fundamental direction of the state. The top offices are like a board of directors. The lower offices are like everyday factory workers going in and getting the job done--and if they do a good or a bad job, it determines the fate of the whole company. So by voting in legislators, you’re hiring your actual workforce. Choose carefully. Don’t be persuaded by those who virtue-signal DC politics, or those who have tremendous institutional support; simply pick the person aligned with your values who’s going to work for you. Remember, legislators are everyday people. We aren’t millionaire connected politicians. And we receive only a tiny salary for the work, which proves we enter this arena from a desire to help. But you still have to choose carefully and make sure you figure out the right candidate for the job. These votes really matter. Every legislator comes right from their own small community. We share the same tax burdens, the same worries, and the same obstacles that our next-door neighbors share. Voting for your legislators is literally picking one of your own-- when you vote for them, you are sending a neighbor to be your voice at the Statehouse. There is a lot of power in that, and a lot of responsibility for us to choose good ones. If you stay home on election day because you’re disgruntled with the top of the ticket, you are passing up your opportunity to vote in the voices that can actually stand up for you in the system. Please vote. There are so many ways to do it. You can vote by mail. You can vote early or you can vote on election day. If you want some assistance with the process or the location or the paperwork, I’m happy to help you. That’s literally my job. Did you know that your voting record is public information? I don’t want to be cynical, but there are so many people who complain on Facebook and when we look at the data, they don’t even show up… your opinion means little if you don't back it up on Election Day. (I have to call it out because I really, really want to encourage you to turn up.) Many people also only vote in presidential years. The president has only indirect impact on the state. States are sovereign. We need to fix Our infrastructure, Our schools, Our ability to attract job jobs and business, and Our failing Healthcare system. (It's true federal dollars assist with some of this, but at the end of the day it's local legislators who create the laws that support or harm these fundamental aspects of the state. Even the immigration debate is a local problem for us. Same for energy costs!!!) It’s a midterm, that means no president on the ballot, but guess who is? Local RI legislators. Show up for them. If you don’t like the direction things are going in, go to the voting booth and do something different. Status quo only gets you status quo. Thank you for listening. I lost my first election by 34 votes. If you don’t think your vote matters, that statistic should prove to you that it very much does. I will leave the pulpit, but I really do care about this. I hope you'll make a plan. This nation was founded on the rights of the people-- so go stand on your right.

I hate winter, but truly, January can't come soon enough-- let's get to work!!

Any political candidate who does not want to call out or deal with Rhode Island’s problems-- problems that were created here in Rhode Island-- is not a serious candidate. Anyone whose messaging centers around national and DC rhetoric instead of the home fires does not deserve your vote. My focus is on what’s going on right here-- which is why my personal votes will go to the people willing to deal with what’s going on right here. This doesn’t have to be party-partisan. This has to be centered on who’s best for a local job. Some of the biggest names in the races are more concerned with blaming Washington than blaming the problems that started in Providence. Washington is not responsible for our RI economy, our healthcare crisis, our loss of jobs, the struggles in our education system, the difficulties faced by seniors, our failing infrastructure, or the fact that our state agencies are unable to deliver results. We need to worry about US. Finger pointing signals a lack of honesty, accountability, and willingness to actually do the job. If you choose your local candidates based upon national issues, that’s a problem. We need to focus on Rhode Island… and we need honest, decent people willing to do that work. Pay attention to what they tell you, and then believe them. If they say DC is the problem, you can bet your bottom dollar that they are not the solution. Pay attention to the deep pockets, the campaign ads, and the overall messaging they send. Infighting and attacks are about personal power. They’re never about the people. Is the candidate telling you what they hope to do for you, or are they just telling you why some other guy is bad? If a candidate has a 30-second ad and all they do is point out their opponent’s flaws, without telling you their own strengths, that probably means they don’t actually have any strengths. I ran CLEAN campaigns focused on RI because I truly believe that’s the representation I wanted all my life-- and that was the representation I was going to bring. And I’ve lived up to that promise. I don’t win every fight, but I keep showing up with the voice of my constituents. We need more regular everyday people who are willing to step into the arena and do the hard work. We don’t need more polished finger-pointers. That kind of campaign messaging offers us no solutions, just the same old, same old. If you want more of the same, go ahead and vote for the people who aren’t willing to grapple with the reality of RI problems, but have tons of cash to blame others. BUT, If you truly want change, look for the people who talk about Rhode Island like it matters-- and who tell you what they will do, not just who they will blame. And remember: endorsements are powerful. An endorsed candidate has allegiances. Many times those allegiances are in the best interest of the people, especially when they’re local. But there are a lot of endorsements out there that are only for the benefit of special interests. Follow the money. Ask whether those allegiances serve us in Rhode Island, or somewhere else. This is my best advice, folks. You get ONE vote-- spend it like it's your last chip and you're about to lose the house.

Surely some kings... ?

Meanwhile, if you have zero assets, you are entitled to the same medicaid for free with no clawback. Basically, the middle and working classes must spend down their small accumulated lifesavings for care, while those with no savings receive full gov benefit. This is a direct attack prohibiting any transfer of wealth, and keeping working and middle class generations down. I understand that the federal government wants to reclaim costs, (ridiculous, as studies show that this clawback method only recovers 1% of all spending ) There needs to be some sort of safety net. This is a disparity and it is punitive to those who worked hard through life.

Y'all know there were Republicans before 2017, right? ... 🤓 We have always been : The Anti Big Government, Pro people party. We still live there.

Drove by the Superman Building with my son today. It has been empty since 2013. The estimated cost to convert it "properly" has climbed past $325 million and still needs heavy public subsidy. Europe routinely lets protected historic buildings meet life-safety and access goals with performance-based standards and compensatory measures (better detection, suppression, managed occupancy, partial access solutions) instead of forcing full modern code compliance when it would destroy the building or make reuse financially impossible. The result is that these landmarks stay occupied, and loved, instead of sitting vacant or at risk of destruction. If Rhode Island gave truly historic buildings similar flexibility, projects like this might actually fly without endless taxpayer support. Safety certainly matters… but not letting icons die of regulatory perfection is the is the European model and I think that it’s time for us to consider that. Your thoughts?

"Why everyone just LOVES rent control. " Please watch this econ 101, fundamentals for dummies. You think we have a housing shortage now?

"But it's Washington's Fault we are in an affordability crisis!" No. It's because the state taxes us to the bitter end. And then taxes again. Imagine what you could do if you could KEEP your money? Vote for candidates who want that. .

If bad guys use guns for offense, the good guys must use them for defense. When we strip the hero of his weapon, you double arm the criminal. Common sense gun laws.