
A Lively Experiment 3/26/2021
Season 33 Episode 39 | 28m 59sVideo has Closed Captions
McKee faces obligations beyond COVID and the budget, plus vaccine ramp-up faces glitches.
Governor McKee faces obligations beyond COVID and the budget, RI teachers give education commissioner a failing grade, and the vaccine ramp-up faces technological glitches. Moderator Jim Hummel is joined by Sun Chronicle columnist Donna Perry, political strategist Rob Horowitz, and Watchdog RI founder Ken Block.
A Lively Experiment is a local public television program presented by Rhode Island PBS
A Lively Experiment is generously underwritten by Taco Comfort Solutions.

A Lively Experiment 3/26/2021
Season 33 Episode 39 | 28m 59sVideo has Closed Captions
Governor McKee faces obligations beyond COVID and the budget, RI teachers give education commissioner a failing grade, and the vaccine ramp-up faces technological glitches. Moderator Jim Hummel is joined by Sun Chronicle columnist Donna Perry, political strategist Rob Horowitz, and Watchdog RI founder Ken Block.
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship-- >> THIS WEEK ON "A LIVELY EXPERIMENT," THE GOVERNOR'S PLATE GOT FULL OF THIS WEEK.
AND WILL THIS BE THE YEAR THAT LINE ITEM VETO LEGISLATION ACTUALLY MAKES IT THROUGH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY?
ANNOUNCER: A LIVELY EXPERIMENT IS GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITTEN BY -- >> FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS "A LIVELY EXPERIMENT" HAS PROVIDED INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS OF IMPORTANT POLITICAL ISSUES THAT FACE RHODE ISLANDERS.
I'M JOHN HAZEN WHITE, JR., AND I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS GREAT PROGRAM AND RHODE ISLAND PBS.
>> JOINING US FOR THE ANALYSIS, KEN BLOCK, FOUNDER OF WATCHDOG RI.
POLITICAL STRATEGIST ROB HOROWITZ.
AND SUN CHRONICLE COLUMNIST DONNA PERRY.
JIM: HELLO, EVERYONE.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
GOVERNOR MCKEE CONTINUES TO STAY ON MAGIC -- TO STAY ON MESSAGE ABOUT COVID, BUT HE HAS A FEW NEW ISSUES THIS WEEK.
WE WILL GET TO THE COVID PART IN JUST A SECOND, BUT FIRST HE IS LOOKING AT A THREE YEAR MORATORIUM ON CHARTER SCHOOLS.
THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A HEARING THIS WEEK.
AND ALSO, HOW FAR SHOULD THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND GO IN ACTING ON CLIMATE CHANGE?
THAT'S WITH THE EDUCATIONAL PART.
ROB, LET ME START WITH YOU.
MCKEE, IT IS AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC BETWEEN HIM AND THE UNIONS.
HE HAS BEEN A PROPONENT OF CHARTER SCHOOLS.
THE PROVIDENCE TEACHERS UNION HAS VOTED NO CONFIDENCE IN THE COMMISSIONER, AND THE GOVERNOR IS WALKING A FINE LINE HERE.
BREAK THIS DOWN FOR US AS HE BEGINS TO LOOK AT THIS AND THE CHARTER SCHOOL ISSUE.
ROB: I WOULD SAY THAT FOR HIM AND SUBSTANTIVELY THE MOST IMPORTANT IS TO BACK THE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER.
THE PROBLEM IN THE PAST FOR RHODE ISLAND HAS BEEN FITS AND STARTS ON ALL KINDS OF EDUCATIONAL FORMS, IF YOU CAN COMPARE THAT TO MASSACHUSETTS WHERE THEY HAVE STAYED THE COURSE AND GOTTEN GOOD RESULTS.
THE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER SOMETIMES, HER BEDSIDE MANNER COULD BE BETTER, THAT I THINK THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS BACKER TO THE HILT, AND ALSO ATTEMPT SOME KIND OF MEDIATION.
YOU DO NEED TEACHER BY IN.
SHE HAS LEVERAGE, AND THE ONLY WAY SHE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE LEVERAGE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS AND GET TO THE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE WE NEED IS TO BACK HER.
FOR MCKEE, HE NEEDS TO STICK TO HIS GUNS.
IT IS TRUE THE TEACHERS UNIONS WILL NOT LIKE IT, BUT I THINK IT IS THE BEST MOVE POLITICALLY.
JIM: SHE HAD SAID, ROB, AT ONE OF THE REEF -- RECENT BRIEFINGS SHE HAD SAID, HOW FAR YOU ARE NEGOTIATIONS?
SHE SAID 90%.
LOOKS LIKE THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN WHAT IT WAS.
ROB: I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY THE CASE.
NEGOTIATIONS ARE DIFFICULT.
SEE THAT WITH POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND TEACHERS UNIONS.
IT IS A TECHNIQUE AND THERE IS GENUINE TENSION.
AND IT HAS BEEN A ROUGH YEAR.
I AM SYMPATHETIC TO TEACHERS.
ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE TO UPGRADE PERFORMANCE AND THE BUCK HAS TO STOP SOMEPLACE.
IT IS POLITICALLY THE BEST PLAY AND IT IS ON THE KEY BRAND.
YOU WANT TO BE FAIR TO ALL SIDES, FOR HIM, POLITICALLY, EVEN IN A DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR HIS NICHE, I THINK GINA RAN ON THE PENSION STUFF EVEN THOUGH IT WAS UNPOPULAR.
I THINK THIS IS A SMART POLITICAL PLAY FOR HIM AND A SUBSTANTIVE PLAY.
JIM: DONNA, THE ISSUE HAS BEEN FOR HIM, HE HAS BEEN A PROPONENT OF CHARLIE CRIST -- CHARTER SCHOOLS.
I REMEMBER ROMANO GOING TO A FINANCE COMMITTEE TO TESTIFY.
HE WAS THERE BECAUSE HIS PROPOSAL IS FOR A THREE YEAR MORATORIUM.
THAT HAS RUN INTO RESISTANCE.
DONNA: I WOULD AGREE WITH ROB.
THERE COMES A POINT WHERE YOU CAN ONLY PLAY IT SAFE FOR SO LONG.
HE IS IN THE ROLE.
I THINK AFTER THE YEAR WE HAVE HAD I THINK RHODE ISLANDERS ARE LOOKING FOR LEADERSHIP.
I THINK SOMETHING ABOUT ROMANO IN EDUCATION THAT STOOD OUT -- AND SHE WAS APPLAUDED FOR IT -- IS THAT SHE STUCK TO HER GUNS AND HAD THAT CONVICTION.
NO, WE NEED IN PERSON LEARNING ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
I THINK AT THIS POINT WHEN YOU HAVE THE HISTORY OF THE PROVIDENCE SCHOOLS -- AND I WOULD SAY THAT THEY DO DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT IN A REAL DIFFICULT YEAR.
DID GO BACK IN SEPTEMBER, AND MIND YOU AROUND BOSTON, OTHER URBAN AREAS, A LOT OF CITIES, THEY DID NOT GET THE KIDS BACK IN IN PERSON.
THEY DESERVE THAT RECOGNITION, AND THAT IS ALL THE MORE REASON ALL OF THIS IS PLAYING OUT.
IT WILL BE VERY UNFORTUNATE -- AND THAT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT -- IF THEY DRIVE OUT ANOTHER COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION.
RARELY -- RHODE ISLAND HAS HAD THE REVOLVING DOOR, AND AT THINK THE LEADERSHIP MATTERS.
WE KNOW WITH THE JOHNS HOPKINS REPORT WAS.
AFTER A DIFFICULT YEAR, THEY HOPEFULLY CAN KIND OF WORK A LOT OF THESE THINGS OUT.
I DO THINK CHARTER SCHOOLS, FOR URBAN AREAS WITH THE EDUCATIONAL DYSFUNCTION HAVE SEEN IN PLACES LIKE PROVIDENCE, THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR A STATE LIKE RHODE ISLAND.
I THINK MCKEE HAS THAT BRANDING ASSOCIATED WITH HIM, AND HE HAS GOT TO BE NOT AFRAID TO JUMP OUT-OF-THE-BOX ON SOME OF THIS STUFF.
JIM: MR. BLOCK?
KEN: I DON'T SEE A MORE IMPORTANT ISSUE IN OUR STATE THAN TRYING TO OVERTURN WHAT AMOUNTS TO THE EDUCATIONAL STATUS QUO.
WE ARE DISADVANTAGING GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS.
WE KNOW, FACTUALLY, THAT THE PROVIDENCE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE WORST PERFORMING SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
YET, WE SEE THIS CONTINUOUS PUSH TO KEEP THE STATUS QUO, WE SEE THE TEACHERS UNIONS IN PARTICULAR ACT AGAINST EVERY REFORM THAT CAN BRING MEANINGFUL CHANGE NOT TO THE PARENTS, NOT TO TAXPAYERS, TO THE STUDENTS.
WHAT WE ALWAYS SEEM TO LOSE TRACK OF HERE IS THE STUDENTS.
AND THEIR NEEDS, AND TO ENSURE WE CAN BREAK THE CYCLE OF UNDER EDUCATION, THAT WE CAN BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY, BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT DOING THE SAME THING WE HAVE BEEN DOING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
I ENCOURAGE GOVERNOR MCKEE TO STAY STRONG, TO BACK OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, AND THEY NEED TO DO WHATEVER THEY HAVE TO DO TO BREAK THE CYCLE WE ARE IN.
AND WE NEED TO BRING THE CHANGES.
WE NEED TO KEEP THE CHARTER SCHOOLS GOING, BECAUSE THEY DO BETTER THAN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE DOING RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE HOW THAT DISTRICT IS MANAGED.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IF THERE ARE TEACHERS WHO SHOULD NOT BE TEACHING BECAUSE OF PERFORMANCE REASONS, THAT THEY DON'T.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IS IT MORE IMPORTANT TO PROTECT TEACHERS OR TO PROTECT THE EDUCATIONS OF STUDENTS?
THAT IS A STARK CHOICE AND WE CONTINUOUSLY MAKE THE WRONG ONE.
JIM: DO YOU HAVE A SENSE ON THAT CHARTER SCHOOL WILL?
MCKEE TESTIFIED.
CLEARLY HE IS THREATENING TO VETO.
I WONDER IF THEY HAVE ENOUGH FORCES TO OVERRIDE THAT VETO IN THE LEGISLATURE.
KEN: SPECIAL INTERESTS DOMINATE THE ASSEMBLY.
THERE ARE VERY FEW SPECIAL-INTEREST BILLS THAT DON'T PASS WHEN TE INTEREST GET BEHIND THEM.
I WISH I OWNED AN AUTO BODY SHOP, RIGHT?
THERE ARE THINGS YOU JUST CANNOT GET DONE WITH OUR LEGISLATURE AS IT EXISTS RIGHT NOW.
WORKING AGAINST SPECIAL INTERESTS IS DIFFICULT.
ROB: ONE QUICK THING.
I THINK WE ARE PAINTING WITH TOO BROAD OF A BRUSH.
THE PROBLEMS IN THE PROVIDENCE SCHOOL SYSTEM BOTH ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND TEACHERS AND, AND THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS -- THAT IS THE CHAPTER IN PROVIDENCE -- HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF REFORM MEASURES.
EVEN THOUGH I AGREE ON THE DIRECTION WE SHOULD HEAD IN, WE SHOULD NOT MAKE THIS -- UNITS ARE ALL PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY NOT THE AFT.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU DO NOT NEED TOUGH, STRONG LEADERSHIP.
LET'S NOT JUST HAVE THE OLD, PAINT THIS AS GOOD VERSUS EVIL, BECAUSE IT REALLY ISN'T.
JIM: CAN, DO YOU WANT THE LAST WORD ON THAT?
KEN: YOU KNOW, FOR ME, WHENEVER YOU HAVE OBSTINATE RESISTANCE TO CHANGING THE STATUS QUO, THAT IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS TO BE FIXED IN WHATEVER WAY YOU NEED TO FIX IT.
BUT WE ARE SEEING FOR SURE IN PROVIDENCE IS OBSTINATE RESISTANCE TO CHANGING THE STATUS QUO.
JIM: OK, THE COVID VACCINATIONS CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE HEADLINES.
THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER BOTH HERE AND IN OTHER STATES AS MORE VACCINE COMES IN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT 160 THOUSAND NEW PEOPLE ELIGIBLE AND THEY ONLY HAD 1700 VACINES.
DONNA, LET ME START WITH YOU.
THE GOLDEN BOY IN MASSACHUSETTS, CHARLIE BAKER, HE HAS RUN INTO A BUZZ SAW BECAUSE OF WHAT IS GOING ON WITH VACCINATIONS THERE.
YOU TALKED ABOUT RHODE ISLAND, BUT I THINK MASSACHUSETTS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
EVEN IF YOU ARE A POPULAR GOVERNOR, TRYING TO NAVIGATE THIS HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC.
DONNA: I WILL SAY THAT HE IN THE RECENT DAYS -- WHICH I THINK IS A SMART THING.
HE HAS SAID, HEY, I'M GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS $2 TRILLION IN THE FEDERAL BILL.
THEY'RE GOING TO GET A FEMA MASS VACCINATION SITE.
MASSACHUSETTS HAS DEFINITELY RUN INTO A BUMPY ROLLOUT, OR AT LEAST IN THE OVER -- THE EARLY GOING.
WHEN YOU COMPARE THE TWO STATES -- AND IT IS NOT FAIR TO COMPARE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SIZE, BUT MASSACHUSETTS IS NOT THAT MUCH BIGGER.
IT IS OVER 6 MILLION RESIDENTS.
THEY HAVE FULLY VACCINATED NOW ABOUT 1.2 MILLION, AND THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY TO MID APRIL THAT ANYONE 16 AND OVER, YOU KNOW, IS ALLOWED.
I WILL BE IN THAT CATEGORY.
I'M JUST JOKING, I'M ALREADY IN THE CATEGORY.
THAT IS THE THING.
ALL OF THESE GOVERNORS, YOU NEED TO -- IT IS A JUGGLING ACT BETWEEN GETTING THE SUPPLY AND SMOOTHER TECH PLATFORMS, BUT THEY HAVE GOTTEN THEIR ACT TOGETHER.
I DO THINK WE -- RHODE ISLAND HAS TO BE SINGLED OUT FOR THIS STRATEGY THAT I THINK IS UNUSUAL ANYWHERE TO DO THIS ZIP CODE STRATEGY.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW THAT IS EXACTLY LEGAL UNDER CDC GUIDELINES.
IT SEEMS IT IS AN OVER-ATTEMPT AT -- THEY ARE TAKING EQUITY AND I THINK THEY ARE MISINTERPRETING THAT.
YOU CERTAINLY HAVE THOSE KINDS OF COMMUNITIES AROUND GREATER BOSTON, BUT THEY HAVE MANAGED TO DO EQUITY, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU DO IT TO THE EXCLUSION OF OTHER GROUPS.
I DON'T EXACTLY UNDERSTAND DR. SCOTT'S STRATEGY, BUT AS A JESUS IS UP TO ABOUT -- IF YOU TAKE ALL OF THE SITES TOGETHER THEY ARE DOING 85,000 PEOPLE A DAY.
SO, YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE VOLUME.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE GO ALONG, CERTAINLY THESE ARE GOING T BE VERY IMPORTANT IN THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS, AND I THINK YOU WILL REALLY SEE WHEREVER THERE IS A SLIGHT BUMP UP IN INFECTION THAT THAT IS GOING TO ROLL BACK.
YOU'RE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE YOU WILL HAVE 3 MILLION IN MASSACHUSETTS.
RHODE ISLAND SHOULD CERTAINLY BE ABLE TO GET ITS ACT TOGETHER.
JIM: CAN YOU, ONE OF THE ISSUES IN THE RHODE ISLAND -- IT IS NOT THE MOST COMPUTER-FRIENDLY SITE, IS IT?
KEN: NO, IT IS ACTUALLY REALLY AWFUL.
AS A TECHNOLOGIST, I HAVE LOOKED AT THAT WEBSITE SEVERAL TIMES.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE SEEN A MORE USER-UNFRIENDLY WEBSITE FOR TRYING TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT.
YOU ARE PROVIDED A LIST OF SITES WHERE YOU CAN GET YOUR VACCINATION, BUT YOU SEE THE SAME SITE OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH DIFFERENT DAYS.
EVEN THOUGH IT SHOWS YOU THAT THERE ARE APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE, WHEN YOU CLICK THE DAY IT SAYS NO MORE APPOINTMENTS, YOU HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK AND TRY AGAIN.
IT IS A BACKWARDS-DESIGNED SYSTEM.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT A CALENDAR WHERE THERE ARE APPOINTMENTS, CLICK ON THE DAY, AHEAD AND ATE YOUR APPOINTMENT.
IT IS SHOCKINGLY BAD.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS POSSIBLE THE VENDOR HAS NOT CHANGED IT, MADE UNDER.
THERE ARE BETTER WEBSITES OUT THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DON'T JUST GO GET ONE.
IT IS ANOTHER FAILURE OF TECHNOLOGY IN RHODE ISLAND.
THIS ONE REALLY MATTERS, BECAUSE IT SHOULD NOT BE PAINFUL TO BOOK THESE APPOINTMENTS.
JIM: ROB?
ROB: I WOULD AGREE ON THE WEBSITE.
I DID THE SAME THING CAN DID.
EVEN THE CVS AND WALL STREET STUFF, SHE FIGURE -- THOSE ARE BIG CORPORATIONS -- WOULD BE EASY, BUT NONE OF IT IS.
WE SHOULD LOOK AT IMPROVEMENT.
HARVARD GAVE US AN F TO BEGIN WITH.
NOW WE ARE A B.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE RANKED NATIONALLY, WE ARE 14TH OUT OF 15 STATES.
THAT IS BETTER THAN RHODE ISLAND RANKS ON A BUNCH OF THESE.
EVERYONE IS HAVING THIS ISSUE, BUT THE ISSUE I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IS IN TWO OR THREE WEEKS THESE ARE GOING TO STRAIGHTEN OUT BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE SUPPLY.
FAXING HESITANCY IS WHERE -- IS REALLY WHERE WE ARE GOING TO NEED HELP FROM DONNA AND KEN.
AFRICAN-AMERICANS, LATINOS, AND REPUBLICANS.
AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND LATINOS ARE COMING AROUND, BUT REPUBLICANS ARE NOT.
THE WHITE HOUSE IS GOING TO WORK WITH EVANGELICAL LEADERS, TO WORK WITH THE CHRISTIAN BROADCASTING NETWORK, BUT WE ARE GOING TO NEED -- THIS IS QUICKLY GOING TO MOVE FROM A PROBLEM OF SUPPLY TO GETTING EVERYBODY WHO IS HESITANT TO BE VACCINATED.
THAT IS WHERE WE ARE GOING TO NEED ALL OF OUR INFLUENCERS AND OPINION-LEADERS, PARTICULARLY ON THE CONSERVATIVE AND MODERATE REPUBLICAN SIDE.
DONNA: IF I MAY -- AND I WOULD NOT DISAGREE.
I THINK THERE IS A BROAD SECTOR WHERE THERE WERE REPUBLICAN OR CONSERVATIVES OR WHATEVER, THAT IS TRUE.
I THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO FELT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PANDEMIC AND THINGS WERE EXAGGERATED AND ALL OF THIS STUFF, BUT I ALSO SEE THAT THE CDC CDC COULD HELP ITSELF AND ALL OF US WITH MESSAGING.
THAT IS WHERE DR. FAUCI HAS COME INTO CRITICISM, BECAUSE HE IS ALMOST -- I THINK THEY HAVE CHANGED THAT, TO BE FAIR, BUT I THINK THEY HAVE PROJECTED ALMOST LIKE, YOU GET THE VACCINE AND NOTHING CHANGES.
YOU GET THE VACCINE AND YOU COULD STILL BE REINFECTED.
HE WAS SAYING THOSE THINGS UP TO SIX WEEKS AGO.
IT DID SORT OF, YOU KNOW, IT DOES TAKE THE STEAM OUT OF PEOPLE TO THINK IF NOTHING CHANGES AND THEY ARE A HESITANCY PERSON, I DO THINK THEY HAVE CORRECTED THAT.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE MORE HOPEFUL TO THE PUBLIC AND YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT OAK, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WEAR MASKS UNTIL 2023.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
THAT IS NOT AN INCENTIVE.
I THINK THEY ARE DOING A BIT OF A COURSE CORRECTION.
TWO ROB'S POINT, I THINK GIVEN PEOPLE THE SENSE OF THE VACCINE FOR YOU, MR. AND MISSES, YOU KNOW, IS THE GAME CHANGER.
THE VACCINE MEANS YOU GET YOUR LIFE BACK.
THAT MAY SOUND SIMPLE, AND I AM SAYING IT IS MESSAGING, BUT I THINK IT MATTERS.
ESPECIALLY THE WAY STUFF RUNS UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA THERE IS ATTEMPTS TO STOP, YOU KNOW, WHERE THERE IS THE DISINFORMATION.
BUT I THINK PART OF IT IS TO SAY WHETHER YOU ARE A PERSON WHO NEVER GETS A FLU SHOT, IT DOESN'T MATTER, JUST GO DO THIS AND WE ALL GET OUR LIFE BACK.
I KNOW THAT SOUNDS BASIC, THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET OVER THE HESITANCY.
JIM: WHAT ABOUT THAT, KEN?
HESITANCY AND THE MESSAGING?
KEN: THE SHAMEFUL THING ABOUT THE VIRUS -- THE MOST SHAMEFUL THING, AND MY OPINION, IS THAT IT HAS BECOME POLITICIZED.
IT WAS NOTHING POLITICAL ABOUT THE VIRUS.
IT IS STRICTLY SCIENTIFIC.
WE HAVE TO GET THE POLITICS OUT OF IT AND WE HAVE TO COLLECTIVELY PULL TOGETHER TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO SO THAT WE CAN BRING OUR SOCIETY BACK TO WHAT USE TO AMOUNT TO NORMAL.
WE NEED HURT IMMUNITY.
A LOT OF CONSERVATIVES TALKED ABOUT HERD IMMUNITY.
SOME CONSERVATIVES WERE HAPPY TO GET THERE THROUGH MASS INFECTION, WHICH I THINK WAS OUTRAGEOUS.
THE RIGHT WAY TO GET THERE IS THROUGH MASS VACCINATION.
FOR ANYBODY WHO BELIEVES IN HERD IMMUNITY, TO REJECT THE IDEA OF VACCINES HAS A REALLY WEIRD PSYCHOSIS GOING ON.
THOSE TWO THINGS ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
ACTUALLY, I SAID THAT WRONG.
YOU ONLY GET HURT IMMUNITY THROUGH MASS VACCINATION.
THAT IS THE ONLY WAY YOU ARE GOINGTO GET IT.
JIM: LAST WEEK, I HAD GONE ON ABOUT 30 TIMES BETWEEN THE CVS, WALGREENS, AND STATE WEBSITE.
I FINALLY -- IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A MIRAGE.
I SIGNED ON, THERE WAS MIDDLETOWN.
SO, YOU'RE THINKING, I SIGNED ON, I STARTED FILLING OUT, AND I'M GOING TO GET PUMPED OUT.
ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS THE GREEN CHECKMARK AT THE END.
I WILL TELL YOU, THEY WERE UNFAILINGLY POLITE.
I WENT TO MIDDLETOWN ON SATURDAY MORNING.
THERE WAS THIS ONE COUPLE IN FRONT OF ME PULLING A TOTAL RHODE ISLAND.
THEY WERE FROM CRANSTON AND WHINING ABOUT HAVING TO GO TO MIDDLETOWN.
I WAS LIKE, YOU HIT THE LOTTERY HERE.
YOU GOT THE VACCINATION, SO I REFRAINED FROM SLAPPING THEM, BEING A PUBLIC FIGURE, BUT SOMEBODY WAS ALWAYS GOING TO FIND SOMETHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT, RIGHT?
JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
CAN, WE WOULD BE REMISS HAVING YOU ON IF WE DID NOT TALK ABOUT LINE ITEM VETO.
I WONDER IF THE LANDSCAPE CHANGES THIS YEAR BECAUSE YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE?
KEN: 100%.
THIS IS YEAR SEVEN OF A CONCENTRATED EFFORT TO TRY AND BRING THE LINE ITEM VETO TO RHODE ISLAND.
VETO REPRESENTS BUDGET TRANSPARENCY.
IT ALLOWS A GOVERNOR TO VETO SPECIFIC SPENDING ELEMENTS IN A BUDGET, SUBJECT TO LEGISLATIVE OVERRIDE.
IF THE GOVERNOR KNOCKED OUT ONE PARTICULAR SPENDING ELEMENT, THE LEGISLATURE COULD PUT IT BACK IN WITH AN OVERRIDE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT 44 STATES HAVE.
IT IS STRICTLY A TRANSPARENCY MECHANISM, BUDGET TRANSPARENCY MECHANISM.
THE ONLY ROADBLOCK TO GETTING THERE IS THE RHODE ISLAND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THE SENATE UNANIMOUSLY SPONSORED THE LINE ITEM VETO BILL IN A PREVIOUS YEAR.
THE PUBLIC OVERWHELMINGLY IN A POLL SHOWED ACCEPTANCE FOR IT, AND WHY NOT?
IT IS THE HOUSE THAT STANDS IN THE WAY, AND FOR ME, WHAT IS ULTIMATELY SHAMEFUL ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS THAT SPECIFIC BODY IS STANDING IN THE WAY OF WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOR THEIR OWN INSTITUTIONAL SELF-INTEREST.
I AM HOPEFUL THAT WITH A NEW SPEAKER -- WE HAVE A NEW GOVERNOR, AND THERE IS PLENTY OF GROUNDWORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO SET THE TABLE TO GET THIS REPORT MADE.
IF BOTH HOUSES BRING THE LINE ITEM VETO TO THE FLOOR FOR A VOTE, IT WILL PASS.
I'M CONFIDENT OF THAT.
LET'S MOVE ON, LET'S GET THIS DONE.
IT IS THE RIGHT TIME, IT IS NEW PLAYERS.
LET'S HAVE EVERYBODY BRING FORWARD THEIR GOOD GOVERNMENT CAPABILITIES, AND LET'S GET THIS THING DONE.
I THINK IT IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY.
JIM: I DID CONTACT SPEAKER DZHOKHAR G'S SPOKESMAN, WHO SAID HE IS REVIEWING THE BILL.
THEY HAVE HAD A HEARING.
IS THIS THE YEAR IT GOES THROUGH?
IT HAS BEEN CONTENTIOUS IN THE PAST.
ROB: I AGREE WITH KEN ON THIS SUBSTANTIVELY, AND I KNOW HE HAS WORKED HARD AND HE DESERVES A LOT OF CREDIT.
IF I WAS A BETTING MAN, WHICH I OCCASIONALLY AM, I WOULD NOT BET ON THIS.
IT IS THE POINT KEN RAISED.
YOU ARE ASKING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO VOLUNTARILY GIVE UP SOME OF ITS POWER.
IT SHOULD, BUT THAT NEVER REALLY HAPPENS VOLUNTARILY.
YOU NEED A HUGE GRASSROOTS GROUNDSWELL TO DO THIS.
AND HOW LONG IT TOOK US TO GET THE SEPARATION OF POWERS, YOU KNOW?
THAT WAS YEARS AND YEARS WHEN WE HAD SCANDAL AFTER SCANDAL THAT INVOLVED SOME OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS.
I DON' SEE IT, IT CAN IS CLOSR TO IT AND I AM EATING FOR IT.
JIM: DONNA?
DONNA: I WANT TO PERSONALLY APPLAUD CANADA, WHO HAS DONE MOUNTAINS OF WORK ON THIS END HAS REPEATEDLY POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE CORRELATIONS TO THESE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENTAL PRACTICES THAT SEPARATE RHODE ISLAND FROM MORE, BETTER RUN ESTATES.
-- RUN ESTATES.
WE HAVE HAD A YEAR ABOUT DATA.
KEN IS THE DATA GUY.
HE CAN PROVE IT TO THEM, BUT AGAI, THE POLITICAL WILL IS OF COURSE WHAT UNFORTUNATELY STANDS IN THE WAY WITH RHODE ISLAND.
HOPEFULLY A NEW GENERATION -- THERE IS A NEW ERA GOING ON.
I DO THINK WHEN YOU ARE COMING OUT OF THE YEAR WE ARE COMING OUT OF, SMART BUDGETARY DECISIONS -- YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE A CLIFF FOR THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IF THEY CAN'T JUST DO THAT, AGAIN, COMING OUT OF AN ERA WHERE YOU HAVE HAD MASSIVE IS THIS CLOSINGS IN THE RHODE ISLAND.
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO RETURN.
THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND RETAIL AND THE RESTAURANTS JUST PUMMELED OVER THE PAST YEAR.
THAT IS WHAT REALLY SUSTAINS A LOT OF LOCAL CITIES AND TOWNS.
KEN IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT AND I THINK IT IS COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, AND MAYBE IT IS A NEW WAY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE COURAGE AND LOOK AT IT THAT WAY.
JIM: CAN, YOU HAVE SPARKED A KUMBAYA MOMENT.
TOTAL AGREEMENT ON THE PANEL.
DO YOU HAVE AN OUTRAGE OR KUDO THIS WEEK?
KEN: I HAVE A MILD KUDO.
JIM: MILD?
KEN: ONE OF LIVELY'S PANELISTS WHEN I HAVE BEEN ON -- WE DON'T AGREE ON MUCH, BUT WE DO AGREE HIS BOOK S GREAT AND OUT IN PAPERBACK.
IT IS "EVERY DROP OF BLOOD," I MAY HAVE IT WRONG.
BEING ONE OF THE TOP 20 BOOKS BY THE ECONOMIST.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.
IT LOOKS AT LINCOLN FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
EVERYONE READ IT.
OUTRAGE IS, STILL CAN'T GET COMMONSENSE GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION.
40,000 GUN DEATHS IN THIS COUNTRY EVERY YEAR.
CLOSING THE BACKGROUND CHECK LOOPHOLE WOULD HELP.
ONE IN SIX GUNS DON'T HAVE A BACKGROUND CHECK.
THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED IN CHARLESTON.
SOMEONE CAN GET A GUN WHO IS NOT QUALIFIED, AND WE SHOULD BAN HIGH-CAPACITY MAGAZINES.
LET'S NOT CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH NO ACTION.
EVERYONE CAN HAVE THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS, BUT WE CAN HAVE SOME COMMON SENSE REGULATION.
JIM: KEN, DO YOU HAVE AN OUTRAGE OR KUDO?
KEN: I HAVE AN OUTRAGE.
I HELPED THE BOSTON GLOBE WITH A STORY WHERE WE IDENTIFIED A REAL DOUBLE STANDARD AT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING WHERE, PERMANENTLY AND TOTALLY DISABLED FIREFIGHTERS ARE ABLE TO WORK ANOTHER JOB AND YET RECEIVE FREE TUITION FOR THEIR CHILDREN, OR AS TOTALLY AND PERMANENTLY DISABLED POLICE OFFICERS CANNOT.
A JUDGE AT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND ALSO A STATE AUDITOR IDENTIFIED THIS DOUBLE STANDARD IS A REAL PROBLEM.
THEY INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING IN AN AUDIT TO FIX THIS, TO GO TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
THEY HAVEN'T DONE THAT FOR SEVEN YEARS.
I ASKED MY STATE SENATOR, WHO IS THE CHAIRWOMAN OF THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, TO PLEASE SPONSOR THIS BILL, TO MAKE THE CHANGE.
HER HUSBAND WAS THE EMPLOYEE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE SAID THIS PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE WAS RIDICULOUS AND IT SHOULD BE FIXED.
HER RESPONSE TO ME WAS, WELL, EVERY WE WILL FORM A STUDY COMMISSION.
I THINK IT IS OUTRAGEOUS.
THIS SHOWS THE POWER OF SPECIAL INTERESTS AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
IT IS AWFUL WHEN WE CANNOT EVEN GET THINGS DONE THAT JUDGES, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, AND AN AUDITOR SAID NEEDS TO GET DONE.
YET OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THOSE WHO ARE BIASED IN THEIR LEGISLATING FAVORS SPECIAL INTERESTS, REFUSE TO TAKE EVEN THE MILDEST OF THINGS.
WHO CAN ARGUE THAT -- HOW CAN YOU BE DISABLED AND WORK ANOTHER JOB?
THIS IS AN ABUSE OF TAXPAYER MONEY.
MY SENATOR FAILED ME COMPLETELY AND IT IS OUTRAGEOUS.
JIM: KEN, IT IS THE STUDY COMMISSION, AND ONCE HE GETS THERE IT IS HELD FOR FURTHER STUDY.
IT IS PURGATORY.
KEN: I STILL SHAKE MY HEAD EVERY DAY.
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
JIM: DONNA, WHAT DO YOU HAVE?
DONNA: MY OUTRAGE, WHICH IS RELATED TO WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE BORDER -- I DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL GET TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND ALL OF THE ISSUES AROUND THAT.
AS WE REACH THE POINT WHERE PRESIDENT BIDEN IS HAVING HIS FIRST PRESIDENTIAL PRESS BRIEFING, EACH A LONG TRADITION AMONG PRESIDENTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY, I JUST FIND IT CONCERNING.
WE HAVE A RISING LACK OF TRANSPARENCY BEING PROJECTED BY THIS WHITE HOUSE AND IT HAS MORE COME TO LIGHT AROUND THE BORDER.
MY OTHER PIECE OF THE OUTRAGE IS WE HAVE A PRESS CORPS, SOME OF THE NATIONAL PRESS CORPS, NOT ALL, THAT CONTINUES TO THINK THEY ARE PRESS SECRETARIES, IF YOU WILL, AND THE COMMUNICATIONS STAFF OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
THERE HAS BEEN OBVIOUS BLOCKING OF ACCESS TO THIS VERY TROUBLED ORDER SITUATION, AND YOU HAVE THE BORDER PATROL FACILITIES, YOU HAVE MORE THAN 500 UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN AT LEAST A DAY.
THESE NUMBERS ARE RUNNING INTO THE THOUSANDS.
THEY HAVE THE WHITE HOUSE BLOCKED, PRESS, OUT RIGHT FROM SEEING IN THERE.
IT TOOK HENRY CUELLAR TO GET IN THERE.
HE IS A DEMOCRAT.
HE IS FIGHTING WITH BIDEN AND HE HAD TO GET HIS OWN CELL PHONE PICTURES TO SHOW MASSIVE OVERCROWDING -- I'M SORRY, COVID IS SPREADING IN THERE, AND NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO REWRITE THE STORY, AND AS HE GETS TO -- WE ARE TAPING TODAY, BUT HE IS DOING HIS FIRST, YOU KNOW, WIDE-RANGING, NON-TELEPROMPTER, YOU KNOW, OFF THE SCRIPT PRESS CONFERENCE.
I HOPE THE NATIONAL MEDIA REMEMBERS WHAT THEIR JOB AS AND ASKS HIM A FEW QUESTIONS.
JIM: HE DIDN'T CONSULT WITH GOVERNOR MCKEE, BECAUSE APPARENTLY MCKEE'S BRIEFING AND THE BIDEN PRESS CONFERENCE WILL BE AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE DUELING SCREENS.
THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.
ROB AND DONNA AND KAREN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE ARE NOT DONE.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE BORDER CRISIS.
JOIN US FOR OUR ONLINE BONUS SEGMENT.
GOING OUT TO RIPBS.ORG/LIVELY AND YOU CAN HEAR ROB AND DONNA AND KEN WITH THEIR THOUGHTS ON THAT.
THE REST OF YOU, COME BACK HERE NEXT WEEK AND WE WILL LOOK FOR YOU AS "A LIVELY EXPERIMENT" CONTINUES.
♪ ANNOUNCER: A LIVELY EXPERIMENT IS GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITTEN BY -- >> FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS "A LIVELY EXPERIMENT" HAS PROVIDED INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS OF IMPORTANT POLITICAL ISSUES THAT FACE RHODE ISLANDERS.
I'M JOHN HAZEN WHITE, JR., AND I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS GREAT
A Lively Experiment EXTRA 3/26/2021
The Lively panelists discuss the debate over the U.S. border crisis. (8m 52s)
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