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Rhode Island congressional, political leaders: seas have changed, and our little boat is so small…
Nancy Thomas, commentary
Rhode Island is a spit on the map of the United States. Yet, mainly through the passage of time, and re-election after re-election of our federal delegation, we have considerable “clout” in the Congressional arena. We even have the immediate past Governor as Secretary of Commerce (for now). But, to be clear, with a definitive turn over to a Republican president, Republican Senate and possibly, but not yet determined, Republican House, there has been a power shift, and one that will increase over the next four years.
Rhode Island has a lot of needs. Most front and forward, the re-building of the Washington Bridge.
While Governor McKee has not ventured into negative commentary on the national electionn, Governor Healey in Massachusetts has already said she will take active steps to resist the deportation of illegal immigrants, which would be illegal for her to do. Mayor Smiley has indicated he will not actively “cooperate” in this regard.
As of now, our top ranking Republican in the state is Cranston Mayor Kenneth Hopkins – also well known at the national level – that should be a rising asset for the state.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse spoke out almost immediate, and clearly in opposition to ‘working together’. His commentary has gotten national mention on television shows. His statement, as clarified to RINewsToday:
The focus of the next Congress will be on “containing the inevitable corruption of a second Trump administration. “This election result has changed the job description I was expecting. We know Trump’s character, so the next Congress will be less about pursuing progress than about containing the inevitable corruption of a second Trump administration. Democrats will need to be vigilant to protect Americans’ civil liberties, our democratic system, and the rule of law, as predatory special interests seek to feed themselves at the expense of our economy and environment. So we will press on.”
His mention on CNN:
We decided to ask the other 3 for their statements. First Senator Jack Reed, a powerful member of Congress, and Chairman of the Armed Services Committee. That chairmanship is expected to be switched to a Republican member.
UPDATE: After publication we received a clarification from Sen. Whitehouse’s office: “This election result has changed the job description I was expecting. We know Trump’s character, so the next Congress will be less about pursuing progress than about containing the inevitable corruption of a second Trump administration. Democrats will need to be vigilant to protect Americans’ civil liberties, our democratic system, and the rule of law, as predatory special interests seek to feed themselves at the expense of our economy and environment. So we will press on.
I am grateful to the Vice President for a vigorous campaign run on short notice, that brought hope and joy to so many.”
There is the $95.5 million grant the delegation secured last month from a program Senator Whitehouse helped create.
On RINewsToday’s question if GOP control in Washington will make it more difficult for Rhode Island to get money for needs such as the Washington Bridge: [It’s] hard to tell. I actually did really well in the last Trump Administration under Transportation Secretary [Elaine] Chao. She ran, I think, a very straight-up shop and we got the biggest grants Rhode Island had ever gotten. We got grants that we’d been unable to get in the Obama administration. [It’s] too early to tell.
On RINewsToday’s question of Democrats’ strategy if Republicans control the Presidency, U.S. Senate and U.S. House – “You know, it’s hard to resist legitimate policy differences when one party has that kind of control, particularly if all their talk about defending the filibuster turns out to have been a smoke screen, which I think is likely. So I think a lot of the job description becomes: ‘How do you contain corruption within the administration?’ I mean, it is predictable that there will be rampant corruption and to try to keep the spotlight on it to expose it to stop it, I think is going to become a very important task for Democrats in the upcoming Congress.
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Senator Jack Reed
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Next up is Congressman Gabe Amo, now elected to his first full term of office, having completed the term of Congressman David Ciccillini.
“We saw Americans participate in the sacred exercise of democracy by voting in a free and fair election. I hoped to turn the page on the divisiveness we heard and saw to support an agenda focused on unifying our country and securing economic opportunity for all to thrive. While I am disappointed by the results of the presidential election, my hand remains extended to serve Rhode Islanders in Congress. Today is a day of reflection, but tomorrow, we get back to work. Our nation’s leaders will need to move forward with the intensity of our convictions to strengthen our democracy, protect our freedoms, and have an inclusive future.”
Amo also responded to what he sees as his initiatives this year:
- Supporting Rhode Island’s Blue Economy by leading legislation to direct federal investments into pioneering ocean research and development.
- Ensuring that everyone can thrive in our economy by pushing for federal investments in our local innovation economy and expanding access to affordable housing.
- Championing legislation to provide retirement security for our seniors by strengthening and expanding Social Security and Medicare.
- Protecting reproductive freedom including a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions by fighting to restore Roe v. Wade.
- Leading bills to protect our communities from the fear of gun violence by removing dangerous weapons from our streets.
- Helping future generations escape the shadow of the climate crisis by supporting the clean energy revolution and securing federal resources for resilient infrastructure.
- Advancing our democratic priorities across the world, confronting our international challenges, supporting our allies, and strengthening humanitarian aid.
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Finally, Congressman Seth Magaziner, who says:
“The voters have spoken, and while I am disappointed by the results of the Presidential election, I respect the electoral process and the choice of the American people. I will work with any administration of either party when it is in the best interest of Rhode Islanders. But I also know that Rhode Islanders expect their representatives in Congress to always stand up to the executive branch when necessary to defend our democracy, rights, and freedoms. No matter what lies ahead, I am committed to fighting for Rhode Island values in Washington.”
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Remembering how small our ship, our Rhode Island, is among the big and much more powerful United States, and the red ones in particular, how we speak and work together at the local and national level will be critical in how we move forward. We have a skilled and powerful congressional delegation to do it.
It is also important to remember the split in voting for Harris over Trump was not that large, literally splitting the state in half from north to south. So, support for Pres. Trump is larger than anyone thought it would be in the state.
Pres. Trump continues his victory sweep – this morning taking Nevada, with 301 electoral votes.
May we all work together to move Rhode Island forward – and put Rhode Island first.
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“…thy sea is so great and my boat is so small”
A line from the Breton Fisherman’s Prayer, a poem by Winfred Ernest Garrison. The line expresses the feelings of loneliness and inadequacy that sailors may experience at sea, and can also be applied to the challenges of life in general.
The line was inscribed on a plaque that was given to President John F. Kennedy by Admiral Hyman Rickover. Kennedy kept the plaque on his desk in the Oval Office and it is now on display at the Kennedy Presidential Library.
The line conveys the idea that life can feel like a vast, scary, and overwhelming sea, with storms that can arise at any moment.
Kumbaya is not necessary, but strong advocacy to the mission of “serving the people of specific congressional districts” in Rhode Island is.