On Politics

Rhode Island’s economy is finally showing signs of emerging from the recession. RIPR political analyst Scott MacKay tells us how the sequester fiasco in Washington threatens our state’s progress.

Most Rhode Islanders by now have adopted a my-eyes-glaze over attitude towards a dysfunctional federal government that careens from one self-inflicted crisis to another. The latest is the so-called sequester, the arbitrary cuts in federal spending that loom because Democrats and Republicans in Congress can’t seem to act like grown-ups and figure out how to deal with taxing and spending.

Welcome to March, the run-up to spring, and another edition of my Friday column. Your thoughts and tips are always welcome at idonnis (at) ripr (dot) org. Let's head in:

Saul Kaplan, head of the Business Innovation Factory, says Rhode Island has the necessary assets for a thriving economy. Part of the challenge, he says, is transforming the state's small size from an obstacle into a benefit.

Rhode Island's controversial Voter ID law -- which attracted a a lot of attention after it passed in 2011 -- could be headed for changes, including repeal.

A bill sponsored by Senator Gayle Goldin (D-Providence)  to repeal the law is set to be discussed during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing later today.

Brown University's new poll is full of findings that, on the surface, are familiar and not particularly surprising. Yet they do point to some larger messages: