Press Release:

Every night in downtown Providence, we see the darkened windows of our state’s tallest
building. It’s a sad sign of failed development policies. Recently, the developers announced that
they are going to hold the building empty for yet another year, waiting for a massive payout from
the taxpayers. What a better way to bully Rhode Island into giving them subsidies than to insist
on keeping the largest and most recognizable building in Rhode Island completely empty?

​In 2008, the building was bought by David Sweetser and High Rock Development LLC for $33
million dollars. In a bid to lower their taxes, the developers are now arguing that the building has
"no value." In 2013, Sweetser asked for $75 million in state assistance and tax breaks, and each
year, he comes back to ask again.

Rhode Islanders should not be held responsible for bad business decisions. And we should
subsidize affordable housing, not luxury apartments that further segregate the rich from the
poor. With the massive expansion of the agency that did 38 Studios, more and more Rhode Island
corporations are coming to expect big checks from the state for any developments they do. And
more and more developers are holding development hostage to bargain for public bailouts. It’s
time to take action.

That’s why, continuing our strong stance against corporate welfare, we call on our political
leaders to reject any subsidies for the Superman Building. We need to send a clear message that
holding the building empty to extort money won’t work. Until the developer gets the message,
the building will remain vacant.

We ask Sweetser to either develop the building or sell it to someone who can. The people of
Rhode Island will not be bullied into giving absurd amounts of money to bail out a corporation’s
mistakes. We can’t let this Massachusetts developer take advantage of us by using enormous
tax subsidies to build unaffordable luxury apartments. Spending $75 million on corporate welfare
for luxury apartments is unethical. Less than 5 years ago, the state of Rhode Island gave $75
million dollars to 38 Studios. We ask that we not make that mistake again.
​

For immediate release

​June 24, 2016

Congress has been debating the merits of adding women into Selective Service to be drafted with men during times of national emergency.
 
Sen. Rand Paul has suggested that it would be better to end the draft.
 
​The Libertarian Party agrees.
 
"The draft is simply slavery by another name. Drafting people to go abroad and kill or be killed is barbaric and a discredit to our military and country," says Nicholas Sarwark, chair of the Libertarian National Committee.
 
If a national emergency is so severe to merit mobilizing extra troops, Americans from all backgrounds, ages, and genders will pitch in to do what is needed.
 
The Libertarian Party urges elected leaders to end the draft and also to pursue foreign policy which is less dependent on military might.
 
The United States has many tools of foreign policy at our disposal that do not require force. Military force should always be a last resort and only in defense.
 
The Libertarian Party is the only political party in America devoted to protecting all rights, of all human beings, all the time. The Libertarian Party also strongly condemns the use of force except in self defense.

Contact: Representative Sherry Roberts
Tel: 401-477-4220
Email: sherry.roberts25@gmail.com
 
Date: June 14, 2016
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
 
Representative Sherry Roberts Raises Concerns Over Surveillance Cameras At Toll Gantries

STATE HOUSE  --  Representative Sherry Roberts (R-District 29 Coventry, West Greenwich) has proposed a bill (H-7767), which provides that no toll facility erected and/or operated shall engage, in any manner, in the enforcement or assistance in the enforcement of any traffic laws in effect except as specifically authorized in §§42-13.1-11 and 42-13.1-12
“I proposed this bill due to the initial RhodeWorks Toll hearings where serious concerns were raised regarding the technology to be used on toll gantries as it relates to the privacy of passenger vehicles and the role that the government seeks to play in traffic enforcement.”
Rep. Roberts added, “Some of the gantry technology mentioned, involved having cameras, license plate readers and lasers to monitor passing vehicles.  More specifically- concerns are that passengers will become vulnerable to increased traffic violations and potential abuses by the government if this technology is used on the gantries to enforce traffic violations such as speeding, illegal lane changes and various other infractions whenever our government wants to enhance their revenue stream. Giving the RI DOT such wide discretion to use this thoroughly intrusive technology is likely to become a means by which to impose an oppressive taxation and burden on the citizens of Rhode Island.”
“It is no secret that our government has abused and does abuse power and is insatiable for more money,” stated Roberts.  
“Our job here is to protect our constituents from this form of abuse and this bill says the gantry can't be used for traffic violation enforcement.”
​

​Alright. Listen up, weirdos. It’s long, but our future depends on it. Grab a coffee, take a minute, and read. (Yes I am telling you what to do, liberty folk. Unbunch your panties. This is a call to action.)
When I joined the Army I swore to defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies- foreign and domestic. I thought that was easy. Black and white. My time in Iraq taught me a lot of things and really turned everything I thought I knew and was fighting for on its head.
I fought for your right to practice your religion – hell, that is what inspired Roger Williams to found the colony of Rhode Island. I fought for your right to bear arms. I was fighting for Freedom – for you to be able to live your life as you please so long as it doesn’t infringe on the rights of others. I came home to a country which only CARED about infringing on the rights of others depending on what side of politics you fell. What the hell? Now if you are trying to take rights away does that make you an enemy of the constitution? …. Who is it that I should be fighting??
Who’s the bad guy? Bomb my country for decades and you better believe I’m going to be pissed off. Until you look in to the eyes of a father who hasn’t been able to provide his family with a full meal in months while his toddler screams from starvation in the other room, you can’t possibly speak for him and the decisions he makes. People aren’t being stupid on purpose. AGAIN: people aren’t being stupid on purpose.
Here’s the thing: we don’t have a gun problem. We don’t have a Muslim problem. We also don’t have a LGBTQ problem. (ohhhh divisive, Jennifer! … Yeah. Open your mind and stick with me.)
We have a HEART problem. There are very few people in this world that you would actually hate if you sat down and empathetically listened to their stories. I fall in love with nearly every single person I ever meet because I take the time to get to know them. The further we remove ourselves from others, the easier it is do disconnect and breed a culture of negativity and death.
Who is familiar with the Milgram Experiment? For those of you who aren’t, here is an excerpt from wiki:
“Three individuals were involved: the one running the experiment, the subject of the experiment (a volunteer), and a confederate pretending to be a volunteer. These three people fill three distinct roles: the Experimenter (an authoritative role), the Teacher (a role intended to obey the orders of the Experimenter), and the Learner (the recipient of stimulus from the Teacher). The subject and the actor both drew slips of paper to determine their roles, but unknown to the subject, both slips said "teacher". The actor would always claim to have drawn the slip that read "learner", thus guaranteeing that the subject would always be the "teacher". At this point, the "teacher" and "learner" were separated into different rooms where they could communicate but not see each other. In one version of the experiment, the confederate was sure to mention to the participant that he had a heart condition.[1]
At some point prior to the actual test, the "teacher" was given a sample electric shock from the electroshock generator in order to experience firsthand what the shock that the "learner" would supposedly receive during the experiment would feel like. The "teacher" was then given a list of word pairs that he was to teach the learner. The teacher began by reading the list of word pairs to the learner. The teacher would then read the first word of each pair and read four possible answers. The learner would press a button to indicate his response. If the answer was incorrect, the teacher would administer a shock to the learner, with the voltage increasing in 15-volt increments for each wrong answer. If correct, the teacher would read the next word pair.
The subjects believed that for each wrong answer, the learner was receiving actual shocks. In reality, there were no shocks. After the confederate was separated from the subject, the confederate set up a tape recorder integrated with the electroshock generator, which played prerecorded sounds for each shock level. After a number of voltage-level increases, the actor started to bang on the wall that separated him from the subject. After several times banging on the wall and complaining about his heart condition, all responses by the learner would cease.
At this point, many people indicated their desire to stop the experiment and check on the learner. Some test subjects paused at 135 volts and began to question the purpose of the experiment. Most continued after being assured that they would not be held responsible. A few subjects began to laugh nervously or exhibit other signs of extreme stress once they heard the screams of pain coming from the learner.[1]
If at any time the subject indicated his desire to halt the experiment, he was given a succession of verbal prods by the experimenter, in this order:
1.Please continue.
2.The experiment requires that you continue.
3.It is absolutely essential that you continue.
4.You have no other choice, you must go on.
If the subject still wished to stop after all four successive verbal prods, the experiment was halted. Otherwise, it was halted after the subject had given the maximum 450-volt shock three times in succession.
The experimenter also gave special prods if the teacher made specific comments. If the teacher asked whether the learner might suffer permanent physical harm, the experimenter replied, "Although the shocks may be painful, there is no permanent tissue damage, so please go on." If the teacher said that the learner clearly wants to stop, the experimenter replied, "Whether the learner likes it or not, you must go on until he has learned all the word pairs correctly, so please go on." If the teacher asks who is responsible for any negative effects, the experimenter replied, "I will take responsibility."”
SO, that was the experiment. Please feel free to look up the results.
When you remove yourself from your community and others around you, it is so much easier to cause harm and blame someone else….. HEY. I’m not talking about the shooter here. I’m talking about all of you who choose to try and ban some bullshit because this tragedy scares you or hurts your feelings.
STOP letting the media and the government tell you how to think. For those of you who want to ban Muslims from the country – I BEG YOU TO BAN ME FIRST. For those of you who want to spit hate and vitriol at the LGBTQ community – throw it at me first! Come after my guns first. COME AFTER ME FIRST. However – If you want to stop this cycle of anti-humanity – JOIN ME! Take responsibility for your place in this world! I was born free. I will continue to be free. I will die free.
One day I may very well die fighting for one of the many causes I believe in… and when my blood spills on the ground you WILL NOT be able to differentiate it between that of someone of a different religion, color, creed, etc. Our blood is ALL of the same constitution and it all has every right to be on this planet as mine does.
You can’t regulate morality into existence. You can’t napalm societies into compliance with your beliefs. You CAN LOVE people into compassion and empathy.
If you aren’t being the change you wish to see,… If you aren’t approaching nearly every situation with compassion and empathy,… If you make decisions based on fear and selfish emotion …. You are doing this whole humaning thing wrong. I promise.
So here is my request of those doing it wrong, those doing it right, and those still trying to figure out where they fall. Do one of the below and report back to me. It can be here on this thread. It can be in a private message. It can be in an email: jjgiorgi@gmail.com. Just do it. Let’s talk about how you felt and what impact it had on you and others. Let’s talk about how you can do MORE stuff like that. Let’s talk about how you can get others to do stuff like that.
1. Join some kind of community program you care about and attend an event. Here are a few suggestions: Veterans causes: Team Red, White, and Blue. Children in their communities: Big Brothers / Big Sisters. There are many others. Post suggestions below of your favorites.
2. Give blood. If you do not know how / are apprehensive, let me know. If we are even somewhat geographically co-located I will come with you and stay by your side throughout the process and give blood myself. Your single donation helps save three lives. DISCLAIMER: Those lives might be Muslim/Christian/LGBTQ/Redneck/Green eyed/Gun Grabbing/etc. Who the hell cares? You are not above them. Have a slice of humble pie and do something for someone other than yourself.
3. Donate to the Red Cross, Team Rubicon, or some other disaster relief organization. Your donations will go towards rebuilding lives. Wouldn’t you want someone to do so if it were you and your family?
4. Learn to protect your family. Think guns are scary? Good. They are. Now how are you going to defend yourself against them? I’ve thrown this offer out there many times. If you would like to learn to be proficient with firearms (and you are within a reasonable driving distance), I would like to sponsor you. I will teach you a lot of what you need to know, and pay for a day of shooting at the range (range time, ammunition, gun rental). If the thought of this makes you want to pee your pants – this is for you. I promise I will not let a single bad thing happen to you. Empower yourself. Educate yourself. If you walk away thinking “Jenn is crazy, and guns are still bad” at least now you can speak from experience and not just from what you are told on TV.
Some of the people I see being vocal on facebook are some of the most miserable people I know…. Time for a pulse check. If you aren’t happy with shit… CHANGE IT. Walk the walk! You have the time. You have the means. What is important to you? If you are not willing to do any of the things above, or come up with something of your own, your opinions are irrelevant to me. You have every right to say them all you want, and I have every right to disregard them completely. If you aren’t going to give everything you’ve got during your short time on this spinning rock, then sit on the bench and shut up. The rest of us are busy changing the world

Jennifer Giorgi

Note: Mr. Szilagyi will be appearing on the Coalition-Talk Radio​ Saturday June 11 @ 6:00 PM
Note: This Text replaces an earlier blog version.

FAIR AND SAFE RIDES FOR ALL
 
Ask any small business owner and they will tell you it is a day to day struggle to keep operations running efficiently and make a living doing so.  Running a business in Rhode Island presents a number of additional challenges, but try running a business that is heavily regulated, restricted to operate in specific geographical areas and has its service charges set by a public board.  Now imagine your competition is a multi-billion dollar international company that provides the same service without being subject to the same rules, regulations or taxes and fees. Welcome to the taxi and livery business in Rhode Island.
 
Historically, the for-hire transportation industry has never been adverse to competition and that holds true today.  The taxi and livery industry has survived and thrived for decades despite the various and expanding choices consumers have for alternative transportation options. Every new competitor in the business of for-hire services has entered the market by seeking approval from the regulatory body tasked with oversight of the industry, the Division of Public Utilities Commission (DPUC). Yet the most recent entrants into the for-for-hire transportation sector, Transportation Network Companies (TNC) or publicly known as Uber and Lyft, have taken a different approach.   In short, they entered the market without receiving approval from the DPUC and began offering services in direct competition with the longstanding law abiding companies.      
 
A recent editorial in the Providence Journal “Regulate RI ride hailing” (5/6/16) highlighted bills introduced in the Rhode Island General Assembly under the leadership of Sen. Maryellen Goodwin and Rep. John Edwards.  The New England Livery Association (NELA) agrees that the General Assembly needs to act this session in order to provide regulations and laws governing TNCs, but we differ from the Providence Journal on which bill sets forth the fairest framework.   In order to achieve a level playing field, TNCs should be subjected to the same regulations governing the following key issues; driver background checks, clear and conspicuous vehicle markings, an insurance plan that will provide the necessary coverage for all parties, vehicle inspections and sales tax applied to fares.  Rep. Edwards bill comes closest to establishing framework that NELA supports.
 
Passenger safety has always been a priority of the for-hire transportation industry and NELA supports a national criminal background check that includes fingerprints and must be submitted to the FBI and administered by a local law enforcement entity.  This background check process has been endorsed by top state law enforcement officials and is currently implemented in the cities of Houston and New York.  It provides a higher standard of review not required for many NELA member drivers but in the effort to establish a uniform and proven system we stand ready to adopt this standard to ensure passenger safety.
 
In the effort to provide passengers with a safe ride experience, NELA is adamant that each TNC vehicle must be clearly identified with a marking that would allow for a passenger and law enforcement to recognize vehicles that provide ride services.  In addition, we recommend the establishment of a state certified process that would require TNC drivers to submit their name and vehicle registration in order to ensure that the vehicle has met the required safety and insurance qualifications.  
 
Finally, TNCs should be required to collect and remit the sales tax as it is currently applied to taxi and limousine services.  Not only is this a fairness issue in the marketplace but the state is losing out on tax revenue. 
 
NELA members understand that innovative ideas and concepts are part of a growing and expanding economy and our membership stands ready to fairly and openly compete for customers.  Yet rules must be applied consistently regardless of how the paying passenger gets from one location to the next.  We are supportive of the legislative intent to finally set forth a regulatory framework for TNCs and look forward to finding a compromise that establishes a fair, equitable and reasonable regulatory environment that ensures safe and efficient services for all. 
 
Rick Szilagyi is the CEO of the New England Livery Association which is a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting quality service and management in the ground transportation industry throughout New England.