Rhode Island's governor: Democrats need to be 'obsessed with job creation' in the age of Trump

[FarCenter]

It's not every day that the Wall Street Journal's right-leaning opinion section swoons over a Democratic politician. Gina Raimondo's outspoken championing of tax and regulator reform have made her the rare exception.

Gushing over the Rhode Island governor in a November article titled, "An Island of Rationality in Blue-State New England," opinion writer Allysia Finley praised Raimondo's focus on regulatory and tax reform, painting her as a wonky, business-friendly Democrat at odds with a left-wing base committed to fighting battles over social justice issues.

"This year’s election has spurred soul-searching within the Democratic Party," she wrote. "A debate rages between progressives who argue that Democrats need to double down on the party’s current strategy — that is, dividing the electorate into identity groups and promising a government program for every pot — and those like Ms. Raimondo who believe that boosting economic growth is the only sustainable path for their country and party."

Raimondo is hoping her style of business-focused governance — with a focus on high-skilled workers, worker re-training, and new tax incentives for businesses — can provide a successful template for a wounded Democratic Party emerging from both a crippling upset presidential loss and years of decimation in Republican-controlled statehouses across the country.

During a recent interview with Business Insider, the governor appeared pleased that her economic message resonated outside of Rhode Island, but she chafed at the idea that her style of governance was at odds with the leftward tack of the party's base.

http://www.businessinsider.com/gina-raimondo-jobs-trump-rhode-island-2016-12

Governor Raimondo is one of only three post-baby boom Democratic governors. The others are John Bell Edwards of Louisiana and Steve Bullock of Montana. That's how thin the up and coming ranks are for 2020.

[elleng]

1. 'Governor Raimondo is one of only three post-baby boom Democratic governors.

The others are John Bell Edwards of Louisiana and Steve Bullock of Montana. That's how thin the up and coming ranks are for 2020.'

[crazycatlady]

3. This

We need some young blood in the party.

[rgbecker]

2. Her idea to focus on economic growth during Trump's years is

contrary to what needs to be done to get Democrats back in power nationwide. It will impossible to steer any credit for such work away from the Republicans who control the White House, Congress and most state governments. Our message and work should be educating the electorate to show who is actually benefiting from GOP policies and who are the losers. The GOP will make this easy as they remove healthcare, waste money on more Navy and Mexican walls and turn eastern Europe back over to the Russians. It would be a screw-up to help the GOP build up an economy based on exploiting the poorest among us and based on reducing benefits gained after years of work during previous Democratic administrations, ie: Social security, Medicare and Medicaid. Their train wreck should be allowed to happen unencumbered by Democratic attempts to help lower unemployment numbers, change the tax system to some non progressive flat tax or stimulate the economy using a war or unpaid for infrastructure.

[RBInMaine]

4. A relentless focus on job creation through middle class economics and not trickle down is a MUST!!

ABSOLUTELY focus BIGTIME on job creation because that is the number one issue ALWAYS!! But it must be about MIDDLE CLASS BOTTOM UP job creation which WORKS and not FAILED TRICKLE DOWN!! Tax incentives such as credits for increasing plant and equipment, hiring, skill training, adding new production lines, R and D, etc. are good. Regulation review for keeping what is needed and what works and eliminating excessive regulation that's unnecessary and hampers growth is good. Both fit middle class economics. Also partnering government and the private sector in various ways, tax reform that increases fairer progressive taxation, employee profit sharing, a higher minimum wage, work-owned co-op businesses expansion, investments in education, training, broadband, and physical infrastructure are all parts of MIDDLE CLASS ECONOMICS as opposed to failed trickle down.

It sounds like the Rhode Island governor is doing a lot of those things which ARE progressive. How she dealt with the pension matter what not a good move and it has taken its toll. But again, what the article says about most of what she is doing on the economy is in fact middle class economics, such as investing in and targeting re-training for the long-term unemployed. Great program.

[TeamPooka]

11. this x 1000

[delisen]

5. Rhode Island Overwhelmingly Democratic

Population just over one million. Good location for focus on upgrading workforce to high skilled and high tech employment.

Overwhelmingly Democratic. Liberal. Good safety net. Demographically about 95% white. Large Catholic population.
Some roadblocks to elective abortion. Naral gives F but unlike Texas, Rhode Island is close to large population state of Mass.
Rhode Island in Often considered a working-class state

This state is highly unlikely to turn Republican.

It will be an economic success story for Democrats even with a Trump or Pence president.

[KamaAina]

6. Alas, URI isn't big-league enough to offer much in the way of technology transfer.

She might want to work on that, or maybe leverage Brown the way New Haven has with Yale's Science Park.

[delisen]

7. Thanks for the Information

I live in the south. I would like to be more knowledgeable about Rhode Island so I can share the information here.

My state should be able to elect more Democrats. While the demographics are very different here, I find that people respond to information about what is working elsewhere, especially if they feel like they "know" who the office-holders are elsewhere.

[KamaAina]

8. It only has about a million people.

It's sandwiched between Mass. and Conn., and so is often forgotten. It does, however, have Ivy League Brown, and Amtrak connecting it to the rest of the Northeast Corridor all the way to DC.

[bdamomma]

10. RI is a small state

but we kick a$$, we are very diversified.

[bdamomma]

9. we are

proud Democrats!!!

[Initech]

12. It's the wages, not the jobs!!!

Both sides can talk all the shit they want about jobs. But the truth is, it's the wages, not the jobs, that are hurting the economy!