Rants and Raves

Poll Worker Musings, Or How To Write A Rave Only

What to love and hate about living in East Greenwich this week.

Finally. You may be disappointed, elated or indifferent to the outcome (and I know I am all three in varying degrees) but Election Day has, thankfully, come and gone. This year, I decided (or, more accurately, was coerced by a neighbor – thanks, Jeff) to take the final leap and work as a canvasser at Swift Gym. Here are some of the things I discovered, thought or saw in the 14 some hours I spent at the polling station in no particular order of a rant or rave because frankly, the whole day was a rave for me – even things I normally rant about (like long lines or bad manners) seemed bearable: That last point, which is truly a rave, is what I am going to try and keep with me over the next four years. 

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EG Votes In Photos

See if I captured your voting experience, or share a photo you took.

Here are more pictures from the election in East Greenwich. I'll be adding more later today, but would LOVE if readers uploaded their own Election Day 2012 shots!

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Sorry, Charlie – But Is It Your Own Fault?

Don't complain. Get involved instead.

Bob Houghtaling’s recent op/ed piece on EG Patch (“Sorry Charlie: Maybe it's time to look beyond resumes and good sound bites” - http://bit.ly/K6ovCo) is a largely accurate description of what bothers most of us about the current state of our political leadership. But the things to which he points may be more effect than cause. I would suggest that the fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves (with apologies to Will Shakespeare…). For all kinds of reasons, individual participation in the political process has been declining for years. Those of us involved with one or another of the parties struggle to convince really good people to run for office. We all struggle to get people to the polls to vote. And the party organizations – doesn’t…

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Letter to the Editor

Last Chance: '12 Presidential Primary

Here’s what you need to know about voting in Tuesday’s Presidential primary

Rhode Island’s presidential primary almost — almost — mattered this year, on the Republican side anyway. But Rick Santorum’s decision earlier this month to suspend his campaign made Mitt Romney the all-but-certain GOP nominee. That doesn’t mean candidates such as Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul don’t want votes. The more votes they get, the more delegates they earn and the more influence they could have on the Republican Convention in Tampa, Fla., in August. In fact, Callista Gingrich was in East Greenwich and Ron Paul himself paid a visit to URI just last week. In total, there are five Republicans on the R.I. ballot: Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. And Democrats are being encouraged to vote too. That's an easier choice…

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