[CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] JIM: THIS WEEK ON "A LIVELY EXPERIMENT."

DUELING PLANS FOR FEDERAL AID, AND WITH VACCINATIONS COMING TO AGES 5-11, SUGARY ISLAND -- SHOULD RHODE ISLAND CONTINUE TO REQUIRE MASKING IN SCHOOLS?

>> "A LIVELY EXPERIMENT" IS GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITTEN BY -- >> FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS "A LIVELY EXPERIMENT" HAS PROVIDED INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS OF IMPORTANT POLITICAL ISSUES.

I AM JOHN HAZEN WHITE, JR., AND I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS GREAT PROGRAM ON RHODE ISLAND PBS.

JIM: JOINING US ON THE PANEL, PABLO RICK IRIS -- RODRIGUEZ, RETIRED PROFESSOR AT THE ALPERT MEDICAL SCHOOL.

AND FORMER REPRESENTATIVE DOREEN COSTA AND FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE JON BRIEN.

WELCOME TO "A LIVELY EXPERIMENT ."

RHODE ISLAND IS ONE OF THE FEW STATE STATION STATES THAT HAS NOT SPENT ITS LATEST ROUND OF FEDERAL STAINLESS MONEY.

THIS WEEK WE LEARNED ABOUT SEVERAL PROPOSALS THAT INCLUDED HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND BOOSTING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, BUT HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO TURN.

IN THE REALITY?

LET ME BEGIN WITH YOU.

WELCOME BACK.

YOU AND DOREEN BOTH SET IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR SO LONG AND IT WAS ALWAYS WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.

NOW IT IS KIND OF EMBARRASSING.

HOW DO YOU ULTIMATELY MAKE A DECISION WITH SO MUCH MONEY?

JON: IT REALLY WAS STUNNING.

THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THIS WEEK SAYING THAT FOREVER ONE DOLLAR THAT IS BEEN ALLOCATED THERE IS $10 WORTH OF ASK.

I THINK RIGHT NOW THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN, AND I LIKE HIS PLAN FOR INVESTING IN SMALL BUSINESS, THE INDUSTRY, THE EVENT INDUSTRY GOOD BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THE NUMBERS ABOUT ONE THING THAT REALLY STUNS ME IS YOU THINK ABOUT ALL OF THESE DOLLARS BEING THROWN AROUND, 150 MILLION, 400 MILLION, IT IS STUNNING AND THAT THIS IS NOT JUST FREE MONEY.

YOU THINK ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL DEFICIT THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT OR ALLOCATED TO THE STATE ANYTHING ABOUT, MULTIPLYING THAT BY 50, THAT IS STUNNING.

IT IS FRIGHTENING.

I THINK THERE ARE WAYS WE CAN SPEND IT IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE, BUT LET'S NOT SPEND BECAUSE WE HAVE IT.

I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A VERY FOCUSED APPROACH.

JIM: THE SPEAKER SAID INVESTMENT NOT SPENDING.

DOREEN, THAT IS LIKE -- AS YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE PRIORITIES, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

DOREEN I KNOW A LOT OF THE LEGISLATORS ARE GETTING A LOT OF REQUESTS FROM THE LOCAL CITIES AND TOWNS THAT THEY REPRESENT.

NUMBER ONE, THEY'VE BEEN SITTING ON THIS MONEY FOR SOME TIME, WHILE EVERYBODY IS STRUGGLING.

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT AND I THINK THAT THEY NEED TO FOCUS ON THE HOSPITALS AND THE NURSING HOMES WHO ARE STRUGGLING THE MOST AND I KNOW THEY HAD SAID, THE GOVERNOR SAID WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, YOU CANNOT HAVE A DEVELOPMENT IF PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK.

I DON'T KNOW HOW HE IS GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY.

I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HE IS GOING TO DO.

I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE THE GOVERNOR RIGHT NOW BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.

YOU CAN'T FORGET THE FRONT LINE WORKERS IN THE HOSPITALS IN THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENTS THAT NEED THIS THE MOST.

JON: THIS IS NOT LOTTERY -- PABLO: THIS IS NOT LOTTERY MONEY.

IT IS ALLOCATED AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.

WE NEED TO PUT THE MONEY TOWARDS THE PEOPLE THAT SUFFERED THE MOST.

BIG BUSINESSES IN RHODE ISLAND, 2.6 BILLION IN PPP LOANS.

WE DO NOT NEED TO GIVE MORE MONEY TO BIG BUSINESS.

WE NEED TO GIVE MONEY TO THE SMALL RESTAURANTS, THE SHOPS, THE BARBERS, THE BEAUTY SALONS, THE BUSINESSES THAT CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

THAT IS WHAT THE MONEY SHOULD BE GOING TO, NOT TO A NEW BUILDING FOR YOU OR I, WHICH REALLY DOES NOT NEED IT.

THE OTHER THING, THE THING ABOUT PEOPLE NOT GOING TO WORK, THAT IS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD CHILDCARE.

THE IDEAS THAT BOTH THE GOVERNOR AND THE FOUNDATION HAVE PUT IN TOWARDS CHILDCARE ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

FOR THE LONGEST TIME WE SAID THAT AS SOON AS THE UNEMPLOYMENT MONEY WAS AWAY, EVERYBODY IS GOING BACK TO WORK.

IT HAS NOT HAPPENED BECAUSE IT CAN'T BECAUSE CHILDCARE IS NOT ACCESSIBLE IN THIS STATE AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.

IF YOU HAVE KIDS AT HOME THAT ARE QUARANTINED BECAUSE KIDS ARE GETTING SICK IN SCHOOL, AND QUITE A LOT OF THEM, THEN YOU CANNOT GO BACK TO WORK.

YOU HAVE TO STAY AT HOME.

JIM: SO THAT RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION HAD THIS BIG THING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND I WONDER HOW THAT LOOKS.

I GUESS EVERYBODY SAYS WE NEED MORE HOUSING, THERE IS LIKE ZERO VACANCY RATE IN THE APARTMENTS.

WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?

DOES IT GO TO THE DEVELOPER, FOR RENT SUBSIDIES, IT SOUNDS LIKE A NICE CONCEPT, BUT THE DETAILS, HOW DOES THAT LOOK?

JON: ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, THERE IS A 10% THRESHOLD -- WOONSOCKET EXCEEDS THE SOCK -- THE 10%.

AS A FORMER LEGISLATOR, WHEN THEY THINK -- WHEN THEY SAY THERE IS NOT ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THERE'S NOT EXCEPT -- ENOUGH ACCESSIBLE HOUSING, WE ARE THE ONLY ONE THAT ARE OVER THE 10%, SO I THINK IF YOU'RE GOING TO INVEST MONEY IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I THINK YOU NEED TO LOOK TO THE SUBURB AND COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE NOT STEPPED UP AND HAVE LESS THEN THAT 10% THRESHOLD AND SET UP SOME OF THE URBAN COMMUNITIES WHO ARE MEETING THAT THRESHOLD.

I THINK IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPREAD IT AROUND FOR HOUSING, LET SOME OF THE OTHER COMMUNITY STEP UP BECAUSE SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE STEPPED UP INCREDIBLY OVER THE YEARS.

JIM: DO WE HAVE ENOUGH LAND?

PABLO: WE DO.

WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, HOMELESSNESS INCREASED IN RHODE ISLAND BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, 4.6% BETWEEN 2019 AND 2020.

THIS IS A PROBLEM IN RHODE ISLAND THAT WAS EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC.

IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

SOME PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY A HOME.

IT IS ABOUT RENTAL.

THE RENTALS ARE GETTING OUT OF THE WORLD.

PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO RENT AN APARTMENT IN THE URBAN AREAS.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TARGET THE MONEY TO THE PEOPLE THAT NEEDED THE MOST AND THE PEOPLE THAT WERE AFFECTED THE MOST.

DOREEN YOU MADE -- YOU MADE A GOOD POINT.

DOES IT GO TO THE RENTERS ARE THE DEVELOPERS?

WE HAVE TO PAY TO GET THE BUILDINGS PUT UP.

I KNOW CROSSROADS IS ON A THREE YEAR WAITING LIST FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THAT IS A LONG TIME, AND THEN THE PLACE ACROSS THE STREET I THINK, THEY HAVE A 4.5 YEAR WAITING LIST.

IT IS A BIG PROBLEM BUT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, THE LEGISLATOR HAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ALLOCATE THIS MONEY.

IT IS GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO DEVELOPERS BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE TO -- WE HAVE TO PAY THEM TO BUILD, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THE CLOSING, THE BANKS INVOLVED.

THIS IS NOT AN OVERNIGHT SOLUTION.

THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE WORSE IT WILL GET.

JIM: GINA RAIMONDO, I UNDERSTAND IT WAS A PANDEMIC BUT NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LEGISLATURE IS -- WE NEED TO HOLD HEARINGS AND LOOK AT THIS.

SO REALLY ULTIMATELY IT WILL BE THE LEGISLATURE DECIDING, BUT ISN'T IT IRONIC THAT IT IS A 180 FROM A YEAR AGO?

PABLO: ABSOLUTELY.

A COUPLE OF IDEAS ARE GOOD, THE IDEA ABOUT THE TRUSTS WHERE YOU IDENTIFIED THE COMMUNITIES THAT WERE AFFECTED THE MOST, AND GIVE THE MONEY, THE GROUPS THAT CAN DECIDE AMONG THEMSELVES WERE TO SPEND THE MONEY.

AND THE ONE THAT I THINK IS THE BEST IS ABOUT HAVING TRANSPARENCY AND EVALUATION OF WHERE THE MONEY IS BEING PUT TO CREATE -- JIM: THAT WOULD BE AWKWARD, WOULDN'T IT?

PABLO: TO CREATE A SMALL OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT MONEY IS NOT JUST FRITTERED AWAY.

DOREEN: SOUNDS LIKE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL IS NEEDED.

JIM: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK YOU ARE DEALING WITH IS THE SLOWDOWN IN THE SPENDING OF THE MONEY, ULTIMATELY IT IS POLITICIANS IN THE LEGISLATURE AND EXECUTIVE WILL ALWAYS MAKE THE DECISIONS BASED ON WHICH CORE CONSTITUENCY ARE WE SERVING BEST AND HOW WILL THIS HOPELESS MOST IN AN ELECTION YEAR AND THAT ALWAYS COMES DOWN TO THAT.

JIM: YEARS AGO WHEN I COVERED THE LEGISLATURE IT WENT FROM $100 MILLION SURPLUS TO THIS HUGE DEFICIT, AND I REMEMBER THE GOVERNOR TELLING ME IT IS A LOT EASIER WHEN YOU HAVE NO MONEY.

YOU JUST SAY NO TO EVERYBODY.

JUST QUICKLY BEFORE WE MOVE ON, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU DID NOT SEE IT ALL IN THESE PROPOSALS, ANYTHING THAT WE ARE MISSING THAT YOU THINK WE SHOULD INVEST IN?

JON: I LIKE THE IDEA THAT TOURISM INDUSTRY IN RHODE ISLAND WAS HIT HARD, ESPECIALLY THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE.

THE IDEA OF THE JOB CREATION AND EXPANDING THE REAL JOBS PROGRAM, BUT I THINK THE URBAN CENTERS THAT WERE HIT THE HARDEST DEFINITELY NEED TO BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AND HOW THE MONEY IS ALLOCATED BECAUSE I KNOW IN MY CITY IT WAS HIT HARD.

PABLO: THE PUN -- AND DID RECOMMEND SOME LOAN FORGIVENESS -- THE FOUNDATION DID RECOMMEND SOME LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR PROVIDERS.

I THINK WE NEED MORE FOR STUDENTS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE FEDERAL MORATORIUM WILL END IN JANUARY NEXT YEAR AND YOU WILL HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THEIR EDUCATION WAS INTERRUPTED BUT THE LOANS WERE STILL ACCRUING AND ARE GOING TO HAVE A REALLY DIFFICULT TIME EATING THE PAYMENTS.

DOREEN: I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I READ THROUGH EVERYTHING AND I CANNOT THINK OF ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT HAS NOT BEEN LIFTED.

TO SOMETHING THAT PABLO SAID, AS AN EXAMPLE, THE PEOPLE IN CENTRAL FALLS OR PAWTUCKET ARE JUST AS NEEDY AS THE PEOPLE IN NORTH KINGSTOWN.

THE NUMBER MAY NOT BE AS HIGH BUT WE ARE STILL NEEDING THE MONEY TO HELP PEOPLE.

PABLO: IT IS NOT THE SAME.

DOREEN: I UNDERSTAND THAT.

PABLO: CENTRAL FALLS IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE WORD -- WORLD, SO THIS IS APPLES AND ORANGES.

DOREEN: WE HAVE 10 HOMELESS PEOPLE IN CENTRAL FALLS, AND THE HOMELESS PEOPLE IN CENTRAL FALLS NEED THAT HELP JUST AS MUCH AS THE FAMILY IN -- NORTH KINGSTOWN, SO THE MONEY SHOULD BE DISTRIBUTED FAIRLY.

IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE WHY ONE COMMUNITY WOULD GET MORE THAN ANOTHER.

JIM: DON'T YOU WISH YOU WERE IN THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW AND YOU COULD FIGURE THIS OUT.

I LIKE SITTING BACK AND OPINING ABOUT ALL OF THIS.

LET'S MOVE ON.

GOVERNOR MCKEE ENDED AT THE EMERGENCY ORDER, IN PLACE SINCE MARCH OF 2020, AT SOME POINT WITH ALL OF THE NUMBERS OWING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION, HE MAY LET IT LAPSE.

THERE IS A QUESTION WITH THE EMERGENCY ORDER AND SCHOOL MASKING.

THIS IS BEEN A BIG ISSUE.

PABLO, LET ME BEGIN WITH YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN ON THESE PANELS.

IS IT TIME TO START RETHINKING THAT POLICY?

AS YOU GET THE VACCINES FOR THE 5-11?

PABLO: WHAT WE HAVE ALWAYS DISCUSSED IS WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE DATA AND RIGHT NOW THE DATA SAYS THAT WE HAVE 158 PER 100,000 CASES OF COVID IN RHODE ISLAND, ANYTHING OVER 100 IS CONSIDERED HIGH.

JIM: WHY IS THAT CONSIDERED HIGH?

WHO DETERMINES THAT?

PABLO: PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS LOOKING AT THE INFECTIVITY RATE COME AND WE HAVE AN INFECTION WHERE ONE PERSON CAN AFFECT 5-8 PEOPLE, THAT IS HOW IT GROWS THAT IS HOW YOU GET A PANDEMIC.

SO THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE NOTHING TO WIN HERE OTHER THAN MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE HEALTHY.

WHEN YOU HAVE A HIGH RATE OF INFECTION, WHEN ANY OF SEEN THE CASES IN SCHOOLS, OVER 2000 STUDENTS INFECTIVE -- INFECTED, WHAT DOES THAT CAUSE, WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE SCHOOL THEN HAS TO QUARANTINE.

THEN YOU HAVE THIS MIX OF AT HOME AND IN SCHOOL, AND THE TEACHERS, THE STUDENTS, EVERYONE SUFFERS.

BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO WEAR MASKS BECAUSE IT IS UNCOMFORTABLE.

JON: I DISAGREE ON THIS ONE.

I LOOK AT THE DATA, THE NUMBERS WERE THAT OUT OF THE 17 -- FOR 17-YEAR-OLD AND YOUNGER, SEVEN OUT OF 10 MILLION CASES RESULT IN HOSPITALIZATION IN NEW ENGLAND.

WE HAVE AN 85% VACCINATION RATE HERE.

KIDS HAVE A HIGHER CHANCE OF GETTING STRUCK Y LIGHTNING, ONE IN 500,000 AT RECESS THEN BEEN HOSPITALIZED FOR COVID.

KIDS ARE RESILIENT, BUT THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEMS ARE STRONG.

HAVE GOT TO GET BACK TO THE DAYS WHERE -- THE OLD SAYING, YOU CAN LAND A MAN ON THE MOON, BUT WE CANNOT CURE THE COMMON COLD.

THERE IS GOING TO BE IN SCHOOLS PEOPLE GETTING COLDS AND THAT HAPPENS.

THERE WILL BE SORE THROATS, COUGHING, AND WE CANNOT GET IN THE MINDSET THAT EVERY TIME SOMEONE HAS ANY KIND OF SYMPTOM, THEY NEED TO GO INTO QUARANTINE OR BE SEPARATED FROM EVERYBODY ELSE.

IT IS TIME TO TAKE THE MASKS OFF THE KIDS OR GIVE THE PARENTS THE CHOICE THAT IF THEY WANT THEIR KIDS TO BE MESSED -- MASKED, THEY CAN BE.

WE HAVE REALLY WAY TOO FAR INTO OVERKILL.

PABLO: IT IS NOT ABOUT THE KIDS.

IT IS ABOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

THIS INFECTION DOES NOT DECIDE TO INFECTED JUST CHILDREN OR JUST ADULTS.

JIM: THERE WAS THIS CONCERN THAT YOU WOULD COME HOME AND KILL YOUR GRANDFATHER AND NOW MOST OF THEM ARE VACCINATED.

PABLO: IT IS STILL HAPPENING.

THE RATE IN KIDS FROM FIVE-18 IS 242.

JIM: OF THE 2000, WHAT IS THE SEVERITY?

ARE KIDS GETTING HOSPITALIZED?

PABLO: THE KIDS ARE GETTING HOSPITALIZED AND THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF DEATHS OF CHILDREN.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE CHILDREN.

THIS IS ABOUT CONTAINING INFECTION THAT CONTINUES TO MUTATE AND CHANGE.

WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO WHERE WE ARE.

RUSSIA IS CLOSING AGAIN.

JAPAN IS JUST CLOSED STILL.

THIS CAN HAVE ANOTHER -- IF WE HAVE VARUIANTS, THE WAY YU STOP THEM IS BY HAVING THE MOST STRINGENT MITIGATION AS LONG AS THERE IS COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION.

DOREEN: YOU ARE THE DOCTOR AND I AM NOT, BUT THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH DOCTOR SAID THERE IS NO PEDIATRIC DEATHS FROM COVID IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

THAT WAS FROM DR. MCDONALD.

IT IS ABOUT THE KIDS BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL.

LET'S TALK ABOUT TEST AND STAY, WHICH I THINK THEY ARE WORKING OUT, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE VACCINE.

THERE ARE SO MANY -- PABLO: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A KID TESTS POSITIVE?

DOREEN: THEN YOU GET SENT HOME.

PABLO: BUT YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CONTAIN THE INFECTION.

DOREEN: IF YOU DO A TEST AND STAY, YOU ARE PUTTING -- PUT IN ONE ROOM WITH ONE NURSE, AND THEY SPOT YOU.

IF YOU ARE NEGATIVE, YOU GO RIGHT BACK UP THE SAME DOOR YOU CAME IN, AND YOU DO THAT EVERY DAY OR EVERY OTHER DAY, AND EVERYTHING WILL BE SOLVED.

THEY ARE DOING THIS IN OTHER STATES, AND IT IS WORKING.

PABLO: THE MINUTE SOMEBODY TURNS POSITIVE, THE RULES ARE CLEAR THAT PEOPLE THAT WERE AROUND THAT KID ALSO HAVE TO GO HOME, SO IT IS NOT JUST THAT KID.

JON: MY SUGGESTION IS WE TAKE DESKS OUT OF THE SCHOOLS AND PUT IN RESTAURANT TABLES BECAUSE YOU CAN WALK INTO ANY RESTAURANT ANY PLACE IN RHODE ISLAND WITHOUT A MASK.

SO PUT THE RESTAURANT TABLES IN THE CLASSROOM.

THE REALITY IS, THIS SENATOR PUT A PICTURE OF HERSELF IN GILLETTE STADIUM 68,000 FANS AND I AM A SEASON TICKET HOLDER AS WELL, AND I CAN BE IN LINE WITH THE THOUSAND PEOPLE TRYING TO GET IN , WITHOUT A MASK, BUT KIDS HAVE TO BE WEARING MASKS EIGHT HOURS A DAY EVERY DAY, AND THERE IS NO PEDIATRIC TEST FOR COVID IN RHODE ISLAND.

WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE, ONE RENEGADE SCHOOL COMMITTEE ANYWHERE IN THE STATE, THEY WILL SAY NO, WE ARE DONE.

WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO?

ARE THEY GOING TO TAKE AWAY ALL THE MONEY?

PABLO: 3.5 TIMES LESS LIKELY TO GET A SCHOOL OUTBREAK THAT REQUIRES QUARANTINE WHEN HE WEAR A MASK UNIVERSALLY IN THE SCHOOLS.

IF YOU WANT SCHOOLS TO REMAIN OPEN, HE WENT MASKS.

THIS IS NOT A COMMON COLD.

THIS CAN KILL CHILDREN AND CAN KILL ADULTS, KILLING PEOPLE EVERYDAY.

IT IS KILLING PEOPLE EVERY DAY.

PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS INFECTION AS IF IT WAS SOMETHING MINOR BECAUSE THE NUMBERS FOR THE HORRIBLE DEATHS HAVE GONE DOWN.

THE NUMBERS HAVE GONE DOWN BECAUSE WE HAVE INCREASED VACCINATION.

WE ARE AT THE END OF THIS EFFORT.

THE WORST THIG WE CAN DO AS WINTER BEGINS, AS WE START GETTING CONGREGATING INSIDE BUILDINGS, IS TO JUST LET OUR GUARD DOWN.

DOREEN: I WAS AT GILLETTE STADIUM TWO WEEKS WHEN TOM BRADY MADE HIS RETURN.

TONIGHT I AM GOING TO SEE BLAKE SHELTON, 10,000 PEOPLE.

I'M NOT ANTI-BACKS.

WE CAN HAVE A THOUSAND PEOPLE AT GILLETTE, 10,000 PEOPLE TONIGHT AT THE CONCERT, BUT YOU HAVE 12 CHILDREN IN A CLASSROOM WITH THEIR LITTLE MASKS ON.

DO THE TEST AND STAY.

GIVE IT A TRY.

JIM: I DO THINK THE ONE PROBLEM IS WHERE WE WERE SET UP FOR REMOTE LAST YEAR, WE ARE NOT.

IF THEY SEND THEM HOME, THEN THE KID REALLY STARTS TO LOSE BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT DOING -- JON: I THINK THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC YOU HAVE POLITICIANS MAKING MEDICAL DECISIONS BASED ON CONSTITUENCIES AND WHO BEST, WHAT BEST CONSTITUENCY AND THEY SERVE AND NOT GET UPSET SO IT WILL AFFECT THEM AT ELECTION TIME.

WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT MONEY ON THIS SHOW, THE COVID-19 SITUATION, AND IT IS ALWAYS COMING BACK TO POLITICIANS MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON WHICH CONSTITUENCY THEY DO NOT WANT UPSET.

JIM: LET'S GO OUTRAGES AND KUDOS.

DO YOU HAVE AN OUTRAGE?

DOREEN: I'M GOING TO CHANGE IT TO A KUDO.

YOU WANT AN OUTRAGE?

I JUST WANT TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE HEALTH-CARE WORKERS THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC AND I AM SORRY THAT YOU ARE LOSING YOUR JOBS BECAUSE OF A VACCINE MANDATE.

WE SHOULD DO TEST AND STAY FOR THE MEDICAL FIELD AS WELL.

JON: I HAVE A KUDOS, BECAUSE I AM HAPPY TO BE BACK.

THIS WEEK, FOR AMERICAN LEGION POST 85 AND THE HERITAGE BARBER FOUNDATION WHO LET THE FLAME AT THE WAR MEMORIAL IN THE CITY AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO UP THERE AND SEE THE MEMORIAL.

WHAT PEOPLE IN THE STATE REALLY DO NOT KNOW A LOT ABOUT IS THE ROLE THAT WOONSOCKET PLAYED IN THE GHOST ARMY.

I THINK THAT IS REALLY A GREAT STORY IN WHICH WOONSOCKET CREATED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RUBBER TANKS AND TRUCKS TO CREATE A GHOST ARMY IN EUROPE BEFORE THE NORMANDY INVASION.

THIS IS A GREAT LESSON FOR EVERYONE RATE IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

THE ETERNAL FLAME HAS BEEN LIT AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO.

JIM: ARE YOU KNOW THE HEAD OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JON:?

JON:EVER THAT -- JON: EVER THE CHEERLEADER FOR WHEN SOCKET.

PABLO: I AM OUTRAGED ABOUT THE SITUATION WITH THE HOSPITAL AND THAT REAGAN UNIT, NOT FOR THE REASONS PEOPLE MIGHT EXPECT.

I AM NOT CONCERNED ABOUT INDIVIDUALS TRYING TO MOVE PATIENTS IN ORDER TO REACH A QUOTA TO ALLOW FOR THEM TO GET PAID.

I AM OUTRAGED AT THE SYSTEM THAT CONTINUES TO SEPARATE MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH AND IT FORCES ADMINISTRATORS TO WORK WITH PATIENTS AS IF THEY WERE A COMMODITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DO NOT GET TO THAT 51% BECAUSE NOBODY GETS PAID.

IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT THIS COUNTRY SEPARATES MENTAL HEALTH FROM PHYSICAL HEALTH AND IT IS TIME THAT WE SHOULD STOP.

JIM: WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.

I WANTED TO TOUCH BASE ON THIS COOPERATIVE.

YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT SO YOU ARE NOT THAT PART LEFT.

AS YOU VIEW THIS, THERE WAS THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY RECRUITED THE 50 CANDIDATES.

AS YOU SEE THIS GOING INTO THE ELECTION CYCLE, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

JON: I LOOK AT IT AS NOT QUITE READY FOR PRIME TIME.

I THINK THERE WAS A SPASH THAT WAS MADE WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

I THINK MACK BROWN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES, WE ARE DOWN THE LINE LIBERALS, BUT THIS IS OUR DIFFERENCE AND THEN DAN MCKEE SAY I AM FOR SCHOOL CHOICE, AND THEN ANOTHER AND WILL SAY I AM THE OUTSIDER.

MATT BROWN WANTED TO SAY SOCIALISM IS OK, AND HERE ARE MY CANDIDATES.

I THINK MANY WERE NOT VETTED, BECAUSE THAT PARTY AND THAT WING IS SO ENTRENCHED IN CANCEL CULTURE THAT AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT HAVE A GROUP COLLECTIVE THOUGHT THAT YOU ARE LOSING CANDIDATES, PEOPLE ARE SAYING I HAD A TWEET FROM 10 YEARS AGO WHERE I WROTE THIS 10 YEARS AGO.

CANDIDATES WILL BE DIFFERENT IF YOU ARE GOING TO ALL MOVE IN THE SAME DIRECTION, YOU CAN HAVE DIFFERENT THOUGHTS.

IF YOU ARE ALL THINKING ALIGHT, NOBODY IS INKING.

I THINK THEY JUST SAID WE ARE GOING TO TRANSFORM THE STATE, AND THERE WAS A STATEMENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE OVER THE BLANK STATEHOUSE.

I DO NOT THINK THEY ARE READY FOR THAT YET.

I THINK THAT THE POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS ARE DOOMED.

PABLO: I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING ANYWHERE.

I THINK THEY SHOULD BE PUSHING FOR WHAT THEY ARE FOR INSTEAD OF WHAT THEY ARE AGAINST.

THE FIRST STATEMENT OUT OF A GROUP THAT INTENDS TO BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER IS TO SAY, OH,M THE DEMOCRATS THAT ARE RUNNING THE STATEHOUSE.

IF THAT IS HOW YOU FEEL, THEN LEAVE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

FORM YOUR OWN PARTY.

OR REPUBLICAN, WHATEVER.

JIM: THEY WONDER, DO THEY WANT THAT TO HAPPEN HERE?

PABLO: IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE.

WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.

POLITICS IS THE ART OF COMPROMISE, AND THIS IS THE PROBLEM IN THE COUNTRY, THAT WE ARE ALL JUST PULLING FOR A TRIBE, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT BECAME THE MANTRA THAT RECRUITED THE CANDIDATES.

NO, THAT IS NOT THE WAY POLITICS WORK.

WE HAVE TO REACH A COMPROMISE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE POWER OF OUR ARGUMENTS IS THE ONE THAT WILL CARRY THE DAY, NOT THE POWER OF OUR ANGER.

DOREEN: I AM LOVING THIS AS A REPUBLICAN, I LOVE WATCH THE DEMOCRATS JUST BEAT THEMSELVES UP, AND THIS IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I KNOW SUZY IS WORKING HARD, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF CANDIDATES, AND A LOT OF THE DEMOCRATS WILL BE IN TROUBLE.

WE TAKE OVER THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN, BUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, LOOK AT THE SHELVES.

IT IS NOT OUR PARTY DOING THIS BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE CONTROL.

JIM: JUST BETWEEN US, WHO IS GOING TO BE THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR?

ANY THOUGHTS?

DOREEN: I CAN'T SAY.

JON: THERE WAS A CANDIDATE YESTERDAY WHO SAID HE MAY WANT TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR, AND IF BLAKE PHILIP THE RUNS YOU WILL HAVE THE WORST THING -- THE WORST THING IS A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY NEEDS TO GET OUT OF ITS OWN WAY.

BUT THE ULTIMATE PROBLEM WITH THE PROGRESSIVE IS THAT THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT POLITICS IS THE ART OF COMPROMISE, 100% OR NOTHING, IF YOU GIVE THEM 99%, THEY WILL PRIMARY YOU BECAUSE THEY WANT 100%.

IT IS TOTALLY -- IT JUST DOES NOT WORK.

JIM: THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

NO TRUTH OF THE RUMOR THAT HE STAYED OVERNIGHT AND DID NOT DRIVE FROM WHEN SOCKET THIS MORNING.

THANK YOU.

COME BACK HERE NEXT WEEK AND WE WILL HAVE ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THE WEEK.

WE HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEK, AND WE HOPE WE SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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VISIT NCICAP.ORG] ♪ >> "A LIVELY EXPERIMENT" IS GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITTEN BY -- >> FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, "A LIVELY EXPERIMENT" HAS PROVIDED ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT ON IMPORTANT POLITICAL ISSUES THAT FACE RHODE ISLANDERS.