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April 18, 2010

Re: Cognitive Dissonance with Charlene Lima

Monique Chartier

Justin, along with many of us avid watchers of the State House, was a little startled to learn that former Speaker Pro Tem Charlene Lima (D, Cranston) had not only dropped by the Tea Party Thursday but had offered expressions of camaraderie.

Converted politicians are certainly welcome to the good government cause. It is difficult, however, not to be a little non-plussed by the presence of Rep. Lima inasmuch as she has a multi-year record of voting for exactly the sort of things that the Tea Party and other good government organizations oppose.

Additionally, as Andrew references, what to make of her recent falling out with leadership? If it has caused her to permanently see the light, terrific. But will the Speaker, occupier of the most powerful political office in the state, offer her something that brings her in due course back into the fold? And who could blame him, by the way? This year, with a record number of rank and file members looking at a stark choice of political survival or adherence to a big government philosophy that is distinctly out of favor with voters, leaders on both Smith and Capitol Hill will need to count and curry their political allies more assiduously than they have in a very long time.

It would be wonderful if Rep. Lima's conversion is genuine. I hope that it is. I also hope that she will forgive us if we are a little wide-eyed in her presence until her voting record catches up with her new words.

Comments

I just looked up "disingenuous" in an online dictionary, and click to see the result:

Disingenuous: See below

and

Posted by: Patrick at April 18, 2010 11:32 PM

She has had her spat over the last couple of years with the leadership, so since they have blown her off, she's going to try to come off as a reformer. She's another one in labor's pocket. Hopefully someone decent runs against her too.

Posted by: kathy at April 20, 2010 11:05 AM

Hi!
She is a member of the American Federation of Teachers. Her husband is ex State Rep. Frank Fiorenzano.
FYI!
Regards,
Scott

Posted by: Scott Bill Hirst at April 22, 2010 3:07 PM

Charlene Lima has as much integrity as her disbarred ex-con husband. She has been stripped of the little power she once had and her own party no longer wants nothing to do with her. That's why she went "trolling" at the recent TEA party gathering. Reformer????? LOL! Give me a break! Don't let this phoney fool you. She is OWNED by unions and big business and she has consistently voted AGAINST everything that the TEA party stands for. Let's all hope that the electorate gives the boot to her (and other self-serving incumbents) in the next election. We deserve reps with integrity - not clowns that speak out of both sides of their mouths.

Posted by: Willie at May 24, 2010 9:47 AM

I agree. Charlene Lima showing up at a Tea party rally is as genuine as Adolf Hitler showing up at a pro-semitic rally.

Posted by: Samuel at May 24, 2010 10:07 AM