Ian Donnis

Tariffs “will always tend to crush the spirit of enterprise and cripple the productive energies of a country.” If that sounds like a gripe from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a Moody’s economist or critics of President Trump, think again. The remark is from Francis Wayland, who served as president of Brown University from 1827 to 1855 (and whose name lives on via Wayland Square). And it shows how tariffs have been controversial throughout U.S. history. The good news is that if you like guacamole,the supply of Mexican avocados will likely be undiminished after an abrupt tariff about-face by Trump this week. But businesses rely on predictability, and the president has prioritized disruption during the early stage of his second term. During an address last week -- the longest of its kind -- Trump declared, “America is back,” and he said tariffs “are about making America rich again and making America great again.” But economists generally believe that new tariffs will spark higher prices, and Trump backtracked this week after bad signs from Wall Street, the Big Three automakers and the president of Mexico. The president gets a lot of buy-in from his base because of his branding as a savvy businessman. Perhaps Trump can use tariffs as a lever to win concessions from other countries while buffing his maximalist image. But Democrats paid the price last year for what voters considered an underwhelming response to inflation, and a possible recession would not help Trump’s less than robust approval rating on the way to midterm elections in 2026.

THE FLIP SIDE: For all the upset among Democrats and other critics of President Trump, the party’s loss last November has caused a lot of self-reflection. Like many Democrats, state Sen. Alana DiMario (D-Narragansett), who self-identifies as a ‘pragmatic progressive,’ believes the issue comes down to better messaging. “We need to start showing that what we want to do for people will have a material positive impact on their freedom to live their lives the way that they should be able to day to day,” DiMario said during an interview on Political Roundtable.

DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE: Attorney General Peter Neronha remains in the forefront of the local response to the Trump administration, landing a preliminary injunction in Providence U.S. District Court this week against the White House’s effort to freeze billions of dollars already appropriated to states. Neronha’s office announced Friday that it had “joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against numerous federal agencies for conducting illegal mass layoffs of federal probationary employees.”

Here’s a look at some of the responses, via news release, by other local elected officials.

U.S. Sen. Jack Reed pointed to an internal memo obtained by the AP showing the Trump administration plans to cut more than 80,000 employees from the Veterans Administration. “Donald Trump likes to talk a good game about respecting veterans, but his own staff has reported he calls them suckers, treats them with disdain, and now he’s talking about firing thousands of veterans, slashing VA staffing levels, and denying veterans access to the benefits they earned.”

According to U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, “the big tell” in Trump’s lengthy address was “ridiculous magic numbers for ages of Social Security recipients, to put a target on the back of a program Republicans hate but don’t dare attack directly. Watch out.”

Reflecting recognition among Democrats that they need to focus more on the economy, U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner offered this comment on the president’s speech: “Instead of wasting his time speaking about renaming the Gulf of Mexico and mountains in Alaska, President Trump should have delivered a real plan to lower costs and strengthen the economy for working people.” 

Similar messaging via U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo: “Over the past 43 days, Trump has made clear that he isn’t focused on the needs of everyday Americans. Instead, he’s focused on waging a divisive culture war, exacting revenge and retribution for his petty grievances, and carrying out the wishes of billionaires like Elon Musk and authoritarians like Vladimir Putin. We won’t be distracted by theatrics. We deserve better.”

ANIMAL RIGHTS: The American Kennel Club is opposing efforts to allow Rhode Islanders to be able to recover up to $7,500 in damages for the intentional or negligent injury or death of a pet. A bill sponsored by state Reps. Tom Noret (D-Coventry) and Jon Brien (I-Woonsocket) follows an incident when a St. Bernard puppy in Lincoln prematurely died after surgical instruments were left in her body. AKC, however, contends, “Changing the legal status of dogs as property would ultimately hamstring the ability of owners, veterinarians, and government agencies to protect and care for dogs. Moreover, it is the goal of animal rights activists to give animals the same rights and privileges as people by changing the legal classification of animals from property to ‘legal beings.’ Allowing non-economic damages in cases involving pets would be an incremental step toward that goal.”

SUPREME SPEAKER: Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is slated to speak at Brown University, in conversation with Yale Law School professor Justin Driver, at 4 pm on April 15. Registration opens Friday, March 14. Breyer, 86, left the court in 2022, enabling President Biden to appoint Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

RI SENATE: State senators are treading cautiously in discussing the future of the chamber, given President Dominick Ruggerio’s stay at a hospital rehab following a case of pneumonia. Ruggerio, 76, has iconic status as an elder statesman of Rhode Island politics and everyone wishes him well. At the same time, his ongoing health issues muddy the question of what lies ahead and when a change will happen. Ruggerio spokesman Greg Paré said the president “is doing very well and putting on some weight.” He is expected to remain at the Fatima rehab through at least part of next week.

STATE GOVERNMENT: Charon Rose, who formerly worked in the general treasurer’s office, won the competition to become the communications director for the Cannabis Control Commission. The job attracted a lot of interest -- 76 people -- in part due to a $110,000 salary, as Christopher Shea previously reported. Before Treasury, Rose worked for Jorge Elorza during his time as mayor of Providence.

GRAND OLD PARTY: Rhode Island Republican Party Chairman Joe Powers easily fended off a challenge from Jessica Drew-Day last week, although not without police being called to the meeting in Warwick last weekend. Former GOP National Committeeman Steve Frias told Nancy Lavin, “It was the worst meeting I’ve been involved in for 15 years.” In related GOP news, the House Republican Caucus announced it will take a pass on the annual legislative luncheon of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. In a statement, former House GOP Leader Brian C. Newberry (R-North Smithfield) likened the gathering to “just a dog and pony show.” While Chamber President Laurie White called the decision “unfortunate,” and Patrick Anderson noted how some Republicans nationally are ducking public forums, another subtext is how Rhode Island’s business community has traditionally been reluctant to support the state’s beleaguered (and under-resourced) opposition party.

 IN MEMORIAM: Former ProJo reporter Karen Ellsworth spoke with my colleague Luis Hernandez about Bruce Selya, the celebrated judge who recently died at age 90. This excerpt captures Selya: “In the summer of 1983, right after I took the bar exam, I had to have emergency eye surgery. It was quite serious, and I was out of work for several weeks. I got a lot of get well cards from people that I regularly covered, including some people at the federal courthouse, but from Judge Selya I received a poem. I’m sure that he said to himself, ‘Well, you know, I’m just not going to send her one of those dumb get well cards that everybody else sends. I’m going to be creative.’ So he wrote a poem. I don’t remember exactly what it said, but I remember that it was very funny and it was very well written. I was at home laying in bed, doing nothing, very bored, so I said to myself, ‘Well, why don’t you send them a poem back?’ So I did, and that launched an exchange. I think we exchanged two or three rounds of silly poems, but that was very characteristic of him. Not only was he quick and smart and creative, but he was also very considerate of other people. He was sitting there with everything else that he had to worry about and everything else he had to do, thinking to himself, ‘Gee, she just had this eye surgery, and she must be really bored. I think I’ll send her a poem.’ That was Judge Selya.”

BIGGEST LITTLE: During last Tuesday’s session in the House of Representatives, state Rep. Joseph Solomon (D-Warwick), chair of the House Corporations Committee, offered a tribute to David DePetrillo, the longtime former state tourism director, who recently died at age 78. As Solomon noted, DePetrillo’s legacy includes crafting the Biggest Little State in the Union tourism campaign, which became one of the great reels long before there was such a thing as Instagram.

SHORT TAKES: Former U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha has landed, at least for now, at Nixon Peabody …. Give a big Rhody welcome to Kimberlee Kruesi, who will be coming from Nashville to report for the AP on the Biggest Little and perhaps tell tales about Nashville hot chicken …. Thomas W. Kane, president of the RI Association of Democratic City and Town Chairs, shares word that VP Erich Haslehurst hopes to succeed him during a March 25 organizational meeting at Rochambeau Library in Providence. Maria Bucci of Cranston seeks to become 1st vice president, Deb Ruggiero of Jamestown 2nd VP, Derrik Trombley of Warren treasurer, and Angela Lima of Newport secretary