On Tuesday, April 6, at the Airport Radisson Hotel in Warwick, Operation Clean Government will host its first Candidates School.
The event will feature experts from politics and government, as well as nationally renowned consultants. Topics on the agenda for the daylong event include ethics rules, preparing to run for office, campaign communications, running a campaign, fundraising and dealing with the media.
Bruce Lang, an Operation Clean Government board member and chairman of the event, says the reason behind the event is simple.
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"There is a clear need to bring more citizens, more diversity, more expertise, and more points of view to the political process in our state," said Lang.
The lack of diversity at the State House includes the very critical need for more of a voice from the business community, which continues to be under-represented within the ranks of a legislature heavily influenced by labor. Lang points out that business interests continue to fight an uphill battle at the legislature against a collection of lawmakers who include many teachers and other union members among their ranks.
"That’s why they (labor) get so much of what they want," he said.
The traditional cry from the business community has been that there is simply not enough time in a given day to leave one’s small business and commit to the rigors of first a campaign, and then the demands of being a legislator. That argument is a sound one, but at some point, sacrifices must be made if the business community is to achieve the representation it deserves.
We commend Operation Clean Government for putting together the Candidates School. It should provide prospective candidates with the answers to a lot of questions – all in one place. And we urge members of the business community to take advantage of the opportunity.
Anyone interested in attending the Candidates School should call Operation Clean Government at 1-877-793-3774.
