By RUSSELL J. MOORE

Saying the local Republican Party is ineffective and its

Democrat counterpart is too devoted to special interest groups, Ken Block, a

local businessman, is starting his own “Moderate” Party.

Block, a 42-year-old who has lived in Rhode Island since 1991 is fueled by a

private survey he conducted, which found 81 percent of the 5,000 residents

polled believe the state is headed in the “wrong track.” Eighty-two percent of

those polled said the General Assembly is doing either a “fair” or “poor” job.

“I’m looking to give people a palatable alternative for

the disillusioned Democrat and Republican to vote for,” said Block.

Block said the Democrats, because they’ve outnumbered the

Republicans for so long in the legislature, have become unreceptive to the

needs of the general public, and are more interested in helping the special

interest groups that help them get elected than the general public. 

“The problem we suffer is not a lack of good people, but

a lack of balance in the legislature,” said Block.

“I do believe there is a lot of discontent with the

Democratic Party right now.”

The Moderate Party’s official platform, which Block

created, advocates a five-point, strict fiscally conservative platform. In

addition to tightening ethics rules for public officials, Block advocates

curbing government spending, lowering taxes on businesses, bringing benefits

for public sector workers into line with private sector workers and balancing a

government budget without using gimmicks (think about last year’s one-time

tobacco bond revenues used to balance the state budget).

The platform begs the question as to why Block, with a

strictly conservative fiscal platform, isn’t interested in the struggling

Republican Party.

Block says, for whatever reason, most Rhode Islanders

simply don’t like voting for someone with an R next to their name on a ballot.

The GOP, he said, can’t be trusted to actually get its act together to enact

those reforms.

The party, he claims, is also ineffective at getting

likeminded candidates elected.

“Very recent history has shown that the GOP has been

horrible at supporting candidates for local office,” he said.

But an interview with Block reveals his reasons are more

deep-seated than that. Despite the Barrington

resident’s fiscally conservative streak, which may be fueled by the fact that

he owns a software company (Simpatico) in Warwick,

lies a socially liberal mindset. 

Block said the fact that prominent national Republicans

such as President George W. Bush advocate and some Bible belt states actually

teach creationism as scientific theories in public schools makes him shudder.

Block is also pro-choice.

“There isn’t one thing I find palatable on their social

platform,” said Block.

“The national GOP doesn’t have as big of a tent as they

want everyone to believe and I don’t think it’s big enough for me. Their tent

is only large if you’re a social conservative, and in this state, that’s simply

not going to fly.”

Block admits that the state GOP tries to focus on local,

fiscal issues, but outside of that, has taken no steps to distance itself from

the national GOP.

“They have a tremendous branding problem,” he said.

Block’s goal, he said, is to attract a number of

candidates who will agree to the party’s platform to seek office in this year’s

election cycle.

He readily admits that creating a whole new Party is no

easy task, but says it shouldn’t be as hard as his detractors are claiming.

Although he doesn’t have much time, and doesn’t have millions of dollars of

extra cash lying around in order to hire staff to organize the Party, he notes

that the state GOP isn’t exactly rolling in the dough either.

“I’m sure we’ll be able to raise far more than we’ll be

able to spend,” said Block, who notes that for now, the Party has to settle for

being a PAC.

Cranston City Council President Aram Garabedian, who’s

reputation for changing parties is well documented (Garabedian has run for

office as a Republican, Democrat and Independent), said he supports Block’s

efforts but thinks an easier task for him might be to run for a specific

office. That, he said, would make it easier for him to spread his message.

“God bless him,” said Garabedian.

“The principles he’s talking about are things the average

Rhode Islander would want, and is paying more attention to because they’re

feeling the rising costs of living in their own households.”

“Whether he’s got the resources, I don’t know. But the

guy has to be given credit for going after what he believes in,” Garabedian

continued.

Alan Fung, a former Republican City Councilman who ran

for mayor last year and is poised to do so again this year, said he agrees with

his fiscal policies.

“Those goals are certainly admirable, but as far as

starting a third party it’s difficult enough to try to get a balanced two-party

system in this state. I’m not sure a third party, with I presume small

membership, is the right avenue for success.”

Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian, who is known as a moderate

Republican with socially liberal positions, said he wishes Block luck, but

warned he shouldn’t count on his support.

“I think the time is right for a third party, and I wish

him well, but I have said all along that I was elected as a Republican and I

plan to stay a Republican.”