01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, June 13, 2006

As political candidates go, Dennis Michaud, challenging incumbent Don Carcieri in a Republican primary for governor, is a good talker. Well, he likes to talk, put it that way.

The business consultant and part-time Brown University professor sometimes lapses into terms such as "projected net present value" and "positive externalities," and you wonder how long it will take the image-makers and speech coaches to shape him up. Meanwhile, here's a sampling of where Michaud stands, except for physician-assisted suicide, of which he said, "I don't have a position on that."

WEST WARWICK CASINO: Enthusiastic backer. The state coffers need the money; Rhode Island needs jobs. It's a shame to see the money and jobs go to Connecticut. Carcieri opposes a casino. "He's hypocritical," says Michaud, pointing to the massive expansion Carcieri backed at Lincoln Park.

HOUSE-APPROVED INCOME TAX CUT FOR THE RICH: "It should have been, probably, phased in . . . more slowly until we've got more revenue coming in. . . . I also think we ought to have a little more focus on maybe some property tax relief for the elderly."

ABORTION: "I was raised Catholic and don't believe in abortion as a means of birth control." (Who does?) But Michaud, now an Episcopalian, says he's a libertarian and doesn't think abortion is "any of the government's business."

GAY MARRIAGE: Has favored civil unions, believes in gay people having rights, etc. But as he speaks more with gays, he realizes the issue to them transcends that and is a matter of "what's fair and equitable." Says, "I've got an open mind. . . . I'm actually reaching out, and I want to talk to them more and hear what they have to say."

GOVERNOR'S RIGHT TO PLACE NON-BINDING REFERENDA ON BALLOT: To Carcieri's fury, the Democratic General Assembly has passed a bill to remove this power. He vetoed it, but legislators are in the process of overriding. Michaud says, "It's a tragedy that the governor effectively has weakened his office, and I think this is illustrative of what happens when you get in a combative relationship with the General Assembly. I think this is purely payback on their part for his approach to governing."

VOTER INITIATIVE: "It's bad." The Assembly should thrash out issues instead of voters being able to force them onto the ballot. Wealthy people or corporate interests "could literally highjack the voters."

SCHOOL REGIONALIZATION: It could create "tremendous efficiencies," reduce administrative overhead and allow more money to be put into teaching. Needs cooperation from unions and the cities and towns. This is an issue Michaud would like to see the Assembly ask voters to weigh in on.

$75-MILLION HOUSING BOND: Supports it. "The number one priority of this state is to get economic development going. We cannot do it without moderate and affordable housing stock."

LOBBYING: Lt. Gov. Charlie Fogarty, Democratic candidate for governor, proposes that lobbyists have to report every contact -- you know, meetings, phone calls, e-mails -- they have with legislators and other top government decision-makers. "It sounds like a good idea to me," says Michaud.

Myself, I'd call it terrific.

I like to think of it as the Journalists Full Employment Act. Just imagine how busy armies of reporters would be combing and following up on these reports -- well, until the lobbyists figure out some way around the system. Say, do you suppose a wink and a nod would count as a contact?

M. Charles Bakst is The Journal's political columnist.

mbakst@projo.com / (401) 277-7638