While the status quo continues to trumpet the economic progress they have made for Rhode Island, the realities are much starker. For example, Rhode Island’s unemployment rate would be 8.2 percent if the state had maintained the same size labor force as it had before the recent recession. Think of all the families forced out of our state, all the individuals who have are still looking for work, and all those who have given up entirely. This clearly demonstrates the wreckage that decades of liberal policies have wrought upon our state.

How many more poor rankings will there be before RI’s political class realizes its government centric policies discourage prosperity? The recent 2015 RI Report Card shows how Rhode Island’s political class continues to cater to special insiders, while depriving the people of our state of the opportunity for upward mobility, educational opportunity, and personal freedom.

In the major categories, Rhode Island was graded with two F’s, seven D’s, and one C. The two categories with F grades are Infrastructure and Health Care; the seven D’s are Business Climate, Tax Burden, Spending & Debt, Employment & Income, Energy, Public Sector labor, and Living & Retirement in Rhode Island; while Education received a C-. Among the 52 sub-categories evaluated, Rhode Island received 19 F’s, 24 D’s, 5 C’s, 3 B’s, and just one lone A. This is unacceptable.

For too long, the status quo in Rhode Island has been dominated by the special interests. We have all seen the disastrous results. The Ocean State needs to create a public policy culture that works for everyone, not just the chosen few. We must learn to trust in our people and remove the tax and regulatory boot of government off of their backs by advancing policies that empower the average family with choices, that reward work, and that grow the economy. Your voice has the power to demand the free market reforms that can restore prosperity to our state. Remember, ideas matter and we do not have to sit by and accept the way things are in Rhode Island.

Mike Stenhouse is CEO of The Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity.