Howie Carr, the Sane Voice of Boston – Making the Season Brighter – Offers up his Jaguar as holiday prize

Howie Carr's giving away his "Jag", image by Banks from thephoenix.com

Normally, I am not one to avidly listen to talk radio, keeping the news/weather on the morning and evening drive, as the process of listening to a radio host can be time-consuming and raise one’s blood pressure. That said, there is one exception, as one day several years ago, I happened to find the News/Weather was stuck in between programming for one Howard Lawrence Carr and I was hooked. (Granted in limited time frames). From the guests to Howie’s ability to either make one agree or disagree so strongly one wishes to punch the dashboard, to the irreverent call in lines, Police Blotter sequence and of course, the death pool, Howie Carr and the program that spans New England weekdays from 3pm to 7pm is one of the little oasis of conservative – independent thought in a sea of blue.

Therefore, when this gem showed up in my inbox and it really is the season for giving Thanks, as well as the start of the Christmas Consumer Crush, what a better way to showcase both the spirit of the season and a fine New England personality?

So, tune in, who knows you, might get a chance to meet Howie, win a Jaguar and have a very Merry Christmas. He may even have one of his latest books (being a rather prolific writer) on hand to sign for you and yours.

From the WRKO Studios

BOSTON, MA – Boston’s Talk Station WRKO AM 680 and on-air host Howie Carr announced today they will give listeners the chance to Win Howie’s Jaguar this holiday season.

From December 2nd to December 13th, Howie will contest twice during his show – 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. – to qualify up to 20 listeners to participate in a Grand Prize drawing and earn the chance to drive off in a 2013 Jaguar XF, courtesy of Jaguar Exeter.

The Grand Prize event will take place during a live Howie broadcast from 3 pm to 7 pm Wednesday, December 18th at The Fairways at Woburn Country Club. Each qualifier will receive a $50 gift card to The Green’s Grill and Pub at Woburn Country Club. One lucky finalist will win a two-night stay at The Old Harbor Inn in Chatham, MA and a shot at the Grand Prize.

Even if you aren’t one of the qualifiers, everyone is invited to join Howie for his live broadcast at The Fairways at Woburn Country Club, 5 Country Club Rd., Woburn.

“Win Howie’s Jaguar!” is sponsored by Jaguar Exeter, Perfect Smiles and The Fairways at Woburn Country Club.

For more information, visit www.wrko.com

Massachusetts – New Round of Tax Hikes – Gas, Income, Computer Repair - Karl Rove at UMASS Amherst – Into the Lion’s Den –WRKO's Howie Carr to Host 2 of 3 Republican Senate Candidates in Debate Today

Karl Rove's Appearance at UMass may result in the usual peaceful demonstrations - Image student riot after Super Bowl (normal riot) - image Boston Herald)

If it isn’t nailed down (or if it is) the Legislature and Governor Deval Patrick are interested in how to slap a tax on whatever “it” may be. Currently a war of press conferences has been held while the Democrat Controlled Legislature and the Governor Battle over just how much the public is going to pay. The Governor is keen on a 1.9 Billion dollar “revenue” (“tax”) proposal that would “invest” in education and a high speed rail See SouthCoast Today Editorial “Lawmakers test our patience at their peril”, suggesting that the Democrats in the Legislature had better get in behind the larger tax proposal – or else.”) The Legislature is split between the Speaker and the Governor – a Berkshire Democrat, Farley Bouvier, suggests: House-Senate proposal hikes gasoline taxes by 3 cents from the current 23.5 cents a gallon, along with hiking tobacco and some business-related taxes to fund the transportation budget.

"I’m definitely in favor of using the income tax [as in the governor’s plan], because I feel it will be more evenly distributed across the state," Farley-Bouvier said. (Berkshire Eagle)

Some feel it is a ploy by the Legislature and the Governor (who is also apparently thinking of a 2016 run for the Oval Office) Holly Robichaud, at the Boston Herald, suggests the whole fight between the Governor and House Speaker over how much to tax the residents is a ploy by both sides: “Today, the Massachusetts House is debating the transportation finance bill, which includes multiple tax increases. As it stands now the bill clobbers the middle class and working poor with a gas tax increase tied to inflation, higher taxes on utility bills, a $1 increase on tobacco and an inexplicable new service sales tax on computer design work.

To sell Speaker Robert DeLeo’s $500 million tax package, there is a whole lot of political theater being staged to fool low information voters into being grateful it’s not Gov. Deval Patrick’s $1.9 billion plan." (Boston Herald)

Therefore, today, the state of Massachusetts will increase revenue one way or the other – and those who work in the State of Massachusetts will be seeing less cash in their wallets, at a time when there is less of everything. Ms. Robichaud reminded her readers that the Governor’s 2009 tax increases led to an increase in Republicans in the Massachusetts Legislature in 2010 – actually they did double their numbers, however, too few to compete with the Progressives on Beacon Hill. A tax on Computer Design Work? – Almost as bad as a tax on one’s dogs!

Over at the University of Massachusetts, an imminent threat to all that is Progressive, is being discussed at Masslive.com The article title says it all: “Karl Rove’s upcoming visit to UMASS causes Uproar in Liberal Community” Rove has agreed to speak in the People’s Republic of Amherst, at UMASS for the Republican Club this Tuesday (April 9th) at 8:00 pm – (open to the public – doors open at 7:30) (Springfield Republican). Expect pies to be thrown, chanting, and a whole lot of “love” shown the speaker – which will make for news, of sorts – that said, Rove is from Texas. Judging from the comments at MassLive, the majority favors Rove over UMASS – it’s a hoot reading the comments, specifically the support for those who are in an uproar over Rove’s appearance.

Lastly, today, between 5 and 6 pm, two of the three Republican Candidates for the U.S. Senate Seat will take part in a debate on the Howie Carr show on WRKO radio. The candidates, Michael Sullivan and Gabriel Gomez, have had words of sort – this might be interesting. Sullivan, a former U.S. Attorney General, and Gomez, a former Democrat, who had written a letter to Deval Patrick asking the Governor to Appoint him, as a Republican to the vacant Senate Seat – because he Supported Barack Obama and his gun control proposals, are at odds over some remarks made during the course of the campaign (Primary date is April 30th – there are three Republican Candidates, Sullivan, Gomez and Dan Winslow (the Libertarian leaning, sane (editorializing) candidate, and two Democrats, Ed Markey (has been in the U.S. Congress so long, if it were a private sector job, he’d be retiring), and Stephen Lynch – a rarity in Massachusetts, a Democrat who voted against Obama Care, and thinks outside of the box.) In a perfect world, one would have the choice in the election between Winslow and Lynch, however, Markey has been pre-ordained by the State Democrat Leadership (as well as the national leadership) – and it would take a miracle for anyone else to be elected to that vacant Senate Seat – although – in Massachusetts, Miracles in special elections – do happen.

The debate should be worth a listen – visit www.wrko.com/howie for live streaming, or for a list of affiliates in New England visit www.wroko.com/wrkonetwork.

New England Legendary Criminal, 82 Year Old, Whitey Bulger Arrested in Los Angles – Tales of the Boston Mob and Massachusetts Politics

Whitey Bulger, Most Wanted Fugitive, image Boston Phoenix

This is one for the books, (the best one goes to Howard Carr:, entitled ”The Brothers Bulger: How They Terrorized and Corrupted Boston for a Quarter Century” - Whitey Bulger, , dubbed by the Boston Herald, as the “most wanted man in the world”, was arrested in Southern California last night, after years of sightings both in the U.S. and around the world.

The tale of murders, corruption, politics and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts crime is well chronicled in Carr’s book, a fast read, complete with photographs, and worth the read if one is interested in the “mob” in New England, and its ties to the political landscape. What is most interesting perhaps is how this particular man managed to elude capture and long-term prison for decades. His brother, William Bulger, was the President of the Massachusetts Senate, as well as going on to become the President of the University of Massachusetts, articles on one of the most powerful politicians in Massachusetts, and his brother can be found here: under topics: http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/b/willimam_m_bulger/index.html. William Bulger vehemently denied knowing the whereabouts of his brother, and this close South Boston family, apparently did not know the whereabouts of the proverbial black sheep, during his years on the “lam”.

Other sources: Boston Magazine

Best(Almost Obsessive): The Boston Herald Archives

The FBI’s most used motto: ”We always get our man”, is appropriate here. What is probably the biggest question on everyone interested in this particular elusive criminal is how he managed to stay “underground” for so many years, and who helped him to avoid capture.

Also worth reading: Jon Keller’s ”The Bluest State: How Democrats Created the Massachusetts Blueprint for American Political Disaster”

Barney Frank (D-MA)Seeks Second Stimulus – Spending Till The Chickens Come Home to Roost – 2010 Re-election Strategy Unhinged

Barney Frank, Chair of House Finance Committee, Up for Re-election 2010 - image bilerico

The Boston Globe’s, report on one of their favorite political sons, the 4th Districts, Barney Frank speaks to the need for a second stimulus in order to “create jobs and avoid a double dip recession”. Frank, who is the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, brought out economists to speak on behalf of the necessity for a second stimulus, one from a dot.com company, Moody’s, suggested that the first stimulus did not go far enough.

Frank, understanding that he is up for re-election, has not proposed any legislation, rather used his time to lay out a case for a second stimulus, bash the Republican Party, and talk about job creation. The fact of the matter is that the first stimulus, saved public sector jobs, and created public sector jobs, however, little evidence exists that the Stimulus has created private sector jobs, which are vital for economic recovery. One reason, CBS News 2-18-09) only 23% of the first stimulus will be spent through 2010, with much of the monies targeted for projects that will not be in place for years. Therefore, a second stimulus seems hardly wise in this instance, but it does pull at the heartstrings of those voters who are living in the hard-hit 4th District.

Frank must have missed the Jobs Bill that was agreed to move forward yesterday, in the Senate. Should the Senate vote today to pass the bill, which would add an additional 13 billion to the already top-heavy budget. One can bet the house that Frank will be behind the President’s Health Care Reform package that the CB0 can’t even begin to calculate costs. (New York Times) Should the Senate push this version of Health Care through with a “simple majority”, no one knows how big the final price tag will be for the continually suffering public.

Frank, who has seen multiple contenders come out of the woodwork in recent weeks, including members of his own party, will have his hands busy the next few months, defending his positions on a variety of issues. The populist front runner, Republican Earl Sholley, (website) had run against Frank once before, in 2008. In that election, Sholley had entered the race late, a virtual unknown, who managed to receive 70,000 plus votes. It should be stated that there are not 70,000 Republican’s in the 4th district. Giving those observers a clue that Frank did not, at the time, did not have complete trust from the electorate. Times have changed and the economy, under Frank’s watch (literally), has turned for the worse. Key cities in the District have higher than average unemployment rates, (The Bureau of Labor Statistics showed a 13.1% unemployment rate for that city in year end 2009) and suggesting a second stimulus when a first has hardly touched the district (private sector), may not be enough to save Frank’s job in 2010.

Sholley, at first glance, does not appear to be the “perfect candidate”, however, he is a staunch fiscal conservative and strict constructionist who makes no excuses and shoots from the hip.

Sholley faces a primary challenge from several newcomers to the race. Those that entered when it was apparent that the 4th district could, indeed, be won by a Republican, include Sean Bielat (website here), recently of Brookline. Bielat, gained some national recognition when interviewed by Huffington Post during his visit to CPAC. The Boston Globe did a piece on Bielat and the fact that he was a “newcomer” who had entered the race against Frank. The Globe used the article in an effort to downplay Sholley’s candidacy, noting that he had run several times without a win. (History Lesson: Several of our most revered Presidents and office holders ran multiple times unsuccessfully before being elected, among them, Abraham Lincoln) The article, using language that speaks to the inadequacy of the challengers paints Frank in a very capable and sympathetic light.

Of course, for a Conservative, running in Massachusetts, regardless of which Democrat one runs against, receiving press of any type is unusual and positive press is non-existent. The Globe, the weekend preceding the special senate election, was still publishing articles praising Martha Coakley and touting her impending win over Scott Brown. Even independent radio talking head, Howie Carr dismissed Brown’s ability to win, until the 9th hour. Carr recently wrote a piece on the 4th district candidates, which sounded alarmingly similar to the Globe’s point of view.

In the final analysis, regardless of which candidates end up running, from Green Party, to Republican, Barney Frank will not have an easy road to re-election, and it is probable that he will be retired in 2010.

Deval Patrick – His Philosophy on Increasing The Mass Sales Tax

PT Barnum circledsquares.com

Governor Deval Patrick, who recently vowed to Veto a bill passed by the Mass Legislature to raise the State Sales Tax by 25%, has now waxed philosophical about the extra burden on those citizens of the Commonwealth – he apparently has no “philosophical opposition” to the increase. In other words, in order to take the spotlight off the recent announcement that Christy Mihos will run against him in 2010, as a Republican, no less, Patrick momentarily found “anti-tax” religion. Less than a week hence, Patrick is now changing his tune back to the original Broadway version of “Tax Them till They Move to New Hampshire”, using the subtle yet eerily elite philosophical approach to a taxing problem.

Here’s the problem with the Sales Tax Increase – it’s one of many on the table that will hit all citizens in the Commonwealth – but especially those who are in the lower to middle income brackets - who, with the current state of the economy, can ill afford any additional tax burden. Rather, these citizens look to the administration to perhaps cut some of the deadwood in order to find a bit of extra cash, thus avoiding any additional taxes.

Howie Carr talk show host and op-ed columnist for the Boston Herald made a few valid recommendations in a recent column that would save the Bay State some significant cash, thereby eliminating a need for new taxes and fees. Point, if Howie Carr can come up with some well researched solutions to avoid taxation, why not the Governor? (No offense to Howie Carr, but it appears that just about anyone living in the Bay State can offer a solution that makes more sense than this current bunch of coconuts running the show).

Patrick and Obama – Boston.com

Deval Patrick, the original “Yes We Can” yahoo, got the vote of the people based on the same old hook used by wolves in sheep’s clothing in every recent election – reduction of the tax burden on the middle class. The phrase, “There’s a Sucker Born Every Minute”*, continues to apply – philosophically speaking.

*Interesting historical fact: P.T. Barnum did not initiate the phrase, rather one of his competitors, a man by the name of Hannon first used the phrase in a spat with Barnum over an alleged “giant made of stone”.

John Kerry Faces Massachusetts “Operation Chaos”

John Kerry, junior Senator, Democrat, Massachusetts has been receiving a bit of local (state) press lately, most of which is questioning his unwillingness to debate his primary challenger, Ed O’Reilly. For whatever the reason, Kerry is reluctant to commit to debate his opponent prior to the state primary. (Springfield Republican). In recent weeks, Kerry’s name has been thrown out as a possible Obama V.P., which may be why he hesitates, or it could be his prior debate performances that have him reluctant to enter that venue once again. Either way, O’Reilly is getting attention.

Yesterday, during the 3:30-4:00 pm radio segment of the Howie Carr show, a caller suggested that those independent and Republican voters in the Massachusetts change affiliation, and vote for Ed O’Reilly in order to unseat John Kerry (frankly, most likely unnecessary given Kerry’s appeal to Democrats in the state), in other words an “Operation Chaos” (See Rush Limbaugh). Carr replied that he (paraphrasing) fully endorsed that plan.
Herein lies the problem with that type of scheme; if one is truly interested in supporting a specific candidate and has every intention of voting for that candidate in the general election (Jeff Beatty, Republican for Senate, Massachusetts), then casting a vote, even during the primary for the “opposition” reinforces the notion (mainly perpetrated by the DNC and the press) that Massachusetts is a “lost cause” for the RNC. In other words, it downplays the facts that the polls show ever increasing support for Beatty and that the state’s electorate is overwhelmingly not – Democrat. Over 50 percent of the states electorate is Unenrolled and those unenrolled voters lean both ways – but for the most part are moderate. Kerry has held his seat for 24 years simply because there were no other choices. This year is different – having opposition from within his own party will do enough damage to his already weakened position (Suffolk University Polls), in the state, and should he survive the primary, he will be up against an impressive Beatty organization. If there were no opposition other than O’Reilly for Massachusetts Republicans and Independents to cast their vote to oust Kerry, fine and good, however, that is not the case. Those on both sides of the aisle as well as those Unenrolled who feel more closely aligned with one party over another, in this state have a unique opportunity to send a message of change this year. One should go to the primary and vote their general election choice; this gives ones candidate a bit of extra ammunition, having integrity and conviction when casting a vote, rather than subversion in mind.