From the WTF Department

I am listening to Mark Fisher, one of the Republican candidates running for Massachusetts Governor on Monday Night Talk on FM 95.9 and something he just said really disturbs me. He just made the statement that the state republican party has told him he will need $25,000 just to attend the convention where he would hope to get nominated. Again, I may have heard wrong and will need to listen again but still...WTF.

Now, I don't know much about the process, but he is making it sound like this is something new and if it is, I have to agree with him that it sounds like a ploy to keep select candidates out of the convention. I will re-listen to the podcast when it becomes available, after all I may be wrong, but unfortunately I do believe it.

The state party has their own agenda and ideas  as to who will make the best candidates seeming to forget they have been wrong in the last major elections in this state. Can we say Gomez? The second Scott Brown? Charlie Baker? They haven't won, just like the national republican party, by backing candidates who continually lean left. Don't they understand that we need real conservatives to run?

Evidently I am going to have to look more into the process of electing delegates to the convention. It would seem to me with my limited knowledge that everyone should be allowed to attend the convention if they are duly elected and it shouldn't be that only the candidates with big money behind them who should be able to attend the convention.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this and also would love to receive any information on the process.

I believe there will be a podcast available of the interview on the 95.9 website in a few days if you would like to listen for yourselves. Here is the link to Mark Fisher's site as well.

State Senate Campaign: James Ehrhard on Howie Carr

As I have written lately, there is going to be a race for the state senate here in central Massachusetts. While I do have a favorite I am going to use this blog to put out the information so you can make an informed decision during the primary and later in the general election.

Right now there are two Republican candidates for the seat: Mike Valanzola of Wales (for you who aren't from these parts, Wales is on the border of Connecticut) and James Ehrhard of Sturbridge (you know the place with the village you all went to when you were in grade school).

Since either one of these candidates would be a definite improvement in the State House, I will do my best to post news, comments, etc. etc. on these two candidates and yes even opine on them as well.

Ehrhard was on the Howie Carr show the other day and here is the audio from the show. If anyone has any audio or other material for the Valanzola campaign, I will be happy to post them as well.

Here are the campaign websites for both candidates:

• James Ehrhard
• Mike Valanzola

And for the record, it really would be a lot easier on writers, bloggers, commentators, political junkies, etc. if the candidates were required to have easier names like Smith and Jones

Time for a Change in Massachusetts Politics

This year could be the chance for Massachusetts voters to make a difference in how our state is managed, or mismanaged, depending on your point of view. This week we learned that Central Massachusetts' longtime State Senator, Steve Brewer has decided to retire which will certainly make it easier for the two announced republican candidates to gain the seat. Yes I know there is also at least one announced Democrat running as well but Anne Gobi is part of the problem.

Yes, Brewer has done a good job representing the citizens in his district, just ask all those folks he has helped get those nice government jobs with the nice pensions. Yes, I had the chance to use him to get me one of those jobs years ago if I had wanted to but I changed my mind. Yes another bad choice as I could have had a nice pension lined up but there was just something about doing that which struck me as so wrong.

Anyway, don't forget it has also been Steve Brewer and his democrat colleagues who have done the following:

• Raised our taxes, including our infamous automatic gas tax increase.
• Driven jobs away from our state through increased regulations and taxes.
• Put Massachusetts at the top of the list of states people are most likely to move out of.
• Created an unsustainable system for pensions for government workers.
• Helped foster a culture of corruption, by supporting our governor, in many state agencies and through welfare fraud and abuse.
• Given away our money on failed "green energy" projects, which are based on questionable science at best, and is promising to spend even more.

Need I go on?

I wrote about how Massachusetts has a awesome chance to change this culture in 2014, but only if they have the kahunas to do it. Unfortunately we have given so many entitlements to various groups, the uh hum poor, the unemployed who refuse to look for work, the government workers who want more and more with no way to pay for it, the faux disabled, that the democrats have almost guaranteed they will keep control of the state. And this week our governor actually lied to the voters on camera. Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

But I am an optimist. I truly believe there are enough people out there who are tired of giving their hard earned money to the state to throw away, totally unaccountable to anyone. 

We must get rid of the good old boy network, and bring intelligent, rational people to the table so we can have rational and intelligent discussion on important issues. It is time to leave all the emotions outside the door, we can not sustain the path we are on. 

Time to Come Out of Hiatus

Now that the local political scene is heating up, I guess it is time for me to come out of my self imposed exile to once again report on the goings on here in Massachusetts. I'm sure all of my loyal follower (you know who you are) will be happy to listen to my political ponderings and pontifications.