Jon Keller may not realize it, but he did Deval Patrick a big favor in his report last night. Yeah, the business folks Patrick talked to yesterday are pretty cool to the idea that some beloved tax loopholes might be closed, to say the least. But plainly eager to portray Patrick as an instinctive tax-hiker with even more nefarious plans, Keller leapt to implying that income and sales tax hikes were coming right behind the closing of corporate tax loopholes (my emphasis):
KELLER: The money is in sales and income taxes — the big money. Are those taxes off the table?
PATRICK: I don’t either of those taxes are things we need to turn to. I will say, I get a lot of encouragement from the business community in particular to look at the sales tax, but I don’t think that’s the way to go.
OK Massachusetts: We close the loopholes, or raise the sales tax like those guys in the suits want me to do. It’s them or you. Whaddya say?
Thus in his own polite way, Patrick effectively frames the issue to his advantage — and schools Keller in the process. If it’s an either-or, we know which option most voters would choose.
Maybe you weren’t aware of this:
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Jon Keller is widely regarded as the top political analyst in New England. He is a viewer-favorite because he is smart, witty, and asks the tough questions….
only slightly off center.”
is also regarded as having the goofiest mustache in New England show business.
…Jon Keller is widely regarded by his employer WBZ as the top political analyst in New England. Largely because his employer has pills and diapers to advertise and, if his employer didn’t pump him up, they wouldn’t have as many eyes to watch the advertisements.
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Got it?
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Keller is entertaining. Sometimes he has a point worth considering. But otherwise, he’s the bridge between Viagra and Depends commercials. Nothing more, nothing less.