VOL. 112 - NO. 45 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, NOVEMBER 14, 2008 $.30 A COPY Even Before Obama, Congratulations to Dr. Stephen Maio I Already Knew That I Could by Paul Ibrahim Apparently, to almost ev- tions on what her son could ery member of the media, do? This dramatic statement the election of a thoroughly is, after all, coming from unaccomplished man to the an immensely successful presidency is a definition of woman who has better name the American dream for the recognition than north of sole reason that he is half 99.99 percent of the U.S. black. Even President Bush population, and a woman has said that Barack Obama’s who has seen blacks be- election is a “triumph of the come entertainers, CEOs, American story.” astronauts, governors, sena- The unfortunate truth, tors, two successive secre- however, is that Obama’s taries of state — everything election is a tremendous but presidents (which, as devaluation of the American seen in at least the last four Dream. It teaches us that elections, is now apparently the recipe for success is not off-limits to old white men achievement, but cunning. with war wounds). Yet somehow, everyone has Did Americans, including fallen victim to the conven- the poor and minorities, sin- tional wisdom that “we now cerely believe that success know we can do anything.” was limited by anything Sherri Shepherd, a black other than their own initia- co-host of the TV show The tive? Did we Americans View, summarized the re- truly need Obama’s election Left to Right: Circolo Viva Cultura Calabria Vice President Rocco Fazzolari, President frain we have heard hun- to finally start believing that Joe Panetta, Award Recipient Dr. Stephen Maio, his wife Dorothy Maio, Club members dreds of times since Novem- we could be anything we Janet Grande and Maria Auciello. ber 4: “We’ve always been wanted to be? Did we not people of color. We’ve always hope, did we not think that The Circolo Viva Cultura ent is Dr. Stephen Maio. and the October Italian had these limitations on us “we can,” before Obama told Calabria recently celebrated Dr. Maio is very involved in Heritage Month Committee . And so to look at my son us that we should? their annual award banquet the Italian American com- among many other organ- and say no limitations on I was born into the Leba- at Spinelli’s in Lynnfield, munity. He is very active izations. We congratulate you . to look at my baby nese civil war, both chrono- MA. The 2008 award recipi- in the Pirandello Lyceum Dr. Maio on this award. and go, you don’t have to logically and geographically. have limitations . .” Were there really limita- (Continued on Page 15) Mayor’s Column by Thomas M. Menino, Mayor, City of Boston Last Tuesday was a tremendous day I knew that this Election Day was News Briefs for Americans, not just because of special when I arrived at my polling who was elected, but because this place in Hyde Park shortly before it by Sal Giarratani election reinvigorated a sense of civic opened that morning. Instead of being engagement that had not been seen in first in line, there were people waiting any election in recent history. Regard- ahead of me excited to cast their bal- Thank Goodness for Talk Radio less of which candidate you supported, lot before work. Voters across the City I enjoy talk radio off and on. I even call up we can all be proud of the fact that so encountered similar crowds from the once in a blue moon too. many people participated. As was the time polls opened at 7:00 am until they The mainstream media is so liberal and talk case with cities across the country, this closed at 8:00 pm. Polling places like Holy radio is a necessity to balance the other side’s excitement over a new direction for our Name Parish Hall in West Roxbury and monopoly of news promotion. country was obvious on Election Day Cathedral High School in the South End I do like the Fox Network. It is fair and bal- here in Boston. At polling places around had lines of anxious voters that anced as they tout themselves to be. the City, we witnessed not only great stretched around the block for most of Lou Dobbs on CNN is the very best offered by turnout but great cooperation from the day. the network formerly known as the Clinton voters as well. Long lines were not a By noon last Tuesday, an impressive News Network. deterrent to most. In fact, people took 110,347 voters had cast ballots. With MSNBC seems next to useless and I’m glad advantage of the waiting by making eight hours remaining until the polls Radio America died, broadcasting its liberal some new friends, catching up on read- closed, 29% of those registered had views. ing, or just enjoying the nice weather. already exercised their right to vote. By My favorite radio station is 96.9 WTKK. They The desire to be a part of this historic the time polls closed that night, 234,514 even have Jim Braude and Margery Eagan on election was evident from the thousands Bostonians, nearly 62% of those regis- in the mornings. However, my best hosts are of voter registration applications that the tered, had voted. All told, nearly 26,000 Michele McPhee and Jay Severin. Election Department processed in the more Bostonians voted in this election The liberals have TV and major newspapers weeks leading up to Election Day. As of compared to the 2004 presidential con- but we have talk radio, the real voice of the the September 16 primary, there were test. people. approximately 358,000 registered voters The City of Boston’s Election Depart- What is in Store for Obamerica? in Boston. However, by Election Day on ment did a terrific job of ensuring that November 4, more than 20,000 addi- Election Day happened without any ma- One lady told a reporter Barack Obama means tional residents registered to vote. jor glitches. Almost 2,000 volunteers and no more worries about her mortgage and no These newly registered voters may have poll workers helped guide the many first- (Continued on Page 14) voted before, but many had not done so in years. (Continued on Page 12) THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS NOW OPEN AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON This office will be open on Mondays and Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, NOVEMBER 14, 2008 Res Publica by David Trumbull In October in this space I dent Clinton and the Demo- wrote that whatever the re- crats in congress who sup- sults of the November elec- ported his trade agenda. VESTA tion, the lasting governing It will also mean that Presi- Vesta was the Roman god- represented the daughters of There were at least five majority will be in the party dent Obama will go against dess of the hearth, similar the primitive tribal hut. The successive temples built in that gets America back into an orthodoxy that has to the Greek goddess Hestia. public worship of this god- Rome to honor this goddess the business of creating reigned with little effective She was worshipped by the dess was maintained in and they all adhered to the wealth and jobs. Well, we opposition in Washington, in Romans during ancient the Temple of Vesta, but her same style of architecture. have the election results — the elite media, and in times independently of any private worship was pre- Each was a small circular the Democrats took control academia for six decades. connection with Greece. served in every domestic edifice with a domed roof of the executive branch of The orthodoxy I mean is The worship of Vesta goes hearth. After she was recog- that was supported on col- the government and ex- something called “free back to the time when it was nized as a personal deity, umns. The domed roof typi- panded their majorities in trade” but which is in effect difficult but necessary to it then became necessary fied the round earth and the both houses of the legislative a policy of import maximiza- obtain fire. Then, as well as to have her attendants live vaulted sky. The interior — what this means for jobs tion. Free trade is good. even now, among some prim- in guarded seclusion in a contained a low circular al- and wealth creation is yet to Trade with other nations itive tribes, they developed building that we now call tar, upon which burned the be seen. gives American consumers the custom of always keep- “The House of the Vestal perpetual fire. The mainte- As a candidate, Senator a wider variety of choices of ing a fire alive for the use of Virgins” or “Atrium Vestae.” nance of this fire was the Obama was very critical of goods. Free trade means that the community, and even to The temple was a round chief duty of the six vestals. the North American Free each nation or region can carry it to new settlements. structure, probably reminis- Numa’s temple stood for Trade Agreement (NAFTA) focus on producing what it This custom was preserved cent of the tribal chief’s hut. about three centuries, until that was signed into law can make efficiently locally in the religion of later This edifice was the most the Gauls burned Rome in by Democratic President and import what it cannot Greeks and Romans even venerated of all temples in 390 B.C.