The Phoenix’s David Bernstein has the takedown on Kerry Healey’s record on crime:
In most of the states largest cities Boston, Springfield, Brockton, New Bedford, Fall River, Lowell, Lynn, Quincy violent-crime rates are higher than before Romney and Healey took office. In some cases, much higher. Springfield recently climbed to number 25 on an annual ranking of the most dangerous cities in America, and has had 50 homicides in the past three years, up from 30 in the previous three. Last year, Boston had its highest homicide tally in a decade. In Fall River, violent crime has doubled in five years.
Statewide, the number of gunshot-assault victims treated in hospital emergency rooms jumped 22 percent just last year, according to state figures, and are up a stunning 80 percent from 2000.
Look, we can talk about TV ads, or we can talk about what’s actually happening in our cities. Healey would seem to be running on her record. Should that record have consequences, or not?
What we are seeing here is the bottom of the barrel. With each passing day the level of respect for Healey is going down. Now we really see the results of the latest debate, it seems obvious to her campaign that they are going nowhere when discussing issues and their plan for Massachusetts. She’s a wounded animal right now, so they are trying to throw everything out there. I truly feel embarrassed for her, I don’t think she has the capacity to be governor. Deval unfortunately needs to respond to the crap that is the Healey campaign, which he has done with quick responses and noting her record. It’s still good to still see the positive commercials that he still shows on TV.
Yeah, I’m all for keeping it positive, but now’s the time to bring out the stand-ins to go negative on Healey for her actual record.
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I guess that’s us, partly. :4a7d3d609129a9296bf7ac0608c2097
It’s fair game to review Romney/Healey over the past 4 years. That Songer commercial I saw today from Healey was just awful and cheesy. It was like something you would see on SNL, but unfortunately it’s real. That’s the kind of stuff I was talking about. It’s good to see Romney and Healey’s record out there for review. Deval said “tough talk from todays office-holders substitutes for smart action”. Let’s see what they have really done over the past 4 years from crime to jobs and the economy. Should be an eye opener to a few.
It doesn’t need to be fancy — three columns for each town, describing the following changes from 2002 to 2006:
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Column A: Percentage increase in crime
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Column B: Percentage decrease in police officers
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Column C: Percentage decrease in local aid
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I’m willing to be that if you listed the fifteen largest towns in the Commonwealth, in all but a couple of cases, as Column A goes up, Columns B and C go down.
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If Healey is going ugly, saying that she is “part of the failed politics of Beacon Hill” over and over again is NOT a winning strategy. The fight needs to be taken to her camp. Spend the money and lay out the case WHY the politics have failed. Put the facts up there — repeatedly. Spend the money. Spend the money. Spend the money.
Before this becomes the ’77 Red Sox–blowing a 14 game ist place lead in September and then losing to Bucky ******* Dent.
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Did we not learn a damn thing with the Swift Boats?
In the region I live in there is a very lively email debate going on, prompted by the tragedy in the Amish Country? While the debate is all about guns and violence and school safety I believe there is one thing missing. It is the monster of divisiveness that creates this atmosphere where hate festers and tragedy is it’s outcome. When you have the opportunity to watch the new spate of attack adds on Devals record as lawyer you will understand my final comment. To paraphrase the punch line of her new commercial, do you really want a hate baiter in the Corner office?” Then ask Kerry how she plans to work to fix things when her style is to break them.