Blogger Bob Montgomery Thomas offers his take on the 10th congressional race:
Archive for the ‘Mass. politics’ category
Bob Montgomery Thomas: Were better off with Bill the Carpetbagger gone
November 29, 2010The voters’ choice: positive solutions or the politics of personal destruction
October 21, 2010By Jennifer Logue
Last spring, I had the privilege of being nominated by Sen. Scott Brown to represent Massachusetts at the national Republican Women’s Summit in Washington, DC.
The mood at the conference was upbeat and enthusiastic. Participants heard from congressmen and political activists who described a renewed energy and commitment across the nation to elect leaders who would reverse the damage inflicted by two years of trillion-dollar “stimulus” debacles, tax increases and corporate bailouts. They supported their statements with hard numbers showing that the vast majority of Americans opposed not only the disastrous health care legislation, but also the big-government, tax-and-spend stimulus policies of the current administration.
They also offered a caveat: Be prepared, they told us, for the most negative, personally destructive political campaigns you have ever seen. Today’s far-left Democratic Party had access to the same polling results and statistics, conference leaders explained. They knew they couldn’t win on the issues, because on every issue, the people were against them. So the only option left was to demonize their opponents in an attempt to make their tax-and-spend liberal candidates seem palatable by default.
Sadly, this prediction has come to pass. We’ve seen it across the nation, as conservative candidates have been vilified, lampooned and harangued by opponents who have nothing positive to say about their own campaigns. And we’re seeing it here in the 10th congressional district race as well.
State Rep. Jeff Perry is a National Guard veteran, former police officer and a four-term state legislator. He has served honorably, fighting against the overwhelming Democratic majority on Beacon Hill to cut taxes, reduce government spending and prevent illegal immigrants from collecting welfare and other state benefits. He has run a positive, courteous and dignified campaign based on the issues, explaining in great detail his positions on health care, social security, taxes, national security and immigration reform.
His opponent, William Keating, has addressed none of these issues. Instead of telling the voters where he stands on the critical problems facing our nation, Mr. Keating has chosen to follow the Democratic Party political playbook, stooping to the worst kind of gutter politics and political mudslinging.
With just 12 days to go before the election, Mr. Keating has yet to run a single ad explaining his positions on the issues or his qualifications for the job he seeks. Instead, he has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars running negative attack ads that are at best distorted and misleading and at worst outright false, causing some stations to pull the advertisements. He has bombarded local residents with negative and malicious mailings and telephone calls – all in an attempt to distract voters from the fact that Bill Keating has no positive plan of his own for getting America back on track.
On November 2, voters have a choice. They can vote for Jeff Perry, and send a message to Washington that the days of trillion-dollar deficits, billion-dollar bailouts and welfare for illegal immigrants are over. Or they can vote for Bill Keating and ensure that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has yet another rubber stamp to support her far-left, big-government agenda.
But voters have another choice to make as well. A vote for Jeff Perry is a vote for positive, courteous political campaigns that show voters the respect they deserve by focusing on the critical issues facing our state and the nation. A vote for Bill Keating is a vote for the politics of personal destruction – a bare knuckles, no-holds-barred, win-at-any-cost battle that subjects voters to months of dirty, demeaning and dishonorable behavior.
On Tuesday November 2, I will be voting for the candidate who showed voters the courtesy of telling us where he stands on the issues and what he will do if elected. That candidate is Jeff Perry.
Suspect’s lawyer donated to Mass. DA – Boston.com
October 6, 2010Keating’s Kerry moment: “Voters don’t know, don’t read the papers” like he does
October 5, 2010On Greater Boston tonight, Democratic congressional candidate Bill Keating betrayed the same arrogant and condescending attitude displayed by John Kerry in his latest public gaffe. (Check out Keating’s statement at 3:16 on the clip here):
http://www.wgbh.org/programs/episode.cfm?featureid=20331
To recap: While appearing on Greater Boston, Keating tried to justify his continued negative attacks surrounding a 20-year-old incident involving a police officer who served with opponent Jeff Perry on the Wareham Police force. Host Emily Rooney noted that voters had heard numerous times about the incident, but the fact that Perry won the primary in a landslide seemed to indicate that they’d considered the charges and felt they were not a factor in their electoral decision.
Not so, said the oh-so-arrogant Keating. It wasn’t that voters weighed all the facts and made an informed decision. According to Keating, voters were simply clueless about the decades-old incident.
“How could they not know?” Rooney asked. “Don’t they read the papers?” To which, Keating replied, “They don’t know, they don’t read the papers…”
He then went on to say, “Those of us that read the papers, that connect the dots…” — apparently referring to a select group of well-informed intellectuals that doesn’t include the 62 percent of primary voters who supported Jeff Perry.
Keating’s arrogant comments echo John Kerry’s recent gaffe: In an attempt to defend the indefensible Barney Frank, Kerry said the reason Barney has a real election battle on his hands is because voters don’t pay attention and don’t understand what’s going on. (Translation: We peons are simply too mentally deficient to grasp the greatness of Barney and John Kerry.)
With this statement, Keating has proven himself to be yet another liberal, elitist, arrogant Democrat who thinks he’s so much smarter than the people he hopes to represent. Here’s hoping that on November 2, all those “uninformed” 10th congressional district voters show Bill Keating just who the clueless one really is.
New TV ad highlights Keating’s tax-and-spend record
October 5, 2010Baker pulls into virtual tie with Patrick in governorâs poll, Cahill slips further – Quincy, MA – The Patriot Ledger
September 17, 2010Cahill and Deval: A match made in heaven
September 13, 2010Sean Bielat to address Quincy Republicans Aug. 10
August 4, 2010
Sean Bielat, a first-time political candidate challenging Barney Frank for Congress, will be the guest speaker at the next meeting of the Quincy Republican City Committee, to be held Tuesday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. in the second floor community room at Roche Brothers. All city committee members, registered Republicans or unenrolled voters, and interested volunteers are welcome to attend.
A major in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Bielat is a graduate of Georgetown University. He holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. His business experience includes serving as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company and overseeing a $100 million, 100-person business unit for the iRobot Corporation. He has also served as chairman of the NATO Industrial Armaments Group, leading an international team studying the potential for the use of advance reconnaissance technology in urban warfare.
A Brookline resident, Bielat and his wife are expecting their first child in August. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the International Institute for Security Studies and the Council on Emerging National Security Affairs.
For more information on Bielat’s campaign, visit http://www.seanbielat.org/.
John Quincy Adams wreath-laying draws patriots from near and far
July 10, 2010Patriots from near and far honored the 243rd anniversary of John Quincy Adams’ birth yesterday, when a White House wreath-laying ceremony was held at United First Parish Church in Quincy. The annual ceremony — superbly organized each year by Arthur Ducharme, director of the church’s Historic Interpretive Program — was particularly moving this year, as the program featured remarks by the Massachusetts native who now holds Adams’ former U.S. Senate seat: Sen. Scott Brown.
U.S. Senator Scott Brown
Brown, whose wife Gail also attended the ceremony, noted how “humbling” it was to hold the seat held by a man whose entire life, from cradle to the grave, was devoted to the service of his country. He also referenced a quote by Adams that held special significance for him: “Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”
It’s a sentiment, Brown said, he has endeavored to live by each time he has taken a vote during his political career.
Caroline Keinath, deputy superintendent of the Adams National Historical Park, noted how her 11-year-old daughter asked her to bring their ”Scott Brown” campaign lawn sign for the senator to sign. “You certainly have helped engage young people in democracy and the political process,” she said.
Other noted guests at yesterday’s ceremonies included Quincy Mayor Tom Koch, U.S. Rep. William Delahunt, state Sen. Robert Hedlund, state Rep. Stephen Tobin, state Sen. Michael Morrissey and Norfolk County Register of Deeds William O’Donnell. City Councilor Margaret Laforest and John Iredale, candidate for state representative, also were in attendance.
Jennifer Logue with Janine Turner and her daughter, Juliette
The prize for traveling the farthest distance to attend yesterday’s ceremony undoubtedly went to Janine Turner. The well-known actress (“Northern Exposure,” “Friday Night Lights”) flew all the way from Texas with her daughter, Juliette, to attend the ceremony. Turner, a self-professed history buff and John Adams fan since childhood, is co-chair of Constituting America, a non-profit aimed at educating Americans — and children in particular — about the U.S. Constitution. Visit the site to read Turner’s blog post about her Quincy visit and to peruse the wealth of constitutional resources it offers.
President Lyndon Johnson started the tradition of honoring deceased U.S. presidents on their birthdays by sending a large red, white and blue wreath from the White House to be placed on their graves by a military honor guard. Yesterday’s ceremony for John Quincy Adams marked the first time the Quincy ceremony has featured a sitting U.S. senator.
Politics adapts to ‘pay-to-play’ ban – The Boston Globe
July 6, 2010Today’s Boston Globe has an interesting article on how recent SEC changes may affect political fundraising here in Massachusetts. In particular, the article highlights how this change may affect the political fortunes of Tim Cahill, who as state Treasurer has accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from pension fund managers and their employees with whom the state does business:
Boston Globe: Toll collector pleads guilty to larceny
June 2, 2010Yet another sign of our tax dollars at work — not to mention being stolen from us.
Tell me again why we can’t go back to throwing money in a basket? At least you knew the basket wasn’t skimming off the top.
Toll collector pleads guilty to larceny – Local News Updates – MetroDesk – The Boston Globe.
Charlie Baker shares his favorite meal on TV Diner
June 1, 2010TV Diner‘s Billy Costa has been interviewing the gubernatorial candidates about their favorite local restaurants and meals. Below is the link to Charlie Baker’s appearance, which features the candidate washing down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a chocolate milkshake at Watertown’s Deluxe Town Diner.
Hmmmm….When Tim Cahill was on, he feasted on linguini frutti de mare at chi chi North End eatery, Maurizio’s. So, remind me again which candidate is more in touch with working class voters?
Patronage crisis points to need for new rules, attitudes – Quincy, MA – The Patriot Ledger
May 28, 2010‘Pass the Perry Amendment’ rally tonight in Quincy
May 21, 2010State Rep. and congressional candidate Jeff Perry will speak at a rally in Quincy tonight in support of his “Perry Amendment” that addresses the very real problem of illegal immigrants receiving taxpayer-funded social benefits. Here’s the story from today’s Patriot Ledger.
Show your support for this common-sense measure: stop by the rally tonight at 5:30 at American Legion Post 95, 2 Mechanic St. in Quincy Center. (Public parking is available directly across the street in the Hancock Parking lot, near Quincy District Courthouse.)
Former Lt. Governor Kerry Healey endorses Jeff Perry
April 6, 2010Health care and the economy were the topics on everyone’s minds at a recent cocktail reception for state Rep. and Congressional candidate Jeff Perry.
Held at The Neighborhood Club, the reception was organized by Dr. John Dalton and Dr. Lisa Antonelli, who invited many of their medical colleagues to meet Perry (R-Sandwich), who is running to fill the 10 congressional seat currently held by Rep. William Delahunt.
“I’m particularly pleased to see so many doctors here tonight,” Antonelli told attendees. “Up until now, the medical community has not really been active as a political force, and as we’ve seen with the recent passage of this health care legislation, we need to become much more vocal and active in sharing our perspective on the best ways to provide affordable health care for all.”
Perry agreed.
“Throughout the entire health care bill debate, input from the medical community was all but ignored,” he said. “Instead of being viewed as part of the health care solution, doctors have been unfairly portrayed as being part of the problem.”
Perry noted that he was one of just two state legislators to vote against passage of Massachusetts’ much-vaunted health care legislation that mandated insurance coverage.
“I voted against the Massachusetts legislation because it didn’t adequately address the real problem with health care today and that’s the cost,” he said. “Since the bill was passed, those rising costs have begun to cripple the state budget, and I’ve worked with other legislators to push for proposals that would lower health care costs and improve the delivery of health care services. And as your representative in Congress, I’d do the same.”
A special guest at the Quincy reception was former Lt. Governor Kerry Healey, who has endorsed Perry’s campaign for U.S. Congress.
”When Jeff called and told me he was running for Congress, I told him, ‘I don’t care who else is running, I’m with you,’” Healey said. “Jeff Perry is a solid, strong legislator and I know he’ll work as hard for you in Congress as he has in the state legislature.”
Healey’s endorsement follows that of another well-known Republican –U.S. Senator Scott Brown.
“Having served with Jeff in the legislature, I know that, like me, he believes in low taxes, a strong national defense and in the pro-growth policies that will create jobs and get our economy moving again,” Brown said in his endorsement. “By electing Jeff Perry, the voters of the 10 Congressional District will once again be sending a strong message to the politicians in Washington that the time has come to start listening to the people. If you believe that Washington is broken, Jeff is just the guy we need to help fix it.”
For more information on Jeff Perry and his candidacy, visit www.jeffperryforcongress.com.
