Neal's Confusion

It's been so many years since entrenched south-Valley Congressman Richard Neal has had to campaign for re-election, that it appears as though he can't even recognize major landmarks from own district. At least that is the impression given by a campaign flyer mailed to Springfield voters this week. Neal's opponent Thomas A. Wesley had this to say in a press release about Neal's confusion over local geography:

RICHARD NEAL FOR CONGRESS MAILING FURTHER HIGHLIGHTS HIS DISCONNECT WITH THE SECOND DISTRICT



HOPEDALE—Tom Wesley today questioned Richard Neal’s commitment to the 2nd District as a result of some glaring errors in a direct mail piece Neal's campaign recently sent to voters. The oversized postcard, with the title “Effective and Accessible for Springfield,” featured six different categories: jobs, technology, transportation, economic development, redevelopment, and healthcare.

The first sign that Congressman Neal is out of touch with the Second District is the picture accompanying the “Transportation” blurb. He refers to a federal investment in I-91 and I-291 “to make local highways safer and less congested" but it features a picture of I-91 in Hartford, CT!



Under “Healthcare,” Neal highlights the $150,000 that was earmarked for Mercy Medical Center in Springfield. And, while that figure may be correct, the structure in the picture is about 1,200 miles south of Springfield. Instead of the Mercy Medical Center, the Neal campaign features a picture of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida!



Richard Neal has been in Congress for 22 years. That is a lot of time away from the Second District. His campaign brochure that is paid for by his own political operation demonstrates how far he has in fact drifted away from us. He cannot even identify his hometown hospital.

While he may not have personally designed the mail piece, he signed off on it. Too often, I speak with voters who have never met, or even seen, Congressman Neal in their town. He has failed to return their calls and their letters. He has failed to listen to their concerns. He has failed to be their congressman.

Looks like Neal needs to do a little riding around the district to refresh his memory before he prepares his next campaign mailing! So where does the Neal/Wesley race stand now? My spies haven't sent me any inside polling data yet, but for what it's worth the war over who has the most Facebook fans is currently being won by Neal, with 1,782 to Wesley's 759.

Northampton had a Columbus Day parade this week.



These guys dressed as Revolutionary War soldiers attended the ceremony held after the parade at Pulaski Park.



Naturally all the local pols were there, including Northampton Mayor M. Clare Higgins (far left).



An old vinyl Monkees record discovered at a tag sale for one dollar.



Weird-out as you shop at Feeding Tube Records on King Street in Northampton.




A Republican in a wheelchair entered a restaurant one afternoon and asked the waitress for a cup of coffee. The Republican looked across the restaurant and asked, "Is that Jesus sitting over there?" The waitress nodded "yes," so the Republican requested that she give Jesus a cup of coffee, on him.

The next patron to come in was a Libertarian with a hunched back. He shuffled over to a booth, painfully sat down, and asked the waitress
for a cup of hot tea. He also glanced across the restaurant and asked, "Is that Jesus over there?" The waitress nodded, so the Libertarian asked her to give Jesus a cup of hot tea, "My treat."

The third patron to come into the restaurant was a Democrat on crutches. He hobbled over to a booth, sat down and hollered, "Hey there, honey! How's about gettin' me a cold glass of Miller Light?" He, too, looked across the restaurant and asked, "Is that God's boy over there?" The waitress once more nodded, so the Democrat directed her to give Jesus a cold glass of beer. "On my bill," he said.

As Jesus got up to leave, he passed by the Republican, touched him and said, "For your kindness, you are healed." The Republican felt the strength come back into his legs, got up, and danced a jig out the door.

Jesus also passed by the Libertarian, touched him and said, "For your kindness, you are healed." The Libertarian felt his back straightening, raised his hands, praised the Lord and did a series of back flips out the door.

When Jesus walked towards the Democrat, the man jumped up and yelled, "Don't touch me - I'm collecting disability!"