Baker Calls Out Coakley For Lack of Position on Major Issues

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Thursday, August 07, 2014

Nicholas Handy, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker is blasting his Democratic competitor Martha Coakley for her unwillingness to commit to major issues throughout the state.

Citing an article from The Boston Globe, the Baker campaign points out that Coakley is currently running low on financial support for her campaign and is instead relying on her “power of ideas.” Baker’s campaign believes that in addition to financial support running low, Coakley’s record shows that her ideas are running low as well.

"Not only is Coakley's campaign running short on financial support, but more importantly the AG lacks clear positions and offers few specifics on major issues like licensing undocumented immigrants to drive," said Jim Conroy, Baker campaign manager. "Charlie Baker has put forward his ideas to help homeless families, clean up Beacon Hill's crony hiring scams and help low income families while Coakley opts to 'look at' issues instead.”

The Baker campaign says that instead of taking a position of a half dozen major ideas, Coakley has opted out by saying that the ideas should be looked at or considered instead.

Considering is Not Committing

The Baker campaign counts six key issues – licensing undocumented immigrants to drive, the union contribution loophole, increasing the EITC, single payer healthcare, raising the cap on charter schools, and $15 per hour minimum wage – where Martha Coakley has been noncommittal when addressing the issues publically.

On the other hand, the Baker campaign points to a variety of issues including homelessness, local aid, patronage, drug addiction, job creation, relief for low income workers, welfare reform, DCF, higher education, veterans services, and domestic violence, where Baker has proposed a policy solution.

“Massachusetts is home to some of the brightest and hardest working folks in the nation and they deserve a leader willing and able to put forward real ideas to make our commonwealth great, not a career prosecutor unwilling to take a stand on serious issues,” said Conroy.

Coakley Campaign Fires Back

The Coakley campaign is quick to point out that Martha has fought for families and workers on two key issues that Baker has been previously opposed to. Additionally, Coakley's record speaks for itself in regards to fighting for worers and families throughout the state. 

“Unlike Charlie Baker, Martha Coakley will support our families and workers and create a more fair and prosperous Commonwealth though earned sick time and universal early education - both of which Baker is opposed to,” said Bonnie McGilpin, Press Secretary for Martha Coakley. “And unlike Charlie Baker, she has a proven record of standing up to powerful interests to give Massachusetts families and workers a fair shot. She's protected women from violence, children from abuse and families from being taken advantage of by the big banks.”

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