HMM? ARE WE IN CANTON, OHIO OR CANTON, CHINA? HEALY/HERMAN MOVE TO CENSOR CITY ACCESS TO STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT?

 

 UPDATE:  12/24/2009 - 6:00 AM

The SCPR has received an email form Healy administration Adam Herman denying the accuracy of the source email claiming the SCPR blog had been blocked by the administration denying Canton city employees access to The Report

When Americans look on from the outside, we often wonder how tyrants are made.

Well, we who live in Stark County, Ohio are getting an "up close and personal look!"

"Woe is us."  We Stark Countians are witnessing a "political control freak" in action.  Who might that be?

Canton mayor William J. Healy, II, that's who!!!

His latest effort, apparently, is contained in the email the SCPR received yesterday, to repeat the graphic above in the interest of readability, to wit:

In case you haven't heard already, your blog is no longer accessable from city computers. I guess you really touched a nerve with either the Mayor or his Communications Director/ head of IT. Thank you for getting the truth out from all sides.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The more "political" - in the sense of style"  (than the SCPR) Repository Editorial Board has taken to calling him "Sir William."

In the view of the SCPR, calling him "Sir William" in a mocking way is their being extremely euphemistic and polite beyond politeness.

Fortunately for Ohioans and perhaps the nation, due - in large part - to the efforts of the SCPR; Healy's last "elected" political stop is likely to be Canton; unless, of course, he sees the error of his ways and becomes the small letter "d" democrat we demand of our politicians.

Ohio?  Well, he was a state representative with one eye focused on rising to the leadership level.  Only trouble for him was that he was swimming with "political carps" with sharper teeth than his own.

The nation?  He once told yours truly (when he was still gracing me with access) that the Democratic National Congressional Caucus offered to put $1 million into a campaign for him to succeed Ralph Regula as congressman.  But this SCPR never believed this from Healy; it clearly smacks of grandiose Healy spin.

If he does change, it will take years of work to convince voters he has changed.

Don't look for Healy to change; after all, why would a "fount of all knowledge" change?

Healy has sent several emissaries to the SCPR asking that The Report water down his political analysis of the conduct of the Healy administration.  

The carrot presented?

Then Mayor Healy might talk to you.

Whoopie dee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like the SCPR is frothing at the mouth to talk to Healy.

The fact of the matter is that public officials are not entitled to deny citizens and the press the opportunity to ask questions.

But what if they won't?

Then the voting public will factor their uncommunicativeness in the calculus of whether or not to vote for them.  And, of course, the SCPR will make sure that the Stark County public knows who these officials are.

Meanwhile, the SCPR does have many sources and will get the Healy story without the mayor and his ventriloquist Adam Herman weighing-in. In fact, the SCPR is likely better off not talking to Healy because the Healy/Herman axis is "Spin City Central!"  Who wants to have to sift the fact from fiction when there is very little fact and almost all fiction?

As unrealistic as his quest is, Healy really does think he can stifle public discussion of the critical issues that Cantonians face.

But "tyrants-in-the-making" are never realistic as they create and live in a world of their own creation.

The only question that remains for Cantonians is this:  As William J. Healy, II self-destructs, how deep into the abyss will he take Canton?

Healy says he consummately cares about Canton.

But don't you believe it.

William J. Healy, II only cares about William J. Healy,II!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!