Democrats Urged to Fight Back

After dining on a picnic-style dinner that included chowder, steak, chicken and strawberry shortcake Monday night, local Democrats were served up a spicy dish of concern that voter anger might unseat some Democrats in the fall elections.

From Attorney General Martha Coakley and U.S. Rep. John Tierney to local legislative candidates, the message was clear – the fall elections are going to be no picnic. As Coakley told fellow Democrats: "We need to do some work."

State Rep. Lori Ehrlich summed up the message. "We are up against a different animal. There is a lot of anger out there. Voters are looking for someone to blame (for the country's economic and political problems)," she said.

Erhlich told the almost 100 Democrats who gathered at the VFW Hall: "I know I am preaching to the choir. But we have to fight back. We have to take on the talk radio stuff."

Echoing President Barack Obama's campaign rhetoric, Congressman John Tierney said the economy was shrinking from 2001 to 2008. "That is what Republicans want us to forget," he said.

He described the Republicans as having "no vision, no plan for the future." When asked what they would do if elected, Tierney said that Republicans say, "'we'll do what we did for the last eight years,'" he said.

The seven-term congressman said the Democrats inherited a prescription drug program (Medicare Part D) that didn't work well for seniors, two wars, a broken financial system and the loss of 8 million jobs between 2007 and early 2009. He said President Bush and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson came to Congress "with their hair on fire," asking for $700 billion with no controls or plan for payback. They told Congress not only the U.S. economy was crashing, but the world's economy was headed for depression, he said.

Tierney said Congress approved a bailout for half that amount, but also included controls and a payback schedule.  He said the bailout was not perfect, but even conservative economists have said what the Obama administration did saved the country and the world from slipping into depression.

He added that the Democrats enacted the stimulus bill that saved millions of local and state jobs and put people to work building neglected infrastructure. And he said this administration has invested in education, including science education, and alternative energy, where the jobs of the future are. And he said the Democrats are investing in manufacturing.

"The Democrats want to make sure that any product that is made is made here in America," Tierney said.

Coakley said her campaign for the U.S. Senate taught her that "there is a lot of anger out there." She told her fellow Democrats that she is committed to helping re-elect Governor Deval Patrick.

"I will never again take anything for granted," she said, referring to the criticism that she did not campaign hard enough for the Senate seat once held by Ted Kennedy.

State Senator Tom McGee, who has served eight years in the Senate, told the cheering crowd, "We are Democrats because we know that government has a positive impact on the lives of individuals and families."

He reminded the crowd that Massachusetts leads the nation in education, health care and alternative energy.

The Democrats pointed out that the state and national Democratic administrations have much to be proud of. Coakley cited her negotiations with the utility company, National Grid, to lower rates associated with the Cape Wind project and with movie theaters to provide access to films for the visually and hearing impaired.

Tierney touted the $145 billion in small business loans that have been made to companies in his congressional district.

Ehrlich praised the state legislature for passing the anti-bullying bill and a requirement that insurance companies pay for previously uncovered treatments for people suffering from autism.

Moderated by Town Committee Chairman Phil Sweeney, the program also included several candidates in the September 14th Democratic Primary. Suzanne Bump and Guy Glodis campaigned for the party nomination for state auditor. Both promised to use the auditor's office to promote economic growth and control state spending.

Steve Grossman, a former party chairman, campaigned for the Democratic nomination for state treasurer. He promised that the large banks in the state would lose their state deposits and bond business if they do not start lending money to small businesses in Massachusetts.

Damian Anketell also asked the party faithful to help him unseat Essex County Sheriff Frank Cousins in the fall election.

Governor Patrick did not make the Marblehead gathering because he was attending a fundraiser in Salem. But he sent Tito Jackson as his representative, who urged the crowd to make a difference this year.