Party ponders direction - Defeat triggers debate among Mass. Democrats

Boston Globe ^ | November 25, 2002 | Brian C. Mooney

[Cincinatus' Wife]

After a crushing loss Nov. 5, conservative and liberal Democrats in Massachusetts are scrapping over control and direction of their party.

In an ostensibly Democratic state, four consecutive Republican triumphs in gubernatorial elections have set off the new clash. At a Democratic State Committee meeting last Wednesday in Southbridge, the big tent of the party was swaying as activists from both sides engaged in sharp debate over the party's course.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Dysfunctional Democrats play election blame game*** "The Democratic Party is a family -- a dysfunctional family, but a family. In order for the family to fix problems, they need to get together in a big circle and talk," he said.***

[goldstategop]

The Democrats are shrinking in Massachusetts. Many Dems are to the RIGHT of their own party. And what's even more bad news for them is if the trend continues their long stranglehold on Congress and the Senate may come to an end in our lifetime. I don't think The Schwimmer is thinking about retirement - it doesn't mean his own seat is necessarily safe for a Democrat.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I see a rock and a hard place for the Dems, they're scared to retreat from their LIBERAL position because they think they'll lose voters to the Green Party, yet their LIBERAL agenda is driving away voters.

[MHT]

The Republicans also won because they had a very well-known, media-savvy candidate from an experienced political family (sound like the description of a Kennedy). If only they could get a couple more just like him to take those two Senate seats.

Any suggestions?

[goldstategop]

How beautiful! The Bay State surprises people even conservatives who think every one west of I-495 is a Boston liberal. They aren't. A lot of Democrats outside of Boston are Democrats out of habit and don't subscribe to the party's ultraliberal policies - they're really DINOs. If President Bush can reach out to these Dems and the independents in Massachusetts he could carry the state in 2004.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Wasn't it in Boston where union guys insisted on going into voting booths with people? Didn't help enough, huh? Funny thing, JFK was a tax cutter. The foundation of Mass. liberal politics is poisoned at the root.

[Burkeman1]

What defeat!? Like they care. A GOP head of state gives them cover! They would be happy if O'Brien won. But they don't care since Mitt won. We had Weld and Celluccii and it didn't matter one speck. In Fact a GOP head of state gives this state an aura of respect. We don't deserve it. Romney will be a good little GOP figure head and let the Democrats run the state as always.

[goldstategop]

The Mass Dem Party has drifted away from its roots. Its no longer the blue collar, traditional values and Catholic friendly party it used to be. That's why Dems keep voting for GOP governors for its rightly perceived the Dems in the Bay State are too liberal for all but the pointy headed crowd inside the I-495 Beltway.

[AZLiberty]

'In my district, many Democrats support the death penalty, sportsmen's issues, you know, around guns, fiscal responsibility, and in many cases, lower taxes,'' said Glodis. ''But the leadership of the party is talking about bilingual education, `Clean Elections,' and gay marriage. There's a great divide.''

"Democrats" are even dumber than I thought. It's one thing to support stupid policies if you believe in them. It's much worse this way.

[johnny7]

O'Brien beat herself. Romney was just too professional for her to handle.

Kerry and Olver won by big margins.

The rotten dems still run the state.

My only hope is that Romney can stop the tax hikes the dems are drooling for.

MA is is as bad as OR, WA & VT... socialist cesspools, with “alternative” lifestyles.

[goldstategop]

The grassroots is old-fashioned huh while the leadership is to the right of Nancy Pelosi? Well it seems to me there's a failure to communicate here.

[goldstategop]

Only in Boston and some of the weirder college towns. While the number of Republicans hasn't gotten bigger, there are today more Indies in Massachusetts than Democrats. And they don't automatically vote in lockstep with the in the Beltway liberal leadership.

[PGalt]

There is no party. They are a collection of criminals running herd over people that are rationally impaired.

[Prodigal Son]

I love watching them self destruct before my eyes. I always hoped for it the last 10 yrs but I guess I didn't think it would really happen. Go Progressive/Socialist Dems! Leftwards Ho!

[goldstategop]

Yeah John F and Ted are untouchable institutions in Massachusetts but I wouldn't bet the farm on the Democratic Party in the future should they decide at some point to retire.

[thedilg]

"The Democrats are shrinking in Massachusetts. Many Dems are to the RIGHT of their own party. And what's even more bad news for them is if the trend continues their long stranglehold on Congress and the Senate may come to an end in our lifetime."

It has always been a riddle how Mass. arguably being the most Catholic state in the US could also be the most pro-abortion. I don't know, but suspect that Cardinal Bernadine's seamless garment is in full control of the Mass. Cardinals/bishops. Of course there is Cardinal Law. In any case, There must be little pro-life leadership in the Massachusettes Catholic Church. I also understand that the activist homosexuals are powerfull. Of course this is also tantamont to pro-abortion.

I have to believe that there are many hardworking Catholic families who would vote pro-life if they had effective pro-life leadership in the Catholic Church. This may happen sooner. rather than later. when Cardinal Law is replaced.
I can't imagine him remaining with one revelation after another becoming public knowledge.

Godspeed, The Dilg

[johnny7]

Hey Jack... you're entitled to your opinion but it's wrong.

MA is not moving to the right. All the people in power are socialist or liberal at best.

Catholics? HA! Rare breed up here... the old ones always vote dem.

This state is run by Kennedy and the unions.

MA will vote against Bush in 2004... they are sheep.

[fieldmarshaldj]

The problem still remains, though, that the MA Dems is the party of the big ideological tent at the legislative level, and the state GOP is non-existent, with conservatives being driven out as ruthlessly as by the Dems elsewhere under the reign of Weld-Cellucci-Swift. Romney has an opportunity to start to repair the damage and bring back people that are represented by the likes of Guy Glodis (who would be a Republican elsewhere), but he will have to literally start from scratch. Not an easy task at all.

[Centaur]

MA Dems....MADems? you may have coined a new one there....

[cgbg]

Romney more than wiped that out in the small leafy town of Boxford (population 8,000) in Essex County

The town of Boxford has to be seen to be believed. It reminded me of the movie "The Stepford Wives". Every blade of grass in the entire town is perfect. Enery house costs a fortune.

These are "country club Republicans" and will ensure that even if and when the Rats are driven from power they can only be replaced by RINOs.

The only way these folks could be converted to Freepers would be for the Rats to double the state income tax and mandate weekly Gay Pride Parades through the streets of town. ;-)