Minutes of Meeting
January 23, 2008
Present: J. Bakey, E. Benson, D. Sirotkin Butler, M. Butler, A. Coolidge, M. Crewe, B. Cutler, J. Daly, R. Feldman, K. Haase, C. Haskell, J. Marzilli, S. Marzilli Shaer, I. Rhodes, A. Rosenthal, P. Schlichtman, T. Shannon, R. Smith, J. Thielman, B. Brinkerhoff, E. Schwartz, A. Smith, J. Banks, J. Kocur, P. Schwartz, C. Maytum, B. Maytum, C. Shannon, K. Larsen, D. Landskov, L. Fast Horse, S. Elberger, M. Cummings, Ralph Elwell, Rieko Tanaka, Gloria D. Zarr, John Howard, John L. Galligan, Chandran Seshagiri, Cynthia Tollen, Julie Chamberlin, Brian Rehrig, Charlie Gallagher, Michael Brown, Josh Lobel, Erin Higgins. (45)
Introductions were dispensed with because of the very full agenda. Aimee Coolidge, Chair, noted that this was the last meeting of the current Town Committee, which will reorganize following the February 5 primary, when a new Committee is elected.
Sen. Kerry spoke before the previously scheduled speaker, Ed O’Reilly. He congratulated our new State Senator, Jim Marzilli. Then he spoke about the work he has been doing and the work that he hopes the Senate can do if more Democrats are elected. His priorities are the economy (ending the institutionalized unfairness that will send $43 billion to the top 1% of income earners next year); the war (in early 2006 he mustered only 13 votes to set a redeployment date for the troops, but later that year many Democrats won on that same position, giving them now 52 votes, still short of the 60 needed); the environment (Congress prevented ANWR drilling, and now many large companies are supporting a cap-and-trade system to help stem global warming); and national security (distinguishing between real and false threats, and undoing the damage Bush has done to our security).
Ed O’Reilly, who is running against Sen. Kerry, noted that this was the first time that he and Kerry had appeared in the same forum, although O’Reilly has visited 80 cities and towns in the state during his campaign so far. His goal is to hone the message of the Democratic Party and to improve the performance of the next US Senator. He pointed out weaknesses in Sen. Kerry’s record (his absence for a vote on FISA, his pro-war vote in 2002, his dependence on rich contributors) and presented his own history as a criminal defense attorney who worked his way through UMass and law school as, among other things, a firefighter. He stressed that his positions on single-payer health care and other issues are closer to the state party platform than are Sen. Kerry’s.
Aimee remarked after the two speakers had left that they had come because Arlington is known throughout the state for its Democratic activism. She asked anyone else who was representing a campaign to come forward. The following people spoke on behalf of campaigns:
No one was present to represent the campaign of Andrew O’Brien, the third Democrat in the State Rep race. Aimee reminded everyone that both the Presidential and State Rep primaries are February 5 and the general election for State Rep is March 4.
Aimee reminded everyone that a caucus will take place February 2 to elect delegates to the June 7 state party convention in Lowell.
The minutes from the meeting of November 5 were unanimously accepted.
Tim Shannon, treasurer, reported a current balance in the Committee account of $9,176.40 (which will go down a bit because of some outstanding expenses).
The motion to elect Mary Cummings as a Full Member of the Committee, which was made and seconded at the last meeting, was approved unanimously.
Since this is the last meeting of the current committee, no nominations were taken to fill the additional vacancy.
Deb Butler noted that she would be unopposed on the ballot February 5 for the State Committee seat left vacant because Pat Deal is now a 20-year member of the State Committee.
Ken Larsen announced that the next meeting of the Book Group would be March 9, to discuss David Cay Johnston’s Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense and Stick You With The Bill.
Paul Schlichtman encouraged anyone who would like to join the Arlington Democrats’ email list to speak with him or Kim Haase.
The next regular meeting will be Thursday, March 13, at the Community Safety Building, 112 Mystic St., at 7:30 p.m. This will be the organizing meeting for the new Committee.
A motion to adjourn was made and approved unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Kim Haase,
Secretary