Massachusetts First

Over the past two months, the Massachusetts Democrat Party held a series of “listening sessions” across the state, one for each Congressional District. And from an outsider’s perspective, the comments expose a party in complete disarray. Although these meetings were open to the public, they were largely attended by the most engaged members – the grassroots activists, the party faithful – and even they were openly questioning the direction of their leadership. What emerged was a sense of panic, infighting, and a growing realization that their radical agenda is alienating them from mainstream America, despite a few die-hard leftists insisting the party shouldn’t abandon its current course.

Below are the main takeaways from the listening sessions as a whole. Quotes are unattributed to protect privacy.

President Trump

The shadow of President Trump looms large, and Democrats are still reeling from the election results, openly expressing fears about a potential return to policies they deem destructive. Several commenters voiced panic at the suggestion of “going red across the state,” signaling a deep-seated worry that voters have resoundingly rejected the policies they’ve pushed. The horror of Trump’s return to power is palpable, fueling their desperation.

“But we’re really at DEFCON 5 here.”

“I need all Democrats to understand we’re in a war.”

“When speaking to voters this past summer and fall, I warned them about the risk that Donald Trump posed to our democracy…So when President Biden cordially invited Trump to the White House after the election, I was appalled. I felt duped, quite honestly. Is this how we treat authoritarians?”

 “First, Democrats have to understand that the Trump team is not going to respect norms and their policies are not going to help working people. We need to prepare locally for Massachusetts to be targeted. Do not doubt this. Our Senate and House members need to take action using any measure they can to ensure our democracy is protected.”

Gaza

One of the most consistent and explosive criticisms centers around the Democratic leadership’s unwavering support for Israel. Speaker after speaker lambasted the party for enabling the “Gaza genocide,” decrying the financial and military aid provided to Israel. The anger was white-hot, with accusations of a “grave moral issue” and leaders disconnected from the base. District 5 Representative Katherine Clark and District 6 Representative Seth Moulton were singled out and criticized for their stances. The Democratic base is fracturing over this issue, with some threatening to abandon the party altogether if their concerns are ignored.

“The Democratic Party’s facilitation of the genocide in Gaza is just one amongst many reminders to working class and marginalized people that the Democratic Party does not wish to represent their interests…Why do we, as voters, continue to support a party for whom genocide is not a red line? “

Loss of Blue-Collar Support

Beyond foreign policy, the listening sessions revealed a deep-seated loss of support among blue-collar and union workers. They fretted over union members defecting to the Republican Party, admitting that issues like “sexism, racism, and xenophobia” are turning voters away from Democrat candidates.

“I unenrolled, and I haven’t re-enrolled. This party is not speaking to most of us. It is definitely not speaking to low-income people. It’s not speaking to working people. It’s elitist. It’s shutting us out. I don’t want to vote anymore because on the Massachusetts ballot, I don’t have a choice. No one ever runs against the people that are my elected officials for the most part. And when someone does try to run, someone young and progressive, they get pilloried, they get ignored, or they get just attacked. So please listen to us and change things. I don’t think you will, but I’m hoping you will.”

“The UAW, United Steelworkers, and AFL-CIO did endorse Harris, but no one knows how the rank-and-file members voted. Internal polling by the Teamsters showed that their members backed Trump by 60%.”

Lack of Enthusiasm

These listening sessions also reveal a deep concern about election underperformance. The data, shown in a series of slides during the call, presents a decline in voter registration and a drop in overall voter turnout in 2024 compared to 2020, suggesting a failure to motivate voters. One commenter relayed an experience making calls on election day that highlights the alarming problem of dirty voter rolls in Massachusetts, an issue ignored by Democrat and Republican politicians alike, but often emphasized here at Massachusetts First:

“I was disappointed with how it seemed like the Democrats had handled voter rolls and the get-out-the-vote effort. I ended up making calls late in the day on election day. I was reaching people who were not the people on my list, and they had had that phone number for six years. I was reaching places where people were dead. I was reaching places where a business had the phone number. The calls to clean up those roles or the visits to clean up those roles and prepare for a vigorous, effective get-out-the-vote effort could have been made weeks before. By volunteers or by paid people. So, I agree with a lot of what’s been said about policy. But I think our execution, at least locally, needs to change.”

Editorial: None of the teeth-gnashing matters if our elections aren’t fixed. Many commenters seemed shocked that their party leaders ignored their constituents. But they refuse to acknowledge that elections are rigged so leaders don’t have to care what voters think. Some of them were so close to making the connection!

A Party of Elites

Furthermore, the listening sessions expose a disconnect between the Democratic Party and its base. Speakers criticize the lack of transparency in the legislature, which is actively fighting the highly popular audit, suggesting that the party is losing touch with the concerns of regular people. They complain about the lack of grassroots engagement and the top-down approach to decision-making. It’s clear to them that the Democratic Party has become an echo chamber of liberal elites, far removed from the concerns of everyday Americans.

“We attend state conventions only to be disappointed with the expense and few, if any, meaningful results. Last year, we endured hours of boilerplate speeches by state politicians tooting their own horns. What did we get for our time? “

“The Senate president and the Speaker of the House used their control of staff funding committee chair stipends, and district earmarks to control how everyone votes. And everybody knows that leadership retaliates when legislators step out of line.”

Messaging

These are not the voices of a unified party confident in its future. These are the cries of a base in turmoil, fueled by a delusional fear of Trump, anger over Israel, and a growing awareness that their leaders are out of touch. The solutions offered by participants emphasized one word: Messaging. One commenter exemplified the problem with Democrats’ messaging by—perhaps unintentionally—exposing his elitist attitude mirrored by many in his party:

“We’re in the war, and we’re losing the war. And (name) just mentioned messaging. Let me just give my very simple points. The general public doesn’t care for your facts. Data, reasoning, logic policies, details, it doesn’t mean anything to them. What appeals to them is basically appeal to the emotions, especially fearful emotions, especially using their lies. They’re coming to kill you. They’re coming to eat your pest. They want to do this. They want to do that to you. That works, especially for the general public who are very low information voters.”

That sentiment is the opinion of many Massachusetts Democrats. A change in attitude would go a long way in reclaiming even a small share of the real, legal, and actual American vote. Democrats have a long way to go and a lot of work to do before regular people will consider them again. Massachusetts Democrat party Chair Stephen Kerrigan announced they are gathering all the input and will present a report in the coming weeks. Time will tell if they listened.

by Citizens for Truth Contributor