By Barbara Slayter and Joan Kimball
Lincoln Democratic Town Committee
Rep. Katherine Clark at the Middlesex Democrats breakfast.
Rep. Katherine Clark’s vigorous and penetrating analysis of critical issues both local and national brought numerous rounds of applause at the Middlesex Area Democrats breakfast on May 4.
Twenty Lincolnites were among nearly 100 enthusiastic Democrats from Waltham, Weston, Sudbury, Carlisle and other towns gathered at the Hilton Garden Inn in Waltham. They listened as Clark detailed how Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is “obstructing,” or preventing legislation from moving forward. The House has passed bills on gun safety, net neutrality, equal pay for equal work, voting rights, and dark money, but none of them has made its way past McConnell to the Senate floor.
McConnell, Clark said, has gone so far as to say we don’t need an infrastructure bill, even after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had met on the topic with President Trump. Clark strongly advocated for local action saying that action starts here, not in Washington, and that we must work at home with state representatives and selectmen locally and support candidates who will make a difference.
Asked if impeachment is “on the table,” Clark said, “Definitely it is. We cannot simply run out the clock.” However, Democrats have to bring the American people with them; impeachment, she asserted, should neither be undertaken nor avoided for political reasons. Rather, there must be a careful gathering of evidence, including a specific opportunity for the House to hear Robert Mueller’s testimony, as well as that of other key witnesses, and an effort to assure that the American public fully understands the events that have taken place, Clark said.
All this needs to be in a context of clarity about constitutional responsibilities, and a serious effort to prevent foreign influence in elections, including the upcoming presidential and congressional elections in 2020, she added.
Other elected officials contributed key observations on critical topics. State Sen. Mike Barrett, a leader in the effort to limit greenhouse gases via carbon pricing, linked climate change to refugee migration, since farmers and laborers in many parts of Central America are no longer able to make a living in agriculture. He praised Waltham for its policies for effectively serving its refugee population, especially those from rural Guatemala, who are coming in unprecedented numbers but are revitalizing the city.
Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian noted the significant mental health issues afflicting the prison population and the need to address the connections among mental health, drugs, and crime.
Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan discussed the “interference” she’s encountered with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). She and another district attorney have filed a federal lawsuit demanding that courthouses be places of sanctuary, assuring public safety for witnesses, victims, and defendants.
Everyone paused in a moment of silence for Lincoln’s Foster Fargo, who passed away on April 14, and speakers expressed appreciation for the many years of work by his wife, former State Sen. Susan Fargo.