For those upset that Ellison didn't win, let me remind you...

[brooklynite]

...that the DNC Chair DOES NOT set the ideological tone for the Party. Or does he select candidate. This is fundamentally an organization or managerial position.

[PatsFan87]

1. It does however decide where money is being spent.

State parties have been getting hosed at the expense of consultants getting rich off of failed strategies. Some of these same consultants were advocating for and making phone calls for Perez. Troubling sign for me. I hope Perez proves me wrong though.

[crazycatlady]

29. I'm one of those consultants

And I'm far from rich. My highest salary came from an independent expenditure campaign (illegal to talk to the party, candidate, DNC, etc).

My experience with state parties is that they know there's more than one campaign out there and they don't have the apparatus for the campaigns to share data. In 2012, I worked on a congressional in a swing state with a top tier senate race. THe 3 campaigns talked to each other, but we were competing for the same volunteers. OFA was the worst and didn't play with anyone.

[MineralMan]

2. That's true, but the energy of a DNC Chair can be contagious.

Perez seems to have energy in abundance, and that's what the party needs right now. His job is to fire up the Democratic leadership and get them working harder than ever. If he can do that, he will be an excellent DNC Chair.

[Eliot Rosewater]

15. I wanted Kal Penn, but none of them are socialist enough for me.

I wanted Ellison in absence of Kal Penn but for different reasons than most.

Knowing how childish and "take my ball and go home" alleged progressives can be (the Bernie types, even though I not only voted for Bernie but supported him LONG before most of these so called progressives even knew who he was) I wanted Keith to win so they would not destroy the dem party given we are in a TWO party system and voting 3rd party is literal suicide.

The very first comment I saw from a Bernie person on another board was, and I quote

"Party leadership trumps the will of the electorate.


Democratic party is toast for at least a few more years, news at eleven."

Now the only way the party is toast is if this Bernie person acts like a child, like he did on election day.

[radical noodle]

28. That's total BS

(what the Bernie supporter on the other board said) There is no reason to think that the will of the electorate wasn't honored. Could it just be that they are NOT the majority of the party? I am so tired of their childish petulance.

[politicat]

43. My IWW state level rep had an interesting argument.

The TGOP is in a mood to set fires just because they like to watch things burn.

Ellison promised to quit the House if elected. Which would mean a special election for his seat. Special elections are lower turnout and favor TGOP, and because nothing else is competing for the money at the time, they can be drastically overfunded. The TGOP has a war chest that the Dems don't have right now, and have a lot of money on tap.

Ellison's seat is considered safe, but safe because he's in it. MN5 doesn't have a deep bench because Ellison is good and popular there. In an open election, it gets a lot less safe, and it only has to be unsafe by a small margin, because TGOP doesn't care about longevity right now. They'd love to take that seat not because they need it, but because it would be a big old kick curb-stomp. It wouldn't even matter much if they retained the seat in 2018; taking it once would be a kick in the goolies. We need Ellison where he is, because it puts him in a better place to take a Senate seat (if Amy or Al retire or move up) or to run for the Governor's office, given that Mark Dayton is having some health issues and may not be up for a re-election fight. Personally, I'd much rather have the former public defender in the House and the civil rights lawyer at the DNC. They're both fighters, but with differing skills and strengths.

Perez was widely viewed as far-far-left as recently as 10 months ago, and is not significantly less left than Ellison. (Yeah, it would have been great if he had managed to get some criminal charges against the banksters who illegally foreclosed on veterans' houses. But that was a civil, not criminal case, and I'm pretty sure those vets were happy to have their money back...) When Wobblies are saying the guy is fine, really, Perez is fine.

[leftstreet]

3. Why is the position put to a vote?

It doesn't matter, I've just never understood that

Seems like the person with the best resume - experience, qualifications, etc - should be hired

[DURHAM D]

5. He was hired...by the DNC. nt

[MineralMan]

6. Because everyone in a leadership position in the Democratic Party

is elected to that position. That's why we're also the democratic Party. From the precinct to the DNC, everyone is elected who serves in any leadership position. That's a point of pride in the party.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

17. How is selecting super delegates democratic?

[brooklynite]

20. Be ause the elected DNC poli is made the decision...

.. just like legislation voted on by Congress.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

21. So, if the DNC decided give the super delegates even greater weight, that'd be cool?

Say, make it 2/3 the percentage of total delegates needed... be just like Congressional legislation... not!

[brooklynite]

24. In fact, it would...

Tell us, have you ever contacted your DNC members to discuss your views?

Or the State Committee members that appoint them?

Or the County Committee members that appoint THEM?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

32. You can't be serious... when those in power design the rules to extend their power and

circumvent the will of the people, that is the antithesis of democracy.

[brooklynite]

38. As someone who's actually held a Party office (Ward Committee in Philadelphia)...

...rather than just complained from the sidelines, you won't get any sympathy from me.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

41. I certainly understand, given the party office you held...

why you can't respond to a legitimate critique of a flawed system that needs revamping, but, must be defended at all costs by party office holders to maintain the status quo. But then look where that's gotten us.

So, yes, let's just keep dismissing those with different ideas , because they're somehow inferior to those who supposedly know better... that's the ticket!

[BainsBane]

42. When have superdegates subverted the will of the people?

You might recall there was quite a vigorous campaign to get them to do just that last, but they did not. Their votes went overwhelmingly for the candidate who won the popular vote.

[sarah FAILIN]

40. This is not a new rule.

It was in place long before Bernie ever considered running as a dem. He knew about it before he started the first campaign speech.

[Wellstone ruled]

19. Funny how people do not understand how

true Democracy works. Perez will do just fine,noticed Bernie sent his congrats. Time for us Dems to kick some ass and take some names.

[Igel]

9. A CEO is hired by a vote.

In some organizations the CFO and COO are up for a vote.

If one person hires the CEO, then that's the real boss.

[leftstreet]

12. True. Guess I don't think of them as CEOs

[DURHAM D]

4. Cong. Ellison: "We don't have the luxury of walking out of this room divided!"

[bunnies]

7. He's right.

Time to get to work.

[Beartracks]

10. Truth! n/t

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

33. True that, and I'm certainly willing to give Perez a chance...

he certainly couldn't do much worse than what we had.

[geek tragedy]

8. Ideologically Perez and Ellison are very, very similar.

However, one of them has spent a great deal of time winning elections and running campaigns in the midwest, and the other has spent his entire professional career as a bureaucrat inside the DC Beltway, never venturing further than Montgomery County.

Oh well.

Hope I'm wrong about Perez, but this seems like a missed opportunity.

[white_wolf]

11. My sentiments exactly.

Hopefully, we'll both be feasting on crow.

[dsc]

26. other than when he was a trashman paying his way through college

but I guess that doesn't count.

[Cattledog]

13. Unite!

Link to tweet

[monmouth4]

14. I'm glad they are friends. That can only be helpful..n/t

[BannonsLiver]

39. It would be great if some around here would take a fucking cue from them and get with the program.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

16. Sets idealogical tone? Yeahh, just sets up the establishment candidate more like it... I get it.

[JHan]

35. the whole progressive vs establishment argument is a false dichotomy ..

based on your comments in this thread, only one person would have done what you wanted - get rid of the super delegates system and caucuses - and that person is Jehmu Greene.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

18. I'm not upset at all.

I get to keep my very excellent Congressman, who will nevertheless have a significant voice on the DNC. The committee as a whole, not the chair, determines policy, though he will be the public representative of the party. I think both Perez and Ellison have a vision of where they want the party to, and their visions don't conflict. DWS is gone, which is a good thing, and I believe the new management will finally recognize that the strength of the party is at the grass roots and not the PACs and the entrenched party tools (like DWS). And it's clear that both of them have no intention of re-fighting last year's primaries.

It's all good.

[Tatiana]

25. You bring up a great point.

Did we really want to lose a Congressional seat? Because Ellison said he was willing to resign and I just think this is a moment in time when we need all hands on deck.

DWS is out of there and I think the combined brainpower and expertise of of Perez and Ellison will help to attract more voters as well as energize the party in down ballot contests.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

27. MN-5 wouldn't have gone GOP.

If Ellison had got the DNC job and stepped down, there would have been a special election to replace him, but there's no way in hell a GOPer could have taken this district. Still, right now it's better to have someone with experience in Congress than a newbie. I think Perez will do just fine, especially with Ellison working with him.

[VOX]

37. Well stated! thank you! n/t

[azmom]

22. LOL

[Blue_true]

23. People have more impact getting candidates they want at

the local and state level.

[bhikkhu]

30. I'd rather have 10 strong candidates than just one

a broad base of experience and passion behind the scenes is really essential. Of course just one "wins", but that's not the important thing.

[Lotusflower70]

31. I was happy either way

I love them both. Ellison is my representative. They are friends and I think the combination of these guys is a great one. Both bring a lot to the table. Perez worked in garbage collection to go to an Ivy League school. He knows about struggles. Keith Ellison has faced adversity of his own and worked hard to represent Minnesota well.

I know some people elsewhere are angry about the DNC and this reinforced it for them. We'll see in time how that goes. Bernie congratulated them like the class action he is. Some are trying to feed the divide and wallow in anger but that doesn't help. We have to learn and we have to wake up. It's time to fight.

[DonCoquixote]

34. I liked ellison

but I also like him in congress where he can bite the legs of the GOP. If perez is serious, he can do a lot of good with an ellison tag team.

[LexVegas]

36. The better candidate won. nt

[Starry Messenger]

44. I like both. I supported Perez, but would have been fine with Ellison.

I think they are both pro-labor and have a vision for progress.

[quaker bill]

45. In theory

But apparently they can lean to favor one side over another, if history teaches well.

That aside, I am fine with this team, and I think the people will be driving for a while.