Breaking: DNC Members Elect New Chair

Will Democrats Unite?

Voting members of the Democratic National Committee have just elected Tom Perez as the new chairman of the Democratic Party. Perez, a civil rights attorney who served as President Barack Obama’s Secretary of Labor is seen by some to represent the so-called Obama wing of the party. His chief challenger, Rep. Keith Ellison, is seen to represent the so-called Bernie Sanders wing. Those characterizations are misleading, limiting, and unfair to both who have served the party and the voters well.

The final vote was 235-200.

Perez called for Ellison to become Deputy Chair:

“I am asking you to give everything you can to support Chairman Perez,” Ellison urged Democrats. “If we waste even a moment going after who supported who,” Ellison said. “We don’t have that luxury.”

Perez after the first round of voting was within one vote of winning the election.

NCRM was the first news outlet to call for the chair of the DNC to be a full-time job, and for no one to be elected who has any other function. (The DNC charter also calls for the chair to be a full-time job, and the RNC’s chair always has been.)

In November, less than two days after Donald Trump officially won the presidency, we wrote an editorial opposing anyone, (Ellison’s name was being floated,) if they did not make being chair their full-time job, resigning all others. One month later Ellison announced he would resign from Congress if elected chair.

In the form of an open letter to the DNC, we wrote: “It’s time for a dedicated full-time Chairman or Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.”

An excerpt from our editorial:

The DNC has presided over one of the worst decades of Democratic losses, and at the local, state, and national levels we continue to lose tremendous ground. 

This is historic.

Republicans next year will control the White House.

Republicans next year will control the U.S. Senate. 

Republicans next year will control the U.S. House. 

Republicans next year will control the Supreme Court.

Republicans next year will control 34 governors’ offices – matching the all-time high set in 1922. Literally two out of every three governorships.

Republicans next year will control 68 out of 98 state legislative chambers. Literally more than two out of every three.

In 23 states – nearly half the nation – Republicans will control both houses of the state legislatures and the governor’s office.

“For only the second time since 1929, the Republican Party will control the House, Senate, the White House, most governorships and state houses, and will decide a Supreme Court pick,” The Week observed Wednesday, in the wake of stunning and extensive losses at every level of elected government.

Americans know all too well the accusations against former DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and interim DNC Chair Donna Brazile, and this is not the forum to address those. 

But for a moment, let’s address the fact that Democrats have just lost the expected control of the White House and expected control of the Senate, and, for a brief shining moment, the glimmer of hope of controlling the House.

The Republican Party is kicking our collective asses.

As a result, children right this minute are being bullied by their fellow classmates who support Donald Trump. Women, Hispanics, Muslims, LGBT people, and other minorities are all reporting acts of physical and emotional violence and hate, all in the name of President-elect Donald Trump.

There now is no real leader of the Democratic Party.

In towns, cities, states, and nationally, Democrats have not only lost a lot of ground, we have no bench. 

Who is in line and prepared to challenge Donald Trump in 2020 – a race we should all be thinking about this very minute?

Who is in line and prepared to challenge Republican Congressmen and Senators in 2018?

People are hurting today, people are in real pain today, and the DNC is supposed to be the uniting, organizing force to set the groundwork to help move America forward on a progressive path.

…

This is about doing your job. One job.

Being Chairman of any large organization is a full time job. At least, it should be.

It is not being a figurehead, not if you want real change to occur.

Why is the Chairman of the Republican National Committee always a full-time position, yet the Chair of the DNC is always given to an existing elected Democrat with full-time duties?

How has that worked out for us? 

Can you honestly say that a Congressman, Senator, or Governor has enough free time to lead an organization, especially one as beleaguered as the DNC?

It’s time to wake up.

It’s time to stop everything you’re doing and clean house. It’s time to stop everything you’re doing, realize you have gotten it all wrong, and reorganize.

This, along with re-uniting a party is what faces Perez from this moment forward.

We can unite to support and guide him, or we can continue infighting. The former will deliver Americans from Donald Trump. The latter will deliver America to the ashbin of what was democracy.

The choice is yours.

UPDATE: