Galindez writes: "This campaign is about who controls the Democratic Party. Will it be the grassroots or the corporate donors? If you want the grassroots to control the party, then Keith Ellison is the choice. If you want Wall Street to continue to control the party, then Tom Perez is the choice. It is just that simple."



Minnesota congressman Keith Ellison. (photo: AP)

Keith Ellison Is the Right Choice to Lead the DNC

By Scott Galindez, Reader Supported News

can sum it up in one word: Trust. For many of us, there is a trust issue at the DNC. I have no doubt that Tom Perez is a great guy and is qualified to lead the Democratic Party. What I don't know is where his loyalties lie. Would Perez have condoned the actions of the past two chairs to favor the establishment candidate over the more progressive choice?

We cannot afford to take that risk. Debbie Wasserman Shultz and Donna Brazile have created an environment where progressives don't feel welcome in the Democratic Party. For us to bring many back into the fold we need a meaningful first step. Electing Keith Ellison chair of the party is the first step to healing the division in our party.

Too many in our party dismiss the significance of what was revealed by Wikileaks. So many Americans were energized by the campaign of Senator Sanders, only to learn that party officials were favoring his opponent. It is clear that shuffling a few chairs will not be enough. The leadership of the DNC must be completely revamped. For progressives to feel welcome again in the party, we need to choose the next leader.

Congressman Ellison was the first member of Congress to endorse Senator Sanders. He has our trust. With Ellison at the helm, we will be able to convince many who felt betrayed that a transformation is taking place in the Democratic Party and we can expect a fair nominating process in the future.

In state after state, the party chair race is pitting the establishment against progressives who want to transform the party. The battle lines couldn't be clearer on the national level.

No candidate is perfect. There will be disagreements on issues. The smear campaign has already begun. But let us make no mistake about it. This campaign is not about Keith Ellison's policy towards Israel or any other issue.

I could sit here and pick apart each candidate on the issues. But that is not what this campaign is all about.

This campaign is about who controls the Democratic Party. Will it be the grassroots or the corporate donors? If you want the grassroots to control the party, then Keith Ellison is the choice. If you want Wall Street to continue to control the party, then Tom Perez is the choice. It is just that simple. Who do you trust?

Scott Galindez attended Syracuse University, where he first became politically active. The writings of El Salvador's slain archbishop Oscar Romero and the on-campus South Africa divestment movement converted him from a Reagan supporter to an activist for Peace and Justice. Over the years he has been influenced by the likes of Philip Berrigan, William Thomas, Mitch Snyder, Don White, Lisa Fithian, and Paul Wellstone. Scott met Marc Ash while organizing counterinaugural events after George W. Bush's first stolen election. Scott will be spending a year covering the presidential election from Iowa.

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.