AFL-CIO endorses Ellison for DNC chair

[demmiblue]

Last edited Thu Dec 8, 2016, 04:25 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Politico

The AFL-CIO is endorsing Rep. Keith Ellison to be chairman of the Democratic National Committee on Thursday.

"Representative Ellison meets the high standard working people expect from leaders of our political parties, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a statement. He is a proven leader who will focus on year-round grassroots organizing to deliver for working families across America. Under his leadership, the Democratic Party will embody the values that our members stand for every day."

The AFL-CIO endorsement is a coup for Ellison given its prominence as one of the most high profile and influential labor organizations in the country.

An endorsement seemed imminent when a week earlier Trumka circulated a straw poll ballot among Executive Council members asking whether the labor groups should endorse Ellison for chair.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/keith-ellison-afl-cio-endorsement-232367

[shawn703]

1. Good

We need a new direction. The old guard was good at losing elections, and we've had enough of that.

[KittyWampus]

3. Let's see, Howard Dean... the guy who was successful and needs no on the job training

Or Ellison, no experience and will say anything to get the job. Now he's saying he'll quit Congress.

[shawn703]

5. Howard Dean doesn't want it.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/02/politics/howard-dean-drops-out-dnc-race/

[KittyWampus]

31. after the Bernie supporters went for Ellison for no other reason than BERNIE.

[shawn703]

35. Oh well, Ellison will take the party in a better direction

Because BERNIE

[NCTraveler]

11. "I'm not going to be a candidate for the DNC chairmanship" Howard Dean. nt.

[KittyWampus]

32. After Bernie supporters went for Ellison simply because BERNIE.

[DK504]

28. He'd better

Look how well DWS worked out out for us.

[Justice]

2. Ellison is not the right pick for DNC. Prefer Russ Feingold

[msongs]

4. so how did feingold's last 2 campaigns turn out? nt

[harun]

8. Love Russ, prefer Ellison.

[JI7]

26. I'm pretty sure feingold does not want that job

[Gore1FL]

6. Here is a working link:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/keith-ellison-afl-cio-endorsement-232367

Ellison is a good choice.

[demmiblue]

9. Thank you! I didn't realize that I cut the link short.

[watoos]

7. If Ellison doesn't get it

I'm done with the Democratic party, I will register Green.

[LisaM]

10. Please pick someone who's not in office.

That's what the RNC does, and, frankly, they get a lot more bang for their buck.

[demmiblue]

12. He said he would resign his seat if elected DNC chair. n/t

[LisaM]

16. And let down the people who just elected him?

I admit I'm against him for other reasons - in particular, I thought Bernie was very "in your face" to Hillary about the platform committee, and while Ellison was a reasonable choice, it was also a quid pro quo for endorsing Bernie over Hillary. Hillary has served the party well and faithfully for decades, and I frankly don't feel like rewarding Bernie Sanders with anything at this point. There, I said it.

But beyond, I also thought Howard Dean did a good job as DNC chair and got us more congressional seats than a lot of other DNC chairs have done. I want him, or someone of his ilk, to do the job.

[demmiblue]

18. Quelle surprise.

It is obvious that some don't like Ellison just because he supported Bernie.

Perhaps someday the bitterness will stop clouding sound judgment. Or maybe not.

For most of us, there is much more at stake than nursing our personal hurt feelings.

[LisaM]

21. I was totally honest about that.

He also hasn't been in office very long, and he also just accepted an elected office.

And, I liked Howard Dean. He did a great job before, and he wants the job now.

And no, I don't think we should reward Bernie for trying to (and succeeding) rip apart the Democratic party. Your mileage may vary.

[killbotfactory]

30. They'll elect another democrat

Ellison will do more to help his district by getting the democratic party in order, rather than voting no on all the horseshit republicans ram through congress.

[Eric J in MN]

37. They got 10 years of Keith Ellison as their US Rep. They'll be OK. (NT)

NT

[Scruffy1]

39. We are not worried about that.

Minneapolis will never elect a Republican and I would guess that his replacement will be to the left of him. He has too much talent to waste as a minority congressman in a fascist House. Minority members are barely allowed to speak and the Speaker controls all legislation. All of this looking back will not fix the Democratic Party. It's time to get over the butt hurt and move on. This is not the same country it was 8 years ago and the whole party leadership needs an overhaul. Besides which Keith is a very good politician because he understands voters.He actually managed to wrest the primary from Marty Sabo's endorsed successor by building a grass roots campaign from scratch with no money. He has never got less than 70% of the vote and is entirely responsible for getting Al Franken into office, and he really doesn't campaign for himself. He actually ran a door to door campaign for Franken for six months and used all of his resources for that. I'm sure it made the difference and I worked on that all summer and fall. The old methods aren't going to work. We need a fresh start.That means fresh faces. The Clinton's are history and the past is the past.

[KittyWampus]

33. which means he'll say or do anything to further his own career. Why the hell is he in Congress

if he doesn't want the job?

[Eric J in MN]

36. That's like asking: Why was Obama in Congress if he didn't want the job? NT

NT

[Trust Buster]

13. I don't really think it matters. Nationalism will rule the next decade IMO. I will say though that

pivoting farther to the Left when the voters have given Republicans the vast majority of Governorships, state legislatures, the Senate, the House and the White House is pie in the sky thinking. This is a center-Right leaning country. I don't see how we can ignore that basic reality any longer.

[watoos]

14. I could not disagree more

Hillary was a center right candidate. I'm with Bill Maher on this; Dems are too effing nice, if Ellison doesn't get it we should put Anthony Weiner in, fuck reich wing Republicans whether they're center right or right right.

[LisaM]

17. Hillary is progressive.

People like Harry Reid are center right.

[angrychair]

15. So what then?

We go more right? What goes on that chomping block? What/who are you willing to throw under the bus?

Cut SNAP?
Privatization of Medicare?
Privatization of Medicaid?
Privatization of Social Security?
Make abortion illegal?
Make being LGBTQ illegal?
Ban Muslims from the U.S.?
Support mass deportation of 11 million illegal immigrants?
Build a wall?
Double the military spending?

How do we do any these things and still consider ourselves Democrats????

[Trust Buster]

19. No, I don't think we should waver in our beliefs at all. I just think that, as we see in Michigan,

the Republican Party will double down on their voter suppression tactics because they saw how that just benefited them. I think the Voting Rights Act is headed for the ash heap of history. I think that every Republican up for re-election over the next 10 years will use Trump's successful nativism blueprint. I'm saying that with the vast majority of Governorships, state legislatures, the Senate, the House and the White House IN REPUBLICAN HANDS, I don't think it is really going to matter if Keith Ellison or Madonna heads the DNC. The short term outlook is that bad IMO.

[angrychair]

20. I think you understate the situation

If we cannot gain control of what states we can in the next two elections (2018 and 2020) and reverse the egregious gerrymandering or find some other legal mechanisms to challenge it, we are done forever. In this election we had won the popular vote for the presidency by millions and nationally Democrats got more votes in Senate and House races than republicans, millions and millions more but it didn't matter.

We either fight this agenda tooth and nail or we are screwed.

[idahoblue]

22. The Democratic leadership has no intention of ever winning again

They would remove a congressman, likely to be replaced by a repig, to head the DNC. Certainly there must be highly qualified, progressive democrats who can do a much better job. Ellison is an awesome guy but would be a lightning rod as head of the DNC. We need someone without negative baggage who does not already have a full time job. This is a job for two full time people, one to work a 50 state strategy and one to raise funds.

[demmiblue]

23. Can you provide some proof that a republican would likely replace him?

I know you can't.

Post-truth right here. Please proceed.

[rogue emissary]

24. The Minnesota Public Radio has a different take.

Rep. Ellison says he'll quit House if elected DNC chair

The district, which covers the city of Minneapolis and several nearby suburbs, is one of the safest in the country for Democrats. That's why several DFL office holders are considering a bid to replace Ellison. . . . . .

At least one Republican is ready to run.

Frank Drake ran against Ellison in November and lost by wide margin. Still, Drake says he's organized and ready to go again in a special election.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/12/07/keith-ellison-to-leave-us-house-if-elected-dnc-chair

[geek tragedy]

34. That is a safe blue district. nt

[Scruffy1]

40. HUh?

Minneapolis is more likely to elect a Socialist Alternative candidate than a Republican.

[rtracey]

27. whoever

Whoever it is better get this fucking party in gear or they will never win major elections again. Green party. independents, left leaning GOP...careful....

[MaeScott]

29. Excellent endorsement. It's time the Progressive Caucus stepped up.

[YOHABLO]

38. I just don't know enough about Ellison, other than he's a Muslim.

I wonder how that would play with bigoted right wingers. The DNC will be targeted by the right as being Muslim controlled. Just sayin. You know how that plays out in rural White Christian America.

[Scruffy1]

41. We already lost rural white pseudo Christians.

Put a D on your name and they will stone you.But they are small in number and crazy. If you have ever talked to one they are like zombies. Facts don't matter. Screw them. They are a paper tiger. We have to look to the future, they are the past. so he's a Muslim. I deal with Muslims everyday. Joke, talk about our problems.

[madokie]

42. Isn't Keith

of the Muslim faith? How will he be able to bring together the numbers we need if right off the bat many are going to be put off by his religion. I know religion shouldn't mean anything in all this but you all know as well as I do we have a bunch of racist mother croakers in this country

Personally I'm non-Religious. I'm not Atheist as that could be considered religious by some. I'm simply NON-RELIGIOUS and have been for at least 50 years now.

I personally see religion, no matter 'whose religion' as the root cause of most if not all strife in this world. I ascribe to the John Lennon way of thinking, " target="_blank">Imagine.