Why, Chairman Perez, Why?
Hello Chairman Perez. Thank you for having us here today.
My name is Sally Albright. You might recognize me from the Bernie Sanders Hit List published a few weeks ago. Then again, maybe not, because there was an X over my face.
I’m speaking on behalf of a group of activists, part of the resistance fighting for the Democratic base. We want you to know you have our full support, but there are some things we are confused about.
Chairman Perez, we don’t understand why you validated the conspiracy theory that the primary was rigged.
Or why you keep allowing the media to pair Republicans with Bernie Sanders without protesting that Democrats are not represented at all.
Why are you giving so much deference, and even considering changing our primary rules, to accommodate people who are not members of the party, have no intention of joining the party, don’t share our values, and don’t have our best interests at heart?
I am told that in the WV primary, the number of Trump voters sent by GOP to meddle in our primary was more than double the margin of victory. We need less of this, not more.
Why are you allowing Bernie and the Unity Commission to continue trashing the party when we need to focus on fighting Trump?
Why would you even consider setting fundraising limits for Democrats that don’t apply to Republicans?
Why did you take a “unity” tour without including any women or POC. Bernie made a fool out of you — Does that not bother you at all? Because it bothers us.
If you and Senator Schumer have decided to throw your lot in with the alt-left, who is left to speak for actual Democrats?
I know you are terrified of Bernie’s base, we all are, but the ones who would come around have already come around. Bernie supporters voted with us at the same levels as Hillary supporters voted for Obama. Those are the ones who share our values. We need leave the rest behind.
Our platform is sound. Both sides agreed to it one year ago this week. The problem is our messaging.
Democrats need to start defining ourselves instead of letting others define us as neoliberal corporate whore on one side, and terror-sympathizing socialists on the other. Activists like us get called these things, and even worse, almost every day.
Democrats need to distinguish ourselves from controversial fringe figures like Linda Sarsour, Bernie Sanders, and Michael Moore, sooner rather than later, because you can be sure the GOP plans to hang them around our necks in 2018. Every single one of our candidates will have to answer for them, and they shouldn’t have to.
There are 66 million of us and that number is growing everyday. Our message is better, but no one can here us.
Elections are won by capturing the center, and that is the way forward. We should be pursuing voters who are appalled by what Trump is doing, not the ones who are cheering him on.
White working class voters are not coming back. They didn’t leave the Democratic party because we refused to give them free college. They left because we stopped centering white people.
Women and people of color and other like-minded activist are not giving up our party without a fight. We need to know you are fighting with us, and for us.
Can a small group of us please meet with you discuss this further?
(Democrats: If you agree, please add your name in the comments below. Thank you so much for your support!)

