Ken Martin is the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. The Party is facing conflict over David Hogg, an officer in the DNC, saying that he intends to raise and spend 20 million on primary challenges of some Democratic congresspeople. This, of course, outrage establishment, centrist Democrats.
In a May 15, 2025 Zoom meeting, Martin said:
I’ll be very honest with you, for the first time in my 100 days on this job … the other night I said to myself for the first time, I don’t know if I wanna do this anymore.
Addressing Hogg, Martin stated:
No one knows who the hell I am, right? I’m trying to get my sea legs underneath of me and actually develop any amount of credibility so I can go out there and raise the money and do the job I need to to put ourselves in a position to win. And again, I don’t think you intended this, but you essentially destroyed any chance I have to show the leadership that I need to. So it’s really frustrating.
Mr. Martin,
I am a registered Democratic voter. For the past three presidential elections, I held my nose as I voted for Hilary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris. None of these candidates were my first, second, or third choices in the primaries, but come the general election, I played the part of the dutiful son, voting for candidates that largely did not represent my values. All three candidates were centrist, corporate Democrats, much like Barack Obama and Bill Clinton before them.
In the 2016 presidential election, the DNC deliberately scuttled Bernie Sanders’ attempt to be the Democratic candidate for the highest office in the land. I almost left the party over this, but decided not to, hoping that change and reform would make the DNC more aware of the poor and working-class people they have largely abandoned for 30 pieces of silver from corporate donors.
It’s 2025, and now you and your fellow board members are trying to remove David Hogg and Malcolm Kenyatta from their respective DNC offices. You tried to suggest that board members should be neutral, but it’s hard for me not to laugh considering what the DNC did to Bernie Sanders in 2016. Here’s what I do know, if you vote Hogg and Kenyatta out of office, I’m done with the Democratic Party. And I know that I am not alone when I say this. You are misreading the lay of the land if you think that removing them from office will be inconsequential.
Hogg is right when he says the Democratic Party needs a spring housecleaning. This was clear to me when Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attempted to become the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee. Ocasio-Cortez’s attempt was turned away, and the seat went to a 75-year-old man with cancer, Gerry Connolly. Months later, Conolly died. Why was Connolly given the seat? Seniority. He was next in line, the thinking went.
Enough of the seniority nonsense and waiting your turn. We need young, fresh candidates to successfully run for office. We need these same young people to shake up the good old boys network that currently controls the Democratic Party. Until we stop being the “nursing home party,” we can expect to continue to lose elections and, worse, lose congressional seats. If Democrats want to retake the White House and Congress, they must stop trotting out the same ancient politicians, thinking that the American people won’t notice who ISN’T running for office. Well, count me as someone who IS paying attention, and unless there is a big turnaround, I have no intention of spending more of my time and money supporting a clueless political party that has lost its way.
I have bitten my tongue numerous times over the years, as Democrats promoted policies and agendas I disagree with. I have screamed and cussed as Democrats supported the military-industrial complex and gave tacit approval of Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people. Time after time, I wondered why I support a party that has largely abandoned liberal, progressive values. And what do some Democrats want the party to do? Move to the center or even right-center. Are you fucking kidding me? We need to own these values, letting the American people know that Democrats are on the side of poor and working-class people. Of course, this is hard to do when most Democrats are sucking on the teat of corporate and big-money donors.
Let me be clear, Mr. Martin, if Hogg and Kenyatta go, so do I. No, I won’t become a Republican. Republicans are wholly given over to fascism and lawbreaking, supporting the toddler king, Donald Trump. That said, it is evident that our two-party system is broken beyond repair. MSNBC can keep telling me that Republicans are the problem — and they are — but the Democratic Party has more than enough blame and culpability to go around.
Sincerely,
Bruce Gerencser
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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I agree 100 percent!
Well done Bruce. We had a chance to support a man that actually gave a shit about poor and working class Americans, the old, the sick, the environment and the Constitution. That being Bernie Sanders of course.
I applaud your post, and would be happy to sign off as a supporter if you require signatories.
Regards,
You’re reading my mind!
You are correct. What we need is a more than 2 party system because this way we are caught between Democrats and Republicans. To me this is not how a democracy should be. Many European countries have democracies in which there can be more than 2 parties.
I thought Hilary Clinton and Kamala Harris were OK. However we need people like AOC and Bernie Sanders. I wish I could vote for one of them for president.
However bad the Democrats are now, please do not stop voting The Republicans are even worse and we need to keep them out however we can.
If Bernie Sanders were a UK politician he’d be seen as just left of centre. I don’t know much about him but he seems to talk common sense and decency. Sadly in a country that is able to elect as president a horrific narcissist like Trump the political shift needed to elect Sanders is just too great.
I was a donor to Bernie’s campaign and I agree with you Bruce. I would only correct your characterization of the USA’s position on the genocide against Palestinians. Biden’s attitude was hardly tacit and the billions in annual grants, (not loans), going to Israel, contradict that the USA is in any way tacit about the Israeli occupation. The USA in your name and mine is complicit in what is going on in Palestine.
I agree. Most of the munitions killing civilians are either US made or US paid for. We indeed have hands dripping with Palestinian blood. Israel talks a big talk about “neutralizing” Iran. Does anyone really think Israel would be doing all this saber rattling without American support and billions of dollars of U.S. taxpayer’s money? Not a chance.
Sanders was the first political candidate we gave a donation (multiple). He, by far, is the politician closest to my personal political beliefs. I’m a fan of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Katy Porter, and Elizabeth Warren too. There are others too. I admire and support numerous politicians. There was a time when there were Republicans on my list, but I can’t think of one today. It seems the whole party is infected with the MAGA virus.
As you know, Ohio was, years ago, a politically diverse state. While I voted Republican at the time, I never worried if the Democrats won. I knew that the seats of power bounced back and forth between the two parties. My senators back then were Howard Metzenbaum and John Glenn. My senators today? Two fucking idiots; idiots who seem to support burning 🔥 down the federal government. 🤬🤬 The Bible says, in the last days, perilous times shall come, and a leader will rise up and cause a strong delusion to permeate the land so the people will believe a lie. The Bible might be right on this one.😢😢
Bingo. As I talk with my Gen Z kids, they say, “I don’t want to vote for Candidate X because they’re too corporately aligned.” The younger generation see little hope. They are having a hell of a time finding jobs that pay a livable wage; housing is unaffordable; even if they wanted to start a family (which many young women don’t because of the increasingly right-skewing of young men their age), they can’t afford it. My 23-year-old son makes $50k a year plus works weekends making an extra $20] and he can’t afford his own apartment. He’s waiting for his buddies to save some $$$ to be able to go in together on renting a place, splitting rent. My 25-year-old daughter makes almost $90k a year and can afford her $1500/month apartment and used car, but that was all after living 1.5 years with relatives paying $250 a month rent as they were helping her get on her feet. I have 2 nieces who graduated from high school in 2024 and 2023 who can only find jobs at Home Depot and McDonald’s making low wages – they can’t afford to move out. My nephew just graduated high school and is dropping $20k on school to become a lineman, and hopefully he’ll be able to get a job after. These young people didn’t do anything wrong – the US is failing them. And the Democrats need to wake up, listen, and promote the younger candidates who understand and want to fight for the people. The GOP have listened but redirected their constituents to hate Trans and brown people instead of meeting needs. I’d bet if Democrats changed gears and actually addressed economic needs, they could peel off some GOP voters to support real change instead of getting outraged about pronouns and voting for bitcoin billionaires.
I can’t get my head properly round UK vs US salary levels. Okay the US dollar is around 75% of the UK pound, but it’s been near parity at times in the last few years. In the UK a salary of £50k is regarded as high pay. Average salaries are nearer £37k, though this is inflated by the number of high earners, £500k plus. If you earn £100k then you’re regarded as a real high earner. For example, my son is an army major and earns around £60k. My daughter works with horses and earns maybe £25k. Rents are high, obviously dependent on location, but becoming more popular than buying. I suppose part of the difference is healthcare costs, but I suspect it’s more complicated than just this.
Healthcare costs are a BIG problem. Last year, 25% of our income went towards premiums, deductibles, copays, and a high maximum out of pocket of $6,750. That’s if you are in-network. Out of network has a $9,000 maximum out of pocket. Premiums alone are almost $4,000.
Insurance is expensive, even if you don’t use it. Have serious health problems? Prepare to be driven to the brink of bankruptcy. We owe hospitals and doctors thousands of dollars, on which we make a minimum of five payments each month. Don’t make your payments? Expect to be denied services.
It is far cheaper to just die. 😢😢🤣
We criticise our health system in the UK which is under immense pressure, partly because it’s so expensive to maintain, and partly because we expect far too much of it, but at least it doesn’t bankrupt you. 25% of income to fund healthcare costs seems an awful lot but I suppose would be acceptable if the system worked (which it clearly doesn’t as US healthcare costs per capita are the highest in the western world), and is no use if you aren’t employed. I’ve taken out a private health plan the last few years to give me quicker access to services than the NHS can provide, but I’m starting to realise that it’s all a bit of a con, as accessing it immediately triggers excesses, increases premiums for subsequent years, and leads to exclusions. I think in future I’m going to stick with the NHS, warts and all, and concentrate on trying to stay as healthy as I can. It’s a pity healthcare in the US is so political.