What the choice between Chuck Schumer and Chris Van Hollen for Senate leader is all about

This is not a personality contest. This is a debate about the future of the Democratic party

The election for Democratic Senate leader between Chuck Schumer and Chris Van Hollen must be understood for what it is.

This is not a personality contest. This is a debate about the future of the Democratic party. It is a debate about whether the Democratic party remains a top-down party dominated by billionaire campaign contributors, inside-the-beltway consultants and 30-second TV ads, or whether we can transform it into a grassroots party of, by and for the working families of our country.

The election for Democratic Senate leader will determine whether we continue to tinker around the edges and maintain status quo policies, or whether we finally have the courage to take on enormously powerful special interests and address the unprecedented crises that we face.

Do we address the issue of oligarchy, obscene income and wealth inequality, and the reality that never before in the history of our country have so few people held so much wealth and so much power?

Do we address the issue of a corrupt campaign finance system and their Super Pacs, which enables billionaires to buy elections and undermine our democracy?

Do we address the issue that, in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, 60% of our people live paycheck to paycheck, we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of any major country and millions of seniors are unable to retire with dignity

Do we address the reality that our current healthcare system is dysfunctional, wildly expensive and that we are the only major country on earth that does not guarantee healthcare for all as a human right?

Do we address the reality that artificial intelligence, the most transformative technology in history, is being pushed down our throats by a handful of big tech billionaires who couldn’t care less about the wellbeing of ordinary Americans?

Do we address the reality that climate change is causing deadly heatwaves, massive forest fires, drought and extreme weather disturbances and will only get worse if don’t transform our energy systems away from fossil fuels and into energy efficiency and sustainable energy?

Do we address the reality that our immigration system is broken and that we have, with ICE, a domestic army that has killed Americans in cold blood and has acted in cruel, illegal and unconstitutional ways?

Do we address the reality that the wars in Vietnam, Iraq and the current war in Iran were based on lies and that we need to fundamentally rethink our foreign policy, including continued military funding to the extremist government in Israel?

Bottom line: whether we like it or not, our country faces some extraordinary and unprecedented crises. Do we seriously address these difficult challenges, and restore the faith of the American people that their government can improve their lives, or do we continue the same old, same old politics?

In large measure, that is what this Senate Democratic leadership election is all about.

Bernie Sanders is a US senator, and ranking member of the health, education, labor and pensions committee. He represents the state of Vermont and is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress