Who Are Independents And What Do They Want? (Marc Ambinder, The Atlantic)
REFORM
Open Primaries in Oregon?-An Initiative for Open Primaries Will Be on the November Ballot (Associated Content)
MAYOR BLOOMBERG GOES TO MINNEAPOLIS
- NY mayor in Twin Cities, says good things about McCain, Obama (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
- Bloomberg, on a Visit to Minneapolis, Urges Independents to Organize for Clout (NY Times) Mr. Bloomberg criticized the electoral process in places like New York City, where only those who are registered as Republicans or Democrats can participate in the primaries. He said the system essentially disenfranchises some 700,000 voters and gives undue clout to special-interest groups like labor unions.
- NYC mayor making the rounds in Twin Cities (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
- Bloomberg: No endorsement yet in presidential race (USA Today)
- Bloomberg withholds presidential endorsement (Minnesota Public Radio)
- MIKE: NIX $$ FOR PRIMARIES (NY Post)
- Bloomberg Declines To Endorse In Minnesota (CBS News/Horserace)
- Bloomberg Praises McCain, Obama (Washington Independent)
- Independent to the last, Bloomberg criticizes primaries, won't pick pres (DAILY NEWS)
- Bloomberg Told to Cool Pro-McCain Rhetoric (ABC News/Political Radar) The chairman of the Independence Party of Minnesota tells ABC News on Friday that his party members complained to him after he told the press Thursday that Mike Bloomberg's aides had signaled that the New York mayor was planning to use a Friday speech in Minneapolis to praise Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
3 comments:
Mayor Bloomberg fails to mention that a ballot measure that he promoted for nonpartisan NYC elections in 2003 (?) was rejected by 70% of the voters. A voter who wants to participate in a party primary should simply register with the party (unless the party invites independents to participate).
Re "NIX $$ FOR PRIMARIES": In 1995, a federal appeals court ruled that, when the state requires parties to hold primaries, the state must pay the costs of those primaries.
Re "Nix $$ FOR PRIMARIES". Political Parties are private organizations, there is no justification for tax money going to pay for the cost of an event being held by a private organization that can receive private donations.
I am aware of the 1995 appellate court ruling and I believe a case could be made that the ruling violated the "freedom of association" clause of the Constitution. The clause could be read to be a two way street, not just a one way street, I have the right to associate with any faction I choose to associate with, I also have the equal right NOT to associate with any faction I choose not to associate with. By forcing an individual to surrender part of his/her income (in the form of income taxation) or any kind of taxation for that matter, to fund a faction's activities, is essentially cohersing an individual into associating with an entity.
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