Swingers: The New Voting Bloc That Could Change Politics Forever (Huffington Post) It wasn't the Democratic base that nominated Barack Obama; the establishment was solidly in line for the coronation of Hillary Clinton. But Swingers stepped in and turned Obama from an inspiring story to the real deal.... Find out if your state has open primaries and push your elected officials to make the switch if it doesn't.
OPEN PRIMARIES/POLITICAL REFORM
- Possible Solution to the Conflict Between Supporters of “Top-Two” and Minor Party and Independent Activists (Ballot Access News)
- The New York County Lawyers' Association's Election Law Committee will hold a public forum Thursday on the question of open primaries, and the line-up - from Independence Party attorney Harry Kresky to Post City Hall Bureau Chief David Seifman (acting as the moderator - is sure to make for a lively discussion. (NY Daily News/Daily Politics) CUIP's Jackie Salit also speaking in favor of open primaries...
- Prop. 11 won by not talking about redistricting (San Francisco Chronicle) instead of running a campaign about the glories of "communities of interest" and "geographically compact districts," the Prop. 11 team leaned on one of those evergreen slogans of California politics: "Let's throw the bums out."
WHAT'S IDEOLOGY GOT TO DO WITH IT?
- For Obama, moderates held key to election (Politico) these voters want a transformation in politics and government that is every bit as profound as those on the left. Yet they are often frustrated by what they see as a series of false policy choices, hemmed in by narrow and outdated ideological battles. Thus, for a transformation to take hold with the American middle, it must reflect the values of post-partisanship, pragmatism and patriotism.
- Third Way President Jonathan Cowan’s Statement on the Election of 2008 -- “A Moderate In Moderate’s Clothing” - Obamism and The Future of Progressive Politics (Third Way Press Release)
- Calling U.S. center-right gets it wrong (Atlanta Journal Constitution) Before the election, Republicans argued that Obama’s proposals on issues such as the economy and health care were so radical they amount to socialism. Now some of those same people argue that Obama ran as a centrist, and therefore has no mandate to pursue progressive policies (The day after the election, Karl Rove claimed, “Barack Obama understands this is a center-right country and he smartly and wisely ran a campaign that emphasized it.”). Both of these things cannot simultaneously be true.
- Obama from change agent to pragmatist (AP) Obama: "One of the dangers in a White House, based on my reading of history, is that you get wrapped up in group-think and everybody agrees with everything and there's no discussion and there are no dissenting views," he said. "So I am going to be welcoming a vigorous debate inside the White House.
- 18 Million Independents Voted for Obama (Independent Voting) In 1992 the independent movement in America was a center-right movement. In 2008, the independent movement is center-left. That's a shift...
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