TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• * Colorado governor mum on Sen. Salazar replacement (By STEVEN K. PAULSON, AP) Ken Salazar's centrism and willingness to defy party leaders have helped him in a state where there are more registered independent voters than either Democrats or Republicans. Most states leave the choice of appointing U.S. senators to the governor.
  
• * Rasmussen: Americans Losing Confidence in Teachers Unions (By JAZZ SHAW, The Moderate Voice) While 78% of Republicans and 66% of unaffiliated voters say teachers’ jobs are the chief focus of the unions, only 55% of Democrats agree.
  
• * Blago impact likely slight (By David Hill, The Hill) “The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons.” ...Among independents, though, cynicism cuts deep. Forty percent of these swing voters in an increasingly competitive Texas say that neither party is ethical. Fully one-half, 50 percent, of all independent male voters hold to that jaundiced view of political misbehavior in the Lone Star State.
  
• * The Big Divisons on the Big Three (Washington Post) WaPo/ABC poll: Democrats, Midwesterners and Northeasterners are more likely to support a cash infusion for Detroit (though tepidly, at best), while residents of the South and West, Republicans and independents tilt against the proposed aid package.
  
• * Tragic Figures (Talk Talk) Newman: And obviously, they've found ways to get around the 17th Amendment. But you could make filling a vacancy a "mechanical" process – i.e. a special election – which is not a bad thing. You might even call it more representative, because you involve the people, the voters.

NEW YORK POLITICS/INDEPENDENCE PARTY

* Former Staten Islander feted at Anti-Corruption Awards ceremony (By KIAWANA RICH, STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE) If a young person like Tali Leger is any indication, the future of the New York City Independence Party is in good hands.... In addition, eight other individuals were honored, including Richard Winger of California, the nationally recognized ballot access expert and editor of Ballot Access News. About 200 individuals attended the event, which doubles as the party's biggest fundraiser, bringing in $45,000.