Today is primary day and 3.5 million Flori

Friday, December 18, 2009

Independents Angry White Men? What about all the angry progressive black, white, Latina and Asian women and men?

Media discussion of a return to 90s "angry white male" profile of independent voters BIG OMISSION -- the face of independents is increasingly black, Latino, Asian, female, and progressive.... but let 'em rant! [See section 6 of Jackie Salit's How the Independent Movement Went Left by Going Right]  Whoever independents are, Mark Silva got it right -- they dislike both parties. Independents don't like partisanship. Period... ****** Discussion of open primaries (there's a "Top Two" referendum on the ballot in California in June 2010) is really heating up! Proponents think open primaries is good for democracy, opponents think minor parties won't be able to hold onto their 2%... What do YOU think??... ******* The Working Families Party is taking the heat for becoming relevant in NYC's recent election... ****** And here's the good news: Frank MacKay's maneuver to take over the Reform Party by conference call was deemed outside the law by a US District Court judge..... Now, there's a wise decision!

INDEPENDENT VOTERS
OPEN PRIMARIES and ELECTORAL REFORM
  • Cornyn Optimistic But Wants RNC Help (By Reid Wilson, National Journal/Hotline) "If there's any lesson that people should have learned about New York 23, it's that when you have closed primaries and a closed-door selection process, people are going to find a way to express their will," Cornyn said. "I think the answer to all that is contested, open primaries, and our goal of course is to, hopefully the Republican nominee, whoever that is, will not be bloodied and broke at the end of the process, because ultimately the goal is to win the general election. I think through that open primary process, all that will be resolved in a satisfactory way."
  • Senate Approves Bill Allowing Non-Partisan Municipal Elections To Move To November (NJ Today)
  • KY: Time running out to change your political party affiliation (Thomas McAdam, Louisville City Hall Examiner) NOTE: BR 222, the open primary bill that newly elected State Senator Jimmy Higdon pre-filed in the state assembly last March, would: “permit a registered independent to vote in the primary of one party for each primary…provide that a primary candidate shall not be a registered independent [and] provide that electronic voting machines be reprogrammed to allow a registered independent to vote for a party’s candidates in a primary.”  Higdon was elected with support from Michael P.W. Lewis and Independent Kentucky.
  • ACLU Files Lawsuit Against Three Nebraska Ballot Access Restrictions (Ballot Access News)
  • Letter [Richard Winger]: Problems plague open primary (Appeal Democrat - CA)
STATE RACES
WORKING FAMILIES PARTY
REFORM PARTY
  • Federal Court in New York Issues Ruling in Internal Reform Party Dispute (Ballot Access News) On December 16, U.S. District Court Judge Joseph F. Bianco, a Bush, Jr., appointee, issued an opinion in MacKay v Crews, eastern district, 09-cv-2218. He ruled that the 2008 national convention of the Reform Party in Texas was a valid convention. Therefore, the national officers elected at that convention are the rightful holders of the party’s trademarks and logos. Those officers are: chair David Collison, vice-chair Rodney Martin, secretary Janelle Skinner-Weill, and treasurer Beverly Kennedy.
  •  DECISION PDF

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