Some Questions for Independent Voters, Democracy Advocates and Third Parties

Is it possible to have political organization that isn't a political party? Can people impact policy without being organized as a voting bloc? How do you fight the power of entrenched corrupt partisan organizations without becoming one of them? Where does the issue of power come in? How can independents break out of paralysis? What is "personal democracy"? Isn't democracy by definition collective, and thus requires organization? Why do most minor parties object to open primaries? Wouldn't third parties be well served by inviting independents to participate in their candidate selection process? Is the Tea Party independent, or a right wing faction of the Repubs hoping to push the RP to the right?

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Politics is People, Not Parties (Future Majority/Craig Berger's Blog) Because our political arena is so intensely focused on parties, we lose focus on myriad facets of politics: the people, their needs, the dialogue itself.... As the excerpt above suggests, the emphasis on politics is people, not organizations...
•  THIS ARTICLE is also posted with commentary on Wire Tap Mag
•  NOTE: Author of the quoted text is Alejandro Ribo, who seems to be the European (Spanish) version of techPresident, which "was started by Andrew Rasiej and Micah L. Sifry as a crosspartisan group blog covering how the 2008 presidential candidates were using the web, and vice versa, how content generated by voters affected the campaign." Rasiej and Sifry host a yearly conference called Personal Democracy Forum centering around issues of communications technology, open internet policy, and government "transparency" that draws 1000 techies from across the country. Independent Mayor Mike Bloomberg was their keynote last year
• Tough love letter to African-Americans who don't vote and disrespect Dr. King's fight for our rights (Message from Montie, Chicago Now)
• Prominent black Democrat defends Reid--Donna Brazile argues the recession, connecting with independents will be senator’s obstacle (By Michael Mishak, Las Vegas Sun) “This will be more of a national election with a local taste to it,” Brazile said. “And independents remain the missing ingredient in every election stew I’ve come to analyze.”
• Independent Paralysis (Talk Talk, Fred Newman and Jackie Salit)

OPEN PRIMARIES

• GOP debate on primary raises specter of Avedisian vulnerability (by John Howell, Warwick Beacon RI)
• American Independent Party (Keyes Faction) Formally Resolves to Block Independents from Voting in AIP Primaries (Ballot Access News)

STATE RACES

• Hickenlooper's hat in ring for Colorado governorship (By Lynn Bartels, The Denver Post)
• Maverick voters in spotlight (By Edward Mason and Jessica Fargen, Boston Herald)

TEA PARTY

• In Power Push, Movement Sees Base in G.O.P. (By KATE ZERNIKE, NY Times)

JOIN ME TONIGHT!

Everything Independent: Rai-mon Nemar of Legendmag.net

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Friday, January 15

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The Hankster interviews Rai-mon Nemar, founder of LEGENDmag