Independent Voters: Yes, Government is Broken. Now What?

Independents have had a busy week! CNN appears to be developing an independent track with the Don Lemon independent panel of Dr. Omar Ali, Joe Gandelman and Nicole Kurokawa --- looking forward to tonight's broadcast Sunday (6:20-6:40), February 21st, to discuss "Broken Government" from an independents' perspective ... Wish I could easily find a link but you might have to Go Fish....


And then there's the OpEds by Jackie Salit, a leading independent activist-analyst in the Christian Science Monitor "Tea Party Activists: Don't Confuse Them With Independents" and Huffington Post "Independents See Through Washington's Magic Show" about the independent movement relative to both Barack Obama's base of support and Tea Party Republicans...


A critical issue for independents this year is: Will we or won't we be invited to the party? (HINT: Don't hold your breath! Most independents don't like parties, partisanship and the rules that come with them.) Open primaries is on the political reform agenda in no less than 8 states, with nonpartisan independent activists on the ground challenging and chipping away at discriminatory legislation and party rules that prevent independent voters from participating, AND not an insignificant point, prevent innovation in our dysfunctional democracy. 

• Be sure to read up on the fight in California over Prop 14, the so-called "Top Two" Primary referendum. The fight boils down to whether the parties or the people have the legal right to determine our voting process. Unfortunately, IMnsHO (In My not so Humble Opinion) Richard Winger, the country's premier ballot access expert, opposes open primaries because minor parties (he speaks for the Libertarian Party) would have to run against the 'big guys' in the first round of voting. Richard is not alone -- Bob Cuddy writes (presumably) from a Libertarian Party perspective, and Michael Rosen, attorney in Carmel Valley and the secretary of the San Diego County Republican Party. 

And finally, is the Tea Party independent? Well, no. But they might well pull the Repubs more to the right...


INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Independents See Through Washington's Magic Show (Jackie Salit, Huffington Post)
• Iowa's independent voters turning away from Obama (THOMAS BEAUMONT, Des Moines Register)

OPEN PRIMARIES

• California Bill to Let Precinct Officials Tell Independent Voters They May Vote in Partisan Primaries is Still Active (Ballot Access News)
• Christina Tobin to Formally Announce Candidacy for California Secretary of State (Independent Political Report) She's against open primaries  NOTE: Richard Winger is her campaign manager
• Former Democratic and Republican Governors Demand that Independents Join the Democratic or Republican Parties (Independent Political Report)
• FORMER GOVERNOR: CHOOSE A POLITICAL PARTY OR LEAVE THE COUNTRY (by Chad Peace, CAIVN)
• ‘Open’ plan closes out third parties (By Bob Cuddy, San Luis Obispo Tribune) 
• “Open Primary” measure is anything but (BY MICHAEL M. ROSEN, San Diego News Room)

TEA PARTY/CBS News/New York Times Poll

• Time Garbles Poll Numbers to Puff Tea Party Popularity (Peter Hart, FAIR blog)