Want to Fix Broken Government? Independents Say Structural Political Reform

Everyone wants to know what independents want. The short answer is structural political reform. Some of this weeks top stories below:

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• CNN's Don Lemon with Independents Omar Ali, Joe Gandelman and Nicole Kurokawa on Broken Government VIDEO on The Hankster and The Moderate Voice and link on Independent Political Report
• Bennet waits on reform stance - The Colorado senator wants to see how today's summit goes. (By PETER ROPER, THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN) LIVE-STREAM FROM HEALTH CARE SUMMIT ON CNN HERE
• Outsider Image So Hot Even Ex-Insiders Want It (By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, NY Times)
• Rossi paying attention to short-attention-span voters (By Joni Balter, Seattle Times) Watch this movement twist and turn. When an Asotin County Tea Party-ite called for Murray to be hung, that shameful outburst had potential to be transformative. Independent voters do not want to be pals with anyone who talks like that!

CALIFORNIA PROP 14 "TOP TWO" OPEN PRIMARY

• MAJORITY OF CALIFORNIA VOTERS FEEL OPEN PRIMARY IS AN IMPORTANT REFORM OPTION (by Ryan Jaroncyk, CAIVN)
• OPEN PRIMARY INITIATIVE (CAIVN)
• Why Independents are Better Off With More Than Two Choices on the November Ballot (By Richard Winger, The Hankster) NOTE: This oped is a result of conversations between The Hankster and the noted ballot access expert Richard Winger. The Hankster SUPPORTS open primaries and Prop 14, but has decided to provide a forum for other opinions by independents and minor party spokespeople on this important California referendum.
• Will Prop. 14 kill third parties? (By JOHN SEILER, Cal Watchdog)
• Voters Undecided On Solutions To California’s Economic Problems (By Raul Furlong, Fox and Hounds Daily)
• California Ballot Pamphlet Arguments on Propositions Now On-Line (Ballot Access News)

FAIR ELECTIONS NOW ACT

• Paul Silver (Austin Centrist) recommends that independents get behind the "bipartisan" Fair Elections Now bill. The Fair Elections Now Act (S. 752 and H.R. 1826) was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and in the House of Representatives by Reps. John Larson (D-Conn.) and Walter Jones, Jr. (R-N.C.). The bill would allow federal candidates to choose to run for office without relying on large contributions, big money bundlers, or donations from lobbyists, and would be freed from the constant fundraising in order to focus on what people in their communities want. SEE ALSO: Last week's cover story for The Nation by Change Congress's Lawrence Lessig "How to Get Our Democracy Back"...

REDISTRICTING

• Do Gerrymanders Come in Shades of Red and Blue? (By: Emily Badger, Miller-McCune)

COLORADO

• Panel OKs unaffiliated candidate bill (by Joe Hanel, Durango Herald Denver Bureau)
• Unaffiliated lawmaker wants to change Colo. ballot rules - Rep. Kathleen Curry, a rancher from Gunnison, wants to make it easier for other independent candidates to get on the ballot (COLLEEN SLEVIN, Vail Daily)
• Curry teams with Riddle in lawsuit-Neither unaffiliate can get on ballot (by Joe Hanel, Durango Herald Denver Bureau)

PENNSYLVANIA

• Term limits a start to reforming county government (PAUL GOLIAS, Citizens Voice Wilkes Barre PA)

RHODE ISLAND

• Brown poll: Chafee easily wins governor’s race (By JIM TARICANI, Channel 10 Providence)