The American People Did Not Vote for Unyielding Partisanship

"The American people did not vote for gridlock.  They didn't vote for unyielding partisanship. They're demanding cooperation and they're demanding progress.  And they'll hold all of us -- and I mean all of us -- accountable for it." (Barak Obama to Congressional leaders)

President Obama was quoted widely in the press this week "warning" Congressional leaders to come together "or else"...

David Axelrod told Judy Woodruff in an interview on Tuesday: "We have shared responsibilities now as a result of the election. It's very, very important that there be open lines of communication. I'm not going to be Pollyannish about it. There are big differences. That's why we have two parties. But it is important that, where we can find common ground, we do, especially on these fundamental issues like the economy and national security."


The real question is how are the parties able to bully an American President who was elected by a coalition of independents, blacks, progressives and young people? Over 40% of Americans consider themselves independent but 99% of Congress belongs to either the Democratic or Republican parties -- and they literally live by taking in each other's wash.  And, as historian Omar Ali likes to say, "Those Who Make the Rules, Rule". That's why independents are working on structural political reform -- and growing like wild!

And now for the news:

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Joe Scarborough must use the power of civility to save the debt panel report (BY ALEX PAREENEAP, Salon)
• Talk Box: Independents Are Just Waiting to Be Triangulated (NY Magazine)
• Debt-Busting Issue May Force Obama Off Fence (By MATT BAI, NY Times) In truth, though, Mr. Obama has almost invariably sought to position himself halfway between traditionalism and reform, just as his vague notions of “hope” and “change” during the 2008 campaign were meant to appeal simultaneously to both disaffected independent voters and core progressives. And in virtually every case, he has satisfied pretty much no one.

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Some GOP Leaders Want Closed Primaries - Crossover Voting A Concern (Reported By Cara Kumari, WSMV - Nashville) Tennessee has open primaries, meaning that voters can choose to vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary the day they go to the polls, but some Republican Party leaders want to change that.

BALLOT ACCESS

• Nader Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Hear His Hawaii Ballot Access Case (Ballot Access News) Nader argues that requiring six times as many signatures for an independent presidential candidate than for a new party is not even rational.  The 9th circuit had upheld the law in an unsigned short opinion on September 1, 2010.

NEW YORK

• Helping Build Senate Democrats’ Debt, $6 Million In Outside Consultants And Vendors (By Edward-Isaac Dovere, City Hall News) The Working Families Party Campaign Committee placed second among the top recipients of DSCC cash, with a $1.1 million haul.
• Bill Samuels Stumps For Redistricting (Dave Lucas, AUDIO, WAMC Northeast Public Radio)  Time is running out for the legislature to approve an amendment to the state Constitution that would create an independent redistricting authority.

EDUCATION REFORM

• Digital Learning Council Releases 'Road Map' to Ed. Overhaul (By Ian Quillen, Education Week)