California Starts 2011 with Open Primaries

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• OpIndependent: The Declaration of Independents (By Michael Weymouth, Wicked Local Hingham) It could be argued that Independents should occupy a space halfway between liberals and conservatives, but the word independent allows one to go wherever one chooses within that space.
• 54 Percent of Voters Oppose FCC Net Neutrality Rules, Report Says (By: Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine) Republicans and independent voters were overwhelmingly opposed to the FCC's net neutrality rules, Rasmussen said.

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Don't limit political choice (LETTER Casper WY Tribune) SF13 is a bad piece of legislation and shouldn't see the light of day. if anything there should be a bill introduced for open primaries.
• Mandate two-year budgets, remove outdated red tape for businesses (By Abel Maldonado, Special to The Sac Bee) Since [Prop 14's] passage, party bosses have challenged the measure in several courts - each and every time I've intervened to defend this important reform. I'm proud that I've been successful and in 2012, every primary election will be open to all voters - regardless of party.
• Our View: Promise, challenges in new year (Merced Sun Star) Under the old system, Democrats and Republicans tended to nominate candidates from the extremes of their parties. Now candidates will have to appeal to all voters instead of merely the partisan voters from their parties.
• Schwarzenegger delivers final weekly address (by Lilian Kim , ABC Local KGO San Francisco) "With redistricting and open primaries, we passed the greatest political reforms since Hiram Johnson."

POLITICS 2011

• Blacks gravitate toward Braun for Chicago mayor (By Don Babwin-Associated Press, Washington Times)

EDUCATION REFORM

• Four Reasons Finland’s Schools are Better Than Ours (posted by: Ann Bibby, Care2.com) Finland does not promote the idea of educating its young as a competition. Schools work in tandem and cooperation is the rule rather than the freakish exception. Interestingly, Shanghai – whose students bested Finland in math and science this year – also shuns the competitive model of school reform.