What Prop-14 is all about

As President Obama continues his pursuit of crucial independent swing votes for his 2012 campaign, we have another high-profile potential candidate tossing his name into the mix. Former mayor Rudy Giuliani is pushing for another presidential bid after his disastrous attempt in 2008. High profile politicians aside, I'd like to bring attention to Harry Kresky's article on Proposition 14. He illuminates the misconception that California's "top two" open primary prevents fair access to the ballot. Prop 14 rather provides more opportunities for voters to speak through a more inclusive nominating process. It's a matter of people vs. parties.


INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• President Obama Gains Advantage for Attracting the Independents (Posted by DaveWade, Daily Political) With the tax-cut deal, President Obama managed to move away from his liberal base and at the same time avoid a primary challenge. On the other hand House Speaker Boehner has a tougher task ahead when he must keep a conservation coalition at his back while trying to persuade the independent swing voters.

OPEN PRIMARIES

NOTE: Today's open primary news comes from the blogs

• Understanding Prop 14: It's Not About Ballot Access (By Harry Kresky, The Hankster) In a December 30, 2010 post on his Ballot Access News, Libertarian Richard Winger attacks “leaders of the former New Alliance Party,” for abandoning their commitment to ballot access reform . The “former leaders” are Jacqueline Salit, Lenora Fulani, Cathy Stewart and I, who have been in the forefront of the effort to bring nonpartisan elections, commonly called “Top Two,” to states and municipalities around the country.

• Idaho G.O.P. Seeks to Close Open Primaries (Posted on Audrey Perry's blog Legally Political: Campaign Finance, election and Ethics Law) quotes the NY Times article from this week

• What is Rudy Thinking? (Politics by Beast: An Equal Opportunity Offender, Andrew Carden) Giuliani's campaign would probably focus upon New Hampshire, where there are a decent number of moderate Republicans and Independents (keep in mind, it's an open primary). If Romney's campaign imploded, Giuliani might well be correct - a path might well open up for a more center-right candidate to find success.

NO LABELS

• Lieberman: No Labels Movement Blames Hyperpartisanship as Source of Violence (Firedoglake) Lieberman fielded questions from the movements members for roughly 30 minutes about his relationship to Gifford’s and how to stop this fervent separation of parties.

CALIFORNIA

• State Certifies Candidates for Special Election (By Paul Chavez, Redondo Beach Patch) There were 465,278 registered voters in the 28th District with 48.11 percent registered as Democrats, 24.99 percent Republicans, 2.1 percent American Independents, 0.62 percent Green, 0.58 percent Libertarian, 0.39 percent Peace and Freedom and 22.2 percent declining to state, according to information from the California Secretary of State's office.

NORTH CAROLINA

• Redistricting reforms (Winston Samlem Journal) Gov. Bev Perdue recently suggested that the newly elected Republican legislature establish an independent redistricting commission this year. The GOP should ignore her proposal. The timing isn't right, and even if it were, there's not enough time to do it properly.

COLORADO

• Remembering Ritter: Mix of roasts, toasts (By Leslie Jorgensen, THE COLORADO STATESMAN)

NEW YORK

• State Senate Democrats say “Keep your promise: pass the pledge” (Empire State News) On the first day of State Senate session, Senators designated “Heroes of Reform” by Mayor Ed Koch called on Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Senate leadership today to keep their promise and pass Mayor Koch’s “New York Uprising Heroes of Reform” pledge as the Senate’s first order of business in the New Year.

• Pol's rebel band White Hat Posse is in Cuomo's corner; Gustavo Rivera sworn in BOB KAPPSTATTER Tuesday, January 11th 2011, 4:00 AM NYDaily News