Thursday, February 23, 2012
For the first time in living memory -- independent voters will play a major role in all of California's elections
Independents will be key to upcoming California elections (Jason Olson LETTER Sac Bee) In 2012 -- for the first time in living memory -- independent voters will play a major role in all of California's elections.
Re "Democrats go at GOP, each other" (Capitol & California, Feb. 13): In 2012 -- for the first time in living memory -- independent voters will play a major role in all of California's elections.
Thanks to open primaries and redistricting reform passed by voters in previous elections, all candidates now must run against each other in an open field, where all voters can participate. To get elected, candidates now need to win the support of independent voters. Independent voters have no intention of giving that support away for free.
Independents are deeply concerned about a political dialogue dominated by what's best for the parties rather than what's best for the American people. Independents want critical reforms to our political process to shift that balance of power away from the parties and towards the voters. Candidates looking to win their elections should take note of the independent movement for nonpartisan reform.
-- Jason Olson, San Francisco
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I have been waiting for this ever since the ballot measures passed in the last election. It will be so interesting to see if the open primary coupled with the top two vote getters moving to the general election will change anything any time soon.
As it stands now, California is cursed by hard core left wing and hard core right wing political and religious ideology. The question is whether there is a place in U.S. politics or in California for true pragmatism, not just moderate compromise, assuming that's one's definition of being a moderate. My opinion is that what's missing from U.S. politics isn't just moderate compromise but also true, non-ideological pragmatism, compromising or not.
Time will tell. I'm jazzed, that's for sure. With any luck, the new rules will cause boatloads of real heartburn for both the democratic and republican parties here in the messed up golden state.
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