LIVE FROM KENTUCKY -- it's Wednesday Night! (July 11th)

"IK LIVE" is Wednesday, July 11th @ 7:30pm ESD

www.IKLIVE.tv

Have you had a tough time finding “IK LIVE!” in the past? Never fear www.IKLIVE.tv is here! As of May 1st 2012 Independent Kentucky has launched IKLIVE.tv that links directly to our Ustream account. That means you can get right to the live or most resent show.  Don’t forget to catch Wednesday night’s show!

Online at http://independentkentucky.com/

Michael Lewis, Moneyballs, and the Global Economic Collapse

LAST WORD

• It’s Good to Be Michael Lewis - He could have made a fortune in business. Instead, he made a fortune writing about it. Plus—a fortune for everyone he writes about. (By Jessica Pressler, New York Magazine) Lewis is often referred to as a business writer, and this is sort of true, in that his narratives usually focus on some kind of market, be it for bonds or baseball players. But he’s a business writer only in the same way that Malcolm Gladwell is a business writer. What most interests him are people and how they behave. He tends to favor stories about mavericks—like the Tuohys, Beane, Whitney, and Steve Eisman, the eccentric short-seller star of The Big Short—smart people who identify gaps of logic and market inefficiencies, and take advantage of them.
• Michael Lewis is an American contemporary non-fiction author. (Charlie Rose) Online interview

NOTE: This Michael Lewis is not the Michael Lewis who chairs Independent Kentucky, but they both have important things to say about what's happening in politics....!

Indie KY Gov Speaks Out at Fancy Farm

KENTUCKY
Governor criticized for shying away from politics during speech (by By Mallory Panuska, The Paducah Sun ) Galbraith has consistently said that he is a perennial candidate because Kentucky has perennial problems. He is running on the platform that he will rid the state of the partisan politics that are creating all of commonwealth’s issues.

See more about independent Kentucky politics here.

KY Independent Gov Candidate Gatewood Galbriath Booted from Fancy Farm Picnic

KENTUCKY

• Candidates for Governor battle it out at Fancy Farm (By Tamara Evans, WDRB) Governor Steve Beshear, the Democratic candidate for Governor ... didn't get into political topics, keeping his focus on the military. Republican Candidate David Williams ripped on Beshear's record, while Independent candidate Gatewood Galbraith called Beshear's speech about the military the worst that he had heard.
• Campaign Staffer Summarizes Galbraith’s Trip to Fancy Farm (Devin Katayama, WFPL) Meet William Bowe. As Kentucky politicians made their annual trip to the Fancy Farm Picnic this past weekend, Bowe was traveling with Independent gubernatorial candidate Gatewood Galbraith. NOTE: Bowe is the Communications Director for Independent Kentucky

Debt Ceiling "Debate" - Independent Voters Are the Name of the Game

As the Hottest Show on Earth rages in the mainstream media, a very much less-than-sexy campaign is being waged for structural political reform from the grassroots. For example, Michael Lewis and William Bowe from Independent Kentucky (IK) met with Congressman John Yarmouth. IK has been leading a fight to open the primaries. Said Lewis "We highlighted how Kentucky and other states in this nation are keeping willing voters out of the process. We informed him we are going to bring him petitions and postcards from people in his district who support these issues." Rep. Yarmouth acknowledged that open primaries create a more representative government.

Independent Kentucky conducted an online monthly meeting last night which you can catch here in recorded form (go to approx 7 min. in to correct for tech issues). About IK: Independent Kentucky started three years ago (2008) while we were conducting political and economic research as independent voters in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. At the time, no outlets existed for independent-minded individuals who wanted to become active in state politics. We found a large number of independent voters but with no organization. The national independent movement (independentvoting.org and others) and some state independent movements were making ground, but none in or around the Commonwealth. Kentucky has a broad classification for us; we are the “other” voters. We seized the opportunity to build a base for the independent voters of the great Commonwealth of Kentucky. This is how Independent Kentucky became the growing organization it is today.

In the meantime, see below for the most (expensive) compelling political theater going!


DEBT CEILING DEBATE

• Obama is winning on debt debate, but there’s no room for moral victories (By Sam Youngman, The Hill) For Obama and his campaign, the name of the game is winning independent voters. Obama feels confident he is not going to get a challenge from his left, which allows him to offer concessions on Medicare and Social Security, including, according to Democrats familiar with the negotiations, an increase in the age to accept Medicare benefits in 2036.
• This Game of ‘Debt Chicken’ Is Getting Scary (By Morton M. Kondracke, Roll Call Executive Editor) You’d think, given the stakes, that each side might demonstrate statesmanship, bargaining hard but preparing to give for the sake of the country. That may be happening out of public view — one can only hope. In public, though, the sides are hardening. Obama is insisting on a $4 trillion “big deal.” He’s trying to look both leaderly and reasonable so that independent voters blame Republicans for a default disaster.
• Obama Owns the Debt-Ceiling Fiasco (By KARL ROVE, Wall Street Journal) The president's two most recent press conferences, in which he accused the GOP of foot-dragging, convinced Republicans that he was interested in scoring political points and attracting independents, not facilitating a deal. 
• Editorial: The Media Are In The Bag For Obama (Investors Business Daily) The debt talks handed President Obama a timely opportunity to position himself as a centrist for the 2012 elections and win back independents who've been abandoning him. Of course, the idea that Obama is a moderate is ludicrous to anyone who's even casually followed this presidency.
• Pessimism deepens as economic concerns rise: Reuters/Ipsos poll (By John Whitesides, Reuters) But voters do not appear to be holding President Barack Obama responsible for the problems so far. Obama's approval rating held relatively steady at 49 percent, down 1 percentage point from June. His approval rating among independents -- a group Obama needs to win re-election -- fell to 39 percent from 44 percent.
• Quinnipiac poll finds more voters would blame GOP on debt (By Alicia M. Cohn, The Hill/Blog Briefing Room) Twenty percent of Republicans would hold their party mainly responsible, and 49 percent of the Independent voters both parties are trying to attract would put more responsible on the GOP. Thirty-three percent of Independents would put more responsibility on the administration.

Independent Kentucky's Michael Lewis Online Meeting Tonight at 7:30pm

A new and interactive way for independent Kentuckians to network! On July 13th 2011, Independent Kentucky will launch IK LIVE! via UStream. The meeting is scheduled to start at 7:30pm est. and will last till 9:00pm. The first hour will be a structured meeting; the last 30 minutes will be opened for questions.

Join in here!

Low Voter Turnout in Kentucky Closed Primary

KENTUCKY PRIMARY
Independent Kentucky 

April 18, 2011

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The final count for voter turnout in the 2011 Kentucky primary election was 10.34%, becoming one of the lowest voter turnouts in Kentucky history.

Two obvious problems affecting voter turnout in Kentucky are a closed primary system and partisan voter registration, which have both been found to restrict voter participation.

Although some members of the Kentucky Legislature and Michael P. W. Lewis, Chairman of Independent Kentucky, have been introducing bills which would allow open primaries, recent attempts have fallen just short of passing.

This afternoon, Lewis met with US Congressman John Yarmuth, who said he believed partisan voter registration was partly to blame for low primary turnout.

Michael Lewis said he was optimistic about the possibility of a national dialog dedicated to open primaries after his meeting with Yarmuth.

“He seemed to concede some of our points, and was very receptive,” said Lewis.

Independent Kentucky remains dedicated to working toward open primaries and non-partisan voter registration for Kentucky and American voters.
# # #

Contact: William Bowe, Communications Director

Phone: 859-536-1537

Email: wrbowe@gmail.com

www.independentkentucky.org


Only 10 percent turn out to cast their votes (By Janet Patton and Jennifer Hewlett, Lexington Herald Leader) That's the lowest turnout in a gubernatorial primary election since 1999, when only 8.6 percent of voters went to the polls. In 2003, 21 percent voted; in 2007, 22 percent voted.

Sen. Jimmy Higdon: Independents Say They Should Be Able to Vote in Kentucky Primaries

DR. OMAR ALI: Americans are Open
His message: Islam 'part of American culture' (North Raleigh News) "What's important is to not make a distinction between Americans over here and Muslims over there," Ali said. "I think that Muslim Americans have the same response as other Americans, which is a sense of relief."

KENTUCKY'S CLOSED PRIMARIES CONTROVERSY
The Pros and Cons of Kentucky's Closed Primaries (Stu Johnson, NPR Radio WKMS) Higdon has heard from independents who tell him they're taxpayers, they help pay for elections, so they should be able to vote. The state senator argues the first political party that voluntarily opens up its primary will enjoy an unfair advantage during the general election....
Read more about the fight for open primaries in Kentucky at Independent Kentucky

POLITICAL AND ETHICAL REFORM

• Fixing Congress (U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, Boston Review - This article is part of Fixing Congress, a forum on the causes of legislative partisanship and corruption.) States with party-registration laws further protect extremists by outlawing independent as well as opposition voters. With a firm grip on their districts and no worries about alienating voters in the other party, gerrymandered extremists are often the loudest voices in Congress.
• Ending the Permanent Campaign (Norman J. Ornstein,Boston Review) Externally, adopt on a wider basis the California system of open primaries to provide opportunities for a wider range of moderate candidates to win nominations and elections. Even better, adopt a version of the Australian system of mandatory attendance at the polls. 

2012

• Newt Gingrich to (finally) announce 2012 run on Wednesday - Gingrich tweets that he'll be on Fox News to 'talk about my run for President.' (Politico) 
• Jon Huntsman's South Carolina Debut Suggests It's Wrong To Write Him Off (by FRANK JAMES, NPR) Meanwhile, the very thing that could hurt Huntsman with the GOP activists whose support could be crucial to winning the early primaries and caucuses — his role in the Obama Administration — could help Huntsman in a general election if he could get that far. Many independent voters like politicians willing to work across party lines.

UNIONS AND THE DEMS
Richard Trumka: Talking Loud and Saying Nothing (By Mike Elk, In These Times) The AFL-CIO has not talked of restarting the Labor Party experiment in the late 1990s, which several unions, including Trumka’s own the United Mine Workers, backed. Indeed, the labor movement has bowed to the wishes of the Democratic Party by not fostering electoral efforts like New York’s Working Families Party in states that allow fusion balloting, such as Ohio. In other words, the labor movement has no plan to declare political independence from the Democratic Party other than to spend money on electing Democrats through its own channels, rather than giving it to the Democratic Party to spend.

THEATER
The Castillo Theatre Dares to Dream (By Deardra Shuler, Black Star News)  If you live in an area that does not offer much hope you often dream of being somewhere else.  Anywhere where the grass is greener and the beaches are cleaner.  “License to Dream” is a play featured at the Castillo Theatre, located at 543 West 42nd Street in Manhattan, which bring youngsters from East New York together with underpaid dance instructors in East Hampton, in a bid to teach one another the art of dance.  And, along the way, respect each other’s culture and learn that no matter who you are, you can dare to dream.

Independent Kentucky Michael Lewis' Fight for Open Primaries

KENTUCKY INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT
Kentucky Republican Candidates for Secretary of State Disagree on Whether Independent Voters Should be Allowed to Vote in Republican Primary (Ballot Access News) Here is a four-minute you tube, in which Michael Lewis, calling in, asked each candidate whether independent voters should be allowed to vote in major party primaries. Johnson said “yes”; Legg said “no.”



Read Independent Kentucky

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• About That Speech - Mr. Obama's budget speech makes more sense when one realizes that his sinking poll numbers indicate an erosion in support with his liberal base. (By JOHN FUND, Wall Street Journal/John Fund On the Trail) The more that Mr. Obama feels he has to haul out class-warfare rhetoric and avoid offering serious proposals to stave off a fiscal crisis, the more he is endangering his standing with independent voters who remain unsettled by a sluggish recovery. The latest Gallup Poll pegs Mr. Obama's support among independents at just 35%. Right now, Mr. Obama is more concerned with shoring up his liberal base than with wooing independents. That's a sign of weakness.
• Iowa called vital component of Obama re-election strategy (Written by JENNIFER JACOBS, Indianapolis Star) Des Moines lawyer Jerry Crawford, a longtime Democratic Party fundraiser and adviser, said it's crucial that Obama wins Iowa, a state with 696,061 active independent voters.

BLOOMBERG CAMPAIGN

• NYC mayor forms campaign group for self-paid ads (Associated Press, WCAX)
• NYC mayor Bloomberg not running but registers campaign committee to declare self-paid ads (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS as posted in The Republic) They attempt to brand him as an independent-minded politician and sell his position on the city's budget. Bloomberg has said he has no plans to run for office again… Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson said last month that the first week of the mayor's ads was costing the billionaire in the "upper six figures." Since then, Bloomberg has also sent mailers to many residents' homes.

INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING
Redistricting commission to hold Southern California hearings (LA Times) The meetings will allow residents to provide input about their communities, information that will be used along with new census data as the commission draws political boundaries for the state's 53 members of Congress, 40 state senators and 80 Assembly members.

DONALD THE DUMPSTER

• Here's why The Donald is not The Answer for The GOP (By: Cal Thomas, The Washington Examiner) In bridge, a trump card is held in reserve for winning a trick. In politics, Donald Trump is anything but reserved and appears to think he might trick enough voters to win the next presidential election.
• Trump Candidacy for White House Gaining Ground (By NEIL KING JR., Wall Street Journal) Mr. Trump's near-daily barrage of TV interviews in recent weeks—he did at least three on Tuesday—has diverted attention from the rest of the potential GOP field and propelled him higher in national polls.

LAST WORD
ANTIWAR MOVEMENT REVITALIZED BY INDEPENDENTS AND THIRD PARTY GROUPS (by Damon Eris, CAIVN) Numerous third party leaders spoke at the events in New York City.  Among them were Howie Hawkins, a former Green Party nominee for governor, Charles Barron, a local elected official and leader of the Freedom Party, and prominent antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan, who waged an unsuccessful bid for Congress as an Independent against Nancy Pelosi in 2008, coming in second in the race with just over 16% of the vote.  Sheehan pulled no punches in her remarks.

Kentucky Open Primaries Loses a Round in Senate; Supporters Vow to Continue Fight

From IndependentKentucky.com

March 1, 2011 SB 41 was called in to the House committee of Elections, Constitutional Amendments & intergovernmental Affairs for a hearing. Sen. Jimmy Higdon (R) who sponsored the bill was able to overcome objections and accusations brought up by certain committee members. However the vote ended up 1 Yes vote shy of passing out of committee.

Darryl Owens Chairman of the committee and a Louisville Democrat said it is “a bad bill. Every person has the right to register how they choose. The primaries are to advance the parties’ agenda to pick the best candidates for their party.” Rep. Owens voted “No” as well as Rep. Larry Clark Speaker Pro Tem.

Independent Kentucky Chairman Michael P.W. Lewis who was unable to attend today’s hearing responded by phone saying “Nowhere in our National or state constitution does it state that the two major political parties own Kentucky’s primaries. The primaries are the tax-payer funded crucial first-round elections in which the conversation is shaped, the issues are defined, and the voters begin to make themselves heard.” Agreeing with Chairman Lewis were 5 State Representatives, 4 Republicans and 1 Democrat. (Yes votes were Brathcer, Fisher, Comer, Harmon & Henley).

Representing Independent Kentucky and the 192,000+ Independent voters was Co-Chair Alexander Kemble. Even after the defeat he seems positive and upbeat about the bills progress. Co-Chair Kemble stated "Even though our bill didn't pass through committee, this is still a small win for Independents. We received one more 'yes' over the last year, if we can get one more 'yes' for next year, we can finally get this bill to the House floor for more discussion. There are still nearly 200,000 Independents left out of part of the process here in Kentucky."

With no certain destination other than the legislative graveyard for 2011 Independent Kentucky sends it’s thanks to the many supporters that have worked to get out the information and made calls to their Representatives in Frankfort. We would also like to give a special thanks to the collations of organizations that helped spread the word, Norm Davis & “Take Back Kentucky”, Clint Hardy & “Take Back Louisville”, Josh Koch of “Kentucky Freedom Digest”.  The Local Radio show like “My View Matters” “Kentuckana GrassRoots Radio” and “Issues First” Radio Thank YOU!

P.S.

Independent Kentucky would like to remind you that even though SB41 is likely done, our work for next year’s legislative session starts today!

KENTUCKY SB 41 - OPEN PRIMARY

• Bill to let independents vote in primaries dies (Written by Joseph Gerth, Louisville Courier Journal) Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, its sponsor, has said independent voters are being disenfranchised because they are allowed to cast primary ballots only in judicial races and in some cities' municipal elections.
• Open Primary Bill Defeated (Tony McVeigh, WUKY - NPR) Higdon's bill passed the Senate 23-13 last month, but fell one vote shy of passage in a House committee. Higdon says he will keep trying because there are 200,000 independent voters in Kentucky who want to fully participate in the state's electoral process.
• House panel kills bill to let independents vote in primary elections (By Jack Brammer, Lexington Herald Leader)
• Higdon Says He’ll Try Again With Open Primary Bill (Tony McVeigh, WFPL)
• Bill to let independents vote in primaries fails (WAVE 3 - NB)
• Bill to let independents vote in primaries fails (Bruce Schreiner, RealClearPolitics) Higdon said registered independents are "wanting to be heard" in partisan primary elections, but acknowledged that some Republicans and Democrats share an "uneasiness" about the possible consequences.
• Kentucky Bill to Let Independents Vote in Partisan Primaries Loses in Committee, 5-4 (Ballot Access News)

Kentucky Open Primaries Gains Ground

A proposal led by Senator Jimmy Higdon R-Lebanon, passed through legislation yesterday that would allow 200,000 independents to vote in open primaries in the state of Kentucky. Although similar bills have been rejected in the past for fear that voters would switch to independent to sabotage an opposing party's election, a December 31 deadline for registration has been put into effect to avoid this.

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Independents could win right to vote in primaries (NECN) The Senate has passed legislation that would allow registered independents to vote in Democratic and Republican primaries. The proposal, championed by Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, was approved 23-13 on Thursday.
• Back To The Future In Louisiana (By Sean Sullivan, National Journal/Hotline On Call) It's not often that Republicans and Democrats agree, but the Department of Justice has officially signed off on Louisiana's return to open primaries for federal elections, a move both parties in the state have opposed, albeit for different reasons.
• IT'S OPEN SEASON FOR JANE HARMAN'S SEAT IN THE 36TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT (by Bob Morris, CAIVN) So there you have it, a wide open race for a left of center Democrat to win (Sorry Republicans, but you have no chance in the 36th). I lived in Venice for ten years up to 2005. In my opinion, if Bowen runs, she will be very difficult to beat. This will also be one of the first elections in California under the new Top Two open primary system, whereby the two highest vote getters regardless of party face each other in the general election. This could very well mean it will be Bowen vs. Hahn in both the Democratic primary and the general election.

PROPOSITION 14

• On a rail out of town (By Cosmo Garvin and Hugh Biggar, News Review - Sacramento) Daniel Frederick, a Peace and Freedom Party candidate for the 4th Assembly District. is suing the state claiming Proposition 14, approved by voters last year, is unfairly keeping him off the ballot.
• Not an ‘open’ primary - Re “After Doolittle” by Jason Probst (LETTER from Rich Winger, News Review - Sacramento) Proposition 14 sets up a system in California in which the parties don’t have nominees.
• After John Doolittle, the Placer GOP can’t quite get it together (By Jason Probst News Review - Sacramento) “The general gist of it is, for a long time, Doolittle had a very good handle on the district,” said Aaron Park, former member of the Placer County Republican Central Committee. “McClintock is hands-off. He doesn’t want to involve himself in local politics.” The result? A special election to succeed Assemblyman Ted Gaines featuring seven Republicans and one Democrat, Dennis Campanale. The race is even more unpredictable for Republicans because of the state’s newly passed open-primary law, which will select the top two vote getters in the primary to contest the May 3 general election. It’s unlikely, but possible in a heavily Republican district like this, for two GOP candidates to face off in the general.

OBAMA

• Communications Breakdown: Obama Urges World to 'Witness History Unfold' in Egypt and... Mubarak Stays (John Nichols, The Nation)
• A Fork in Road to the White House (By MATT BAI, NY Times) Which path the Republican hopefuls will take depends, perhaps, not only on whether they have an actual governing vision to offer, but also on whether they think the party needs to work to reclaim independent voters at all. Some Republican activists would argue that their huge gains in 2010 prove that, unlike the beleaguered Democrats whom Mr. Clinton rose to lead, they are already philosophically in sync with the broader American electorate.

NEW YORK

• Disgraced former state Sen. Pedro Espada still has to clean up Sanitation summons fines (BOB KAPPSTATTER, NY Daily News) $62,580 - That's the amount in Sanitation summons fines and late fees remaining for illegally slapping 598 campaign posters on light poles during last September's primary campaign, in which Gustavo Rivera clobbered him.
• New Yorkers Hold Rally In Support Of Soundview Clinic (By: Josh Robin, NY1) Espada says for some mysterious reason, $3 million he was promised to relocate across the street has been held up -- maybe because of all the negative attention he's getting.
• Winners & Losers (EXCERPT City Hall News) Charles Barron, Pedro Espada, Kevin Sheekey...

Independent Kentucky On the Air with independentvoting.org's John Opdycke and Independent Voters for Colorado Founder Joelle Riddle

UPDATE to correct wrong link:

BlogTalkRadio show Independent Kentucky chairman Michael Lewis interviews independentvoting.org national director of development John Opdycke and Independent Voters for Colorado founder Joelle Riddle. Check it out! h/t to Michael Drucker from The Independent View...

INDEPENDENT KENTUCKY

• In Touch with Independent Kentucky (The Independent View blog) Independent Kentucky Chairman Michael P.W. Lewis hosted a live show about the 2011 National Conference of Independents. The show hosted CUIP Director of Development John Opdycke and Independent Voters for Colorado Founder Joelle Riddle.

PROP 14

• California Appeals Court Says Candidate in Southern California Special Election May File Amicus in Field v Bowen (Ballot Access News)
• Minor party candidate challenges new ballot rules (Sac Bee Capitol Alert) Frederick, who ran against Gaines in November, collected and submitted 225 signatures during the seven-day truncated period for qualifying for the special election ballot. But he was told the 1,500 threshold -- -- more than twice the 713 Peace and Freedom Party voters registered in the district -- would apply to all candidates under the Proposition 14-created top two system, which eliminates party primaries.
• Barnidge: Fixing California's broken budget requires changes (By TOM BARNIDGE, Daily Democrat - Woodland CA) Also needed are elected officials who care more about constituents than political parties -- representatives who support good policy rather than rigid ideology. Thornberg said that new redistricting procedures and open primaries offer hope for reduced partisanship. 
• Brown's labor allies may get involved in GOP primaries (By Steven Harmon, Contra Costa Times) A top-two primary under district lines that produces a more competitive race could allow a more moderate alternative to emerge, analysts say. In a Republican district, Democrats and independents would have to combine with moderate Republicans to oust conservative incumbents, said Gale Kaufman, a Democratic political consultant who works closely with the powerful California Teachers Association. "Folks are looking at ways to elect more moderates," Kaufman said. "The open primary and redistricting allows you to have a conversation we've never had before."

REDISTRICTING

• Jones will push independent redistrict panel in House (By State House News Service, Boston Herald) House Republicans plan to call for the creation of an independent commission to recommend redistricting proposals for final signoff by the Legislature, House Minority Leader Brad Jones told the News Service Monday.

OBAMA

• Regulatory Change We Can Believe In (posted by ROBERT HAHN AND PETER PASSELL, Forbes) With the White House up for grabs in 2012, both parties are looking for ways to appeal to independent voters. And applying economic common sense to regulation fits nicely in this familiar process of pre-presidential election triangulation.

REPUBLICANS

• What independent voters want: Conservative policise [sic] (By: Fred Barnes, Weekly Standard in San Francisco Examiner) If the House were composed solely of independents, it would pass the same conservative legislation as Republicans on Obamacare, the individual mandate, purchasing health insurance across state lines, spending, offshore oil drilling, and Social Security reform. That’s the finding of Resurgent Republic, a Republican polling outfit that applied the views of independents to the House.

DEMOCRATS

• Charlotte expects boost from 2012 Dem convention (By MITCH WEISS, The Associated Press, Washington Post) In 2008, Obama became the first Democrat since Jimmy Carter to win North Carolina in a presidential race, boosted by a large jump in black voter participation. A flood of new residents over the past decade and a rising crop of independent voters also have made the state, once solidly in the GOP column for presidential elections, far more competitive.

WYOMING

• ‘Citizen lobbyists' learn how pros influence, persuade lawmakers (By RUFFIN PREVOST WyoFile.com, Billings Gazette) Simons, a part-time student at the University of Wyoming, ran unsuccessfully last year as the Democratic candidate for secretary of state, and has worked with a group promoting bills related to recognizing same-sex marriages and holding open primaries.

NEW YORK

• Unionspeak: Gain is loss (Bob McManus, NY Post) Regulars like Billy Easton -- a shill for the state's public-education lobby, who responded by proclaiming upcoming cataclysm for New York schoolkids.  Easton fronts a special-interest mail drop called the Alliance for Quality Education, which is instructive.
• Mayor Blasts Cuomo for Budget Cuts (By MICHAEL HOWARD SAUL and ANDREW GROSSMAN, Wall Street Journal) "Unfortunately, the budget does not treat New York City equitably," Mr. Bloomberg said in a statement. "It eliminates 100% of New York City's revenue-sharing aid—more than $300 million—while cutting other localities by just 2%. The residents of our five counties pay a disproportionate amount of state taxes, and they deserve the same level of support."
• Koch sets March 1 deadline for state legislators to co-sponsor independent redistricting bill (By Robert Harding, Auburn Pub) Ed Koch, head of New York Uprising, wants the 138 legislators who signed the New York Uprising pledge leading up to last year's elections to co-sponsor independent redistricting bill by March 1.

Michael Lewis: Kentucky's Chief Independent Organizer in the Hornet's Nest

Michael Lewis, chief organizer and chairman of Independent Kentucky, collected way more than enough signatures to run as an independent in the November general election for representative in KY House District 35.  Lewis brought national attention to the demand from independents for open primary elections (a bill for open primaries was introduced into the State House by Rep. Jimmy Higdon) when CNN followed him into the “hornets’ nest” of the statehouse in Lexington during his campaign for election reform. During this segment, former governor and Senator Juliann Carroll said "if you don't like the way America runs its political system, then you need to move to another country."

Below is Lewis’s account of one moment of his campaign for fair elections.


I was honored when I received a message from “The Hankster” asking if I wouldn’t mind telling everyone about my interesting election day. However to start at the Election Day would be unfair to anyone interested, so please allow me to fill in the dots to those outside of Kentucky.

Exactly 5 weeks before the election, I was out on the campaign trail walking neighborhoods when I got a very unsettling call from my wife.  As she started to explain what we just received in the mail, I couldn’t help myself to the feeling of being kicked in the stomach by a donkey! As it turns out I really was being kicked by a donkey…or a few, really. I was just served a legal summons, filed by attorney Jennifer Moore, former Kentucky Democrat Chairwoman. The plaintiff Greg Reddington is the former senior advisor to Louisville’s current Mayor Jerry Abramson (D) who has been in office for over 20 years.

Independent Kentucky in action. (Lewis is seated at the right)

My first thought… Wow, I’ve walked into the hornets’ nest! I was in disbelief, how could this be happening? After taking a moment to reflect on what I had done throughout the year and what I was there to accomplish. At that moment I decided I had already won a major victory!

As an Independent candidate, I shouldn’t have held the attention of my Democrat opponent for even a minute. However something made him or his party, take notice. Whether it was my message was clear “It doesn’t take a party to listen and respond to the needs of the people” or my active campaign of walking neighborhoods that haven’t been walked by a candidate in 8 years.

Nonetheless, as an independent, I was required by state law to submit 100 signatures of registered voters from my district. Just for the record my Democrat opponent only had to produce 2 signatures. I submitted 164, of which the lawsuit and courts ruled only 93 were valid. I did produce evidence that 100 were in fact registered but 7 registered after they signed my petition, but were still allowed to vote in the election.

So at the point of the final judgment where I was informed my votes wouldn’t count, there was 1 week until the election. So I did what any good candidate would do, I went campaigning! I wasn’t going to allow a bully tactic to take me away from taking a message to the people in my district. I think everyone appreciated the drive as well.

Now onto the original request Election Day!

While most candidates have a busy election day with “Get Out the Vote” efforts, this candidate quickly switched gears back to his Independent Kentucky Chairman role and began working to secure our progress from earlier in the year with our “Semi Open Primary Campaign”.


In 2010 Independent Kentucky had positioned our semi-open primary bill as a win/win for everyone in Kentucky and the state GOP was on board from the start. So I continued to build off our overwhelming win in the Senate and decided to work towards more success in the House where we have been stonewalled for the last 3 years. Independent Kentucky has faced overwhelming opposition in the House because of the controlling party’s unwillingness to consider the 185,000 independents in the state that they have chosen to isolate.

My wife and I were invited to several “Victory” parties on election night. We chose to attend the GOP event in downtown Louisville because the Republicans were looking to make history and pick up a large number of seats. It only took a few minutes to settle in and start working the crowd before we met up with Republican Wade Hurt who had won his race on the same technicality I lost my race. I was able to get a good amount of time with Wade and was able to get a commitment for support and an open door to Independent Kentucky and our movement. After listening to a great speech by a defeated Mayoral Candidate Hal Hiner, I was able to track down Republican new comer Mike Nemis who was able to celebrate a large victory by beating out a long time Democrat incumbent. His campaign was very impressive and a true grassroots achievement. Rep-elect Nemis has taken a big interest in Independent Kentucky and their activates and we are looking forward to working with him in the future!

As the night began to come to an end and the winners and loser thought about their campaigns, I thought about my election day and I was very proud of the outcome. I didn’t spend my election day campaigning for myself but for the 185,000 independents statewide who are looking for a voice in Kentucky!

You can reach Lewis at independentky@gmail.com

WEEKEND News Headlines for Independent Voters 10/9/10

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• King: This country could use more independent voters (By BILL KING, Houston Chronicle) Washington must be rolling over in his grave today as politicians from both sides adamantly defend the highly partisan political life we now endure. Many argue that the parties are an essential element of the American political system to justify their quasi-legal status. Sorry, but our Founding Fathers disagreed and so do I.

MIDTERMS

• Voter Disgust Isn’t Only About Issues (By MATT BAI, NY Times/Politics) Independents: These voters did not hate politicians. They simply saw both parties, along with the news media and big business, as symptoms of the larger societal ailment. And this underlying perception, that politicians in Washington conduct themselves just as childishly and with the same lack of accountability as the students throwing chicken casserole in the lunchroom, may well be the principal emotion behind the electorate’s propensity to vote out whoever holds power.
• Marco Rubio takes fire from Meek, Crist in Florida Senate debate (By Philip Rucker, Washington Post) Crist tried to rise above the partisan fray and present himself as a level-headed, common-sense alternative.

2010

• Michael Bloomberg and Third Party Dreams (Posted by MICHAEL CROWLEY, Time mag) But I was struck by how firmly Bloomberg's close friend (and investment manager) Steve Rattner seemed to dismiss the idea on "Morning Joe" a couple of days ago
• The independent herd - Is the nation in the midst of an unheralded political realignment? (By STEVEN STARK, The Boston Phoenix) The big news in this election cycle is the rise of the Tea Party. Fair enough. But since every action causes a reaction, passing under the radar is an accompanying development that could have even more far-reaching consequences — the rise of an emboldened third force in our politics. This could even lead to the emergence of a new independent party that could alter the outcome of the 2012 presidential election, not to mention the future course of our history.
• You're Fired, Mr. President!--Donald Trump's New Hampshire poll may just be a front or billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg. (By CARL KELM, Wall Street Journal/Political Journal)

CALIFORNIA

• Appeal filed over open primary (Santa Cruz Sentinel) Fremont attorney Gautam Dutta, who opposes the open primary system established under Proposition 14, is appealing the court decision that upholds the measure… Last month, a San Francisco Superior Court judge dismissed Dutta's arguments and allowed the open primary system to proceed.
• Minor party governor candidates rally for more attention (Sac Bee/Capitol Alert) People walking by the Capitol's west steps around 1 p.m. today would have seen Green Party candidate Laura Wells, Libertarian Party hopeful Dale Ogden and Chelene Nightingale of the American Independent Party talking to about 10 people, most of them supporters and aides of the candidates.

KENTUCKY

• Independent seeks House District 35 seat held by long-time Democratic incumbent (By Nancy C. Rodriguez, Louisville Courier Journal - KY) Independent Michael P.W. Lewis wants the seat held by Democrat Jim Wayne since 1991. Lewis, who won national exposure on CNN earlier this year when he pushed for passage of a bill that would have allowed registered Independents to vote in Kentucky primaries, said he wants to take partisan bickering out of state government, and “bring the government back to the people.”

SOUTH DAKOTA

• Independent votes should count (Rapid City Journal Editorial Board) Not that long ago, women and minorities were denied the right to vote, making the privilege that much more important to them. One man, one vote is the backbone of our democracy. If you buy all of that, Ben Nesselhuf has a message for you. The Democratic challenger for Secretary of State wants South Dakota to allow independents to vote in primary elections.

MARYLAND

• Third-party candidates hope voters are ready to take a chance on them (By Adam Bednar, Carroll County Times - MD) Dr. Omar H. Ali, an associate professor at University of North Carolina at Greensboro who has studied third-party politics in America, said traditionally third parties have been based around advocacy on single issues, such as slavery, women's suffrage and labor issues.
• Independent Voters (RADIO CLIP Michael Eric Dyson Show) Politicians in both the Republican and Democratic parties are working to galvanize their voter base in November. But, they’re not the only two parties involved. Dr. Omar Ali, an associate professor of African-American and Diaspora Studies at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, joins us to discuss third-party politics and its role in this particular election.

NEW YORK

• Democrats Seek To Rally Base (Politics on the Hudson) For example, Cuomo’s initial hesitation with accepting the endorsement of the liberal Working Families Party and then their backing after they agreed with his platform shows he can build a coalition, Jacobs said.

Kentucky Coffee Party Hosts "Rise of The Independent Voter" Panel

Link to live-stream clip from "The Rise of The Independent Voter" workshop last week at the Coffee Party gathering at the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky.

Gwen Mandell and Michael Lewis

 Independent voters are the fastest growing segment of the American electorate. There has been much conjecture by the media and political pundits about which way independents will swing, but less is being written about the up from the bottom political reform movement against partisanship that is growing across the country. This workshop will focus on the Rise of the Independent Voter. Who are independents? What does this political reform movement look like and where is it headed? On this panel, Gwen Mandell and Michael Lewis of Independentvoting.org will discuss important fights independents are waging for political reform around the country. Linda Killian, award-winning journalist and author, will discuss her recent travels swing states researching her book on Independent and Swing voters.

Reach Michael Lewis at Independent Kentucky. Reach Gwen Mandell at IndependentVoting.org.

Also see A Trans-partisan Dialogue moderated by Joseph McCormick (Amy Kremer of Tea Party Express, progressive blogger Elisa Batista, Michael Lewis of Independentvoting.org, Annabel Park of Coffee Party USA, Lawrence Lessig, Mark McKinnon)

from the bottom up!

Michael P. W. Lewis, founder of Independent Kentucky, is running as an independent for State Representative from Kentucky's 35th.

We need true Political Reform!!!

It starts from the bottom up! We don’t need politicians to navigate the capital and our legislative process. We need the people to regain the power, and we have the chance to eliminate special interest in the form of lobbyist and corporate funding and restore the people as our only special interest!

Anti-Establishment Rand Paul Wins Kentucky Closed Republican Primary

Paul wins Ky. Sen. primary in test of tea party from ROGER ALFORD and BRUCE SCHREINER (AP)

Rand Paul defeated Republican establishment favorite Trey Grayson in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, a closely watched race that was a test of the tea party movement's strength..... The Kentucky election was being watched around the country, especially after tea party activists helped to defeat three-term Sen. Bob Bennett in Utah and forced Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to abandon the GOP to make an independent run for the Senate....

See Independent Kentucky for local independent news