FELICIDADES !!!!!!

UNAS FELICES NAVIDADES Y PROSPERO 2014

Ha sido un 2013 lleno de cosas buenas. Es mi primer vez escribir un blog, y encima de eso un blog en espanol. 

Gracias a Nancy Hanks que me ha permitido participar en esta pagina. 

En el 2014 mucha salud, en especial. 

En el 2014 mas independencia, mas democracia mas inclusion para el votante. Es nueva mision y necesitamos la ayuda de todos.

Feliz Navidad Y Prospero Ano Nuevo.

It has been a 2013 full of good things. My first time writing a blog, on top of that a blog in spanish.

Thanks to Nancy Hanks who has permitted me to participate on her blog.

In 2014 lots of health, which is the most important thing.

In 2014 more independence, more democracy more inclusion for voters. This is our mission and I need everyone', chans help to reach that goal.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years.

Happy Chanukah 

Un Dia Fabuloso en Queens

El dia Septiembre 8, participe en un evento en casa de un joven miembro de el Partido Independiente. El se llama George (Lyric) Pedraza, y nos abrio su casa para recibir a nuestro candidado Independiente para Alcalde, Adolfo Carrion.

El dia comenzo muy lindo, primero hablo George, dando las gracias por venir al evento.

Despues llego Adolfo Carrion y se sento con todos nosotros para hablar de sus ideas para convertir en esta ciudad, Nuestra Ciudad.

Sus ideas son refrescantes, y nuevas como solamente un candidato Independiente lo podria hacer,

Aqui hay algunos retratos para que disfruten.

Nancy Hanks (Fundadora de The Hankster) 

Ramon Pena, nuevo blogista de el Hankster

George (Lyric) Pedraza, anfitrion de el evento

Jeffrey Weiss y Margo Grant, dos activistas y fundadores del Partido Independiente

Adolfo Carrion, hablando de su vision para nuestra ciudad

The Independent Option for Mayor of NYC in Sunnyside Queens

Queens Independence Party Executive Member Jo Coskie, Chair Nancy Hanks, independent Mayoral candidate Adolfo Carrion, and Queens IP Vice Chair Bryan Puertas in Sunnyside Queens July 19, 2013 -- we were hot as hell!

Owner of UPS Store in Sunnyside Tony Tang with Adolfo Carrion, Nancy Hanks, and Bryan Puertas

I don't usually go this granular, but I have to say it was a pleasure to spend time with the independent option for NYC Mayor, Adolfo Carrion, in my home town Sunnyside Queens!

See you on the trail!

NH

Burr Deming on Independent Voters: Fair and Unbalanced

Nancy Hanks at The Hankster still embraces independent voters as the key to a better national future. She presents voting results in California as evidence..." by Burr Deming's Fair and Unbalanced

The independent and moderate voters in California took matters into their own hands during the last general election and passed Proposition 14, which allows independents to vote for any candidate during the primary election. Proposition 20, which will replace the current gerrymandered district boundaries so incumbents are no longer guaranteed re-election, was also passed.

Independent Voters: Rejection of any party affiliation

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• ON THE INDEPENDENCE OF INDEPENDENTS: ARE YOU AN INDEPENDENT IN NAME ONLY? (by Damon Eris, CAIVN) Yet Independents are virtually everywhere.  They span the ideological spectrum.  There are conservative, liberal, moderate, libertarian and progressive Independents.  What they all have in common, however, and what distinguishes them from Democrats and Republicans, is their refusal to identify with the Democratic and Republican parties, and indeed, their rejection of any party affiliation whatsoever.  
• We Need Congressional Hearings on the Second Class Status of Independent Voters (POSTED BY NANCY HANKS, The Moderate Voice)
• Independents are not Moderates (Sarah Lyons, independentvoting.org) The survey also encouragingly pointed out that—contrary to much theorizing that independents comprise “the center” of American political life—they remain a diverse lot with strong opinions. “The growing rejection of partisan identification does not imply a trend toward political moderation, however. In fact, the number of people describing their political ideology as moderate has, if anything, been dropping,” wrote Pew, acknowledging that while independents have come to played a central role in the last three national elections—this does not a “center” make....

Open Primaries: Debate Over "Top Two"

Ken Bingenheimer (National Common Ground Examiner) hosts a series on Top Two open primaries with Nancy Hanks (yours truly) and Solomon Kleinsmith of Rise of the Center. Tell us what you think!


OPEN PRIMARIES

• Top Two voting: More democratic or not? (By Ken Bingenheimer, National Common Ground Examiner) While a variety of organizations are working for electoral reform that will give more sway to independent voters and voters in the political middle, there are sharp disagreements about Top Two in particular. We have asked proponents on both sides of this argument to state their cases. On the pro side is Nancy Hanks, who runs The Hankster blog and is affiliated with the Committee for a Unified Independent Party. Speaking for the con side is Solomon Kleinsmith, who operates the Rise of the Center blog.

2012

• They say they're not running in 2012 (By Candy Crowley, CNN Chief Political Correspondent) There are solid reasons to wonder if Bloomberg has appeal beyond his city limits. He's a billionaire and he's been a Republican, an independent and a Democrat. Can you spell coalition?
• Bloomberg's Presidential Campaign Doesn't Add Up (John Ellis, BUSINESS INSIDER.COM) The question on the table is: can it be done?  Does an independent presidential campaign with Michael Bloomberg at the top of the ticket have any chance of success? The answer is almost certainly no.

NEW YORK

• Mayor Testified in Case Against Campaign Aide (By MICHAEL BARBARO, NY Times/City Room) The indictment against Mr. Haggerty has riveted New York City’s political world. It charges that he set up a phony ballot security operation for the mayor’s 2009 re-election and stole the money intended to pay for it to buy a house.
• He's Back! Espada Plans Rally at Soundview Clinic (Bronx News Network) With him, according to a press release that describes the event as a "unity press conference," will be Espada's former nemesis turned number one supporter in the state senate, Ruben Diaz Sr. (we received the release from his communications person), as well as Assemblyman Marcus Crespo and Bishop Fernando Rodriguez of the Latin American Chaplain's Association, plus a whole bunch of other folks. 

Are you performing the world?

Performing the World is an international conference coming up the first week of October in New York City.

The Hankster will lead a workshop on Sunday morning Oct. 5 called "Blogging the World" which will be a thoughtful conversation by some of the stratosblog's most cutting-edge bloggers and alterntive media personalities.

Wanna talk independent politics? Want to step out of the boxxxxxx? Join us! We're here for you!

In addition to a plenary session not to be missed featuring Fred Newman, the contoversial public philosopher who has guided the progresive independent movement for more than 3 decades and who fashioned the winning black and independent alliance in collaboration with Jackie Salit, the Hankster was invited to present a panel of activists-journalists.

The Hankster has assembled a visionary panel (see below). You won't be disappointed! Here's the line up:

PTW Blogging the World Panel Bios
Session Sunday October 5, 9am-10am
All Stars Project
543 W. 42nd St.New York, NY 10036

Justin Gardner
Donklephant http://donklephant.com/
Justin Gardner is the founder and editor of Donklephant, a popular multi-partisan political blog where readers are encouraged to discuss the ideas of the day in an respectful, honest forum. Since launching in July 2005, Donklephant has drawn over 2.5 million page views and boasts a roster of over 20 authors. (via satellite)

Robert Koulish
Kouflo Memo http://koulflo.wordpress.com/tag/koulish/
(Robert twitters at http://twitter.com/koulflo)
Robert Koulish is an Associate Professor of Law and Society at the University of Philadelphia. He blogs at Koulflo Memo, a politically progressive blog that emphasizes immigration, democratic media and electoral politics, as well as the occasional personal experience. Robert also works in experiential and community based teaching and learning, and is co-founder of a youth-based media and education collaborative called co-lab, and a micro-radio coalition called Baltimore Community Radio Coalition (BCRC).

Shaun Mullen
The Moderate Voice http://www.themoderatevoice.com/,
Kiko's House http://kikoshouse.blogspot.com/
Shaun Mullen was born to blog. It just took a few years for the medium to catch up to the messenger. Over a long career with newspapers, this award-winning editor and reporter covered the Vietnam War, O.J. Simpson trials, Clinton impeachment circus and Osama bin Laden, among other major stories. He also is a columnist at The Moderate Voice and is writing a murder mystery. One pundit describes Mullen as "a free agent who looks at the world as a magical, ever-changing buffet and sorts issues on a practical rather than an ideological basis."

Jacqueline Salit
CUIP http://independentvoting.org/index.html,
Neo Independent http://www.neoindependent.com/
Jacqueline Salit is a 20-year veteran of the independent political movement. Executive editor of THE NEO-INDEPENDENT magazine, a bi-annual journal that covers the independent political movement and the independent voter, Jackie is also the President of the Committee for a Unified Independent Party (www.IndependentVoting.org), a national 15 year-old think tank giving leadership to grassroots independents. Jackie ran NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg's successful 2001 and 2005 mayoral campaigns on thlaynae Independence Party line, effectively creating a game-changing black and independent alliance that is challenging politics-as-usual.

Lanya Shapiro
Traction
http://www.gettraction.org/
Lanya Shapiro is the founder and Executive Director of Traction, a community of young-ish (Gen X&Y) progressives and an innovative civic engagement and leadership development organization. Since 2003, she's immersed herself in progressive grassroots organizing – from the Howard Dean grassroots to consulting with SEIU, EchoDitto, Institute for America's Future, etc. Lanya's background is in public health and social work, and she spent years designing and managing award-winning large-scale health behavior change programs. Traction promotes civic participation using the same social marketing principles – more Malcolm Gladwell than politics as usual. Some say if activism is the drug, Traction is the dealer...

HOST
Nancy Hanks
The Hankster http://grassrootsindependent.blogspot.com/
Nancy Hanks is a long-time activist in independent politics and community-building. She started The Hankster, a blog/news source for independent voters, in April 2006, during the midterm elections when independent voters led a successful anti-war electoral revolution. She is a full-time grant-writer for an international homeless youth program and a volunteer as a fundraiser for the Committee for a Unified Party. She is on the research staff of the Neo Independent magazine. Nancy has appeared on SIRIUS Satellite Radio's Indie Talk Blog Bunker with Joe Salzone.

Blogging the World: An Online Stage for Activists (Or Performatory Blogging for Everyone)

Are you ready to perform your political opinion?

We now have the schedule or our Blogging the World workshop, a session of Performing the World. I hope you can make it!

"Bloggin the World"
Sunday, October 5,
9-10am ET
All Stars Project
543 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036

The full schedule is now posted. This is a jam-packed conference/performance festival. Of course you would like to attend each session -- they ALL look very interesting!

I chose the title "Blogging the World" because it reflects my vision of a unified independent grassroots-driven movement that could be part of changing the world.

The format of Blogging the World is conversational, bringing together cutting-edge bloggers and community activists from across the country to talk to each other about what's needed to build a new world.

Please join us for bagels and lox
Sunday morning, October 5, 9-10am
at the All Stars Project
543 W. 42nd St.
New York, NY 10036


THE "Blogging the World" PANEL:

Justin Gardner
Donklephant http://donklephant.com/
Justin Gardner is the founder and editor of Donklephant, a popular multi-partisan political blog where readers are encouraged to discuss the ideas of the day in an respectful, honest forum. Since launching in July 2005, Donklephant has drawn over 2.5 million page views and boasts a roster of over 20 authors. (via satellite)

Robert Koulish
Kouflo Memo http://koulflo.wordpress.com/tag/koulish/
(Robert Twitters at http://twitter.com/koulflo)
Robert Koulish is an Associate Professor of Law and Society at the University of Philadelphia. He blogs at Koulflo Memo, a politically progressive blog that emphasizes immigration, democratic media and electoral politics, as well as the occasional personal experience. Robert also works in experiential and community based teaching and learning, and is co-founder of a youth-based media and education collaborative called co-lab, and a micro-radio coalition called Baltimore Community Radio Coalition (BCRC).

Shaun Mullen
The Moderate Voice http://www.themoderatevoice.com/
Kiko's House http://kikoshouse.blogspot.com/
Shaun Mullen was born to blog. It just took a few years for the medium to catch up to the messenger. Over a long career with newspapers, this award-winning editor and reporter covered the Vietnam War, O.J. Simpson trials, Clinton impeachment circus and Osama bin Laden, among other major stories. He also is a columnist at The Moderate Voice and is writing a murder mystery. One pundit describes Mullen as 'a free agent who looks at the world as a magical, ever-changing buffet and sorts issues on a practical rather than an ideological basis.'

Jacqueline Salit
CUIP http://independentvoting.org/index.html
The Neo Independent http://www.neoindependent.com/
Jacqueline Salit is a 20-year veteran of the independent political movement. Executive editor of THE NEO-INDEPENDENT magazine, a bi-annual journal that covers the independent political movement and the independent voter, Jackie is also the President of the Committee for a Unified Independent Party (http://www.independentvoting.org/), a national 15 year-old think tank giving leadership to grassroots independents. Jackie ran NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg's successful 2001 and 2005 mayoral campaigns on the Independence Party line, effectively creating a game-changing black and independent alliance that is challenging politics-as-usual.

Lanya Shapiro
Traction http://www.gettraction.org/
Lanya Shapiro is the founder and Executive Director of Traction, a community of young-ish (Gen X&Y) progressives and an innovative civic engagement and leadership development organization. Since 2003, she's immersed herself in progressive grassroots organizing – from the Howard Dean grassroots to consulting with SEIU, EchoDitto, Institute for America's Future, etc. Lanya's background is in public health and social work, and she spent years designing and managing award-winning large-scale health behavior change programs. Traction promotes civic participation using the same social marketing principles – more Malcolm Gladwell than politics as usual. Some say if activism is the drug, Traction is the dealer...

HOST
Yours truly: Nancy Hanks
The Hankster http://grassrootsindependent.blogspot.com/
Nancy Hanks is a long-time activist in independent politics and community-building. She started The Hankster, a blog/news source for independent voters, in April 2006, during the midterm elections when independent voters led a successful anti-war electoral revolution. She is a full-time grant-writer for an international homeless youth program and a volunteer fundraiser for the Committee for a Unified Party. She is on the research staff of the Neo Independent magazine. Nancy is a frequent guest commentator on SIRIUS Satellite Radio's Indie Talk Blog Bunker with Joe Salzone.

Independent Voter Blues

Don't miss the new video at the top of The Hankster -- that' me and my friend and musician David Belmont (WindWater Productions) with our rendition of "Independent Voter Blues"... A Film by Ellen Korner... Hope you enjoy it!! (You can also watch it on HanksterTube)