Middle America, Third Parties, Independent Candidates

Hankster friend Bill King has posited this take on independent candidacies -- increasingly important to the American political landscape...


MIDDLE AMERICA, THIRD PARTIES, INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES
King: Great middle of America has no place to call home (By BILL KING, Chron/Viewpoints, Outlook) Still, it is not easy to break the Democratic/Republican partisan oligarchy. The two dominant political parties have laced the elections statutes with provisions that stack the deck against third-party or independent candidates. For example, in Texas an independent candidate must collect about 50,000 signatures to get on the November ballot and the petitioners cannot have voted in the primary, a daunting task to say the least.

Hankster Summer Friday

Ok, yes, it's true -- I come straight home from work on Friday nights and I... I... blog!

The Hankster however is stepping out tonight to a New York City Independence Petition Party (at last the 2 concepts come together!) (independence and New York City, petition and party, etc.) at Hudson Terrace (way west on 46th Street in Manhattan).

So, here are my thoughts tonight so far:

1. Go Colorado independents Joelle Riddle and Kathleen Curry!!!! Keep on keepin' on!

2. NYC: Don't forget that on Monday, July 19, Citizens Union will be talking with the NYC Charter Revision Commission in Brooklyn about their support for nonpartisan elections. Be there or be square.

• Place: Brooklyn College, Gershwin Theater, 2900 Bedford Ave
  BROOKLYN
• Time: 6 p.m.
• Directions: By train, take the Q Local to Avenue H and walk 4 blocks east to Ocean Avenue, or take the 2 or 5 train to Flatbush Avenue/Nostrand Avenue.  By bus, take the B6 or B11 to Bedford Avenue, the B8, B44, or Q35/Green Bus Line to Flatbush Avenue, the B41 to Nostrand Avenue, or the B49 to Avenue H.

NOTE: Citizens Union will be presenting their recommendations to the Commission at this hearing

3. Chill -- it's really hot out here!!!

-NH

PS - And for any of my friends who happen to be home tonight enjoying Hankster Summer Friday, please feel free to chime in!!! :-)

Happy Independent Independence Day!

For video of NYC Independence Party weekend petitioning, see Hankstertube NYC Independence Party July 4th Celebration

Friday Nite Hankster Chat: Fourth of July Independent Style!

Just got home from a petitioning shift with Bronx IP activist Michelle Pepe (recent graduate of Iona College in New Rochelle, NY) in Queens County Council District 31. VERY successful shift - we brought home 9 in 4 hours!

James Tkacen, a volunteer for Eric Ulrich's City Council race (he won the Feb. nonpartisan special election and has gotten support before from the Queens IP County Committee) -- and by the way a college mate of Michelle at Iona College (small world!) -- was our district guide today! Thanks for the ride, James!!

Video coming up....

There was so much support at the grassroots for independent politics on the eve of Independence Day, I just have to share it! I'm working on video now, so stay tuned...

And, let me know what you're thinking about right now about independent politics, the country, the world...

Talk to you soon!

-NH