Utah Policy: Independent Voters Think Congress Doesn't Deserve a Vacation

This in from Utah Policy (where political junkies get their daily fix...) quoting The Hill:

Congress is away from Washington on their Summer recess, but most voters think they don't deserve to take a break.
The Hill highlights a Fox News poll that finds 82% of voters think Congress hasn't "worked hard enough" to take a vacation.

Those numbers hold across party lines. 13% of Republicans and 17% of Democrats think Congress needs time off. Only 10% of independent voters think Congress is deserving of a vacation.

President Obama gets a little more slack for being away from D.C. (read more)

Un Forum Auspiciado Por Asociación de Bodegueros e Hispano a Través de América.

Adolfo Carrión Jr., de origen Puertorriqueño,  quien abandono el partido demócrata para explorar una carrera a la alcaldía como una organización independiente,  se desempeño durante seis años y medio como presidente del condado del Bronx (leer mas)

Adolfo Carrion mejor para la comunidad latina y todos los Neyorquinos!!

Los dos candidatos latinos, el independiente Adolfo Carrión y el reverendo demócrata Erik Salgado, el único que se dirigió al auditorio durante unos minutos en español, apelaron constantemente a su experiencia personal para erigirse como el aspirante que mejor representa a la comunidad hispana. (leer mas) 

Proximo Alcalde Podria Ser Latino

Muy lindo de que el proximo Alcalde sea latino y un orgullo. Pero con mas orgullo es que es un latino Independiente (leer mas)

Dog Days of August: Is There an Independent Movement?

Yes, there is!

Summer independent barometer of top two open primaries and the upsurge of the independent voting movement indicates a hot spot for independent voters.

Hanksteristas will note that we have been very focused on the New York City mayoral candidacy of Adolfo Carrion.  (Special thanks to our new correspondent Ramon Pena for his stalwart correspondence en Espanol!)

And rightly so -- Adolfo Carrion is the independent option for Mayor of NYC in the November election.

But, YES, New York, there is a world out there beyond the over-crowded, over-heated, over-stressed, over-politicized, under-developed, under-served, humanity-teeming streets of NYC!

So I spent a few minutes today perusing the news and came up with a few gems. Things seem to be perculating outside of Starbucks, and developing beyond the stars....

Hope you'll read on!

From independentvoting.org Florida's Ray Hudkins:

The NBC/CNN/Hillary Clinton/Republican Party Soap Opera and Voters
By Ray Hudkins on 08/15/2013

Florida Independent Voting.Org normally sticks to straight fact based reporting on the pro and con arguments on Top 2 Open Primaries.  We are a non-partisan movement and do not endorse candidates or take positions on current issues.  However a recent interview of Reince Priebus (Republican National Committee Chair) on Morning Joe brought into the open an interesting and not surprising view of the thinking of the Republican Party.  What does that have to do with Top 2? 

Recently, Chuck Todd (NBC News Political Director and host of “The Daily Rundown”) spoke out on the plans for NBC Entertainment to air a mini-series on Hillary Clinton.  Todd labeled the new NBC miniseries a “total nightmare for the network’s news division” — adding another voice to the increasing backlash against the project.  He went on to say “No matter what, only we are going to own it, because people are going to see the peacock, and they see NBC, and they see NBC News, and they think, ‘Well, they can’t be that separate.”


From Catana L. Barnes, President, Independent Voters of Nevada:

Federal election commission not addressing independent-voter concerns



President Obama’s newly appointed Commission on Election Administration has begun holding public hearings around the country. The 10 member body is tasked with presenting recommendations to the president about how to “improve the voting experience.” Independent voters have a lot to say on this topic.Representatives of independent voter groups in Virginia, New York and Florida attended hearings in DC and Miami and submitted testimony. Other local independent voter groups including mine, Independent Voters of Nevada (IVON), who are under the umbrella of IndependentVoting.org (a national association for independent voters), will be attending the hearings scheduled for Denver, Philadelphia and Ohio.


And an unfortunately lack-luster informational entry from PBS by Jordan Vesey quoting only Rush Limbaugh... Primary Elections Unscrambled

New Jersey voters head to the polls Tuesday for two critical primary contests that will determine who will be competing in the Oct. 16 general election to find a permanent replacement for the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a Democrat. Each state sets its own laws governing when they're held, who can vote in them, and how candidates advance to the general election. In some states, primaries are considered to be more important than the general election. Primaries come in two main categories: partisan and non-partisan.

Mas sobre los pasos tomar para tener un Alcalde Independiente.

Comenzamos hacer llamadas a todas esas personas que quieren  estar envuelta en esta fabulosa campana.

Josephine Coskie , tremenda voluntaria, una maestra haciendo llamadas a las personas de Queens

David Belmont otro Fabuloso voluntario tambien haciendo llamadas en agradecimiento de todos ellos que firmaron

Independent Mayoral Candidate Adolfo Carrion at Ecuadorian Pride Parade: Queens NY

Very enthusiastic proud crowd today at the Ecuadorian Parade in Jackson Heights Queens NY!

Among the notables:

Adolfo Carrión, a rising Democratic Party star who quit the party in October 2012 to become an independent and run for Mayor of NY...

• Former member of the New York City Council
• Spent 44 days in Federal Prison for protesting the bombing on the island of Vieques, PR
• Elected twice as Bronx Borough President (2002-2009)
• Served two terms as President of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials
• Appointed by President Obama as the nation’s first Director of Urban Affairs
• Small business owner in the real estate development sector

The Daily News reports:

Queens counts more than 100,000 residents who hail from Ecuador, making it the largest community of people who hail from the South American country of any county in the U.S.
Corona happens to be home to Queens’ “Little Ecuador,” but it’s neighboring Jackson Heights that plays host to the community’s annual Ecuadorian Pride Parade. (Read more)

Crimen y Viviendas, una preocupacion de mucho Neuyorquinos

Para la envejeciente Berenice Reyes, una dominicana que lleva 34 años en El Bronx, su mayor preocupación es el crimen y la vivienda, y consideró que el expresidente de El Bronx Adolfo Carrión, quien se ha postulado por el Partido Independiente, "es quien va a resolver nuestros problemas".(leer mas) 

This Domican Senior Citizen who lived in the Bronx for 34 years says her main concern is crime housing.

Todos Los Pasos Que Hay Que Tomar Para Tener Un Alcalde Independiente

Lo Hicimos. Obtuvimos 5048 firmas para Adolfo Carrion. Ahora es el Independiente para Alcalde. Hicimos miles y miles de llamadas. Mas de 5000 personas firmaron nuestra peticion porque desean una tercera voz en estas elecciones.

En estos ultmos dias hemos mandado cartas de agradecimiento a todas esas personas que firmaron nuestra peticion..

Estos son alguno de los voluntarios que trabajamos en este otro paso para poder tener un alcaldo no partidista en Nueva York.

Activistas Lou Hinman Y Jason Martinez

Michael Drucker Y Shatzi Weisberger

Tom Burkhart, tremendo voluntario

Todos creemos en esta campana 

Brandi Martindale: A New Non-Partisan Politic for America

guest post

By Brandi Martindale

Across America, voters are rejecting the political party system. For many, it’s a decision that stems from feelings of disconnect, as the parties spiral into warring factions. Fewer can relate to the political blame-game playing out in the mass media. While leaders point fingers, America grows impatient, and asks, “When is something going to get done?”

The independent movement is a sign that “When?” is “Now!” And rather than wait for the system to serve them, Americans are rejecting it completely, and demanding a new kind of non-partisan politic.

The deadlock between partisan factions - the failure of our national leaders to respond to our voice - may be precisely what America needs to rally us to action. While Washington drags its feet on issues  that are clear-cut to ninety percent of Americans independents mobilize. With the success of the  National Conference of Independents hosted by CUIP last February, the demand for non-partisan solutions is growing faster than ever.

Igniting conversations that remain focused on solutions, the independent movement isgrowing in all directions. The robust non-partisan scientific community offers us strongdata on the cost of cutting social welfare - that one dollar spent on head start programs earns twelve in future economic gains, highlighting where partisan policy falters. The words “Democrat” and “Republican” carry little value when solutions requires facts, and opinions require evidence.

The independent movement grows as constituents call and write to their Congresspeople, unhappy with officials’ behavior in office. Congresspeople are being reminded they are public servants first, and partisan loyalists second. After gun control legislation failed to pass, Harry Reid mentioned bringing it back for another vote, after a seething backlash from the public. The issues we face are neither Democrat, nor Republican - they are American. This unity is understood by the independent movement, and represents the nature of change so many want to see.

After compiling the registration data of nineteen states with closed primary elections, I have put a hard number to the independent movement. That number is thirteen million, fifteen-thousand, two hundred thirty-one. In these nineteen states with closed primaries, twenty-two percent of the voting population have no say in primary election outcomes - the first round of selection- because they do not wish to participate in the political party system. As an American, and as an agent of democracy, I find this fact appalling.

The spirit of the independent movement is strong and simple - disregard allegiance to partisan cronies, and pledge allegiance to our flag, our nation, and our people - all people. This sentiment resonates deeply with every American, regardless of which box they checked at voter registration - which more and more often is ‘other’, ‘unaffiliated’, No Preference”, or simply “I do not wish to join a political party”.

Brandi Martindale is an activist with the NYC Independence Party, and is currently working as a research intern for Columbia University, at independentvoting.org. Brandi is completing her MA in Organizational Social-Psychology this summer, and brings an understanding of organizational structure and group behavior to the conversation of non-partisan politics.

Mas sobre el poder del votante Independiente

Aunque estos articulos sean un poco viejos no dejan de cambiar la importancia de el votante independiente. Leer y educarse. (leer mas)

LA HISTORIA DE PRIMARIAS ABIERTAS

En este articulo se habla sobre la historia de las primarias abiertas. Muchos hispanos no entienden este sistema. Necesitamos educarnos y Independizarnos. (leer aqui)

NYC Independent Mayoral Candidate to New York Times: Yusuf Hawkins is not a campaign dynamic!

Carrion states: In the [NY Times Sunday Magazine] article, to make matters even worse, the on-line version includes a postscript, added after the magazine went to press, informing readers that ‘another sexting scandal engulfed Anthony Weiner.' The editors and writer then go on to ponder whether this will be ‘a Yusuf.’ My God! 

Read 2013 Mayoral Candidate Adolfo Carrión's statement today:

CARRIÓN BLASTS NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE FOR STUNNING REFERENCE TO THE DEATH OF YUSUF HAWKINS AND COMPARISON TO WEINER SCANDAL

NEW YORK, NY…JULY 26, 2013—Independence Party Candidate for mayor Adolfo Carrión has issued the following statement calling on the New York Times to apologize for a NYT Magazine article that is racially insensitive and offensive

 “Yesterday the New York Times published an upcoming Sunday Magazine article on the mayoral candidates and the state of the race.  In the article, the author refers to moments when campaign dynamics suddenly change and uses the term ‘a Yusuf’ to describe them. When I read the line in the article, I was absolutely appalled.  Yusuf Hawkins was a 16 year old African-American boy who was brutally murdered in 1989 by a gang of white youth.

 “He is not a turning point in a campaign. He is not a political science term. He was a victim of one of the worst incidents of racial hatred in our city’s history.  That the Times would feel free to use such a term is so outrageously cynical, insensitive and arrogant that it is almost hard to believe.  Don't they read their own newspaper?  Don't they know that the wounds we feel from the killing of 17 year old Trayvon Martin, are still raw?

 “This isn’t the first time that the editors at the Times have been caught demonstrating an elitist and bigoted editorial tone.  Earlier this year in the wake of the killing of Alphonza Bryant, the tone of the Times' response cheapened the value of a human life because it suggested that the murder of a 17 year old in the Bronx was simply too mundane to report.

“In the current article, to make matters even worse, the on-line version includes a postscript, added after the magazine went to press, informing readers that ‘another sexting scandal engulfed Anthony Weiner.' The editors and writer then go on to ponder whether this will be ‘a Yusuf.’ My God! Sending photos of one's private parts is offensive and perverse, but it is not remotely comparable to the killing of a child.  The Times postscript says the two are ‘hard to compare,’ but then they go ahead and do it anyway!  Turning a devastating tragedy into a political catchword is about as low as it gets.

 “The Times and the Times Magazine owe the people of this city an apology. They owe the family of Yusuf Hawkins an apology.  And all New Yorkers should question the editorial decisions of a paper that has exhibited a pattern of shocking racial insensitivity.”

Lo que tiene que decir Adolfo Carrion sobre Anthony Weiner

El candidato independiente Adolfo Carrión utilizó las encuestas para arremeter en contra de Weiner, aseguró que el 71% que se abstendrá de votar lo hace porque ya no creen en políticos y lanzó la pregunta ¿Debemos confiar en Weiner?, Carrión recalcó que Weiner debe renunciar. (leer mas

Adolfo Carrion says "71% will abstain from voting because they do not believe in politicians. Should we trust Weiner?"

Ramon Pena

The Hankster Becomes Bi-Lingual ¡En español!

Independent Activist Ramon Pena Joins The Hankster

If you have noticed several recent posts en español on The Hankster, it's because Ramon Pena, long-time activist with the NYC Independence Party and independentvoting.org, is now on board as a correspondent.

Ramon is outspoken on issues such as open primaries, nonpartisan elections, independent redistricting, and other voting rights for independents.

You can read his story here about his journey from East Harlem Democrat to national independent grassroots leader...

Enjoy his voice on The Hankster.

La lucha continua!!

Thanks, Ramon!

NH

Letter to President Obama for Federal Electoral Commission

Letter to the President's Commission on Election Administration

Presidential Commission on Election Administration GSA, 1776 G Street NW., Washington, DC 20006 Dear Commissioners, We, the undersigned, are independent voters from all 50 states. We are deeply concerned that America’s political process is in a crisis and that serious attention must be paid to it. We are glad that President Obama has formed a commission to look at some of the defects in the electoral process, though we feel the narrow mandate of the Commission falls short of the public debate we need to have. One example of these shortcomings is that there are specific defects that affect independent voters which the Commission does not seem prepared to address. With 40% of Americans now identifying as independent, this should be a Commission priority. Independents are not accorded the same courtesies and privileges as members of political parties, such as receiving mailed ballots at home or having the right to serve as poll workers on Election Day. During primary season, where some states permit us to vote, we come face to face with poll workers who do not understand their own rules and frequently misinform us about our voting rights. We have no representation on the Federal Elections Commission or Boards of Elections, and are often required to register to vote as “unenrolled” or “undeclared” voters, not as the independents that we are. In many states, we are barred from primary voting altogether, even though we – as taxpayers – finance those closed party primaries. As you go about your work to identify and recommend improvements to the voting experience, we urge you to recognize that the American people want a more non-partisan form of politics at every level. Please use the power the President has given you to be open and responsive to this need! Sincerely,

Ramon Pena

Please join me in signing this letter online

Porque Nos Conviene Un Alcalde Independiente

"Sobre por qué se considera "independiente" comentó que Estados Unidos se fundó sin partidos. "Para mí (ninguno de los dos partidos) está sirviendo el interés del pueblo hispano... Yo creo que puedo servir como voz de conciencia y como una voz que puede levantar nuestra comunidad", dijo el también padre de cuatro hijos." (El Diario 7/23/13) 

Esta es la razon porque apoyo a Adolfo Carrion, nuestro sistema politica nos ha fallado y un alcalde Independiente podria ser la solucion para eliminar el partidismo en nuestro sistema electoral. 

Ramon Pena 

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

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY: Adolfo Carrion and Randy Miller - The Power of the People's Politics Grows and Develops!

Hi Hanskteristas! Happy Independence Day!

This July Fourth, as usual, I will be joining my many NYC Independence Party Organizations activists for our annual Adolfo Carrion. We are close to our goal of 5,000 sigs and --  we ALWAYS get our guy - on the ballot!

Nancy Hanks and Jo Coskie about to kick ass in Maspeth

Independence Day festivities of combing the boroughs for signatures for our candidates -- in this case, our NYC Mayoral candidate,

Adolfo is a particularly good candidate for NYC independents this year, I think, because he's a new independent with a mission. Mr. Carrion, served as the Bronx Borough President for 2 terms,
1 term as a City Council Member, and he initiated the Office of Urban Affairs for President Obama during his first term. Adolfo left the Democratic Party last fall to become an independent because he wanted to make a difference in NYC and discovered that the ways the parties operate are contrary to his principals.

Kudos, Mr. Carrion! You are in good company! We are happy to have you!

********

Grassroots independent activist and Hankster contributor Randy Miller reports to us regularly on Utah politics via Utah League of Independent Voters. 

Randy, an Iraq vet, a wonderful husband and father, and a passionate political independent -- and a surveyor by trade -- has run for office, written letters to the editor, dogged partisan candidates, and has been on the front lines of the independent movement for years.

Randy is also a political cartoonist.

This week he posted The Power of Editorial Cartoons highlighting the work of Daryl Cagle, Bill Day, Howard Tayler, Steve Benson, and Pat Bagley. In his post, Randy said: "If any non-fictional character has the power to push the Earth off its axis, it had to be some of the talented artists at the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists' convention in Salt Lake City this week."

I admire and support Randy Miller as an American patriot and a fighter for democracy, and I love his political cartoons (many of them have been posted here on The Hankster.)

I would point out that there is another non-fictional character that is indeed exercising the power to 'push the Earth off its axis' -- and Randy has been center stage in creating this character -- the characters of the independent movement, the ordinary people who are fed up every day by the partisan destruction of democracy in our country and push relentlessly against all odds for a different, more independent direction.

Adolfo Carrion and Randy Miller are just two of us living this 'character' and power.

They inspire me every day.

Let's get out there and sign up a few more independent Americans!

Happy 4th of July!!

The Hankster

The Power of Editorial Cartoons

If any non-fictional character has the power to push the Earth off its axis, it had to be some of the talented artists at the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists' convention in Salt Lake City this week.
I had a chance to visit with Daryl Cagle, Bill Day, Howard Tayler, Steve Benson, and of course Pat Bagley. I was lucky enough to get a photo with a couple of the celebs; Daryl Cagle on the left and Pat Bagley in the photo on the right (on my left).

Daryl Cagle is the mastermind behind caglecartoons.com a clearinghouse for editorial cartoons worldwide. Pat Bagley doodled his first political cartoon while in a finance class at Brigham Young University. The school paper published it and shortly afterwards it ran in Time Magazine. I guess that's a pretty good way to start off. He works primarily for the Salt Lake Tribune currently.

Utah Dems vote to keep caucus-convention system

Escaping mostly unscathed from some intra-party sparring, Utah Democrats elected to keep their caucus/convention system intact Saturday, arguing that a switch to an open primary would be too costly and too prohibitive to common-folk candidates. [full story]

They chose wrong

Viva la Independencia! Viva Desarrollo!

Lenora Fulani and Adolfo Carrion at the Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade, Sunday June 2, 2013

Adolfo Carrion, independent candidate for Mayor of New York City, former Bronx Boro President, marched in the Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade on Sunday, June 2, accompanied by Dr. Lenora Fulani, the first woman and first African American to ever get on the ballot in all 50 states as a candidate for President of the United States.

Viva nonpartisan elections!!

Let's, well  -- Carry on!

NH

Memorial Day Weekend with NYC Mayoral Candidate Adolfo Carrion

Queens Independence Party on the trail in Jackson Heights with Adolfo Carrion for Mayor

Queens Executive Committee member Josephine Coskie (left) and Vice Chair Bryan Puertas on the street with Independence Party candidate for New York City Mayor, on the ballot in November 2013, in Jackson Heights, Queens. Memorial Weekend, Sunday May 16.

Off to a great start in Queens!!

Faces of the Independent Movement

Edith Bargoma and Josephine Coskie show off their 2013 Nicholas Johnson Independent Spirit Awards from the Independence Party of NYC, Tribeca Grill (in SoHo), May 14th. Congrats!

Philsophical Question: The War on Poverty or the War on the Poor? Where's the Development? Where are we in 2013?

What's happening on the cutting edge in education?  Not So Much -- or not so much in the establishment edu world?! But let's carry on... See this article on the San Fransisco Chronicle...

Lenora Fulani announces the publication of a special report by co-founder and developmental psychologist Lenora B. Fulani, Ph.D. entitled, The Development Line: Helping the Poor to Grow.

Nearly 50 years since the launch of the War on Poverty, the poverty rate in America is 15 percent, with 22.3 percent of children officially living below the poverty line. Nearly a third of all African-Americans—10.7 million—live in poverty.

Dr. Lenora Fulani argues that new conceptual, methodological and organizational tools, approaches that have been developed since the 1960s outside of traditional social service and educational institutions and funding streams, are essential for the successful development and education of inner-city youth in America. She traces these developments from 1968 and the genesis of Dr. King’s Poor People’s Movement, to present day programs like her own, which have successfully utilized performance-based methodologies to promote developmental learning among young people and their families.

Read more.

The Naked City: The Antidote to Corruption is Democracy

"There are eight million stories in the naked city. This is one million of them."

No, it's not the celebrated 1948 film noir... or *is* it???.....

The New York City Independence Party, which represents the nearly one million independent voters in the City, has endorsed Adolfo Carrion for Mayor in 2013 (see NYC independent strategist Jacqueline Salit's delightful and passionate introduction before the NYC IP City-wide County Committee here), released a comprehensive political reform package last week in the wake of the current political scandals (which apparently has moved Gov Cuomo to "Call for 'Open Primaries'") in New York, and which according the the IPNYC "expose structural weaknesses in the system that need to be addressed, but not in ways that entrench the powerful and preclude a more nonpartisan process."

Nonpartisan municipal elections, or open primaries at the state level, is a central tenent of the reform package and IP General Counsel Harry Kresky made a very succinct case in his recent amNewYork oped: Kresky: Nonpartisan voting would make NYC elections fairer:  "But if you eliminate the "gateway," then no "gatekeeper" can charge a candidate to pass through it. That's what nonpartisan municipal elections would do."

The New York City Independence Party Political Reform Package - The Antidote to Corruption is Democracy (PRESS RELEASE NYC Independence Party) From the release:

The Independence Party (IP) was first created in 1994 to bring political reform to New York. Unlike other minor parties, its purpose was not to influence the electoral process on the basis of ideology, but rather to influence the political process itself; to make it more open, less partisan and less corruptible. For nearly 20 years, the Independence Party built on that vision, using fusion and the appeal of political independence to push nonpartisan reforms.

Over the last few weeks, it has become evident that such reform is desperately needed. The current political scandals expose structural weaknesses in the system that need to be addressed, but not in ways that entrench the powerful and preclude a more nonpartisan process....

The reform agenda includes: 1) Nonpartisan Elections and Fusion, 2) Initiative and Referendum, 3) Term Limits for State Legislators, 4) Voter Mobility, 5) Nonpartisan Administration of Elections, 6) Campaign Finance Reform, 7) Nonpartisan Redistricting Reform, 8) Full Public Hearings on All Reforms. For the full statement go here.

And if you are one of the million, let us know!
Email TheHankster or catch us on Twitter or Facebook at The-Hankster.

See you in the streets!!
NH

Independents Are 40% and Rising

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• The Rise of the Independent Voice (By Michael Drucker, IVN/ Independent View) Recently the number of independent voters have risen to 40% in some polls. The media has tried to give them a voice. They are called swing voters or democrats and republicans in hiding. They are disappointed with congress and the administration due to their inability to govern. Some of these voters are independent activists. So lets find out where they are from and what they have to say.*
• Percentage of independent California voters inches upward (Sac Bee/ Capitol Alert) with nearly 21 percent of the electorate now registered to vote with no party preference, according to a report today by the California secretary of state… Meanwhile, the proportion of voters registered to vote Democratic declined to 43.93 percent from 44.04 percent in February 2011, while Republican registration dropped to 28.94 percent from 30.88 percent two years ago..
• 5 Lessons Learned from the 2013 State of the News Media Report (By Jane Susskind, IVN) 1. Independent voters are key: Major networks need to appeal to independent voters, both on and offline. According to the 2013 State of the News Media report, independents are the most likely to have left a news outlet, making up 34% of those who no longer follow certain news outlets.

* Also see Independents Rising: Third Party Politics In America -- Michael Lewis, Independent Kentucky...

Springtime in NYC...

... (looks strangely like late summer...) - beautiful!

Political Ethics, Closed Primaries, Transparency: Include Independents!

INDEPENDENT VOTERS
Number of independent voters skyrockets (October 18, 2012, By: Mark Wachtler, Examiner.com) One group promising that those days are over is the newly formed Independent Voters Association. Based out of Chicago, but slowly expanding nationally, the IVA pledges to be that ready-made army of political precinct workers and volunteers for independent and third party candidates.

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Richard Davis: One-party rule naturally leads to ethics abuses (By Richard Davis, For the Deseret News) This arrogance also is demonstrated in legislative decisions made in closed legislative party caucuses, ever stricter limits on the ability to put citizen-based initiatives on the ballot and closed primaries that exclude most voters.
• Kansas Democrats vote to limit primaries - Closes primaries to registered Democrats (Topeka Capital Journal) The move reverses the party’s prior primary-ballot rule that allowed unaffiliated voters to cast ballots to pick Democratic candidates to advance to the general election.
• Teplitz wants caucus for more transparency in Pa. (By CHRISTINA KAUFFMAN, York Dispatch.com) Initiatives include lobbying reform, suspension of pay for the governor and legislators if they don't pass a timely budget and opening the state's closed primary to independent voters.
• Save money, make the system fairer (By Joe Ferraro, Philadelphia Inquirer) Plan No. 3: Go to an open primary system. That means anyone, including independents, can vote for anyone they want in the primary, regardless of a candidate's party. This idea may not save money, but it would make the system fairer. And, if adopted, it would likely negate Plans Nos. 1 and 2. The county couldn't close polling places because there would likely be more voters, and the political parties couldn't be charged for their exclusive primary election process.
• American political system is rotten to the core (By Jeff McLean, Seacoastonline.com) In addition, implementing term limits and reducing the number of closed primary states would serve to combat the current role of gerrymandering and money in politics.
• Guest column: Proposed Democratic election reforms don't go far enough (By Keith Allard, Michigan Live) • End taxpayer-paid primaries. If the two parties wish to play games with the system they have created, the taxpayers should not be liable for the expensive cost of these elections. Allow parties to pay for their own selection process, whether it is a caucus or closed primary.

Darkness

A Big Hankster Howdy to The Moderate Nation!

Howdy ho, Hanksteristas!

Yes, it's round-up time here on the ol' prairie....  Ooops! What I mean is that we have a new colleague in the independent blogosphere: Please check out The Moderate Nation.

As many of you know, The Hankster is an independent political blog that got started in 2006 and is affiliated with IndependentVoting.org. We have supported many independent grassroots voices since then. The independent movement, whether liberal, moderate, conservative, or extreme -- is growing!

Queens Independence Party Vice Chair Bryan Puertas gathering support...

So check out The Moderate Nation. And check in whenever you can!

 _-NH

7th Annual National Conference of Independents

Election Reform: fraudulent voting practices were developed by and are fomented by our partisan system

Election reform has never been more important at a time when less than half of people vote in major elections (and somewhere around 10-15% in important local elections) and yet the establishment (partisan) voices drone on about voter fraud and campaign finance. At a time when 40% of the American people identify as independent... Re-imagine the whole of American politics! [See vid below]

Democracy demands a much higher bar -- full participation by the American people -- which will of necessity come from outside the current party system.

Let's face it, the most fraudulent voting practices were developed by and are fomented by our partisan system that requires complete allegiance to a slate of partisan scalawags who vow to betray the democratic values of our nation! To wit:

ELECTION REFORM

• Editorial: Voting laws need big change (EDITORIAL Poughkeepsie Journal) These deflating numbers are clearly unacceptable. A slew of solutions has to be pursued aggressively. They range from scheduling early voting dates, to greatly bolstering the ability of residents to register online. They must involve clearer, cleaner ballots and lengthening registration deadlines. They have to include campaign finance reform to give challengers a fighting chance to compete against entrenched incumbents. They ought to feature an independent process to draw fair, impartial political boundaries rather than leaving it up to the politicians to carve up those lines at will.
• Ark. AG outlines election reform proposals (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, The Republic - Columbus IN) Attorney General Dustin McDaniel on Thursday said he is pushing a package of legislative proposals that would toughen the penalties for fraudulently gathering signatures for a ballot measure and require more disclosures from those working on ballot question campaigns.
• FEC Complaint Could Limit Corporate Donations In Elections (By Alex Gauthier, IVN) Responding to inquiries from the press, Dan Conston, CLF’s communications director told the Hill, “[It’s] an obvious coordinated intimidation tactic from the left masquerading as just one more utterly baseless complaint.”

EDUCATION REFORM
Reform candidates see mixed results in Los Angeles school board race (Brandon Lowrey - Reuters, Chicago Tribune)  Reformers, backed by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's Coalition for School Reform, want to expand charter schools and change the way the district hires, evaluates and fires teachers. They faced opposition from the local teacher's union, United Teachers Los Angeles, which has funded its own slate of candidates. Voters handed Villaraigosa and his allies one victory outright, one defeat and one draw that will be decided in a runoff election in May.

Independent Movement: Out of the Clutches of Partisan Politics

More voters are becoming independents (40% of the American electorate considers itself to be independent - you can see the C-Span coverage of IndependentVoting.org's 2013 National Conference of Independents here) and as the voters go, so go the politicians... More candidates are becoming independent, too! Open primaries would help our country move forward, out of the deadly clutches of partisan interests. 

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

Viewpoint: Independents have clear view of party lines (By Kate McGuire, a freshman journalism major from Waterloo, Iowa. She is a staff writer for the Baylor Lariat) Yet I am neither a Democrat nor Republican. I believe independent voters are more than what people label us.

INDEPENDENT POLITICIANS

• Detroit lawmaker breaks with Dems, now independent (By DAVID EGGERT, Associated Press, Albany Times Union) Olumba's departure from the Michigan House's Democratic caucus gives Republicans a 59-50 edge instead of a 59-51 majority, though he may still vote with Democrats on many bills. Olumba said the move allows him to independently negotiate with Republican House Speaker Jase Bolger on behalf of his constituents "without a middleman," and that he planned to form a one-man "Independent Urban Democracy Caucus."
• State Rep. John Olumba of Detroit leaves Democratic Party, citing racial slights (By Kathleen Gray, Detroit Free Press) "The Democratic Party has to start recognizing its most loyal constituents," he said in a news conference to announce that he is becoming an Independent and the sole member of the Independent Urban Democracy Caucus.
• Michigan state Rep. John Olumba leaves Democratic Caucus, declares himself Independent (Jonathan Oosting, Michigan Live) "I am declaring today that I desire for the speaker, other leaders and members of the House to recognize my status accurately as what it is: Independent," Olumba said during an afternoon press conference at the Capitol, explaining a House resolution he introduced earlier in the day. "I declare myself to be a member of the Independent Urban Democracy Caucus that recognizes and puts as a priority the poor and disenfranchised persons of this state."

OPEN PRIMARIES

• It’s time to open up the District’s primaries (By Thomas M. Smith, Washington Post Opinions) f lawmakers really want to clean up city government, however, there’s a simpler step they can take: Open up the District’s closed partisan primaries, which discourage talented people from challenging entrenched incumbents.
• Editorial: Open primary in Montana would help tame partisian politics (EDITORIAL Bozeman Daily Chronicle) Unfortunately, the bill, sponsored by Rep. Scott Reichner, was tabled by the House State Administration Committee Thursday, and its chances of moving forward this session are slim. Still, it’s an idea that has worked in other states and could work well for Montana in the future. Our current primary system is too easily manipulated by the fringe. An open primary would offer a workable solution.
• Bigfork lawmaker wants to open up primary elections (y Marnee Banks - MTN News, KAJ18 Kalispell MT) State Representative Scott Reichner (R-Bigfork) wants to open up Montana's primary elections so that voters don't have to choose a ballot for one party or another.
  Pauls leery of using closed primary - Rep states adoption of method by Dems is bid to prevent conservative wins. (By Mary Clarkin - The Hutchinson News - KS) Thomas Witt, leader of the Kansas Progressive Caucus in the Kansas Democratic Party, made the motion to adopt a closed primary method, during the party's Washington Days in February. He said his motive was to keep unaffiliated voters from voting in Democratic precinct committee races.
• Kansas Democrats vote to close primaries (By AP, Dodge Globe) the Democratic State Committee voted 86-61 on Saturday in favor of the change, which allows Democrats to identify voters more easily to urge them to vote in the general election.

Independent Voters, Open Primaries, and Poverty

Nancy Folbre in her New York Times piece this week posits that "labor itself is produced outside the market..." and she points to the family as the engine of production. So too in politics, culture, science and all things human (even the family!), innovation comes from outside the existing institutions and their created markets - by definition. Big fight going on nationally around party primaries. Innovation will come from outside the partisan system, even as the out-of-power party fights the in-power party for control. Read on:


INDEPENDENT VOTERS

Why Republicans Are Out Of Step With Young Voters (by Don Gonyea, NPR) Austin Jones, a senior and an independent voter, says it's not just the Republican stand on social issues that troubles him. "Evolution is a fact. Climate change is happening. There's no arguing that. If you're arguing that, you're a fool," Jones says. Campus Democrats, meanwhile, see such comments from an independent as an opportunity.

OPEN PRIMARIES

• A New Primary System? Two For Thought (By John Fuller/Joe Carbonari, Flathead Beacon - MT) Joe Carbonari: There is a move afoot, here in Montana and across the country as a whole, to disenfranchise and/or discourage those voters that the Republican Party cannot attract or hold. Better my Republican friends should spend their time re-examining their positions and their message. We need more voters, and more candidates, who understand the complexities of the issues that face us. Limiting the choices that voters have and working to restrict the opposition’s turnout is not good for the health of our democracy.
• Pauls leery of using closed primary, Rep states adoption of method by Dems is bid to prevent conservative wins. (By Mary Clarkin - The Hutchinson News KS)  About 58 percent of those voting on the motion during Washington Days supported it. The Kansas Republican Party has a closed primary, and the Democrats' primary also will be closed in August 2014. The old open primary system permitted unaffiliated voters to obtain a Democratic ballot without becoming Democrats. Under a closed primary, voters at the polls wanting a Republican or Democratic ballot will have to be affiliated with either party before obtaining a ballot.

POVERTY & THE MINIMUM WAGE

• The Business of the Minimum Wage (By CHRISTINA D. ROMER, NY Times) Instead, most arguments for instituting or raising a minimum wage are based on fairness and redistribution. Even if workers are getting a competitive wage, many of us are deeply disturbed that some hard-working families still have very little. Though a desire to help the poor is largely a moral issue, economics can help us think about how successful a higher minimum wage would be at reducing poverty.
  Minimal Wages, Minimal Families (By NANCY FOLBRE - Nancy Folbre, economist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst -NY Times/Economix "Explaining the Science of Everyday Life") So, the debate circles back to the dilemma acknowledged by classical political economy in the 19th century. The forces of supply and demand, left to themselves, treat labor like any other commodity. But labor itself is produced outside the market, by families and communities who must struggle to find ways to support their contributions to the future.
• Economists disagree on whether the minimum wage kills jobs. Why? (Posted by Brad Plumer, Washington Post/Wonkblog) There are lots of possible ways that companies can adjust to modest wage hikes besides hiring fewer people. (Obviously if the minimum wage shot up to $100 per hour, that’d be much more disruptive, but no one is proposing that.) The basic economic theory is alluring. But the world isn’t always that simple.
  [IL Gov] Quinn calls for $10 minimum wage, gun control in State of the State (Daily Register - IL) In a nearly 40-minute speech, Quinn also called for an end to voters having to declare a party affiliation to participate in primary elections and reiterated that rising pension costs are diverting money from other state programs.

Friday Night Hankster Chat: The Independent Movement

Howdy ho, Hanksteristas! It's been a while since our last Friday Night Hankster Chat!

Was thinking today about my colleague Sarah Lyons' wonderful presentation at the February 16th National Conference of Independents when she introduced the independent movement's grassroots leadership panel. It's a proud history!

Morris Fiorina: Yes, Virginia, there really ARE independent voters!

INDEPENDENT VOTERS
5 False Assumptions Political Pundits Make All the Time (By Molly Ball, The Atlantic) It's true that self-described independents are more likely to have a partisan leaning than to be "pure independents" -- centrists who find themselves equally sympathetic with both sides' views. But the "independents" are still more independent than the partisans on either side.


VOTING RIGHTS ACT

• Analysis - In U.S. voting-rights case, liberal justices pitch to Kennedy (By Joan Biskupic, The Star - UK) Barely a minute into a U.S. Supreme Court hearing, liberal justices began a strategic barrage of questions that came down to this: Why should a time-honoured plank of the 1965 Voting Rights Act be invalidated in a case from Alabama with its history of racial discrimination?
• Sotomayor, Kagan ready for battles (By Dana Milbank, Washington Post) For a quarter-century, Antonin Scalia has been the reigning bully of the Supreme Court, but finally a couple of justices are willing to face him down.

Sequester Pawns

C-SPAN 3 Coverage of National Conference of Independents Tonight 12:30AM: Change the Culture to Change the System

UPDATED 3/1/13 -- Jacqueline Salit's keynote address link fixed

Portions of the 2013 National Conference of Independents will air tonight on C-SPAN 3 beginning at12:30 am (2/26) 

IndependentVoting.org president Jacqueline Salit's keynote address [not enbedable] followed by the panel discussion on "Changing the Culture to Change the System" moderated by Salit and Harry Kresky and including South Carolina State Rep Joe Neal; Omar Ali, Adjunct Professor, University North Carolina at Greensboro; Jason Olson, Director, IndependentVoice.org; Bradley Tusk, Mike Bloomberg 2009 campaign manager;  Steve Peace, Chair, California Independent Voter Project; Lenora Fulani, co-founder, IndependentVoting.org; Ted Downing, co-author, Arizona Top Two open primary initiative.
 

The segments re-air at 4:45 am on C-SPAN 3.

Stay tuned!

Independents Rising - National Conference of Independents

On February 16th, 2013, IndependentVoting.org hosted the seventh biennial national conference of independents in New York City. Over 400 activists from across the country gathered to take stock of their growing movement. Currently 40% of Americans consider themselves independent. Jacqueline Salit, president of IndependentVoting.org, hosted the event.

Enjoy this slide show from the event!

Independent Conference 2013

Independent voters and organizers from around the country gathered for a conference in New York City last Saturday. Fun was had by all and this is a small sample of the many friendly and independent faces.

Montana Repubs Pitch Top Two Open Primaries

OPEN PRIMARIES
Panel hears GOP plan for 'top 2' primary elections (Written by Matt Gouras, Associated Press, Great Falls MT Tribune) House Bill 436 would advance the top two candidates who receive the most votes in the new open primary election to the November election. A candidate receiving more than 50 percent of the vote in a primary would win the election outright — and no general election would be held for that race. Rep. Scott Reichner, of Bigfork, the sponsor, said the measure would let voters choose candidates from among different parties without having to strictly choose one party for an entire ballot. Many voters do not strongly identify with one of the two major parties, he said.

Georgia Independent Voters Calls for Top Two Open Primaries

INDEPENDENT VOTERS
Independent Voters a Growing National Force A full "40 percent of American voters consider themselves to be independents unswayed by party loyalties." (By Shyla Nambiar - Peachtree Corners resident and activist with Georgia Independent Voters, Peachtree Corners Patch) In Georgia last year, 77 percent of legislative races had only one candidate on the general election ballot, but this number would be significantly lowered if primaries were conducted as top-two nonpartisan processes, as it did in California last year.