Nevada independents

strongly oppose lifting term limits.

Unity '08

Bipartisan baloney? (..... "Decline to state" is the epithet concocted by our state Legislature consisting of Republicans and Democrats to covey their disdain for anyone who refuses to be identified with either of those parties.....")

Can Obama move to the next level?

It's still very early--VERY early--in this presidential campaign. Lots of independent minded voters have been encouraged by Barack Obama's vision. But let's face it, he'll have to work much harder to reach out to independent voters if he expects to reach the finish line.

Bush policies don't speak for independents

In a recent Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll, 80 percent of independents said that Bush's "surge" has either had no impact or made matters worse....

Rev. Al Sharpton says black voters should focus on issues

Sharpton spoke at the NAACP Freedom Weekend and says black voters haven't yet been "invited to the prom"....

Georgia independent leader Helen Blocker-Adams

... spoke about the debate in South Carolina and her view of whether the candidates made much of impression....

Hankster Poll

Here are the final stats for: Of the candidates currently running or thinking about it, who is the best candidate for independent voters at this point?

Barack Obama and Chuck Hagel were the "top choices" by far. Thanks to everyone for your participation!

Joe Biden - 3 votes
Sam Brownback - 0 votes
Hillary Clinton - 8 votes
John Edwards - 6 votes
Newt Gingrich - 1 vote
Rudy Giuliani - 5 votes
Chuck Hagel - 24 votes
Dennis Kucinich - 6 votes
John McCain - 1 vote
Barack Obama - 37 votes
Bill Richardson - 7 votes
Mitt Romney - 0 votes

Please let us know what you thought of the South Carolina debate last Thursday in the new poll on the sidebar!

Talk/Talk: Explaining Blacksburg

Fred Newman in Sunday's Talk/Talk with Jackie Salit: "Frankly, I have little confidence in what the studies are going to come up with because they’re fundamentally limited in what they’re willing to explore, even though the people conducting the studies all claim otherwise. Amongst other things, they’re not going to explore how we explore. They’re not going to explore how we explain. And there are a whole host of other issues that the various task forces appointed to study the Blacksburg events are not able or willing to touch.... A more social view of the world treats these things, even before they happen, as our collective problem, as something that we have to engage. And, by and large, there’s not a whole lot of interest in engaging it, in some serious and thorough way...... "

Independent "Debate Watchers" gather

Debate watchers want substance, not rhetoric-quotes Wayne Griffin (Greenville News)



Don't forget tonight:
JOIN CUIP'SINDEPENDENTS DEBATE WATCH '08
The First Democratic Debate of the 2008 Presidential Season
Thursday, April 26, 2007
7:00 pm EST
Sponsored by MSNBC and South Carolina State University
Broadcast live on MSNBC
The first presidential debate of the 2008 season is being held in South Carolina among the Democratic Party candidates. It's being broadcast on MSNBC nationally. Independents in SC, and 30 other states, can vote in major party primaries or caucues. Let’s see if any of the candidates are speaking to independent Americans.
Please join Debate Watch. To print out a copy of the Debate Watch survey or to take the survey online go to: http://www.independentvoting.orgPlease send us your completed survey by Saturday, April 28th via Fax, Email or Mail. See below. Survey results will be tabulated and we will use your responses to give feedback to the candidates and to educate the media on how independents are responding to the Democratic Party field.
Please return your questionnaire by Saturday to:
Email: national@cuip.org
Fax: 212-609-2801
Mail: CUIP – Debate Watch
225 Broadway, Suite 2010
New York, NY 10007
For more information Call: 800-288-3201/212-609-2800

Why It’s Obama Time

by Wayne Griffin, head of the Independence Party of South Carolina. Independents are targeting Obama in a statewide campaign called South Carolina Independents for Obama....

Independent Vote Key in N.H

Obama "not targeting independents specifically".... Hmmmm.....

Hillary, Obama, Sharpton, independent and black voters

Hillary's numbers are dropping and Obama's are rising among independents in New York.... and a South Carolina poll shows similar results, particularly among black voters... which puts Clinton supporters in a tough spot..... Rev. Sharpton's endorsement is on the line....

Lenora Fulani honored

Dr. Lenora Fulani, the first woman and first African American to ever be on the ballot in all 50 states when she ran for President in 1988 as an independent, was honored on Friday by the New York chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. Also honored was state Sen. Eric Adams, co-founder of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care. Fulani was cited for her work to bring cops and kids together in dialogue in a project called "Operation Conversation", begun after the violent shooting of Sean Bell in Queens, NY. She reported on the project this weekend at Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network conference.

Fulani also had words with NY1's Dominic Carter at the conference...

Obama gaining on Hillary

Some polls are showing Hillary is losing points while Obama is gaining....

Debate Watch: South Carolina

The first Dem debate will take place in South Carolina on Thursday (broadcast by MSNBC). The Committee for a Unified Independent Party and Independent Voice are running "debate watches", asking independent voters to watch the debate and fill out a survey with their responses. (see websites on the sidebar for more information)

And speaking of which, anti-poverty groups like the Alliance to End Hunger are being locked out of the debates circuit....

Linda Curtis, Independent Texans reaches out on The Corridor Toll moratorium

Dear Friends & Members:
The Corridor/Toll moratorium has passed the Senate. We are waiting and watching to see the next steps before it hits the Governor's desk. Sit tight, and follow CorridorWatch.org's instructions. If you're not on their list, please join at CorridorWatch.org.
Meanwhile, read the press release below about the Battle for North Texas. We can use your help, no matter where you live, in making a few phone calls, or by coming to Dallas on election day, Saturday, May 12 (or the Saturday prior, 5th), where we will be pulling votes for our candidates and gathering signatures for a referendum on the ridiculous 6 lane high speed developer special interest driven toll road planned (after the fact), through the planned Trinity River Park! Call me or send me a note a ljcurtis@indytexans.org to join the reform army to take back Texas. Please forward this message! Linda Curtis, Independent Texans (contact info below).
For Immediate Release April 20, 2007
Independents Endorse in Key Metroplex Mayoral and City Council Races
Independent Texans, the only organization in Texas representing approximately 4 million voters who identify as independent, announced endorsements in several key metroplex races, including the hotly contested Dallas Mayor’s race. The Dallas endorsements hinged on candidate’s support for a referendum giving voters the right to vote on the Trinity River Park toll road. All candidates agreed that a two year moratorium on the privatized toll road and Trans-Texas Corridor plans of Gov. Rick Perry. Independent Texans is supporting Sam Coats for Dallas Mayor, Justin Rosales for Dallas City Council, Place 2, Joe Tave for Dallas City Council, Place 3, Jerry Pikulinski for Arlington Mayor, and “Landslide” Clyde Picth, for Ft. Worth City Council, Place 6.
Linda Curtis, founder of Independent Texans said, “These candidates demonstrated, not simply in words but in their actions, their willingness to stand up for the voters and to stand up to special interests who are trying to pull bait and switch deals like putting a 6 lane, high speed toll road through the middle of a park. What’s more, all those we’ve endorsed support the moratorium on Rick Perry’s privatized toll roads and the massive Trans-Texas Corridor, without exception. We are now mobilizing citizens across the state to get involved in the Battle for North Texas."
Julia Soto Cabrera, a member of Independent Texans who ran the DFW Hispanic outreach effort for the Tony Sanchez campaign said, “The time for a Democratic and independent alliance against the special interests is now here! That gives us the power we need for the people stop the excessive taking of our land and public dollars.”
Jeff Harper, a founder of Independent Texans in Tarrant County, and small businessman in Ft. Worth, said, "We are independents with a small 'i'. Therefore, we can endorse iconoclasts like Clyde Picth for Ft. Worth City Council (Dist. 6) and independent-minded Republicans like Jerry Pikulinski for Arlington Mayor. They both are watching out for the little guys and gals -- not to mention our pocketbooks."
#
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Linda Curtis
Independent Texans
http://indytexans.org
P. O. Box 14294
Austin, TX 78761
512-535-0989 AUSTIN
817-921-2417 DFW
512-657-2089 cell

JOIN CUIP'S INDEPENDENTS DEBATE WATCH '08

The First Democratic Debate of the 2008 Presidential Season
Thursday, April 26, 2007
7:00 pm EST
Sponsored by MSNBC and South Carolina State University
Broadcast live on MSNBC
(Go to www.independentvoting.org for more information)


Are you an independent voter? Watch the debate and have input. Click on the link above!

Repub changes coming?

Loyalty was on display despite the Iraq war's unpopularity with the independent voters who powered the Democratic takeover of Congress in 2006 (ABC News)

Poll shows independents coming down on Democrats' side

The attitudes of independent voters may well come to haunt GOP candidates in the general election (Charlie Cook, MSNBC)

CBC/Fox News debate controversy

This, however, is not the first time that Fox and the CBC have come together for a presidential debate. The CBC Institute chose this network, over BET, to air its debate in September of 2003 (Frost Illustrated-- News and Views of African Americans since 1969,Fort Wayne's Independent Weekly Newspaper)

Deveopmental Blogging

Welcome to the developing independent blogosphere! Here's the latest from Pennsylvania (now featured on the Hankster blogroll):

PAindependents.org

Check it out!

Hello Fellow Independents:
Independent Pennsylvanians is proud to roll out our very own web site for activities and initiatives we are leading here locally and state wide (visit www.PAindependents.org). Please check it out when you have a moment. One of the first activities we are kicking off is a media advocacy and education campaign re: our CUIP presidential poll - exciting stuff - we will keep you posted.
We hope all is going well in building our movement and voice in you state/region.
Best,Stephen Bouikidis ChairpersonPA Independents
Independent Pennsylvanians
245 South 16th Street
Philadelphia PA 19102
Contact: Jennifer Bullock
Tel: 215-957-5073
Email: jbullock1@comcast.net

Deveopmental Blogging

Welcome to the developing independent blogosphere! Here's the latest from Pennsylvania (now featured on the Hankster blogroll):

PAindependents.org

Check it out!

Hello Fellow Independents:
Independent Pennsylvanians is proud to roll out our very own web site for activities and initiatives we are leading here locally and state wide (visit www.PAindependents.org). Please check it out when you have a moment. One of the first activities we are kicking off is a media advocacy and education campaign re: our CUIP presidential poll - exciting stuff - we will keep you posted.
We hope all is going well in building our movement and voice in you state/region.
Best,Stephen Bouikidis ChairpersonPA Independents
Independent Pennsylvanians
245 South 16th Street
Philadelphia PA 19102
Contact: Jennifer Bullock
Tel: 215-957-5073
Email: jbullock1@comcast.net

To debate or not to debate....

Barack Obama has decided not to participate in the "controversial" Fox News-Congressional Black Caucus debate...

The Dem Congress and the independents

Not so fast -- Approval of Congress Highest in Year -- but still no support from indies

The National Popular Vote Plan

David Broder talks about the National Popular Vote Plan, the two-party system and the Electoral College....

Will Obama Welcome Independents?

by Lenora Fulani in Black Star News.... As Barack Obama's campaign takes root, will he acknowledge his illigitimate cousins???

The Hankster celebrates one-year anniversary

Here's one of the posts that kicked off The Hankster almost a year ago:

Jackson, who mounted strong challenges for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 said his Chicago-based organisation, Rainbow-Push, is "looking at critical states and looking at what is required to get on the ballot in each state [as an independent]."Whether Jackson can deliver on his threat is an open question. He remains one of the most popular African American politicians in the country but his standing has waned over the last decade, while a new generation of blackpoliticians, such as Illinois senator Barack Obama, has come to thefore. Either way the prospect of any split will worry the Democrats -particularly among African Americans who are their most loyal constituency....

Shake-Up on the political f$eld

"Six months ago, when we didn't know whether Obama was running, if anybody had told you somebody who wasn't even in the race would tie Hillary Clinton, you wouldn't have believed them," said Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia. "The Clintons have been building this fundraising network for 30 years." ... (The Olympian)

What with Obama's 100,000 individual donors to Hillary's 50K, the fundraising totals hit the press this week, but with a twist. Since when do they care how many people donated? Since Barack Obama....

Main attraction remains the Hillary/Obama showdown--what will Sharpton do?

Here's a collection of very smart observations by Pamela Wallin , a consultant on Canadian-U.S. relations, corporate director, author and former news anchor for CTV and CBC in the Canadian Pembroke Daily Observer: "...Ironically, these two barrier breakers seem to have taken away - from each other - the very advantage that gender and skin colour once afforded them. That said, most agree, Obama may be standing in the world's most dangerous spot - between Hillary Clinton and the White House...."

No doubt, Al Sharpton is in "deep thought" right now. Let's hope he makes the right decision!

South Carolina: deal makers/breakers?

South Carolina has taken a prominent spot in the upcoming Presidential election - the Dems officially opting for an earlier (Jan. 29th) primary. This is important to the weight of black voters (Blacks made up 49 percent of the 280,000 voters who participated in the Feb. 3 primary in 2004, according to the Washington Times today...) and to the candidacy of Barack Obama.

The state hosts this year's first national presidential debate April 26.