Today is primary day and 3.5 million Flori

Monday, September 28, 2009

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/28/09

GOVERNORS RACES

BLOOMBERG 09


WORKING FAMILIES PARTY

Friday, September 25, 2009

Live Blogging President Obama's speech at G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh

6:58 Hmm... imho, not so much value in the parsing of this particular speech, or this particular moment. However, let's put our best foot forward! And see Fred Newman's take on Talk/Talk... Look, the Keynesian notion of simply regulating a system that devours – and based on Marx’ and Rosa Luxemburg’s insights, must devour – everything around itself, including ultimately itself, well, how do you regulate that kind of monster? Why will that monster be regulated by anything


5:38 question (sorry missed import)

POB -- as a consequence of this action (by Iran), the region and the world is less secure... Have to consider the options given the importance of this situation, [wanted to have consensus among the major powers.]




5:34 int'l reporter asking about Iran, intelligence etc

POB -- Intelligence re Iran seems to be solid, and seems to be contrary to intl standards, preferred method of operation is diplomatic, keep the path of diplomacy open, keep Iran in the intl community.... When we work to find diplomatic solutions and if that diplomacy doesn't work, we might find sanctions (eg) more effective...




5:30 local reporter: asking about g-20 protesters

POB -- these protests are directed generically at "capitalism". disagrees that the source of all ills is the free market... important to make sure that the market is working for ordinary people, emphasis needs to be on that ordinary people are able to pay their bills, etc. (doesn't support the protests)



5:25 Reuters reporter asks question re: Afghanistan policy. POB -- we were pursuing al Quaida, adrift, important that there is a sense of credibility on the part of the Afghani people for their govt. So much of our success has to do with the willingness of the people to take this on. New US General there. Our military strategy is only part of a larger civilian, govt strategy.

Re: public concern -- families being hurt, tough questions

But POB wants the best information, esp. before sending more troops.





5:23 October 1st important. Ball in their court. Iran has serious decisions to make.


5:19pm Watching msnbc (c-span has live coverage) Pres. Obama is saying that we have taken responsibility for the global economic situation.... He's now taking questions from press about Iran.

Pres. Obama: Building on what happened in NY -- world community is united, Iran raises "grave doubts" about intent of nuclear program. ... Iran is on notice...

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/23/09

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

BLOOMBERG 09

INDEPENDENCE PARTY
  • Defeated Councilman Kendall Stewart vows to fight on as independent against Jumaane Williams (BY ELIZABETH HAYS, DAILY NEWS)
  • Civic Leader, Bounced From Community Board, Leads Revolt (By Harold Egeln, Brooklyn Daily Eagle) A group of Democrats is revolting in Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights. The homegrown rebellion is only targeting one Democratic Party councilman, incumbent Vincent Gentile in the 43rd Council District, and it supports Republican candidate Bob Capano.

WORKING FAMILIES PARTY
  • After Years as Aide, Powerful Support (By JULIE BOSMAN, NY Times) Dan Cantor, the executive director of the Working Families Party, said Mr. de Blasio had established “a dense and deep network of connections” among community-based organizations and advocacy groups.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/22/09

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

OPEN PRIMARIES
GOVERNORS RACES
MAYORS RACES
BLOOMBERG 2009





Monday, September 21, 2009

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/21/09

INDEPENDENT VOTERS
  • Some News for the Maine Twins: They Love the Public Option Back Home (by mcjoan, Daily Kos) Look at those Independent numbers--67 percent in favor!
  • There You Go Again, Jimmy (by David E. Johnson, Human Events) Additionally, by charging racism, Democrats hope that they can shame Independent voters to prove that they are not racists by rethinking their opposition to health care. There is precedent for this -- Democrats did this in 1964 against Barry Goldwater after his vote based on constitutional grounds against the Civil Rights Act. When polls showed support for Goldwater among white Independents, Democrats ran a shame campaign to get Independents to vote Democratic to prove they were not racists.
  • Dems Should Focus On The Color Purple (by Charlie Cook, National Journal) I am becoming convinced, based on this and other research, that although many independent voters are disappointed in specific things that Obama has done, they still hope that he will do well and believe that he might. To be sure, red America has already given Obama the thumbs down. And blue America just wishes he would be more liberal. But it's purple America, the independents who voted for Democrats in the 2006 midterm election by an 18-point margin, that makes the biggest difference right now.

OPEN PRIMARIES
  • Why must we join the party? (By Anne McGraw Reeves, Patriot News) If the goal is to increase voter participation, then let everyone vote who wants to vote, whether they've signed on with a party or not. Let's open up the primaries.

Monday, September 14, 2009

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/14/09

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

OPEN PRIMARIES

NY INDEPENDENCE PARTY

WORKING FAMILIES PARTY

BLOOMBERG 09

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Talk Talk: Obama's Entaglements Or So What If He Is A Socialist?

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Every week CUIP's president Jacqueline Salit and strategist/philosopher Fred Newman watch the political talk shows and discuss them. Here are excerpts from their dialogues compiled on Sunday, September 6, 2009 after watching selections from "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," "Hardball with Chris Matthews," and "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."

Salit: I already have a working title for this week's Talk/Talk.


Newman: Which is?

Salit: "Obama's Entanglements." No doubt it's something of a redundancy, because being President of the United States is all about entanglements. But the two in particular that we'll talk about today are Afghanistan and the fight over health care.

Newman: I have an alternative title.

Salit: What is it?

Newman: My title is "So What If He Is a Socialist?"

Read Talk Talk in its entirety here.

Friday, September 11, 2009

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

INDEPENDENT VOTERS
Independent voters may be "all over the map" ideologically, but most think we should get out of Afghanistan...
  • Pelosi Sees Support Ebbing for Afghan War (By YOCHI J. DREAZEN and NAFTALI BENDAVID, Wall Street Journal) Support among Democratic and independent voters for the Afghan war has been evaporating for months, and a raft of recent polls has found that majorities of both groups now oppose continuing or expanding the conflict.
  • Poll: Majority in N.C. disapprove of Obama (Charlotte Observer) The fall has been particularly sharp among independent voters, dropping from a 50 percent approval rating in April to 39 percent in the latest survey.
  • Obama's Home Run (Michael Sean Winters, America Magazine - The National Catholic Weekly) The GOP has made it clear that they will not back reform so why did the President make the concessions? Because Independent voters want bipartisanship. They are the voters who say they "vote for the person not for the party," which makes them the definition of a swing voter.
  • Aim of Obama Health Speech: Reigniting a Presidency (By ADAM NAGOURNEY, NY Times)

OPEN PRIMARIES

BLOOMBERG 09
Open Up Petitioning Process to Independent Voters: Independent voters represent nearly 20% of the electorate and are the fastest growing group of voters in the city. To enable them greater participation in the political process, the Mayor proposes changing state law to enable independent voters to gather and sign petitions for candidates that are members of a political party.
WORKING FAMILIES PARTY
Tough year for WFP -- tough year for partisans...

Thursday, September 10, 2009

CNN's American Morning Speaks to Independents on 9/11

Jackie Salit, IndependentVoting.org President, to Appear

Polarization has frequently been part of America's political culture, but the divisions over healthcare and the President's education speech have flooded the airwaves. As we mark another anniversary of 9/11, the sense of fellowship that emerged from that tragedy seems to have faded from public consciousness. American Morning turns to independent voters for their view.

IndependentVoting.org president Jackie Salit was interviewed for the segment. American Morning Airs from 6:00 - 9:00 am (EST). (The exact time of the segment is unknown at the time of this alert.)

Jackie Salit is the author of "How the Independent Movement Went Left by Going Right", available online.

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 910/09

INDEPENDENT VOTERS
  • Obama’s all-American healthcare plan (By Edward Luce in Washington, Financial Times) Early opinion polls suggest that independent voters, who matter most to Democrats with slim majorities, received the speech favourably.

OPEN PRIMARIES

GOVERNORS RACES

BLOOMBERG 09

WORKING FAMILIES PARTY

ON THE BLOGS

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/9/09

INDEPENDENT VOTERS
Read this article for a good straight-forward anti-socialist perspective on the health care debate. The conversation centers around whether we want a country with a spirit of collective work and collective good, or an "every man for himself" culture. What do you think?
  • The Limits of Self-Hate (By Lisa Fabrizio, American Spectator) Because, at its heart, the true goal of "progressives" is the repudiation of all that this country was founded on; particularly the right of its people to govern themselves in a way that counts the protections of private property and personal freedom as sacrosanct, and is codified under the tenets of natural law as defined by the Judeo-Christian ethic.

OPEN PRIMARIES
California Repubs don't want "decline to state" voters...
  • State GOP about to shoot itself in the foot — again (By thomas d. elias, Mercury News) State Sen. Abel Maldonado, possibly the party's leading moderate, calls the exclusionary plan "just crazy "... I've never, ever seen a business "... run by eliminating 25 percent of the market share. Anyone would walk away from that deal."

GOVERNORS RACES
Timothy Cahill will announce today for independent run for Gov in MA; Independent Chris Daggett on a roll in NJ...

WORKING FAMILIES PARTY
WFP has somewhat of a base in Queens and the Dem party insiders are going after them...
  • Public advocate candidates get nasty in TV debate (BY ERIN EINHORN AND CELESTE KATZ, DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU) Queens City Councilman Eric Gioia started the digs early, using his opening statement to go after former public advocate Mark Green and Brooklyn Councilman Bill de Blasio as "insiders" who "sure know how to play the same old political games." He slammed de Blasio for his ties to the pro-labor Working Families Party and its for-profit political consulting arm, which Gioia called an "election funding scam."
  • Minor parties push into primaries (Crains New York)

Monday, September 07, 2009

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/7/09

INDEPENDENT VOTERS
According to the polls, independents are abandoning unions, Obama and the progressive agenda. Or did the unions, Pres. Obama and progressives abandon independents to the right?
  • Labor Day, support for unions plunges to all-time low (By: BYRON YORK, Chief Political Correspondent, Washington Examiner) Broken down by political party, Gallup found support for unions has fallen the most among critically-important independent voters. Last year, 63 percent of independents said they approved of unions. Now, just 44 percent say the same thing.
  • Labor Unions See Sharp Slide in U.S. Public Support-For first time, fewer than half of Americans approve of labor unions (by Lydia Saad, Gallup)
  • Obama is fast losing white voters' support (By Peter Wallsten, LA Times) New surveys show steep declines in Obama's approval ratings among whites -- including Democrats and independents -- who were crucial elements of the diverse coalition that helped elect the country's first black president. Pew Research crosstabs
  • Bleeding Independents (by Charlie Cook, National Journal) Indies support Obama's foreign policy, not so much domestic...

OPEN PRIMARIES
Good news for Idaho independents (and all voters)! California referendum in June 2010.

GOVERNORS RACES
Chris Daggett is giving them a run for their money in New Jersey. Redux on toll road in Texas?

BLOOMBERG 09
Colin Powell and Mike Bloomberg marched at the front of the Caribbean West Indian Day Parade today in Brooklyn; Lenora Fulani and the Independence Party are supporting Bloomberg for re-election on the Independence Party line Column C. The Independence Party is the third largest party in New York.

HEALTH CARE DEBATE
Socialism or capitalism? What about having a developmental conversation?
  • Obama’s in the ER but he’ll get his reforms: The right’s healthcare scare tactics are hitting home – but to little purpose (Andrew Sullivan, Times Online - UK)
  • David Axelrod on "Meet the Press" (TRANSCRIPT on RealClearPolitics)
  • TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads (Jason Linkins, Huffington Post EXCERPT) Obama's approval rating among independent voters is slipping. Gregory's assumption is that independent voters=centrist democrats. I have to imagine that independent voters are souring on Obama's health care maneuvers because he DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO FIGHT FOR THE REFORM FOR WHICH THEY VOTED.
  • The Obama Slide (By DAVID BROOKS, NY Times)

Friday, September 04, 2009

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/4/09

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

GOVERNORS RACES

BLOOMBERG 09