INDEPENDENT VOTER EXTRA: Revolution Breaks Out in Colorado!

Not since the Western Federation of Miners has there been such an outbreak of spirited independence as what we are witnessing now in Colorado. Today's backdrop is an increasingly anti-partisan and independent electorate, a stupidly partisan Congress and a beloved President who can't seem to win for losing (his Party loyalty straining credibility on all fronts....); today's battle cries are "Open Primaries!" "Non-Partisan Elections!" "An Independent on the Federal Elections Commission!"

I hope you enjoy this lively round-up.

Wishing all of you the best (independent of course) New Year ever!

--Nancy

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Give Independents a Voice (LETTER NY Times) from Jackie Salit and Harry Kresky
• Five steps to recovery for Dems (By: Steve Rosenthal, Politico) Now, take a few moments and listen to candidate Obama's stump speeches from 2008 to remind you what attracted millions of new voters, including Independents, to the Democratic Party.
• The end of the Democratic Party (Joseph Farrah, World Net Daily/Between the Lines)
• Democrats Do Not Need to Become More "Moderate" to Win in 2010 - Four Rules for Victory in November (Robert Creamer, Huffington Post)
• With new priorities, Obama and Democrats can recover in 2010 (By Dan Balz, Washington Post)
• The Obama Way (By ROSS DOUTHAT, NY Times) He’s a bipartisan bridge-builder — unless he’s a polarizing ideologue. He’s a crypto-Marxist radical — except when he’s a pawn of corporate interests. He’s a post-American utopian — or else he’s a willing tool of the national security state.
• Poll: More Americans prefer Democratic policies (CNN) "But independents will be the key to the midterms, and the numbers among independents spell bad news for both parties among that important group."

OPEN PRIMARIES

• GOP’s closed-primary plan may violate R.I, not US law (By Eric Tucker, Associated Press, Boston Globe)
• Mollis, GOP at odds over closed primaries (By JIM BARON, Woonsocket Call)
• Closed Rhode Island Republican primary could run afoul of state law (By Associated Press, Boston Herald)
• RI Republicans may try to close primary (By MICHELLE R. SMITH, Associated Press Writer, Nashua Telegraph) The party’s executive committee will consider the plan Jan. 5.
• RI Republican Party May Open Primary to GOPers Only (Chris Boardman, ABC 6 RI)
• LETTER: The Politics of Research--Are open primaries and less gerrymandering the route to evidence-based government? (Miller McCune)
• California Ballot from June 1998 Illustrates a Difficulty with the “Top-Two Open Primary” Measure (Ballot Access News)
• Where’s the Center? More on Polarization and the Parties (by Ed Kilgore, Progressive Fix) Though I favor open (or at least more open) primaries as a general proposition, the idea that this would have an immediate impact on polarization isn’t terribly compelling. It’s a subject that is complicated by definitions: some states with “closed” primaries allow very late changes in party registration, even on Election Day, which certainly gives independents every opportunity to participate.... And remember, too, that registered “independents” are not always “centrists.” [Amen, brother! -NH] NOTE: ProgressiveFix.com is the new face of the Progressive Policy Institute, the main purveyor of policy innovations to Bill Clinton’s New Democrats... 
• Richard Winger: Open primary won't live up to hype (The Record Searchlight/Redding.com)
• California Author of “Top-Two Open Primary” Sets Up Organization to Campaign for His Measure (Ballot Access News)

COLORADO

• Unaffiliated candidate's lengthy waiting period "not fair" (By Lynn Bartels, The Denver Post)
• Curry shifts from Dems, moves to unaffiliated--Plans to focus on constituents, not party politics (Gunnison Country Times Staff Writer)
• Colorado Rep. Kathleen Curry changes from Democrat to unaffiliated (By Lynn Bartels, The Denver Post) Also on HUFFINGTON POST
• Legislator: 'I don't fit' with Dems--Pressure over votes led to her switch in affiliation (By CHARLES ASHBY/The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel)
• An independent mind (By The Daily Sentinel)
• State Rep. Kathleen Curry switches party affiliation (By KATIE REDDING, Colorado Independent)
• Curry’s Affiliation Switch Gets GOP’s Attention In Garfield County (By Don Knox, STATE BILL COLORADO)
• Pre-Session Surprise: Curry’s Party Switch Costs Her Leadership Positions (STATE BILL COLORADO)
• Curry is an independent thinker-District 61 representative switches from Democrat to unaffiliated, saying ‘I just don't fit into either party' (John Colson, Post Independent, Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado)
• Colorado House #2 leader quits Democratic party (Colorado Statehouse Examiner, Hank Lacey)
• La Plata Clerk Wants Federal-Court Ballot Lawsuit Thrown Out (Law Week Colorado)
• Durango, Colorado Newspaper Story on Lawsuit Over Independent Candidate Ballot Restriction (Ballot Access News)
• Clerk wants ballot lawsuit thrown out--County Commissioner Joelle Riddle: Rule unfair to unaffiliated candidates (by Dale Rodebaugh, Durango Herald Staff Writer)

NON-PARTISAN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

• NYS Needs Nonpartisan Municipal Elections--Bloomberg Speechwriter in Exclusive Empire Page Interview (by PoliticalNewsToday.com)
• Interview with author Francis S. Barry (The Empire Page) I wrote the book in hopes that it would lead people to step back and re-consider election reforms generally, and one reform in particular: nonpartisan elections. 
• Currie eyes nonpartisan election bill (By: ADAM NORTHAM, DAILY LEADER, Brookhaven MS)

KENTUCKY

• Deadline for voters to switch parties is this week (By MELINDA CHARLES, Maysville Ledger Independent) Voters who are already registered in Kentucky have until Dec. 31 to change their political affiliation, according to a release from office of Secretary of State Trey Grayson. The deadline also affects candidates who wish to switch political party affiliation and run in their new party's primary election, or those seeking ballot access as an independent, the release said.
• Independent Kentucky Chairman Michael P.W. Lewis was a special guest on "My View Matters" Radio show on December 17th. If you happened to miss it, you can listen to it on Ed Springston's Blog.

REDISTRICTING

• Independent Commissions: Why don't all states use a non-partisan panel to decide on re-districting. (The Live Fix, Chris Cillizza, Washington Post)

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

• Ethics watchdogs give Obama high marks (UPI.com)
• CREW Unveils Its List of Top Ten Ethics Scandals of 2009 (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) - press release in Earth Times.org) Violations of federal campaign finance law are going unpunished as a result of a gridlocked and toothless Federal Election Commission
• Top 10 ethics scandals of 2009 (Part I) (Seattle Business Ethics Examiner, Jean-Pierre Ruiz)  What, the FEC Is Supposed to Enforce (Not Gut) Campaign Finance Laws?

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

• Decade Brought Change To Campaign Finance (by PETER OVERBY, NPR) Former Federal Election Commission Chairman Bradley Smith says that's it for public funding. "Participating in the public financing system is now considered the mark of an unserious candidate," he says.

INDEPENDENT VOTERS, OBAMA AND HEALTH CARE

• Like Mushrooms, Health Care 'Reform' Flourishes in the Dark - NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg criticizes the bill's lack of transparency. (By JOHN FUND, Wall Street Journal)
• In federal politics, a sharp move leftward (By: GARY WECKSELBLATT, Bucks County Courier Times)
• December 22, 2009 - U.S. Voters Oppose Health Care Plan By Wide Margin, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Voters Say 3-1, Plan Should Not Pay For Abortions (Quinnipiac) Looking at the health care plan, independent voters "mostly disapprove" 58 - 30 percent, as do Republicans 83 - 10 percent. Democrats "mostly approve" 64 - 22 percent. 
• Obama gets lowest approval rating since taking office (NY Post)
• Daily Presidential Tracking Poll (Rasmussen Reports) Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Democrats approve while 88% of Republicans and 62% of unaffiliated voters disapprove.

STATE RACES

• Lincoln Chafee Enters Rhode Island Gov's Race (CBS News/Political Hotsheet) as an independent 
• Senate hopefuls pull no punches in TV clash (By Matt Viser and Eric Moskowitz, Boston Globe) Kennedy, who is an active Libertarian running as an independent, demonstrated last night why Brown has sought to minimize him and Coakley has wanted him involved in the debates: He used nearly every speaking opportunity to challenge Brown from the right, saying the state senator has not done enough to cut spending, limit taxes, and make his voting record accessible.
• Gov. Deval Patrick reflects on his ‘mistake’--Says he ‘underutilized’ grassroots network once in office (By Hillary Chabot, Boston Herald)
• Independent Jana Kemp says she has signatures to make the 2010 gubernatorial ballot (By Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman)