Open Primaries, Independent Parties, and the Authorities

Must read on Redding News Review -- Lenora Fulani explains why she did not support Bill Thompson in November's mayoral race in NYC.... *******   With more than 40% of the country being independent, opening up the primaries is an important democratic (small "d") electoral reform that would promote non-partisanship and allow independent voters access to the first round of voting. Californians will vote in June 2010 on a "Top Two" version of open primaries, and while this concept is very popular at the grassroots, the loudest opposition is coming from minor party spokespeople like Rich Winger of Ballot Access News. However, Jon Fleichman at Fox & Hounds Daily (a news site dedicated to the principle that "an economically healthy California is a boon for all citizens") unintentionally makes the best argument in support of open primaries.   *****   And speaking of third party voices, I was glad to see that the Independent Political Report picked up The Hankster's coverage of the attacks on the Working Families Party--maybe one day IPR will recognize the NYC IP as well....   ******* Mike Bloomberg apparently has something else in common with Fred Newman (in addition to their both being independents): neither of them gives grades!  *******  NY Post's Frederic U. Dicker has really lost it -- he seems to be living in a place where up is down....  *******   And finally, lots of interesting analysis of health care, Obama, independents, and the current nature of our political culture.  ******  Oh, and one more thing! Technorati's got itself a brand new bag. See why I care at The End.

MUST READ

• The Independence Party and the Black community: A power partnership (By Lenora Fulani, Redding News Review)

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Applicants to California Redistricting Commission Broken Down by Political Party Membership (Ballot Access News)
• Voter angst: Nation might see third party rising (Chris Austin, Knoxville News Sentinel)

OPEN PRIMARIES/ POLITICAL REFORM

• Effort launched to end marginalization of independent voters (By MARTIN WISCKOL, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER)
• The Dark Side of the California Open Primary Proposal (By Richard Winger, California Progress Report)
• Open primary won't open Legislature (Richard Winger, San Bernardino Sun)
• Colorado Legislator Will Introduce Bill to Ease Independent Candidate Prior Registration Hurdle (Ballot Access News)
• Maybe it's time to drop political labels (By Mizell Stewart III, Evansville Courier Press - IL)
• Nestande wants change in the capitol (The Desert Sun) Will you support the open primary initiative on the June ballot? Yes. I believe in the competitive market place of ideas. I am confident that the principle of local control of government vs. a model of command and control from Sacramento and Washington, D.C., will prevail regardless of party affiliation.
• Random Thoughts on the Political Scene (By Jon Fleischman, Fox & Hounds) The so-called “open primary” is supposed to reduce the role of special interests in the legislature, right? Yet the measure, if passed, would make it vastly more expensive for anyone to get elected to the legislature (successful candidates will have had to campaign to every voter in their district, twice). Hmmm.

GOVERNORS RACES

• Independent candidate to join Senate debates (By DAN RING, Mass Live/The Republican) Brown, Coakley and Kennedy will face off in the first televised debate on Tuesday. The debate will be taped, and it is scheduled to be aired on WBZ-TV Channel 4 in Boston from 8 to 9 a.m. on Dec. 27 and on WSBK-TV Channel 38 in Boston from 7 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 28.
• Decision-making publicity suits Goodman just fine (By Michael Mishak, Las Vegas Sun) Goodman was changing his party affiliation from Democrat to nonpartisan, a necessary step if he decides to run as an independent candidate for governor next year — something he’s been hinting at for months.

REFORM PARTY

• Reform Party Calls Teleconference National Committee Meeting (Ballot Access News)

WORKING FAMILIES PARTY

• What Is Bill Thompson Doing With His Email List? Organizing 2.0 and This Next Generation of Web Apps (Chrissie Brodigan, Huffington Post)
• Working Familes Party “Taking Heat” (Independent Political Report)
• Target Practice (BY ELIZABETH BENJAMIN, Daily News/Daily Politics)
• Source: More WFP Subpoenas (By Azi Paybarah, NY Observer)
• Councilman-elect Dromm Subpoenaed (By Azi Paybarah, NY Observer)

BLOOMBERG

• Obama gets an 'A' for effort from Schwarzenegger (From CNN Associate Producer Martina Stewart, Political Ticker)
• Losers abound in NY politics this year (Fredric U. Dicker, NY Post) Among the losers: * Bloomberg, whose surprisingly narrow election victory weakened him even further. and "the leftist Working Families Party"

BLOGS: RECOMMENDED READING

• Dean's Blind Spot (Ronald Brownstein, the Alantic)
• GROWING CLOUT OF INDEPENDENTS IS A GOP NIGHTMARE (American Opinion, by Jackie Salit)
• The Flawed Logic of William Kristol (By: SJGulitti, FireDogLake/The Seminal) To date, had independents firmly embraced the principles of the conservative movement generally or the G.O.P. in particular, the percentage of voters identifying as Republicans would show a marked increase and so far that is not the case. I would argue that the shift to the right among independent voters is far from solid and is conditional, being subject to a set of factors that will likely change by the time of the 2012 election.
• Why Obama Is Failing (By Robert Parry, Consortium News) By failing to do the hard work of building institutions, the progressive community has largely sidelined itself, sitting in the stands and booing the players on the field.

THE END

On the 3rd anniversary of The Hankster, I complained in a post that I was losing authorities on Technorati. Well, I'm not sayin' somebody was listenin', but... Technorati has changed! They changed the way they  calculate authorities and guess what -- we're doin' swell! Watch out, HuffPo, The Hankster's gaining on you! And here's the reason: independents are the fastest growing political constituency in the country. Keep up the great work, indies! And keep challenging those authorities, wherever you run into them!!