How Can We Get Out of the Partisan Trap?

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Notes on Getting Out of the Partisan Trap (By Harry Kresky, This post was co-written by Michael Hardy, Huffington Post) For us, this raises the issue of getting past, or outside of, the institutions that organize special interest politics. Chief among these, of course, are the political parties, which control the Congress and, notably, dictate the terms of the political game. Obama has tried to rise above this, only to be sucked back into a partisan grid. How do we get out of that trap? That is a complicated, long term proposition. But there are steps that could be taken now.
• To survive, state GOP must reinvent itself (By Michael J. Mishak, Los Angeles Times) Labor unions, which are Democrats' biggest allies, say the combination of the "top-two" primary system and the new political maps creates unprecedented opportunities for them to influence Republican races. Last week, the Service Employees International Union launched a political action committee aimed at helping moderate Republicans be elected to the Legislature.
• California Set to Become Even More Democratic (By Kevin Drum, Mother Jones) But in 2008 and 2010, voters (including me) approved initiatives that took redistricting out of the hands of the legislature and gave it to an independent commission charged with creating compact, nonpartisan district lines.

NEW YORK
With embattled Weiner all but certainly out of running, NYC mayor's race suddenly shifts (SAMANTHA GROSS  Associated Press, The Republic) Thompson has some catching up to do. As of January, Weiner had raised $5.1 million, Quinn had raised $3.2 million and Stringer had raised $1.1 million. Liu and de Blasio trailed with $513,000 and $393,000, respectively.

EDUCATION REFORM
School reform’s new generation (By Joel I. Klein, Washington Post) What they have in common is recognition that the status quo in public education is broken and that incremental change won’t work. They are ready to challenge the heart of the educational establishment rather than tinker around its edges, which has been the hallmark of past, failed reform efforts.

Can Independents Reform America?

national conference of independents

Saturday, February 12, 2011
Skirball Performing Arts Center

at New York University

(the conference is free but you must pre-register)


Program Highlights

New Documentary
Watch the premier of the latest political documentary by Jackie Salit, the President and Founder of IndependentVoting.org.  This multimedia presentation covers the impact of the independent movement on the Obama White House, on Congress, on the political parties and on a cross section of political forces.  This cutting edge documentary is a great introduction to independent politics.  It explains the relevance of the independent movement to urgent social, economic and cultural problems in America.

Talk/Talk
Hear a "Talk/Talk" conversation with Jackie Salit and Dr. Fred Newman, the Stanford-trained philosopher, playwright, author and pioneer of independent politics. Talk/Talk is a Newman/Salit specialty - think Charlie Rose, Oprah and Aristotle all rolled up into one! 

Panel Discussion
Moderated by Jackie Salit and IndependentVoting.org General Counsel, Harry Kresky with:

•     Theresa Amato, Ralph Nader’s Presidential Campaign Manager in 2004;
•     John Avlon, Senior Political Consultant, TheDailyBeast.com; Founder, No Labels
•     Lenora Fulani, Co-founder, IndependentVoting.org
•     Michael Hardy, General Counsel, National Action Network
•     Douglas Schoen, pollster and author
•     Former California Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado
•     James Mangia, Executive Director, St. John's Well Child & Family Center and Founding Secretary, National Reform Party
•     Cathy Stewart, Chair, New York County Independence Party
•     Bradley Tusk, Founder, Tusk Strategies; Campaign Manager Bloomberg 2009

Mock Trial
Are you a fan of Law and Order, The Good Wife, or even Judge Judy?  If so, you don't want to miss this.  We will be staging a mock trial to explore a fictional (but not improbable) "people vs. the parties" controversy. A cast of prominent civil rights and election lawyers, actors, elected officials, and a famous "surprise witness" will stage a courtroom trial and in the process shed light on the growing conflict between parties' rights and voters' rights.

Dispatches from the Movement
Get the inside scoop from IndependentVoting.org’s leaders on what's happening on the ground, behind the scenes, in the hallways of power and on the street corners, as independents intensify their efforts to enact structural political reforms like open primaries across the country.  This is independent politics straight from the source.

Discussion and Dialogue
Conference attendees will have the opportunity to discuss the days’ proceedings in an open mic session, not to mention the chance to meet and mingle throughout the day.

Register here or email national@cuip.org

Community Meeting to Support Dr. Lenora Fulani

Dr. Lenora Fulani spoke to a crowd of 1,000 people at the First A.M.E. Bethel Church in Harlem, October 30, about the abandonment by Mayor Bloomberg of the principles of democracy and independence.

The list of speakers and endorsers is short but important: State Senator Eric Adams, Councilmember Charles Barron, DP Nominee for State Assembly Inez Barron, civil rights attorney Derrick Bell, President of the Grand Council of Guardians Charles Billups (who did a STAND OUT job of emceeing the event), Coalition of Outsiders, President of the Vulcan Society John Coombs, Chair of the James E. Davis Foundation Geoffrey Davis, Producer of the New Heritage Theatre Group Darryl T. Downing, President of Mothers Against Guns Elizabeth Goldsmith, Attorney for the National Action Network and Rev. Al Sharpton Michael Hardy, President of the Van Dyke Houses Tenant Association Lisa Kenner, President and CEO of the All Stars Project Gabrielle L. Krulander, Counselor and Sports Legend Bob McCullough, chairman of the National Latino Officers Association Anthony Miranda, Host of KISS FM Open Line James Mtume, the New York City Organizations of the Independence Party, President of Hip Hop SUV (Stand Up and Vote) Lawayne Perkins, President of IndependentVoting.org Jacqueline Salit, Former President of the Vulcan Society Paul Washinton, Retired NYPD officer Graham Weatherspoon, and Vice President of the New York State Ministers Wives and Widows Dr. W. Ruth Whitney.... and many many others...

Dr. Fulani has been attacked by many of the leaders she has helped the most, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Why? Because Lenora Fulani is a progressive and an independent who fights for the people. She is a leftist and a radical -- and that's not allowed.

New York City is at a crossroads. Mike Bloomberg and other elected officials want to do away with term limits and cement their power. We need to speak out for independent peoples' power and for the leaders who have been there for us!

The black and independent alliance put Mike Bloomberg in office and if we continue to build the movement, he and the rest of the city council and all the other politicians around will have to account to the black and indpendent alliance.

Power to the People.

Stay tuned. More video snipits to come!

Court Of Appeals To Hear Independence Party Case

Key Ruling On Local Control Expected
November 30, 2007

New York, NY—The Court of Appeals has agreed to hear a case in the ongoing fight between the New York City organizations of the Independence Party and state party Chairman Frank MacKay over who will have the right to determine candidates for the party. This latest turn of events halts MacKay’s drive to wrest control of the local party from its duly-elected leadership.

The current controversy began in June when the state party adopted a rule giving itself decision-making authority over candidate selection in New York City, overriding the mechanisms of local control guaranteed by state election law. City-based county leaders immediately took the state party to court, where Supreme Court Judge Joseph Levine vacated the MacKay rules. In September, the state party appealed Judge Levine’s ruling to the Appellate Division, which issued a decision upholding the New York City IP organizations’ control of the nomination process for citywide elections, but granted the state party and state Chairman Frank MacKay control over local races.

In response, attorneys for the duly-elected New York City county organizations applied to the Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, for permission to appeal. Under New York procedure, the right to an appeal is not automatic. They contended that the Appellate Division ruling could cause “fragmentation of New York City’s municipal government” and was in conflict with the home rule provisions of the New York State constitution. On Wednesday, November 28th, the Court of Appeals granted the attorneys’ request.

Harry Kresky, attorney for the plaintiffs stated, “We welcome review of these important issues by the State of New York’s highest court, and hope the rights of New York City voters to control their political destiny will be fully restored.” Michael A. Hardy, counsel to the National Action Network*, and Mark A. Picard of Heller Ehrman LLP join Kresky as co-counsels for the city organizations on the appeal.

*For identification purposes only.

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New York City Independents Win Key Court Decision

New York City--A State Supreme Court judge yesterday struck down a rules change enacted by the State Independence Party and chairman Frank MacKay in June. The rule would have given the State Executive Committee control over the selection of Independence Party candidates in New York City, including for citywide offices in 2009. The court's decision affirms that all such decisions will be made by the New York City organizations.

In June, the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island county organizations of the Independence Party filed suit against MacKay and the party's State Committee. The plaintiffs asserted that local control over city nominations is guaranteed by state law and that party rules could not circumvent that. Brooklyn State Supreme Court Judge Joseph Levine agreed declaring the rule "invalid" asserting that "Although political parties are afforded wide latitude in adopting rules for party governance, such rules cannot conflict with statutory directives."
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Attorneys for the plaintiffs were Harry Kresky, counsel to the NYC Independence Party and Michael Hardy, counsel to the National Action Network and Rev. Al Sharpton.

Attorney Harry Kresky stated, "In a series of rulings over the last year the courts have clearly stated that the Independence Party is not above the law. This is an important message, not just to the state party's Executive Committee, but more generally. The doctrine of party rights cannot be used to abuse or undercut democratic protections built into state law. For this reason the decision has ramifications beyond New York. It's important because it defines limits to party power at a time when more and more Americans dislike and distrust political parties."

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Hillary at the top of the Dem ticket could hurt local candidates and jeopardize the party's standing with independent voters (Washington Post) and see Gallup Poll for favorable/unfavorable ratings...
• Florida Hispanics turning independent (Miami Herald)
• Survey Brief: Political Independents and Health Care (Kaiser Family Foundation)
• Independence Party of New York Battle Still Raging in Court (Ballot Access News), where Rev. Sharpton's attorney Michael Hardy helped argue the charge of racial discrimination by the IP State Committee's actions against the NYC operation...
• Matt Bai has written a book about current attempts to reform the Dem party