IndependentVoting.org Founders Honored

Pictured left to right: Cathy Stewart, Jason Martinez, Lenora Fulani, Jackie Salit, Erika Rubino, Michael Hardy.

Messages of thanks and congratulations poured in from around the country at the 14th Annual Spring Chairman's Reception of the Independence Party of NYC.  Jackie Salit and Dr. Lenora Fulani, who founded IndependentVoting.org 20 years ago, were honored, as was activist Jason Martinez.

Joan Blades (co-founder of Moveon.org, Moms Rising and Living Room Conversations), Wayne Griffin, (Chair of SC Independence Party), South Carolina State Rep. Joe Neal, Steve Peace, (Founder, Independent Voter Project), Mark Frohnmayer (Unified Primary Initiative in Oregon), and other national reform activists sent in messages of support.

CLICK HERE to watch.

The annual reception and fundraiser was held on June 4th in New York City and was attended by 150 supporters.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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Interviews by a Black Independent

NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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Legal Suicide of a Ballot Qualified Political Party

Thanks to Ballot Access News for the post.

Reportedly, national leaders of Americans Elect are planning to ask state officials to de-certify the party, in all the states in which the party is now ballot-qualified. However, there is no legal precedent that gives state or national party leaders the legal ability to take that step.

States in which Americans Elect is currently ballot-qualified are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

So now we will have to check who tries to locally take over their ballot position.

Use the above link to read an article by Jacqueline Salit, the President of IndependentVoting.org, the author of Independents Rising: Outsider Movements, Third Parties and the Struggle for a Post-Partisan America, to be published by Palgrave/Macmillan in August.









NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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What Went Wrong with Third Party Movement in 2012

This article is by Jacqueline Salit, the President of IndependentVoting.org. She is the author of Independents Rising: Outsider Movements, Third Parties and the Struggle for a Post-Partisan America, to be published by Palgrave/Macmillan in August.

Last month, Americans Elect, the group aiming to create an alternative nominating process for a centrist “unity” ticket in the 2012 presidential elections, announced it would not field a presidential candidate.

Founded by financier Peter Ackerman, Americans Elect had raised and spent $35 million in pursuit of 50 state ballot lines and a database of non-aligned delegates who would choose presidential and vice presidential nominees. But despite deep pockets, significant media exposure, and pollsters galore pointing to extreme dissatisfaction with politics-as-usual, Americans Elect fell flat.

What went wrong?

To find out, use the above link.









NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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NY County Independence Party 2012 Spring Chairman's Reception

On Thursday, May 31st, is the New York County Independence Party's 14th Annual Spring Chairman's Reception, Cathy L. Stewart, New York County Chair.

This year's event is special. We will be inaugurating the Nicholas Johnson Independent Spirit Award.

Nick was a close friend and colleague and was a deeply respected within the Independence Party community. He was elected Chairman of the Bronx Independence Party in 2008, were I was born, and served until his untimely death last year. The New York City Independence Party Executive Committee created the Nicholas Johnson Independent Spirit Award to recognize a new activist who exemplifies Nick's leadership and can do attitude.

Next week we will be announcing the recipient of this year's award.

We've set an ambitious $35,000 goal for this year's Spring fundraiser, and I know (with your help) we can reach and exceed that goal. Every dollar you give supports the growth of our county committees, important educational activities like "Politics for the People" and "Interviews By a Black Independent", and our ongoing grassroots outreach. We're a 100% grassroots funded organization, and we need your financial help to support the education, litigation, lobbying, and voter registration we do 365 days a year.

In memory of Nick, please donate even if you can not attend:

Buy Your Ticket!

Thank you in advance for your support.

"The parties aren't the people. The people are the people. The constitution recognizes the people and not the parties, as we well know. But I don't think that is just a technical issue. In some ways, part of where we have come to as a country is that it is a time to remind ourselves that the parties are not the people. And we have to find ways to take action politically that reflect that and express that."

- Jacqueline Salit, "Politics for the People" interview, April 27, 2012.

View the "Politics for the People" event!









NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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Politics for the People on C-SPAN

Independents Alert!

C-SPAN has indicated they plan to broadcast coverage of last Friday's Politics for the People, Thursday, May 4th, at 10:30 pm.

Please check your local listings, set your DVR and most importantly invite friends, family and colleagues to watch a cutting edge dialogue featuring host Cathy Stewart, former Congressman Mickey Edwards, IndependentVoting.org president Jackie Salit and the Politics for the People live audience, on the role of independents in U.S. politics.


I was in the audience at this month class that Cathy does in New York City. They are held rotating through the five boroughs.

We talked about the negative role of the political parties in US, the cultural component of change, the competing powers of our government and the role of the President, the massive political disalignment of the American people from the political parties and more in this wide ranging conversation.

Jackie and Mickey have books coming out in August.

Jackie's is called Independents Rising, Outsider Movements, Third Parties, and the Struggle for a Post-Partisan America.

Mickey's is called The Parties Versus The People, How to turn Republicans and Democrats Into Americans.

Use the above link to watch the event on C-SPAN's Video Library.









NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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Independnet Political Leader Goes Onstage

Jacqueline Salit, the president of Independent Voting, long a player in New York City and National Politics, is currently playing on a different stage, at the Castillo Theatre on 42nd Street, where she's appearing as Founding Father James Madison in a revival of Fred Newman and Annie Roboff's political musical, Sally and Tom (The American Way).

Running at the Castillo Theatre for six weeks from February 17 through March 25, Sally and Tom (The American Way) examines the 30-year relationship between Thomas Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemings, a relationship that produced five children and embodies the wrenching conflict between democracy and slavery,and its legacy of racism that continues to shape America to this day.

In this polarizing presidential election year, with the meaning of "the American way" itself being hotly contested, Salit makes her acting debut in a play that examines the extreme power struggles and ugly campaigning that shaped our nation's course in the early years of the Republic. In an ironic twist, Salit, a political independent who is outspoken against party control of American politics, plays the author of the Constitution, a man who deeply opposed political parties but ultimately founded one.

Salit has a 30-year history in independent and insurgent politics. She managed Mayor Michael Bloomberg's three successful campaigns on the Independence Party line and was a key strategist in the effort to bring non-partisan election reform to New York City. Her book, Independents Rising, published by Palgrave Macmillan, will be in stores in August. "This is a totally new experience," Salit says of her role as a Founding Father. "I've performed as 'myself' at political gatherings and on TV. But it's very different to be playing someone else -- a man, at that -- who lived over 200 years ago. In this production, Madison is both a man of his time and can look back at his -- and the country's -- inhuman compromises. Performing the part hits me very hard every time we do the show." Salit shares the role with veteran actor and director David Nackman. [Salit will perform the role on the following dates: Feb. 17, 18, 19, 24, 26, March 2, 3, 9.]

Under the direction of Gabrielle L. Kurlander, the play is performed on three stages in its own surreal "history museum." The audience is seated throughout the performance space and among the exhibits, and is encouraged to interact with the conflicted history of our nation.

In addition to Salit and Nackman, the cast for Sally and Tom (The American Way) features Ava Jenkins and Adam Kemmerer in the title roles, as well as Sean Patrick Gibbons and Brian D. Hills. Musical direction is by David Belmont with Michael Walsh, choreography by Lonné Moretton; sets by Joseph Spirito and costumes by Emilie Charlotte Knoerzer.


The Castillo Theatre (Dan Friedman, artistic director, Diane Stiles, managing director) is located at 543 West 42nd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. February 17 through March 25. Tickets are $35 for adults, $10 for students and seniors. Group rates are available.

Tickets can be purchased through the Castillo Box Office at 212-941-1234 or use the above link to order online.









NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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Three Different Approaches to Independents and the Problem of Partisanship

Political reporter Anna Sale, "It's a Free Country" political reporter spoke to leaders of IndependentVoting.org, as well as two other organizations: American's Elect and No Labels, to get their take on what defines an independent voter and what their approach is to addressing the problem of partisanship.

The conversation includes Jackie Salit, IndependentVoting.org President and Ted Downing of Arizona.











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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The NEO-INDEPENDENT Magazine Re-Launch

Omar H. Ali, Executive Editor

Jackie Salit, Publisher

Contributing Editors:
Phyllis Goldberg,
Harry Kresky,
Fred Newman,
Jackie Salit






The current issue of the The Neo-Independent magazine, now on-line, features an edited version of Salit's analysis--food for thought for anyone interested in better understanding the emerging national independent political movement. Salit's edited presentation is followed by an interview with CNN contributor and political analyst John P. Avlon, a participant at the national conference of independents and a longtime advocate for non-partisan reform.

Welcome!
We're re-launching The Neo-Independent ... this time online, with new features and interactivity. Over the coming months we'll be publishing cutting-edge news and political analysis on the emerging independent movement.

Stay tuned!

Omar H. Ali, Editor

Use the above link to view the new on-line magazine.









NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
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