Hankster 7/3/2007

From Hankster:

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• New York Working Families Party executive director Dan Cantor talks about fusion voting and why it's a good thing.
• Independent Voters Revealed as Anti-War Extremists (Talking Stick Rules blog)
• Poll: Who Are the Independents? Study of Politically Unaffiliated Bodes Poorly for GOP (TRANSCRIPT - Washington Post)
• Disconnect Between Candidates And Voters (Internet Financial News)

Shakesville 7/2/2007

From Shakesville:

Back To The Old Drawing Board..

If the last few elections have taught me anything, it’s that we still need to revisit how we handle elections in this country. Voting fraud aside (save that for another post), I have never been convinced that our monolithic two-party system serves us best. How many times have friends or family members spoken about “choosing the lesser of two evils,” or “choosing either is the same as choosing both?” Regardless of majority or minority, neither party ever has anything to lose because they are always represented on the Hill, in one branch or another. As wacky as he might have been, I remember when Ross Perot really shook things up when he dove into the race. I rather liked the idea of shaking up the establishment, because the perception of power loss really whips these people into shape. Our ace in the hole, as it were.

But, how do we buck the system without feeling like we’re throwing away votes that would otherwise ensure an assclown doesn’t get elected?

Dan Cantor, the executive director of the Working Families Party, blogged today at TPMCafe about his ideas on fusion voting:

What is fusion? Also known as open ballot voting or cross-endorsement, fusion allows a candidate to run for office as the standard-bearer of more than one party. Suppose the WFP decides to cross-endorse the Democrat. That candidate will show up twice on the ballot, and voters will get to choose to support him or her on the party line of their choice. The votes will get counted separately but then added together to determine the final outcome of the race.

[…]

So why does it matter? Scott Shields put it well in a MyDD post:

Well, by supporting Eliot Spitzer as a Working Families Party candidate rather than as a Democrat…voters send the message that the issues Working Families champions – universal healthcare, a living wage, strong labor protection – are very important to a significant segment of their base. It also gives independent voters an excuse to vote for major party candidates that they might not otherwise vote for.

If I read this right, this method sounds like a demographic tool to inform the winning candidate which supporters voted under which platform of importance. This is all fine and good, but the cynical part of my brain is asking how this would affect anything. Even if a candidate wins by overwhelming endorsement from WFP voters, why would that fact provide any impetus for the candidate to address WFP’s issues with a higher priority over the candidate’s own party? I’m not seeing how the end result is different than what we already have.

What other election/voting ideas have you come across?

The Albany Project 6/15/2007

Front page blog post at The Albany Project:

Employee Free Choice Act Vote Next Wednesday
by: SteveWFP

(This is a really important vote. - promoted by lipris)

The Employee Free Choice Act is headed toward a Senate vote next week on Wednesday. The bill has already passed overwhelmingly in the House. Almost all of the New York House delegation voted for it - Tom Reynolds (R-NY 26) and John Kuhl (R-NY 29) were the only New York Reps in opposition - and New York's Senators support the bill. But whether the bill will pass the Senate is in doubt. Find out more about the opposition.

Why is this bill so important? Workers routinely face intimidation from employers when they try to form a union. In 25 percent of organizing campaigns, private-sector employers illegally fire workers because they want to form a union. Passing this law will restore American workers' freedom to join unions. And that will help workers improve their lives.

Don't think that's an issue? Listen to Greg Mendez's story.

Greg Mendez is an office systems coordinator at New York's Pace University. In 2004, Mendez and his co-workers sought to form a union with the New York State United Teachers/AFT. They wanted a transparent salary structure and grievance procedure in place of the university's arbitrary system of pay raises and promotions. In response, the university hired anti-worker consultants to run meetings several times a day. Union supporters who tried to speak up at these meetings were publicly attacked. "People got nervous, really nervous," says Mendez. "You would have thought we were trying to overthrow the government." Three years later, Pace University workers still are fighting the administration's campaign of intimidation.

And there are plenty more workers with stories just like Greg's.

In the end, it's all about workers making better lives for themselves and their families. Tell your U.S. Senator to pass the Employee Free Choice Act - and then, even more importanly, tell your friends in other states to take action.

Reform NY 6/8/2007

From Reform NY:

Not That Anyone Needed Reminding

Everyone has a favorite example of how the Legislature's dysfunction leads to inaction, with little ability on the part of New Yorkers to hold their individual legislators accountable. From the Working Families Blog, which has been particularly focused on paid family leave this week:

There's no better example of Albany dysfunction than a Republican State Senate that says they support giving paid time off to parents of newborns (or newly adopted children) and adults who need time to care for ailing relatives, but then not actually passing the bill.

More to the point: there's no better example of Albany dysfunction than a majority of members of a chamber saying they support a bill, but never actually voting on it.

The Albany Project 6/8/2007

Front page blog post at The Albany Project:

Albany Common Council Votes To Support Paid Family Leave
by: SteveWFP

(Excellent. Have YOU signed the petition yet? - promoted by lipris)

With Republicans in the State Senate delaying passage of a paid family leave bill, the Albany Common Council has weighed in and passed a resolution in support of the Working Families Time to Care Act. The resolution urges the local legislative delegation to do all they can to make sure this bill becomes law.

Ward 3 Councilmember Corey Ellis explains her support:

"Time off to care for a newborn shouldn't be a luxury that only some families can afford - it should be a basic cornerstone of our society."

Ward 4 Councilmember Barbara Smith added:

"[The Working Families Time To Care Act would] bring a little bit of much-needed peace of mind to working people across the state."

Sounds right to me. If you agree, sign on in support of paid family leave!

Women's Rights NY 6/8/2007

From Women's Rights NY:

Working Families Time to Care Act on the Anvil

It's about time! The New York State legislature is considering a piece of legislation, the Working Families Time to Care Act, that would allow workers as much as 12 weeks paid leave to care for family members in need (like newborns, the sick or elderly, children and grandchildren, among others). Only two other states have similar laws, making New York the third state to consider such a plan. And Governor Eliot Spitzer, who fully supports the Act, is working to garner the necessary support for its passage.

As the Working Families Party suggests, even under the Family and Medical Leave Act, workers are forced to "choose between their families and their jobs," as they cannot always afford to take time off to care for family members. The Working Families Time to Care Act would alleviate this problem.

What's most appealing about the Act, though, is its availability to all workers; under the Act, women and men can take time off to care for a newborn child, allowing dads to play a larger role in caring for their children.

Here's what the New York Times had to say about the Act last week.

Or check out the Working Families Party website for further information about the Act.

Postcards From Hell's Kitchen 6/8/2007

From Postcards From Hell's Kitchen:

Yes to Family Leave!

As the legislative session ends in Albany, the most significant piece of social legislation being debated is paid family leave.

The "Working Families Time to Care Act" would give 12 weeks of paid time off to parents of newborns (or newly adopted children) and adults who need time to care for ailing relatives. This bill is high on both Governor Spitzer's and Speaker Silver's agenda. Senator Morahan (R-Rockland) is sponsoring a near-to-identical bill in the State Senate. As expected, Senator Bruno is the sticking point, with conflicting signals on what he plans to do.

C'mon Senator Bruno! Support Family Leave!

The issue has recently been covered by the Empire Zone: "they appeared to be close to an agreement that would offer workers up to 12 weeks of family leave to care for newborns or seriously ill family members." The Working Families Party was created to fight for commonsense reforms that will make a positive difference in the lives of working New Yorkers. This is the kind of policy reform that really is good for all of us, especially newborn babies. The bonds that get made in the first weeks of life are enormously important later on, and this policy will make such bonding more likely and stronger. If you have questions, please feel free to check the Working Families Time to Care Act FAQ: You can read continuing coverage of the issue on the Working Families Blog. http://wfpjournal.blogspot.com http://www.newyorkisourhome.com/ http://www.workingfamiliesparty.org/