An election reform movement known as the Independent Voter Project, which seeks to take away control of state primary elections from
the Democratic and Republican parties, has produced a video that represents a
fairly devastating indictment of the nation’s two-party system.
The IVP, which is an offshoot of the Independent Voters Network, produced a 6-minute video that makes the case for greater voting
rights for the largest voting bloc in America – independent voters unaffiliated
with either party.
that the presentation is based largely on the fact that 12 states have closed
primaries — elections in which only registered Republicans and Democrats can participate and independents cannot —
and another 21 states have “mixed primaries” that place a variety of
restrictions on participation by independents.
Yet, beyond the video’s key points, independent voters in
Michigan may be shocked to learn that their state is considered one of 14 with
a “pure open primary.” This despite the fact that independent Michiganians
cannot split their ticket in a primary. They must choose which party’s
candidates they will be voting for and stick to that commitment throughout the
voting-booth process.
as IVP is a leading proponent of redistricting reform. The highly partisan
squiggly lines drawn each decade by the politicians have become so efficient
that the winners of primary elections for Congress face a highly noncompetitive
race in the fall general election campaign.
Well over 90 percent of
congressional districts are now “safe” seats in which the outcome has been
determined well in advance by the boundaries created for those districts. At
the state legislative level – in races for state House and Senate – the proportion
of noncompetitive seats is above 75 percent in many states.
allowed to cast a ballot in your state’s primary (or your voting freedoms were substantially
restricted), chances are your local elections for Congress and the Legislature —
and maybe your county board — have been decided before you step foot in the
voting booth on the day of the general election.
Great stuff for those who prefer to think for themselves and make up their own mind – instead of thoughtlessly following the mob of spineless JellyFish.