Americans Elect 2012

Here at President Picker we're big fans of the new online effort to create a candidacy freer from special interests and party politics than ever before.  This non-partisan effort is growing fast and appears to be on the verge of "breaking out" as a somewhat viable 3rd party candidate (who is yet to be determined by the membership of the group which is, as well as the candidacy, open to all Americans).    Obviously 2012 won't see a 3rd party effort that is competitive with the Democrats and Republicans, but we predict that by 2016 we'll have a viable third party in some form, perhaps this one:

PURPOSE

THE GOAL OF AMERICANS ELECT is to nominate a presidential ticket that answers directly to voters—not the political system.

American voters are tired of politics as usual. They want leaders that will put their country before their party, and American interests before special interests. Leaders who will work together to develop fresh solutions to the serious challenges facing our country. We believe a secure, online nominating process will prove that America is ready for a competitive, nonpartisan ticket.

PROCESS

• DEFINE YOUR "TRUE COLORS"

  Define the crucial issues facing our nation—beyond just red and blue.

  RANK YOUR PRIORITIES FOR OUR NEXT PRESIDENT

  ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT DETERMINE YOUR INDIVIDUAL VIEWS

  SEE HOW YOU COMPARE TO OTHER DELEGATES AND CANDIDATES

  

PROGRESS

Americans Elect is already well on the way to putting the first directly-nominated nonpartisan ticket on the 2012 ballot in all 50 states.

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Dumbing Down the Democracy Dialog

As the election season heats up the Tea Party has now cleverly taken a page from the online media playbook of MoveOn.org and started their own propaganda garbage "network". Called "TeaPartyHD", it's filled with the same kind of stuff we see from MoveOn - irrational pieces designed to sway the gullible and ignorant (that would be ... many of us) using scare tactics and distortions rather than reasoned discourse.

There's nothing really new in that approach to politics, but I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that the internet has diminished rather than enhanced the political dialog. The medium isn't really to blame here - if we were an enlighted bunch we could have spirited discussions with candidates going on 24/7, with transcripts and summaries and a huge level of interaction with real people.

But, alas, we're not that kind of creature. So the most effective use of media dollars is to create online networks to spread negativity and distortions about your opponents, yet keep an arms length from the candidates so they can deny involvement in the junk.

Free speech is a wonderful benefit but by paying attention to the garbage we really diminish ourselves and the process. I don't expect that to change, but if you pay attention to this nonsense OR help spread it, you should at least recognize that we are degrading our democracy with this approach. Strategically it works, so I can't suggest either side would be wise not to continue the distortions and negative campaigning, but there may be compromises where we can start to address real issues somewhere in the mix.

McCain's High Road

John McCain and Barack Obama have so far shown remarkable restraint in terms of "going negative" in their campaigns. If Obama is the Democratic nominee I expect these personal crusades against negativity to continue, but also almost guarantee that the soft money campaigns will be doing a lot of dirty work. Swiftboating will be the mainstay of both campaigns as the candidates will be able to honestly say they have nothing to do with the negativity while their distant supporters bash away.

But I don't understand all the whining about negative campaigning . Like positive campaigns, people refuse to pay attention to issues and pundits and media refuse to address the issues. Ergo, it's a wild west out there and will always be that way in our quirky American pseudo-Democracy, the best Democracy money can buy!

Romney, Clinton in Nevada

Mitt Romney and Hilary Clinton are the Nevada Caucus winners. This is something of a surprise victory for Clinton who effectively lost a court battle to keep the cuacuses out of the Casinos, where Obama appeared to have a strong edge given his endorsement by the powerful Culinary Workers Union.

South Carolina Returns are now coming in with McCain and Huckabee close.

Duncan Hunter has dropped out, and I expect Thompson to drop by tomorrow morning after what appears to be a poor showing in South Carolina.

In Memoriam: Benazir Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto, Pakistani moderate and champion of democracy, is yet another reminder of the instability in so many parts of our challenged world. Bhutto’s assassination, and the ongoing attacks on General Musharaff, bring that possibility closer as Pakistan’s hopes for a quality democracy drift again into the shadows.

India and Pakistan have been very antagonistic towards each other since Pakistan’s fiery birth soon after Indian independence from Britain. Disputes over the Kashmir region, claimed by both countries, flare up regularly.

Instability favors the extremists and those who support them, and takes us away from the democracy that most people favor as the best way to bring justice and prosperity to all.

Bhutto stood for democracy, and died for democracy. Even in our much safer society our prominent elected officials and candidates risk their lives in the pursuit of the democratic dream. We should respect them all for taking this risk in the name of our freedoms.