VOTE YES Prop 121 – Voto SI en Proposicion 121.

Prop. 121 May Nudge the Nation

Deep discontent is driving the YES vote for Proposition 121, the  Top-two Primary.  Its two-step process, long used by Arizona voters in local non-partisan elections, lets all voters, regardless of party, vote in a single primary election. Voters narrow the list to the top two, who competes in the general election.  Voters, not political parties, control access to the general election ballot.

A survey of 1,065 Arizona voters by 8Sages.com found that if the election were held today, Proposition 121 would win by 14 points. Independents, independent-minded Democrats and Republicans are giving the initiative a resounding lead (by 24, 29, and 15 points, respectively).  Even strong Republicans favor it by 3 points, and it trails by one point among committed Democrats.

Why such broad-based support?

The survey shows the dominant theme this election is unhappy voters. They are displeased with the president’s performance and may even vote him out of office.  But before Republicans dust off their  dancingshoes, they should consider that a majority also would vote Governor Jan Brewer out of office if she were on the ballot.

Hard data on discontent is evident in voter self-identification. Without any reregistration campaign, voters are quietly abandoning all political parties. Democrats have been losing registration since the 1940s, Republicans since the mid-1980s.

Proposition 121 sends a constructive, positive message. It strengthens the consent of the governed.  It increases the pool of voices that hold politicians accountable. Americans are good at this.  Since our founding, we have expanded the franchise – from landed white men, to landless white men, black men, women, Native  Americans, and then young people who were eligible to serve, but not vote for their country.

Proposition 121 might be the tipping point to change the national picture. Its critics know it.  Undisclosed California sources have pumped almost half a million dollars into Arizona to oppose Proposition 121. The money was funneled into the Americans for Responsible Leadership, chaired by Robert Graham a candidate for the Republican State Party Chair.  Once more Arizona is on the cusp of nudging the nation.

Open primary elections is changing the marketplace, increasing competition between candidates, even if they are in the same party. Washington State and California have embraced Proposition 121-like voting systems.  Ballotpedia.com ranks California’s 2012 legislative elections the most competitive in the country.

This year, for the first time in US history, 66 US Senators and Representatives  - 12% of the Congress – must answer to all the people who elected them in California andWashington State.

Add Arizona’s 2 Senators and 9 Representatives to California and Washington State in 2014, then 77 members of Congress will be voter, not party, nominated.   When my friend and legislative colleague Bill Konopnicki and I wrote the first draft of this initiative, we called it the “Sweet Seventy-seven.”  We imagined our Western Congressmen who must appeal to all the voters in their states to get on the general ballot and be elected.  They might less focused on partisan loyalty and more on our shared regional interests.  Proposition 121 offers a better way to express the consent of the governed.

Ted Downing, former two-term state legislator who leads the Arizona Independent Voting Project

The mayor Michael Bloomberg, an Independent, did not endorse a candidate in the 2008 election but he has endorsed President Barack Obama for re-election this year.

Apparently the Hurricane speedy government response had a bit of influence with regard to his endorsement of Obama.

The New York Times wrote:

Mr. Bloomberg, a political independent in his third term leading New York City, has been sharply critical of both Mr. Obama, a Democrat, and Mitt Romney, the president’s Republican rival, saying that both men have failed to candidly confront the problems afflicting the nation. But he said he had decided over the past several days that Mr. Obama was the best candidate to tackle the global climate change that the mayor believes contributed to the violent storm, which took the lives of at least 38 New Yorkers and caused billions of dollars in damage.

The WAPOST wrote:

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed President Obama on Thursday, citing climate change as the primary factor and Hurricane Sandy as the event that impelled him to make a choice. 

“The devastation that Hurricane Sandy brought to New York City and much of the Northeast — in lost lives, lost homes and lost business — brought the stakes of next Tuesday’s presidential election into sharp relief,” the political independent writes in an op-ed on Bloomberg View, part of his media empire. “Our climate is changing. … We need leadership from the White House.” Obama, he says, “has taken major steps to reduce our carbon consumption.”

The HuffPo wrote:

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed President Barack Obama for re-election on Thursday, Bloomberg TV reported and The Huffington Post confirmed.

The mayor, an Independent, did not endorse a candidate in the 2008 election and hadn’t seem poised to do so this time around as well.

…

“The devastation that Hurricane Sandy brought to New York City and much of the Northeast – in lost lives, lost homes and lost business – brought the stakes of Tuesday’s presidential election into sharp relief,” he said.   FULL STORY HERE>>>

A Mike Stauffer for Maricopa County Sheriff table is being set up as the Stauffer campaign introduces itself to ASU Students on October 31, 2012. Both (R) Sheriff Joe Arpaio and (D) Candidate Paul Penzone were a no show for the students.

Independent “Maverick” Voters have ability to eliminate Extremism via Prop 121 and voting for Independent Mike Stauffer for Sheriff.

I don’t believe the Maricopa County sheriff’s office should be a partisan one, and it is time to stop wasting millions of dollars in tax payer dollars due to expensive lawsuits over mysterious deaths.  Mike Stauffer wants to eliminate tent city which is a lawsuit magnet.  He has a plan because currently there are approximately 8000 inmates; yet, we have facilities that will house 10,000 inmates.  It’s time to open those VACANT facilities and put them to use. If we can house dogs in sheltered facilities, then we can house human beings, too.

Also, I believe the two major party system has failed Americans with their bickering, fringe groups (like the Tea Party) and partisanship games.

Yesterday we discussed the importance of early voting and the rise of the center via independent voters.

Voter Demographics in Maricopa County regarding Sheriff Joe Arpaio race

I received a robo-call by Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s campaign that was created by a woman warning callers not to allow anyone to come to your door to pick up ballots.  I believe the Arpaio chose a female person to initiate these calls in light of Penzone’s domestic violence history which is why we warned folks not to support flawed candidates.  Flawed candidates cannot beat Arpaio.

I received the call last night at approximately 5:00 pm Arizona time and the robo-call discussed these below points:

• Tent City
• Saving Millions of dollars
• Warning Arizona not to give their ballots to anyone at the door

I believe the rob0-calls coming from Sheriff Joe Arpaio are being made in light of the story below.

If you are one of the more than 1 million-plus voters in Maricopa County who received early ballots, the county recorder has a warning for you: Don’t give your ballots to anyone at your doorstep.

Recorder Helen Purcell told CBS 5 News she has received several complaints about people knocking on doors, saying they are from the county and offering to pick up and turn in early ballots for the voter.

Remember Sheriff Joe Arpaio has million$ of dollars crushing his (Democratic) opponent while leaving Independent candidate Mike Stauffer  alone because Arpaio’s campaign, and certainly Chad Willem knows that independent Arizona voters swing conservatively.  The Arpaio campaign cannot afford to lose the key swing independent conservative vote and this is where Independent candidate Mike Stauffer for Maricopa County Sheriff can do significant damage to him. On the other hand, political novices and  Paul Penzone supporters are attacking women and independent voters — shooting themselves in the foot.

All along we have supported Mike Stauffer for Maricopa County sheriff because he has the advanced education and experience that both the Republican and Democratic candidates do not have.

There isn’t much difference between the two parties in Maricopa county and there is no room for partisan politics in the sheriff’s office. All we get is someone beholding to their party. What we need is professional law enforcement. Someone who is qualified and has the education, experience and plan to reform MCSO on Day 1.

The independent candidate Stauffer, is that law enforcement professional. Stauffer for sheriff.

It’s time for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department to go non-partisan with Mike Stauffer.  We are tired of partisanship politics in our State.