Friday, January 30, 2009

Uphold the Voting Rights Act

This is from the FairVote site, NY. As a resident of NYC and an elected official, this affects my constituents.

By Editorial Board
Published January 25th 2009 in The New York Times

Some people claim that Barack Obama’s election has ushered in a “postracial” America, but the truth is that race, and racial discrimination, are still very much with us. The Supreme Court should keep this reality in mind when it considers a challenge to an important part of the Voting Rights Act that it recently agreed to hear. The act is constitutional — and clearly still needed.

Section 5, often called the heart of the Voting Rights Act, requires some states and smaller jurisdictions to “preclear” new voting rules with the Justice Department or a federal court. When they do, they have to show that the proposed change does not have the purpose or effect of discriminating against minority voters.

When Congress enacted Section 5 in 1965, officials in the South were creating all kinds of rules to stop blacks from voting or being elected to office. Discrimination against minority voters may not be as blatant as it was then, but it still exists. District lines are drawn to prevent minorities from winning; polling places are located in places hard for minority voters to get to; voter ID requirements are imposed with the purpose of suppressing the minority vote.

After holding lengthy hearings to document why the Voting Rights Act was still needed, Congress reauthorized it in 2006 with votes of 98 to 0 in the Senate and 390 to 33 in the House. Now, a municipal utility district in Texas that is covered by Section 5 is arguing that it is unconstitutional, and that it imposes too many burdens on jurisdictions covered by it.

If the Supreme Court — which is expected to hear arguments in the case this spring — strikes down Section 5, it would be breaking radically with its own precedents. The court has repeatedly upheld the Voting Rights Act against challenges, and as recently as 2006 it ruled that complying with Section 5 is a compelling state interest. It would also be an extreme case of conservative judicial activism, since the 14th and 15th Amendments expressly authorize Congress to enact laws of this sort to prevent discrimination in voting.

A perennial criticism of Section 5 is that it covers jurisdictions it should not, or fails to cover ones it should. There is no way to construct a perfect list, but Congress has done a reasonable job of drawing up the criteria, and it has built flexibility into the act. Jurisdictions are allowed to “bail out” if they can show that they no longer need to be covered, and courts can add new jurisdictions if they need to be covered.

In last fall’s election, despite his strong national margin of victory — and hefty campaign chest — Mr. Obama got only about one in five white votes in the Southern states wholly or partly covered by Section 5. And there is every reason to believe that minority voters will continue to face obstacles at the polls.

If Section 5 is struck down, states and localities would have far more freedom to erect barriers for minority voters — and there is little doubt that some would do just that. We have not arrived at the day when special protections like the Voting Rights Act are not needed.

Michael H. Drucker
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Team Obama mobilizing e-mail list

At the Independent Movement Conference last week, Obama's email list was discussed and we agreed it was better that the list was to be separate from the Democratic machine. Well guess what happened?

President Obama’s new political network, Organizing for America, is giving his campaign followers their first task Friday in what is becoming an all-hands-on-deck effort to push his stimulus package through Congress. Their mission: to host “Economic Recovery” house meetings across the country next weekend. In a “Dear Friend” email set to go out today, the group’s director, Mitch Stewart, warns against “partisan games” holding up Obama’s plan, and explains how recipients can help. Organizing for America, housed within the Democratic National Committee, will send the e-mail to anyone who hosted or attended an Obama house party during the campaign encouraging them to organize economic stimulus house gatherings next weekend, according to Democratic sources.

Use the above link to read the entire article.

Michael H. Drucker
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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The Post-Election Independent Movement Conference

This post made possible by the great work of the Hankster, You can view her blog by using the link from the Resourse list on the left.

Jim Mangia, Lenora Fulani and Jacqueline Salit

I attended this national conference on January 25, 2006. The main issues discused where:

* Principles Intact
* Paradigms in Transition
* Obama in the White House



About 500 independent activists and grassroots leaders gathered in NYC to consider what we've achieved and where we're going as a movement.



Jackie Salit on the US Independent Movement and Foreign Policy

Michael H. Drucker
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Monday, January 26, 2009

Old lever machines may count vote again in NY


Lever machines, pictured in storage in Vestal, may be used again in November if new machines are not approved.

Voters in Broome and across New York were supposed to have used their old lever-voting machines, some in Broome more than half a century old, for the last time in November. Electronic ballot counting devices were set up at polling places Nov. 4, but were available only to disabled voters. The expectation was that all New York voters would use the new electronic system this year.

Following years of political wrangling in Albany, New York was the last state of all 50 to implement in 2006 its version of the federal Help America Vote Act, enacted by Congress in 2002 to establish minimum standards for voters.

New York was given $221 million from the federal government to replace its lever-voting machines. A year ago, the state suddenly decided that the individual counties would have to decide which machines to purchase. In the end, Broome and all but two New York counties purchased the Sequoia brand of electronic ballot counters. The state approved testing requirements for the new machines that exceeded federal standards.

But further delays mounted. In October, the Colorado testing company chosen to certify New York's new machines lost its accreditation from the federal government. SysTest failed to create and validate test methods, improperly documented its testing and used unqualified personnel to do the work, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

Broome's machines have been certified for use by disabled voters, Republican election commissioner Eugene Faughnan said. They haven't been certified to state standards for all voters. Fortunately for voters, the old lever machines remain safe in storage.

Michael H. Drucker
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Thursday, January 22, 2009

Who Replaces Hillary as NY Senator?

My choice has always been Kirsten E. Gillibrand, an upstate lawmaker in her second term in Congress.

Michael H. Drucker
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Sunday, January 18, 2009

Schedule for Obama Inauguration Activities

SUNDAY, JAN. 18
--2:30 pm ET: Obama will kick off inaugural activities with a welcome event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Beyonce, U2, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Usher, Shakira, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban and James Taylor are among the musicians scheduled to perform.

--Presidential Inaugural Luncheon and Fashion Show at the Ritz-Carlton.

--EMILY's List Inaugural Luncheon with scheduled guests including Cabinet appointees Hillary Rodham Clinton and Janet Napolitano.

--7:30 pm ET: Aloha Inaugural Ball, organized by former Obama campaign workers, held at the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel.

MONDAY, JAN. 19
--National Day of Community Service event: To honor Dr. King's legacy, Obama, Biden and their families, joined by Americans across the country, will participate in activities dedicated to serving others in communities across the Washington, D.C. area.

--Green Inaugural Ball at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. Ball hosted by former Vice President Al Gore.

--Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball at the Harman Center for the Arts. Hosted by the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, Russell Simmons, LL Cool J, among others.

--A children's evening concert at the Verizon Center honoring military families. Event hosted by Michelle Obama, who will attend. Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers are among the entertainers.

--Obama to attend three private dinners to honor former secretary of State Colin Powell, Biden and Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, for their public service. Dinners at the Hilton Washington, National Building Museum and Union Station.

TUESDAY, JAN. 20 (INAUGURATION DAY)
The inaugural festivities are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. They will include:

--Musical selections of The United States Marine Band, followed by the San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.

--Sen. Dianne Feinstein provides call to order and welcoming remarks.

--Invocation by the Rev. Rick Warren.

--Musical selection of Aretha Franklin.

--Biden will be sworn into office by Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.

--Musical selection of John Williams, composer/arranger with Itzhak Perlman, (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet).

--12 pm ET: Obama will take the Oath of Office, using President Lincoln's Inaugural Bible, administered by Chief Justice John Roberts.

--Obama gives the inaugural address.

-- Poem by Elizabeth Alexander.

--Benediction by Rev. Joseph E. Lowery.

--The National Anthem by The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters."

After Obama gives inaugural address, he will escort outgoing President George W. Bush to a departure ceremony before attending a luncheon in the Capitol's Statuary Hall.

The 56th Inaugural Parade will then make its way down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House.

Later that day, the Presidential Inaugural Committee will host 10 official inaugural balls:

_ Neighborhood Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.

_ Obama Home States (Illinois and Hawaii) Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.

_ Biden Home States (Pennsylvania and Delaware) Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.

_ Midwest Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.

_ Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.

_ Western Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.

_ Commander in Chief's Ball at the National Building Museum.

_ Southern Inaugural Ball at the National Guard Armory.

_ Eastern Inaugural Ball at Union Station.

_ Youth Inaugural Ball at the Washington Hilton.

Unofficial balls include:

_ Congressional Black Caucus Inaugural Ball at the Capitol Hilton.

_ Creative Coalition Inaugural Ball at the Harman Center for the Arts.

_ Recording Industry Association of America's ball for Feeding America.

_ BET's Inaugural Ball at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

_ Africa on the Potomac inaugural celebration at Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va.

_ American Music Inaugural Ball at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.

_ Inaugural Purple Ball at the Fairmont Hotel.

_ Human Rights Campaign's Equality Ball at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel.

_ Inaugural Peace Ball at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.

_ Impact Film Fund ball.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21
--The president, vice president and their families will participate in a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral.

Michael H. Drucker
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Friday, January 9, 2009

Supreme Court Takes Voting Rights Case

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to decide whether a central provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is still needed to protect minority voters, given the passage of more than four decades and the election of the nation’s first African-American president.

The case concerns the requirements in Section 5 of the law that certain state and local governments, mostly in the South, must obtain permission, or “preclearance,” from the Justice Department or a federal court before making any changes affecting voting.

The requirement applies to nine states — Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia — and scores of counties and townships in other states that Congress found had a history of discrimination at the polls incuding parts of NYC.

Use the above link to read the article.

CLICK HERE to read another article about this issue.

Michael H. Drucker
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Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Confirmation Hearings Schedule

Thursday, Jan. 8
Tom Daschle for Health and Human Services

Friday, Jan. 9
Rep. Hilda Solis for Labor

Tuesday, Jan. 14
Sen. Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State
Peter Orszag for Office of Management of Budget
Arne Duncan for Education
Steve Chu for Energy
Lisa Jackson for Environmental Protection Agency

Wednesday, Jan. 14
Eric Shinseki for Veterans Affairs

Thursday, Jan. 15
Eric Holder for Attorney General
Timothy Geithner for Treasury
Janet Napolitano for Homeland Security
Sen. Ken Salazar for Interior
Susan Rice for U.S. Ambassador to the UN

Congress will count the electoral votes on January 8 (Thursday) in the afternoon. And Friday, the Supreme Court will take yet another crack at the Obama's natural born citizen question.

Michael H. Drucker
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Tuesday, January 6, 2009

One Vote '08

In December, we delivered our inauguration petition with more than 90,000 signatures to senior members of President-elect Barack Obama's foreign policy transition team. They accepted it, and were impressed by your passion and commitment on behalf of the world’s poorest people.

The petition asks Obama to make a clear statement, through his upcoming inaugural address and budget priorities, that he intends to fulfill his campaign commitments to fighting poverty and preventable disease worldwide.

ONE Vote ’08: This election, ONE members met the candidates on the trail, wrote thousands of letters to other voters through our ONE-to-ONE program, and got the candidates to go On The Record on global poverty – making ONE Vote ’08 a grassroots powerhouse. The candidates, media and voters across America took notice, bringing unprecedented attention to our issues and historic commitments to fight global poverty from both Barack Obama and John McCain. ONE Vote ’08 was also the winner of the prestigious Center for Global Development Commitment to Development Award for 2008.

ONE members accomplished so much in 2008. While we map out the next year, let’s take a minute to look back at our accomplishments by using the above link.

Michael H. Drucker
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Friday, January 2, 2009

Join the Independent Movement







Why Did We Start IndependentMovement.Org?
We believe America is in a two-party, special interest driven political bind. In recent polls, nearly 80% responded, "Government mostly does what is best for the parties and the special interests, not what’s best for America." In another recent poll, 84% of Americans said "the country is headed in the wrong direction."

We feel that our current political process – and partisan political culture – has failed. And it’s up to ordinary Americans to change it.

What Is The Mission of IndependentMovement.Org?

We're looking to do something new – build a movement to revitalize American democracy.

We're not looking to form a third party – we're convinced that independents want to be free of partisan divisions.

We believe that the American people are beginning to create a new model for political participation. Ordinary Americans want to come together and participate in the political process.

How Will IndependentMovement.Org Change Politics?

We're building a movement of voters to take on the partisan and special interest politics in America. We want this movement to be more than just "angry outsiders". We want to use our political leverage wherever possible to make a real difference in the country.

That's why we’re working both inside and outside the political parties (who still dominate American politics) with a view towards opening up the political process to all Americans.

As part of that "leverage", we are looking to back issues, initiatives, and candidates (of any party) aimed at changing the culture of politics.

These may vary from important political reform issues (redistricting reform, open primaries, new approaches to campaign finance) to supporting calls for real non-partisan dialogue on important issues facing our country (War in Iraq, economy, health care, etc). We are also supporting candidates who want to help advance this cause.

No matter who wins this election, IndependentMovement.Org is dedicated to continuing the extraordinary explosion of Americans coming in to change the culture of politics.

Join Us!

If you're one of the 42% and growing plurality of Americans who identify as an independent, join us! We ask for your help and participation to answer these questions: What can we do to change America? What can we do to find solutions to our nation's problems that help us move forward as a nation? And, perhaps most importantly, how can we continue to activate the citizenry in the coming of the second American democratic revolution.

Use the above link for more information about the Independent Movement.

Michael H. Drucker
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