On June 27, the Virginia Republican Party decided to use a presidential primary, rather than a caucus, in 2016. The vote was 42-39. The party also decided to use a convention instead of a primary for the statewide executive positions that are up in 2017. Those positions are Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. See this story. The 2016 primary will be on March 1. …read more
Free & Equal will hold a rally/festival at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles on September 19, 2015, between 5 pm and 10 pm. Free & Equal held a similar event at the same location last year. The event always attracts a big audience and aims to get youth interested in running for office, voting, other forms of political activism. Free & Equal uses its events to increase public awareness of flaws in the U.S. election process. See here for more information. Free & Equal hosted the only televised general election presidential debates in 2012 …read more
The Nation has this article about Jill Stein, which includes quotes from her.
Here is an article about Stein at ThinkProgess. …read more
On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court issued two opinions, including the very closely-watched same-sex marriage opinion. The Court said the last three opinions of the term will be out on Monday, June 29. Among them will be Arizona State Legislature v Arizona State Redistricting Commission, 13-1314. The issue is whether the state initiative process can be used to change laws affecting congressional elections, or whether only a legislature can do that. …read more
The New York legislature has adjourned. The Assembly didn’t vote on SB 4586, which would have provided for Instant Runoff Voting for New York city’s primaries for the three citywide executive positions. The Senate had passed it on June 17. …read more
On June 24, the New York legislature passed SB 5958. It moves the presidential primaries from February 2 to April 19. Thanks to Josh Putnam for this news. …read more
In the November 2016 election, Maine voters will vote on whether to use Instant Runoff Voting. The Kennebec Journal has this op-ed in support of the initiative. …read more
According to this story, the forces that put a top-two initiative on the ballot in Arizona in 2012 will try again in 2016. The story does not say if the 2016 proposal will differ in any way from the 2012 initiative. The 2012 initiative was defeated by a two-to-one margin. Arizona already lets independent voters vote in partisan primaries, and they need not join a party in order to do that. …read more
(RT) — Two leaked photographs show top New York Times staff in poses making fun of mass killings shortly after they happened.
An unnamed former New York Times employee provided Gawker with the photos, which were then published on Tuesday. They show an apparent disconnect between the NYT image of decorous professionalism and literal images of staff making light of mass death.
One photo shows the longtime NYT opinion page editor Andrew Rosenthal wielding a fake M16 rifle and a bottle of wine over staffers stained with fake blood, recreating the June 2001 Nepalese royal massacre. The massacre was committed by the …read more
Edinburg, TX — A video posted to YouTube this week shows that filming police is not always a solemn experience — it can be funny too.
A Texas cop was caught in a ridiculously compromising and cartoonish situation. The state trooper somehow managed to become stuck in the window of his patrol car.
In a true ‘WTF’ moment, the passersby capture the officer flailing about in a frantic effort to free himself from the grip — of his window.
The resultant video is as odd as it is hilarious.
The men taking the video can barely keep it together as they capture this golden …read more
