Category: Uncategorized

The Ohio Libertarian Party has been fighting in federal court to be restored to the ballot, but so far the lawsuit hasn’t won, although part of it still isn’t decided. Thus, the party has decided to begin petitioning for party status for 2016. It needs 30,560 valid signatures by July 6.
If the petition succeeds, the party will be the first to use the new ballot access law passed in late 2013. The new law says that newly-qualifying parties nominate by convention, not by primary.
The Green Party is ballot-qualified in Ohio and will nominate by primary. If …read more

On October 27, the Washington, D.C. city council held hearings on PR 21-302, which would authorize the city government to launch a multi-media and petition campaign for statehood for the District of Columbia. See this story. The bill is co-sponsored by a majority of members of the council, so it is likely to pass. The lead author is Councilmember Vincent Orange.
Bills are introduced in every session of Congress for statehood. These bills always specify that the name of the state would be New Columbia. The current bill, by Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, the non-voting representative …read more

SWAT operators were among the estimated 70 officers deployed to Denver’s Sustainability Park on October 24 to tear down “tiny homes” erected the group Denver Homeless Out Loud (DHOL). Protest organizers explained that the park had been selected because the Denver Housing Authority, which owns the property, has demolished hundreds of low-income housing units, exacerbating an already critical shortage of affordable homes. Zoning and building code restraints have frustrated efforts to build the “tiny homes” elsewhere in the city.
Had the demonstration proceeded as planned, activists would have erected a makeshift community called Resurrection Village modeled after the 3,000-person tent city …read more

Ballot Access News October 1, 2015 – Volume 31, Number 5
This issue was printed on white paper.
Table of Contents

SEVENTH CIRCUIT SAYS GIVING VOTERS NO CHOICE IS A SEVERE BURDEN ON VOTING RIGHTS
NEW HAMPSHIRE LOSS
U.S. SUPREME COURT CONFERENCE DATE FOR CALIFORNIA TOP-TWO
TWO LAWSUITS ON GENERAL ELECTION PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES
PENNSYLVANIA BALLOT ACCESS BILL
MINNESOTA SECRETARY OF STATE WILL AID BALLOT ACCESS
TOP-TWO SUPPORTERS IGNORE WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATIVE PROBLEMS
LAWSUIT NEWS
SOUTH DAKOTA INITIATIVE
NUMBER OF NAMES ON BALLOT IN DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES
2016 PETITIONING FOR PRESIDENT
CALIFORNIA GREEN PARTY FINALLY GETS ITS RULES INTO ELECTION CODE
KENTUCKY GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE INCLUDES ALL THREE CANDIDATES
GALLUP POLL FINDS 60% FAVOR A NEW MAJOR …read more

For politicians the word cut always means increase. #sequester #tlot Retweet

CISA Update: Our comment about yesterday’s CISA Vote appears in the P.S.

Where is Jim Babka? Last night he was on Free Talk Live. Today he’s in the latest episode of the Tom Woods Show. Tomorrow, he’s on the Gary Nolan Show. Next week, you can see him in three Florida cities. Details are in the P.P.S. below today’s…

URGENT Action Item…

We predicted this in our Monday message. We told you that President Obama didn’t veto the annual National Defense Appropriations Act (NDAA) in order to save money, but as a strategy …read more

The disturbing video of a school girl being grabbed around the neck by a brawny cop, then tossed around and dragged like an animal, represents a complete lack of human decency. This display of brutality was so bad that Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott has asked the FBI to investigate his employee, Deputy Ben Fields.
The video also represents the epitome of a problem that plagues public schools across the nation, known as the “school to prison pipeline.”
The Center for Public Integrity has a detailed analysis of just how many school kids are subject to the oppression of badges, guns, and …read more

On Tuesday, October 27, oral arguments were held in U.S. District Court in Utah, in the Republican-Constitution Party lawsuit against the law on how parties nominate candidates. The judge said he is inclined to find the law unconstitutional. See this story. It is not clear which provision is in greater jeopardy. The two challenged procedures are: (1) forcing parties to let candidates on their primary ballot who have little support at a party caucus; (2) forcing parties to let independent voters vote in their primaries. The law says parties that don’t allow these things …read more

Politicians about to give #NSA more power to spy on you. #CISA Fight back! Retweet
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Where is Jim Babka? Tonight, he’s on Free Talk Live. Next week, you can see him in three Florida cities. Details are below today’s…

URGENT Action Item…

In the fight against first CISPA and now CISA, your pressure has worked. The politicians desperately want to give the NSA new, expanded powers to spy on the American people. But public opposition has thwarted them, so far. However…

Politicians tend to play tricks when they can’t get what they want.

That’s what’s happening with the latest version of the CISA …read more

Political scientists Ray LaRaja and Brian Schaffner here make a case for easing limits on donations to political parties, both to lessen corruption and ease polarization. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link. …read more

Larry Lessig responded to NBC’s inquiries about his equal time request on October 21. See this story. The network hasn’t responded to Lessig’s filing yet. …read more