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From a press release that landed in my inbox this afternoon:
New polling from Americans Elect shows Americans evenly divided between voting for a Democrat, a Republican, and an independent-minded presidential candidate. This polling is consistent with other national polls that demonstrate the need for a new way to pick a president.
According to the Americans Elect poll, about two thirds of voters (66 percent) believe it is important for an independent to run for president in 2012. A solid majority is favorable towards an independent running against the Democratic and Republican nominees. About one‐quarter (26 percent) say they are absolutely certain or very likely to vote for an independent presidential candidate. When those who say “possibly” are included, that number jumps to 64 percent.
I haven’t seen the methodology of the phrasing of the question, but to a large extent, it doesn’t much matter. The notion that there’s a significant number of Americans willing to support an independent presidential candidate seems pretty uncontroversial, and I can recall seeing other polls pointing to similar results for years.
The next question, though, is why anyone should care. Unnamed, generic candidates can find it easy to generate widespread public support because, well, they don’t exist. Voters can imagine these candidates having all kinds of appealing qualities, but real people with actual records and positions on controversial issues tend to find presidential campaigns a little more difficult.
For that matter, Americans Elect doesn’t actually have a candidate. The entity has reportedly reached out to a variety of people Americans Elect leaders find appealing — Joe Lieberman, Lamar Alexander, and Chuck Hagel, for example — and none was interested. Even Jon Huntsman has ruled it out.
And while we’re at it, let’s also not forget that Americans Elect is sitting on $30 million for their election project, and organizers refuse to disclose where the money came from. Ed Kilgore recently added that organizers have also adopted a series of “anti-democratic measures” and built them into Americans Elect’s structure: “the power of a board to set aside (subject to a veto override from ‘voters’) the People’s Choice in order to create a legitimately ‘balanced, centrist’ ticket, whatever that means.”
I realize Americas Elect is in a position to have an effect on the presidential race, and has secured a ballot line in at least a dozen states. But as near as I can tell, it’s an overly-secretive, well-financed gimmick, eager to play electoral mischief for reasons that remain unclear.
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Josef K on January 23, 2012 3:08 PM:
But as near as I can tell, its an overly-secretive, well-financed gimmick, eager to play electoral mischief for reasons that remain unclear.
I'd think "playing electoral mischief" is an end in itself.
CathyMac on January 23, 2012 3:23 PM:
I've been ignoring Americans Elect because they don't appear to add much to the discussion. They seem to be saying that two parties are bad, so offering an independent would make things better. I think we've already been there, done that. Still, I read this article because I thought maybe I should give them a chance.
Now I learn that they find Joe Lieberman acceptable as a candidate for president.
I shall go back to ignoring them forthwith.
SadOldVet on January 23, 2012 3:32 PM:
Any organization that finds Joe LIEberman appealing is starting their at-bat with three strikes.
When you suspect that LIEberman is their moderate democrat, they are starting the team's at-bat with three outs.
Back to the dugout, dimwits...
June on January 23, 2012 3:36 PM:
Amen, @SadOldVet, amen!
dalloway on January 23, 2012 3:37 PM:
What these bozos don't realize is that "independents" aren't folks whose views are somewhere in the middle between Republicans and Democrats. Some are just as conservative as the most right-wing Republicans and some just as liberal as the most left-wing Democrats. They just hate each national party so much they don't want to identify with it. And they'll never go for some shifty wuss (yes, Joe Lieberman, I'm talking about you) in the "middle."
troglodyte on January 23, 2012 3:37 PM:
Let me concur with CathyMac. It seems that the leaders of Americans Elect have looked to politicians who sound "centrist" on the Sunday talk shows. These politicians may have some good qualities, but their defining characteristic is that they appeal more to journalists and Beltway insiders than to ordinary people. Lieberman and Alexander ran for president and obtained zero traction with the electorate.
The audience for the Sunday talk shows is geriatric and skeptical of change, hence the scarce bookings of truly progressive guests. Candidates who appeal to this demographic are not what we need.
kindness on January 23, 2012 3:51 PM:
The more I see about Americans Elect the more I think they are trolls.
Pasco on January 23, 2012 3:51 PM:
This sounds like the perfect vehicle for Stephen Colbert with Jon Stewart as VP (one cons. one liberal). I can't wait for the on-line nominating process so it can be taken over!!
And don't forget, he already has a superpac
pol on January 23, 2012 4:13 PM:
From Americans Elect Wikipedia page:
Americans Elect's web site (retrieved 2011-09-24) lists Kellen Arno as National Field Director and Michael Arno as Ballot Access Advisor for Americans Elect.[ Michael Arno is the president of Arno Political Consultants.]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_Elect
And what about Arno Political Consultants? From it's own Wikipedia page:
APC has frequently been the subject of controversy over its bait-and-switch tactics, bribery, forgery, and other types of fraud in gathering signatures.
* In 2004, APC hired JSM who hired YPM who is accused of tricking people into registering to vote as a Republican.
* In 2004, APC is accused of forging signatures on a petition to legalize slot machines in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
* In 2005, paid signature collectors from APC revealed that an unknown but large number of signatures for a petition to remove the right to same-sex marriage in Massachusetts had been collected through fraud. The collectors told voters that they were signing a petition about a different issue, or that the petitions were in favor of same-sex marriage.
* In 2007, APC hired JSM, Inc. who hired independent contractors who gave snacks and food to homeless people in exchange for signing petitions and registering to vote.
* In 2009, proponents of a payday loan veto referendum sued APC in Franklin County for breach of contract and negligence. 13,000 signatures were thrown out because the Form 15's had not been appropriately filled out. They were seeking $438,000.Both parties reached an undisclosed settlement agreement on July 29th, 2009.
* Also In 2009, APC gathered signatures to put the Ohio Casino Initiative on the November 3, 2009 ballot. The overall validity of the signatures were certified at just under 51%.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arno_Political_Consultants
Arno Political Consultants sounds like a real reputable outfit...
Jimo on January 23, 2012 4:14 PM:
I've always been mystified why "third party" and "independent" efforts always focus on the Presidency rather than Congressional seats.
The Presidency is the ultimate win/lose power position and carries the highest downside for failure to capture the position. As a result, it is the least likely position for voters to set aside partisan grouping and go for an alternative.
Congress, by comparison, is far less of a high stakes opportunity for this type of movement. This is particularly true because the absence of official party affiliation does not limit the organization caucusing necessary to run either the House or Senate. Indeed, we already have (and have had) alternative Congressmen (e.g., Sen. Bernie Sanders). What's more, voters particularly for the House, tend to separate macro political opinions from opinions about their local congressman, liking their own representative even while despising everyone else.
If you really want a movement to see a 'third way' you'd focus on legislative races where partisans can both have their cake and eat it too.
Hedda Peraz on January 23, 2012 4:18 PM:
May I "poll" the gentlemen here?
IF
I were single, twenty something, attractive in a Marylyn Monroe-ish way, and had twenty million dollars, and was about to donate ten of it to Obama, would you sleep with me?
I forgot to mention I also own a liquor store. . .
TCinLA on January 23, 2012 5:29 PM:
Maybe they can get Lady Rothschild, the original Trophy Wife "feminist" and serious PUMA politician to run as the first "serious" woman for President.
These people prove there is no connection whatsoever between the brain and the billfold.
chi res on January 23, 2012 5:32 PM:
May I "poll" the gentlemen here?
OMG!
SadOldVet just had a heart attack trying to type "WHERE DO I SIGN UP???" faster than his fingers could possibly move!!
TCinLA on January 23, 2012 5:34 PM:
The mire I see about this organization, the more I suspect they are a Republican disinformation campaign designed to help steal a close election. You know, like famous "patriot" Ralph Nader in 2000?
T2 on January 23, 2012 5:41 PM:
for all the Republicans who are always seaching for Voter Fraud....they seem to have found the culprit in Americans Elect.
pol on January 23, 2012 5:54 PM:
TCinLA -- That's what I think. I think it's there to split the Democratic vote.
John Hain on January 23, 2012 6:47 PM:
It would seem a far better idea to try out this potentially revolutionary democratic approach to nominating a nonpartisan or bipartisan President than to waste time watching passively from the sidelines as the nation sinks beneath the vicious partisan standoff. The American people have had it with politicians that serve the interests of their party instead of those of the people. Perhaps if lots of us turned away from the two dueling parties and toward Americas Elect it would change how candidates are selected and broaden the involvement of citizens in the electoral process. E Pluribus Unum is a catchy motto for this form of participation.
R on January 23, 2012 7:13 PM:
@SadOldVet, you've read my mind. I know a Connecticut resident who refers to Lieberman as "the Senator from Israel." There was a great Vermont Public Radio commentary (Philip Baruth, if you care) when Joe was running for president; it involved a bad dream about the Wizard of Oz, and Joe was the Cowardly Lion. That image injects some humor at crucial times. (BTW Kerry was the Tin Man, Dick Gephart was the Scarecrow, and Howard Dean was...Toto.)
Francis Volpe on January 23, 2012 8:17 PM:
"Reasons that remain unclear?" If this were an open race year without an incumbent, the reasons WOULD be unclear. But all this sound and fury expended on a race in which there IS an incumbent is a bid to throw the incumbent out and should be seen as nothing else. Wanting a president who is beholden to you is a natural desire of the 0.00001%, and it's clear that Barack Obama is not that president to this bunch. Ergo, he has to go -- or at the very least have his winning total fall below 50 percent so he can be attacked as not the true choice of Americans. We saw this movie before in the 1990s with Bill Clinton.
Snarki, child of Loki on January 23, 2012 11:18 PM:
Because one thing that American Democracy really, really needs is a "Guardians Council" to prevent ideologically unbalanced candidates off the ballot. After all, it works so well for Iran.
I wouldn't even nominate Stephen Colbert for this abomination. As soon as they open the nominations, I think we need an online tidal wave for "Hank, the Angry Drunken Dwarf".
Sure, he's metabolically challenged, but that puts him about 50 IQ points ahead of the GOP field.
John Hain on January 24, 2012 2:02 AM:
For a concise overview of Americas Elect mission and nominating process I suggest looking at this NJ.com article: http://www.nj.com/independentpress/index.ssf/2012/01/former_gov_whitman_hopes_a_new.html
Tom from Jersey on January 24, 2012 10:37 AM:
As has been noted, this seems like a republican sham. And what bigger sham would help the republican party rescue itself... From itself?? How about this...
- The entire republican party has fought a civil war Right up to the convention (Newt vs Romney), both candidates are damaged, the economy is growing.
- Right after both political conventions "Americans Elect" finally announces their candidate after much delay, and their candidate is...
- Jeb Bush.
- Slowly, or not so slowly, the republican party elders and rabid base make their real choice known - and it ain't Newt or Romney.
- There is then a building chorus for the republican nominee to drop out of the race and endorse the "Americas Elect" candidate - whether the nominee likes it or not - regardless of polls.
- The next step is too name governor Chris Christie as Jeb's VP candidate.
- They are positioned as the heroes to save the country.
- The republican party gets their moderates, no debates, no tea party primary's, no democracy.
- Obama / Biden vs JB & CC...
Oddly enough, this nightmare scenario is the most palatable republican ticket, way better for America than any other of their choices - and that's exactly why they will probably win - if it comes to pass.
tom