Prepare for Thursday's National Day of Action to Open the Debates

Ralph Nader. Image via WikipediaGovernment reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: VoteNader.org

Open the Debates

The Open Debates webpage is your central resource for information on the Nader/Gonzalez "Open the Debates!" effort. We will be adding Calls to Action, resources and materials, backgrounders and talking points for our volunteers to use in their efforts to raise awareness and push for recognition of the Nader/Gonzalez agenda in the national debate leading up to election day.

Here are four ways you can take action on Thursday to Open the Debates:

1. Write letters to the editor, to the corporations and organizations sponsoring the CPD debates, to the debate moderators and broadcast organizations, and to your friends and family members. Watch this space for links to writing samples you can use for your campaign.

* The debate schedule and moderators' contact information is listed below.
* Click here to see the corporate sponsors for the CPD debates, with contact information for your phone or letter-writing campaign.

2. Call the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), Obama and McCain Campaigns, Talk Shows, and National and Local Media Outlets.

* Contact information for the Commission on Presidential Debates, the debate broadcasters, and the other presidential campaigns is listed below.
* Click here to go to our talk radio call-in information page, and check back often for updates.

3. Print posters, fliers and literature to pass out and hang up at college campuses and other high traffic areas, and banners to display to morning and evening rush hour traffic. You'll find links to downloadable materials on the right-hand side of this page. Once again, check back often for additions to the collection.

4. Protest outside the Democratic and Republican headquarters in your community, at corporations that sponsor the debates, at radio stations, newspapers and media outlets not covering Ralph Nader.


Links to more information on the debates:

Click here to go to our "Open the Debates!" video page, where we will post videos from campaign appearances and special guests, with the "Open the Debates!" message.

Click here to go the the votenader.org Issues page on the need to open the presidential debates as part of a broader agenda of electoral reform.

Commission on Presidential Debates
1200 New Hampshire Ave NW #445
Washington, DC 20036
202-872-1020
http://www.debates.org/index.html

Schedule & Moderators 2008

Friday, September 26th, First Presidential Debate
The University of Mississippi, Oxford
Jim Lehrer
Executive Editor and Anchor, The NewsHour on PBS
MacNeil/Lehrer Productions
2700 South Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22206
703-998-2138
onlineda@newshour.org



>All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear >Shortened All Things Reform URL: bit.ly/dw

Related articles by Zemanta

• Debate Pact Lets McCain and Obama Spar
• Tell Sen. Graham and Rep. Emanuel to make public the Commission on Presidential Debates contract

Sphere: Related Content

Tell Sen. Graham and Rep. Emanuel to make public the Commission on Presidential Debates contract

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: Open Debates

Open Debates Action Alert

Dear Open Debates Supporters:

The Commission on Presidential Debates, which was created by the Republican and Democratic parties, still refuses to make public the contract negotiated by the Obama and McCain campaigns that will govern our presidential debates. This lack of transparency is unacceptable. It is time to take action.

Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) of the McCain campaign and Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) of the Obama campaign directly negotiated the secret contract that will dictate the terms of the upcoming presidential debates.

PLEASE CALL the offices of Sen. Graham and Rep. Emanuel and demand that they make public the debate contract. They are elected officials who are obligated to serve the interests of the voting public:

Phone number of the Office of Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC): 202-224-5972 Phone number of the Office of Rahm Emanuel (D-IL): 202-225-4061

Also, PLEASE CALL the Commission on Presidential Debates and demand that it makes public the debate contract. The Commission claims that its mission is to “provide the best possible information to viewers and listeners.” Hold them accountable to their mission.

Phone number of the Commission on Presidential Debates: 202-872-1020

Please let us know what happens.

Open Debates is teaming up with nine other pro-democracy organizations to issue the following press release today demanding the release of the debate contract: http://www.opendebates.org/makecontractpublic.html

Additionally, you can hear Open Debates Executive Director George Farah on the radio show “CounterSpin” at the following link: http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3610

Thank you for all your support!

-- Open Debates Team


>All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear >Shortened All Things Reform URL: bit.ly/dw

Related articles by Zemanta

• Debate Pact Lets McCain and Obama Spar
• Campaigns Blow Off Voters During Final Stretch Of Debates

Sphere: Related Content

Voter registration drive guides for all 50 states and D.C.

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: National Campaign for Fair Elections

The Lawyers' Committee and its pro bono law firm partners have compiled comprehensive third-party voter registration guides for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These guides will help volunteers, organizers, and leaders navigate the complex rules that govern voter registration in each state. Please keep in mind, these guides are designed for informational purposes only.

. >All Things Reform Mobile: allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi >Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (not toll-free) >US House/Senate Mobile: bit.ly/members >Contact your reps tips: bit.ly/dear .

Sphere: Related Content

The importance of Election Day

Please, people, reserve your final judgements of all of our candidates until General Election Day. It is not healthy in a democracy to claim victory or trash candidates prematurely, as it corrupts the decision making process of more considerate voters. Take, for example, these blog comments from a July, 2007 Marc Ambinder (Atlantic Monthly) blog post:

Who would want a clueless person like McCain to run the country? Perhaps McCain should ask illegal immigrants to donate money and provide marches to support him.

Posted by Mark | July 16, 2007 5:14 PM

It is absolutely ironic that in 2004, McCain was identified as the middle-of-the-road, "thinking man's" Republican. Even more so, he was the iconic war hero and the anti-Bush. Four years later he's so closely identified with Bush, he seems like a fawning protege, and he's sinking in his mentor's leaky and rudderless boat. What a political moron he is. Thank god he has no chance of being President, and that both of these incompetent men will be gone from public service in 18 months.

Posted by marci | July 16, 2007 6:10 PM

Well, you know the old adage about lipstick and pigs. Truth is that it doesn't matter who puts the lipstick on the pig, or who tells the media about the pig wearing the lipstick, in the end all you have is a pig.

The problem is the candidate, his lack of appeal to the republican party, and a media that has stopped covering him as he "tries" to discover his republican soul.

The formal announcement will come before Xmas that the pig is out.

Posted by bob's your uncle | July 16, 2007 6:13 PM

Poor McCain, He's very wrong on both issues. The war in Iraq and the illegal alien invasion. How can he be so wrong? He's certainly way out of touch with Americans. It's a funeral for his ambitions.

Posted by ed | July 16, 2007 6:32 PM

C'mon Mc Cain, drink the kool-aid and give your campaign cash to Fred T. Sooner the better!!

Posted by David [no relation] | July 16, 2007 6:53 PM

These types of statements prematurely paint candidates still on the campaign trail; and, they have in the past disqualified third party candidates early on, especially those who had serious and unique issue positions.

---
> All Things Reform Mobile- allthingsreform.mofuse.mobi
> Capitol Switchboard- 202-224-3121 (not toll-free)
> US House/ US Senate Mobile- is.gd/D8V
> "Ready, set, contact your reps.!"
---

Sphere: Related Content

Open up our democracy for more voter choices during election day

This is Bloggers Unite for Human Rights Day. Of course, human rights is a fundamental issue for people around the world every single day. It's a privilege to share with you All Things Reform's concerns in this particular day and age.

Democracy is very important in a nation's electoral process. Here, in the United States, the political system is dominated by only two parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. We must open up our democracy to allow more voices for citizen consideration during the primaries and on general election day.

Presently, for example, the presidential race is basically only between our two major political parties. In a couple of the latest several general elections, third party candidacies have influenced voting outcomes: Independent Ross Perot in 1992 and Green Party nominee Ralph Nader in 2000. The two-party-dominated electoral politics rendered these powerful candidacies weak, yet even they influenced the winner-take-all electoral system's results.

Our electoral system must allow more eligible candidacies from outside the Democratic and Republican parties a prominent place during election season. Effective solutions include general election ballot access in the states, Instant Runoff Voting, voluntary public financing of elections and Proportional Representation.

When the voter during election season contemplates the candidates in the various races, they must not be pressured into considering only the two philosophies of the major parties. More choice is good for the democratic process, for the people and for a vibrant republic.

For further information on electoral reform, please visit FairVote, at http://www.fairvote.org/.

Sphere: Related Content

Our nation and states need basic electoral reforms to open up our democracy

Today, I submitted a letter to the editor to my local newspaper here in Abilene, Texas. This is a time-honored method of promoting an issue with the local community. Of course, national newspapers and magazines are also great opportunities to send your letters.

Having 10 years experience in third party politics, I have first-hand knowledge of the difficulties candidates such as Ralph Nader have in getting a foot-hold in our democratic system. I believe that third parties would be a much more serious and effective force in government if various fundamental electoral reforms, such as redistricting, ballot access requirements, public financing of elections and Instant Runoff Voting are instituted in the states and in Washington, DC.

Here is my letter; it may be edited at the newspaper's discretion when and if they publish it.

Dear Editor,

I am appalled that, after Ross Perot's popular run for president in 1992, the Texas legislature still has not eased ballot access requirements for third parties or independents. The ruling Republican and Democratic parties in this state think it is not in their interest to allow more competitors for their offices. But what about the people? Don't they deserve a more open political system that encourages a broad debate on the many issues that we face each election? This year, progressive Ralph Nader is offering solutions to positions not ever considered by today's three major candidates. Let's help Ralph gain ballot access in the coming days by signing his petition and allow him and his running mate advocation of better ballot access laws.

David Weller

Sphere: Related Content

Upcoming third party lawsuits for better ballot access and other easings of restrictions

Richard Winger's Ballot Access News reports several state third party court cases coming up in the next couple of months by COFOE (Coalition for Free & Open Elections). Third parties have historically had difficult hurdles in most states in gaining access to general election day ballots for their respective candidates, one among a myriad of other hardships. Of course, most states in the union include legislators, and judiciary, almost exclusively from both the Republican and Democratic parties.

Several lawsuits against repressive ballot access laws are likely to be filed in February and March, some of them with financial support from COFOE, others not. They include a lawsuit to be filed against the Ohio law that bans circulators for independent candidates unless the circulators are registered voters in Ohio; a lawsuit against Illinois law on the number of signatures for unqualified parties and independent candidates for US House; a similar lawsuit for independent candidates for US House in North Carolina; a similar lawsuit for independent candidates for US House in Alabama; a lawsuit against New Hampshire’s refusal to permit presidential substitution; and a lawsuit against the new March petition deadline for independent candidates (for office other than president) in Montana.

Sphere: Related Content

Where do the presidential candidates stand on fiscal policy? A quick rundown.

The HeraldTribune.com news site from southwest florida has a report on the basic fiscal policy issues of each of the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. Although All Things Reform does not endorse any one candidate, it is hoped this quick rundown of each candidate's stands on the federal budget will be of assistance in making your own voting decision.

This large newspaper doesn't include the fiscal platforms of minor and independent presidential candidates, so I must ask you to visit their respective campaign websites for those. Here are just a few third party websites that include candidates running for their nominations:

• Libertarian Party
• Green Party
• Constitution Party
• Independence Party of America

Sphere: Related Content

Watchdog Open Debates reforms the Commission on Presidential Debates

Open Debates, a nonprofit reform group for the quadrennial presidential debates, has issued its first newsletter for 2008.

The CPD, or Commission on Presidential Debates, still is the sole organizer of the debates that happen the fall of every presidential election year. Run in cooperation of the Republican and Democratic Parties, these debates are self-regulated and exclusive of popular independent and third party candidates who don't pass the Commission's difficult admissions requirements. Open Debates is a watchdog for this monopolistic debate organization.

Here is the Open Debates letter in full:

Dear Open Debates Supporters,

It’s 2008, and we’re back!

1. Twenty-six primary debates have been held this election season, and they have shown that presidential debates can be enhanced by allowing multiple candidates to participate. They have also shown that the exclusion of viable candidates before a single vote has been cast is fundamentally undemocratic. Read our press release condemning the exclusion of Dennis Kucinich from a primary debate that he was actually invited to: http://www.opendebates.org/news/pressreleases/primarydebate.html

2. Unremarkably, in November 2007, the CPD announced that it will sponsor four presidential debates in September. However, two things were remarkable about that announcement. First, in response to our criticism of previously restrictive formats, the CPD declared that -- for the first time ever -- participants would ask each other questions during the debates. This improvement should be applauded. Second, in response to our criticism, the CPD announced that it will no longer allow the major party candidates to dictate how the debates will be structured. This one is hard to believe. The CPD exists for the exclusive purpose of sponsoring presidential debates that are controlled by the Republican and Democratic campaigns – that is why the CPD seized control of the debates from the League of Women Voters in 1988; that is why the CPD has implemented secret contracts jointly drafted by the major party campaigns; and that is why the CPD has been run by former chairs of the Repub
lican and Democratic parties for the last 20 years.

3. We are already seeing evidence that the CPD will continue to do the Republican and Democratic parties’ bidding in 2008. First and foremost, the CPD re-issued candidate selection criteria that no third-party candidate has ever met; a candidate must reach 15 percent in national polls to qualify for any of the debates. This antidemocratic criterion could prevent the inclusion of candidates that most Americans want to see, and it is three times higher than the threshold candidates must reach to qualify for taxpayers’ funds. In other words, taxpayers can subsidize candidates that they can’t watch debate.

Moreover, the CPD rejected New Orleans as a presidential debate site, despite overwhelming evidence that the city has adequate facilities. Unconfirmed allegations abound that the CPD struck a deal with the RNC, in which the CPD agreed not to host a debate in New Orleans, a symbol of President Bush’s incompetence, and the RNC agreed to a debate in New York City. Read the New York Times editorial criticizing the CPD for its rejection of New Orleans: http://www.opendebates.org/news/relatedarticles/bigeasy.html. Meanwhile, for the fourth consecutive year, the CPD selected Washington University in St. Louis as a debate site, in large part because Anheuser Busch will foot the bill and because the chairman of the university’s board of trustees is the brother of CPD board member John Danforth. Anheuser Busch will transform the debate area into a corporate carnival, with scantily clad Busch-girls distributing pamphlets denouncing beer taxes to reporters and campaign staff.

Though the debates are more than nine months away, it is already clear that the nation is in need of a new, genuinely nonpartisan presidential debate sponsor that will ensure our most sacred public forums serve the public interest.

Thank you for your support!

George Farah
Executive Director
Open Debates
http://www.OpenDebates.org/

Sphere: Related Content

Ask your Congressional candidates to endorse Independent America's electoral reform platform

Independent America Political Action Committee has a 10-point electoral reform platform. The planks are:

Uniform Ballot Access
Loosen Third Party Ballot Restrictions
Universal Voter Registration
Election Day Holiday
Equal Media Access/Debate Inclusion
Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)
Secure Voting Machines
Public Campaign Financing
Direct Popular Vote Election of the President
DC Congressional Representation

These are all well-known among party activists, especially those supporting third party and independent candidates. And each plank has a long history of struggle with the powers-that-be in the state and national legislatures.

Independent America asks all to contact their congressional candidates for U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator for this election year and ask them to endorse this reform platform. It will strengthen our democratic system and make it more fair and equitable for all candidates, and, ultimately, for the American voter.

Sphere: Related Content

Sign the Citizens' Debate Commission petition for presidential debate reform

The Citizens' Debate Commission (CDC) is running an internet petition drive for presidential debate reform. They want to improve the debates run by the Commission on Presidential Debates, which is corporate-sponsored. Find out more about the CDC on their "The Issue" page. If you would like to sign the petition, please go here. The CDC's petition says this:

We, the undersigned, support Open Debates' campaign to reform the
presidential debate process. We believe that the presidential debates should
serve the American people first, not political parties. We support replacing the
bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates with the nonpartisan Citizens'
Debate Commission, so that inspiring formats can be employed, pressing national
issues can be addressed, and popular independent and third party candidates can
be included.

Sphere: Related Content

Write your U.S. Representative for co-sponsorship of electoral reform bill HR 3600

U.S. Representative Ron Paul has introduced an electoral reform bill, namely, "To enforce the guarantees of the first, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments to the Constitution of the United States by prohibiting certain devices used to deny the right to participate in certain elections." Simply put, HR 3600 lowers the barriers for candidates from alternative parties and independents to get on the general election day ballot.

The two party system doesn't work. It maintains, through legislation of the two major parties' officeholders, a monopoly on the democratic process. Most states have very difficult ballot access requirements outside the Democratic and Republican parties, leading to unorganized, thwarted third parties and few independent candidates.

Yes, there are more than two political philosophies than Democratic and Republican. Very powerful and unique ideas are offered today by third parties. Write a letter to your Representative, and ask him or her to give more choice to the American voter on election day.

Sphere: Related Content

Uniformity in petitioning laws eases multi-state political campaigns

Ballot Access News reports on the petitioning efforts by the Iowa Green and Libertarian Parties so they can be included in their state's voter registration forms as unqualified parties. This petitioning law is different among many states across the nation.

Each state in the U.S. has it's own set of election laws, and practically every state is unique in that respect. Ballot access rules are different; this makes national petitioning campaigns of minor political parties for several states very difficult over any election cycle.

In these and perhaps other instances, uniformity amongst the states in electoral laws would be preferable to today's variety. Having practically the same petitioning laws across the country, for example, will help the present two-party dominant political system in place today become more competitive. It would also ease the petitioning campaigns of independent presidential candidates seeking ballot access across the country.

Sphere: Related Content

Another power grab in Washington, DC

A deal struck between the White House and some Democratic Leaders would facilitate passage of more Bush NAFTA-style trade pacts, by having the majority of the Republicans and a minority of the Democratic majority vote them in. Not one labor union or environmental, consumer, public health, anti-poverty, small business, faith or family farm group supports the deal. The announcement of the deal underlying today’s text came only 100 days after Democrats reclaimed the majority thanks to election of 37 House and Senate candidates who ran against the Bush trade agenda and replaced NAFTA-supporting incumbents.

When will the will of the American people drive legislation in Washington, DC? Only through the hard work of public interest groups such as Public Citizen and some struggling third political parties can issues such as important as trade be voiced. Whether the people's voice is likely to be heard by the powers that be is another story altogether!

Sphere: Related Content

Vote for more than just "the lesser of two evils"!

Joel S. Hirschhorn has just published an informative analysis on political reform-- it concerns the common practice, during a low voter turnout, of voting for "the lesser of two evils". It's conventional wisdom for people on general election day to vote against the more "evil" candidate, by voting for only an alternative major candidate. Most of those times, there are just the two nominees from the major political parties-- a Democrat and a Republican-- that are on the ballot, as well.

As a former National Press Secretary for the Reform Party, I'm well aware of the self-fulfilling prophesy that is the two-party system in these United States. Ultimately, voters should select candidates in the primaries and on general election day who are honest and accountable, and who are qualified for each of the respective open seats; this applies to all of levels of government, from the local to federal. And, the duopolistic major parties should present to the people their most qualified candidates, who are honest and accountable, as well as the minor parties such as the Libertarians, the Green Party and the Constitution Party.

Mr. Hirschhorn has a book out right now as well, entitled "Delusional Democracy: Fixing the Republic Without Overthrowing the Government". It promotes several political reforms which, put together, conditions our electoral system for cleaner, more responsible elections.

Sphere: Related Content