Long On The Sidelines, Candidate Nominations Are A New Experience For Major Parties

Krist Novoselic at BC-STV conference, 5.10.08. Photo Larry Gordon

Most of Washington State is using a new kind of electoral system this year. The partisan Top-Two makes a party name available to any candidate who wants it. One of the major parties is fighting against this in a way that could reinvigorate democratic participation in our state.

With Washington’s partisan Top-Two, all candidates appear on the same primary ballot line and the top two vote getters advance to the general. We’re used to this kind of election with local non-partisan races. What’s different is how candidates identify themselves as partisans. A candidate will state that they prefer a political party: this is only an expression of the candidate and does not imply any real connection to a political association.

The Republicans and Democrats claim they’re harmed under the new system and are acting accordingly. The Republicans have filed an as applied legal challenge to the system: they will need to show real evidence the partisan Top-Two confuses voters over who is the real nominee of a party. Many voters rely on the candidates party affiliation on the ballot to help them choose who to vote for. There could be many candidates claiming the same party preference and this could confuse voters and lead to vote splitting to where the actual party candidate doesn’t make it in the top two.

Supporters of the new partisan Top-Two tout that political parties can still nominate candidates. The Democrats are moving forward with this notion. Democratic Party by-laws say it’s up to Precinct Committee Officers (PCOs) to choose the single candidate who will be the official party standard bearer on the ballot.

Continue reading "Long On The Sidelines, Candidate Nominations Are A New Experience For Major Parties"

Topics: Krist Novoselic: Contention & Conscious

Permalink | Comments (0)

Revisiting Black Flag's My War

Black Flag’s 1984 release My War is a landmark in hardcore punk / rock music. With this album, the punk attitude was the same but hardcore wasn’t about fast riffs anymore. My War, especially side two of the LP, had an impact far and wide. It can be considered a proto-grunge record.

Black Flag emerged from the Southern California hardcore punk scene of the late 1970’s. Greg Ginn was the bands guitarist. He not only lead Black Flag, he ran SST Records, an important imprint of underground music in the 1980’s.

Black Flag’s Damaged was a seminal release in the Hardcore movement. The album also marked the introduction of Henry Rollins as vocalist. Rise Above, the first song, leads a record of short and fierce Punk Rock tunes. Damaged cemented Black Flag as leaders in the genre.

Continue reading "Revisiting Black Flag's My War"

Topics: Krist Novoselic: Contention & Conscious

Permalink | Comments (11)

An Interview With Matt Gonzalez - Ralph Nader's Would-Be Vice President

Matt Gonzalez & Ralph Nader

Matt Gonzalez will be speaking in Seattle:
Stop 1: 3 p.m., Friday at UW's Kane Hall
Stop 2: 3 p.m. Saturday, at Seattle Central Community College, Room BE 1110, 1701 Broadway & Pine.

The US presidential campaign is in the news every day. The story is usually about the Democratic nomination battle. Once that’s settled, the nominee will face McCain and the general election will be in full gear.

There are other story lines regarding the race for president that get little mention. Last week, the Constitution Party nominated their presidential candidate. Green Party nominations are underway.

Ralph Nader did make significant news when he announced his independent candidacy last February. He got coverage, but not because of his policy proposals: it's the lore regarding Nader and presidential elections.

Ralph Nader has become almost synonymous with the epic 2000 presidential campaign in Florida. The story goes like this: if Nader wasn’t on the ballot there, Al Gore would have gotten enough votes to beat Bush and win the electoral college. Nader's participation in the Florida 2000 election has gotten a lot of play regarding the spoiler vote in countless Ranked Choice Voting explanations.

There is also the perception of Nader as a perennial candidate. Some are quick to dismiss, but Nader has chosen a running mate with solid experience and a promising future in politics.

Continue reading "An Interview With Matt Gonzalez - Ralph Nader's Would-Be Vice President"

Topics: Krist Novoselic: Contention & Conscious

Permalink | Comments (9)

Free Association, But Not For A Political Party

MY TWO CENTS

Many are concerned about so-called special interest influence on government policy. These interests have the right to form a group or entity to further their goals. The individual citizen also has this right. The new partisan Top-Two election system in Washington dilutes the purposes of citizens to band together in a traditional political party; while big-money interests remain untouched.

Private associations can consist of a group of citizens, businesses, trades or others sharing needs or values. Most interest groups are focused on specific issues. Political parties are distinct from other interest groups as they speak to a wider swath of issues. It’s like a one-stop for various common goals and beliefs.

This past Saturday, most respective county Democratic and Republican Party local organizations in Washington held conventions. The Libertarian Party held their state convention also.

At our convention, the local Democratic Party organization took care of important business. Among agenda items, we voted on resolutions and ratified our 2008 county party platform: reflecting issues we thought important to our community, state and nation.

If we didn’t have the ability to come together as a party for common beliefs, we’d have to pick through a countless list of single issue advocacy groups.

There’s the NRA, NARAL, PETA, MADD, AARP, MPP and many other acronym named organizations to join. Indeed, if an individual feels strongly enough about what’s advocated by the single issue association, they’ll join and could give financial support. That also means following the specific agenda toward the goals of the group: but there’s only so much time for each issue.

Continue reading "Free Association, But Not For A Political Party"

Topics: Krist Novoselic: Contention & Conscious

Permalink | Comments (6)

Our New Election System Favors the Candidates

How would you vote if you only had to choose between the Judean Peoples Front or the Peoples Front of Judea in the November Top-Two election? (Monty Python - Life Of Brian)

Washington State is going to have a new election system this August and November. The new system is similar to non-partisan local elections: the top-two vote getters in the primary advance to the general. What is different with the new system is candidates are able to state which party they prefer on the ballot next to their name.

Party designation is featured on the ballot as a cue to voters. Many voters, especially on races nearing the bottom of the ballot, look for the little letter next to a candidates name. That cue is representative of an organization that promotes policies that hope to attract voters. D means Democrat and R means Republican: two private organizations that most voters are familiar with. It’s easy to look for the D, R or whatever indicator than it is to study every candidate on the ballot.

The proponents of our new system apparently see value in party designation as an informational cue to the voter. However, this designation is now merely a candidate preference and not an indication of actual affiliation or endorsement from an organization.

Continue reading "Our New Election System Favors the Candidates"

Topics: Krist Novoselic: Contention & Conscious

Permalink | Comments (5)

Classic Rock Radio Revisionism

Left Photo — Lenin, Trotsky & Others. Right Photo — Lenin & Others: The Commissar Vanishes!

Classic Rock is not a genre of music: it’s a radio format. Rock n’ Roll is a genre of popular music that spans over fifty years and has very many sub-genres. Classic Rock tends to only feature music from the mid 60’s to the late 70’s. My issue with this radio format is not what music they play: it’s what they don’t play.

Like most people, I listen to radio in my car. And I’m a compulsive channel changer: always looking for that tune I like. My typical favorite stations are Hard / Alt Rock, Oldies and Classic Rock. I listen to talk radio too.

Steppenwolf is one of my favorite bands. Listening to Classic Rock radio, you’d think the only songs they ever recorded were "Magic Carpet Ride" and "Born To Be Wild:" two great songs. However, Steppenwolf has a great body of work. Couldn’t we hear some other tunes by the band?

Continue reading "Classic Rock Radio Revisionism"

Topics: Krist Novoselic: Contention & Conscious

Permalink | Comments (23)

A Fickle American Public Could Change Its Mind Again On Iraq

The Fact Is, That Facts Change From Time To Time

Over the course of time, an individual's perspective can change. This doesn't necessarily mean a flip -flop: it’s circumstances that compel a different way to look at things.

March 2003 was well into the era of heady post 9-11 nationalism. At the time, opposing the Iraq invasion and occupation was considered by some as treason. War opponents were branded “America Haters”� by pro-invasion voices.

Most Americans are now against the occupation and want the US to pull out. Considering the current circumstances, let’s follow the divisive nationalist rhetoric to its logical end: the majority in the country are now America Haters!

In 2002, the Bush administration enjoyed an 80 percent approval rating. At the time someone asked me, “Aren’t you glad it’s the Bush folks, and not Gore, that are in charge now?”� I replied, “No, I don’t trust Bush.”� They were shocked to hear me say such a thing.

Token Americanism was as easy as placing a bumper sticker on your car. One popular slogan read, “Freedom Isn’t Free”�. This could evoke some kind of national sacrifice: but there really was little of that during the Bush II years. The slogan was only implying support for the Iraq invasion and occupation.

Like the ubiquitous car antenna flags, yellow ribbons and other dime store expressions, nationalist euphoria eventually started to fade and peel off.

Continue reading "A Fickle American Public Could Change Its Mind Again On Iraq"

Topics: Krist Novoselic: Contention & Conscious

Permalink | Comments (20)

The Nationalist Tchotchke World View & Campaign '08

Smoke Out The Terrorists

The United States entered its sixth year in Iraq on March 20th. We’ve seen majority public support swing from favoring the invasion in the beginning to now calling for withdrawal. My position has evolved in the opposite way.

I opposed the invasion and have never trusted the Bush administration. Most Americans approached Iraq like spectators of a sporting event. Supporting the war was as easy as rooting for the home team while watching the game on television.

The war has left a wake of death, injury and trauma. It’s an unfortunate coincidence that the five year anniversary is in the same week as the milestone of 4000 US troop deaths. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have also died. The amount is only compounded by the grief of surviving loved ones.

This article isn’t about the folks who have sacrificed. I can't write about that because I haven’t sacrificed one bit. Like most Americans, my life has gone on while the occupation of Iraq is only an abstract idea.

Continue reading "The Nationalist Tchotchke World View & Campaign '08"

Topics: Krist Novoselic: Contention & Conscious

Permalink | Comments (20)

The Top-Two Survives -- But So Do Partisan Elections

Krist Novoselic at House of Blues, March 2008. Photo by Tate Wittenburg.

In a surprise ruling, the United States Supreme Court has refused to strike down I-872, Washington State's partisan, top-two primary. The Supreme Court upheld I-872 mostly because it was a facial challenge. (Since the system was never implemented, there was no actual evidence of any harm.) This leaves the door open for further litigation. But for now, the respondent political party’s could settle on some kind of official affiliation cue on the ballot or voters guide.

Even though it’s convoluted, the Supreme Court has thrown partisan elections with actual grassroots participation a lifeline. Popular dissatisfaction with the Pick-A-Party primary would have eventually led some in our state to push for a non-partisan blanket primary.

We must also observe that Washington has now abandoned plurality elections for a majoritarian system. This is a welcome step forward with democracy in our state.

Continue reading "The Top-Two Survives -- But So Do Partisan Elections"

Topics: Krist Novoselic: Contention & Conscious

Permalink | Comments (8)

House of Blues, Rock, and Ranked Choice in LA

Bruce & Krist with Flipper at House of Blues on the Sunset Strip. Photo: Tate Wittenburg

Breaking News!!! The United States Supreme Court has upheld 1-872, Washington’s Top-Two partisan primary. I'll have more on this soon

I’ve just returned from a three-night stint at the House Of Blues on Sunset Boulevard. Flipper opened for Bad Religion. Revolution Mother opened the show. The shows were great, and Dale Crover and Buzzo from the Melvins joined Flipper on the last night for a rippinG version of Sacrifice.

I also got a chance to get up to speed with election reform efforts in Los Angeles. Circumstances in LA make Ranked Choice Voting an excellent alternative to the current system.

Continue reading "House of Blues, Rock, and Ranked Choice in LA"

Topics: Krist Novoselic: Contention & Conscious

Permalink | Comments (4)