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John --
As we’ve
reported every week in the Forwardist, state legislatures are
continuing to wage a war against electoral reform and independent
politics, cementing a two-party system that prevents competition and
inevitably leads to dysfunction.
We’re
seeing it in Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and other states. Anti-reformers are trying to preemptively
ban or repeal ranked-choice voting, close their primary elections,
stop voters from signing petitions for new parties, make it twice as
hard for independents to run for office, and block alternative parties
from achieving or keeping ballot access.
What
are they so afraid of?
Gallup
has the answer. Recent polling shows that a record 49% of Americans define
themselves as politically independent, a number equivalent to the two
major parties put together. This trend threatens their political and
fundraising power, and they won’t go down without a fight.
Montana
is a unique case that shows just how far partisans are willing to go.
There, the state GOP is pushing for a nonpartisan primary.
Sounds great, right? Not quite. In their quest to prevent Sen. Jon
Tester’s re-election in 2024 and change the balance of power in the
U.S. Senate, they’re proposing a nonpartisan primary in which only the
top two candidates would proceed to the general election, rather than
the typical four or five. Further, the law would only alter the 2024
U.S. Senate race.
Primary
reform, in this case, is being manipulated to advance partisan goals.
The idea that a “reform” law would be adopted to serve a single cycle
with a specific outcome is anathema to a principled stance on
defending and enriching democracy.
Forward
is fighting for more and better choices to break through partisan
gridlock and heal our politics. And importantly, we believe in genuine
reform made in good faith with the goal of improving our democracy—not
manipulations designed to serve one party or another.
Forward in the News
OTHER NEWS &
VIEWS
Gerrymandering on trial in
Tennessee
A Tennessee
court is hearing a redistricting case this week to determine whether
partisan-drawn maps illegally advantage one party and diminish the
voting power of communities throughout the state. The plaintiffs in
the lawsuit claim that Tennessee Republicans, Gov. Bill Lee, and the
Tennessee General Assembly excessively divided counties and cities on
Senate maps, creating Senate districts that create an unfair advantage
for the Republican Party in the Electoral College. "Democracy depends
on fair maps that keep our communities whole and reflect who we are as
a state. Tennesseans deserve nothing less," Sen. Raumesh Akbari said.
The plaintiffs are requesting that the judge block the proposed maps
and require the legislature to redraw maps that maintain compliance
with current constitutional district zoning guidelines. —ABC24
AI’s potential threat to workers,
climate, and democracy
“Right now, businesses are deploying potentially dangerous AI
tools faster than their harms can be understood or mitigated. History
offers no reason to believe that corporations can self-regulate away
the known risks—especially since many of these risks are as much a
part of generative AI as they are of corporate greed. Businesses
rushing to introduce these new technologies are gambling with peoples’
lives and livelihoods, and arguably with the very foundations of a
free society and livable world.” —Public Citizen
More AI
news:
Inside Minnesota’s quest for
RCV
“Decent, reasonable
legislators of both parties really do hate the violence, physical as
well as rhetorical, that has enveloped American politics. They really
do fear that our democracy is under threat. But is a system shaped by
such perverse incentives capable of reforming itself? We will need
many, many Tocquevillian activists to get there.” —Politico
More ranked-choice voting news:
Forwardists are out there making their mark. Are you one of
them? Share your story with us! Looking for a Forward event in your area?
Check out our upcoming events.
Thanks
for reading the Forwardist. If you enjoyed this issue, please share it
with a friend. See you next week.
All the
best,
The Forward Party Team
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