[EL] American elect

[Smith, Brad]

> A number of readers wrote to me, with some claiming the group is meant to help Obama's reelection and others that it is a Wall Street shill meant to hurt his reelection chances.

Of course, there is always the possibility that Americans Elect is simply what it says it is, and is neither intended to hurt or help Obama, but to change the dynamics of American politics more broadly, in a way that the organizers think will be beneficial, regardless of how it affects other particular candidates in 2012. I've spoken many times with Peter Ackerman about Americans Elect, and that's my view.

Bradley A. Smith
Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault
  Designated Professor of Law
Capital University Law School
303 East Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 236-6317
bsmith at law.capital.edu<mailto:bsmith at law.capital.edu>
http://www.law.capital.edu/faculty/bios/bsmith.asp

From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu [mailto:law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] On Behalf Of Rick Hasen
Sent: Friday, November 11, 2011 11:52 AM
To: law-election at UCI.EDU
Subject: [EL] ELB News and Commentary 11/11/11

More on Americans Elect<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=25292>
Posted on November 11, 2011 8:59 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=25292> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Following up on my op-ed<http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/67965.html> yesterday about a potential democracy deficit at Americans Elect, I learned of this important piece<http://techpresident.com/blog-entry/americans-elect-can-internet-powered-3rd-party-transform-2012> from Micah Sifry back in July.  Our Oregon <http://ouroregon.org/sockeye/blog/truth-behind-americans-elect> also did this series on the group.

A number of readers wrote to me, with some claiming the group is meant to help Obama's reelection and others that it is a Wall Street shill meant to hurt his reelection chances.

A reader also confirmed what my students reported to me: that of the subset of the 2 million people who've signed up for the group and answered their opinion polls, the average answers skew to the left.  That does not seem to be the leaning of many of the leaders of the group.

Finally, thanks to the Burns & Haberman blog for taking notice<http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/68137.html> of the oped.  They are not on my blogroll yet, but will be.  One of the projects I plan to undertake soon is a revamping of the blogroll.  Suggestions welcome (though not necessarily followed).
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Posted in ballot access<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=46>, third parties<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=47> | Comments Off
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