1/33
ANNOUNCEMENT:
We have a plan to defeat this partisan duopoly that has failed us for decades. The basics are in the attached graphic. @AicilaLewis is the systems person that’s key to this coming together. Follow her. Together, we're going to change the world.
#CoxsArmy
ANNOUNCEMENT:
We have a plan to defeat this partisan duopoly that has failed us for decades. The basics are in the attached graphic. @AicilaLewis is the systems person that’s key to this coming together. Follow her. Together, we're going to change the world.
#CoxsArmy
2/33
Despite the need for (and the public support behind) drastic change to how our government operates, nothing changes simply because the status quo works perfectly for the Democratic & Republican Parties, & the lobbyists who fund them. But the status quo doesn’t work for *us*.
Despite the need for (and the public support behind) drastic change to how our government operates, nothing changes simply because the status quo works perfectly for the Democratic & Republican Parties, & the lobbyists who fund them. But the status quo doesn’t work for *us*.
3/33
But we have a plan, and a clear path forward. We can fix it. And we must. This is lengthy, but we’re mostly stuck at home right now anyway, right? So grab a cup of coffee or tea and give me 5 minutes of your time. I promise it’ll be worth it.
But we have a plan, and a clear path forward. We can fix it. And we must. This is lengthy, but we’re mostly stuck at home right now anyway, right? So grab a cup of coffee or tea and give me 5 minutes of your time. I promise it’ll be worth it.
4/33
A lot of us get hung up on policy, myself included. But no matter how strongly you support or oppose any given policy, policy positions don’t really matter because congress doesn’t work for us in the first place. They work for big-business lobbyists.
A lot of us get hung up on policy, myself included. But no matter how strongly you support or oppose any given policy, policy positions don’t really matter because congress doesn’t work for us in the first place. They work for big-business lobbyists.
5/33
As long as the Democratic and Republican Parties control our government, no policies will significantly change. And, admittedly, taking only 1 seat away from those parties, in the 435-seat US House of Representatives, isn’t nearly enough.
As long as the Democratic and Republican Parties control our government, no policies will significantly change. And, admittedly, taking only 1 seat away from those parties, in the 435-seat US House of Representatives, isn’t nearly enough.
6/33
So our movement isn’t about this 1 seat. It’s about bringing true representation back to we, the people, by wresting the levers of power from the Democratic and Republican Parties’ hands 1 lever at a time. In order to do that, first, we have to take *this* seat away.
So our movement isn’t about this 1 seat. It’s about bringing true representation back to we, the people, by wresting the levers of power from the Democratic and Republican Parties’ hands 1 lever at a time. In order to do that, first, we have to take *this* seat away.
7/33
The most common voter argument against independents is that voting independent is a “wasted vote” and that “independents can’t win.” This is what’s known as a “self-fulfilling prophecy.” But we’re *going* to win here.
The most common voter argument against independents is that voting independent is a “wasted vote” and that “independents can’t win.” This is what’s known as a “self-fulfilling prophecy.” But we’re *going* to win here.
8/33
And then after the 2022 mid-term race, we’re going to help other independents win even more seats in districts and states across the nation until such a point that the two parties are forced to change their behavior or go extinct altogether.
And then after the 2022 mid-term race, we’re going to help other independents win even more seats in districts and states across the nation until such a point that the two parties are forced to change their behavior or go extinct altogether.
9/33
This campaign isn’t about policy—although it will be important eventually. It’s about something much, much bigger than that. It’s about making policy changes *possible* by changing the very structure of our representative government.
We’re aiming to fix the system *itself*.
This campaign isn’t about policy—although it will be important eventually. It’s about something much, much bigger than that. It’s about making policy changes *possible* by changing the very structure of our representative government.
We’re aiming to fix the system *itself*.
10/33
After the 2020 primary in California’s 39th congressional district, our path forward is clear. We've made two attempts at this (in 2018 and 2020), and we’ve figured it out (see starting at Tweet 28 in this thread: “Putting Our 2020 Primary Results Into Perspective”).
After the 2020 primary in California’s 39th congressional district, our path forward is clear. We've made two attempts at this (in 2018 and 2020), and we’ve figured it out (see starting at Tweet 28 in this thread: “Putting Our 2020 Primary Results Into Perspective”).
11/33
Working with our campaign staff and volunteers, including our friend and systems specialist Aicila, we’re not just going to win the 2022 election, but we’re going to document the entire process and create and release an Independent-Candidate Handbook.
Working with our campaign staff and volunteers, including our friend and systems specialist Aicila, we’re not just going to win the 2022 election, but we’re going to document the entire process and create and release an Independent-Candidate Handbook.
12/33
The Independent Candidate Handbook will detail everything you’ll need to know to run, and win, as an independent wherever that race may be.
The Independent Candidate Handbook will detail everything you’ll need to know to run, and win, as an independent wherever that race may be.
13/33
There’s a very steep learning curve to running for office, and one of the benefits of belonging to one of the two major parties is the infrastructure/resources the parties bring to the table.
There’s a very steep learning curve to running for office, and one of the benefits of belonging to one of the two major parties is the infrastructure/resources the parties bring to the table.
14/33
The parties have people who know how the system works, and they have major, established fundraising platforms. As an independent, we have to figure all of this out on our own. It’s very difficult.
That's by design.
The parties have people who know how the system works, and they have major, established fundraising platforms. As an independent, we have to figure all of this out on our own. It’s very difficult.
That's by design.
15/33
In our Independent Candidate Handbook, we will detail:
1. Each state’s laws re: running for office as an independent
2. FEC reporting guidelines/methods
3. Fundraising platforms/strategies/fees
4. Messaging/canvassing/GOTV/fees
5. Approximate government fees/total costs
In our Independent Candidate Handbook, we will detail:
1. Each state’s laws re: running for office as an independent
2. FEC reporting guidelines/methods
3. Fundraising platforms/strategies/fees
4. Messaging/canvassing/GOTV/fees
5. Approximate government fees/total costs
16/33
I will *personally* assist any candidate who:
1. Lacks party affiliation/independent
2. Takes no corporate money whatsoever; is supported by no PACs whatsoever
3. Has no unique disqualifiers that could harm the independent movement (such as racist/sexist behavior/rhetoric)
I will *personally* assist any candidate who:
1. Lacks party affiliation/independent
2. Takes no corporate money whatsoever; is supported by no PACs whatsoever
3. Has no unique disqualifiers that could harm the independent movement (such as racist/sexist behavior/rhetoric)
17/33
That’s it. Nothing more. Notice I put very few ideological distinctions on who I will or will not personally assist. There’s a reason for this: Policy doesn’t yet matter. What matters is representation.
That’s it. Nothing more. Notice I put very few ideological distinctions on who I will or will not personally assist. There’s a reason for this: Policy doesn’t yet matter. What matters is representation.
18/33
There are going to be districts/states that are solidly liberal-leaning, & others that are solidly conservative-leaning—thank to partisan gerrymandering—and I believe all that matters right now is taking as many seats away from both parties as we can.
There are going to be districts/states that are solidly liberal-leaning, & others that are solidly conservative-leaning—thank to partisan gerrymandering—and I believe all that matters right now is taking as many seats away from both parties as we can.
19/33
I also believe that, at a future time when we can have honest discussions about policy in congress, the best policy positions will win out because there will be no lobbyists paying the politicians to take one or the other position.
In an honest dialog, the best ideas win.
I also believe that, at a future time when we can have honest discussions about policy in congress, the best policy positions will win out because there will be no lobbyists paying the politicians to take one or the other position.
In an honest dialog, the best ideas win.
20/33
There are a few reasons we’re only doing this for independents, and not for third-parties such as Greens, Libertarians, etc.
1. Parties carry stigmas. If you knock on someone’s door as a Green, the person on the other side of the door has a preconceived notion about it.
There are a few reasons we’re only doing this for independents, and not for third-parties such as Greens, Libertarians, etc.
1. Parties carry stigmas. If you knock on someone’s door as a Green, the person on the other side of the door has a preconceived notion about it.
21/33
2. Partisanship is a form of tribalism. As long as you’re not a member of the “other” party, in my substantial experience, most partisans will give you a chance.
3. There are consistently more independents in the USA than *any* party!
2. Partisanship is a form of tribalism. As long as you’re not a member of the “other” party, in my substantial experience, most partisans will give you a chance.
3. There are consistently more independents in the USA than *any* party!
22/33
According to Pew Research, the last time more people identified as Democrat *or* Republican than as an Independent was in their survey from December 19-22, 2012! And the last time that happened two surveys in a row was in December of 2008!
news.gallup.com/poll/15370/par…
According to Pew Research, the last time more people identified as Democrat *or* Republican than as an Independent was in their survey from December 19-22, 2012! And the last time that happened two surveys in a row was in December of 2008!
news.gallup.com/poll/15370/par…
23/33
4. The parties are the *source* of the bulk of the corruption! It doesn’t matter if certain partisan candidates don’t take corporate/lobbyist money; their party does! So any of the money the party donates to the candidate is corporate/lobbyist money! And it's not free!
4. The parties are the *source* of the bulk of the corruption! It doesn’t matter if certain partisan candidates don’t take corporate/lobbyist money; their party does! So any of the money the party donates to the candidate is corporate/lobbyist money! And it's not free!
24/33
5. Partisan politicians care about their party, and their party’s donors, before they care about *any* of us (if they care about us *at all*). That's where their loyalty lies.
5. Partisan politicians care about their party, and their party’s donors, before they care about *any* of us (if they care about us *at all*). That's where their loyalty lies.
25/33
In short, Independents are bridges where the parties are walls. We're the answer to fixing our government because:
1. Most Democrats and Republicans don’t like their *own* party that much, it’s just that they hate the other party *more*. Many will vote independent.
In short, Independents are bridges where the parties are walls. We're the answer to fixing our government because:
1. Most Democrats and Republicans don’t like their *own* party that much, it’s just that they hate the other party *more*. Many will vote independent.
26/33
2. Partisan voters often vote party-line on Election Day without giving significant thought to the policy positions the candidates espouse. Independents raise voter awareness by forcing voters to truly engage in dialog to find out what the candidate stands for, and why.
2. Partisan voters often vote party-line on Election Day without giving significant thought to the policy positions the candidates espouse. Independents raise voter awareness by forcing voters to truly engage in dialog to find out what the candidate stands for, and why.
27/33
3. Independents answer only to *you*, not their parties or their corporate donors.
That’s as it should be.
3. Independents answer only to *you*, not their parties or their corporate donors.
That’s as it should be.
28/33
PUTTING OUR 2020 PRIMARY RESULTS INTO PERSPECTIVE
The votes in California are not fully tabulated yet, but they're close: Our campaign earned 8,286 votes in the 2020 California 39th District Congressional Primary. That’s approximately 4.8%, and we only spent around $500.
PUTTING OUR 2020 PRIMARY RESULTS INTO PERSPECTIVE
The votes in California are not fully tabulated yet, but they're close: Our campaign earned 8,286 votes in the 2020 California 39th District Congressional Primary. That’s approximately 4.8%, and we only spent around $500.
29/33
Now the perspective:
In the *2018* race, I only earned 856 votes, which came to 0.6% of the vote. In fact, if you add up *all* of the independents in the 2018 race (there were 4 of us), it only came to 2458 votes, which was 1.7% of the total.
Now the perspective:
In the *2018* race, I only earned 856 votes, which came to 0.6% of the vote. In fact, if you add up *all* of the independents in the 2018 race (there were 4 of us), it only came to 2458 votes, which was 1.7% of the total.
30/33
The candidates who finished 1st and 2nd in my 2020 race spent over $650,000 *each* on the 2020 primary. That means that both Young Kim and Gil Cisneros spent about $8 *per vote* while we spent 6 *cents* per vote; that’s over 16 votes per dollar!
The candidates who finished 1st and 2nd in my 2020 race spent over $650,000 *each* on the 2020 primary. That means that both Young Kim and Gil Cisneros spent about $8 *per vote* while we spent 6 *cents* per vote; that’s over 16 votes per dollar!
31/33
Another example: Cenk Uygur ran in the 25th district primary as a Democrat. He’s a famous, wealthy, well-connected political pundit. He spent $529,646 and got 9,246 votes (5.9%). That's $57.28 per vote, and less than 1000 more votes in the 25th as we got in the 39th.
Another example: Cenk Uygur ran in the 25th district primary as a Democrat. He’s a famous, wealthy, well-connected political pundit. He spent $529,646 and got 9,246 votes (5.9%). That's $57.28 per vote, and less than 1000 more votes in the 25th as we got in the 39th.
32/33
We can, and will, win in 2022, and once we do, no one will be able to say that “independents are a wasted vote” or “independents can’t win.” And with that, along with our Independent Candidate Handbook, we can and will change the face of electoral politics in our country.
We can, and will, win in 2022, and once we do, no one will be able to say that “independents are a wasted vote” or “independents can’t win.” And with that, along with our Independent Candidate Handbook, we can and will change the face of electoral politics in our country.
33/33
Tell your friends. Spread the word. We will kick our race back off in January, 2021, after the 2020 census and some (hopefully minor) redistricting, and we will need your help. Let's change the world together!
#ThePartiesAreTheProblem #CoxsArmy
VoteForCox.com
Tell your friends. Spread the word. We will kick our race back off in January, 2021, after the 2020 census and some (hopefully minor) redistricting, and we will need your help. Let's change the world together!
#ThePartiesAreTheProblem #CoxsArmy
VoteForCox.com
