Prop 8 Upheld in California Supreme Court

The fight for the definition of marriage continues in California. Hours after the Supreme Court announced its decision to uphold Prop 8, legions of gay rights activists said they were determined to change this Constitutional Amendment at the 2010 election.

Our Protest of Prop. 8 video, produced last November, captures some of the mood and sentiment in San Francisco at the time and provides a useful reflection of the town’s mood since last night. Since November, a cascade of smaller states have recognized same-sex marriages.

Prop 8 Upheld in California Supreme Court

The fight for the definition of marriage continues in California. Hours after the Supreme Court announced its decision to uphold Prop 8, legions of gay rights activists said they were determined to change this Constitutional Amendment at the 2010 election.

Our Protest of Prop. 8 video, produced last November, captures some of the mood and sentiment in San Francisco at the time and provides a useful reflection of the town’s mood since last night. Since November, a cascade of smaller states have recognized same-sex marriages.

Eco-Savvy Storytellers watching the greening of politics.

Ron Paul debates Conservative Baldwin on Legalizing Marijuana

In this CNN video, Conservative Stephen Baldwin and Ron Paul debate legalizing marijuana.

Eco-Savvy Storytellers watching the greening of politics.

Ron Paul debates Conservative Baldwin on Legalizing Marijuana

In this CNN video, Conservative Stephen Baldwin and Ron Paul debate legalizing marijuana.

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U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Attempt To Overturn Nader Ballot

excerpt from PRNewswire

In a significant move for open-election laws, the U.S. Supreme Court today rejected an attempt to overturn a federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision that the state of Arizona could not require independent presidential candidates to register earlier than candidates affiliated with major political parties.Arizona’s petition for certiorari to the Supreme Court had been closely watched after 13 other states supported Arizona’s bid to have the High Court hear the case. The federal civil rights case, originally filed in Arizona federal district court, stems from Nader’s 2004 presidency bid.

Ralph Nader had challenged the deadline, contending it violated his First Amendment rights to free speech and political association. Lead Attorney Robert Barnes of the Bernhoft Law Firm represented Nader before the Ninth Circuit, which overturned the district court and unanimously declared the Arizona law unconstitutional. Nader’s Bernhoft Law legal team successfully argued that requiring independent candidates to register by June was unfair when the two major political parties did not hold their conventions until the fall.

read more | digg story

Eco-Savvy Storytellers watching the greening of politics.

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Attempt To Overturn Nader Ballot

excerpt from PRNewswire

In a significant move for open-election laws, the U.S. Supreme Court today rejected an attempt to overturn a federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision that the state of Arizona could not require independent presidential candidates to register earlier than candidates affiliated with major political parties.Arizona’s petition for certiorari to the Supreme Court had been closely watched after 13 other states supported Arizona’s bid to have the High Court hear the case. The federal civil rights case, originally filed in Arizona federal district court, stems from Nader’s 2004 presidency bid.

Ralph Nader had challenged the deadline, contending it violated his First Amendment rights to free speech and political association. Lead Attorney Robert Barnes of the Bernhoft Law Firm represented Nader before the Ninth Circuit, which overturned the district court and unanimously declared the Arizona law unconstitutional. Nader’s Bernhoft Law legal team successfully argued that requiring independent candidates to register by June was unfair when the two major political parties did not hold their conventions until the fall.

read more | digg story

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Homestretch for Illinois Congressional Seat Election

Candidates for Illinois' 5th Congressional District Seat

Article and Photo by Kevin Gosztola

On February 23, 2009, the 5th District of Illinois held al candidates’ forum which included more than 20 people vying for the Congressional seat vacated by Rahm Emanuel who took the post as President Obama’s White House Chief of Staff early this year. This special election has been a circus, with Democrats, Greens and Republicans eagerly jockeying for the coveted office. And while Democrats presumed to battle between themselves, it was the “fringe candidates” who offered a breath of fresh air from the conventional wisdom.

Organizers separated the forum into two segments: the first featured only Democrats; the second included Republicans and Greens. Despite this segregation of parties, it proved suprisingly effective in highlighting the key issues and solutions that differentiate them from one another.

It was Green Party candidate Matt Reichel’s response to a question on Section 8 housing during which the forum took a spontaneous turn. Reichel suggested that domestic issues could be solved once we end the wars and cut the military budget. This was the first time that the Middle East Wars had been brought up. The audience broke out in uproarious applause while the moderator struggled to regain control by asking  Reichel to “answer the question.”

Fellow Green Party candidate Deb Gordils seconded Reichel’s answer and added that it was time that people suspend their loyalties to the Democratic Party and vote Green. She too was told by the moderator to “answer the question.”

During the course of the forum, the independent Republican Jon Stewart (no relation to Comedy Central), had surprised listeners with his support for untraditional Republican solutions, including amnesty for illegals and single-payer health care. When he also agreed with Reichel and said you can take care of domestic problems by ending the killing of people, the crowd applauded loudly. Ironically, the moderator’s efforts to gain control and stifle the enthusiasm only instigated further laughter.

Other Green candidates in attendance were Matt Fredrickson and Simon Ribeiro; other Republican candidates included Greg Bedell, Tom Hanson, and Daniel S. Kay.

Kevin Gosztola studies documentary filmmaking at Columbia College in Chicago and is a YP4 2009 Fellow. He is an At-Large Senator for the Student Government Association and is working to create a Student Civic Collective and increase funding and resources for political and social student organizations on campus. He has also served as a researcher and Production Assistant on several documentaries during the course of the 2008 election, including Polidoc Productions’ “Seriously Green.”

AR Rep Carroll Attempts to Take God Out of Politics

Newly elected Arkansas House Representative Richard Carroll has wasted no time digging into the archaine “isms” of Arkansas’ state politics. First was the bill to extend the petitioning period for ballot access from a mere 60 to a still challenging 90 days. Then, on February 11, he introduced a bill to remove the language from the state’s Constitution which prohibits a declared atheist from holding public office or testifying as a witness.

Article 19 Section 1 : No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any court.

Wednesday was the last day members of the 87th General Assembly could file a bill for purposes of proposing a constitutional amendment. The Bill has been referred to the Committee on STATE AGENCIES & GOVT’L AFFAIRS.

• Carroll’s State Legislator Page
• Great background article on Carroll
• Godless Geek’s list of State Constitution with restrictive language
• Nice article on Progressive Democrat and Green Party alliance
  

Thanks for your continued subscription. If you have an insight or piece of news that seems to fit our blog, please feel free to contact us.

AR Rep Carroll Attempts to Take God Out of Politics

Newly elected Arkansas House Representative Richard Carroll has wasted no time digging into the archaine “isms” of Arkansas’ state politics. First was the bill to extend the petitioning period for ballot access from a mere 60 to a still challenging 90 days. Then, on February 11, he introduced a bill to remove the language from the state’s Constitution which prohibits a declared atheist from holding public office or testifying as a witness.

Article 19 Section 1 : No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any court.

Wednesday was the last day members of the 87th General Assembly could file a bill for purposes of proposing a constitutional amendment. The Bill has been referred to the Committee on STATE AGENCIES & GOVT’L AFFAIRS.

• Carroll’s State Legislator Page
• Great background article on Carroll
• Godless Geek’s list of State Constitution with restrictive language
• Nice article on Progressive Democrat and Green Party alliance
  

Eco-Savvy Storytellers watching the greening of politics.

AR Rep Carroll Attempts to Take God Out of Politics

Newly elected Arkansas House Representative Richard Carroll has wasted no time digging into the archaine “isms” of Arkansas’ state politics. First was the bill to extend the petitioning period for ballot access from a mere 60 to a still challenging 90 days. Then, on February 11, he introduced a bill to remove the language from the state’s Constitution which prohibits a declared atheist from holding public office or testifying as a witness.

Article 19 Section 1 : No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any court.

Wednesday was the last day members of the 87th General Assembly could file a bill for purposes of proposing a constitutional amendment. The Bill has been referred to the Committee on STATE AGENCIES & GOVT’L AFFAIRS.

• Carroll’s State Legislator Page
• Great background article on Carroll
• Godless Geek’s list of State Constitution with restrictive language
• Nice article on Progressive Democrat and Green Party alliance