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Buddy Roemer
The deadline for a candidate to secure the support required in order to move forward in the Americans Elect nominating process has now passed, with no candidate coming even close to the required threshold. Former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer made a frantic last minute push, but fell far short of his goal.
Under Americans Elect rules, this should be the end of the line. However, it seems that the organization will attempt to field a ticket of some sort and will make a major announcement later this week as to the future of the AE process. Some have speculated that this will involve rolling out a simpler national online primary that would feature a handful of qualified candidates chosen by the board. Others think the organization may just nominate one of their own, former Comptroller David Walker.
The following is an official statement by Americans Elect CEO Kahlil Byrd:
Over the past two years, Americans Elect has focused on achieving three clear goals:
* Gaining nationwide ballot access for a third presidential ticket to compete in the 2012 race;
* Holding the first ever nonpartisan secure national online primary at AmericansElect.org; and
* Fielding a credible, balanced, unaffiliated ticket for the 2012 presidential race.Through the efforts of thousands of staffers, volunteers, and leadership, Americans Elect has achieved every stated operational goal. Despite these efforts, as of today, no candidate has reached the national support threshold required to enter the “Americans Elect Online Convention” this June. (Read a detailed summary of the AE process here and the full rules here.)
Because of this, under the rules that AE delegates ratified, the primary process would end today. There is, however, an almost universal desire among delegates, leadership and millions of Americans who have supported AE to see a credible candidate emerge from this process.
Every step of the way, AE has conferred with its community before making major decisions. We will do the same this week before determining next steps for the immediate future. AE will announce the results of these conversations on Thursday, May 17.
As always, we thank everyone who has participated in this effort and will honor the work, efforts and trust so many people have placed in Americans Elect.
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Everything that Mr. Byrd said about achieving their goals is false. AE’s “thousands of staffers…” failed to achieve every one of its goals.
Americans Elect is a defective concept. They expected to attract a stellar politician who would win millions of disaffected voters. Instead, they attracted only political failures or unknowns who obtained fewer votes than a small town city council candidate. Why would they expect anything different?
All stellar politicians today are either Republicans or Democrats. A stellar politician who would attract millions of voters would know that it is politically impossible to win the presidency as a third party candidate. The most a third party candidate could do would be to act as a spoiler, splitting the vote of his own party, Republican or Democrat, so the other party’s candidate would win. No stellar politician would want to be the cause of that “treachery” to his party compatriots.
If, by some miracle the AE candidate won, how could he/she ever accomplish anything as president? He would have no AE members in Congress to work with him. Every member of Congress would be in the opposition party, with his former party members hating him the most. There would be more gridlock than there is now as every member of Congress would want the AE president to fail, to prove that the whole AE idea does not work.
AE should have started first at winning seats in state offices and Congress, before aiming at the presidency. No athlete tries his first race at the Olympics. Why did the AE donors think they could start first at the highest political office?
The only reason Buddy Roemer is seeking the nomination is that he has had a failed political career and could never expect to be elected to anything again. To learn the truth about him, go to the following web page and then scroll down to the comment of “Say Amen.” Read the citations that have been assembled there. They are excellent sources of information about Buddy Roemer, written by independent, objective, and reliable journalists and historians.
http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2012/04/buddy-roemer-says-he-has-list-of-23-vice-presidential-possibilities/
Buddy Roemer failed to qualify for the AE online caucus. Yet, he had more supporters than any other person willing to accept the AE nomination.
COULD BUDDY ROEMER BE A GOOD NOMINEE FOR AMERICANS ELECT?
COULD BUDDY ROEMER BE A GOOD PRESIDENT?
If you would like to learn the facts about him, go to this web page and see the FOUR comments of “SAY AMEN.” (There are other comments there covering a wide range of opinions, that you may also wish to examine.)
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/05/buddy-roemer-the-anti-spoiler/257101/
I totally disagree with Say Amen. Just HAVING A NATIONAL 3D CANDIDATE for president on the ballot in 2012 is GOOD FOR AMERICA. Will scare the hell out of the two major parties and make THEM more rational and moderate, where most of the country really is.
I want Buddy Roemer — he has the MOST votes if not meeting the 10,000 minimum. The fact that he has more tweeting fans than on Americans Elect, supports my theory as to WHY this part of the proces–getting the public to poarticipate–was done very poorly by AE. Superb job getting on the ballot in so many states–and that should continue.
I think the website was far too complicated for one thing. The Feedback process made me want to throw something at the screen. Everything I tried to do seemed difficult. Now I’m no internet expert, and I’m OLD and somewhat resistant at times to the internet–but I do email constantly and I do have a blog. I’m better at it than MOST people as old as I am.
So that’s #1 — simplify, simplify, simplifyt.
Also, from the beginning, those who particpated right away should have been asked to come up with someway of reaching out and/or mentoring those who would poarticipate with some coaching.
Really, should be so simple that those without computers, could (with assist from those with expertise) participate at a library computer.
BUT HAVE A CANDIDATE NO MATTER WHAT!!!
Very chastening effect on the two c orrupt bought-and-poaid for parties we have. Good for THEIR characters to never be able to say again — so if you don’t v ote for US, who are you going to vote for???
Americans NEED a third place to go when both parties become extreme in one way or another and yet the alternative party is totally against our beliefs.
Please Americans Elect — BE THERE in 2012 — have somebody on the ballot for president. Then spend next 3 years improving your website and process for reaching out to voters.
There is a third party candidate. And a highly qualified one at that…… Gov. Gary Johnson – Libertarian.