Most potential voters have heard of “Americans Elect”, a supposed “bipartisan 3rd party” approach to electing a president. News shows have featured their shills periodically, all with the same message—It’s time to end partisan politics and bring the presidential election to the people. To this end they are trying to get listed on the ballot in every state, and as far as I can tell they are going to come pretty close to 100% success.
Some big warning flags present themselves, however.
1. They seem to be funded by right-wing billionaires, although the source of most of their funding they are keeping secret. However, in their initial tax filing they identified their chief moneybags as Peter Ackerman, whose work/political history includes Rockport Capital, Drexel Burnham Lambert, and Freedom House. So what reason do they give for shrouding the rest of their sugar daddies? In press releases (and directly via their on-air shills) they say that they have made such disclosures “voluntary”, and while they “hope” their biggest donors (among them some guy who ponied up $5.5 million) come forward they wouldn’t dream of pressuring them to do so.
2. Fox News has enthusiastically endorsed “Americans Elect”.
3. It is next to impossible to sign up to participate on their website. I just tried, and after answering literally forty questions my membership was “turned down at this time”. No explanation given.
I sure smell something, and it’s either a rat or a skunk. My guess is that this whole enterprise is hopeful of “nominating” a wishy-washy lefty type who will draw votes away from President Obama in the fall. Right now Buddy Roemer, who has agreed to be an official “Americans Elect” candidate, is leading their “field” with more than twice the number of “delegates” as his nearest rival. But since their online “convention” is only 40 days away, I suspect their eventual “nominee” will be a (surprise, surprise) semi-appealing Democrat.
I invite any and all to try and sign up with “Americans Elect”, and then “vote” for Buddy Roemer. The only way “Americans Elect” can do damage is by offering a candidate who would take votes away from Barack Obama. Roemer might take votes away from Mittens, having stirred up Teabaggers disgruntled at a Romney candidacy, and what better outcome could there be?
At any rate, I encourage everyone to watch closely how this develops.