INDEPENDENT PARTY OF OREGON

THE “TWO-PARTY SYSTEM” IS BROKEN AND IS BREAKING OUR ECONOMY, OUR JOBS, AND OUR GOVERNMENT.

GRIDLOCK IN WASHINGTON AND SALEM MEANS WE CAN’T GET COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS FOR THE COMMON GOOD.

We need to get big money out of politics.

We are Oregon’s third largest political party, with more than 58,000 new members since 2007. We do not follow “ideology.”

Instead, we support candidates from across the political spectrum who are committed to the principle that the basic instruments of our democracy -- the elections process, the Legislature, and the initiative and referendum -- should be in the hands of We the People rather than the special interests that now control government in Oregon.

Hasso Hering, editor of the Albany Democrat-Herald, on June 10, 2010, described our platform:

These ideas have in common that they favor state politics in which the average citizens gain influence and the special interests especially the interests with lots of money have less. The details are open to debate, but thats not a bad program for which to campaign.

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NEW WAY OF CHOOSING CANDIDATES

Vote for candidates with Independent (or IND) after their names on the ballot.

Instead of having a convention of insiders, we held an online election where all Independent Party members selected nominees for 60 offices from a field of candidates including Independents, Democrats, Republicans, Greens, and Libertarians who sought our nominations. We offered the widest choice of candidates of any primary in Oregon history.

No minor party in Oregon has ever conducted a primary election before. No party of any description in Oregon, major or minor, has conducted an election via the Internet. No Oregon party has ever conducted a primary election at its own expense. The Independent Party of Oregon is currently doing all three. The experiment could change both elections and politics in the state and beyond.

The Eugene Register-Guard editorial, July 11, 2010

In some cases you’ll see the Independent (or IND) label along with the name of another party which nominated that candidate. This is called “cross-nomination.” Everyone with our label won the Independent Party primary election.

NEW WAY OF SETTING THE AGENDA IN SALEM

Our agenda is determined by our members. In the summer 2010 survey, they said:

1. Stop the revolving-door payoffs by prohibiting high-ranking state officials from taking jobs with industries that they regulated for 5 years.
2. Amend the Oregon Constitution to limit campaign contributions by corporations, unions, big money personal donors, and entities that do business with state government.
3. Provide tax credits for businesses that hire Oregon workers.
4. Regulate insurance premium rate hikes.

See the other top priorities and add your own at indparty.com/2010survey.

NEW WAY OF DOING THE PEOPLE’S BUSINESS

We expect Independent Party candidates to work cooperatively to solve problems, free from special interests and corrupting cash. If the candidates fail to deliver, the members will reject them in the next election.

One of these days, voters who refuse to be called Democrats or Republicans may become the majority of the electorate. When that day comes, the state’s unfair and unjust approach to party elections will end.

Hasso Hering, Albany Democrat-Herald editorial,
July 13, 2010

VOTE. THINK. BE. INDEPENDENT.

www.indparty.com