The campaign has stepped up the tempo in Vermont. With a deadline next week for our filing documents, the local team is ramped up and their hard work has already earned over 500 of the required 1,000 signatures to get Rocky on the ballot. Rocky will be addressing supporters in Burlington at the Discover Jazz Festival, live via Skype at the Church Street Marketplace where they intend to finish off this petition drive. 

One of our local heroes, Ben Eastwood, writes:

"We will be gathering signatures for Rocky Anderson for President on the Church Street Marketplace tomorrow from 11am-9pm. Throughout the day there will be opportunities to meet and talk with Rocky live via Skype. By making the best use of available technology, we are able to offer this unprecedented opportunity to meet and talk with a candidate for President, while reducing our impact on the environment and insuring that we use our resources wisely. Come out and meet Rocky, and find out why we are working so hard to get him on the ballot here in Vermont this fall. We'll be located on the Church Street Marketplace, in beautiful Downtown Burlington Vermont, right next to city hall."

Let's show Ben, along with the rest of our canvassing team -- Nancy, Charles, Becky, Paul, Sara, Matt, Michael, Eboney, Jesse, Jill, and Blair -- that we support their valuable efforts. 

Please join their event if you are able. Contact Walter Mason at ballotaccess@justicepartyusa.org if you have any questions or if you would be interested in joining the canvassing team as they move on to New Hampshire. If you are unable to become directly involved, please know that your financial contribution makes their continued work possible. Please donate to our ballot access fund here.

Sally Soriano -- our new Campaign Coordinator, with a long history of political activity, including working as Ralph Nader's 2008 Campaign Manager -- explains, "Ballot access laws in states around the country are arcane, but Vermonters are taking on the challenge in stride, helping open doors, exemplifying a fair process for third-parties to have their voices heard." Join our fight today.

Scott Walker just made history. He became the first governor in U.S. history to survive a recall attempt. What does Scott Walker have that no one before him had?

Endless charisma? He was just recently described at bagnewsnotes.com as "not a charismatic figure by a long shot." We can rule that out.

A sharp wit, perhaps? Most of us remember this event a few months back when Scott was fooled by a journalist into believing he was speaking to David Koch, conceding his subversive plans to bust Wisconsin's unions. Nope - moving on.

Maybe it's his cunning anti-democratic tactics? Politico, on day of the the recall election published "reports of a robo-call that says anyone who signed a petition to recall Gov. Scott Walker doesn’t have to vote in Tuesday’s election." We're getting warmer.

What could it be? What advantage does Scott Walker have? How is he the exception to what we previously knew of our democracy?

One word: Money.

Walker effectively outspent his challenger 10-1. Walker raised over $30 million for the recall campaign while Barrett only brought in under $4 million. That's right -- American "democracy" is a numbers game. No -- not of population; rather, of private interests whose contributions have now, more than ever, overwhelmed even the pretense of democracy. 

Just how deeply does the private-interest corruption run in America's political environment?

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, 94% of winning candidates had more money than their opponents in 2008. It doesn't take a professional analyst to see the correlation. The electoral process in the United States has devolved into a series of auctions, masquerading as elections. Wisconsin's recall election serves as a cold reminder to working families: Our elected representatives no longer serve us in a government of, by, and for the people. Rather, elected officials are servants for their corporate overlords.

We're not helpless in this. We can fight back. We can ensure a greater American future that works for everyone. But it won't happen without everyone's involvement and support.

It starts with you. Join us today at voterocky.org and contribute so that Rocky can continue to fight for you.

Rocky Anderson won the California primary of the Peace and Freedom Party yesterday! Rocky received 43.4% of the vote, with his two competitors receiving 30% and 26.5%. The party’s nomination will ultimately be determined at its convention August 4th and 5th.

The Peace and Freedom Party was founded in 1967 on the principles of peace, workers' rights, democracy, ecology, feminism, and racial equality. These are issues Rocky Anderson has fought for throughout his career as a lawyer, community activist, mayor and Executive Director of High Road for Human Rights.

As mayor of Salt Lake City, Rocky became internationally recognized as an effective advocate for civil and human rights, sound environmental policies to stop global warming and spur the economy, and opposition to the Iraq war and other illegal projections of US military power. Under his leadership, Salt Lake City's operations were some of the "greenest" in the nation. He fought relentlessly for environmental, economic, health care, and civil justice for all. He decided to run for President because the two dominant parties and their candidates primarily serve the interests of wealthy donors rather than the public interest.

In 2008, Ralph Nader was the nominee of the Peace and Freedom Party. Nader has thrown his support behind Rocky Anderson.

In December of 2011, Rocky Anderson co-founded the Justice Party. Gaining ballot access is a long and very expensive proposition. At present, Anderson is on the ballot in Utah and Mississippi as a candidate of the Justice Party and in Oregon as the nominee of the Oregon Progressive Party.

While his campaign contributions are still limited to $100, he has started a separate account to raise funds specifically for ballot access. Individuals can donate up to $2400 for this initiative. Details are available at voterocky.org.

Learn more about Rocky's platform and background here.

Remember back in Obama's 2008 campaign when it was generally believed that his background in law would render him an effective leader -- at the very least -- with respect to the rule of law? It's hard to imagine that was ever believed in retrospect, as we've seen the former "anti-war" state senator not only completely betray various campaign promises, but personally make targeted drone killing a priority.

We saw just a few weeks ago Attorney General Eric Holder's cavalier dismissal regarding the killing of American citizens overseas, complete with his weightless distinction that, "'Due process' and 'judicial process' are not one and the same." In the last few days, however, Obama-era regression is really coming to the surface. "Secret ‘Kill List’ Proves a Test of Obama’s Principles and Will," an article that appeared yesterday in the New York Times, could have justifiably also been titled "Secret Kill List Proves Chilling: Where Are Our Principles? What is Our Will?"

Does the president's explicitly deceitful decision to redefine 'militant' as, "all military-age males in a strike zone," really reflect our values? Is that the America we want to live in? Is that the America we've so long considered 'the land of the free, home of the brave?' 

Barack Obama -- the candidate who promised to close GitMo -- has merely circumvented the process. Instead of detaining anyone, he sentences them to death by drone. A draconian compromise of fundamental American values? Not strong enough -- in fact, I'm unable to even construct a sentence that describes just how egregious Obama's foreign policy has become.

So who are these 'military-aged males?' Do we know they're terrorists? Does Obama consider background checks of each of these Government-sanctioned murders? The New York Times article sheds some light, "Counterterrorism officials insist this approach [the approach that counts all military-aged males in a strike zone as combatants] is one of simple logic: people in an area of known terrorist activity, or found with a top Qaeda operative, are probably up to no good."

Are you a 'militant,' according to this definition? Can you imagine having a family member killed by a drone -- while the government responsible drops an official response of mere proximity? Is that how we determine guilt? Is that how we build democracy and strengthen our international relationships with others -- labeling "terrorists" with qualifiers like 'probably'?

Can you imagine what activists would be saying were it Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfield hand-picking their drone-murders, with a record of killing innocent farmers and children? Where will you draw the line? When will you stand up against the disturbing reality of our bi-partisan, neo-con military intervention, destroying what is quintessentially American -- freedom, justice, and liberty for all?

It starts with you. Stand with a candidate who stands with you. 

Donate to Rocky's campaign (up to $100 per donor) here, and contribute to our ballot access efforts (up to $2,400) here.

Dear Governor Roemer:

You have led an inspiring campaign over the last 17 months, for which the American people should be grateful. During our recent joint appearance at UCLA, it was obvious to me that you and I share a common urgent concern about the state of our nation's democracy. I applaud you for your tenacity in raising awareness about the transformation of our government into a plutocracy. Instead of a government of, by, and for the people, ours is now a government of, by, and for the corporations and individuals with concentrated wealth who buy and pay for those in Congress and the White House, whose sole loyalty should be, but obviously is not, to the public interest.

While you and I have some different political perspectives, we agree it is essential to remove the corrupting influence of money from our government. It is a source of national disgrace and tragedy that the duopoly of the Republican and Democratic parties has succeeded in depriving American voters of real choices in our elections by making it virtually impossible for anyone who is not a multimillionaire to get on state ballots. Likewise, both dominant parties have excluded vital, alternative viewpoints and candidates from the debates. The candidates being excluded are those who seek to restore democracy and the rule of law to our nation.

Thank you for leading by example and running a campaign of integrity. I hope we can work together in the coming years on our common cause of fundamental campaign finance reform and restoring a truly representative government as contemplated by the Founders.

With gratitude,

Rocky Anderson

Today Ben Eastwood will walk the streets of Montpelier, stopping those he meets and asking for one more signature, "Because I don't think there is another choice to represent me in the White House," he says. Ben is on a mission to get 150 signatures today, and each day after that until Vermont's June 14 deadline to get Rocky on the ballot. "If we can get the independent voters out, and get some support from our Progressive and Independent friends in Vermont," Ben explains, "I think we have a good shot at making a noticeable ding".

Originally posted Sep 1, 2006 on Truthdig

Truthdig salutes Rocky Anderson, the Salt Lake City mayor who spoke out against the war and reminded the world that “blind faith in bad leaders is not patriotism.” Anderson welcomed Bush to his city with a fiery protest speech and these searing lines: “A patriot does not tell people who are intensely concerned about their country to just sit down and be quiet; to refrain from speaking out in the name of politeness or for the sake of being a good host; to show slavish, blind obedience and deference to a dishonest, war-mongering, human-rights-violating president.”

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the two-term mayor has been outspoken on a wide range of topics, including genocide in Sudan, nuclear-waste storage, marijuana laws, the Iraq war, President Bush, HIV testing, healthcare, abstinence-only education, gay marriage, living wages and sprawl. He has also been an outspoken gay rights advocate and has signed executive orders on behalf of the gay community.

Anderson recently announced that he will not seek a third term as mayor of Salt Lake City. Rather, he will pursue grass-roots organizing on human rights issues and climate change.

(Picture: Salt Lake City Mayor Ross “Rocky” Anderson at an anti-Bush rally Wednesday, Aug. 30, in Salt Lake City. Anderson, a Democrat in a city that is considered liberal by heavily Republican Utah’s standards, has accused the Bush administration of lying about the rationale for war.)

We received this from Pirate TV and thought we ought to share it with everyone:  

"A few weeks ago I went to my Democratic County convention and guess who I happened to run in to?  Well, as you can imagine, I decided to use this rare opportunity to give the President a piece of my mind on his failures on everything from endless war, targeted assignations, bankster rule, austerity, global warming, etc., etc…  After about an hour and a half of this, I realized that he wasn’t listening and I got the distinct feeling that this president is nothing more than a cardboard façade and that the real power was somewhere else.  So, I had a talk with another candidate and got a much different impression."

Be Sure to Watch Rocky Standing Up for Justice on Pirate TV, Monday 5/28/12 8-9pm (Repeats 1pm Wed):

"The two-party system has given us endless wars, bank bailouts and tax-breaks for the rich. Rocky Anderson, former two-term, progressive Mayor of Salt Lake City, has a proven track record on human rights, environmental stewardship, and justice for the 99%. Rocky left the Democratic Party to build a third party alternative and is now running as a 2012 Candidate for President with the Justice Party.  Hear him speak out on corporate corruption, cost of war and the 2012 election."

Watch Pirate Television in King County channel 29/77 Mondays 8-9pm & Wed. 1-2pm PST or streaming live on Seattle Community Media. Pirate TV streams several times a week on Puget Sound Access.  Pirate TV also broadcasts on Free Speech TV: Details listed on FStv website.

While Rocky stands against corruption -- limiting contributions to $100.00 per donor -- the Obama administration is having trouble finding a spokesperson who is flexible enough to bend out of the hypocrisy behind the slew of private equity money backing Obama. 

"I don't understand why it's okay for the president's private equity supporters to bankrupt companies and put people out of work, but it's not okay for Mitt Romney's equity firm to do that?" Anderson Cooper repeatedly asked Ben LaBolt, a dodgy representative for Obama. "The president has support from business leaders across industries who agree with his vision of building an economy that's built to last," LaBolt stuttered through, "where hard work and responsibility are rewarded..." Anderson let him continue for a few seconds before reminding him, "You yourself said that's not what private equity is about," at which point LaBolt evaded a real answer with another populist talking-point.

Will you defend Romney's regressive economic vision, or join Ben LaBolt in Obama apologetics without consulting his actual record? Or will you support Rocky Anderson -- a candidate who requires no question-dodging? Watch Rocky's television appearances here, and read his solutions to the problems America is facing here. 

Our goal is equality. It is a fight that has defined our nation's history. Every step toward this goal has come from people at the grassroots taking a stand together. Join our campaign to push now for equality relating to sex and sexual orientation. Our progress will be measured by the extent to which we rally people together in this common cause. 

Unlike President Obama, Rocky Anderson believes that, as with other constitutional protections, equality as between people of different genders and sexual orientations should be federally guaranteed. When a president asserts a commitment to equality, he or she should actually do something to make it a reality.

We can look back on our lives and know that we have said the right words and voiced the right opinions. Or we can look back and know that we took action and stood up against oppression and its greatest weapon--complicit silence.

Don't be silent. Please take action by signing this letter calling for a New Equal Rights Amendment, contributing to Rocky Anderson's campaign, and passing this message along to friends and family. It will all make a difference.