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Voting in Primaries |
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Sorry for disappointing you, but these days in America...
Nobody endorses NPA candidates !!
 | NPA means "No
Party Affiliation".
We are the "Non-partisans" who used
to be called "Independents", until a
few years ago when the Florida Legislature approved the term NPA. This
was another setback to freedom of choice! |
| The mnemonic NPA is deceptive
to many voters who might think it stands for something sinister such as
"Nazi Party of America", "Nuke Pakistan and
Afghanistan", "New Party of Arians", "National
Prostitution Advocates", or the "No Podemos Ayudarle" Latino
group. |
To fight back, I am divulging the content of questionnaires
(sent to me by organizations) which I have
being filling out .
The one sent by the Sun-Sentinel is an excellent questionnaire! The
most complete of all I have done so far. That questionnaire, and my
replies in it, are published on this website ( page
"Questionnaire" ) and will be at the Women League of voters site at www.DNET.org
(look there for the candidates of FL-22
<- or click here).
I would like to see a standardized questionnaire on every candidate
divulged to voters, as a requirement for qualification. By publishing this
one in Gr8St8 -and in DNET- I will try to make the Sun-Sentinel one the
"de facto" standard.
On another page of this web ("FAQ") you will find other replies to
a mélange of more specific questionnaires, on gun control, women choice, and
other issues. I would hope other political candidates will have
the courage to do the same!
You
have the right to know what our views are on issues!
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These days,
we have too many prophets out there who say that independent candidate campaigns
are not viable. I have been
attending quite a few screenings. Often,
the panel likes what I say, yet not endorsement.
When I ask why they do not support a candidate who espouses their goals,
they point out to the limited resources they have for political contributions.
They rather go with a lesser match who is "viable", than a good
match who is not! In
doing so, their prophecy becomes self-fulfilling! Campaign
coffers are empty!! |
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Campaign
coffers are empty, there is not even money left for yard signs !
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With neither State nor Federal
matching funds, Juan Xuna has spent $30,000 from his family bank
account to run the campaign. This does not count the estimated $70,000
in "lost earnings". The candidate resigned in January of
2002 to his previous employ as Vice President of International Sales for a
phone-parts manufacturer to dedicate full-time to the campaign. |
We like to
criticize Cuba’s one-party system. Sometimes
I wonder if our entrenched two-party system is a lot better than theirs.
We like to say we have the best democracy in the world.
Although somewhat skeptic about it, I used to believe that too.
Until I decided to run for Congress!
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I found out
that:
1.
There are no opportunities to debate issues, instead you have
3-minute introductions. You must
share the microphone with a plethora of hopefuls for other positions who often
have to do their introduction in just 1-minute.
No envy there!. No voter can
be educated about so many candidates with so few words.
We are bound to choose the wrong guys.
Perhaps we should have more appointees and less elective positions.
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2.
Even when you become qualified as a "bona fide" candidate there
will not be matching funds, neither from the Federal nor the State.
You have to beg for money all the way to the elections, and -perhaps-
compromise your ideas. So far the
"Juan Xuna for Congress" campaign has disbursed $25,000 (99.9%
personal funds). To be able to
campaign all the way to the general elections, we are auctioning my wife's oil
paintings in eBay and Yahoo! (search for "Xuna" there to corroborate).
3.
Qualification is easy if you are a candidate in a major party.
It is a major stumbling block if you are an independent (NPA).
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You have to get the petitions
signed on the beach, to do that you have to be in excellent physical
condition. If you are older
than 60 perhaps you should consider giving it up, regardless of your
capabilities, commitment, or credentials.
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If you try soliciting the
petitions at the parking lots the store managers will soon come out asking
you to move on. For the most
part, this petitions' gathering routine was a hectic, exhausting,
humiliating experience.
No wonder we have only 2 independents for the US Congress (out of
27 districts): Orin Opperman (FL 18), and Juan Xuna (FL 22). Is that what
a plurality of ideas is supposed to be?
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4.
Now you are qualified. You start sending mailings to PACs (Political
Action Committees), but no contributions arrive.
You go to screenings and fill out questionnaires.
It has been a waste of time and money.
5.
Not even the press cares much about your ideas when you are not the
Republican or Democratic candidate. When
they call me they only ask about fundraising.
How much in contributions have my campaign coffers received.
If you confess you have not much then they will not even mention you on
their articles, regardless of your qualifications, stamina or ideas.
Often -when I am handing out flyers at events- the press passes me by.
They do not care of taking a picture of this candidate campaigning, even
less of asking questions. Yet, they
cover every minutia -either relevant or insignificant- of my opponents (Clay
Shaw and Carol Roberts). This
perpetuates the ostracism!
I am committed
to go all the way to the November elections.
Let's see -as we approach the deadline- if political forum opportunities
start rising on the horizon, that would make me feel really proud of our
democracy.
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Stan
Smilan,
Write-in Candidate for Congressional District 22, wrote to me recently
indicating:
"Most
organizations are kissing up to the incumbent or challenger with prospects
of winning. They don't want to embarrass the front-runners with a real
debate format. You must have noticed that the invitations are for non-debate
forums and mixers. Such occasions allow the incumbent and major party
challenger to avoid engagement on the tough issues" |
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Orin Opperman,
the only other NPA (no-party affiliation FL 18) wrote to me in
frustration:
"Juan
you must understand that the way the political system is set up in the
United States, it is a one party system. I call the system the Repdem
Party. They had it so rigged before that an Independent couldn't run for
office".
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Well, Orin, it is not much better
now! As you know -you and me- we are the only NPAs out of the 27
Congressional Districts in Florida. Stan Smilan did not want to be a
Write-in, but he is a retired airline Pilot and his health (he had cancer
surgery a couple of years ago) probably does not allow him to be 2 or 3
months getting petitions on the beach -in full Summer's sun . What
at injustice!
For a few more weeks I will
continue attending "Meet the Candidate" events, and a few more
"Screenings". But, I am tired of cooperating in this
"make believe to the public" that we have a real democracy. Attending
screenings only helps with keep the look of "balance and fairness in
reporting" that does not exist!
I really understand now why the
voter is disenfranchised and there is low voter turnout!
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