Greg Orman

Kansan. Small Business Owner. Husband to Sybil, father to Imogen, Sigrid, and Rory. Former Independent candidate for US Senate and Kansas Governor.

[John Arnold @johnarnold]

There's been a lot of misinformation about Laura's and my politics of late that I'd like to clarify. TLDR: we don't associate with either party but support individual politicians who work in good faith to improve lives.

Most people involved in politics see the biggest divide as Dem vs Rep. It's true that there is significant power of the presidency or control of a chamber. That matters, and can be dispositive, on some issues. But most policies need 60 votes in the Senate and that requires bipartisan consensus.

The important divide to us is not along party but of members of Congress who spend their energy trying to find pragmatic solutions to real problems vs those promoting their own brand to partisan audiences. Congress is frequently increasingly labeled as dysfunctional, even by its members, as the number in the latter category keeps increasing.

There are members across the traditional left/right spectrum that fall into both buckets. And though the solutions can be very different depending on political ideology, there is often overlap and compromise possible.

The problem is there are many incentives fighting against this, and instead to be an agent of chaos. One's respective media celebrates you with lots of airtime. Partisan media seldom likes compromise; it likes ideological purity even if that means problems means stalemate. Given most races are only competitive in the primary, extremism and purity usually ensures reelection.

Again, politics and partisan control are hugely important. That's why there are tens of billions contributed on a strictly partisan manner. But even if we wanted to, I don't think we could additive in the battle between parties. Contributing millions to run even more presidential ads in PA or Senate ads in MT has zero value.

Instead, we carved out a space supporting members who use their seat to find solutions rather than increase vitriol. We seldom agree with everything that member supports. I would find it strange if we did agree with every position on every issue that anyone had.

But there are many members with whom we can agree on the goals of a particular system and who want to use their seat to work on a better outcome, even if that compromise might be criticized by the peanut gallery. We support them.

When members can agree on the ultimate goal and have pure motivations, there is often common ground. That's the space our foundation explores in issues like healthcare costs, higher-ed, housing, the deficit, criminal justice, immigration, energy/climate, and K-12.

These members need moral support, campaign support, and technical support because the current system under-resources all of the above for them. We don't care if they have a D or R next to their name. That's not the lens through which we see the world. But those are the candidates we're hoping win tomorrow.

[John Arnold @johnarnold]

The political parties really, really don't like the ranked choice voting ballot initiative (it acts as a moderating influence). That's validation of its virtue.
via @ballotpedia

[Nick Troiano @NickTroiano]

Open primaries are on the ballot across the country this year:

AK: @No_On2AK
AZ: @MakeAZFair
CO: @voters1stco
DC: @AllVotesCountDC
ID: @OpenPrimariesID
MT: @MTElectReform
NV: @VoteYESon3NV
SD: @sdopenprimaries

Vote! 🗳️ 🇺🇸

[Nick Troiano @NickTroiano]

This you, Senator?

“Ranked choice voting gives people more options at the ballot box, increases political competition, eliminates costly runoffs, and rewards candidates who appeal to the broadest swath of voters."

https://t.co/hIp0yWK2IQ

[Nick Troiano @NickTroiano]

Imagine if you had elections w/ many viable options.

And someone instead proposes a system where ~8% voters (from 1 party) get to decide the contest months earlier, leaving you an illusion of choice in November.

It’s offensive. Yet that’s @MichaelBennet’s Status Quo Proposal.

[Dan Osborn @osbornforne]

It’s time to get money out of politics once and for all. It’s time to end the disastrous Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court decision which categorizes corporate spending on elections as free speech and has enabled the super wealthy to donate unlimited amounts of money to politicians through super PACs.

Our politicians – on both sides of the aisle – are bought and paid for by their corporate and super wealthy donors. The Founding Fathers envisioned a government for and by the people, not a government for the special interests who can afford to buy up US Senators.

[Nick Troiano @NickTroiano]

Joined ⁦@Morning_Joe⁩ to celebrate the wide release of @MajorityRules24⁩ - a documentary that chronicles Alaska’s pioneering implementation of top-four elections in 2022 and the growing national reform movement.

Watch: https://t.co/6KL25iB9bu

[Dan Osborn @osbornforne]

In case you missed it, a new poll found our independent campaign BEATING Senator Fischer by 1 point.

Share this post and help us keep this momentum going.

[Unite America @uniteamerica]

A voter-led initiative aims to fix Arizona’s Primary Problem! In last week's primaries, just 4% of AZ voters elected 78% of its U.S. House seats. A bipartisan coalition seeks to abolish party primaries & replace them with a single all-candidate primary.⬇️ https://t.co/lVUrk3m0pq

[Nick Troiano @NickTroiano]

Any fair presidential debate in our democracy would include all candidates who are qualified for the ballot in sufficient states to win an electoral college majority.

It’s a sham and shame that President Biden would demand their exclusion as a term of debate.

[Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 @AndrewYang]

Monday on https://t.co/PjWTwI77T1 the author of “A Declaration of Independents” @GregOrman joins to talk his experience running for Senate, why the two-party system is holding us back, the way forward and much more.

[Nick Troiano @NickTroiano]

At long last, The Primary Solution publishes today! Including the audiobook with an intro from yours truly.

With it, I want to share the Top Five books that helped to inform and inspire what I write about in mine (all highly recommended!):

https://t.co/mlqJ6GIF50

[Greg Orman @GregOrman]

@reedgalen @NoLabelsOrg @TheRickWilson @stuartpstevens @WalshFreedom A bit hypocritical coming from a guy who was being paid by Howard Schultz to create precisely what @NoLabelsOrg is trying to create — an alternative to Trump/Biden.

[Nick Troiano @NickTroiano]

After many years of thinking and a year of writing, I’m excited to share that my book –– “The Primary Solution: Rescuing Our Democracy from the Fringes” –– will be published by @simonschuster next March.

Pre-orders are now available: https://t.co/ugAI3OqLrr

[John Arnold @johnarnold]

There's a case study to be done on the Kansas abortion vote about how a state legislature becomes so disconnected from the electorate that its #1 priority is opposed by a supermajority of the people. It starts, but certainly does not end, with partisan primaries.

[Nick Troiano @NickTroiano]

Hmm, the same Dem groups in NV that are propping up GOP election deniers are also opposing a reform to give 800k+ independents a voice in the primaries?

It’s as if they care more about their own power than democracy. 🤔

[Katherine Gehl-Final Five Voting @katherinegehl]

Yes, @aplusk! Are you listening @SenJackyRosen, @GovSisolak, @SenCortezMasto?

[ashton kutcher @aplusk]

Elected officials that are opposing final five voting or rank choice voting because it's "too complicated" are questioning your intelligence. You should be offended. It's time to question theirs.

[Greg Orman @GregOrman]

@mommaahava I’m glad it brought you hope. That’s the issue with our binary politics, we assume that if you oppose one party, you must support the other. I see both as nothing more than self-serving entities who care more about staying in power than improving the lives of Americans.

[Arnold Schwarzenegger @Schwarzenegger]

I love the Russian people. That is why I have to tell you the truth. Please watch and share.