[conspire] My election analysis page for Nov. 6th's election is complete

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Steve M Bibayoff (bibayoff at gmail.com):

> I did not realize that Konstantinos Roditis, John H. Cox and Mark P.
> Meuser was endorsed by American Independent Party(I thought Steven C.
> Bailey was already part of the AIP(I know he's not, just acts like he
> is)).

Some years ago, bizarre things happened to AIP.  It had been a brand
name of Constitution Party (of Colorado)[1], then they had a big fight
between two factions, each side excommunicated the other, and the
California faction (based out of Davis) won the battle to control the
presence on the California ballot.  So, that faction has ended up being
even tinier than the previous theoretically-united Constitution Party
d/b/a AIP outfit.  And they stopped holding nominating conventions for
some reason, over the past couple of election cycles, so basically what
now happens is some conclave declares which non-AIP candidates they
endorse.

I think it would be rash to assume that today's (California faction) AIP 
endorsing a candidate says anything particular about the candidate, to
be honest.  I included that information more out of amusement than
anything else.


[1] There really hasn't been any American Independent Party since
shortly after the heyday of George Wallace.  The lingering presence of
that supposed party on the ballot as one of the six California-qualified 
political party is just an artifact of California's rules making it
relatively easy to _remain_ on the ballots for additional elections
after meeting the (more stringent) qualifications the first time.  So,
AIP, the _real_ AIP, qualified back in George Wallace days, and it's
remained on the ballot in this and a few other states (as a front for
Constitution Party) even after the party folded up its tents because it
draws just enough votes to keep being listed.  (I now read that 
California is the final place AIP remains on the ballot.)

And, honestly, it's been proven in an _L.A. Times_ investigation a few
years back that many very inattentive Californians register for AIP
because they mistakenly thought that 'American Independent Party' was
the checkbox to select to 'register independent'.  _L.A. Times_ talked
to some of the celebrity Californians who made that mistake, and most of
them sort of mumbled a bit, made a lame excuse, and then amended their 
registrations.  Actress Kaley Cuoco of 'Big Bang Theory' fame was one of
them, I recall.  Also Aaron Eckhart, Demi Moore, Sugar Ray Leonard, and
Emma Stone.

The _Times_ found, in checking around, that three out of four AIP
voters selected it by accident.  Also, to quote:

   Of the 500 AIP voters surveyed by a bipartisan team of pollsters,
   fewer than 4% could correctly identify their own registration as a
   member of the American Independent Party.

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-demi-moore-emma-stone-american-independent-party-20160422-snap-htmlstory.html
http://static.latimes.com/american-independent-party-california-voters/ 

Party preference percentages in this state, as of 2016:
43% Democratic 
28% Republican
24% no party preference
 3% AIP 

Libertarian, Green Party, and Peace & Freedom are somewhere below that.

 That makes the choice easy to pick (probably doesn't matter who
> they was running against, I would still choose the other person).

Nah, you should of course make up your own mind, but I wouldn't.

 
> But then I see Steve Poizner is endorsed by the AIP, and I agree with
> Rick's assessment, he's done a good job before. I'm trying to find if
> he has accepted or even acknowledged the endorsement.

BTW, I may have gotten gamed about Proposition 12.  Need to do some more
reading.