DK Off the TX Ballot
Primary tabs
Who cares, right? He's just an elf who talks to aliens and never had a chance anyway. All Good Democrats sign Loyalty Oaths, you freak:
USTIN (AP) — A federal judge agreed Friday that the state Democratic Party can refuse to allow presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich onto the Texas ballot because he wouldn't sign a party pledge.Kucinich and his singer-supporter Willie Nelson sued the party to try to get Kucinich on the March 4 primary election ballot even though Kucinich refused to sign part of the oath on his ballot application that would commit him to "fully support" the eventual Democratic nominee.
Kucinich may appeal to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, possibly as soon as Monday, said his attorney, Donald McTigue.
...
A paramount issue for Kucinich in the dispute is his opposition to the war in Iraq and his belief in "not using the war as an instrument of foreign policy," McTigue said. The congressman from Ohio does not want to be bound to supporting a Democratic candidate who disagrees with him on that and other issues, he said.Kucinich signed the Texas Democrats' oath when he ran for president in 2004.
U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel said the courts should intervene sparingly in political party rulemaking. While the Democrats' oath may be "inartfully worded," it does not place such a burden on Kucinich that it should be struck down, Yeakel said.
The Democratic Party had refused to certify Kucinich to the Texas Secretary of State's Office for the ballot this year because he wouldn't sign the oath, which is a rule set by party officials.
He opposes the war, firmly. What a fool, and bad Democrat that makes him.
Indeed, I think he should be left out of all media coverage and no major leading Democrats should endorse him. Oh, wait...
- chicago dyke's blog
- Log in or register to post comments
Comments
Background on that
At one time there were GoPervs running as Dems, like my present House member, Ralph Hall - who has finally gone over to his actual party of choice. That was when you needed a Dem ticket to get into office. So the loyalty oath was something of an acid test. I can see how DK would object, but it kept the wolves out of the lamb's fold before the Civil Rights laws turned the South into a bed of recidivism.
Ruth
Well, I wish we'd had such oaths (sorta)...
My TN State...Senator I think it was, here, couple of years back decided after reading "The Earth is Flat" that he did not want to be a Democrat any more halfway through his term. (I swear I am not making that up about the Flat Earth book; I was at the last public appearance the bozo made before the switch and he talked extensively about it.)
Threw control of the TN Senate to the Rs at a very critical time. And of course we had to go and scrounge up a candidate on short notice since we expected to be defending the seat rather than fighting for it. fwiw we kicked his ass next election. And the replacement is a great improvment in (hubba hubba!) every respect.
Maybe not the best comparison to the Kucinich case but the point is, DK's asking to be a candidate on the Democratic Party primary ballot. If he's not enough of a party member (sounds commie there, sorry) to support the eventual choice of the members of the party, he should run as an Independent.
I should whip out my favorite word, "antinomy" for this situation. A conflict between two propositions both of which seem good and worthwhile.
i suppose in the specific you two make
strong argument in favor of this decision, but i don't like the way it smells.
ruth, if i understand what you're saying, the problem is with state level dems, not DK. so make state party people sign it, fine, if you need that protection, i grok that.
but a candidate for national office? hmmm. that isn't something i like. it deprives Texans of choices including that species of democrat found outside of texas. for national office, i think the logic of the oath breaks down.
DK is a democrat. he caucuses with the dem party. he's received the endorsement of dem pols. he represents so-called democratic values, and votes and proposes legislation that way, 99% of the time better than a whole mess of DINOs who i'm sure would be just fine on the TX ballot.
i never, ever like preventing candidates from running, or limiting voter choices when there is a legitimate voter interest. DK has supporters in TX, no? few, i'm sure, but some. they are effectively disenfranchised now, like me here in MI. i'm pissed about that, and touchy any time i see it elsewhere.
this is how they turn/keep pols they don't like in the "marginal" categories. in time, it becomes a self-fulfilling/reinforcing process. that sucks.
State level needs more
bringing into line, we've got the weirdo types from Delay to Ron Paul and in the days before the south turned into racist GoPervia, this kind of leveler was needed. I think it might be even more needed at the national level. Think how it was for a McGovern to be in the same party as a John Cornyn - who would be a Dem if it were now the party in power.
I don't like DK being pitched out of the race, tho, either.
Ruth
They don't like Kucinich
I thought this is an interesting historical piece.
You think he looks like an elf now, try 30 years ago. Best worst mayor ever. You gotta love the guy (and Wilma... mmmmm... ah, memories)