Instead of trying to compile larger posts, I think I need to do smaller ones for the time being. Time is not on my side, no it ain't. At least not at this juncture.
So in that vein, just one political link-ee poo.
What's good for the goose, is good for the gander Yes, it seems it's the year for political parties to run people on opposing tickets in an attempt to divide the opposition. A democratic operative did it with the Michigan Tea Party, and now the Republicans are doing it in Arizona with the Green Party. Of course the difference is, when it was learned who did the registration in Michigan, the operative was tossed out of the party and the candidates were removed from the ballot. Not so much with the Arizonans.
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And Alex Pareene's response to this item in Salon? To attack the Green Party, saying that they had no business suing to keep non-Green Party candidates from running under the party banner and if they really wanted to oppose the Republicans, the best way to do it would be to dissolve as a party.
I was incensed by that response as much as I was by the story of deception itself. It's attitudes like Pareene's that contribute to making me a left-wing independent. What I'd love to say in response to Pareene, of course, is to ask how he'd react if a bunch of non-Democrats ran as Democrats as part of a dirty trick to siphon votes away from progressives, but of course I can't because it's already happened and the Democrats don't actually care.
Frankly, I don't know if casting out the Michigan Democrat or Arizona Republican behind these tricks would be enough: it seems to me that there's a form of electoral fraud going on, and I'd like to know if criminal prosecution under either state or federal law was an option in both cases.
Really? Dissolve the party? No, the best way is to run actual candidates instead of punting all the time waiting for the next Presidential election cycle.
And the Blue Dogs always perplexed me, but then, as someone said, I don't belong to an organized political party, I'm a Democrat. While for these elections it does hurt the liberal/progressive cause to have such a large tent (no ideologic purity test for us, thank you), I still think it's our strongest asset. It is the radical realignment of the conservatives which I believe is becoming a danger to the Constitution and Democracy As We Know It(tm).
Of course, they start flinging the names before we can say, "Not-uh, you are." Which is a lame response anyway. Of course laying out actual history and making comparisons to real political movements is longer than even a 2 minute news report, let alone the 3 second sound bite. So it's easier to hold a conference and say, "We're going to call our opposition 'Socialists' because we have a good track record running against socialists." Fits the news cycle, the sound bite limit, and people's horrible memories and even poorer education.
...but then, as someone said, I don't belong to an organized political party, I'm a Democrat.
That would be one of my all-time favorite Will Rogers lines. That man was a national treasure that continues to pay out seventy, eighty years later.
It would be nice if the Greens could get some kind of traction, somewhere, anywhere. Just to keep the moderate party honest.
I think they are Green-Rainbow in Massachusetts now, but not an official party (i.e. can't register to vote affiliated with that party).
But as Steve said, simple solution is for the Green Party to actually recruit and run candidates for office.
There are a couple differences. The fake Michigan Tea Party candidates were unaware that their names were being used, and didn't live in the districts. At least in the AZ case, the candidates live in the district, if not at a specific address, and they're aware that they're candidates.
Not that it justifies the games. Just as the Michigan shennigans have taken X amount of time to be held accountable, I expect the AZ situation will also take some small amount of time to shake out as well.
Anonymous Cassie, highly amused
Todd, I'm all about the inclusiveness. I certainly wish most non-two-parties parties would learn that the course to national presence starts with winning the local School Board elections first.
Cassie, I expect a little murkiness around the election petitions had happened. Something about swearing to be a true agent and the like.
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