Posted on 12/24/2011 8:20:24 AM PST by shield
For those coming in late, let me summarize*: both Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry have been excluded from the Virginia Republican primary by the Virginia GOP. This has placed the VA GOP in an awkward situation, given that: they have excluded the current national and Virginian front-runner from their own ballot; have currently no write-in option on the ballot; do have an open primary that anyone can vote in; and generally have created an environment peculiarly suited for conspiracy theories involving Mitt Romney (and ones that won’t contain the word ‘Mormon’ anywhere in their description, by the way). The current defenses to all of this are “rules are rules” and “any campaign that couldn’t follow them are by definition poor campaigns:” I will leave it to the individual reader to decide just how either argument will play in, say, Peoria; I am frankly of the opinion that the above defenses are well-suited towards reassuring Romney and/or Paul voters – and will do very little to persuade the other 60-65% or so of likely Republican primary voters.
But since I’m telling Mitt Romney what won’t help his situation, it kind of behooves me to tell him what might.
(Excerpt) Read more at redstate.com ...
Sorry, but the ability to raise money is one important test of the viability of a candidate. Money is the Mother's milk of politics. That is simply a reality.
The candidate doesn't have to be personally rich, but he needs money to build a campaign organization, make media buys, travel around the country, etc. I hope you are not one of those campaign finance reform types who tries to restrict political speech or call for public financing of elections.
Blessed and Merry CHRISTmas, my friend!!!
Vote ANYONE but Rommmmmmmie... vote for paul...
Don’t give the vote to Rooooomie...
When a rule is arbitrary it is not a legitimate rule. The rule must have a reasonable and rational relationship to a legitimate legislative goal. Here there is no legitimate argument that can be made for the enforcement of this rule. Under this rule it is quite possible that no candidate could qualify for the ballot. The method of getting around that outcome, by not checking the legitimacy of the signatures of any candidate who submits 15,000 signatures encourages the very kind of ACORN fraud that the Tea Party was organized to combat.
There is no rational basis for these rules. Therefore the State cannot legitimately enforce them.
Hey! Don’t you know? You’re supposed to accept the Rules as the rules are written.
The RULES make themselves as do those who blindly support them.
Guess they're fine with Roe v. Wae and gays in the military, too.
Thank you, onyx ... a very Blessed and Merry Christmas to you and yours!
(and by the good grace of God, a well-blessed ‘12)
I guess the rules would have been ok if certain candidates had been able to get on the ballot. Now you are suggesting the VA has unfair election laws. The fact is that the law was applied uniformly to all candidates regardless of party affiliation. Let those who didn’t make it file a legal challenge against the Commonwealth.
Oh no! You’re too logical. How dare you question the legality of such fine and unequivocal RULES! LOL!
>> Sorry, but the ability to raise money is one important test of the viability of a candidate. Money is the Mother’s milk of politics. That is simply a reality. >>
I do hate CFR by the way. As for the above, you are right in a technical sense but you simply will not access some mitigating facts.
First, the internet and social media has made money less important than it used to be - as folks can get well known and supported much quicker. This rule is a throw back to old school ground attack. I just don’t think this needs to apply any more.
Second, you assume the rule is perfect in assessing a candidate’s strength in order to keep the ballot clear of the totally fringe candidates. I would submit that having five of seven candidates miss the mark is an indictment of the rules effectiveness.
These 7 candidates have all passed a number of tests to varying degrees. A test that the leader in the national and in the Virginia opinion polls flunks with respects to viability is a test that has shown itself to be fatally flawed.
Actually I’m not. I just want you know the facts. I do find that fact very shocking.
So when you say he is a nut you are insulting many of the men and women that are protecting your freedom since they support him.
Maybe thats what newt wants, he posed for the pic.
Where’s the one with him and pelozi, that’ll round it out.
...and they must be fine with Obama Care, the IRS code, the NLRB, the EPA, etc.
These folks have no idea how foolish they are with a “rules are rules” mentality. That mentality is self defeating on its own face.
I’m repeating what a legal firm has suggested. A news article on the same says that Virginia’s laws far exceed other states.
Therefore, I can only conclude it is about something more than simply discouraging over-participation.
Uniformly applying an unjust law does not guarantee equal protection, and the fact that it hasn’t been challenged to date simply doesn’t excuse the law if it, in fact, denies equal protection.
We will just agree to disagree. Complaining about the rules after the deadline smacks of sore loser. If the rules need to be changed, then it will be up to us who live in the Commonwealth to change them.
Kabar is no troll. I have had good back and forth with him over many years.
And Obama/Romneycare, every law Congress can conjure, etc,,,. Rules is Rules you know........Like them or leave. </s
I think I could argue that writ of mandamus be issued requiring the Secretary of State to put the names of everyone who submitted the requisite 10,000 signatures on the ballot. If they are not going to check all the signatures, then they have no business checking any of them.
All I can say is that this is Bull$#i+.
I appreciate the respectful debate on your part - and we will agree to disagree. This is not about sore loser ship - it’s about a rule that is arbitrary and does not accomplish its very reason for existing. Thus, it should be over turned. And I predict it will be before this years Virginia primary.
I so pray and know you are too.
P.S. Jim has posted a new article, which addresses the "address issue."
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