Despite the recent tortures of lawyers and bureaucrats we were happy to see an endorsment of sorts.
A diarist at Democracy in Albany named Alfred Newman posted on August 28th. We missed it due to exhaustion from petitioning and the subsequent challenges. We do appreciate it though and hope we can be there when you pull the lever.
Here's Eric's rant in response to a TU blog entry.
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BB,
The rules suck. Volunteers and voters make mistakes. The rules are designed by partisans to create undo hurdles that prevent independents from making credible challenges. Only the machines insure that their own get what they need. They only need 1250 to qualify. We needed 3500 and diligently submitted over 5200. This collection period comes only after four other candidates (include Pell and Guller in that process)have taken some market share of the electorate.
The petitions would most likely stand if not for the gutless fear of the Sweeney camp who can’t/won’t admit that they picked a few mules to play Spargo’s expert hand. Quite simply they eschew competition. Sweeney and Gillibrand didn’t have to lift a finger to get on the ballot. Our campaign has been sequestered for two of the hottest months getting kicked out of Post Offices, County Fairs and public beaches.
The rules also say that if two government officials conspire to deny someone their constitutional rights they are subject to a ten thousand dollar fine and 10 years in jail. We haven’t decided if its worthwhile to pursue the cop and assistant manager at Lake Tahgkanic who booted us there. Seems unfair to them on a personal level when their ‘just doing their job’.
Prior to 1880 the government wasn’t in the business of printing ballots. Citizens had the right to choose who they felt was the best candidate, period. The election laws most assuredly do not insure democracy. They frustate and deny it. It’s bad enough that a winner take all system assures a lesser of two evil mentality in the voting booth, but when it crushes principled opposition that is why we are stuck with the partisan bickering that the GOP and Dems have exemplified.
They insure insiders who can justify foreign occupations and rack up a debt the the next five generations shall suffer from (Andrew W - what part about that description do you disagree with ?). It’s the law, sure, but when real voters sign a petition and they get tossed for the simplest of mistakes (PO Boxes and Towns) it says nothing about the intent of the signer. It only speaks to the rigor of the entrenched. Thousands of people wanted a choice in this race. Now we might be stuck with a big government incumbant or a bigger government cog from the other machine. All because a young college student and a gas station owner had some objections. Franklin and Jefferson are rolling in their graves.
Comment by ESun67 — September 6, 2006 @ 8:50 am
Here's the follow-up remarks . . .
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KSun: If Sundwall can’t even get the petition process done correctly, what does that say about him? The petitions he turned in, which are legal documents, were sloppy and full of errors. If other legal documents such as divorce papers, custody papers, mortgages, you name it, were officially filed containing that many obvious and easily corrected mistakes, that paperwork would also be tossed out on it’s ear, and should be.
Sundwall wanted to a lawmaker for all of us. Well, if he can’t follow basic election law himself, he doesn’t deserve the opportunity to represent us. If he had done it right, he’d be the Libertarian candidate. But he didn’t, so he’s not.
Comment by Senator Blutarsky — September 6, 2006 @ 8:08 pm
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Senator Blowhard,
As an individual the petition process cannot be handled alone. I can assure you that of the close to one thousand signatures obtained by myself, most were handled correctly. Considering there were over 5K and each sig probably reflected denial of at lease 3-5 real partisan or disinterested types, we’re talking close to twenty thousand transactions. You go do that without a ‘machine’ buddy. Remember you have six weeks to do it and the other players have already sucked up 10,000 options. You might find a few are incorrect or insufficient. Most places are off limits too (ie. shopping malls, offices and individual’s cars - even the public venues have restrictions). This is simply reality and it was faced with vigor and determination.
Fortunately, I’m not a lawyer so I am able to handle most of my professional needs in a digital format. I have run a small business for almost fourteen years now, please do not attack my competence based on your conception of how wonderful election law is. I advocate reducing laws and government, not piling more on. I also attended law school for a year while running a sizable operation. Never had one of those taxpayer funded gigs with a whole lotta flunkies at my bidding.
Face it, we were a threat and Spargo is the GOP’s top election law dog. Most Libertarian campaigns are not conceived as a ‘win’ proposition. They rarely poll or go above 1%. A recent Harris Poll in July suggested that 17% of Americans would vote for ‘Anybody’ else. There’s a reason why people don’t bother to vote. They have no choice. Only 40% of Americans will have an alternative. Our little nobody/no money campaign took on two million+ dollar operations.
This one was originally conceived as simply a ‘write-in’. Gillibrand’s announcement and a subsequent weak position about Iraq spurred a tiny core of Liberty minded folk into thinking we could produce a candidacy of value despite our miniscule size in NY. We offered debates and got brushed off and had them anyway. We did not personally attack or defame anyone. We produced a professional commercial and polled well with Zogby (not simply as a default position mind you, but earned). We even bagged off complaining about media coverage. Our website was averaging 350 visitors a day. Our cable access shows that dealt with issues were throughout the whole district. We had position papers in the hopper and had equipment and people for a district office. National money was on the way for the commercial. I personally spent more than both million dollar candidates combined. All to make a point. There was a market for a protest vote. Don’t feed me the ‘amateur’ hour crap. I read Machiavelli’s Prince in eigth grade and Plato’s Republic the year before. I understand the game and all it’s ramifications. The Congressman will do better in the debate with just Kirsten.
I would submit to you that the partisan drones in these and many blogs rarely attacked or even regarded our small government, personal responsibility message. Most people vaguely identify with the blue or the red and genarally don’t feel they can make a difference. If you think we’re whining or carrying on, whatever. Somebody, someday will have to face the country’s solvency issue and reckless abandon abroad. Incumbants and mainstream challengers don’t do that. They promise giveaways and free stuff where it isn’t their’s to give, except under authority and power of force.
Go vote statist now. I’m quite indifferent to any response you may have. Appreciate the opportunity to sound off one last time. Firewood’s kinda low this year, should be a busy Fall.
Thank you Liz Benjamin for your coverage.
Comment by ESun67 — September 6, 2006 @ 11:54 pm