Blame Johnson

15 September 2004



Nader on Florida's Ballot Despite Court Order

Any half-bright ten-year-old could figure out how to set up a ballot for an election. Someone needs to get Jeb Bush and his people a ten-year-old. Division of Elections Director Dawn Roberts sent out a memo on Monday that ordered the 67 counties of the Sunshine State to put Ralph Nader's name on the state ballot. She has done this contrary to a ruling by Florida Circuit Court Judge Kevin Davey. Her excuse was the uncertainty over Hurricane Ivan, which she claims forced her to act. Sunshine State, indeed.

Simply, Ralph Nader ought to be on the ballot in every state in the union in a just and sensible democracy. He's a nationally recognized figure who is clearly making a run at the White House (hopeless though it is), and he does have some support. The pure, philosophical argument against him is the "nuisance" candidate -- Screaming Lord Sutch of the Raving Monster Looney Party was such a fellow, until his group killed off the Social Democrats in Britain. This argument is inherently anti-democratic and wrong. This journal considers the incumbent a nuisance candidate, but to deny Mr. Bush a spot on the ballot would only damage American democracy further than he himself has already done. Let Mr. Nader on the ballot, and have done with it.

Of course, the Democrats, still upset because they let the GOP steal Florida from them in the last election by 500 odd votes, resent Mr. Nader's very existence at this point. They really believe that Mr. Nader's campaign cost them Florida and the White House by drawing votes away from their candidate, Al Gore. David McReynolds of the Socialist Party got 622, and Monica Moorehead of the Workers' World Party received 1,804 in Florida. Did they cost Mr. Gore the White House, too? Here's a hint: if the other side manages to steal a state, one's own side doesn't deserve the presidency. America's foreign foes won't play by the rules either.

The Republicans were in a snit when Judge Davey said Mr. Nader's line on the Reform Party didn't meet the standard of being a real political party. He issued a temporary injunction against putting Mr. Nader on the ballot and called a hearing on Wednesday in Tallahassee to make it permanent. Enter 145 mile-an-hour winds and Dawn Roberts, who appears to be crafty enough to have organized plebiscites for Herr Hitler. Because Hurricane Ivan is due to hit the Florida panhandle on hearing day, she has ordered the absentee ballots to list Mr. Nader (since they have to go out in Monday's mail) saying no one knows when the hearing will be held, and while being appealed, the temporary injunction is set aside. It seems Judge Davey will have to hold his hearing in a hurricane to undo her ploy.

Governor Jeb Bush, who likes a rigged game as much as the rest of the Bush dynasty, said, "It's up to the judge to determine, based on the law, whether Nader should be on the ballot or not. But while that process goes on, we cannot put ourselves in the position where the ministerial role of the supervisors cannot be fulfilled." Translated, "I understand the judge has ruled against my brother. So what?"

Who's really to blame for this mess? President Andrew Johnson allowed Florida back into the Union, with the aid of Congress, on June 25, 1868.


© Copyright 2004 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.


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