Harvard Law Record Carries Ballot Access Article by Theresa Amato
December 4th, 2009On December 4, the Harvard Law Record carried this short article by Theresa Amato about the need for ballot access reform. Amato is the author of the recently-published Grand Illusion, The Myth of Voter Choice in a Two-Party Tyranny. She was also Ralph Nader’s campaign manager in 2000 and 2004.
The article advocates that a federal standard for ballot access in federal elections be passed. Bills to establish such a standard have been introduced in nine sessions of Congress, although no such bill is pending in the current session of Congress. The lead authors have been, first John Conyers, then Tim Penny, and most recently Ron Paul.
The article notes that the very same publication, the Harvard Law Record, carried a somewhat similar article by Ralph Nader in 1958. Thanks to D. Eris of Politeaparty.blogspot.com for the link. Anyone reads the article carefully may be surprised that Amato says Nader announced his presidential candidacy in three elections, which she lists as 2000, 2004, and 2008. She does not include 1996 because, even though Nader was the presidential candidate of the Green Party in 1996, he did not raise or spend as much as $5,000, so under the Federal Election Commission’s definition of “candidate”, for FEC purposes he was not a candidate in 1996. Of course most people wouldn’t use the FEC’s constrained definition and would say he was a candidate in 1996; he placed fourth, even though he was only on the ballot in 23 states in 1996.
December 4th, 2009 at 8:58 am
In addition, Mr. Nader ran for president in the Democratic Party primaries in 1992. I remember that very well. I was active in the late, great, Eugene J. McCarthy’s campaign at the time. Gene McCarthy also campaigned within the Democratic Party that year.
December 4th, 2009 at 9:49 am
He only ran as a write-in in 1992 in just two presidential primaries. And he wasn’t even a declared write-in.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Oh, okay. Nevertheless, I remember that Mr. Nader did campaing seriously in New Hampshire. Is my memory correct about that?
December 4th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Yes, your memory is right.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Thank you, Richard. Obviously, I meant to write “campaign,” not “campaing.” Woops!
December 4th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
The quote from Rehnquist on the Timmons v. Twin Cities Area New Party case gives me the chills from its terrible reasoning and tragic consequences every time I read it.
“The Constitution permits the Minnesota Legislature to decide that political stability is best served through a healthy two-party system. And while an interest in securing the perceived benefits of a stable two-party system will not justify unreasonably exclusionary restrictions, States need not remove all the many hurdles third parties face in the American political arena today.â€
December 4th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
#6 with the quote obviously showing that most of the Supremes are party hack Donkeys and Elephants.
P.R. and A.V. — before the arrogant party hack MONSTERS — legislative, executive and/or judicial — cause Civil WAR II and/or World WAR III to happen.
December 6th, 2009 at 6:19 am
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