Supreme Court keeps Kucinich off Texas primary ballot
WASHINGTON ‚Äö√Ñ√Æ The Supreme Court on Friday allowed Texas to print presidential primary ballots without Democratic candidate Dennis Kucinich’s name. The court refused to step into a dispute between Kucinich and the Texas Democratic Party over a loyalty oath all candidates must sign to make the ballot. Kucinich and singer-supporter Willie Nelson objected to the party oath that a presidential candidate must “fully support” the party’s eventual nominee. Kucinich crossed out the oath when he filed for a spot on the primary ballot. A federal judge in Austin ruled against Kucinich last week. U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel ruled the state party has the right to require the oath. Kucinich and Nelson argued it violated Kucinich’s First Amendment right to free speech.
Just in case any of y’all are wondering why the Texas Democratic Party is such a (&^%$#@ mess, consider this sorry saga to be Exhibit A. Whether or not you support Dennis Kucinich, the man has a right to be on the Texas Primary ballot. His supporters deserve to have the opportunity to vote for him. THIS is democracy??
The idea of a “loyalty oath” is something that any clear-thinking person should find abhorrent. This is the Democratic Party we’re talking about here, not J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI. I applaud Kucinich for refusing to cave to a collection of pinheads who seem to have forgotten what the definition of democracy is. Kucinich and his supporters deserve better.
I think most committed Democrats would agree on the need to support the party’s eventual nominee. That’s really not a terribly difficult concept to grasp. What is difficult to grasps is why Texas Democrats feel the need to require a loyalty oath. Are they afraid that, if left on his own, Kucinich will be out campaigning for a McCain/Lieberman ticket? Uh, have they bothered to listen to Kucinich’s stump speech? And who wouldn’t want his hot young wife campaigning in their town?
Isn’t it about time that the leadership of the Texas Democratic Party removed their anteriors from their posteriors? Or perhaps they like the view from there. Whatever; this is a perfect example of the idiocy that has helped ensure that no Democrat currently occupies an elected office in state government. The Texas Republican Party may be home to all sorts of uber-religious zealots and nutjobs, but at least they can win elections in Texas. If this sort of lunacy continues, Democrats will continue to be an insignificant political force in Texas for years to come. Then again, if this is how they plan on defending democracy, they probably deserve it.
