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Brian Doherty peers into the campaigns of Texas Libertarians, who have the wind at their backs (the same wind that's blowing into Tom DeLay's face) in two congressional races.
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|8.25.06 @ 9:18AM|#
Is Delay still on the ballot technically?
Because if he is, then its still likely that republicans not paying attention or not caring might still vote for him, essentially making whoever comes in second the winner, which would likely by the democrat.
I'd love to see smither's win, but let's never underestimate people's laziness and disinterest.
I'm still holding out hope that Kinky Friedman's entertaining nature might get some of the ignoramuses to vote for him out of sheer curiosity since I can't count on most people to actually study his platform (which is quite reasonable IMO)
Robert|8.25.06 @ 9:31AM|#
Last I remember DeLay was off the ballot and the Republicans have a blank. I think it's likely to come down to a court fight, as Sekula-Whoever is going to try to claim all write-in votes as her own if they don't look like any other recognizable name, and the Democrat insisting the write-ins be counted exactly as they are.
thoreau|8.25.06 @ 9:35AM|#
I'm looking forward to an election in which Republicans claim that their supporters were effectively disenfranchised by a confusing ballot design.
Yes, yes, I know, the write-in system being used is apparently more difficult than the butterfly ballot. All I'm saying is that it's going to be fun to watch.
|8.25.06 @ 9:42AM|#
I agree with you thoreau. Its always comforting (in a bitterly sarcastic way) to know that both parties will stoop to the lowest common denominator when it comes to getting votes.
Lets just hope that the courts find time to publicly sneer at such tactics and rule against both parties.
|8.25.06 @ 10:33AM|#
Sorry for the thread highjack, but the link for the friday cartoon is broken:
http://www.reason.com/hod/cartoon.cartoon.ss082506.shtml
The first 'cartoon.' needs to be removed for the link to work.
Larry A|8.25.06 @ 10:38AM|#
Yes, yes, I know, the write-in system being used is apparently more difficult than the butterfly ballot. All I'm saying is that it's going to be fun to watch.
I used this "computer" system in our last election. It's the only system I've seen more difficult than programming Fortran on punchcards.
|8.25.06 @ 11:00AM|#
Both major American parties are consistent in only one princple... the principle of winning at all costs.
Warren|8.25.06 @ 11:08AM|#
Larry,
Are you sure? Because I've actually programmed Fortran on punchcards.
|8.25.06 @ 11:24AM|#
<extreme_nerd_pedant_and_off_topic>
Warren, I thought it was FORTRAN, not Fortran.
Take a drink. It's Friday, after all.
</extreme_nerd_pedant_and_off_topic>
Larry A|8.25.06 @ 11:30AM|#
Are you sure? Because I've actually programmed Fortran on punchcards.
So have I. And I didn't make near as many mistakes per line as I did voting.
Warren|8.25.06 @ 11:39AM|#
Shawn,
If you want to get pedantic about it, it was Fortran77.
Larry,
Yes but did you have to wait half an hour for a print out?
|8.25.06 @ 11:53AM|#
Larry, Warren, Shawn,
You may enjoy This.
Larry A|8.25.06 @ 12:06PM|#
Yes but did you have to wait half an hour for a print out?
Half hour?
I voted in the primary. I'm still waiting for the election. Then I have to wait for the bozos to take office to see if they actually do what they promised me they would. If they don't, I have to wait in most cases two years before I can submit a correction.
By then, of course, the current voting machines will be obsolete and I'll have to learn a whole new system.
tomWright|8.25.06 @ 1:44PM|#
Considering all I know from decades of on and off activism within the LP, I suspect that wind they are feeling is not so much 'at' their backs as it is eminating from their backs.
Neither stand a chance. The dems hate us almost as much as they do Bush, and will be energized at the thought of taking back the district against a candidate from a party well known for being a political doormat. The republicans, I suspect, won't turn out for someone that is not their own. Though perhaps Smither and Lieberman will prove me wrong on that.
If either Smither or Badnarik does get elected I will eat my words, provided they are made out of hamburger, properly grilled and offered with ketchup, of course.
|8.25.06 @ 5:21PM|#
The LP is "America's third largest" party by what measure, exactly? Certainly not votes for candidates.
Gene Berkman|8.25.06 @ 8:05PM|#
When I lived in Texas, it had an unusual voting machine. Candidates were grouped by office as in California rather than in a party column as in New York. But there was a party lever for each qualified party - if you pulled that level, it cast a vote for the party nominees for each office.
It is likely that many Republican voters in the district will pull the Republican Party lever, without bothering to write-in the Hyphenated candidate, and think they voted Republican in the Congressional race.
I expect Smithers to get a record vote for an LP candidate, and he might come in second because write-ins are so hard, and because many Republicans will forget to write-in their candidate. But it is likely the Democrat will win.
Then in 2008, the second place LP can urge the Republicans to stay out of the race to defeat Congressman Lampson.
|8.25.06 @ 11:03PM|#
Halfabee---in terms of number of candidates running and total votes received for all those candidates, is the metric by which the LP is "third largest"
Robert|8.25.06 @ 11:35PM|#
Those factors don't make a political party large, just foolish. And even by those measurements, there are parties organized in just a single state that beat LP.
If you polled people in the USA as to which political party they considered themselves "in", and didn't prompt with choices, I doubt LP would come in 3rd among actual parties.
Robert
|8.26.06 @ 3:38AM|#
My predictions:
Smither 8%
Badnarik 2%
|8.26.06 @ 10:37AM|#
the scale between the LP party and the top two is so large that its possible that it might ve third, though i think the greens have more members