It ain't easy being ...
Oral arguments begin at 1:30 p.m. today in the case filed by the American Civil Liberties Union to force the state to allow Green Party candidates on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.
U.S. District Judge George Howard Jr. is being asked to uphold his own 1996 ruling, which said that ballot access requirements should be the same for new political parties as for independent candidates.
As it stands now, independent candidates only need to collect 10,000 signatures to get on the ballot, while third-party candidates need over 24,000.
This year, the Green Party submitted around 18,000 signatures.
If Howard upholds his decision, former State Rep. Jim Lendall will represent the Green Party as its candidate for governor in the general election.
Comments
That's good. That will help Asa Hutchinson become Governor. Maby later Jim can be appointed to the State Cosmotology Board.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 17, 2006 09:31 AM
I hope he gets on the ballot, because I will vote for him. The first time I've ever not voted for the Democrat.
Posted by: JDB | August 17, 2006 09:32 AM
A vote for Beebe is a Vote for Asa. as I havent really seen where the two differ on anything other than the estate tax, well I guess they differ on who the select few will be whol benefit from their election, while the majority of the people in the state suffer. I think the more choices we have, the better the whole state will be, not just the chosen few who benefit from the two party system.
I lost all faith in the two party system after the people in congress wouldnt dream of writing a bill to benefit the poorest americans unless it also benefited the richest 3%, that should show you who they're really looking out for. The two party system has failed us if you dont beleive me, ask the 11% of arkansas' population currently receiving food assistance. Vote Jim Lendall
Posted by: JRM | August 17, 2006 10:07 AM
Anyone who thinks a vote for Beebe is like a vote for Asa probably still thinks a vote for Gore was like a vote for Bush. I'm as ticked off at Beebe for some of his wishy washy statements as anyone, but there are extreme differences between the two candidates that aren't quite as flashy as the few similarities. Protest votes are useless and only reward the wrong candidate.
Posted by: conform&bedull | August 17, 2006 10:25 AM
What are these extreme differences? I would like to hear them..
Posted by: jrm | August 17, 2006 10:33 AM
Extreme differences? Well, Beebe believes in only two things:
a) getting elected Governor no matter what he has to say or do to accomplish that
b) Arkansas (whatever that's supposed to mean)
Hutchinson is a standard issue modern conservative and personally a guy with outstanding personal integrity.
So, I'd say there are significant differences between the two.
Posted by: jqpublic | August 17, 2006 10:44 AM
Lendall and the Green Party represent a larger share of my views than does Beebe and the Democratic Party. If I vote Lendall, will I be making the perfect the enemy of the good? Perhaps, but after Beebe decided to promote intelligent design, I'll risk it.
It's a shame. Elsewhere, Democrats are starting to get a collective spine and stand up to Republican intimidation tactics. Here, they're just trying to show that they hate gays and evolution as much as the next guy.
Posted by: G. | August 17, 2006 10:51 AM
"Hutchinson is a standard issue modern conservative and personally a guy with outstanding personal integrity."
Pure BS.
Here is a Congressman leading the impeachment crowd because of his high "morals" and all the time his roommate, Senator Timmy Hutchinson, is dallying around with one of his young female aides (that's adultry, son) and it doesn't bother either one of them to cast the stones at President Clinton. Pure bs about the moral white horse the Hutchinson minions suscribe to their flag carriers.
Posted by: Cato | August 17, 2006 11:02 AM
That one only took 110 seconds to post. Used to be 45 seconds. Kinda like Iraq. Getting worse all the time.
Posted by: Cato | August 17, 2006 11:05 AM
Is anyone excited about Beebe's candidacy?
Without referencing his opponents, tell me why you want Beebe to win.
I can tell you why I'd like Rod or Jim to win.
The brown-shirts can tell you why they'd like Asa! to win.
Why do you want Beebe to win?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 17, 2006 11:42 AM
It will be quite nice to have a choice between Bryan and Lendall and to have two candidates who make voting a worthwhile exercise in democracy again. The only votes that will be wasted are the ones for more-of-the-same-crap, i.e. Basa (they are not really two different people, are they?).
Posted by: bodybybush | August 17, 2006 12:09 PM
Does the Green party have 18,000 voters that live in Arkansas? Maybe not, and that's probably why Lendall is not able to get the required number of signatures to get on the ballot. Of course, there are a lot of independents.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 17, 2006 04:18 PM
Here's a simple question: does anyone out there who plans to vote for Rod Bryan or JIm Lendall actually think they will win? Seriously: do you think they will be the next governor? If you don't honestly think they can win, then please explain why you're not wasting your vote.
Posted by: Question | August 17, 2006 05:43 PM
Hey Massingail at 5:43, you're a douche.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 17, 2006 06:00 PM
Lendall's interview with Pat Lynch is posted on lyncho.com.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 17, 2006 09:13 PM
Rod Bryan got his signatures and is on the ballot.
A third party wants to get on the ballot and put up a lot of candidates with the same number of signatures as Rod. Is that fair to Rod?
Posted by: Agitator | August 18, 2006 11:55 AM
"That one only took 110 seconds to post."
The nsa readers are kind of slow.
Posted by: eudora biggs | August 18, 2006 01:05 PM