For fuck’s sake, the Libertarian Party.
Today the Libertarian Party of Washington State filed suit (PDF) to have Romney’s name removed from the November ballot:
The suit seeks an order declaring that the Washington State Republican Party is “minor party” for purposes of the 2012 general election and directing the Secretary of State to issue ballots for the November election that do not contain the printed name of any Republican Party nominee.
The only statewide race in the last even numbered year was Cantwell in 2010, and the GOP didn’t endorse because they wanted to wait it out. So fine, they might technically be a minor party and thus too late to nominate someone. But really, fuck that.
This isn’t the sort of thing that needs suing over. The injustice here would be if the Libertarians won their suit and Romney wasn’t on the ballot. He’ll be the nominee of the Republican party, and if people are dumb enough to vote for him, they deserve the right to do so.
Also, speaking of Romney, I know I said I’d have my metacommentary piece on the second half of the chapter of his book done by yesterday. But a combination of nice weather and breaking stuff means it’s still not done. I’ll try to have it done by the end of the day tomorrow.
Just once, before I die, I want to see a US Supreme Court opinion – could be majority, dissenting, concurring, or even per curiam – include the words ‘For fuck’s sake’.
With or without apostrophe, I’m not picky.
Couldn’t disagree more.
You know damned well that the Republicans would be filing this lawsuit against the Dems if they could, and will certainly not fail to do so if they ever get the opportunity in the future.
Romney’s chances of winning WA won’t be reduced if the suit is successful.
@4 Exactly.
This is not a poll! http://www.oddschecker.com/spe.....ion/winner
@7 The fact you’re willing to back up your convictions with money doesn’t make you smart or right. I took $1,850 from such people today.
I’m really confused here. First, no party nominates anyone because the primary is, as already stated, a winnowing election. Wouldn’t this mean that the Democrats are also a minor party since no stateweide NOMINEE (Democrat or Republican) received 5% of the votes. The law says nothing about winning or losing, just that a NOMINEE must receive 5% of the votes. Top two primary means NO ONE NOT EVEN THE DEMOCRATS NOMINATE ANYONE. Therefore, Murray was not a nominee and since law says nothing about winning the election, no Democratic nominee got 5% of the votes either. Second, while the Democrats endorsed Murray from the beginning, what difference does it make that the Republicans waited until after the primary. First because an endorsement is not a nomination, and second the GOP endorsement still came before the general election. Someone answered me and said no wishful thinking and hint the topic is elections. Well if you are talking about being elected, there are two Republicans currently in statwide elected office so that still doesn’t make sense.
Kirby Wilbur for President!
Libertarians can make a bigger splash if they can suppress the Republicans.
I hear that those of a Libertarian bent have abandoned novelist Ayn Rand for Taylor Caldwell — another thing that distinguishes them from Republicans.
Chris,
The Democrats formally nominated Patty Murray in 2010 at their convention. The Republicans did not nominate either of their candidates in 2012.
Taylor Caldwell
I agree that this lawsuit, if successful, is bad policy.
Fox News will carry stories ad nauseum alleging that the Democrats and Libertarians conspired to deprive Washington State Democrats the right to vote for Romney. Morover, they will claim that if they lose the national election, it will all be because Washington Republicans were prevented from bringing Washington’s electoral college votes into the Romney camp.
Of course, it’s utter nonsense – even most of the trolls here have acknowledged that Romney hasn’t got a prayer of carrying Washington State anyway. But reality didn’t stop the Republicans from using their propoganda machine from raising millions of dollars in support and rallying their base by claiming that Washington’s 2004 Governor’s election was stolen by them.
There’s no need to take the chance that there will be an asterisk beside the President’s name when it comes to his re-election. The Republicans will be defeated soundly without judicial tinkering with the ballot.
re 13: Very good point.
But won’t the Republicans claim they were cheated whether they were or not if they lose? Might as well do the deed as long as they voluntarily bent over.
The word is “Technicality”, not “Technically” Einstein.
re 15: There should be a comma after “Technically”, Einstein.
Don’t you really feel like an ass now? You should!
# 13: Correction: “Washington State Democrats” should read “Washington State Republicans”.
The Dems could come out with a “friend of the Court” brief in support of the Rethugs. Jay Inslee could even sign it.
@18, Funny thing. State Attorney General and WA Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna has yet to step up and speak out on the law suit.
McKenna was pretty quick to jump in with state resources and respond with his desire to kill ObamaCare on the grounds of citizen’s rights.
If anything this will help the Republicans. It won’t hurt there chances of winning Washington, and un informed swing voters in swing states might think its Democrats up to dirty tricks and vote Republican.
Help or hurt, you have to wonder after all, just what the RNC makes of WSRP. Of course Wilbur can lay this one at Chris Vance’s feet, and probably should. But it goes down as yet another in a rather long line of astonishing fuck ups for the party leadership in this state.
Doesn’t the national party offer legit leadership academies and training? Or is it all just sing-alongs, Gladstone flags, and tea bags? I always thought the unsophisticated act was just for the neo-con rubes in Pasco and Ephrata. Can it be that this is really not an act?
“Fox News will carry stories ad nauseum alleging that the Democrats and Libertarians conspired to deprive Washington State Democrats the right to vote for Romney.”
rhp6033,
I doubt seriously that the Libertarians would ever conspire with the Democrats on anything! After all, the Libertarians are the exact opposites of the progressives, and, last time I checked, the progressives are firmly in the Dems’ camp.