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U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Attempt To Overturn Nader Ballot

Posted on March 10, 2009 by polidoc

excerpt from PRNewswire

In a significant move for open-election laws, the U.S. Supreme Court today rejected an attempt to overturn a federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision that the state of Arizona could not require independent presidential candidates to register earlier than candidates affiliated with major political parties.Arizona’s petition for certiorari to the Supreme Court had been closely watched after 13 other states supported Arizona’s bid to have the High Court hear the case. The federal civil rights case, originally filed in Arizona federal district court, stems from Nader’s 2004 presidency bid.

Ralph Nader had challenged the deadline, contending it violated his First Amendment rights to free speech and political association. Lead Attorney Robert Barnes of the Bernhoft Law Firm represented Nader before the Ninth Circuit, which overturned the district court and unanimously declared the Arizona law unconstitutional. Nader’s Bernhoft Law legal team successfully argued that requiring independent candidates to register by June was unfair when the two major political parties did not hold their conventions until the fall.

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Attempt To Overturn Nader Ballot

Posted on March 10, 2009 by polidoc

excerpt from PRNewswire

AR Rep Carroll Attempts to Take God Out of Politics

Posted on February 14, 2009 by polidoc

Newly elected Arkansas House Representative Richard Carroll has wasted no time digging into the archaine “isms” of Arkansas’ state politics. First was the bill to extend the petitioning period for ballot access from a mere 60 to a still challenging 90 days. Then, on February 11, he introduced a bill to remove the language from the state’s Constitution which prohibits a declared atheist from holding public office or testifying as a witness.

Article 19 Section 1 : No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any court.

Wednesday was the last day members of the 87th General Assembly could file a bill for purposes of proposing a constitutional amendment. The Bill has been referred to the Committee on STATE AGENCIES & GOVT’L AFFAIRS.

Filed under: ballot access, civil rights, Constitution, grassroots, Green Party, political activism, state's rights | Tagged: activism, Arkansas, atheism, ballot access, church and state, Green Party, Richard Carroll, state's rights, two-party system | 1 Comment »

Paul Calls on Voters to Reject Democratic and Republican Presidential Candidates

Posted on September 10, 2008 by polidoc

Ron Paul, whose surprising meteoric popularity stunned the Republican Party, has called upon third party Presidential candidates Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, Chuck Baldwin and Bob Barr to attend a joint news conference proposed for Wednesday to encourage people to forsake the DNC and RNC Presidential candidates.

Ron Paul delegates were rebuffed at the Republican Convention held last week in Minneapolis, denied microphone time or opportunity to have their votes counted, according to delegates attending protests outside the RNC Convention. While Republican insiders said they tried to court Ron Paul delegates, many libertarian leaning followers remained resolute in their hopes to assert their emphasis on restoring Constitutional rights, which has failed to make the party’s platform as well as immediate withdrawal from Iraq and elimination of the Federal Reserve..

“The strongest message can be sent by rejecting the two party system,” Paul said in prepared remarks obtained by AP. “This can be accomplished by voting for one of the non-establishment, principled candidates.”

Nader and running mate Matt Gonzalez, who held Super Rallies in both Denver and Minneapolis during the two parties’ conventions, also invited Baldwin, McKinney and Barr to participate in their “Open the Debate” Super Rallies held in both Denver and Minneapolis during the two parties’ conventions. The Green Party Vice-Presidential candidate, Rosa Clemente enjoyed a ready audience at both venues.

The Nader campaign has just completed getting on their 45th state ballot. Despite this achievement for an independent candidate, news coverage has been slim for Nader, ironic since he was so vilified by Democrats and sneered at by Republicans for George Walker Bush’s win in 2000.

According to most recent polls, the Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain are neck and neck in the race. A unified voice from both libertarian and socialist leaning parties ( otherwise called fringe by the mainstream) could help to open up the debates and alter the depth of media coverage offered to all the candidates.

“This is the beginning of the realignment of American politics,” Nader said.

Filed under: 2008 Election, ballot access, Cynthia McKinney, electoral reform, GPUS, Ralph Nader, Ron Paul, third parties | Tagged: ballot access, Bob Barr, Cynthia McKinney, debates, duopoly, electoral reform, Green Party, Libertarian, Ralph Nader, RNC, Ron Paul, third parties, two-party system | Leave a Comment »