Elections and Fairness

Elections and Fairness

I just found out that my name has been dropped from the list of potential candidates to replace Tom DeLay on the GOP ballot. They are sending out 18,000 “ballots” to vote on a replacement and my name will not appear.

Not that I thought I had a snowflake’s chance of getting picked, but it is the principle of the thing that bothers me. Apparently some blogger wrote that I was no longer interested and apparently the County Chair (Thode) dropped me based on that – it was certainly not based on any email or letter or phone call to him from me.

This happened once before when I ran in 2002 – my name was dropped from the primary ballot when I challenged Mr. DeLay. I had to sue to get back on. I won, but by that time the election was upon us. I got 20% with no campaigning, no ads or TV. Mr. Campbell had to spend six figures this time to beat that percentage, but not by much.

The only thing I’ve said since DeLay announced his resignation was that if there was a Special Election then they could count me out. I wanted no part of a dozen candidates running in a Special Election. But the Governor has declared that there isn’t going to be a Special Election, despite the fact that the U.S. Constitution calls for it. Apparently it is to be followed only when it guarantees the result you want, and not otherwise.

So, we set yet another great example for the people of Iraq how (not) to run a democracy.

Perhaps I should just find a job with a corporation – even the lowest corporate ethics would be a major step up from what I’ve found in politics so far.