Lincoln Blog

July 24, 2008:

A sub plot to the Bonusgate scandal is the ongoing drama of Democratic efforts to prevent Ralph Nader and his Green Party from gaining a spot on the ballot in the 2004 Presidential election.

This raises anew the issue of the degree of difficulty alternative political parties have in gaining ballot access in Pennsylvania. Republicans and Democrats have automatic ballot access through the traditional petitioning process and a permanent "line" on the ballot.

Other parties must petition for each individual candidate, from governor to dog catcher, and the number of signatures required is intentionally designed to make it difficult, if not impossible, for minor party candidates to be listed.

Democrats and Republicans in Harrisburg have, for all practical purposes, merged into one party -- the incumbent party -- and find it in their mutual best interest to prevent others from even competing in the general election.

The Democrats fear left-leaning partieis such as the Green Party, and Republicans fear the Libertarian and Constitutional parties on the right.

That is because the presence of such alternatives on the ballot serves to underscore the degree to which both Republicans and Democrats have all too often abandoned their core principles and ceased to represent we the people.

The degree to which the incumbent party will go to prevent giving voters a real choice has been underscored by the Bonusgate proble which turned up credible allegations that state House Demcorats illegally and improperly used taxpayer-funded staff to challenge Ralph Nader's nomination peitions and prevent him from being listed on the 2004 Presidential ballot.

Although I am not a fan of Ralph Nader's, his presence in Harrisburg today seeking redress for what happened in 2004 is commendable.

Nader should use the occasion to call upon the Pennsylvania legislature to revampt the rules for alternative parties to gain ballot access. The requirements should be made less stringent so more might participate in the greatest manifestation of American democracy - the electoral process.

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