Well, the things you learn when you're out and about......
The 5-3 vote taken tonight to eject JW Gibson from the District 2 race and Johnny Hatcher, Jr from the District 3 race were of the right mind, but way too late. Why? This should have been done within a week after the filing deadline, and the window for removing candidates from the ballot has CLOSED. Once you are within 40 days of the election (and we ARE), you CANNOT remove someone from the ballot.
So, they're apparently stuck on the ballot.
Guess what? So are Walter Bailey and Cleo Kirk!
That's right, gentle readers, Walter Bailey will still be on the District 2 ballot, and Cleo Kirk will still be on the District 3 ballot, and if you live in one of those districts, you can vote for them.
They could even WIN; they just couldn't serve.
OK, Cracker, let's say that happens, what would happen THEN? Well, should Mr. Bailey or Mr. Kirk win their race on May 4, it would fall to your friendly neighborhood SCDP ExecCom to choose the Democratic nominee for the August general election!
That's right, folks, if they so chose, Walter Bailey and Cleo Kirk could go out and campaign with the idea that if they won, the ExecCom would choose the nominee. Twisted? You bet! Possible? This is Big Shelby, people, what do YOU think?
To quote the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, "When the going gets tough, the weird turn pro!"
This also means that Sidney Chism is not necessarily an elected County Commissioner just yet, he has to campaign against someone who could beat him, but not hold the seat!
Think this couldn't happen? Remember when John Ashcroft lost his US Senate seat in Missouri to a DEAD MAN, the late Mel Carnahan? The Missouri Democratic Party then chose his widow, Jean, to hold the seat.
Even more recently, Cook County (IL) Board President John Stroger had a near-fatal stroke that kept him from campaigning for re-election against his Democratic primary challenger, Forrest Claypool. However, the Cook County Central Committee campaigned mightily for him, and he won.
Mind you, he will probably announce (AFTER the election is certified) that he is physically unable to run. Who will decide who the Democratic nominee is? you guessed it, the Cook County Central Committee!
Am I advocating this policy? I'll leave that up to you.
However, if the SCDP wants to get itself out of a predicament that they got themselves into when, in reality, the Primary Board didn't check these people out as they should have (OK, send me your emails!), they could do worse than to "suggest" that Democrats vote for the incumbents on May 4.
Don't you just LOVE Shelby County politics?
5 comments:
Well, it was also a waste of time because they can't take anyone off the ballot this late.
Nice to meet you last night, Cracker.
The Memphis Labor Council endorsed Klerk and not Chism. I'm pro-labor and if they endorsed Klerk I trust their judgement. Go Klerk! I am completely cool with forcing the Shelby County Democratic Party Executive Committee into making difficult decisions. Public, difficult decisions allows people to see just how dysfunctional it is. By forcing people to take stands in public, you will also get a peek at what actually motivates ExCom members. Normally, all you get is empty rhetoric and then behavior that counters that behind closed doors. Anarchy, I say abso-fucking-lutely make it happen.
What grounds? State law gives each party the right to determine WHO can run under their banner.
What do you think would have happened if, in 2004, I suddenly filed in 2004 after 25 years of Democratic work and support for a Republican primary office?
They would have booted me in 30 seconds.
Parties MATTER, bubba. Other than Bernie Sanders, name me a high-level Independent office holder in this country.
Go ahead, I can wait......
Well, other than my Socialist friend Bernie, there aren't any. Either of these fellows could have filed as Independents, but they didn't, because they know that that way lies OBLIVION.
If either of them had come in, helped Democratic candidates with work and/or money this time and stayed away from the GOP, we're actually a pretty forgiving bunch.
But YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR DUES. You can't just walk in after 12 years as a Republican (the last 2 on their STEERING Committee) and then file as a Democrat and then DARE US TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?
BULLSHIT.
Have you ever heard of REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY, pal?
The Democrats of those locations elected people to the Executive Committee to make such decisions IN THE EVENT IT BECAME NECESSARY.
Again, as you obviously FAILED to read, the TCA gives each party the right to determine WHO runs as a Democrat.
Next!
And you are obviously struggling with the idea of REPRESENTATIVE democracy.
This is a PRIMARY. This is the business of the DEMOCRATIC PARTY. When a REPUBLICAN attempts to run as a DEMOCRAT it is the responsibility of the PARTY to remove people who are seeking the DEMOCRATIC nomination who have been REPUBLICAN.
You are the one having the understanding problem, sport.
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