Re: Gubernatorial lawsuit

[Dan Billings <billingsdan@yahoo.com>]

--- Dave Faneuf <tklaundry@juno.com> wrote:
> The difference between
> Mr. Rocky Raccoon of
> the Very Silly Party declaring his candidacy and
the
> Green, Independent
> and Libertarian candidates are they are legit,
and
> all three followed the
> rules in place to get their names on the ballot
in
> Massachusetts.
> (something that is not easy to do as a third
party
> candidate)  You are
> legit enough to force the Secretary of State to
put
> you on the ballot
> then it is my opinion that you are legit enough
to
> take part in these
> debates etc.

I'm not sure one thing has anything to do with the
other.  In many states, there is a very low threshold
to get on the ballot.  In Maine, it only takes 2000
signatures to get on the ballot in a statewide race
and 1000 signatures for a Congressional race.  The
government has little reason to have a high standard
to keep people off the ballot  -- they can just make
the ballot longer.  Allowing all candidates in a
debate takes time away from the candidates that have a
chance to win and may also result in less public
interest.

In most Presidential elections, there are a half dozen
candidates that get on the ballot in all or nearly all
the states.  Should all the debates include all these
candidates?  

I like the approach of the Presidential Debate
Commission.  Establish a standard before the election
and stick to it.  Some level of support beyond getting
on the ballot should be required.

-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine

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