Comments on Will McVay, Libertarian: HB11: WTF

Should have included this. Does NOTHING to affect ...

2011-12-13T14:23:57.390-05:00

Should have included this. Does NOTHING to affect Chapter 80, dealing with campaign finances.

http://www.legis.delaware.gov/LIS/LIS146.NSF/vwLegislation/HB+11?Opendocument

Protect what? How does this bill in any way chang...

2011-01-20T22:48:57.874-05:00

Protect what? How does this bill in any way change the mechanism for control of a state party? This bill doesn't touch internal party stuff or campaign finance stuff. It just tells parties that they can only nominate someone registered with their own party.

Delaware law defines a political party as a group of ~600 people who identify under a common name when they register to vote, and get ballot access for it. This group of people has a right to choose whoever they want for that nomination.

HB11 denies them that right. That is all that is happening here.

No, but this helps protect that. Look at Christine...

2011-01-20T22:36:07.812-05:00

No, but this helps protect that. Look at Christine O'Donnell. She had no support among party activists, and all her money was from out of state. If you don't think the Libertarian (or any other) party of Delaware might be a tempting morsel for an ambitious & well funded out of town pol, you don't understand "hostile takeover'.

We can make campaign contributions to any candidat...

2011-01-20T22:28:40.502-05:00

We can make campaign contributions to any candidates we want through the party's finance committees. This bill doesn't affect that at all.

The intention here is to force political parties to nominate candidates exclusively from their own ranks and guarantee that parties will always fight. Maybe the Libertarian Party doesn't always want to fight. Can't we agree with the Democrats and Republicans sometimes that they've OCCASIONALLY managed to choose the right candidate?

I think you can rest assured that the Libertarian Party is not in the pay of the Koch brothers. We'd actually have money if that were the case.

Disagree. The intention here is to prevent spuriou...

2011-01-20T22:23:10.102-05:00

Disagree. The intention here is to prevent spurious third party nominations from circumventing what few campaign funding limits Citizens United has left us. I'd think smaller parties would be all OVER it, because without it you're just going to be used as free-floating PACs, and I can't see why THAT would be a dignified end to the work you do.

Of course it also protects the major parties from being torpedoed during the primaries. We all know why THAT is an issue, I hope.

I started being politically active in Libertarian campaigns. I've worked for many candidates from different parties, usually registered as an Independent and now I'm a registered Democrat. My point of view hasn't changed as much as the political landscape, mostly, and I parted ways with the Libertarian party over our differing definitions of 'public safety' on the platform. Still, I'd hate to see the party & ideology I worked for become some kind of Junior John Birch Society in the pay of the Koch brothers. It deserves better.

Section 2 of this Bill is the most heinous. There...

2011-01-19T23:37:06.695-05:00

Section 2 of this Bill is the most heinous. There is no reason why a minor party should not be allowed to select anyone they want to represent them in any election. Just like any job interview, a candidate would interview with the party to present why they are qualified to be nominated by the party. The party would then base their decision on the candidate’s merit, not what party they are registered with in a Dept. of Election database. Does someone working for the NAACP HAVE to be African American to work for the organization? No, that would be racist. Does someone advocating Lesbian rights HAVE to be female? No that would be sexist. But a Republican being selected to represent the Work Families Party of Delaware would be wrong because she’s NOT a registered member of that party? This just doesn’t make any sense. It’s obvious why this is happening. It’s just another way to ensure that the two party system is further entrenched (like it needs more help in that regard) and that people outside that system are not heard or offered to the people as an alternative to the status quo. Since this Bill serves the interest of the incumbent politicians the most and the people the least, I see this breezing through to the governor’s desk without a single NO vote. For Shame!