China Imposes New Ballot Access Barriers to Keep Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Forces from Seeking Office

This New York Times article says that China is imposing ballot access restrictions in Hong Kong, to prevent pro-democracy activists from being allowed into the election.


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China Imposes New Ballot Access Barriers to Keep Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Forces from Seeking Office — 13 Comments

  1. Also from Star Wars:

    “The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.”

  2. How many blown up Death Stars and dead emperors and their stooges ???

    ANY Jedi folks alive in killer/enslaver RED China Empire ???

  3. I am writing a letter to the regional paper about this situation and use it to reflect on American ballot access.

  4. The article says, “To be nominated, a candidate will now require at least some support from each of the five main groups on the [Election Committee]. Beijing will now have the chance to form one group entirely from its loyalists, which would block pro-democracy nominees.”

    I don’t think there is anything like this in the U.S. currently (but I wouldn’t be too surprised to find out I’m wrong.)

  5. In the Philippines, there are NO signature requirements whatsoever. A candidate need only file a certificate of candidacy with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). However, COMELEC reserves the right to remove any “nuisance” candidates from the ballot, and they use it.

    Nevertheless, Philippine ballots usually have a large number of candidates for any office, using plurality voting with no primaries or runoff. Recently, a brother and sister ran against each other for Mayor of Makati (they were both children of a former Mayor).

    Rodrigo Duterte got elected President in 2016 with 39% of the vote in a field of 5 significant candidates.

  6. Some of my favorite Duterte quotes:

    “Mr. Obama, you can go to hell.”

    On Chelsea Clinton: “When your father was screwing Lewinsky and the rest of the young girls there in the office of the president, on the table, on the floor, on the sofa, did you raise any criticism?”

    “New York Times… Asshole, asshole. You cannot even criticize your own mistake. Invading a country, making up excuses before the world that is not true, then you have the gall to say stop. You better stop your publishing.”

    “We were speaking to Kerry, he’s OK but I had a fight with their ambassador, that gay son of a whore. He pissed me off. He was meddling in the elections, giving statements here and there. He wasn’t supposed to do that.”

    “This Diokno speaks like a janitor. You ran for senate, and people did not vote for you. You know why? Can you take a joke? Don’t be angry. You know why you lost? Because your teeth are too big. When you speak, half of your jaw juts out…Why? Am I being vulgar to you? Son of a whore, I am angry at you. You went too far. Try me.”

    “Inquirer, you’re bullshit, also ABS-CBN, what you report is trash. Someone should tell you, you sons of bitches, you’re going overboard with your nonsense.”

    “You Tatad. You know, there is a border between press freedom and disrespecting people. If I see you, get out of my way. You son of a bitch, I will slap you. Believe me, I will slap you in front of a lot of people…You really want to test if we really have [it]? You have a wife. You lend her to me, you son of a bitch. Maybe let’s do it here. It’ll be fine. It’s just 10 minutes.”

    “He acts like a man and pretends that Agot is his girlfriend. Be true to yourself. You’re gay. Don’t hide behind a cover. You were made by God. God made a mistake. Just because he’s a God does not mean he is incapable of making mistakes.”

    “If I become president, I advise you people to put up several funeral parlor businesses because I am against illegal drugs… I might kill someone because of it.”

    “We won’t kill you. We will just shoot your vagina so that if there are no vaginas, it would be useless.”

    “What I don’t like are kids (being raped.) You can mess with, maybe Miss Universe. Maybe I will even congratulate you for having the balls to rape somebody when you know you are going to die for your crime.”

    “Here’s what I thought: they raped her, they lined up. I was angry because of the rape, yes, but she was so beautiful, and the mayor should have been first. What a waste.”

    “Just because you’re a journalist you are not exempted from assassination, if you’re a son of a bitch. Freedom of expression cannot help you if you have done something wrong…The constitution can no longer help you if you disrespect a person.”

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