Former Senator Lieberman Condemns Commission on Presidential Debates

Posted on by July 22, 2015
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Former U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman here criticizes the Commission on Presidential Debates for its rules on who can participate in the debate. Although there has been a lot of criticism of the CPD, Lieberman makes some original and thoughtful points. Lieberman’s article appears in U.S. News & World Report.

Lieberman is the first person who has ever actually appeared in a Commission on Presidential Debates event who has since criticized the exclusionary rules. As the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in 2000, he debated Dick Cheney in the CPD vice-presidential debate. Thanks to IVN for the link.

Maine Republican Legislator Becomes an Independent

Posted on by July 22, 2015
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On July 22, Maine Representative Larry Dunphy announced that he has left the Republican Party and is now an independent. Maine has registration by party. Dunphy has an op-ed in the Bangor Daily News condemning the way the Republican and Democratic Parties expect their Maine state legislators to follow the wishes of party leaders. The op-ed is co-signed by Brian Jones, a former Democratic member of the legislature who was defeated for re-election after one term.

This is the seventh time this year that a state legislative seat has switched from being held by a Democrat or a Republican, to being held by an independent or minor party nominee. Dunphy will not run for re-election in 2016. Here is a news story about his switch. Thanks to Thomas MacMillan for the links.

Tuesday’s Testimony in North Carolina Voting Rights Case

Posted on by July 22, 2015
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The trial in U.S. District Court in North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP v McCrory is in its second week, and the plaintiffs are still putting on their witnesses. This newspaper story describes the July 21 testimony, which concerns the manner in which the bill that curtailed voting opportunities went through the legislature in 2013.

Michigan Socialist Ballot Access Case Rehearing Request is Still Pending

Posted on by July 22, 2015
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The Sixth Circuit is still considering the rehearing request filed in the Michigan Socialist Party ballot access case on June 5. The case is Erard v Michigan Secretary of State, 14-1873. The Sixth Circuit had upheld the Michigan law on May 20. It is somewhat encouraging that the court hasn’t already denied the request; often requests for reconsideration are denied within two weeks or so.

The lawsuit challenges the part of the Michigan law that requires approximately twice as many signatures for a new party to get on, compared to the number of votes needed for an old party to remain on. For 2016 a new party needs 31,519 signatures, but in 2016 parties will only need 16,491 votes to remain on. The Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, Green, Constitution, and Natural Law Parties are already on.

Erard is a pro se litigant, so he can only represent himself. Therefore the Socialist Party is not a co-plaintiff, but the court has never suggested that Erard (a past Socialist Party nominee for public office) has a standing problem.