Democracy a Missing Ingredient in Election Nominating Process
The United States prides itself on its democratic principles and promotes them around the world. Former President Jimmy Carter is called to various "third-world" nations to monitor elections and make sure they are run fairly. We are even at war now with Iraq trying to force democracy on the Iraqi people.
Unfortunately, we need to look no further than our backyard to see that America doesn't come close to living up to its democratic standards. Here in Illinois in the 14th Congressional district, the Republican candidate for Congress, Jim Oberweis, needed to get 793 petition signatures to get on the ballot; the Democratic candidate, Bill Foster, needed 863 petition signatures. "Third" party and independent candidates who are not in the power club need to get nine thousand nine hundred ninety five petition signatures to get on the ballot or twelve and a half times as many signatures. In all Congressional districts and in all races, "third" parties and independents have to get huge multiples of the signatures that the Republicans and Democrats, who make the rules, do.
The effect of this is to make it nearly impossible for third parties or independents to make the ballot, or if they do, to have spent so many resources getting on the ballot that there is little left with which to wage a campaign. The net result is that we have a very undemocratic state here in Illinois.
In comparison, in Iraq, where our men and women are fighting and dying trying to establish democracy, a recent election had 111 different political parties on the ballot. According to Richard Winger, editor of "Ballot Access News" and the recognized expert on ballot access law, the United States has the most restrictive and unequal ballot access laws in the world.
Congressional candidate Dan Druck has vowed that he will fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, if need be, to obtain fairness in ballot access laws in Illinois and to secure his right to be on the ballot for Congress in the 14th District. Supporters of Dan obtained 7153 signatures to get Dan on the ballot, almost 10 times the required amount for the Republicans or Democrats.
If you are outraged at this totally unfair ballot access requirement, please help us fight the unfairness and support our lawsuit to give Dan his right to compete against Oberweis and Foster in the November election. Check out Dan's campaign website at www.TimeForDan.com.
And come to think of it, where's Jimmy Carter when you need him?!