Dems Upset Because Greens Make Ballot

It looks like there's a political scandal unfolding here in the Lone Star State, or at least the Democrats are trying hard to make it a scandal. It seems that the state Democratic Party is upset that the Green Party is going to be on the November ballot. I guess they're afraid the Greens will take the votes of some left-wing Democrats in the governor's race (and they're probably right since they've nominated a corporate-owned conservative in Bill White).

A couple of weeks ago the Green Party turned in petitions containing 90,000 signatures to get on the ballot. Since that's about twice as many signatures as they needed, it looks like the Green Party candidates will be assured of getting their names on the November ballot. This means Texas progressives won't have to hold their noses and vote for the lesser of two conservative evils. They now have a progressive option.

And this has incensed state party leaders. They are now saying that a Republican operative funneled money through an Arizona Republican to pay for a petition-gathering company (Chicago-based Free and Equal, Inc.) to help the Green Party gather signatures to gain ballot access. They think this is a Republican "dirty trick".

State Democratic Party chairman Boyd Richie, whose urban-only policy has been damaging Democrats for years, climbed on his high-horse and said, "The Green Party has become just another arm of the Republican Party and Governor Rick Perry's re-election effort and the Republican/Green Party coordination is a blow to the integrity of our election system. The signatures gained through this Republican effort should be withdrawn and Green Party candidates, officials and supporters should save their integrity and repudiate petitions that undermine democracy and fair elections."

I think old Boyd (pictured) has gone around the bend -- he is now certifiably insane! The Green Party getting enough signatures to get on the ballot makes the election more fair and democratic -- not less. And it doesn't matter who helped pay for the petition effort. I sure don't see the Democratic Party returning any of the corporate or Big Oil contributions they get, and that money is as dirty as it gets.

Does anyone think the Democrats would turn down a large donation from a Republican? Of course not! They'd take the money and spend it on their candidates. And that's just what the Green Party, who are fighting for their survival, should do. They shouldn't withdraw a single signature. Whoever paid to help collect them does nothing to invalidate the signatures.

The state Democratic Party is just angry because they know they have nominated another empty corporate suit who has no chance of winning against a very beatable Rick Perry. They need to stop whining about a progressive party making it on the ballot and nominate a progressive candidate themselves. Then they wouldn't have to worry about this sort of thing (and might actually stand a chance of winning by offering voters a real choice).

Personally, I am disgusted by this effort by Democrats to keep the Green Party off the ballot. I am a left-wing Democrat (and delegate to the Democratic state convention), but I will be voting for the Green Party candidate for governor in November. I simply can't bring myself to vote for a "blue dog" Democrat (and that's what Bill White is). I also want to help the Greens get enough votes to qualify for the 2012 ballot, because more parties on the ballot means a more democratic election.

While I'll vote Green for governor, I'll vote Democratic on the rest of the ballot (because those candidates are good progressives). I urge others to do the same.