Republicans are anti-Constitution

Among the many charges that Republicans make against the Democrats is "activist judges", members of the Supreme Court who interpret the Constitution differently than their "strict constructionist" view.

Then a Republican-appointed majority interprets "people" in the second Amendment to be "persons" and interprets corporations as "persons".  Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and many other signers of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights must be spinning furiously in their graves.

Now those who would be the Republican candidate for President are stepping all over the Constitution with their accusations that their opponents are not Christian enough.  I guess they really need a refresher course about the Constitution: "... but no religious Test shall ever be Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." - Article 6.

And the Constitution also requires a new President to take an oath or affirm: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

If these religiosity types can’t even protect the Constitution, can they even protect the nation from threats from within and without?

See “The G.O.P.’s Holy War”, Frank Bruni, New York Times, 2016-01-30, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/opinion/sunday/the-gops-holy-war.html

Is business experience a qualification for government office?

Some Republican candidates are running for statewide office in Minnesota.  See
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/270538031.html and http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/270412441.html.  They claim that their business experience makes them better qualified for government service.

Adam Smith seems to have thought differently.  He said that those who live by profit are not to be trusted because they have often “deceived and oppressed” the public.

See “The Invisible Adam Smith” for more about this.

“Dollars don’t vote – you do” - David Brat

The full quote is “What you proved tonight is that dollars don’t vote – you do.”  See
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/david-brat-s-win-143742269.html

David Brat defeated Rep. Eric Cantor in the primary for the Republican nomination for the U.S. House District 7 in Virginia.

What was really proved is that elections are determined by who shows up and who doesn’t show up.

See also Politics: Don Givadam wins again.

I would like to amend my advice about voting with a more positive spin:

Always vote because every vote always counts.  If you stay away you give the election away.

Politics: Don Givadam wins again

Many a commentator is making a big deal about Representative Eric Cantor’s loss to a “Tea Party” candidate in the Virginia Republican primary.  But few look at how many actually voted.

From http://electionresults.virginia.gov/resultsSW.aspx?type=CON&map=CTY

Unoffical results 2014-06-11 15:22 EDT
Eric I. Cantor 28,902  44.45%
David A. Brat  36,120 55.55%
Total votes 65,022

However, there are 473,032 registered voters in Congressional District 7 which means that 13.75% of them voted for either Republican candidate.  Assuming that these registered voters are evenly split between “Republicans” and “Democrats”, then we could say that 27.5% of the registered Republicans bothered to show up.  Does that mean that 72.5% of the registered “Republicans” don’t care for either candidate or just plain don’t care to vote. If there are more “Republicans” than “Democrats”, the percent of “Republican” no-shows is even worse.

But, some who voted for Brat consider themselves “Democrats”.  They voted for him to get rid of Cantor.  See these admissions in the comments to http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/12/us/politics/after-eric-cantor-primary-defeat-house-republicans-take-stock.html  These “crossover” voters are probably a tiny percent of those who bothered to show; still, their votes won’t be there for Brat in November.  Also, how many Cantor supporters will be no shows in November?

I think we should get away from party primaries and have open primaries.  Those who didn’t give time or a dime to a political party should not be choosing a party’s candidates.

No matter your political preference, the lesson here is:

Always vote because every vote always counts.  If you stay away you give the election away.

See also "Dollars don't vote – you do" – David Brat.

Right on with the Write-In Party

Are you tired of elections being determined by big pandering, big lies, and big money? 
Are you tired of the so-called two-party system that gives you a choice of electing a party that is in the pocket of big business and a party that is in the pocket of big business?  Are you tired of a choice of electing a party that claims it is for freedom (of big corporations from any regulations) and a party that claims it if for the people (as long as big corporations are given subsidies to "create jobs").

Now you have a choice, join the Write-In Party!  The Write-In Party seeks no contributions from any interest group.  The Write-In Party is open to anyone who seeks change.  The Write-In Party has no big circuses (aka conventions) and no long-winded speeches that promise change and deliver nickels and dimes to the average person.

How do you join the Write-In Party?  It is both easy and hard.

The first requirement is that you have to promise to vote in every election.  You can't bring about change if you don't vote.

The second requirement is that you have to think about who you really would like to represent you for any particular office.  We won't go into what you should think about; that's your choice.  But you have to think outside the box.

Will the Democratic candidate represent your interests?  Will the Republican candidate represent your interests?  Will some other candidate on the ballot represent your interests?  If you find that a candidate represents your interest, place your mark by that candidate's name.  Do not be swayed by polls!  Almost every poll is biased in some way.  Do not worry about "throwing your vote away" by voting for a "third-party candidate".  Third-party candidates who came in last in the polls have won.  Think Jesse Ventura, last in the polls, became governor of Minnesota.  The only thrown-away votes are those not cast.

If none of the candidates on the ballot represent your interests, write in the name of somebody who you think does represent your interests.  Write-in votes are not thrown-way votes .  Think Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) of Alaska beating a Tea-Party candidate who won the Republican Primary.

How do you choose who to write in?  That is the hard part.  Not the actual writing a name in, but writing in a name that many other people will also write in.  Talk with your family and friends about the choices you have.  Talk in coffee shops.  Post ideas in forums.  Write letters to newspapers.  Maybe your suggestion will catch on; maybe somebody will make a suggestion that you feel is better.  But without this give and take, we'll be stuck with the same old revolving-door politics.

Now comes the third requirement.  VOTE!  If you don't show up, other people are going to decide for you.  If you don't show up, we will probably once again have candidates claiming a mandate when they receive the votes of less than half the eligible voters.

Which leads to the only slogan of the Write-In Party - 90% turnout!

A putdown of an unsolicited political phone call

A few minutes ago I received a phone call in which there was a pause after I said, "Hello."  I wasn't fast enough to hang up before somebody said, "Is this Melvyn?"  I answered, "yes".  The person proceeded with something like, "This is so and so, and I'm calling for the Matt Entenza campaign."  I replied, "We are not interested in someone who spends so much money."  Then I hung up.

For readers not familiar with Minnesota politics, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) race for governor has two non-endorsed candidates, Matt Entenza and Mark Dayton, who are spending a spouse's or their own fortunes on the primary campaign.  The endorsed candidate, Margaret Anderson Kelliher, has spent far less, but still over a million dollars.  I was disappointed that one-fifth of her contributions come from lobbyists and PACs (Star Tribune, 2010-07-26).

I think about leaving the governor race blank on the ballot.  The Republican candidate, Tom Emmer, has serious foot-in-mouth disease.  I like the idea of the Independence Party attempting to be a viable party, but its website's message doesn't resonate with me.

The only candidate that I have any enthusiasm for is Kelliher's running mate, John Gunyou.  He was the Finance Commissioner for the last good Republican governor of Minnesota, Arne Carlson, and he is the city manager of Minnetonka.  Every few months he has submitted an op-ed article on good governance.  I have emailed him from time to time and he has responded graciously.  I once wrote him that I was looking for the Governance Party instead of the Groveling Party and the Grumbling Party.