Democrats abusing office power to fight Nader

A lawsuit filed by the Committee for a Unified Independent Party has been filed against Democrats in West Virginia, Oregon, Illinois, and Connecticut, accusing public officials in those states of misusing their official power.

Democrats are already running ads against Nader in many swing states, and challenging petition signatures all over the country, such as Nevada, where Democrats contested 11,571 of the 11,888 names to add Nader to the ballot. While this questionable focus is legal, other activities by Democrats elected into public office might not be legal.

According to the Wall Street Journal, "The fishiest situation involves West Virginia, where a state judge recently slapped down an unprecedented case brought by the state itself (rather than outside Democratic Lawyers) to keep Mr. Nader off the ballot." It appears that both Secretary of State Joe Manchin, who is currently running for Governor and Attorney General Darrell McGraw validated a petition to allow Nader to be on the ballot, but then reversed their decision after "intense political pressure from the Democratic Party."

Apparently, a half-dozen citizens, out of 23,000, argued, primarily, that the petition gatherers didn't show appropriate credentials and a few other minor incidents. The Wall Street Journal stated this action was "going too far to keep him [Nader] off the ballot."

While it can be assumed Republicans are tampering with the Nader petition drive, there are millions of voters who want to vote for an Independent Candidate, yet the Democratic Party doesn't want their votes to count. At the same time, John Kerry claims that Republicans are going to try to block the votes of African Americans, and pull more of the same 'Florida abuses'.

While 'one citizen, one vote' has become a Democratic mantra, it appears to only apply for Democratic voters.

As a registered Independent I am appalled by these actions. Not every Independent is a Republican in-disguise. Many of us are tired of the antics perpetrated by BOTH parties, and we feel that adding an Independent Party might provide some recourse.

James Carville, Democratic Strategist, often claims Republicans are better at 'it' in justification of the Democrat Party acting like Republicans. 'Well, they started it' Democrats seem to whine in validation of their childish logic.

Well, I'm tired of the past, of issues like Vietnam. What about today?

Enough is enough. Stand for something, not against something. That's what leaders do, and the Democratic Party, for all its criticism of the Republican Party, proves it's the same beast with a different costume.

Being a leader and losing is far more noble than a leader who gives up leading only to win at any cost. If that is the future of Democrats, of Republicans, of America, then there is no future.

How sad.