Barr Files Suit to Keep McCain, Obama Off Texas Ballot

[tekisui]

Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr has filed suit that would keep voters from seeing the names Barack Obama and John McCain on their voting machines, saying they failed to follow the Texas law to get their names placed on the ballot. The Libertarians are claiming that both the Texas Democratic and Republican parties missed the deadline to certify their presidential nominees and report them to the Texas Secretary of State.

Texas law says that has to happen 70 days prior to the general election. The problem? Neither party held its convention in time to meet that Aug. 26 deadline. Obama was nominated after 5 pm Texas time on Aug. 26, and the roll call vote for McCain came a week later.

The Secretary of State's office says there's no problem and the paperwork's all fine, thank you. Barr, a former congressman from Georgia, says not so fast. You can't certify someone as the nominee who hasn't been nominated, he says. The law does not provide exceptions for late conventions.

So, while Barr faces a high bar at the legal bar, just think if -- in particular -- McCain couldn't get on the ballot. He's absolutely banking on those 34 electoral votes from Texas. Then it would be, as they say: "Katie, Barr the door."

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/09/bob-barr-busts-ballot.html

[liberalmuse]

1. I'm all for it.

But it's not going to happen.

[tekisui]

2. Yep and nope.

[David__77]

3. I hate that they make exceptions to the law for the big players but not the small.

There is no standing legal role accorded to just two political parties. Why wouldn't others get this special treatment. I think it would be very interesting if they were stricken from the ballot.

[valerief]

4. Oh, wouldn't it be fab? Unfortunately, rules are only for the rabble. nt

[WinkyDink]

5. But what WOULD be the legal reason to break this particular state law without penalty?

[tekisui]

6. Good question. I'd like to see it written out.

[dems_rightnow]

9. Trust me, it's nothing.

If it really meant anything, the lawmakers could, and would, change the law.

[WinkyDink]

18. Oh, I know "it's nothing". But it either is a law, or it ain't.

[mikelgb]

7. go Bob Barr

[anonymous171]

8. Is there any way we can help Barr on this?

[tekisui]

10. And, Barr takes Texas for the block of mcPOW.

It would make it impossible for mcPOW to win!>

please let there be a way.

[phleshdef]

11. I'm not for this at all.

The people serving in office for the state of Texas can remake the laws NOW if its that big of a problem. But I think that, as Americans, Texans should have the right to vote for either of the major candidates.

I want to see Obama win, but not by Bob Barr cutting him and his Republican opponent off the ballot of a state that has a lot of people who want to exercise their RIGHT as Americans and pick the presidential candidate of their choice.

Lets face it, there are a lot of people in Texas that want to vote for either John McCain or Barack Obama as their president and not Bob Barr or Ralph Nader or Cynthia McKinney. They should be able to make the choice they want to make. When it comes to general elections, every candidate running for national office should be nationally available to every person that is part of our nation. Period.

[damndude]

12. i live in texas and, this case, i say DISENFRANCHISE ME

[NorthCarolina]

13. If anything, this will probably result in just Obama being removed from the ballot

eom

[Eric J in MN]

14. Even if Barr wins the lawsuit, Texans can still write-in McCain. NT

NT

[crispini]

15. Actually, no. Write in candidates have to file too.

And that deadline has also passed. Ha!

[RNdaSilva]

16. Not gonna happen but good comedy.

[gmudem]

17. Stupid.

Texans should be able to vote for whomever they want and shouldn't be disenfranchised because of some silly rules. Even if Texas is a Republican state, it's pretty hypocritical for us to get mad about voter caging in swing states and at the same time want to disenfranchise Texans just because it is a red state.