Judge Orders Nader Name Off Fla. Ballot

[DaKCMan AP]

Judge Orders Nader Name Off Fla. Ballot

By JACKIE HALLIFAX, Associated Press Writer

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Ralph Nader (news - web sites) is again off Florida's presidential ballot, at least for now.

Circuit Judge P. Kevin Davey on Wednesday ordered that Nader's name be removed from the November ballot, finding that the Reform Party — which nominated Nader — isn't a legitimate party under state law. Davey also ordered that four counties that have already mailed absentee ballots listing Nader send out amended ballots without his name.

Davey had issued a temporary order last week keeping the consumer advocate off the ballot, but his ruling was suspended on Monday after Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood filed an appeal. Davey's ruling on Wednesday reinstates his original decision.

The state Supreme Court has scheduled a Friday hearing on the appeal.

The state Democratic Party is suing to keep Nader off the ballot because, it argues, the Reform Party is no longer a legitimate national party and that Florida election laws requiring minor candidates to qualify by petition or through a nominating convention weren't followed.

The lawsuit is part of a national effort by Democrats to keep Nader off ballots in states where he could siphon votes from Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites).

Most Democrats and many Republicans agree that Nader's presence on the 2000 ballot as the Green Party candidate cost Al Gore (news - web sites) the presidency. President Bush (news - web sites) won Florida by 537 votes after a recount, giving him the White House.

Hood, who was appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's brother, has said she is fighting Davey's orders "as an honest broker" to protect Florida's elections process by including Nader. She said elections supervisors are "under the gun" because they have to mail absentee ballots by Saturday and first need to get them printed.

A federal judge refused to intercede in the case Tuesday.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...on_el_pr/nader

[MarcBulger]

I thought the Dems were for choice. Oh I see only when killing an unborn child is the choice.

[mlyonsd]

It can't get any better then this. The party that blamed the Republicans of using the Supreme Court to steal the 2000 election is now looking to the state court for help.

Gotta love the irony.

[Cochise]

The lawsuit is part of a national effort by Democrats to keep Nader off ballots

[DenverChief]

Originally Posted by MarcBulger

I thought the Dems were for choice. Oh I see only when killing an unborn child is the choice.

Ernie?

[WoodDraw]

This is a legitimate ruling guys. The Reform party is a decaying shell of its former self and doesn't deserve to be a national party anymore. If he wanted his named on the ballot then he should have gone out and had a petition drive.

And this "national effort" by the dems isn't any different than the republicans effort to put him on the ballot. Welcome to politics.

The dems are hoping by eliminating Nader they can regain the 1% of the voters that were going to vote for him.

At this stage of the game I'd call it "Grasping at Straws" !!!!!!!

[whoman69]

Originally Posted by r8er_h8er

The dems are hoping by eliminating Nader they can regain the 1% of the voters that were going to vote for him.

At this stage of the game I'd call it "Grasping at Straws" !!!!!!!

Considering that Bush won last time by a % of 1% you think its insignificant?
Why is it the Dems trying to keep him off the ballot are the bad guys and Repubs trying to put him there are shining knights. Are they doing it because they legitimately want to vote for Nader?
I say every chance the Dems get to kick Nader off the ballot because Republicans illegally put him there, go for it. They did it in AZ when they found Texas Republicans were included on the petitions. Did the Reform party have a single person run for office in 2000? Last one I heard of was Jesse Ventura. They had no nominating convention and saw the opportunity in Nader to have a candidate that might put them in the papers even though his platform is nowhere close to what they have run on in the past. Nader did not win their nomination, he won their endorsement.

[KCWolfman]

Democrat Platform - Let every vote count, as long as it is ours. Otherwise, fvck you, we are taking your choices away.

[KCWolfman]

Originally Posted by WoodDraw

This is a legitimate ruling guys. The Reform party is a decaying shell of its former self and doesn't deserve to be a national party anymore. If he wanted his named on the ballot then he should have gone out and had a petition drive.

And this "national effort" by the dems isn't any different than the republicans effort to put him on the ballot. Welcome to politics.

Oh, I agree. I just have heard carping from the left for 4 years about this vote not counting and that vote not counting. Obviously those cries were nothing but hypocrisy as every vote is not important to the dems as they so vigorously state.

[Taco John]

This is nothing more than the yang behind the conservative yin. When you have bottom-drawer political scumbag operatives out collecting names to get candidates that they don't support on the ballot, there is always going to be a political scumbag operatives who do whatever they can to counter it. They're one and the same, and one isn't any worse than the other no matter how anybody tries to rationalize it. It's just part of the balance of the game.

Originally Posted by whoman69

Considering that Bush won last time by a % of 1% you think its insignificant?
Why is it the Dems trying to keep him off the ballot are the bad guys and Repubs trying to put him there are shining knights. Are they doing it because they legitimately want to vote for Nader?
I say every chance the Dems get to kick Nader off the ballot because Republicans illegally put him there, go for it. They did it in AZ when they found Texas Republicans were included on the petitions. Did the Reform party have a single person run for office in 2000? Last one I heard of was Jesse Ventura. They had no nominating convention and saw the opportunity in Nader to have a candidate that might put them in the papers even though his platform is nowhere close to what they have run on in the past. Nader did not win their nomination, he won their endorsement.

Your inability to see any humor in the situation is remarkable.

Why don't you give up and go home?

Originally Posted by Taco John

This is nothing more than the yang behind the conservative yin. When you have bottom-drawer political scumbag operatives out collecting names to get candidates that they don't support on the ballot, there is always going to be a political scumbag operatives who do whatever they can to counter it. They're one and the same, and one isn't any worse than the other no matter how anybody tries to rationalize it. It's just part of the balance of the game.

Of course you are speaking of the dems and the libertairans?

[KCWolfman]

Originally Posted by Taco John

This is nothing more than the yang behind the conservative yin. When you have bottom-drawer political scumbag operatives out collecting names to get candidates that they don't support on the ballot, there is always going to be a political scumbag operatives who do whatever they can to counter it. They're one and the same, and one isn't any worse than the other no matter how anybody tries to rationalize it. It's just part of the balance of the game.

Let me get this straight, you are a "scumbag" if you sign a petition to add a candidate to the selection process if you have no intentions of voting for that candidate? Why?

[KCTitus]

Originally Posted by KCWolfman

Let me get this straight, you are a "scumbag" if you sign a petition to add a candidate to the selection process if you have no intentions of voting for that candidate? Why?

no, no....suing to remove a candidate from the ballot is ok if it helps the guy you want to win, because it's noble and the american way and republicans suck anyway so it's ok.