Can anyone say “conspiracy”? Steven Colbert’s presidential run has been smashed to pieces by the humorless Democratic executive council of South Carolina, which voted 13-3 to deny his application to be put on the ballot as a Democrat. As Waring Howe, a member of the council, put it Colbert “serves to detract from the serious candidates on the ballot.” But Dennis Kucinich, the guy who sees UFOs, is allowed on? Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Not all the members of the council lacked a sense of humor. State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter (who I think outranks Mr. Missed-the-Point Howe, there) chided the people who voted against Colbert’s name being put on the ballot as taking things a little too seriously. I happen to agree. Yes, Colbert’s run was a stunt aimed at publicizing his show. But he could have brought a lot of publicity to South Carolina through it. It’s not every day you get a favorite son with a much-loved faux-news show. I mean, how many times has Bill O’Reilly extolled his home state? Or Anderson Cooper? Pshaw.
Unfortunately, Colbert can’t run as a Republican, either, since he missed the filing deadline to apply for a spot on the ballot. I can’t blame him, though. Whereas the fee for the Democrat Party was only $2,500 (fully refunded after his denial), the fee for the Republicans was a whopping $35,000. Um, okay. Either the Democrats have really low standards or the Republicans think too highly of themselves…wait…right, I forgot: both are true.
Anyways, I was so looking forward to those Colbert for President bumper stickers…guess I’ll have to stick with the Picard-Riker one for now. Also, if you’re interested, I came across a very handy replacement for Wikipedia. Guaranteed to have more truthiness than Wikipedia will ever have.
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actually, Kucinich is a decent guy…he stood up to the mafia who wanted him to sell Muny Light, Cleveland’s publicly-owned electric utility. Pretty brave i thought.
Here are some of his policy positions:
On December 11, 2006 in a speech delivered at Cleveland City Hall, Kucinich announced he would seek the nomination of the Democratic Party for President in 2008. His platform[44] for 2008 includes:
Creating a single-payer system of universal health care that provides full coverage for all Americans by passage of the United States National Health Insurance Act.
The immediate, phased withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq; replacing them with an international security force.
Guaranteed quality education for all; including free pre-kindergarten and college for all who want it.
Immediate withdrawal from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Repealing the USA PATRIOT Act.
Fostering a world of international cooperation.
Abolishing the death penalty.
Environmental renewal and clean energy.
Preventing the privatization of social security.
Providing full social security benefits at age 65.
Creating a cabinet-level “Department of Peace”
Ratifying the ABM Treaty and the Kyoto Protocol.
Introducing reforms to bring about instant-runoff voting.
Protecting a woman’s right to choose while decreasing the number of abortions performed in the U.S.
Ending the war on drugs.
Legalizing same-sex marriage.
Creating a balance between workers and corporations.
Ending the H1B and L1 Visa Programs
Restoring rural communities and family farms.
Strengthening gun control.
(wikipedia)
BTW, plenty of us have seen strange lights in the sky during our travels. Who knows what they are. Doesn’t make us kooks. Just curious.
I don’t really mind Kucinich, either. He’s a cool guy, but he’s also easy to make fun of. I mean, with a last name like that…it does take balls to talk about UFOs during a debate, though.
He does sound like one of the best candidates, but I fear he’s too progressive for most voters (read: evangelical Christians who want a very conservative president). I’d vote for him, but I don’t think he’ll make it past the primaries.
“but I fear he’s too progressive for most voters”
unfortunately you’re right. it would be good to see your country break free of the religious, military & Corporate lobby group constraints…but i reckon they’re far too imbedded in the national psyche & political economy these days. such a shame Gore didn’t win, you’d probably be so many more steps advanced towards an innovative, progressive society. still, at least there are wide thinkers like yourself out there. and plenty of advanced & empowered thinkers & small business venture types out there on the Net to keep one sane. some feel i’m being too anti-American in my comments…but in actual fact i’m raging against the overly competitive, bigoted, rampant capitalist structure that came w/ Reagonomics & their politically opportunistic joining up w/ the military industrial complex & generally grotesque far-right, intolerant, evangelical movement. Nothing worse than greedy buggers who’d sell their own grandmothers to earn profits at the altar of Gordon Gecko…basically silk & smart suited mobsters using religion & the army to pave their way to Penthouse Heaven.
Plenty of you good guys & gals out there too…hoping for a New World. Don’t give up…the Founding Fathers & their partners & allies didn’t…& think of the resistance to change they must’ve had to overcome eh? Hopefully these changes will come more peacefully tho…:)