The Federalist: GOP looks to rig Montana's elections

Monday, December 23, 2013

GOP looks to rig Montana's elections

Voters must be guided into making the "correct" decision on election day by those of us who
know what is best for the people. I am Benito Mussolini and I approve this message of support for
the Montana Republican Party's efforts to limit voter choices in elections.

Limiting Voter Choices

The Republicans want to rig Montana's elections in their favor by keeping independents and smaller parties off the November ballot.
Every democratic nation on earth has all political parties and independent candidates on general election ballots. That is called freedom. Republicans appear to be having a difficult time understanding this basic concept.

(Missoula Independent) - For most Montanans, the last session of our state legislature is a distant memory. We've had better than half the year to heal from any lasting political injury, and the parade of newspaper headlines about partisan hardball in Helena won't begin marching again until January 2015.

But for Mike Fellows, chairman of Montana's Libertarian Party, forgetting hasn't been so easy. Although the session ended more than seven months ago, he hasn't been able to stop worrying about Senate Bill 408, a top legislative priority for Republicans, which passed on a party-line vote during the final week of the session.

The bill placed Legislative Referendum 127 on the 2014 ballot. The referendum asks voters to replace Montana's open primary election with a top-two primary. An open primary requires citizens to vote on a single-party ballot of their choosing and allows the top vote-getter from each political party, including third parties, to advance to the general election. A top-two primary lumps all candidates into a single primary regardless of party affiliation and allows only the top-two vote-getters to advance to the general election.

Montana U.S. Senate Election 2012
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Jon Tester (incumbent)	233,064	48.45	-1.8
	Republican	Denny Rehberg	216,507	45.01
	Libertarian	Dan Cox	31,476	6.54

Welcome to Fascism The Montana GOP lost an election. Boo hoo. Gee, that has never happened before in the history of the world. So rather than finding a better way to attract voters, the GOP's plan is to ban independent candidates and smaller political parties from all future general election ballots.

Republicans have defended the measure as an effort to ensure that candidates who win the general election receive a majority of the vote instead of a plurality of the vote, which is sometimes the case in a three-way race between candidates from three different parties. However, if LR 127 were approved, it would likely prevent third party candidates and independents from reaching a general election. Fellows believes that this is the true motive behind the Republican push for a top-two primary.

"The independent view is going to be wiped out because they'll never make it out of the primary," Fellows told me over coffee in downtown Missoula, where he's lived since 1983.

He points out that Washington state hasn't had a third party candidate for statewide office on the general election ballot since it moved to a top-two primary in 2008. Fellows predicts that a top-two primary would have the same effect in Montana, reducing the choices available to voters in the general election. "LR 127 is designed to get rid of the competition," Fellows argues, "namely Libertarians."

At first blush, this seems like a questionable argument. After all, the Montana Libertarian Party doesn't appear to represent much of a political threat. Between 1998 and 2010, Libertarians ran in 14 statewide races and averaged just 3.2 percent of the vote. According to Fellows, the party has approximately 500 members and an email list of about 1,000 people. These aren't numbers generally associated with a political powerhouse.

Yet, a closer look reveals that the party has lately had an outsized impact on Montana's elections. In 2006, perennial Libertarian candidate Stan Jones ran for U.S. Senate and received 10,377 votes, about 3,000 more than the gap between incumbent Republican Sen. Conrad Burns and Democratic challenger Jon Tester.

Part of the post-election narrative that year was that Jones' supporters were disgruntled Republicans who thought Burns was too cozy with lobbyists. A spoiler scenario seemed unlikely to happen again. Then came the Tea Party surge in 2010 with its accompanying anti-tax narrative, which at a basic level was consistent with Libertarian values. That year, Fellows' share of the electorate in the U.S. House race nearly doubled from his previous average to 5.7 percent, foreshadowing a historic year for Libertarians in 2012.

Last year, Sen. Jon Tester beat Congressman Dennis Rehberg in the race for U.S. Senate by 18,072 votes. Dan Cox, a Libertarian newcomer, received 31,892 votes or 6.6 percent of the vote. To make matters worse for the GOP, Montana's Democratic Attorney General Steve Bullock beat former Republican Congressman Rick Hill by 7,572 votes in the race for governor. Libertarian Ron Vandevender, another first-time candidate, received 18,160 votes.

Montana Libertarian Party

Following that election, Montana Republican Party Chairman Will Deschamps decried Libertarians as the spoilers in both races, implying that Libertarian candidates have more in common with Republicans than Democrats. But Fellows questions this assumption, saying it's unclear who would have won these races if Libertarian candidates hadn't been on the general election ballot.

He bolsters his argument by citing this year's race for governor in Virginia, where exit polls revealed Libertarian voters as younger, white, pro-choice individuals who do not identify with Democrats or Republicans. This profile also reflects a national Libertarian Party platform that shares key planks with both major parties, including a woman's right to choose and an absolute right to bear arms.

While it remains unclear which of the two major political parties has the most in common with Libertarian voters, Montana Republicans have placed a bet that a top-two primary will result in more Republicans getting elected in Montana. They're also betting that Montana voters will give them this advantage by passing LR 127 and decreasing the choices available to voters in future general elections.

Fellows, who has run for office in the last eight election cycles, is willing to take that bet. "Voters want the free market of ideas," he says. "I think Montanans are going to look past the Republican rhetoric and they're going to say 'we do want choices' in November."

These Are Called Free Elections

Voters having many real choices on their November ballot. Freedom. What a concept.

TR

Rhode Island gubernatorial election, 2010
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Lincoln Chafee	123,571	36.10%	+36.10%
	Republican	John Robitaille	114,911	33.57%	-17.44%
	Democratic	Frank Caprio	78,896	23.05%	-25.94%
	Moderate	Ken Block	22,146	6.47%
	Independent	Joeseph Lusi	1,091	0.32%
	Independent	Todd Giroux	882	0.26%
	Independent	Ronald Algieri	793	0.23%
Majority			8,660	2.53%	+0.51%
Turnout			342,290
	Independent gain from Republican		Swing

See

Texas Gubernatorial Election 2006
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Rick Perry (Incumbent)	1,716,792	39.02	-19.08
	Democratic	Chris Bell	1,310,337	29.78	-10.52
	Independent	Carole Keeton Strayhorn	796,851	18.11
	Independent	Richard “Kinky” Friedman	547,674	12.44
	Libertarian	James Werner	26,749	0.60

Bipartisan California Corruption
Under GOP Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger the Democrats and Republicans cut a corrupt back room midnight deal without any public hearings to abolish party primaries and institute a top two system for the general election.
.
TRANSLATION - It was a naked power grab where all five of the smaller opposition parties in the state and all independent candidates would effectively be banned from all future general election ballots. Even your write-in vote was made illegal and would not be counted.
.
Backed by a bottomless pit of corrupt special interest campaign money, the Democrats and Republicans want only their parties to be on a November ballot. Voters having real choices will simply not be tolerated.

No comments:

Thomas Pinckney, Federalist

Commissioned as captain in the 1st South Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army. After seeing much action, he became an aide-de-camp to General Horatio Gates. He was captured by the British at the disastrous Battle of Camden in 1780. After recovering from his wounds, he was released in a prisoner exchange. In 1781 he fought under Lafayette in Virginia. Appointed by President George Washington to be the U.S. minister to Great Britain served as Envoy Extraordinary to Spain. The Federalist Party made him a candidate in the 1796 presidential election as the intended running-mate of John Adams. Served as Congressman and Governor of South Carolina. Served as a major general in the Army during the War of 1812.

Henry Lee III, Federalist

Major General "Light-Horse Harry" Lee fought at the battles of Paulus Hook, Guilford Court House, Eutaw Springs, Yorktown and the Whiskey Rebellion. Federalist Congressman from Virginia, Governor of Virginia. Father of Robert E. Lee. In 1812 Lee was attacked by a Jeffersonian mob of Democratic-Republicans while defending a Federalist newspaper from attack. Lee and the other Federalists were beaten and tortured by the mob over the next three hours. Lee was left partially blinded after hot wax was poured into his eyes. The men were left for dead. All were severely injured, and one Federalist, General James Lingan, died.

Frederick Frelinghuysen, Federalist

In the War of Independence he served in the New Jersey militia as an artillery captain, seeing action at Trenton and Monmouth. Attained the rank of colonel. Member of the Continental Congress. Served in the New Jersey General Assembly. Member of the New Jersey convention that ratified the United States Constitution in 1787. President George Washington appointed him as brigadier general in the United States Army for the 1790 campaign against the western Indians. Commissioned major general in the New Jersey militia in 1794, during the Whiskey Rebellion. Elected to the United States Senate.

Stephen Van Rensselaer, Federalist

Van Rensselaer served in the New York Assembly and Senate. He served as the Federalist Lt. Governor under John Jay. In 1786, Van Rensselaer was made a major of the militia. As a Major General in the War of 1812 he led an army in an invasion of Canada and fought at the Battle of Queenston Heights. In 1813 Van Rensselaer was the Federalist candidate for Governor of New York earning 48% of the vote. A shift of only 1,800 votes would have made him Governor. In 1822 he was elected to Congress as a Federalist serving until 1829.

WILLIAM PATERSON, Federalist

James Hillhouse, Federalist

Hillhouse served as captain in Governor's Foot Guards in the Revolutionary War. He was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, Congressman from Connecticut at-large, 1791–96, and a Federalist Party U. S. Senator from Connecticut, 1796–1810. He was the anti-slavery leader of the Congress in the early days of the Republic. After the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, Hillhouse fought to bar the importation of slaves into the Louisiana Territory. "I consider slavery as a serious evil," he proclaimed, "and wish to check it wherever I have authority." Two of Hillhouse's amendments restricting slavery passed the Congress and were signed into law.

Oliver Ellsworth, Federalist

In 1777 he was chosen as one of Connecticut's representatives in the Continental Congress. Served at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia as a delegate from Connecticut. On June 20, 1787 he proposed the use of the name the United States to identify the nation under the authority of the Constitution. United States Senator from Connecticut. Ellsworth was the principal exponent in the Senate of Alexander Hamilton's economic program. In 1796 Ellsworth was appointed by President George Washington to be Chief Justice of the United States. Served as United States Envoy Extraordinary to the Court of France. Ellsworth was a candidate in the 1796 United States Presidential election, receiving eleven votes in the electoral college.

Robert Goodloe Harper, Federalist

At the age of fifteen, Harper joined a volunteer corps of Cavalry and served in the American Revolutionary Army. Harper was elected as a Federalist Congressman from South Carolina (1795 - 1801). In 1798 at a dinner in Philadelphia honoring John Marshall, a group of U.S. Congressmen were discussing a recent demand made by the government of France. French vessels had been plundering US ships in a piratical manner. French foreign minister Talleyrand said the attacks would be stopped if the US paid him $250,000 and gave France 50,000 pounds sterling and a $100 million loan. As toasts were made, Harper sent his own defiant reply to the French with this toast: “Millions for defense but not one cent for tribute.” Harper served in the War of 1812, attaining the rank of major general. He moved to Maryland and was elected as a Federalist to the US Senate. He was an unsuccessful Federalist candidate for Vice President in the 1816 election. He also received one electoral vote for Vice President in the 1820 election.

Jacob Read, Federalist

Alexander Contee Hanson, Federalist

Member of the Maryland House of Delegates. Editor of the "Federal Republican", a Federalist Party newspaper in Baltimore. Four days after the beginning of the War of 1812 a mob of pro-war Democrat-Republicans destroyed his newspaper office. The paper moved to another building where Hanson was joined by a group of armed allies. When that building was besieged by another mob, Hanson and his group fired, killing two. Hanson and his group surrendered to the militia and were escorted to jail. That evening yet another mob stormed the jail. Hanson was beaten and left for dead. Hanson was elected as a Federalist to Congress in 1812 and 1814. In 1816 he was elected as a Federalist to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate until his death in 1819 at the age of 33.

William Bingham, Federalist

As a merchant he brought full loads of munitions & guns for the war. Served as a diplomat for Congress to France. Bingham marshaled the Second Troop of Philadelphia Light Horse. He served in the Continental Congress, 1st Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, State Senator, and US Senator. Federalists agreed to hold preliminary votings at the Bingham Estate before propositions were brought before Congress publicly, thus creating unanimity among party lines. Alexander Hamilton sought Bingham as his mentor in managing taxes, tariffs, and in constructing a national bank.

Ezekiel Whitman, Federalist

Whitman practiced law in New Gloucester, Maine and in Portland, Maine (both communities a district of Massachusetts until 1820). In 1808 Whitman was elected as a Federalist Congressman from Massachusetts and served one term. In 1816 he was again elected as a Federalist to the US House serving from 1817 to 1821. In 1819 he was a delegate to the convention that prepared the constitution which led to Maine's statehood. In 1820 he was elected as a Federalist Congressman from the new state of Maine serving until 1822. Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Court from 1841 to 1848.

David Cobb, Federalist

Cobb studied medicine in Boston and practiced in Taunton, Massachusetts. He was a member of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress in 1775; lieutenant colonel of Jackson’s regiment in 1777 and 1778, serving in Rhode Island and New Jersey; was aide-de-camp on the staff of General George Washington; appointed major general of militia in 1786. Fought in the New York and New Jersey Campaign, the Battles of Springfield, Monmouth, Rhode Island and Shay's Rebellion. He served the Federalist Party as Lt. Governor of Massachusetts, President of the State Senate and Congressman.

Josiah Parker, Federalist

In 1775 Parker enlisted in the Continental Army. He was commissioned a major in the 5th Virginia Regiment in 1776 and became its colonel in 1778. His regiment served in Virginia under General Charles Lee and was transferred to George Washington. The regiment thereafter saw action at the Battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth and the Siege of Charleston. During Cornwallis's Virginia campaign in 1781, the notorious Colonel Tarleton ransacked his home. He was elected to the First US Congress from Virginia serving for twelve years.

William Stephens Smith, Federalist

Smith married Abigail "Nabby" Adams, the daughter of President John Adams, and so was a brother-in-law of President John Quincy Adams, and an uncle of Charles Francis Adams. Served in the Revolutionary Army as aide-de-camp to General John Sullivan. Fought in the Battle of Long Island, was wounded at Harlem Heights, Battle of White Plains, was promoted to lieutenant colonel at the Battle of Trenton, fought at the Battle of Monmouth and Newport. He was on the staff of General Lafayette, became an adjutant in the Corps of Light Infantry, then transferred to the staff of George Washington. Elected as a Federalist Congressman from New York.

Oliver Wolcott, Jr., Federalist

John Rutledge, Jr., Federalist

Rutledge served as Congressman from South Carolina. A passionate Federalist, he supported Aaron Burr against Jefferson, founding the Charleston Courier (predecessor of the Post and Courier) to support his causes. Joining the South Carolina Militia in 1799, Rutledge served as commander of the Twenty-eighth Regiment in the War of 1812. He subsequently commanded the Seventh Brigade from 1816 until his death. Rutledge's life was fraught with controversy. Catching his wife (mother to his nine children) in a "clandestine visit" with Dr. Horace Senter, Rutledge challenged him to a duel, fatally wounding the doctor.

John Sergeant, Federalist

Member of the Pennsylvania state house of representatives 1808-1810; elected as a Federalist to Congress and served from 1815, to 1823. Sergeant was a strong backer of Henry Clay's American System and the Second Bank of the United States, and even traveled to Europe to negotiate loans to the Bank. He was a strong opponent of slavery who voted against the Missouri Compromise. In 1826 he was an envoy to the Panama Congress. Elected to Congress as an Adams candidate 1827 to 1829. Failing re-election he became legal counsel to the Bank of the United States. Sergeant was the Vice Presidential running mate in Henry Clay's campaign on the National Republican ticket in 1832. Elected as a Whig to Congress serving from 1837 to 1841.

John Laurance, Federalist

Philip Barton Key, Federalist

Key had been a Loyalist in the American Revolution. He served in the Maryland Loyalists Battalion as a captain. Key fought with the British Army from 1777 to 1781, until he was captured by the Spanish in Pensacola, Florida with the rest of his battalion. After the war he served as Mayor of Annapolis & member of the Maryland House of Delegates. Appointed a Federal Judge by John Adams. He was a Counsel to Justice Samuel Chase during Chase's Jefferson ordered impeachment show-trial in 1805. Elected as a Federalist to Congress from Maryland (1807 - 1813). Francis Scott Key was his nephew.