STATUTE SERVES POLITICAL PARTIES, NOT PALMETTO STATE’S CITIZENS
|| By FITSNEWS || We’re not especially exercised over the local election which led us to address this issue, but South Carolina’s “sore loser” law desperately needs to be addressed. In fact it needs to be eliminated – as its existence is yet another sop to the Palmetto State’s failed two-party system of government.
The “sore loser” statute holds that any candidate who seeks the GOP or Democratic nomination for a particular office – and does not win that nomination – cannot continue campaigning for the seat.
They are not allowed to run as an independent, as a member of another party or as a write-in candidate.
“The law serves to protect the power of Democratic and Republican parties under our two-party system,” editorial writers at The (Spartanburg, S.C.) Herald-Journal opined in 2010. “It does not serve the people. In fact, the law limits the people.”
Indeed. Taxpayers subsidize GOP and Democratic primary and runoff elections in this state – affairs which usually result in the election of intellectually incurious, glad-handing, fiscally liberal, anti-free market, pro-status quo conformists.
For years it was Democratic one-party rule driving South Carolina in the ground … but in recent history “Republican” rule has made things even worse.
Our state is in desperate need of new options … and doing away with the “sore loser” law is one way to generate such options.
No political party should be given preferential treatment at any level of government. Candidates for all offices ought to be assessed on their merits, not the labels they affix to themselves.
38 comments
Losers are like bad pennies. They keep turning up!
Will, I agree with you in theory. But we have a loser class that will wear out the pubic and its treasury if it gets a chance–the loser always feels like he/she is a f’ing genius and that the public is awaiting that genius to be delivered to their living room.
I say shoot all the losers at dawn on the day after the election. That would take care of a hell of a lot of trouble all at once.
Let’s just shoot them all and see if we can do without for a year…
Colonel, is that your daughter in the photo — showing us the “sign of the gun”?
No daughters, only sons. I think she’s signaling to the waiter for a latte…
Now I recognize this girl from a couple of weeks ago.
A professor and I were enjoying some drinks at a bar in Five Points when this girl from one of his classes, and wearing a really sexy outfit, sashayed over to him and said, “Like, I want you to totally screw my brains out tonight.”
“Sorry,” he replied, “I’m not into quickies.”
I bet Taylor was pissed when he told her that.
Taylor doesn’t deserve that….
Send them off to Navassa Island for a year. If they can build a functioning society during the year they can come back and assume their office, if they fail the can stay on Navassa Island until they either starve or the build a functioning society. We won’t miss them much.
Why mess up the Gecko’s habitat? Maybe Riker’s island would be a better test?
Riker’s is too close to land they might swim back. I’d consider Jarvis Island a suitable home for the politicians resort. Hope they bring lots of water with them though.
Most of them wouldn’t survive the first night in Riker’s and putting them there would save us the trouble of putting them there later when they’re caught and convicted for whatever nefarious deeds the do.
I had never heard of Jarvis Island (and I have a degree in Marine Science…) Interesting place.
I like the way you think. Though they pols might corrupt the run of the mill murders, rapists and thieves at Riker’s it’s a chance will have to take.
I once wrote a paper on the Guano Islands Act. After doing so much research I think I have all the islands memorized.
Hmmm???Tom Ervin ran as a “self-identified former Democrat Independent Republican” or some such in his failed bid for governor last year after failing to secure the Republican Party nomination.Independents and Libertarians elect liberal Democrats when they run for office.
‘Sup?
You couldn’t quit coming here any more than you could quit begging your allah Haley to raise our taxes like the liberal commie you are.
Though it would appear on the surface to be a local issue, such a law would very much raise the eyebrows of the Duopoly nationally.
It’s always been a two party system, & it will remain that way as long as the empire remains intact- as it’s critical to “getting things done”/control.
They’ll never allow multiple parties and substantially more gridlock. The duopoly will remain and the Dems & Repubs will work together to make sure of it.
If they ever agree on one thing, it will be to join together to make sure their fiefdom is protected.
Great idea, Fits!!!! While we’re at it, let’s do away with that stupid “straight party” voting option which only serves to strengthen the big two, especially the Republican Party at present. If someone is too retarded to vote and pick out candidates, they probably don’t need to vote.
+10 –> Today’s winner!
It’s the reason they joined a political party. If they have already made up their mind to vote the party line, why not let them?
I think the point is they can vote for anyone they like, but they have to actually vote for them separately than all at once. Maybe, just maybe, they’ll actually look at who they are voting for.
Great idea. Force people to actually look at the candidates they are putting into office. Plus, get rid of the GOP & DEM’s locks on voters.
Better yet, do away with party labels on the ballot. Then the voter would actually have to acquaint himself or herself with the candidate’s positions on the issues.
So with multiple candidates, and no one receiving a majority, would we have run offs in theGeneral Election too?
Don’t try to explain why this is a stupid idea, this is just vacation filler to keep us molified till he gets back to town.
Bingo. It’s the nearly-constant conundrum of grownups who read this site. Do we waste minutes of our life that we’ll never get back explaining away every stupid FITS position? We gots to pick our battles, or we turn into GT (working full time as commenter here wouldn’t pay that well, I would imagine).
Instant runoff voting.
Pass a law abolishing all parties and primaries. Make everyone run as an independent. No more of this party line voting shit.
“Carolina’s “sore loser” election law (which we oppose), Adams is prohibited from doing anything to campaign for the seat.”
———————
That is from the sheriff’s race article. If “Citizens United” protects third party free speech it seems that that the state can’t prevent Adams from campaigning.
For congressional, legislative and other representative elections (including presidential electors) I am a strong proponet of mixed member proportional voting.
For governor, constitutional officers, sheriffs, and other executive elections I favor the Alternative Vote also called instant runoff voting.
Video Explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y3jE3B8HsE
What! You guys still have “write-in” candidates?
I wish we had that. Taxifornia has dumped any semblance of genuine free for all elections, having adopted a complicated “winner-takes-all” primary scheme that favors incumbents and big party demagoguery.
Has the sore loser law ever been challenged in court? On its face, it wouldn’t appear to be constitutional seeing as how campaigning in a form of free speech.
Rather undemocratic, isn’t it? But then again, upholding democratic principles has never been an interest of SC politicians.
This law is clearly UnConstitutional and violates free speech guarantees.
I don’t think it has ever been challenged in court.
It would be interesting to see it done.
A winner would then be able to sue the GOP or DEM’s for damages and probably win big money.
So, you think it’s a good idea that someone can lose in a Dem primary and then run in the same election as an independent/Repub/Green, etc? That’s just plain stupid…
The campaign slogan would be something like “I didn’t win the Dem primary, but vote for me anyway…I’m really an independent. Wink, wink.”
How ’bout just get rid of the sore losers?
South Carolina’s all-day suckers who elect Boehner-loving Joe Wilson and their payday-grubbing legislature need to know
If you follow these felons they’ll lead you straight to Hell but then…that’s where unrepentant sinners are bound to go
!!!
Next time- Run as a Republican and Libertarian.