Somewhat related to Max's post regarding Alvin Greene, an accused felon who is now the Democratic nominee for a Senate slot representing SC...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/10/AR2010061004943.html

Apparently the Democratic voters of SC were presented with three dark-horse (no pun intended) candidates who also happen to be black.  "Conventional" Democrat-endorsed candidates were rejected by the voters in the election by two of these candidates (one of whom did not win a nomination).

Several Dem figures (including House Majority Whip James Clyburn) now are demanding an investigation of the campaigns of these three men.  Apparently they believe that the Dem voters in SC are worthless and weak, and should not be allowed to vote for "unconventional" candidates.

(added info after initial post)...

In the case of Mr. Greene, he handily took in 59% of the vote, running against an established 4-term state politician, Vic Rawl.  From what I can tell, Greene did not even have a campaign website and it appears that his campaign was next to nonexistent.

The state Dem Party Chairwoman, Carol Fowler, opined that voters unfamiliar with either Greene or Rawl may have simply voted in alphabetic order.  (Like I said, the SC Dem party appears to believe that its voters are worthless and weak)  I'm surprised that she did not speculate that voters thought that he was the Reverend Al Green.  ;D

I'll bet that this was very much a put-up job, and that Jim Demint had something to do with it.

What you fail to mention is that the unemployed man who won, somehow had $10,400 in his bank account in order to put up the $10,000 application to run for office.  That right there doesn't pass the sniff test, so yeah, good call on the Dems on investigating.

Greene's $10,400 campaign filing fee was written on a blank check with "Alvin M. Greene for Senate" handwritten across the top.

--WashPo

This isn't a cat license.  This a dog license with word "dog" crossed out and "cat" written in in crayon!

Man didn't have the right form.

What man?

The man from the Cat Detector van.

The Loony Detector van you mean...

--Monty Python
"The Fish License"
:D

I'll bet that this was very much a put-up job, and that Jim Demint had something to do with it.


But what if it was?  The Democratic party's rank and file voted for the guy.  It's not like you had a guy impersonating another politician or anything.  And I have not heard (at least yet) allegations of ballot box stuffing.  As well, it does not appear that Green was out stumping for some political agenda that he's gonna walk away from, seing as he did not make any speeches or run any position ads whatsoever.

Heck, here in PA is it not unusual for a candidate to run both in Republican AND Democratic primary for the same office, and win both.  (This running against themselves in the general election and virtually assured a win if they win both primaries).

I am not sure how it goes in other states, but here in Pennsylvania, the Democratic party will stop at nothing to try and disqualify nominating petitions for people who want to run in the primaries.  Seems to me that the party only wants the voters to be able to vote for THEIR approved candidates.  Their vaunted principles of "choice" are for other people, not them.

The whole Greene Incident is quite an indictment on how Democrats vote for candidates. (and I suspect this could happen in a Repub primary too).  If a hot steaming turd by the name Albert Aardvark had run in this primary (and thus his name first on the ballot), it is likely that HE woulda won.  ;D


Now as to who put up the $10,400 app fee.  How is this any different than a union that spends millions to promote its candidate?  Or the National Dem (or Repub) party that funnels millions to hawk their approved candidate using out-of-state monies?  Or the corporate-associated PAC that promotes campaigns of either party?  I have a business associate who almost always contributes $2000 or so to BOTH candidates running in important elections around here, to hedge his bets.

The "establishment" spends tens and hundreds of millions of dollars to run dirty and untruthful ads, yet now all of a sudden people are concerned as to who paid this schlub's campaign app fee.  ::)

But what if it was?  The Democratic party's rank and file voted for the guy.  It's not like you had a guy impersonating another politician or anything.  And I have not heard (at least yet) allegations of ballot box stuffing.  As well, it does not appear that Green was out stumping for some political agenda that he's gonna walk away from, seing as he did not make any speeches or run any position ads whatsoever.

Heck, here in PA is it not unusual for a candidate to run both in Republican AND Democratic primary for the same office, and win both.  (This running against themselves in the general election and virtually assured a win if they win both primaries).

I am not sure how it goes in other states, but here in Pennsylvania, the Democratic party will stop at nothing to try and disqualify nominating petitions for people who want to run in the primaries.  Seems to me that the party only wants the voters to be able to vote for THEIR approved candidates.  Their vaunted principles of "choice" are for other people, not them.

The whole Greene Incident is quite an indictment on how Democrats vote for candidates. (and I suspect this could happen in a Repub primary too).  If a hot steaming turd by the name Albert Aardvark had run in this primary (and thus his name first on the ballot), it is likely that HE woulda won.   ;D


Now as to who put up the $10,400 app fee.  How is this any different than a union that spends millions to promote its candidate?  Or the National Dem (or Repub) party that funnels millions to hawk their approved candidate using out-of-state monies?  Or the corporate-associated PAC that promotes campaigns of either party?  I have a business associate who almost always contributes $2000 or so to BOTH candidates running in important elections around here, to hedge his bets.

The "establishment" spends tens and hundreds of millions of dollars to run dirty and untruthful ads, yet now all of a sudden people are concerned as to who paid this schlub's campaign app fee.  ::)



SC has open primaries which means that Republicans CAN vote for Dems in primaries. My guess is that a lot of Republicans voted for this guy.



Cat

SC has open primaries which means that Republicans CAN vote for Dems in primaries. My guess is that a lot of Republicans voted for this guy.

Cat


No doubt about that.  But with a 59% vote result, I don't think that cross-party voting alone can explain the win.

If there were a massive effort to elect Al Greene by a cross-party conspiracy, I think someone woulda blabbed by now.  ???

My opinion, the states that allow cross-party primary voting are corrupting the political-party process.  If you want somebody in the other party to win the nomination, then register as a member of that party and vote away, I say.

I CAN see states allowing "Independent" voters to vote in either a Dem or Repub primary though.

No doubt about that.  But with a 59% vote result, I don't think that cross-party voting alone can explain the win.

If there were a massive effort to elect Al Greene by a cross-party conspiracy, I think someone woulda blabbed by now.   ???

My opinion, the states that allow cross-party primary voting are corrupting the political-party process.  If you want somebody in the other party to win the nomination, then register as a member of that party and vote away, I say.

I CAN see states allowing "Independent" voters to vote in either a Dem or Repub primary though.



Vermont has open primaries and the only person who really complained about it was a guy who lost the primary by a LANDSLIDE to old farmer Fred Tuttle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Tuttle


As bizarre as that election was, it was on the up and up. Fred even admitted that if he won the primary, he would be backing his opponent, Pat Leahy-and that is what he did.


Unlike Fred, this guy (as Max pointed out) seems like he is hiding something.



Cat

Can you be more specific about the charges against you?

Well, I, I think I, it could make...things need to be done better in the future...better for society...if, um, like whoa, it's a message for me, I...if...that's society."

:D

It's South Carolina which is pretty much Bizzaro America.  Everything they do is assholebackward.

It's South Carolina which is pretty much Bizzaro America.  Everything they do is assholebackward.


They don't have Strom Thurmond keeping his boot on their necks anymore.  Strom was one of the nastiest characters in the history of the U.S. Senate, but maybe he was good at keeping the nickel-and-dime creeps in line!
:-\\

Well, the odds of the Democrats winning this seat were already slim to none, so now it's just a foregone conclusion.

Well, the odds of the Democrats winning this seat were already slim to none, so now it's just a foregone conclusion.


Right.  So why ever did they put this putz into the picture?  What's up widdat?
???

Right.  So why ever did they put this putz into the picture?  What's up widdat?
???


I guess they got bored.  Maybe Karl Rove was like, "Hey, watch this."

I guess they got bored.  Maybe Karl Rove was like, "Hey, watch this."


Yeah, I got a guy who won't talk 'cos his lawyer keeps shouting at him about not answering questions.  I had this oaf slated for secretary of state.  I had to cut a deal somewhere!