[GPSCC-chat] California's War on Third Parties

[rainbeaufriend at riseup.net]

http://beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=12324

Guest Editorial: California's War on Third Parties
by Chris Kavanagh‚ Feb. 10‚ 2014

Is California the most anti-democratic state of all the 50 US states?

I ask this question because---unbelievably---California's traditional
"third" (or minor) political party candidates have effectively been
disenfranchised from gaining access to the statewide California ballot in
2014.

Since 2010, unlike almost every US state and the vast majority of nations
around the world, California has imposed unreasonable----and brazenly
unconstitutional----barriers that prevent third parties from fielding
candidates for State and Federal offices during the election season.

This situation has resulted in an unprecedented drop in third party
candidates attaining ballot status, including the Green Party, Peace and
Freedom Party and Libertarian Party among others.

In 2010, a total of 74 third party candidates appeared on the California
ballot for Governor, US House, State Assembly and State Senate among other
State and Federal offices. In 2012----shockingly---only 13 third party
candidates managed to attain ballot status.

What has been the cause of this dramatic collapse in third party ballot
access? One reason is cost: in 2010, a statewide third party candidate
could attain ballot status by submitting a $150 filing fee. Today, that
fee has increased by 2000 percent----to $3000 per statewide candidate.

For the Green Party of California to field four statewide candidates would
cost $12,000 total. For a party that rejects corporate money, this amount
is an onerous hardship. In lieu of paying $12,000 in ballot fees, the
Green Party must collect 40,000 valid signatures (60,000 as insurance) to
place four statewide candidates on the ballot---an even more onerous
hardship.

Meanwhile, the wealthy and corporate-funded state Democratic and
Republican parties can write $3000 checks for each of their statewide
candidates without flinching. This amount is chump change for the the two
corporate-backed major parties.

Even Russia allows qualified political parties to field candidates without
obstructing their access to the ballot. This situation is both shameful
and brazenly anti-democratic.

But the two party monopoly that controls California's government and
political system have remained silent and complicit. In fact, the two
major parties have enabled this situation

The above anti-democratic barriers imposed upon third parties are the
result of Proposition 14---placed on the 2010 ballot by both Democratic
and Republican party members of the State Legislature.

Outrageously, the original language of Proposition 14 omitted any mention
of a $3000 candidate fee or having to collect 10,000 signatures to qualify
a statewide candidate for the ballot. California's voters were effectively
hoodwinked when they passed Proposition 14 without knowing the facts.

The Green Party, Peace and Freedom Party and Libertarian Party have joined
forces in a pending law suit seeking to overturn Proposition 14 as
unconstitutional and undemocratic.

Meanwhile, the Green Party has launched a campaign to collect the 40,000
signatures necessary to place four statewide candidates on the June, 2014
election ballot. Any registered California voter can provide a signature.
The deadline to submit signatures is February 20.

For information on this campaign or to submit a signature,
visit http://www.cagreens.org/elections/2014