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The Oklahoman, March 2, 2005

Your Views: Ballot access laws

 Voters are lacking a real choice

Jerrel Puckett (Your Views, Feb. 26) is puzzled that Republicans support a $500 million education scheme that will cost the taxpayers dearly. What puzzles me is Republicans who continue to listen to the small-government rhetoric of their party and not notice that the federal government and many states spend more under Republican control than Democratic. Both major parties have the same solution to society's ills — take more money from society to waste on inefficient and ineffective government programs. Puckett and all Oklahomans should heed the advice of Chris Powell (Opinion, Feb. 25) and back House Bill 1429 to allow some real political dialogue in Oklahoma to begin. Freeing up the ballot is the only way to give voters a real choice in how our government operates.

Larry Brittain
Guthrie

Two of a kind I support Chris Powell (Opinion, Feb. 25) and House Bill 1429, which would ease ballotaccess rules to 1974 and earlier. Remember California's recall and the special election that named Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor? That election drew over 100 candidates. Did California voters get confused over so many candidates to choose from? On the contrary, it had the largest voter turnout in history and not one ever complained about the numbers.

Having 100 candidates may be too many, but having only two is way too few. It's only one more than Saddam's Iraq. Republicans and Democrats are alike on more issues than they are different. Consider Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, public (government) schools, the Federal Reserve System, legal-tender laws, welfare, immigration controls, the war on terrorism, indefinite detentions, torture, denial of due process and habeas corpus and right to counsel, gun control, foreign aid, foreign intervention. Republicans and Democrats may differ on the finite details, but on the broad picture they have the same beliefs. Let's give Oklahomans some real choice and pass HB 1429.

Thomas Bell
Midwest City

Blessing in disguise

Libertarian Chris Powell's "Ballot law overly restrictive" (Opinion, Feb. 25) named things that Oklahoma's current out-of-date ballot access laws do and don't do. Powell omitted one "do" that may be a blessing in disguise for third parties. When any third party approaches voters to collect signatures, they automatically score free publicity for their party. In order to get the signatures that are presently required, the canvassers will probably ask 300,000 to 400,000 folks to sign their petitions. Every voter they approach hears about the unfairness of the present Oklahoma system. Just imagine the impact these minority parties will have when they explain to thousands of voters how our state supports unfair political competition. If four or five parties are out collecting signatures, they'll reach almost every registered voter. This could cause an unexpected and huge shift in Oklahoma politics.

Donna Davis
Edmond