Bernie Sanders

Playinghardball

(11,665 posts) Thu Jun 18, 2015, 07:19 PM Jun 2015

Democrats May Keep Bernie Sanders Off New York Primary Ballot [View all]

Vermont Senator/Indie Rocker Bernie Sanders is an Independent on paper, which means that he's going to have a hard time getting his name on the Democratic presidential primary ballot in New York to compete with Taylor Swift fan Hillary Clinton next year.

Why? Meet Wilson-Pakula, a very obscure state law. The Wilson-Pakula act, which passed in New York State back in 1947, bars any candidate from running for the nomination of a political party that he or she is not officially affiliated with. Unless, that is, he or she manages to get permission from that party's committee leaders.

Sadly, and a bit ironically, Wilson-Pakula helped marginalize some of the political movements that Bernie supports. According to the Washington Post, pre-1947, "communist and socialist candidates had been able to become candidates... after winning support from voters." In other words, back then, average New Yorkers got to make candidacy appointments.

Under current law, permission to cross party lines is, apparently, very rarely granted. It doesn't help that the relevant committee in New York State has a lot of Hillary supporters: From Assembly Chair David Paterson, to Governor Cuomo himself who, as Capital put it, "controls most of the party apparatus."

Undeterred, as of this writing, 4,269 people have signed an online petition to "GET BERNIE SANDERS ON BALLOT IN NEW YORK." From the letter, addressed to Governor Cuomo and David Paterson:

We believe that selecting candidates to represent us is one of the core functions of the people. Thus, we stand in solidarity with Governor Cuomo's call to repeal the Wilson Pakula law. The Wilson Pakula law, which requires a candidate from one party obtain permission from party bosses to run as a candidate from another party, is antiquated and not Democratic.

More here: http://gothamist.com/2015/06/18/bernie_sanders_new_york.php

GET BERNIE SANDERS ON BALLOT IN NEW YORK
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/grant-bernie-sanders-wilson-pakula-exemption

81 replies

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Democrats May Keep Bernie Sanders Off New York Primary Ballot [View all] Playinghardball Jun 2015 OP

As sooon as Bernie announced UNOFFICIALLY, the Democratic Party began raising money off his run. merrily Jun 2015 #1

Can't imagine they'll keep him off marym625 Jun 2015 #2

New Democrats, you know..... Enthusiast Jun 2015 #62

yep. marym625 Jun 2015 #63

I am sorry, are you insinuating that they have integrity? Getting H.Clinton into the WH is the rhett o rick Jun 2015 #67

No, I am insinuating they don't. marym625 Jun 2015 #68

My "are you insinuating" was meant as sarcasm. We agree here. nm rhett o rick Jun 2015 #69

oh! Sorry. my bad marym625 Jun 2015 #70

NP. I have to be careful with my unidentified sarcasm. rhett o rick Jun 2015 #71

Maybe we should use the marym625 Jun 2015 #74

Yep. nm rhett o rick Jun 2015 #75

I'm in NY and I just signed - LiberalElite Jun 2015 #3

+1 daleanime Jun 2015 #7

Is that constitutional? pscot Jun 2015 #4

I'm not a scholar on this subject, but SusanCalvin Jun 2015 #16

Short answer: Yes. n/t ColesCountyDem Jun 2015 #26

Not surprised BrotherIvan Jun 2015 #5

Changing your affiliation doesn't accomplish much. Jim Lane Jun 2015 #15

Well, I already don't give them money, so it's all I've got BrotherIvan Jun 2015 #17

Correct awoke_in_2003 Jun 2015 #45

This message was self-deleted by its author 1StrongBlackMan Jun 2015 #33

Doubt he will get on Oklahoma Duckhunter935 Jun 2015 #6

Wouldn't switching his party affiliation fix that? You know, re-register as a Democrat? CaliforniaPeggy Jun 2015 #8

It's far from clear that he can switch Jim Lane Jun 2015 #12

If what you are saying is correct, then in theory . . . markpkessinger Jun 2015 #23

Howard Dean was on the ballot karynnj Jun 2015 #37

How could Howard Dean have been a 'Democratic' governor . . . markpkessinger Jun 2015 #38

Dean ran on the Democratic line; Sanders didn't karynnj Jun 2015 #44

Suppose a Vermonter who had never run for public office wanted to run in the NY primary? Jim Lane Jun 2015 #48

I think you're too optimistic about the timing. Jim Lane Jun 2015 #47

If Bernie gets rolled by those tactics, Admiral Loinpresser Jun 2015 #52

Same here, and we would be far from alone. It would be very foolish for them to be that blatant sabrina 1 Jun 2015 #56

Whether he gets "rolled" or not you still have the same decision. But I recommend that rhett o rick Jun 2015 #72

Wherever the masses are, brother, Admiral Loinpresser Jun 2015 #81

This message was self-deleted by its author 1StrongBlackMan Jun 2015 #34

Vermont has no concept of party that they recognize. hootinholler Jun 2015 #28

This message was self-deleted by its author 1StrongBlackMan Jun 2015 #35

Signed! Faux pas Jun 2015 #9

and I used to think only Republicons cheated corkhead Jun 2015 #10

There are republican calling themselves democrats. Vincardog Jun 2015 #66

Where are those WallStreet Banks located again? /nt think Jun 2015 #11

^^^ L0oniX Jun 2015 #25

Wouldn't it be easier for him Control-Z Jun 2015 #13

Read post 12 rpannier Jun 2015 #14

VT doesn't have party-based registration. So he can't. jeff47 Jun 2015 #61

Signed. eggplant Jun 2015 #18

Nothing at all like Nite Owl Jun 2015 #49

We've got a fucked up law in Florida too. Fuddnik Jun 2015 #19

He caucuses with the D's in the US Senate Omaha Steve Jun 2015 #20

Do you believe Hillary is doing this? Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2015 #21

Former senator for the state of NY? Jester Messiah Jun 2015 #32

I'm sure she wouldn't promise anyone anything either..... Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2015 #36

They Wouldn't Dare... WillyT Jun 2015 #22

This message was self-deleted by its author jwirr Jun 2015 #24

Signed. zentrum Jun 2015 #27

Signed, sealed, delivered. :) SmittynMo Jun 2015 #29

Signed. DeadLetterOffice Jun 2015 #30

Playing that game will infuriate so many of us. There's a danger to that. madfloridian Jun 2015 #31

This sort of obstacle is what crippled the McGovern campaign RufusTFirefly Jun 2015 #39

Well that is why there is the write in option. Kalidurga Jun 2015 #40

I would imagine that the various state parties have gotten their orders from the DNC to do all they dflprincess Jun 2015 #41

This would destroy the democratic party fbc Jun 2015 #42

In a Leninist sense, Admiral Loinpresser Jun 2015 #54

It would create a war within the party, and I would almost bet on a republican still_one Jun 2015 #78

Take it as a backhanded compliment RufusTFirefly Jun 2015 #43

Try it...and there WILL be consequences. SoapBox Jun 2015 #46

If this comes to pass, the Democratic Party TM99 Jun 2015 #50

And I think those that enact these rules probably need armed guards to follow them too... cascadiance Jun 2015 #60

Signed! retrowire Jun 2015 #51

What would show Hillary's leadership qualities more than insisting Bernie Damansarajaya Jun 2015 #53

No, I'm fairly sure that she will speak out.... daleanime Jun 2015 #73

LOL! nt Damansarajaya Jun 2015 #79

If they keep Bernie off the ballot in New York, they will be sounding the Party's death knell. Maedhros Jun 2015 #55

Agree. They will certainly be showing the true colors of the new Dem Party leadership cui bono Jun 2015 #58

Yes. I agree it would shred the Party. glinda Jun 2015 #64

However, the Party has been playing us for chumps for a few election cycles now, Maedhros Jun 2015 #65

Signed SamKnause Jun 2015 #57

Maybe we can push for laws in other states keeping candidates who go over an amount of funding... cascadiance Jun 2015 #59

Smart to let him on HassleCat Jun 2015 #76

Exactly right; Clinton beat Obama by 17 points in the NY primary BeyondGeography Jun 2015 #80

No way. NH does not have party registration and Bernie is running as a Democrat still_one Jun 2015 #77