My legal political limits.

[Courtesy Flush]

I had posted here before about the legal restrictions I have regarding politics. By law, I'm not allowed to publicly support a political candidate as long as I'm employed by the state. We've been told that this law was enacted to protect state employees from exploitation by politicians. It's interesting how my rights have been taken away for my own protection. I've never understood it.

Today, the policy was emailed out again, as it periodically is. Here's a snippet, including the "don'ts"

*****************snippage*****************



You may not:

1. Become a candidate for nomination or election to public office.
2. Become a member of any committee of a political party or faction.
3. Make or solicit contributions for any candidate or political party or faction.
4. Take an active part in the management of the affairs of a political party, faction, candidate, or campaign.
5. Attend any fund raising function of a candidate or political party or faction—even if someone gives you a free ticket. A function will be considered a fundraiser if it is advertised that anything—including food—will be sold at the function—even if you do not plan to buy anything.
6. Solicit votes for or against a candidate or political party or faction.
7. Publicly announce, in writing or otherwise, support or opposition to a candidate or political party or faction.
8. Prepare or distribute campaign material for or against a candidate or political party or faction.
9. Contribute or volunteer time, effort, property, or any other thing of value in support of or opposition to a candidate or political party or faction.
10. Display a bumper sticker on the vehicle you drive in support of or opposition to a candidate or political party or faction.
11. Place a sign on your property supporting or opposing a candidate or political party or faction or allow anyone who is not your spouse to do so.
12. Contribute or loan money in support of or opposition to a candidate or political party or faction.
13. Vote at the caucus or convention of a candidate or political party or faction.
14. Wear, use, display, or distribute tee shirts, hats, stickers, pins, fans, water bottles, or any other material in support of or opposition to a candidate or political party or faction.


*****************/snippage*****************

Here's the killer. My wife isn't bound by these laws. Just me. So she can put her Republican signs in the yard, and I just have to grin and bear it. The more we part ways on political opinions, the more she'll enjoy that! :wtf:

[Orangepeel]

1. What state do you work for?

That's crazy! State employees in Maryland don't have such restrictions.

[Courtesy Flush]

6. Louisiana

[Orangepeel]

7. that's terrible!

IMO, ought to be unconstitutional. You shouldn't be barred from political speech on your own time on your own property.

[kay1864]

2. Two of those make ZERO sense

11. Place a sign on your property supporting or opposing a candidate or political party or faction or allow anyone who is not your spouse to do so.
12. Contribute or loan money in support of or opposition to a candidate or political party or faction.

The others, yeah maybe I can see not having bumper stickers in the state employees' parking lot. But damn, your own private property is not the state's domain. Neither is your own private wallet.

Geez.

[ceile]

3. Next they'll tell you can't vote!

Gezz, some of those are just crazy! No volunteering?

[kay1864]

5. I can sorta understand not volunteering

Since someone can see you at candidate X's booth and say "Don't you work for the governor? Is she supporting candidate X?" Stupid, yeah, but I can see their point of view.

But your own lawn and wallet now, a reasonable person would see that as your own property, with no connection to your job or the state.

[NoPasaran]

4. Yikes! It's a wonder they let you vote!

Some of those restrictions make sense, others are just plain nuts. So, if you and your wife were sitting in the sun and she was fanning herself with a political fan, she wouldn't be allowed to hand it to you for a minute? Ay carumba!

[Left Is Write]

11. Voting isn't "publicly" supporting a candidate, because votes are private.

Allegedly, anyway.

[alarimer]

8. 10-14 are ridiculous

since they apply to your personal property. I understand not wearing the buttons or t-shirts at work but when you are off, it isn't fair at all.

And you know what, these rules do not stop the bigwigs from playing politics on state time; they only abuse the rank and file workers.

I am under many of the same restrictions. But I routinely ignore the support for one candidate thing at home and in my car. And of course I say whatever I want here. I will go and listen to candidates whenever and where ever I choose. Let the fucking state of Texas fire me. I and the ACLU will sue them until they are broke. LOL. My employer fucks me over for promotions and raises all the damn time, even though I work my ass off. So they can go to hell.

I work for a state agency whose office happens to be on the campus of a state university. Clearly our similar rules are not enforced because I see bumper stickers on cars all the time in the parking lot. I don't like to put bumper stickers on my car because I am afraid it will ruin the finish and make the car harder to sell eventually but I am thinking about putting signs in the window of my car. Bring it on.

[guitar man]

9. how awful!!

I mean, you're really married to a Republican :shrug:



I keed, I keed!

[seemunkee]

10. I thought money was speech?

Isn't that what is constantly harped on when it comes to restricting donations and PACS?