No longer any doubt. There ARE some Republicans who favor dictatorship.

[Pacifist Patriot]

I went around the neighborhood collecting candidate qualification signatures to get a woman on the ballot for County Commission without having to pay the exhorbitant filing fee. I was working a list of Democrats but stumbled on a couple just getting home who asked me what I was doing. I chatted with them briefly (our houses are within line of sight), showed them the candidate's brochure and then asked if they were registered voters.

THEM: "Yes, but we're Republicans."

ME: "Oh that doesn't matter. You only have to be a registered voter."

THEM: "I'm not sure we should sign."

ME: "This doesn't indicate support for the candidate, it simply allows her to be on the ballot and campaign for office."

THEM: "You don't understand. We don't want a Democrat on the ballot."

ME: "Thank you, have a nice day."

WTF????

I want to cry.

[Stinky The Clown]

1. "We don't want a Democrat on the ballot."

WTF, indeed!

[file83]

2. You want to cry? Listen to my story....

Back when I was in college, I worked for a PIRG (public interest research group) and I tried getting signatures for campaign finance reform. I saw this guy in his garage and walked on to his driveway. So I announce who I was with and this guy starts yelling at me, accusing me, "It's people LIKE YOU that made me lose my timber industry job! Now get off my property before I throw you off!" He threw in a few cuss words too while waving a wrench in the air.

I quit my job the next day. It scared the shit out of me.

[serryjw]

3. I thank you for canvassing

but that has become a dangerous job. I wouldn't do it. You have no idea how divided the country is until you do this or petitioning. What happened to free debate in a democracy? I voted against 3 issues I petitioned for in the last 3 years. I wouldn't do the petition to restrict abortion or Gay rights but other more benign issues I will work for. Not everyone on DU agrees with me. I had a screaming democrat who wouldn't sign my education bill>

[RagingInMiami]

4. Don't cry

Just understand that we're at war. If someone like you came up to me asking me to sign to put a republican on the ballot, I would laugh at him before slamming the door in his face.

[JohnnyRingo]

5. Hahahaha...."we don't want a Democrat on the ballot"

Do these people hear themselves?
If they'd said "we support the other candidate" it would have been understandable.

I may have had a snide comment ready after that:
"Yeah, I understand, that's how they do the elections in Iran. Maybe someday America can switch to the one-party system too".

Hang in there.

[Skittles]

9. no, they don't hear themselves, they only hear their dittomasters

these sheep do not think for themselves

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. I always sign petitions of this sort

and have signed them for Republicans and Independents. I always say that I feel every political persuasion should be represented, because that is how democracy truly works. This has gotten a shocked look from some of the people passing around the petition. Maybe you've explained why.

[Pacifist Patriot]

10. Same here. I'd sign for anyone.

Being on the ballot doesn't mean anyone has to vote for them.

[Bok_Tukalo]

7. Yes, there are

<ope>

[Tom Joad]

8. Would you sign to put a republican on the ballot?

Yes, you would certainly agree that they have the right to run. I doubt i would sign to put one on the ballot. Let Republicans do that. In fact, I wouldn't really want Republicans to sign to put Dems on the ballot. Let people who know of the specific persons qualifications sign.
I think you are reading too much into a very brief exchange.

For example, I do believe in any person in California (citizen or resident) right to be on the ballot for governor. I do not want, however, a hundred names on the ballot next november. So put a petition in my hands to sign to put someone on the ballot, and i better know who they are.

[Pacifist Patriot]

11. I would and I have.

At this point in the process, no one is going to know much about anyone who wants to be on the ballot. This enables people to qualify for the ballot and mount a campaign. If we waited for everyone who knew of the specific person's qualifications, no Democrats could sign for her to run either.

This is a way to enable anyone to run regardless of financial status. It's a way to get around having to pay the filing fee. I have more respect for candidates who get out and do this than those who plunk down cash to get started. It's not easy. And that includes Republicans and Independents.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

12. I also have and will continue to do so

Around in my neck of the woods, our problem isn't too many candidates, but too few. Usually its the local sheriff's race that brings out at least three candidates; we're lucky if we have two for any of the other races. In a county of only 6000 people, one gets to sort of know, at least by reputation, about anyone who would want to run for anything. So I guess my situation is different from yours, as are my actions.

[Earth_First]

13. I'm sorry to hear that...

When we were carrying petitions before the primaries we had a decent pleasant response from nearly 90% of the individuals we encountered.

There's always a bad apple, don't let this discourage you from participating!