(Chuck Muth) – I don’t think most folks fully appreciate just how devastating the existence of our newly-created Organized Labor Party could be in this and future elections to Democrats.
It’s been pooh-poohed as a stunt designed simply to demonstrate the absurdity of Secretary of State Ross Miller allowing the Tea Party of Nevada ballot access without actually gathering the signatures every other third party has had to gather to qualify as an actual third party.
But while demonstrating an absurdity with an absurdity is certainly one of our motivations, the practical implication of having a CONSERVATIVE Organized Labor Party in Nevada is anything but absurd.
The reality is that some ill-informed voters who otherwise would vote for Sharron Angle in the U.S. Senate race this year are likely to vote for Scott Ashjian simply because of the “Tea Party” name appearing next to his name on the ballot.
Well, the same thing will happen in future elections when some ill-informed union supporters pull the lever for an “Organized Labor” candidate which otherwise would go to the Democrat on the ballot.
In close elections, such third-party candidates can very well “spoil” races for the major party candidates.
And by the way, the court of public opinion will please note for the record that it was the UNIONS in Nevada that started this disingenuous practice of pretending to be something they’re not in an effort to fool voters and influence the outcome of elections.
Recall that Big Labor gave big money to an independent expenditure campaign run by the so-called “Committee to Protect Nevada Jobs” in the Nevada GOP gubernatorial primary in an effort to defeat Brian Sandoval under the assumption that Gov. Gibbons would be the easier candidate for Democrats to beat in November.
In addition, for years Democrats have been falsely touting support from “cops, firefighters and teachers” in their campaign literature when in fact they’ve only had the endorsement of the cops, firefighters and teachers UNIONS.
Truth-in-political-labeling has never been something Democrats and union bosses have embraced in their efforts to fool the voting public. So I don’t want to hear any holier-than-thou union bleating and whining about our trying to fool Democrats in the same way. The only difference here is that according to the Secretary of State, we can do so as a fully recognized and legal political party.
If Democrats and the union bosses don’t like it, take it up with union-backed Democrat Ross Miller.
Now to be honest, my preference would be for Secretary Miller to reverse his decision and say that NEITHER Tea Party candidates nor Organized Labor Party candidates can appear on the ballot unless and until they actually qualify by gathering the requisite number of signatures to qualify as a party just like the Libertarians and the IAP.
But if Secretary Miller wants to open this Pandora’s Box of allowing an unlimited number of “parties” to appear on the ballot by doing nothing more than filing a little paperwork, well, so be it.
And let me point out two additional facets of this which our Democrat and union friends might not have considered yet.
First, a party need not run candidates in races to have an effect in races. Although the Organized Labor Party was formed too late to run candidates under its banner this year, there’s nothing to stop it from issuing endorsements of, say, Republican candidates running against union activists who are running as Democrats.
Indeed, GOP assembly candidate Randi Thompson, GOP senate candidate Don Gustavson, and University Regent Kevin Page are all running in close races against union shills. Getting the endorsement of “Organized Labor” and using that in mailers and robo-calls to Democrat households could be decisive.
And speaking of mailers, as an official party now – Thanks again, Secretary Miller! – the Organized Labor Party will be able to mail voter contact information at the dramatically reduced “non-profit” postal rate that even candidates aren’t allowed to use. And you can bet that experienced political operatives such as us will know EXACTLY how to design political mail to inflict the maximum damage on an opponent.
Just ask former legislators Francis Allen, Dennis Nolan, and that fake Bob Beers imposter. (Is that redundant or an oxymoron?)
Secretary Miller and the Nevada Supreme Court still have time to strike the Tea Party and Scott Ashjian from the November ballot. They should do so. But if not, well, we as conservatives just need to play the cards we’ve been dealt.
I am so sick of conservatives and Republicans complaining about union political activity but doing nothing about it. Well, welcome to the conservative Organized Labor Party of Nevada. As Johnny Unitas once said, talk is cheap; let’s go play. Down, set!!
