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George, The big problem with Paul Goldman's scheme to accept candidate qualification petitions without checking them is the bind it puts us in if we ever object to the GOP doing that. It's no big step to go from (a) trying honestly to get 10,000 qualifying signatures to (b) forging half the 10,000 dishonestly. One only has to step from how Democrats do petitions to how others do them. At least we see it that way. And we should be allowed to see it that way, and act in it when we do. Paul's plan would leave us morally defenseless to object to Republican petitions. I have no idea which candidate Paul is backing, if any, and whether he expects that candidate's petitions to fail. I hope (more than think) he has a better reason for his proposal than that. But it doesn't matter. It's a rotten idea. If we don't like the petition rules, get the legislature to change them for everyone. Using Paul's loop hole will undermine public trust in Democrats. We can't afford that without blowing the moral superiority issue handed to us by GOP eavesdropping. Let's accept that gift graciously and use it wisely, not squander it. The moral issue can help elect a Democrat to succeed Gov. Warner. We should not squander it on candidates who didn't meet the qualification rules. The playing field was fair to everyone. If some allowed themselves less time, that was their choice. Keep the big boys honest, Paul. Rey Barry (electronic mail, December 11, 2003)
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