Libertarian Candidate Excluded From Debate For Refusing Corporate Donations

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Libertarian Candidate Excluded From Debate For Refusing Corporate Donations

Posted by Soulskill on Friday October 12, 2012 @08:10AM from the have-you-tried-turning-it-off-and-then-on-again dept.

fishdan writes "I'm a long time Slashdot member with excellent karma. I am also the Libertarian candidate for U.S. Congress in the Massachusetts 6th District. I am on the ballot. I polled 7% in the only poll that included me, which was taken six weeks ago, before I had done any advertising, been in any debates or been on television. In the most recent debate, the general consensus was that I moved a very partisan crowd in my favor. In the two days since that debate, donations and page views are up significantly. Yesterday I received a stunning email from the local ABC affiliate telling me they were going to exclude me from their televised debate because I did not have $50,000 in campaign contributions, even though during my entire campaign I have pointedly and publicly refused corporate donations. They cited several other trumped up reasons, including polling at 10%, but there has not been a poll that included me since the one six weeks ago — and I meet their other requirements."

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Slashdotter in congress by AwesomeMcgee · 2012-10-12 08:16 · Score: 4, Funny

I'm not sure if I should be terrified or elated.

One things for sure, he's got my vote just to see how a slashdotter's trolling skills stand up in the big leagues.
1. Re:Slashdotter in congress by cje · 2012-10-12 08:27 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  "Mr. Speaker, I move that we... pour a bowl of hot grits down our pants!"
  
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  We're going down, in a spiral to the ground
Re:I think we can help with one of these things... by SQLGuru · 2012-10-12 08:21 · Score: 3, Funny

But he wouldn't win against Cowboy Neal.
Re:Isn't this what Libertarians WANT? by tekrat · 2012-10-12 08:25 · Score: 4, Funny

Don't be silly. According to Romney, you can borrow money from your parents. Or roll down the window on a airplane, I forget which.

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If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
Superheros for office by Time_Ngler · 2012-10-12 08:42 · Score: 3, Funny

His 7% of the poll can be explained pretty easily. If I didn't know any of the candidates, and I saw "Fishman", I'd vote for him just on principle.
They should pass a law by myth24601 · 2012-10-12 08:47 · Score: 5, Funny

They should pass a law that mandates that anyone who broadcasts a debate must include Libertarians.

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No matter where you go, there you are.
Re:Well, that was your mistake. by Ichijo · 2012-10-12 08:48 · Score: 4, Funny

In fact, if I was you, I'd take their check, and then do the exact opposite of whatever they are asking for.

Unless they knew you were going to do the opposite of what they ask for, in which case they would ask the opposite of what they want you to do. "So I clearly can not choose the wine in front of me."

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Any sufficiently unpopular but cohesive argument is indistinguishable from trolling.
Re:Isn't this what Libertarians WANT? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-10-12 08:53 · Score: 5, Funny

Wtf are mod points??? Dude he doesn't accept any mod-points or donations RTFA you insensitive clod.
Re:Well, that was your mistake. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-10-12 09:30 · Score: 5, Funny

Hey, at least he would know better than to start a land war in Asia. That's one up on the major parties.
Re:Why? by BasilBrush · 2012-10-12 09:49 · Score: 5, Funny

Surely as a Libertarian, he should support the network's freedom to make up or accept any rules they like and have any speakers they want in the debates.
Re:Why? by BasilBrush · 2012-10-12 10:02 · Score: 2, Funny

First step: don't be Libertarian.