Here we go again. . .
Dear Diary,
It’s been entirely too long since I wrote. :)
Feel free to [SKIP RECAP]
I was nominated in 2022 to run for PSC to help LPGA maintain ballot access. The PSC races are relatively easy ways to get the needed 2% of voters that allows us to keep our names on the ballot for other statewide races, like President, Governor, and (ahem) Labor Commissioner. However there was a lawsuit in 2022 that challenged the practice of making PSC candidates live in a certain district and then allowing them to be voted on by the entire state. So the 2022 election was cancelled. And then not held again in 2023. And then not held again in 2024. Yet those elected previously got to continue their terms, unelected. But that’s another story. So in 2024 there was only one statewide race: President. I was honored to support and vote for my friend Chase Oliver, who is as solid a libertarian as I’ve ever met. Unfortunately, politics being what they are, Chase didn’t get the support he needed from the LP, and the presidential race was so contentious everyone fell into the “lesser evil” defensive voting pattern and we failed to meet the 2% threshold to maintain ballot access. We were ready to run in 2025’s special election for PSC, but were turned away at the door. So now in order to get back on the ballot we have to collect more than 80,000 signatures, on legal sized paper, by hand, notarized, one county per sheet, yada, yada, yada.
So here we go again. At convention this past weekend in Peachtree City we nominated a slate of candidates for districted and statewide offices. The idea is to show that we do have serious candidates who are willing to serve, and try to bring light to the onerous ballot access requirements that keep anyone who’s not an R or a D off the ballot. No Greens. No Libertarians. No Independents. It’s a tightly controlled club, and we’re not invited. Don’t like the two choices you’re offered? Too bad. Nobody else is allowed in. Why? “To avoid a crowded ballot.” And yet they’ll take your tax money to run a primary with 14 Republicans on the ballot. Were they voted on by their leadership? Were they approved at convention? Or did they meet the bare minimum requirement: pay the fee and be willing to call themselves a Republican. No wonder the old parties are in a shambles. They just let any old body claim the name. And then when, inevitably, none of them hits the 50% mark, what do we do? We pay for another runoff of course! Are there other ways to elect people? Yep Sure You Betcha. Do we Ranked Choice or Instant Runoff or STAR or Approval voting in Georgia??? Nope.
Why Insurance Commissioner? I’ve been a doctor here in Georgia since 2009, and unfortunately the promises of Obamacare didn’t fix things for Americans like they had hoped. Premiums keep going up and coverage keeps getting more difficult. But I promise you, your insurance company doesn’t treat us much better. They dangle the carrot of being in-network with more market share and then don’t pay what’s owed because “reasons.” But I can’t recover missing payments until we’ve gone to arbitration and even then I might still have to pay a bill collector TO COLLECT FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY.
So, what I really need from you is this: go to the donate links. Send some cash to LPGA to help with their ballot access drive. Find an affiliate or a member and sign a petition. We only need 80,000. . . so only the census for my emergency department FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR. It’s truly unfair and insurmountable, especially considering you only need 7,500 sigs TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT. But we have to try. Every signature sends the message that Georgians deserve more options on their ballot. And while you’re at it, go check out Better Ballot Georgia and learn how there are more ways to vote than “how we’ve always done it.”
That is, if midterms don’t get cancelled this year. Because. . . reasons.
