If I Only Had a Green
In trying to earn a spot on the ballot in Pennsylvania this November, Green Party candidate Carl Romanelli has no better friend than the man he wants to topple: U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum.
The Republican incumbent says that everyone in state politics should help Romanelli gather the large number of voter signatures - more than 67,000 - that he needs to qualify for the Senate race...
Why should Santorum aid a potential foe?
Vince Galko, his campaign manager, says it is because of his interest in free debate. "Democrats, Republicans and independents all agree that the democratic process should be open and welcoming to people of differing positions," Galko said in a letter posted on Santorum's Web site.
Common political strategy suggests the likelihood of another Santorum motive - to divide and conquer.
If Romanelli gained ballot access, he probably would draw some votes away from Bob Casey Jr., the Democratic nominee and far larger threat to Santorum's bid to win a third term.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Tuesday, July 2
Inspires this song, to the tune of "If I Only Had a Brain."
If I Only Had A Green
In the polls I am trailin'
My backers are a wailin'
"Rick, what does it mean?"
But the case is prima facie
I could beat Bobby Casey
If I only had a Green.
Oh, I love this Romanelli
Though his politics are smelly
To my backers and to me.
But, hey, let's not quibble
If the votes that he will nibble
Are the liberal bourgeoisie.
Oh, I can tell you why
The Green Party I adore.
They'll get votes from the left's hardcore
So, I can sit – for one-term more.
I don’t want to be a nothin'
Or have Casey beat my stuffin'
To lose would be obscene.
So let's make like Machiavelli
My backers are a wailin'
"Rick, what does it mean?"
But the case is prima facie
I could beat Bobby Casey
If I only had a Green.
Oh, I love this Romanelli
Though his politics are smelly
To my backers and to me.
But, hey, let's not quibble
If the votes that he will nibble
Are the liberal bourgeoisie.
Oh, I can tell you why
The Green Party I adore.
They'll get votes from the left's hardcore
So, I can sit – for one-term more.
I don’t want to be a nothin'
Or have Casey beat my stuffin'
To lose would be obscene.
So let's make like Machiavelli
And help this Romanelli
So that I can have a Green.
posted by Tom Ferrick Jr. at 2:16 PM
2 Comments:
Sounds about right to me, although I wonder whether a Green party candidate would split the Casey vote enough to improve Santorum's prospects. Romanelli is even having trouble getting enough signatures to get on the ballot—so I don't know.
Anyone remember the effort to disqualify Ralph Nader's petitions in 2004? That'll look like a church picnic next to the effort given to Romanelli's petitions...IF they can muster the effort to circulate them in the first place.
But let's suppose that he somehow gets on the ballot -- I'd say he grabs as many potential GOP votes as he does Democratic votes. There are a lot of pissed-off Republicans out there that won't vote for Ricky, but will find it hard to vote for a Democrat, too. Romanelli is their perfect protest medium.
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