Activist Judge Orders Ohio to Pay Attention to the Libertarians

Good news for you if you're among the seven percent of Ohioites who are hoping to vote for Libertarian candidate Bob Barr in the upcoming presidential election.

Bad news for you if you're a Republican praying that Jesus tip the very tight scales of Ohio in McCain's favor…

Ohio must include the Libertarian Party's nominees on its ballot in November, a court has ruled, complicating Senator John McCain's effort to win conservative votes in a hotly contested state rich in electoral votes…

The court order, issued Thursday, directs the Ohio secretary of state, Jennifer L. Brunner, to disregard her office's current guidelines for ballot inclusion, which require eligible parties to gather valid signatures equal to one-half of 1 percent of the total vote in 2006 or to have garnered at least 5 percent of the last election's votes.

The Libertarians submitted 6,545 signatures in March, far below the approximately 20,000 needed. Ms. Brunner’s office has not decided whether to appeal the ruling.

So, now, Bob Barr actually has a fleeting chance of winning Ohio and, therefore, the general election!

But seriously…

The Libertarians didn't make the number of signatures needed, and yet they get to be on the ballot. Is it fair?

Well, technically speaking, no. Of course not.

But, on the other hand, is it fair that the Libertarian Party has to go around being almost as useless and unnecessary as the Green Party?

Certainly not!