Massie hypocrisy

Our unpopular local Republican congressweirdo, Thomas Massie, is always a fair target for laughter.

The guffaws keep coming, but on the other hand, Massie accidentally exposed a very serious issue. Complaining about how House Republicans offered no choice but John Boehner for Speaker, Massie groaned, "There was only one person on the ballot. It's just like North Korea."

Well, Massie could've voted for a Democrat instead, but the more important point is that not only is it like North Korea, it's also like northern Kentucky. In most of the county "elections" in Kenton and Boone counties recently, the Republicans were unopposed. This included such important races as Kenton County Judge-Executive, where the only candidate wanted the county to pass its own unconstitutional "right-to-work" law. Most local state legislative races were the same way. Then there's Fort Wright, where a birther conspiracy theorist ran unopposed for mayor. If Massie wants to grumble about having only one choice on the ballot, he should start with some of the counties in his district.

How is this any different from the Soviet Union? The U.S.S.R. had sham elections with only one candidate - just like the Republicans in northern Kentucky do.

It's undemocratic in the extreme, and it's the main reason I won't move to Kenton or Boone county. I value my right to vote in free and fair elections. My rights have been violated too many times to not take it seriously.

There oughter be a law. There should be a law that says unopposed candidates have to run a write-in campaign. Either that, or they should have to put "Moscow" before their name.