Campaign silliness

Here's a light-hearted note.

In Nevada, the state election officials added chicken costumes to items that are banned from polling sites in the upcoming primary elections in which a gaggle of Republicans are vying for the chance to challenge Harry Reid for the senate.

In disparaging health care reform, one of the 12 Republican candidates commented that people should barter for medical care, "like when our grandparents would bring a chicken to the doctor."

Since then, Democrats have ridiculed her, setting up a web site, "Chickens for Checkups," and showing up at her rallies wearing chicken costumes. Ergo -- wearing a chicken costume has become a political statement and hence is barred from the vicinity of polling stations, just as are campaign literature, buttons, or articles of clothing or insignias that promote a party or a candidate within 100 feet of polling places.

Some have objected to the ruling saying that there is no statute that forbids wearing a chicken suit. If corporations can give millions of dollars to buy a candidate for office and defend it as free speech, why is wearing a chicken suit not also protected free speech?

Sounds like a test case for the Supreme Court. I'll bet Sonia and Elena would love to tackle this one. It could be fun.

Ralph