It's not usual that political candidates wear massive pins urging the election of another politician. But Ray Ubinger isn't your usual political candidate, and the North Carolina House District 23 race isn't your usual political race.
At a forum for the candidates for the three House seats last night, Libertarians Ubinger and Steve Dorsey talked about their future plans and political ideologies alongside Democrats Paul Luebke and Mickey Michaux, incumbents with a total of 31 years experience in the state house.
Ubinger protested the state's restrictions on write-in votes. He wore a sign asking voters to "re-elect George Miller," a long-time house member who was ousted by Paul Miller in a controversial May primary. Paul Miller was the only candidate who did not attend the forum.
Currently, write-in votes for George Miller-or any other candidate-will not be counted because the North Carolina Board of Elections requires that a petition be filed first.
"My equal brothers and sisters in citizenship, I've come to tell you the emperor has no votes," Ubinger told the audience of about 20 citizens scattered in seats throughout a room at The Herald-Sun of Durham's office. "We do not have a government by the people. We have a government by unfireable incumbents."
Though Ubinger, a clinical data assistant at Duke's Clinical Research Institute, used the forum to call for a change in the state's election processes, the candidates' discussion spanned a wide spectrum, covering topics from campaign finance reform to the dearth of female state house candidates.
A handful of audience members brought up pointed issues. Ralph McKinney, a former Durham city mayoral candidate-who brought with him scribbled-upon photocopied newspaper articles describing racial discrimination-asked if the candidates would pledge zero tolerance for racial discrimination.
"Zero tolerance is great," Luebke responded, "but we can't legislate zero tolerance."
Dorsey said that government could not and should not dictate against discrimination. "If you want tolerance and respect," he said, "then demand it on a personal level."
The candidates also discussed transportation. Luebke and Michaux agreed that the state should do more to encourage mass transit and discourage the construction of "loops"-highways that circle urban hubs.
"We just can't keep building roads," Michaux said. "I think all the money being devoted to inner loops and outer loops and loop-de-loops ought to go to mass transit."
Dorsey and Ubinger countered that government involvement in transportation should be minimal.
"The road to hell is potholed with good intentions," Ubinger said.
When asked about the lack of women in the House, Luebke related the issue to campaign finance reform. He said privately financed campaigns restrict the number and diversity of potential candidates, and that publicly financed elections in Vermont had allowed candidates with little personal wealth to run for state office.
"People are just spending too much money. And it's not access they want, it's obligation," Luebke said.
On the question of campaign finance reform, both Libertarians stuck to the party line of less government.
"I don't support public financing of campaigns because it puts too much power in the hands of the two parties," Dorsey said. "After all," he asked, "Who would decide who gets public financing?"
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