Today we offer a musical dedication to presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich: “As Long as you Follow,” by Fleetwood Mac.

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   Kucinich has filed a lawsuit against the Texas Democratic Party to force his way onto the state’s March 4 primary. The party rejected his original application as invalid, because he didn’t sign an oath printed on the application stating that if he wasn’t the eventual party nominee, he would support whoever was.

   The Ohio congressman’s lawsuit, which he co-filed with native singer Willie Nelson, claims the loyalty oath violates the U.S. Constitution’s First and Fourteenth Amendments. U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel has scheduled a hearing on the case for Jan. 11.

   “He’s right to challenge a blind loyalty oath to the Democratic Party because it’s un-American,” Nelson is quoted as saying in a news release issued by Kucinich’s campaign.

   Of course, Kucinich has the right to challenge the party’s requirement. It doesn’t seem to make sense, especially in a state that’s known for independent thinking. What if the ultimate party nominee doesn’t share Texas’ interests, and even promotes programs and policies that are detrimental to the state and its residents?

   Be that as it may, however, the same First Amendment that Kucinich cites in his challenge gives the party the right to issue the mandate. The right to assemble clause allows the party to support only those who are willing to play by its rules. If Kucinich doesn’t like it, he is free to start his own party, file as an independent, stage a write-in campaign or bypass the state altogether.

   All we have to say is, welcome to the de factor two-party system we have in this country.

   The two parties are so dominant that few candidates dare try their luck outside of these two. Just ask Ron Paul, who ran for president as a Libertarian in 1988. Knowing how hard it is to get elected as a third-party candidate, Paul has consistently run for his Congress seat as a Republican, and he’s now seeking that party’s presidential nomination this time.

   We should remember that the primaries are entirely party functions, and in order to participate one has to be a registered or declared member of that party. The primaries are the process in which each party selects its candidate for the November general election. Those who complain that they can’t vote in both party primaries obviously don’t get what they’re all about. And we can’t be Republicans and Democrats at the same time.

   The open vote comes in November, when we can vote for one candidate in each race, regardless of party affiliation.

   Of course, the general ballot will have more than two candidates in several races; we have the Libertarians, the Green Party and other groups sponsoring their own candidates. The Democrats and Republicans, however, get the vast majority of the votes, and all others just languish on the fringes.

   Kucinich doesn’t want to be an outsider, so rather than show his independence or give in to the Texas party’s wishes, he wants to force the party to fit his ideals.

   He has the right, and the party majority should be free to honor or reject his wishes, without bringing the courts into play.

   We’ll be watching on Jan. 11, to see what the judge says. Then we’ll see who has to follow whom.