I hope he wins.
The post Legal Name Change Shows Frustration With Two-Party System appeared first on Above the Law.
The Constitution sets down some guidelines for what can govern the people. There’s usually a person who steps in to meet the needs of the people, but every once in a while ideas step up for election. A high-profile example was when a potted plant called “Ficus” ran for a New Jersey congressional seat back in 2000. In refusal of the forced choice between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, one person is giving Texas the opportunity to vote for Literally Anybody Else. Yes. That’s his legal name. From People:
Ahead of the upcoming election, a 7th grade math teacher and U.S. Army veteran from North Richland Hills, Texas, has legally changed his name to Literally Anybody Else with the intention of running for president as an independent candidate, per multiple outlets including NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth and WFAA ABC 8. The 35-year-old was previously known as Dustin Ebey.
“For too long have Americans been a victim of its political parties putting party loyalty over governance. Together lets send the message to Washington and say, ‘You will represent the people or be replaced,’ ” Literally Anybody Else’s biography on his website reads.
Funny, sure. But can he actually do this? Two things. First, constitutionally speaking, the bar to run for president is actually pretty low. All you have to do is be a natural born citizen, be a U.S. resident for at least 14 years, and be at least 35 years old. He checks all those boxes. Second, he’s not joking! This math teacher is committed to giving a lesson in Civics that many Americans could benefit from.
“There really should be some outlet for folks like me who are just so fed up with this constant power grab between the two parties, that has just no benefit to the common person,” Literally Anybody Else told the outlet.…The teacher, who WFAA noted started with “centrist” beliefs, emphasized how there isn’t a “neither” option on the ballot for people who share his hopes for an additional candidate.
“This kind of fills that role,” he said.
Else’s presidential run could also be an opportunity for lawyers and law firms to show their clients where their politics lie. It’s pretty well documented from donation figures that lawyers really didn’t like Trump back in 2020 and, depending on how important you consider international law and the binding nature of resolutions, Biden might not go down in history as a contemporary favorite either. Literally Anybody Else could be a way for people to put their discontent where their ballots here. At least until a Supreme Court decision takes away their right to vote. Could we nominate Literally Anyone Else to the Supreme Court too?
Texas Teacher Running for President Under Legal Name, ‘Literally Anybody Else’ [People]
Earlier: Campaign Donation Figures Confirm That Lawyers Really, Really Don’t Like Trump
Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s. He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at cwilliams@abovethelaw.com and by tweet at @WritesForRent.
