See that fetching fellow up there? That’s Einstein, and if a group of former Occupy Oakland activists have their way, he’ll be the first canine mayor of Oakland.
From CBS San Francisco:
“The geniuses who came up with the idea of running Einstein the dog for office – a group of Occupy Oakland veterans – say the idea is not just political tail-wagging, but a commentary on how difficult it is to hold any individual accountable for running the city. They plan to host an event Thursday at 10 a.m. on the steps of City Hall to lay out their platform, which includes an end to “Orwellian surveillance,” the formation of a Public Bank of Oakland, maximum wage limits and criminal penalties that are assigned based on a person’s wealth. They also want to shift the power away from City Hall itself.”
A dog as mayor sounds absurd, but Einstein wouldn’t be the first pooch to be elected to that office — not even the first one this year, in fact. But unlike the largely ceremonial election of Duke the Great Pyrenees in Cormorant, Minnesota (where there were 12 total votes cast), Einstein would be responsible for over 400,000 residents, quite a few more than Cormorant or Rabbit Hash, Kentucky (population: 315), which has elected dog mayors since 1998. Unfortunately, the fat cats at Oakland City Hall seem unwilling to allow Einstein a spot on the ballot, so until further notice, the dog days are over.
[image via Einstein’s adorable campaign website]
