This is hysterical! Ficus offers new branch of government By JULIE MASON Alternatives abound this year for the discerning voter, and no whining will be tolerated come November about the sameness of politics and scant bit of difference among candidates for office. Sure, the two major parties offer little sustenance for many -- too often a carnival of hate on the right, offset by persistent flabby irrelevance on the left. It's OK to be cynical -- just don't say there aren't any choices. One intriguing new entry into local politics this year is the ficus tree that filmmaker and satirist Michael Moore is running against U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands. The ficus campaigning as a write-in candidate for Brady's district is one of about 20 houseplants challenging congressional incumbents nationwide. And why not ficus? According to its campaign propaganda, the ficus represents "a new branch of government" and is "impervious to the politics of personal destruction." Moore, a former journalist who rose to prominence with his film Roger & Me, gave a nod to the two-party angst that is in such vogue this year, saying ficus can run as either Democrat or Republican because there is so little difference anyway. By targeting races in which incumbents failed to draw major-party opposition, the ficus campaign is based on the very sound premise that a potted plant could do no worse than many in Congress. For its part, Brady's political machine was apparently unaware of the leafy challenger. A staffer taking messages thought "ficus" might be an acronym. Read more at: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/metropolitan/mason/569406 ------------------ "No one gets out ALIVE!" SaveOurRockets.com