Tunisia's dictator still plans to have a presidential election but hasimprisonedthe serious opposition candidates.

This illustrates why it is undesirable to prohibit anyone with a criminal record from running foroffice. Of course we don't want swindlers and corrupt people to be elected to office, but such asimple method is not trustworthy. Rulers that don't respect truth have a habit of using falsenon-political charges to exclude the serious opposition.The corrupter has made it clear he woulddo this in the US if he seizes the presidency again.