Mark Cuban is passionate.
Sports fans know his passion for the Dallas Mavericks, his NBA team, of which he is a biggest fan.
He’s never been one to shut up. In his 22 years as the Dallas Mavericks owner, he has paid multiple fines for assault and unsportsmanlike conduct. The Cuban doesn’t hesitate to provoke and taunt the players of the opposing teams.
He usually sits a few rows from the court. He is recognizable among everyone: he always wears a t-shirt. Players aside, he’s one of the most recognizable faces in the NBA.
He is known for his energetic and outspoken demeanor on the hit TV show Shark Tank. When the investor believes in an idea, he pulls out all the stops to make it a reality.
He’s also doing what many have tried and failed at, the nearly impossible task of bringing down the price of prescription drugs. Last January, the entrepreneur co-founded the CostPlus Drug Company, an online pharmacy. It allowed consumers to find medicines at unbeatable prices, saving them colossal bills.
Cubans will not run for President
The CostPlus Drug Company “fills and delivers prescriptions at cost plus a fixed 15% margin,” the company says on its website. Cuban can offer these prices because there are no middlemen. The CostPlus Drug Company bypasses the health insurance companies and deals directly with drug manufacturers.
All of his success, coupled with his popularity, has often resulted in some encouraging him to run for president. In a recent interview with TheStreet, Cuban said he will not be a candidate in 2024.
“Not at all interested,” he said when asked if he was going to run. “I think I can have more influence outside of the system.”
He added: “Our political system is broken.”
However, the billionaire-turned-TV reality star remains very involved in political affairs. He encourages people to vote for the midterm elections scheduled for November 8th.
And he has just commented on a very sensitive political issue that will be put to the vote in Nevada on November 8th.
In addition to the congressional and state elections, voters in this state are called upon to vote on three voting questions. Question 3 is about ranking. On election day, voters would rank their top five candidates based on their choice. They would no longer choose just one person. If passed, the change would apply to all Nevada elections.
A “yes” vote means voters registered during the primary, regardless of the candidate’s or voter’s political affiliation, narrow the list of candidates to the top five. The five candidates who receive the most votes during the primaries advance to the federal election.
An election victory means the system will apply to congressional, gubernatorial, executive and general elections.
Opponents of the ranking system argue that the system is complicated and confusing for most voters.
But for Cuban, who believes the two-party system isn’t fair and doesn’t represent a large portion of the electorate, the ranking system is the lesser of two evils. He was just encouraging the people of Nevada to vote for this proposal.
“Facts. If you live in Nevada, vote yes to question 3. Pass them on…” the billionaire posted on Twitter on Nov. 5.
He then defended the system with a food metaphor when a user pointed out that ranked voting was “unnecessary and confusing.”
“It’s very simple,” the billionaire replied. “They select candidates in order of preference. Sort of like telling someone what flavors of ice cream you prefer.”
The billionaire has never hidden his dislike of the two-party system.
“The duopoly I would close in a nanosecond? The Democratic and Republican parties. Together they are the definition of anticompetitive collusion that successfully eliminates competition in ways that are detrimental to the American people every minute of every day. ‘ he posted on Twitter in October 2020.
Ranking voting is a system in which voters number candidates on a ballot in order of preference. On each ballot, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and the ballots that placed him first are then redistributed. The candidate who has received the majority of the votes after counting all the ballot papers wins.
Proponents say this system allows voters to have a say in outcomes even if the candidate they placed first is eliminated, and reduces polarization because politicians are encouraged to target voters outside their base .