Varitek
Blue Crack Addict
The whole to-do about Acorn and vote fraud by the GOP and McCain really ticks me off ("threatening to topple our democracy" or whatever? please). Here's a link to an excellent article on the topic. Believing in vote fraud may be dangerous to a democracy's health. - By Dahlia Lithwick - Slate Magazine
The gist is that
a) Acorn as an organization isn't seeking to fraudulently register voters although there are some poor incentives in place for some of their workers to do so, and then they try and flag these bad registrations
b) it doesn't matter if Mickey Mouse is registered to vote because he still can't show up and vote, and it doesn't matter if Joe Carpenter registers 70 times, he still can only physically show up and vote once, and
c) actual vote fraud means somebody voting under someone else's name or who shouldn't be voting, and this has been documented very, very rarely in modern history and isn't worth the risk to the individual to get caught on a felony for one vote that won't make much of a difference anyway.
Meanwhile, the GOP is up to some really dirty schemes that are depriving people of their constitutional right to vote. WV electronic vote machines swap votes from Obama to McCain, MN and other states have done ballot purges that are completely illegitimate and over the top (people getting thrown off the rolls for middle initial discrepancies or typos that were some clerk's fault and not theirs), threats that cops will arrest you for outstanding warrants in Philly and other Dem-leaning areas... Then there were the stories in the news a few weeks ago about how some people whose homes have recently been foreclosed on will not be allowed to vote due to their changing addresses. (I am pressed for time so no links now, but I have read about all of these cases in major newspapers.)
Some of these are old tricks which have in the past influenced results of elections (see: FL in 2000). This year the Republicans seem to be ramping up the ol' voter suppression/disenfranchisement, all the while going on and on and on about the non-existent threat of vote fraud (which is really just harmless registration fraud).
A few of my thoughts -
-We know the republicans thrive on fear-mongering, which this obviously is, and that some of the base are selective about what they fear: they are fine with some poor black citizens not getting to vote, and even actively try to achieve this, while running around scared about the outside chance of illegal immigrants or whoever getting to vote. Cognitive dissonance anyone? How the hell is this possible? (yes, I know these people thrive on doublethink in all manner of areas of politics/life.)
-Why haven't the democrats, after seeing vote suppression work in the GOP's favor for the last two elections, been more effective at drawing attention and outrage to the issue, at countering false threats that keep people home on voting day, at challenging the vote purges in the courts more vehemently? This should have been and should be a major focus of financial, legal, and PR resources. It's getting some attention, but I don't feel like enough, given that it could be a major factor in deciding the election or results in some states.
-And even if it doesn't alter the final result, it still sickens me that our democracy can be allowed to be so broken, and in fact can be intentionally vandalized, while some people stand around idly, or even cheer it on.
The gist is that
a) Acorn as an organization isn't seeking to fraudulently register voters although there are some poor incentives in place for some of their workers to do so, and then they try and flag these bad registrations
b) it doesn't matter if Mickey Mouse is registered to vote because he still can't show up and vote, and it doesn't matter if Joe Carpenter registers 70 times, he still can only physically show up and vote once, and
c) actual vote fraud means somebody voting under someone else's name or who shouldn't be voting, and this has been documented very, very rarely in modern history and isn't worth the risk to the individual to get caught on a felony for one vote that won't make much of a difference anyway.
Meanwhile, the GOP is up to some really dirty schemes that are depriving people of their constitutional right to vote. WV electronic vote machines swap votes from Obama to McCain, MN and other states have done ballot purges that are completely illegitimate and over the top (people getting thrown off the rolls for middle initial discrepancies or typos that were some clerk's fault and not theirs), threats that cops will arrest you for outstanding warrants in Philly and other Dem-leaning areas... Then there were the stories in the news a few weeks ago about how some people whose homes have recently been foreclosed on will not be allowed to vote due to their changing addresses. (I am pressed for time so no links now, but I have read about all of these cases in major newspapers.)
Some of these are old tricks which have in the past influenced results of elections (see: FL in 2000). This year the Republicans seem to be ramping up the ol' voter suppression/disenfranchisement, all the while going on and on and on about the non-existent threat of vote fraud (which is really just harmless registration fraud).
A few of my thoughts -
-We know the republicans thrive on fear-mongering, which this obviously is, and that some of the base are selective about what they fear: they are fine with some poor black citizens not getting to vote, and even actively try to achieve this, while running around scared about the outside chance of illegal immigrants or whoever getting to vote. Cognitive dissonance anyone? How the hell is this possible? (yes, I know these people thrive on doublethink in all manner of areas of politics/life.)
-Why haven't the democrats, after seeing vote suppression work in the GOP's favor for the last two elections, been more effective at drawing attention and outrage to the issue, at countering false threats that keep people home on voting day, at challenging the vote purges in the courts more vehemently? This should have been and should be a major focus of financial, legal, and PR resources. It's getting some attention, but I don't feel like enough, given that it could be a major factor in deciding the election or results in some states.
-And even if it doesn't alter the final result, it still sickens me that our democracy can be allowed to be so broken, and in fact can be intentionally vandalized, while some people stand around idly, or even cheer it on.
It wouldn't here, although we generally are much more low-key than you guys. Am I being dense? Can someone explain it to me? Is it an actual rule, or just a precaution, to avoid potential fraud at the polls?
i'm still pissed about that, even though i wasn't even old enough to vote in that election. i've made it a point to vote in every election since turning 18 though, even for "minor" elections. i figure it's kinda like the trickle down effect, in that every position matters, no matter how insignificant.
