There will be some gnashing of teeth by the Washington State Republicans to this July 3rd press release from Governor Gregoire:
Governor Chris Gregoire today designated the Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) as a voter registration assistance agency and directed the agency to appoint a voter registration assistance officer, efficiently help citizens register to vote and work with the Secretary of State’s office to ensure compliance with established voter registration procedures.
“It is one of the primary duties of government to make available to all citizens the opportunity to register to vote and, if needed, provide registration assistance,” said Governor Gregoire. “Our social service agency serves a diverse group of people every day and therefore is an ideal place to help more Washingtonians register to vote.”
Governor Gregoire also encouraged all state agencies to provide on their web sites a link to the Secretary of State’s voter registration page and to consider other ways in which they might support and promote voter registration.
[…]
This is the way government ought to work. It should take concrete steps to maximize opportunities for all eligible citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote. It is curious, then, that over the last decade the Republican Party has increasingly become the party of voter suppression and disenfranchisement. (Luke Esser looks prescient with his 20-year-old disenfranchisement satire.)
We saw the Republican vote suppression in action days before the 2005 election when Lori Sotelo (apparently inspired by a Karl Rove briefing, filed an error-prone series of voter challenges. Subsequently, the Washington State laws were changed to prevent such abuse.
Under the worst of circumstances, the Republican-sponsored disenfranchisement becomes operational through a Republican-controlled government…. In 2000, we saw a massive, and error prone disenfranchisement operation undertaken in Florida, under the supervision of Secretary of State Katherine Harris—an operation that almost certainly swung the presidential election by inappropriately purging thousands of African Americans from the voter rolls. A US Commission on Civil Rights report summarized it this way:
…poorly designed efforts to eliminate fraud, as well as sloppy and irresponsible implementation of those efforts, disenfranchise legitimate voters and can be a violation of the VRA. Florida’s overzealous efforts to purge voters from the rolls, conducted under the guise of an anti-fraud campaign, resulted in the inexcusable and patently unjust removal of disproportionate numbers of African American voters from Florida’s voter registration rolls for the November 2000 election.
[…]African American voters were placed on purge lists more often and more erroneously than Hispanic or white voters. For instance, in the state’s largest county, Miami-Dade, more than 65 percent of the names on the purge list were African Americans, who represented only 20.4 percent of the population. Hispanics were 57.4 percent of the population, but only 16.6 percent of the purge list; whites were 77.6 percent of the population but 17.6 percent of those purged.
Florida easily could have, and should have, done much more to protect the voting rights of African Americans and other Floridians.
(They also found other ways that African American voters were disproportionately disenfranchised in Florida in 2000.)
On the face of it, the Republican problem seems to be paranoia, with the biggest cheerleader of paranoia being Karl Rove. Don’t you believe it. If there is anything that Republican strategists learned from the 2000 election is that disenfranchising voters works for Republicans! Karl Rove almost certainly knows he is feeding the Republican masses a load of horseshit.
Republican voter fraud “paranoia” is really theatre in two acts, designed to disenfranchise subpopulations that vote Democratic.
The first act shakes the confidence of ordinary voters in the election system—that is, it spreads paranoia through unfounded fears of widespread (presumably Democratic) election fraud.
We certainly saw this fear-mongering played out in Washington State in 2004. During the election contest trial, Republican lawyers opened with a bold statement about how they would prove election fraud. The trial proceeded without any evidence of election fraud being offered. Judge Bridges Oral Decision stated:
There is no evidence that anybody associated with any of the candidates in the governor’s race had anything to do with causing the errors. There is no evidence that has been produced in this Court to suggest that the errors resulted from partisan bias. During the 2004 general election, the various polling sites across the State were populated by inspectors, judges, Accuvote judges, observers, attorneys and the media. No testimony has been placed before the Court to suggest fraud or intentional misconduct. Election officials attempted to perform their responsibilities in a fair and impartial manner. There is no evidence before the Court to question ballot security as to those ballots actually counted.
The second act in the G.O.P. theatre is to make registration and/or voting more difficult for “certain voters.” That would be the poor, people of color, and people living in urban environments. You know, various schemes to cancel registrations, laws to require photo IDs at the polls, that sort of thing. These gimmicks particularly hit poor people of color—people that some Republicans believe shouldn’t even have a right to vote.
That is why Gregoire’s memo will cause some political consternation and constipation among state Republicans. We all know who uses DSHS: the same people Republicans build gated communities to keep out.
DSHS offices have been registering voters in Washington for years. But by and large they have been pretty passive about it.
So I applaud what the Governor has done. It’s a well-deserved EFF YOU to the right-wing rabble that wasn’t going to vote for her anyway, and it reminds DSHS clients that they can and should take part in the process.
This is such a nakedly political move. Why not set up voter registration assistance in homeless shelters and throughout the streets of Pioneer Square while they are at it?
To be fair, they better start setting up voter registration assistance at country clubs and yacht conventions.
What do you expect from our “Governor”?
re 2: I thought you were against the fairness doctrine?
2 “This is such a nakedly political move.”
Awwwwwwwwwwww….like nobody’s ever done anything like that before!
Bravo Gov Gregoire, now take the next step and engage the Department of Corrections as “a voter registration assistance agency”
Typical Republican elitist snob: Poor people shouldn’t vote. Self-righteous, self-indulgent “Christian” asshole.
You’re a fine proponent of the messages of Jesus Christ, you loathsome hypocrite.
Did I spell that correctly????
Hey, if there are any social service agencies catering to the phenomenally rich, I’m sure it would be appropriate to give them a voter assistance mandate just like DSHS’s.
7
Looks right to me.
Sez Mark:
Indeed, Mark, if there were sufficient funding for it, I’d happily support voter-registration assistance at country clubs and yacht conventions. I want to see every single eligible citizen registered to vote. Yachtsmen just as much as DSHS clients, golfers just as much as itinerants.
But you don’t.
You want to deny “types” of your fellow citizens their right to participate in our national dialogue. For that, may you and your repulsive ilk burn in hell. (Or live in a state where Democrats win elections … to you, that’s apparently equivalent to hell.)
This exchange between me and Proud Leftist is so good, I am going to post it in every thread on HA from now on. It destroys the Publicans’ stupid talking points – period.
“I’m working really hard to understand how President Bill Clinton’s actions act as justifcation for the righties. Read this fuckwads.
If your lame ass argument is that Bill Clinton was a bad President – which is what you say – and if your argument now is that the AWOL coward GW Bush is in someway comparable to Bill Clinton, what you are actually saying is that GW Bush is NO BETTER THAN CLINTON.
Does it hurt to be that stupid? I really want to know.
proud leftist says:
RES @ 18
You’ve hit it on the nose. The rightwing fringefucks consider Clinton to be the personification of evil–indeed, he is the devil incarnate in their twisted little minds. Nonetheless, their justification for all of the Bushites’ sins is, always, “well, Clinton did it, too.” Methinks they never studied logic.”
Good for the Gov., but without funding to go with the proclaimation it’s all talk and no action.
Btw. You can leave comments using Safari, but not Firefox.
HOORAY for the Gov!
Time to contribute (again) to the re-election campaign against Dino McRealtor.
Why not set up voter registration assistance in homeless shelters and throughout the streets of Pioneer Square while they are at it?
Capital idea!
The righties a very funny. They think that, because they want to stop certain folks from voting, liberals have some group that we want to bar from the polls, too (liberals other than Roger Rabbit, I mean.)
Speaking for myself, I want every eligible person everywhere to be able to vote. If there’s some Democratic party hack who is targeting pockets of supposed Republicans for disenfranchisement, he should be prosecuted.
So, if any of those worthies in Medina, Kirkland, or anywhere else in Washington, where there’s a ghetto of millionaires, needs help from a state agency filling out a voter registration, they should get it, too. It wouldn’t surprise me if they get such aid already. Republicans are all for government help for their own. Just look at the spending in Iraq.
Anyone think they’ll give a few bucks to lobby for my favorite issue in a similar gesture? I doubt it, too. That’s why I know I a better person than any of them.
I a better person, and I’m a better person, too.
Mark,
“This is such a nakedly political move.”
Sure…it is if you accept the proposition that Republicans suppress voting and Democrats enable voting.
“Why not set up voter registration assistance in homeless shelters and throughout the streets of Pioneer Square while they are at it?”
They should! A plain reading of the Constitution of Washington grants them the same voting rights as Mike McGavick.
“To be fair, they better start setting up voter registration assistance at country clubs and yacht conventions.”
By all means! Democracy works better when a higher fraction of voters vote.
“What do you expect from our “Governor”?”
You really mean, “It sucks that our Governor doesn’t promote the wingnut voter suppression programs,” don’t you?
What about dog shelters? Yeah, I may not fit the typical disenfranchised democrat voter since I am not dead or a criminal. I do however carry a license and have a paw to sign with. Ooops…. that’s another strike since I carry ID. No wonder I’m a republican. woof woof.
20.
Well, the dog “joke” is really just a slam at non-citizens who live in a state. The interesting thing about that is, some states allow non-citizens to vote, usually in local elections. The motivation being, they work and pay taxes, why can’t they vote on a bond issue or a school board candidate.
Convicts were allowed to vote as late as 1920 in Arkansas, and other states allowed the practice but abandoned it earlier.
For some reason, though, there is always the questions of other species voting among Republicans. Do you think it because of the donkey shows they frequent in Tiajuana?
19, I mean.
13
You can (at least I’ve been able to) post comments in Firefox by using this roundabout method:
1. Write the comment
2. Hit “submit comment”
3. If the comment submits, you’re done and back at the comments page. Exit program.
4. If the progress bar doesn’t budge for, oh, say 30 minutes (kidding, usually about 5 seconds is enough) hit the “Stop” icon and resubmit the comment.
5. Go to 3
This is how I’ve been doing it all week.
Governor Chris Gregoire today designated the Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) as a voter registration assistance agency and directed the agency to appoint a voter registration assistance officer, efficiently help citizens register to vote and work with the Secretary of State’s office to ensure compliance with established voter registration procedures.
PS: HOW ABOUT DESIGNATED ALL THE BARTENDERS TO SET UP THE VOTER REGISTRATION FOR THE STATE. THEY COULD REACH ALL THE POOR MIDDLE CLASS THAT THE STATE BEEN STEALING BLIND FOR LAST THIRTY YEARS. LETS NOT FORGET THE MILITARY USE THE NATIONAL GUARD RECUITING OFFICES TO REGISTER ALL MILITARY PERSONAL.
By the way Roger is the present day Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda like Paul Joseph Goebbels for the Socialist Democrats Party. His Nazi friends taught him the trade when he visited them in jail.
headless lucy says:
re 2: I thought you were against the fairness doctrine?
I would be for the fairness doctrine if it is applied to all public airways (all TV programing including PBS), public schools and universities,movies sold to the public, ect. All news programing would have to be balanced within themselves, no exceptions. The problem with the fairness doctrine is it limits republican speech. Of course when have you commies ever been fair. woof woof.
To my way of thinking, any dog who votes Republican is like a gay person voting Republican. As recent stories have shown, Republicans do not have the dog’s best interests at heart.
Bravo for Christine Gregoire.
Hey, I have an idea. Let’s take some voter registration cards down to the ASPCA and slip one in each cage. We’ll come back in the morning and, after reviewing the security cameras to make sure no Republicans broke in and committed voter fraud, any cards that are properly filled out, we’ll send ’em to KCRE. Who’s with me?
20
Actually the dog joke was a slam on accountability which is mainly a problem in liberal voting districts. You need not look any further than the KCRE.
Actually, the dog joke posted #19, #24 and #28.
Do you think it because of the donkey shows they frequent in Tiajuana?
OH DOOFUS @ 19 LOVES THOSE. DOOFUS AND HIS REPUBLICAN BUDDIES (WHEN THEY’RE DOWN THERE ROUNDING UP CHEAP LABOR) ARE REALLY INTO TYING ONE ON AND WHOOPIN’ IT UP AT A DONKEY SHOW IN OLD TJ.
It seems, the Rethuglicans are for Law and Order, except when they’re not.
31
Someone was spouting off the other day about how we needed education, enforcement and accountability with regard to gun laws. I allowed as how I agreed, and I would like to see all of the above with regard to the current ruling junta.
accountability which is mainly a problem in liberal voting districts.
OH THAT’S INTERESTING DOOFUS. HOW IS IT SO MANY FELONS VOTED IN 2004 IN REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED COUNTIES THAT LEANED TOWARDS ROSSI? I MEAN REPUBLICANS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PERFECT.
HINT: IT WASN’T THEIR FAULT.
I’m all for accountability. When does the prosecution of Lori Sotelo begin?
33 & 34
Hey, if we started a fund to give a $5 campaign contribution to Governor Gregiore every time some self-appointed guardian of electoral purity spouts a talking point about rigged elections in King County, fraud by Democrats or any other Republican talking point that can’t be proven because it’s a dairty blaaack lieeeeeeeee, do you think they’d be dumb enough to stop?
er, dumb enough to keep going, I mean.
As it has already been noted. commenting from Firefox is not working very well. After each post, I must exit Firefox and restart the browser to successfully post again.
Right now I am trying to see if this difficulty extends to Konqueror.
OK, so that post was accepted. Now, will this one be?
Sez Harry Tuttle:
As it is in many ways (e.g., electing Howard Dean as governor five times), Vermont demonstrates great good sense when it comes to eligibility to vote:
I’m all for accountability. When does the prosecution of Lori Sotelo begin?
As soon as we kick out fraudgoire and put in the real victor(Dino) come talk to me.
When the left says “voter suppression”, that really means it is harder to commit voter fraud. Dems never mean what they say. woof woof.
JackAssJaneBalogh. Your WingNuttia™ is showing again.
Christine Gregoire is your Lawfully Elected Governor. Live With It..
Gonna be hot in lot of place next few days. Is that “proof” of global warming?
If you’re fucking gullible enough to say “yes”, show me the chi squared data.
Dumasses…
MarktheRetarded™Redneck, keep collecting those aluminum cans. . .you’ll be able to pay that debt one day.
Sighhhhhh………..
The implication of Darryl’s post is that elections become strategy games, more like wars than debates. As in war, the strategy is to get the most
soldiersvoters .. regardless of why they make up their minds .. to go thefront linesvoting booths andshoot the enemyvote for your side.This was the strategy of Tammany Hall. Just for fun, imagine extending this to contempprary Washington State and suppose Bill Gates wants the State to build a domed stadium for hydroplane racing. Bill hires Voters R Us and they tell him which people are most likely to vote for this project. Bill then targets these folks with free software, trips on the Green Jet, dinners at McCormick’s, etc. Lets say he spends $100/target voter. He might well buy an election*.
Of course Tammany Hall did this with free beer.
The scariest part of this is the math. Few enough Mericuns vote that a small shift in one or another group’s turnout is more important than what the majority actually think.
In gran gran Dad’s time, this was dealt with by restricting who could vote. “All the people” meant “all the people fit to vote.” Now it appears we are headed for “all the votes you can buy.”
Combine this with the mail in ballot! I can see the ads now:
Free Salmon Bake for All Mail in Voters
Bring your ballot to Gates High School next Tuesday night and we will treat you to a brief presentation on the new floating stadium proposal followed by a salmon dinner.
All attendees will be entered into a lottery with copies of Bessboll Simulator as rewards.
Ichiro Suzuki will be the guest of honor and has offered to sign the software.
If DSHS, as a voter registration assistance agency, helps citizens register to vote in compliance with the law and ‘established voter registration procedures’ then more Kudos to the government. I think everyone is for ‘open and honest’ registrations, voting, and vote counting.
Hopefully, the Secretary of State’s ensurance of ‘established voter registration procedures’ are within the law and accountable.
My idea of a total nightmare for MarktheRetarded™Redneck would be setting up mobile voter registration stations on KC Metro buses.
Nothing pisses off a Publican like the idea of people actually being allowed to vote. The Bush regime is hoping to turn our country into a dictatorship.
Oops another Publican decides to HATE AMERICA – ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Sen. Pete Domenici on Thursday withdrew his support of President Bush’s Iraq war policy and embraced a proposal to bring home most troops by March. – Well that’s what the righties would say if a Dem said the same thing right?
30.
I guess a donkey being more able to do one thing better than they leads them to the notion that they can matched or bettered by animals in other areas. Then totally replaced. Not a totally unfounded phobia, I suspect.
45.
So, why should the little guy be the only person left out of the graft? Our campaign financing system is nothing but the purchase of federal, state and local legislator’s votes, as well as executive branch court selections and foreign policy decisions.
What you suggest should be considered just another exercise of free speech, protected by the Buckley vs Vallejo SCOTUS decision.
At least it would make trickle down economics work a little bit.
Can you donks lay off this global warming schtick for a while. You are jinxing the weather. I loved last summer. It was hot and your convulsive fits over global warming were very entertaining. woof woof.
Nobody’s mention global warming, except you, Mark. Pay Goldy the money you owe him.
Maybe I am missing something, but Governor Gregoire’s press release of today seems to say that DSHS (and similar agencies in all the other states) should have been doing exactly this for more than 10 years now already under federal law:
“Office of Governor Chris Gregoire
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 3, 2007
Contact: Governor’s Office, 360-902-4111
Governor Gregoire Encourages State Agencies to Promote Voter Registration
OLYMPIA – Governor Chris Gregoire today designated the Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) as a voter registration assistance agency and directed the agency to appoint a voter registration assistance officer, efficiently help citizens register to vote and work with the Secretary of State’s office to ensure compliance with established voter registration procedures.
…
The National Voter Registration Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1993, required states to offer voter registration opportunities at state offices that provide public assistance and state-funded programs that primarily support people with disabilities.”
http://www.governor.wa.gov/new.....newsType=1
Here’s what I don’t get about global warming and The Right: Every thing we do to help fight global warming also helps us be less dependent on fossil fuels bought from middle-eastern Muslims. The right can’t say enough bad things about middle-eastern Muslims so you’d think they would be in favor of policy’s that give help us less money to middle-eastern Muslims, but nope MTR’s still driving around in his big old SUV and sending half his paycheck to the terrorists.
55
Not only that, there’s a lot of money to be made in alternative energy research. You’d think they’d embrace it for that reason if no other.
55
I’ll bet Al Gore’s Son doesn’t get the best mileage in his hybrid tripping along at over 100 mph!
Hey all you trollfucks who laughed at global warming! How do ya like this ICE AGE we’re having? Another wingnut ideology gets bitch-slapped by reality!
HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR
@51 Harry Tuttle
I suppose it depends on what you think “is” is.
China has a form of “democracy” where everyone votes.
A ssytem based on buying votes is not a lot better than that.
My own preference is for election days to be 24 hr, holidays and that there should be a tax on NOT voting in the form of a deduction when people do vote. I also do not believe in the mail in ballot because it is too easily made fraudulent.
@2 Of course YOU would think it’s a “nakedly political” move because Republicans see EVERYTHING in terms of politics through the lens of their partisan hatreds. But to Gregoire, it’s just serving the citizens of our state as best she can — a concept you wouldn’t understand in a million years, therefore you have to rationalize it by imputing your own motives to her! Fuck you and all your kind, Mark.
Hey Redneck! When it’s 95 degrees in Seattle tomorrow, could you take a break from your ranting about how cold it is around her and bring me another iced tea? Thanks, I appreciate it, good buddy. I also appreciate your buying my gas! Pay your fucking gambling debt, welsher!
here
@59 “I also do not believe in the mail in ballot because it is too easily made fraudulent.”
How do you figure that?
@2 “To be fair, they better start setting up voter registration assistance at country clubs and yacht conventions.”
Nothing’s stopping you. All you have to do is get off your lazy ass, become a voter registrar, and set up your card table and folding chair. What are you waiting for?
@5 If this is a nakedly partisan move, the Department of Corrections is the LAST agency Gregoire would want registering new voters, if you get my drift.
Click here for photo of voter registration booth at Republican country club. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I.....Looper.jpg
@8 “if there are any social service agencies catering to the phenomenally rich”
Yes, there is! It’s called “the federal government.”
Oh, and by the way Mark, that’s Governor Gregoire without the quote marks around the word Governor. Suck on it, loooooser!
I like #11 so much I’m going to repost it!
This exchange between me and Proud Leftist is so good, I am going to post it in every thread on HA from now on. It destroys the Publicans’ stupid talking points – period.
“I’m working really hard to understand how President Bill Clinton’s actions act as justifcation for the righties. Read this fuckwads.
If your lame ass argument is that Bill Clinton was a bad President – which is what you say – and if your argument now is that the AWOL coward GW Bush is in someway comparable to Bill Clinton, what you are actually saying is that GW Bush is NO BETTER THAN CLINTON.
Does it hurt to be that stupid? I really want to know.
proud leftist says:
RES @ 18
You’ve hit it on the nose. The rightwing fringefucks consider Clinton to be the personification of evil–indeed, he is the devil incarnate in their twisted little minds. Nonetheless, their justification for all of the Bushites’ sins is, always, “well, Clinton did it, too.” Methinks they never studied logic.”
@16 “Speaking for myself, I want every eligible person everywhere to be able to vote.”
Not me. Why should Republicans vote? After all, treason is a felony. I think they should all be put in concentration camps.*
* Just kidding! Ann Coulter cracks jokes like this, so I figure I can, too.
55
No. We want to become energy independent by drilling for more oil. I am all for the fight on global warming, as long as it is on a “volunteer” basis and you donks do all the fighting. The soldiers who are in Irag are all volunteer. We republicans can sit back and laugh while patting each other on the back on how patriotic we are by dissenting. Ok when do we start? woof woof. hehehe
@19 “What about dog shelters? Yeah, I may not fit the typical disenfranchised democrat voter since I am not dead or a criminal.”
You may not be dead, but you’re a criminal. And so is your master. But you’re definitely not a Democrat. A Tim Eyman hugger like your owner would never own a Democratic dog!
Things are so bad for Republicans even their dogs pretend to be Democrats!
Hey dog! I’ve got some nice doggy spray for you! It’ll clear your sinuses like nobody’s business! Here, poochie poochie! Heeeerrrre poooochie poooochie …
Hey dog! I’ve got some nice doggy spray for you! It’ll clear your sinuses like nobody’s business! Here, poochie poochie! Heeeerrrre poooochie poooochie …
@57 I’ll bet you didn’t know a Prius could do 100 mph.
72
You may not be dead, but you’re a criminal. And so is your master. But you’re definitely not a Democrat.
No, I am a patriot. It is called civil disobedience, not a crime. I am proud to be standing up to a out of control KCRE who fraudulently elect governors. Get your facts straight.
Solar powered car = Saudi sheikh’s worst nightmare
70.
I already noted you as an exception, Roger.
But, I may come ’round to your way of thinking on this yet.
@76 “No, I am a patriot.”
Only in your hyperventilating imagination.
“It is called civil disobedience, not a crime.”
No, it’s called false swearing, and it’s a crime. You don’t have to take my word for it; ask the Republican prosecutor who prosecuted her.
“I am proud to be standing up to a out of control KCRE who fraudulently elect governors. Get your facts straight.”
My facts are straight but your fairytale is bent. Gregoire was elected; the fraud consists of all the GOP blathering to the contrary. Your handpicked Republican judge in your handpicked Republican county didn’t find any fraud; you’re merely blowing smoke out of your ass.
@78 Why is it taking you so long to run out of patience with these fascist fucks?
59.
Your preconceived notion about how a voter should cast his ballot may sound good to you, but it sounds like meddling to me.
Dennis Kucinich is never going to be president for a lot of reasons, but the major one is: he’s short. Ever since Honest Abe, tall men have been the rule, and no shrimp of 5’4″ or 5’6″ stands a chance.
Are the voters who vote that way superior to ones who vote because the got invited to a big party with free booze and eats? I think not.
Sign your name on the bottom of an automobile title and hand it to a person, he owns the car.
Sign your ballot return envelope and hand the unsealed envelopes and blank ballot to someone else, you just asked for assistance casting your vote. Not much different than the get togethers in retirement homes where groups of voters decide on how they’re going to vote.
People shouldn’t do lots of things: run up credit card debt, refinance their homes at greater than their market values, vote for Republicans. But, if they have free will, and not your will (or mine), they’ll do what they want.
And they should be allowed to.
@71 Your freedom to spew carbon dioxide into the air I breathe stops where my nose begins. Your compliance will be required, nothing voluntary about it. Or I’ll scratch you a new belly button!*
* Just kidding! Ann Coulter joke.
80.
I ran out of patience with them thirty years ago, I just don’t think liberal excess will neccessarily be better than wingnut excess.
It’s all part of my utopian fantasy that people will suspend their acquisitiveness for the overall good of humanity at some point. I know it’s bullshit, but I get very depressed if I abandon my little hobby horse wish.
@63
SWe call it a secret ballot for a good reason. Mail ins will lead to group votes .. in union halls,.company cafeterias, churches, etc .. all places where voting can be supervised.
@63
We call it a secret ballot for a good reason. Mail ins will lead to group votes .. in union halls,.company cafeterias, churches, etc .. all places where voting can be supervised.
@81 Harry Tuttle
So, by your standards, Paul Allan should be abe to buy himself the mayors’ job? How much would you charge for your vote?
Say $100, and 300,000 votes? that is only 30 million! Cheap.
Hell even at $1000 this would be a bargain.
86.
Why should he buy the job, he owns the mayor.
Nobody who supports an administration that shreds the constitution and considers itself above the rule of law has the right to call themselves a patriot. Especially not a brain damage case pretending to be a newscaster pretending to be a dog.
Yes ….
and he made that purchase by buying votes? is that democracy?
What else is for sale?
Oh good. No reason that fraudulent ACORN should get the fun fraud of registering dead Democrat felons and their dogs all to itself.
Hey! Civil disobedience IS a crime. That’s kinda the whole point. And if you’re going to do it, have the balls to do your time. Hear that, “Scooter?”
Please quit spreading the Repub meme conflating VOTER fraud with ELECTION fraud. The former is perpetrated by individuals, and has been found to scarcely exist. The latter is perpetrated by elections departments messing with the tabulation, and we don’t know to what extent it exists because auditing processes on a nationwide basis suck.