Here’s another “47 percent” ad from Team Obama.
I’m glad the Obama campaign is ripping the “dependency” meme out from under Mittens. Even today I’ve seen Romney “recovery not dependency” ads online. I suspect it won’t be long before Lord Etch-a-Sketch is denouncing the “d” word and changing his ads.
Of greater concern — see Ed Kilgore, “The Million Wingnut March.”
True the Vote clearly does not represent an idle threat. Well before election day, reports are surfacing that it (or its state affiliates, like the Ohio Voter Integrity Project) is challenging the registration status of voters in battleground states based on changed addresses, residences listed on tax rolls as commercial property, and student addresses.
But it’s the specter of Election Day (or perhaps in-person Early Voting locations) that should trouble everyone, regardless of partisan affiliation. It’s hard to imagine a more dangerous scenario than that of hundreds of thousands of self-righteous suburban wingnuts showing up in poor and minority neighborhoods to hassle would-be voters, with Fox News cameras on hand to record any random examples of Solid Citizens experiencing resistance from annoyed locals.
And if we head towards Election Day with Obama still enjoying a clear lead in the polls, you have to figure True the Vote’s shock troops will be loaded for bear, viewing themselves as the last desperate defenders of “their†country against the barbaric hordes of looters and baby-killers who are already plotting to herd them into concentration camps during Obama’s second term, after they close the churches and shut down radio talk shows. At a minimum, we can expect “poll-watchers†to come up with enough “documented†example of “voter fraud†to support a general post-election effort to de-legitimize the results.
If they are going to start a violent pushback against the will of the people, this may be where it will start.
I’ve tried and failed three times to come up with a useful comment on this post. “True the Vote” and its goals are just so appalling, I can’t find the words.
I know the F-word (fascism) gets bandied about way too loosely, but honestly, what are these people if not little plastic suburban fascists? Their goal is to circumvent democracy by preventing people they disagree with from voting. It’s the most un-American thing I can imagine. It makes me want to cry… and then go find the nearest anti-“True the Vote” group and volunteer.
Yes, Ralph Reed is a major concern – if he’s not running another grift. Something he’s rather well known to do. It wouldn’t surprise me to find that he’s screwing the people who gave this deal to him.
Still, Reed CAN be as serious as a heart attack!
He, and Rove, are the greatest ratfuckers in modern American politics – they make Nixon’s crew look like choirboys.
I was going to save this comment for later on, but there’s not time like the present, so here’s what I can see happening:
-The Conservatives/Republicans, with this whole “skewed polling” data bullshit, and their voter suppression efforts, have set themselves up for complaining about the election results – and how they’re the fault of some secret ACORN involvement, and the MSM for “suppressing” Conservative voters by giving them “false” data, thus making them stay home, instead of showing up to vote in droves.
-They will take a lesson from the Occupy movement, and, after some potential violence on Election Day, and the next few days, start some kind of “populist” Conservative movement.
Something like Occupy, but call it the “Liberty Movement,” or “Move Out,” where they’ll camp their willing stooges, many from the Tea Party groups, in front of the White House and Congress.
They’ll claim, especially if the Democrats win the Presidency, and both houses of Congress, that the results are illegitimate, and that they’re protesting for America’s “liberty” from the Kenyan Usurper’s oppression, and for the Democrats in Congress and President Obama to “Move Out” and give their places to the rightful owners, the Republicans.
The key here, if this happens, is what the MSM will do.
They may also have some “Liberty” protests in front of their offices in NYC and DC, and other major cities, telling them to stop giving a Liberal bias to the news – a meme that’s very, very will established in both the public’s, and the MSM’s, eyes.
If the MSM get vilified, along with the President and the Democratic Congress, they will do one of either two things:
-Succumb to the pressure.
-Or, finally realize that BOTH sides DON’T do this, and report accurately that the Conservative push-back is astro-turfed by the 1% and Conservatives.
Considering that most, if not all, of the MSM outfits are owned by 1%ers, do you want to bet our Representative Democracy on them coming down on the “right” side?
Dark, and dystopian times, indeed…
This, or next year, may very well be the Chinese year of the Ratfucker.
We probably should have paid more attention to the turn-down by the US government when the UN asked to send some ‘observers’ to voting sites on election day in 2004.
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/scotts-shameless-voter-suppression-effort/1253692
Their goal is to circumvent democracy by preventing people they disagree with from voting.
Not exactly true. The wingnut-on-the-ground has been brainwashed into thinking this is about “illegal voters”. I’ve seen it all over the yahoo message boards whenever the subject comes up. They think there are armies of illegals lined up to vote for Obama, the Great Satan, the Great Disrespector of Democracy, the Great Dispenser of Undeserved Goodies. They see themselves as protecting the integrity of the voting process – hence the names they use for their organizations.
Like all people who reason with their emotions – facts – such as the extremely low rate of illegal voting – don’t mean anything. More lies from the liberal media.
Your statement is most true when applied to the conservative honchos who orchestrate these campaigns, and for whom, winning at any price is the name of the game. That and gaining more power by finding a way for the foot soldiers to intimidate and kick some a$$. Fascists in other words.
What I want to know, is where is our organization to monitor all this? If we know it’s coming, why isn’t there a campaign to put people in place, trained to deal with it?
Of course, you have noticed that no illegal voter would vote for Romney, right. I get that as a very clear message.
Two statements.
1) There is not a DAMN thing wrong with poll watching!
2) What is being discussed by ‘True the Vote’ is NOT poll watching.
From the South Carolina Government web site.
———————————————————————–
“A poll watcher is someone who is appointed by a candidate or a political party to observe the election day procedures in a precinct in South Carolina. The poll managers of the polling place will designate a place where watchers can remain throughout election day. Conversations between watchers and voters are not permitted within the polling place. Watchers will not be permitted to interfere with the orderly conduct of the election or influence any voter in the casting this ballot.
Qualifications
Must be a qualified voter in the county.
Present the poll manager with a letter signed by the candidate or by an appropriate party official stating that he/she is certified to act as a watcher in that precinct.
Wear a badge not to exceed 4 ¼” x 4 ¼”, specifying the name of the candidate or party he/she represents. ..”
—————————————————————————
I can understand why thugs want to disguise their attempts at voter intimidation by calling it something completely legit. By condemning what they propose and using THEIR terminology in our opposition, we appear complicit in voter fraud.
It’s probably too late, but democrats need to be TOTALLY supportive of legitimate poll watching – have a clear picture what it looks like, and INVITE republicans to observe elections according to the historical rules and traditions. Step one frickin’ INCH outside the rules, and get caught at it, you go to jail for voter intimidation – because thuggery is a different animal than poll watching.
Tea Party Groups Work to Remove Names from Ohio Voter Rolls.
Regarding True the Vote, this is where extended voting in many states is very, very helpful.
A lot of these nuts might take Election Day to go and do a quick Election Day Blitzkrieg on the rights of minority voters in targeted areas.
But it can’t be good for these Fascists that people have already started voting.
I don’t think the Fascists can sustain a long ground war – they never have before.
Plus, if they show their hand now, the Democrats can even better target the precincts where they send Lawyers and other trained Poll Watchers.
And this is why Democratic GOTV efforts are still critical – the more people voting, the merrier!
Bullies don’t like to bully out in the open when there are a lot of witnesses – they’re cowards at heart, who are afraid of being bullied when they’re outnumbered – and these chickensh*t morons are no different.
And of course, if anyone looks at these Fascist cowardly bullies the wrong way, they’ll fall to the floor and scream that THEY’RE the victims!
WOW! ann robme-uh romney told a Nevada tv station she was “WORRIED ABOUT HER HUSBANDS MENTAL WELL BEING” should he be elected president..well I feel better now, how bout you?
Also too – in 2008, a fairly large majority of the early voters were Democrats. If I’m no mistaken, McCain actually got the majority of the votes on Election Day itself, because most of the Democrats had voted early.
I volunteered in NC for the Obama campaign, and one of the things we stressed was for our people to vote early – don’t wait. We anticipated some problems on Election Day, but I was out of the town where I lived and volunteered, Fayetteville, and was in Wilmington for my job, and Wilmington is a much more genteel town. We didn’t have any trouble in either city.
My bet is that that pattern holds this year, with Democrats voting early, and Republicans voting on Election Day itself.
justme,
I meant to mention this a couple of days ago – instead of rubbing alcohol, try hydrogen peroxide for your tooth/teeth. Just gargle with a capful for about a minute. I’ve got the same crown issue, and that’s what I do.
I was hoping crowds of voters waiting in long, slow, lines would lose it faced with such assholes and beat some of them up, chasing off the rest.
Here in Iowa there are going to be people from the left following around true the vote and the press is going to follow all them..so basically there will be room for everyone BUT voters. We have a law here that prohibits “loitering in a polling place” yet that is what these groups plan to do. Our early voting started a few days ago and so far I have heard nothing about either group. Perhaps it is a nov 6th plan only.
If anyone attempts to get in my way or stop me from my right to cast a ballot I can assure you I will be the LAST person they are able to bother for the day.If I see anyone from the right, left, center or media hanging around a polling place I will call the police and demand they enforce the law. If anyone bothers my sacred ballot or even attempts to shit will get ugly ON THE SPOT.I am not alone here. I sat with a group of union workers from the firestone tire plant yesterday and they are of the same mind. These guys drag around ag tires all day that weigh between 600 and a 1000 lbs.. they would love the chance to send some pain in the ass from “true the vote” out to the parking lot for a class in manners.Add to this about half of each side has a permit to carry a fire arm and voting just got a new twist!
CUND… THANKS FOR THE TIP!
“Punch” is dead.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/29/arthur-ochs-sulzberger-dead-new-york-times_n_1925241.html
He is survived by his worthless son, Tickle.
Ah, the days when “even the ‘Liberal’ NY Times,” was literally the Liberal NY Times…
Your statement is most true when applied to the conservative honchos who orchestrate these campaigns
Right. And that’s who I was talking about. The rest are being duped.