NationStates Jolt Archive

Finally there is hard evidence (http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/jan05/295825.asp) of actual voter suppression in the last Presidential election. Five campaign workers were charged with slashing tires on "get out the vote" vans belonging to their rivals. The five were charged with felonies that can result in 3-1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Plus, as felons, they would lose their rights to vote in most, if not all, elections.

What did Karl Rove and George Bush know about these errant campaign workers? Probably not as much as the local operatives for the John Kerry campaign. You see, these losers were paid staffers for the Democratic party.

Wow, one documented instance of voter suppression and it turns out that the Democrats are the guilty party. What do you think about that!

You're wrong! You're all wrong! The whole damn system is wrong!

*overturns table*

Politics. Bleh.

I think you're a conspiracy theorist. A small isolated case does not give leeway to a massive conspiracy.

I think there are large errors in the system, but they don't favor one candidate or the other. I think(well, hope) that the amount of errors in the system even out so we at least get Dubya getting screwed out of X votes and Kerry getting screwed out of X votes.

A small isolated case does not give leeway to a massive conspiracy.

Do me a favor and tell that to the crazy Bush-Karl Rove-Zionist-Saudi-Big Oil-conspiracy theorists out there.

But I agree with you. Just because some idiots slashed tires doesn't mean there's a massive conspiracy, one way or the other.

Wow, one documented instance of voter suppression and it turns out that the Democrats are the guilty party. What do you think about that!

Well, it's not exactly the first documented instance of fould play in the election. There was, after all, the company in Nevada paid for by the Republicans to register votes door to door who turned out to be failing to send in the registrations where people marked their affiliation as "Democrat" on the form, despite not telling these people that they were only registering Republicans.

But if these guys are guilty then they should be punished for it. Plain and simple.

Of course, their rights to vote will only be removed should they be convicted of a felony. Watch them plea themselves down to a misdemeanour to avoid that rap on their sheets if the local DA lets them.

I think you're a conspiracy theorist. A small isolated case does not give leeway to a massive conspiracy.

I think there are large errors in the system, but they don't favor one candidate or the other. I think(well, hope) that the amount of errors in the system even out so we at least get Dubya getting screwed out of X votes and Kerry getting screwed out of X votes.
Now, that's not what I said. I was just pointing out, that despite the uproar over voter suppression, there has only been one chargeable instance of it occuring.

Anyone who's ever done statisical sampling knows there are errors. Only in perfect world would every vote get counted correctly. Let's strive for perfection, but not sweat the small shit.

Both sides need to move on from this election and concentrate on the 2006 Congressional Races.

Both sides need to move on from this election and concentrate on the 2006 Congressional Races.
Move on? You mean like 'letting go'? But where's the fun in that??

There was no mass voter suppression or "disenfranchisment" by either side. Give it a rest.

you're kind of extending there. I don't think the article said they were paid by the Kerry campaign. It said that they wanted to put up anti-bush signs but then just slashed the tires of the vans.

Wow, one documented instance of voter suppression and it turns out that the Democrats are the guilty party. What do you think about that!
I'm not surprised. I think all of us who can see past our partisan goggles know that there are elements within both parties who are willing to take illegitimate measures to ensure that their candidate will succeed.

I'm not surprised. I think all of us who can see past our partisan goggles know that there are elements within both parties who are willing to take illegitimate measures to ensure that their candidate will succeed.

And with this, I agree with you Siljhouettes.

Both sides need to move on from this election and concentrate on the 2006 Congressional Races.

What and take away peoples bitching ability? What would they do with themselves? ;)

you're kind of extending there. I don't think the article said they were paid by the Kerry campaign. It said that they wanted to put up anti-bush signs but then just slashed the tires of the vans.

You are correct. The article never did refer to them as anything but campaign staffers. Paid or volunteer, they were certainly connected to the campaign.


Five Kerry-Edwards campaign staffers, including the sons of two prominent Milwaukee Democrats, were charged Monday with the election day tire slashings of 25 get-out-the-vote vehicles rented by Republicans.


One of the prominent Democrats is a U.S. Representative and the other is a former Milwaukee mayor.

One of the prominent Democrats is a U.S. Representative and the other is a former Milwaukee mayor.

I thought it was a son of a Prominent US Democrat Representative?

Finally there is hard evidence (http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/jan05/295825.asp) of actual voter suppression in the last Presidential election. Five campaign workers were charged with slashing tires on "get out the vote" vans belonging to their rivals. The five were charged with felonies that can result in 3-1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Plus, as felons, they would lose their rights to vote in most, if not all, elections.

What did Karl Rove and George Bush know about these errant campaign workers? Probably not as much as the local operatives for the John Kerry campaign. You see, these losers were paid staffers for the Democratic party.

Wow, one documented instance of voter suppression and it turns out that the Democrats are the guilty party. What do you think about that!
Explain to me how slashing tires is equal to voter suppression.
It's not like they removed the vote of those in the van or anything.

You're overhyping this news worse than the real news organisations. Especially in that case as the "staffer" are probably volunteers. It's funny how reports always play with words like that. One's "terrorist" is another's "freedom fighter".

Explain to me how slashing tires is equal to voter suppression.
It's not like they removed the vote of those in the van or anything.

Well, they were on vehicles that were going to be used to ferry republican voters to the polls so in a way, you could make a case for voter suppression but it is a stretch.

You're overhyping this news worse than the real news organisations. Especially in that case as the "staffer" are probably volunteers. It's funny how reports always play with words like that. One's "terrorist" is another's "freedom fighter".

Media overhypes everything no matter the subject matter.

Well, they were on vehicles that were going to be used to ferry republican voters to the polls so in a way, you could make a case for voter suppression but it is a stretch.
And any judges who convict someone on this evidence has a bias in my book. I see no way to interpret these actions, reprehensible as they are, as voter suppression. Vandalism at most.

Media overhypes everything no matter the subject matter.
Too true...

And any judges who convict someone on this evidence has a bias in my book. I see no way to interpret these actions, reprehensible as they are, as voter suppression. Vandalism at most.

You'll get no arguement out of me with this statement!

Too true...

:)

You'll get no arguement out of me with this statement!

Then what shall we do with the rest of this thread?
A food fight?

*throws pie*

Then what shall we do with the rest of this thread?
A food fight?

*throws pie*

*ducks and throws a piece of cake*

*gets cake in the face*
*tastes it*

mmmh... Chocolate.

*gets cake in the face*
*tastes it*

mmmh... Chocolate.

:D

Thread title is really messing with me. Voter Suppression looks a good deal like Vittos Ordination when you are scrolling through fast.

Explain to me how slashing tires is equal to voter suppression.
It's not like they removed the vote of those in the van or anything.

You're overhyping this news worse than the real news organisations. Especially in that case as the "staffer" are probably volunteers. It's funny how reports always play with words like that. One's "terrorist" is another's "freedom fighter".
Sure,this is overblown. What if the volunteer staffers, and we don't know if they were volunteers, were members of the GWB campaign in Milwaukee? I'll bet this story would be all over every national news source in the US. Dan Rather would be cleaning out his shorts, he be so happy to see this story. Don't you think it would be just a little like that?

Thread title is really messing with me. Voter Suppression looks a good deal like Vittos Ordination when you are scrolling through fast.
Are you asking for a thread?

Sure,this is overblown. What if the volunteer staffers, and we don't know if they were volunteers, were members of the GWB campaign in Milwaukee? I'll bet this story would be all over every national news source in the US. Dan Rather would be cleaning out his shorts, he be so happy to see this story. Don't you think it would be just a little like that?
that still doesn't answer my question:
Explain to me how slashing tires is equal to voter suppression.

that still doesn't answer my question:

I thought I explained it to you East Canuck!

The vans were going to be used to take republican voters to the polls to vote. because the tires got slashed, they couldn't use the vehicles. Hence, you could make a case of voter suppression!

Finally there is hard evidence (http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/jan05/295825.asp) of actual voter suppression in the last Presidential election. Five campaign workers were charged with slashing tires on "get out the vote" vans belonging to their rivals. The five were charged with felonies that can result in 3-1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Plus, as felons, they would lose their rights to vote in most, if not all, elections.

What did Karl Rove and George Bush know about these errant campaign workers? Probably not as much as the local operatives for the John Kerry campaign. You see, these losers were paid staffers for the Democratic party.

Wow, one documented instance of voter suppression and it turns out that the Democrats are the guilty party. What do you think about that!
As if this is representative of the Democratic Party? What's worse, this or Watergate? Bush won the election anyway. It doesn't matter. Prosecute them. Nixon should have been prosecuted, too.

As if this is representative of the Democratic Party? What's worse, this or Watergate? Bush won the election anyway. It doesn't matter. Prosecute them. Nixon should have been prosecuted, too.

Your right! He should've been and if he hadn't resigned from the Presidency and had Ford pardoned him, he would've been.

I thought I explained it to you East Canuck!

The vans were going to be used to take republican voters to the polls to vote. because the tires got slashed, they couldn't use the vehicles. Hence, you could make a case of voter suppression!
YOU did explain it to me.

I'm trying to determine if the original poster is a troll or just a republican spouting the party line. And for that, he has to answer some basic questions. I will then determine if he's Ignore List material or worth debating.

YOU did explain it to me.

I'm trying to determine if the original poster is a troll or just a republican spouting the party line. And for that, he has to answer some basic questions. I will then determine if he's Ignore List material or worth debating.

Oh! Good Idea! LOL!!

Oh! Good Idea! LOL!!
Did wonder for my stress level.

YOU did explain it to me.

I'm trying to determine if the original poster is a troll or just a republican spouting the party line. And for that, he has to answer some basic questions. I will then determine if he's Ignore List material or worth debating.
That's your choice. My answer would have been the same as Corneliu, but my real work caught up with me.

Look, the way to get a thread started is to have something eye-catching. If I just said 'Five Democrats Arrested for Slashing Tires', hell, I'd be bored before I could have posted the link to the story. Now, when you push the edge of what's really there, it makes more interesting reading. Or even journalism if you subscribe to the CBS and NY Times schools.

Like I said, I was looking for a way to start an interesting discussion. If these guys had been working for Bush, there would have been no end of it. Since they worked for Kerry, albeit indirectly, this was probably a little harder to get started.

Teranius sig-
ATTN Europeans, Leftists, and All Else To Whom It Applies:
George W. Bush is the president of the United States for the next 4 years, so get over it.

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