Democracy Boy's Blog

Democracy Boy recommended Requesting Uncounted Provisional Ballot Totals Along With Regular Voting Reports on Election Day by Synchronicity

2008-10-29T21:05:05Z

Democracy Boy recommended Race-baiting whisper campaign in Wisconsin aims to preempt Obama GOTV efforts by aleph

2008-10-27T03:12:55Z

Democracy Boy Commented on Nevada GOP Cracking Down On Urban Voters]]> by Zachary Roth

2008-10-21T23:52:29Z

Exactly. The fact that about 1/2 the states have a 30-day (or close to 30-day) voter-registration deadline is, frankly, disenfranchising on its own -- especially when one considers the success of the states with election day registration (highter turnout, no problems with fraud, etc.)

The administrative window is designed to allow elections officials (and voters) to fix mistakes and make sure everyone who can be is on the rolls.

It would be great to hear about GOP lawsuits and letters whose aim is to EXPAND participation, rather than curtail it.

SFX: Sound of crickets

Democracy Boy Commented on RNC On New Mexico "Voter Fraud": Never Mind]]> by Zachary Roth

2008-10-20T20:42:03Z

I'm shocked, shocked that the RNC is continuing to flog a phony non-story about "voter" "fraud." Did they mention the GOP dude in CA just arrested for actual, real voter fraud?

Now, I'm not getting complacent about Nov. 4, but after watching Obama's speech in Tampa today, I did just make myself a little celebratory T-shirt. You know, to wear while watching the returns on Election Night, featuring the only two words we'll need to say in response to all the nonsense McCain & Co. will kick up the next two weeks: "President Obama."

http://www.cafepress.com/reasongonemad.319487566

Democracy Boy Commented on I'm getting nervous again by John Henninger 1

2008-10-19T02:20:14Z

You're right -- it's up there with the SF line, but perhaps worse.

I know it doesn't matter, but Obama's full comments to Joe the Not-Plumber were sound. The phrase "spread the wealth around" was a gaffe, more so without the context: Obama talked about making sure middle-class folks can afford to hire plumbers; that's what he meant by "spreading the wealth." Tax cuts for folks who are squeezed will help them afford the products/services ofsmall businesses, so everyone wins.

I know, I know. It doesn't matter. Still a gaffe.

Democracy Boy Commented on Obama Camp Connects ACORN Probe to US Attorneys Scandal]]> by Zachary Roth

2008-10-17T22:49:29Z

To follow up on the burglary in Boston: Note that in Las Vegas, the raid of the ACORN office, during which their computers and files were taken, means they have no way to do any GOTV follow-up with the 80,000 people they registered. The efforts in NV are being spearheaded by the U.S. attorney who replaced one who was fired during the scandal. This is so clearly about voter suppression. Raids and confiscation of computers in other jurisdictions would be more evidence -- not that we need more evidence.

Here's what I bet is pinned to Rick Davis' bulletin board: "Must. Keep. Poor. People. From. Organizing. And. Voting."

Democracy Boy Commented on DOJ Split Over ACORN Probe?]]> by Zachary Roth

2008-10-17T17:13:48Z

Suspect those worried officials finally got around to reading their own department's report on the attorney firings...

Democracy Boy Commented on FBI Probing ACORN Nationwide]]> by Zachary Roth

2008-10-16T19:37:39Z

Good Lord, this is reaching preposterous proportions -- just as the GOP wants. What, exactly, would be the the aim of a "nationwide scam" to submit obviously phony voter-registration forms for Mickey Mouse and Company in various states?

As I suggested here , in a fun way, obviously and absurdly phony voter-registration forms do not produce fraudulent votes. Mickey Mouse and Clark Kent are not going to show up to vote -- especially if there's a cat or Kryptonite at the polls...

That's not to say it's not a problem, because it can distract elections administrators from important pre-election work.

This is of a piece with the GOP suits in Ohio, trying to purge the rolls (illegally, because it's not allowed under HAVA) by highlighting database mismatches.

Why is this an effective strategy for the GOP? Two reasons. First, it mucks up the election machinery in places where D's are registering a lot of folks. And second, it stirs up anger that (poor and black people, in the case of the ACORN allegations) certain undesirables will steal the election.

But we know all this. Unfortunately, we have to use resources to combat it. It's part of the GOP's GOTV strategy.

Democracy Boy Commented on Media Declines To Challenge McCain's Evidence-Free ACORN Charge ]]> by Zachary Roth

2008-10-16T16:17:51Z

Zach hits the key point here: Voter registration fraud does not lead to fraudulent votes. And the process of review by elections officials identifies bad forms. And ACORN itself turns in the bad forms from its canvassers because it's against the law to throw away a completed voter registratoin application.

But facts don't matter when the goal is exclusively to stir up fear, overwhelm election administrators in places where D's have registered a lot of folks, etc.

Here's an image that may help people understand the difference between registration fraud and fraudulent votes (which also touches on "voter impersonation," the non-existent problem that voter ID is supposed to prevent:

http://www.reasongonemad.com/blog/2008/10/key-arrest-in-so-called-voter-fraud.asp

Democracy Boy Commented on Ohio's Voting-Rights Ruling: What's the Upshot?]]> by Zachary Roth

2008-10-16T03:39:49Z

Actually, what we need (long term) is a right-to-vote amendment to the Constitution to create an *affirmative* right to vote in the Constitution. The enabling legislation would create clear, national standards to replace the inconsistent nonsense we have in thousands of jurisdictions today. The 14th Amendment was used by the Court to create the "one-person, one-vote" standard in apportionment in the 1960s, but for the most part, that and other amendments only prevent denying the right to vote based on a few criteria (race, gender, age). We do not have a federal, constitutionally guaranteed right to vote for president (or electors). It's all up to the states.

At the state level, ASAP, we need election day registration in every state. Eight have it, and turnout in 2004 was 12 percentage points higher in the EDR states than non-EDR states. No problems with so-called "fraud," either. People often get serious about the election in the final weeks; if they miss the deadline, they are disenfranchised. Ditto for the millions of people who move to a new address each year.

Most modern democracies have some kind of universal voter registration system. Fer chrissakes, you can drop a change of address card in the post to get your mail forwarded; your voter registration should move with you just as easily.

In Ohio, right now, D's need to highlight that HAVA specifically disallows purging voters solely based on database mismatches, as those federal databases can be crap. The SSI database is notably bad for non-retirees. Slow to be updated, etc.

Man, don't get me started...