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Thursday, September 27, 2012

2012 Tea Party Abandoning Democracy

Posted by Charles Mudede on Thu, Sep 27, 2012 at 7:34 AM

CINCINNATI — Lori Monroe, a 40-year-old Democrat who lives in central Ohio, was startled a few weeks ago to open a letter that said a stranger was challenging her right to vote in the presidential election.

Monroe, who was recovering from cancer surgery, called the local election board to protest. A local tea party leader was trying to strike Monroe from the voter rolls for a reason that made no sense: Her apartment building in Lancaster was listed as a commercial property.

"I'm like, really? Seriously?" Monroe said. "I've lived here seven years, and now I'm getting challenged?"

Monroe's is one of at least 2,100 names that tea party groups have sought to remove from Ohio's voter rosters.

The groups and their allies describe it as a citizen movement to prevent ballot fraud, although the Republican secretary of state said in an interview that he knew of no evidence that any more than a handful of illegal votes had been cast in Ohio in the last few presidential elections.

Soon or later, the Tea people are going start saying that democracy is too communist, too socialist, too European. What has Hitler got in common with Obama? He rose to power by votes.

But here is how it's going down. Stealing an election is so 2000. Winning an election with money is so 2010. Everyone now knows these tricks. No one is going to be caught by surprise. You need new tricks.

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Comments (11) RSS

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It's not elections the Tea Baggers object to. Just the 15th, 19th, and 26th amendments. If white men over 21 were the only people who could vote Romney would win easily.

Posted by Ken Mehlman on September 27, 2012 at 8:26 AM

I'd be pushing for every "challenge" from that person to be thrown out as soon as a single error is found.

Posted by fairly.unbalanced on September 27, 2012 at 8:28 AM

It's high time the public start associating Teabaggers with anti-democracy and voter suppression. That is, it's time we start recognizing them - and their corporate supporters - as the anti-American group they are.

Posted by floater on September 27, 2012 at 8:31 AM

In so far as having to waste time and money preserving one's franchise is damage, shouldn't there be a class lawsuit brewing?

Posted by Bankrupt The Fuckers on September 27, 2012 at 8:50 AM

Anyone who is found to falsely accuse another of being ineligible to vote should lose their own right to vote.

Forever.

Posted by Urgutha Forka on September 27, 2012 at 9:06 AM

@5

Totally agree.

If I call the cops and falsely report a crime, I can be arrested.

Voting is one of the most important parts of our country and our nation's history.

There should be serious consequences for people who make these false accusations of voter fraud while attempting to suppress the vote.

Posted by bobbyjoe on September 27, 2012 at 9:38 AM

WOW. JUST WOW.

Perhaps Ms. Monroe can return the favor to that T'Bagger. In fact, Dems in Ohio should be moving to strike as many Rethugs from the rolls as possible.

Two can play that game.

Posted by Patricia Kayden on September 27, 2012 at 9:43 AM

Voter challenge requests should come with a $50 fee to cover the costs of the investigation, review, and correspondence. This is basically outright blatant abuse of public resources. If they were to do this in a court of law, they would either be summarily dismissed, or quickly SLAPPed.

Posted by K on September 27, 2012 at 10:22 AM

King County pulled the same crap here in 2008:

http://horsesass.org/?p=1167

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/C…

Posted by Velveteen Robot on September 27, 2012 at 10:39 AM

@1 You mean white men over 50 with tons of money.

Posted by very bad homo on September 27, 2012 at 12:34 PM

Like Obama says, "Don't Boo, Vote." You all pissed off about voter suppression? Vote for Kathleen Drew, DEMOCRAT, for Secretary of State. The buck stops here.

Posted by Occupy Seattle on September 30, 2012 at 12:08 AM