Respectfully submitted by Lawrence Rafferty (rafflaw)- Guest Blogger
It seems that trouble is brewing again in the State of Florida since election officials have discovered suspicious voter registration forms in at least 10 Florida counties. “Florida elections officials said Friday that at least 10 counties have identified suspicious and possibly fraudulent voter registration forms turned in by a firm working for the Republican Party of Florida, which has filed an election fraud complaint with the state Division of Elections against its one-time consultant.” LA Times
If you guessed that these possibly fraudulent registration forms were just a minor error or blip on the registration screen, you might be wrong. When you have these documents turning up in 10 counties, including the two largest counties, Miami-Dade and Duval counties, people should sit up and notice.
“Vicki Davis, president of the Florida State Assn. of Supervisors of Elections, said Friday that she had heard from elections officials in Lee, Bay, Clay, Santa Rosa, Escambia and Okaloosa counties who had also identified problematic voter registration forms turned in by the Florida GOP. Pasco County officials discovered possibly fraudulent forms during the Republican primary, Davis said. Cate, the spokesman for the state elections division, said possibly fraudulent forms have also been reported in Miami-Dade and Duval, two of the state’s most populous counties. The number of suspicious voter registration applications was unusual, Davis said. “There might be an occasional one, but I don’t think we’ve ever had this number of counties that have had this number of cases all at the same time,” she said.” LA Times
The company at the heart of this potential scandal was recommended to the state Republican organizations by the Republican National Committee. “The controversy in Florida — which began with possibly fraudulent forms that first cropped up in Palm Beach County — has engulfed the Republican National Committee, which admitted Thursday that it urged state parties in seven swing states to hire the firm, Strategic Allied Consulting.The RNC paid the company at least $3.1 million — routed through the state parties of Florida, Nevada, Colorado, North Carolina and Virginia — to register voters and run get-out-the-vote operations. Wisconsin and Ohio had not yet paid the firm for get-out-the-vote operations it was contracted to do.” LA Times
Does it concern anyone else that all the states involved so far could be considered swing states in the upcoming Presidential election? If this company was working in several other states, could this improper activity show up in the other states listed? These improper registration forms could cause havoc at the polling booth and force many legal voters to vote by provisional ballot, that in many cases never get counted. This is not the first time the owner behind this company has been in trouble. The history behind Nathan Sproul, is interesting to say the least.
“The firm’s founder, Nathan Sproul, is a longtime Republican strategist whose reputation was tarred by widespread accusations of voter registration fraud and attempts to suppress Democratic voter turnout. George W. Bush’s campaign reportedly paid Sproul over $8 million for his work in the 2004 election. Sproul, now under new scrutiny, claims he started Strategic Allied Consulting because the RNC wanted to hide his past:
Sproul said he created Strategic Allied Consulting at the RNC’s request because the party wanted to avoid being publicly linked to the past allegations. The firm was set up at a Virginia address, and Sproul does not show up on the corporate paperwork.
“In order to be able to do the job that the state parties were hiring us to do, the [RNC] asked us to do it with a different company’s name, so as to not be a distraction from the false information put out in the Internet,” Sproul said.” Think Progress
Why would the RNC push this company on the state organizations, knowing the shaky history of Mr. Sproul? If I remember correctly, the Republican Party crucified ACORN when they admitted that certain employees had turned in improper registration forms and turned in those employees to the authorities. Is the Liberal Media going to follow the same path and relentlessly attack Mr. Sproul and his organization and the RNC for these alleged voter registration transgressions?
Since the RNC suggested that Sproul start-up a whole new company to do this work, is this an example of a planned dirty trick by the Republican Party or is it just an example of a guy with a checkered past not doing a good job at supervising his workers? “The suspected fraud included apparent cases of dead people being registered as Republican voters, said Paul Lux, the supervisor of elections in Okaloosa County and a Republican. He compared the suspected fraud to the alleged acts of ACORN, the liberal activist group that became the center of a national controversy several years ago. “It’s kind of ironic that the dead people they accused Acorn of registering are now being done by the RPOF” [Republican Party of Florida], Lux said in an interview with NBC News.” NBC News
Ironic was not the word I would have used. What do you think happened here? Is this another ACORN situation that can be blamed on “bad apples”? When you combine the Voter ID laws and this kind of activity, it could be argued that this is just part of an illegal strategy to disenfranchise voters. Let’s hear your opinion!
Bron,
You should know better by now to trust anything with Brietbart’s label on it and to have read the survey results yourself. That claim is not exactly what the poll said. In response to the question “Do you consider yourself a supporter of the Tea Party movement, or are you not a supporter of the Tea Party movement?” (a question they’ve apparently been asking as a matter of due course since some historical data was provided) the response was broken down by registered voters, by likely voters and again by “strongly supports”, “moderately supports” and “not a supporter”
With “strongly supports” –
Total 8; registered voters 9; likely voters 11
With “moderately supports” –
Total 15; registered voters 16; likely voters 20
With “not a supporter” –
Total 63; registered voters 64; likely voters 61
AP-GfK Poll September 2012 Topline First Release, p. 33
Available here,
A fine example of cherry picking of data on the part of Breitbart’s crew. Yeah, tea baggers technically have 31% of likely voters (on one poll which in itself makes the claim dubious – cross poll data would be a better number statistically) but that number is deceptively inflated when looked at out of context compared with the rest of the data set. The rest of the numbers show that to be a very “soft” 31% at best. In reality, the die hards are much closer to that 11% number. While not an outright lie, this “story” is a fine example of distortionist propaganda – taking a bit of data out of context and making claims about it that are ridiculous upon further examination. If you can get people to think “well a third of the people can’t be wrong” instead of “well one in ten can’t be wrong” that is what is known in the sales profession as “bullshit and puffery”.
In short, the poll numbers are fine, but the Breitbart crew’s interpretation of them is pure nonsense.
bettykath:
ralph and 40,999,999 others take tea with Rush. Apparently that is 31% of the voting public.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/09/28/41-Million-Tea-Party-Supporters-Set-to-Vote
“The AP/GFK poll shows that 31% of likely voters consider themselves Tea Party supporters. With 131 million votes cast in the 2008 elections, that translates into an incredible voting bloc of 41 million Tea Party supporters waiting to cast ballots. These voters have already made their voices heard in Wisconsin earlier this year, as well as in Republican primaries in Texas and Nebraska.
That 31% of likely voters figure is greater than the 19% who described themselves as either strongly or somewhat liberal. Surprisingly, liberals have escaped media characterization as being a small, fringe-like group with little power or influence. At 19% of likely voters, self-described liberals would have a turnout of 25 million voters, some 16 million fewer voters than the Tea Party.”
I dont know how accurate Big Gov is, so I cant vouch for the numbers.
The Pentagon is apparently trying to disenfranchise military personnel.
http://watchdog.org/55187/va-military-absentee-ballots-going-awol-in-2012/
“With only 1,746 military voters in Virginia requesting absentee ballots so far this year — out of 126,251 service members in the state —the Military Voter Protection Project says the system has broken down.
And it’s not just in the Old Dominion. MVPP Executive Director Eric Eversole reports significant declines in absentee-ballot requests by service members across the nation.
Compiling data from Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Illinois, Ohio, Alaska, Colorado and Nevada, Eversole’s organization found that military families have requested 55,510 absentee ballots so far this year. That’s a sharp decline from the 166,252 sought in those states in 2008.”
I think Ralph takes tea (or whatever) with Rush, followed by crumpets with Fox.
my acronym for the day, R(i)POF.
(Republican Party of Floriduh)
I agree Gene! See ya tomorrow!
It’s a breakthrough kinda day, raff. 😉
Gene,
I am glad that you acknowledge your wallflower problem!
That’s some brain you got there, Igor.
Let’s start with the obvious lie: “And when Obama and members of his administration lied about the murders of Americans by Muslims in Libya by saying that they were not planned terrorist attacks, but rather, were an excusable response to a purported film that Muslims deemed offensive, all Leftists joined behind Obama by ignoring and suppressing these facts.”
Contrast with the truth as reported: Attack on U.S. Consulate in Libya determined to be terrorism tied to al-Qaeda
Classic propagandist move there Ralphie. Unfortunately the facts don’t bear out your claim. Oops.
“In order to implement Leftist policies. a government must have the power to make people bend to the will of government. Thus, authoritarian governments are the preferred means of the Leftists because they take free choice out of the equation to the extent feasible. Leftist policies, such as transferring wealth from the middle class to an underclass beholden to their Leftist masters, cannot be effectively accomplished unless there is sufficient authoritarian power behind government to keep the population in line.”
Left or Right have no bearing on Authoritarian form of governance. Authoritarianism comes from either side of the political spectrum and is not ideologically sensitive or tied to that spectrum. The Communist Soviet Union was an extreme far leftist form of authoritarian government. The Fascists of Nazi Germany were a far rightist form of authoritarian government. You should not use words you do not know the meaning of Ralph. Especially technical political science terms. It makes you look like an even bigger doofus. Then again, obfuscation, purposeful misapplication of terminology (especially technical terms like poli sci terms) and the use of loaded language to scare people without any basis in fact is also a classic propagandist technique. Too bad for you many in the audience of this forum know what those technical words actually mean.
“There is a wonderful short, but brilliant, scene from the classic movie, Citizen Kane, in which the editor of a newspaper Kane had recently taken over tells Kane that the stories that he wants published aren’t real news and aren’t newsworthy. Kane retorts that “if the headline is big enough, the news is big enough.” Kane’s assistant, Bernstein, adds, “Right, you are, Mr. Kane.”
Thus, the Leftists suppress the truth about the economy in the news, and instead focus on Mitt Romney’s old tax returns, which have no bearing on which candidate has the better ability to advance the American economy. ”
Thus the Right wing extremist propagandists advance a false analogy as some kind of proof that the media is not reporting on the actual state of the economy in some kind of left wing conspiracy to keep the Mittster down. A false and incomplete analogy (a logical fallacy two-fer! you’re racking up quite a score, Ralphie) and no other proof is not an argument, dipstick, but thanks for mentioning Orson Welles greatest film and possible introducing a whole new generation to an object lesson and morality play about the amorality of money.
“Leftists are also fond of pretending that they favor free speech. Well, to some extent they do, but ONLY if that speech involves the propagation of Leftist policies and practices. If the speech involves viewpoints that are antithetical to Leftist causes, why then, the Leftists demand that that kind of free speech be SHUT DOWN! Hypocritical? Of course. That goes without saying. ”
On the contrary. I’m one of your alleged “Leftists” and I love free speech. From everyone. Even you. You see, in order to teach, it is helpful to have bad examples to teach from. Your free speech provides an invaluable service to educating the masses. Shut you down? Wouldn’t think of it. Make you look like an irrational fool with no evidence? Absolutely. You’re free to say what you like. I’m free to criticize it how I like. Nothing hypocritical about using logic and rules of evidence to make a fool look foolish. In fact, I rather enjoy it.
“Thus, instead of demanding that Obama admit that he and his administration lied to the public about the Muslim terrorist murders, what do they do? They demand that free speech about the truth about Muslims be suppressed. They want it to be a crime to expose Muslim treachery. Why? Because support for Muslims is very dear to the hearts of Leftists for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that it is an effective way to express their hatred for Israel, with all its advances in science, medicine, the arts, and all those other civlized things that Leftists find so vile.”
Since no one lied – as evidenced by the article freely available from the Internet clearly stating terrorist were behind the Libya embassy attack – there has been no demand that “free speech about Muslim treachery” be suppressed. Also, you make another false equivalence. Not all Muslims are terrorist and it is not “Muslim treachery” being revealed by the embassy attack. It is the exposure of criminal action by a criminal organization. It is not more “Muslim treachery” than the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre was “Catholic treachery” simply because Lucky Luciano was a Catholic. It’s a gross and faulty generalization (both logical fallacies on their own) and another example of the composition/division fallacy.
Really, Ralph. With the degree of irrational and illogical thought you’ve displayed on this thread, I have to ask does anyone buy your bullshit in person? Because you are massively failing to sell it here.
“Had someone not friendly to the Leftist causes been similarly caught in such lies, they would have been hammered relentlessly by the Leftists. ”
You mean like you’re getting hammered with your own inadequate arguments, illogic and lack of evidence here? Why that has nothing to do with you being a right wing propaganda wing nut, Ralph. It has everything to do with your argumentation (and propaganda) skills being childishly feeble and transparent and susceptible to easy disassembly.
Perhaps we should look to history for solutions to election issues. The new black panthers can patrol polling entrances and President Carter can verify results as he did for Chavez in Venezuela.
In the meantime, Rome is burning. The problems are not the work of one party. The system is broken and everyone points a finger at the opposition instead of looking in the mirror.
Rafflaw, it is axiomatic that Leftist politics demands that the truth be suppressed. That is self-evident. As Dorothy Parker said when asked for the definition of “horticulture” quipped “You can lead a whore to culture, but you can’t make her think.” However, I will try.
In order to implement Leftist policies. a government must have the power to make people bend to the will of government. Thus, authoritarian governments are the preferred means of the Leftists because they take free choice out of the equation to the extent feasible. Leftist policies, such as transferring wealth from the middle class to an underclass beholden to their Leftist masters, cannot be effectively accomplished unless there is sufficient authoritarian power behind government to keep the population in line.
With authoritarian power, comes power over the media to support the agenda, and it is through the media that Leftists are most easily able to suppress the truth, distort the truth at will, create lies and diversions, and other tactics at the disposal of Leftist governments.
There is a wonderful short, but brilliant, scene from the classic movie, Citizen Kane, in which the editor of a newspaper Kane had recently taken over tells Kane that the stories that he wants published aren’t real news and aren’t newsworthy. Kane retorts that “if the headline is big enough, the news is big enough.” Kane’s assistant, Bernstein, adds, “Right, you are, Mr. Kane.”
Thus, the Leftists suppress the truth about the economy in the news, and instead focus on Mitt Romney’s old tax returns, which have no bearing on which candidate has the better ability to advance the American economy.
And when Obama and members of his administration lied about the murders of Americans by Muslims in Libya by saying that they were not planned terrorist attacks, but rather, were an excusable response to a purported film that Muslims deemed offensive, all Leftists joined behind Obama by ignoring and suppressing these facts. Did the Leftist media demand an investigation, or pursue one themselves to demand the truth? Of course not. Leftists hate the truth.
Had someone not friendly to the Leftist causes been similarly caught in such lies, they would have been hammered relentlessly by the Leftists.
Leftists are also fond of pretending that they favor free speech. Well, to some extent they do, but ONLY if that speech involves the propagation of Leftist policies and practices. If the speech involves viewpoints that are antithetical to Leftist causes, why then, the Leftists demand that that kind of free speech be SHUT DOWN! Hypocritical? Of course. That goes without saying.
Thus, instead of demanding that Obama admit that he and his administration lied to the public about the Muslim terrorist murders, what do they do? They demand that free speech about the truth about Muslims be suppressed. They want it to be a crime to expose Muslim treachery. Why? Because support for Muslims is very dear to the hearts of Leftists for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that it is an effective way to express their hatred for Israel, with all its advances in science, medicine, the arts, and all those other civlized things that Leftists find so vile.
I’m working on that wallflower problem, raff. I really am.
Gene,
I wish you would tell us what you really think! 🙂
Ralph,
” Fortunately for you, you have a very strong mainstream media support system that will always be there to help keep your Leftist-programmed circuitry in line, helping to prevent any short-circuits that might inadvertently cause you to sometimes actually think from time to time–if those few, old brain cells have not already attenuated beyond repair.”
If calling me a stupid Leftist is the best you’ve got for counterargument, might I suggest you don’t quit your day job. Also, I don’t have strong “mainstream media support” for my views. Nor do I need it. Despite your meaningless opinion, I am a very independent critical thinker. Anyone who really knows me understands this fact and they understand that there is only one way to get me to change my mind: a logical evidence based counterargument. Something you have yet to produce in your churlish childish name calling frenzy. But you did bring this tidbit to the table:
“And a vote that is not for Romney, is a vote FOR Obama, no matter what you say. That is the way the politics play out in the two-party system in the USA.” – Raplh Adamo
Why Ralphie! That sounds vaguely familiar . . .
“You’re either with us or against us.” – G.W. Bush
It was the logical error of the fallacy of false dilemma when President Dumbphuck said it and it’s a logical fallacy when you say it now.
You just love being illogical. You must. You’ve done it twice (well two and half times technically speaking) in this thread alone. I realize that truth – that you’re illogical (and ergo irrational) – must hurt, but I honestly doubt it gets through the denial you coat yourself in like layers of paint futilely trying to cover ugly wallpaper. I’ve got some bad news for you, Ralphie Boy. That “two party system” you’re so enamored with?
Is part of the problem with this country.
It is not enshrined, protected or created by the Constitution.
Two parties isn’t choice. It is the illusion of choice. And I don’t have to “pick a team”, sport.
My loyalty is to the Constitution.
In my estimation, neither man running for office is fit or willing to defend it.
If you want to vote for Oil/Banking Fascist #2 instead of Oil/Insurance Company Fascist #1?
Be my guest.
But if you want to tell me how I should vote? That I have to choose a “side” other than the Constitution and the DOI?
You’d be mistaking me for someone who doesn’t think you’re a theocrat (as demonstrated by your previous posts) and a Right wing irrational actor (also as demonstrated by your previous posts).
I’m not a partisan. I’m a principles voter. That rare thing any deceptive pol hates no matter their party affiliation.
Since a sane person doesn’t factor in the opinions of irrational actors other than as a sidebar note of what not to do in critical analysis, why should I care what you think?
As to your evaluation of my intellectual skills and toolkit, I don’t take evaluation seriously from people who make multiple irrational and illogical statements. You learn to think properly, that is without or with a minimum of logical and/or factual errors? Then I might consider what you have to say seriously. Until then, your statements have all the meaning of the chatter of yapping lap dogs; funny, annoying and meaningless.
Thanks AY!
Raff, great article…..
Elaine… Thanks for the video…
Nal…. Excellent points….
Ralph: Uncle Adolph endorsed The Willard in his recent email from Hell.
lotta,
Thanks for the linked stores and the brad blog info.
I hope someone is checking the rolls of voters registered by Strategic Allied Consulting in the other swing states since the organization did work in several other states. Yea, the RNC knew exactly who they were hiring, why hire them if you didn’t want them to do exactly what they did?
Bettykath, your postings are right on, the machines are key. Maybe that’s why the Romney campaign doesn’t seem worried about what a poor campaign they are running, it’s already in the bag? (bradblog dot com- input as an address, is a very good vote/election blog: non-partisan, process and voter rights oriented.)
Clint Curtis- alive:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clint_Curtis
Michael Connell- dead in a small plane accident:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Connell
Ralph,
Try giving us some actual provable facts or at least provide documentation for your claim that leftist politics demands that the truth must be suppressed.