Comments on: Prosecuting Americans for Voting http://www.dustinmarson.com/personal/journal/archives/2008/03/22/prosecuting-americans-for-voting/ by Dustin Marson Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:12:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: gwilligers http://www.dustinmarson.com/personal/journal/archives/2008/03/22/prosecuting-americans-for-voting/#comment-26 gwilligers Sun, 30 Mar 2008 03:02:58 +0000 http://www.dustinmarson.com/personal/journal/archives/2008/03/22/prosecuting-americans-for-voting/#comment-26 What's so bad about a little phony voting? Everybody's doing it. I live in Michigan, and got this email before our primaries: ---------- "DailyKos founder Markos Moulitsas asked us to forward this message to everyone we know in Michigan. If you'd like to comment on this plan, visit: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/10/2713/8 ... Dear Michigan Friend, We're not going to beat around the Bush. If you want to help make mischief for the Republican Party - and bolster the Democrats' chances for taking the White House this November - read on! Are you a Democrat or independent registered to vote in Michigan? If you are, vote for Mitt Romney in the Republican primary on Tuesday, January 15th! Do you know any Democrats or independents in Michigan? If you do, encourage them to vote for Mitt Romney in the Republican primary on Tuesday, January 15th!" ------ I removed myself from their mailing list. What’s so bad about a little phony voting? Everybody’s doing it. I live in Michigan, and got this email before our primaries:

———-

“DailyKos founder Markos Moulitsas asked us to forward this message to everyone we know in Michigan. If you’d like to comment on this plan, visit:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/10/2713/8 …

Dear Michigan Friend,

We’re not going to beat around the Bush. If you want to help make mischief for the Republican Party - and bolster the Democrats’ chances for taking the White House this November - read on!

Are you a Democrat or independent registered to vote in Michigan? If you are, vote for Mitt Romney in the Republican primary on Tuesday, January 15th!

Do you know any Democrats or independents in Michigan? If you do, encourage them to vote for Mitt Romney in the Republican primary on Tuesday, January 15th!”

——

I removed myself from their mailing list.

]]> By: Donny http://www.dustinmarson.com/personal/journal/archives/2008/03/22/prosecuting-americans-for-voting/#comment-25 Donny Sat, 29 Mar 2008 22:52:00 +0000 http://www.dustinmarson.com/personal/journal/archives/2008/03/22/prosecuting-americans-for-voting/#comment-25 Whether primaries are open or closed, each has their flaws. It's people that abuse the primary system that are the problem. The election system expects people to vote for the person they want to represent them; the same is true for the primaries except that this isn't the one and only vote you get, it only establishes the either or choice you get in November and THEN that is your final answer. When people blatantly abuse the system, voting for someone they don't want to be their representative but want to represent "The Other" in order for their person to have an easier run in the final round, that's what is breaking down the system and something must be done about it. It is not fair to the people who are voting honestly, their voices are being silenced by cheaters. On the contrary, malicious crossover votes might not be happening as much as the numbers are telling us, however. It could be legitimate. I've seen evidence that many Republicans are crossing over simply because of how poorly Bush has done in terms of approval rating. These aren't necessarily conservative Republicans, but moderate Republicans who are upset with the party. Given the last 8 years, and how many people Bush had disappointed, maybe it shouldn't be so surprising at all that we're seeing a large number of moderate Republicans voting in the Democratic primaries. Whether primaries are open or closed, each has their flaws. It’s people that abuse the primary system that are the problem. The election system expects people to vote for the person they want to represent them; the same is true for the primaries except that this isn’t the one and only vote you get, it only establishes the either or choice you get in November and THEN that is your final answer. When people blatantly abuse the system, voting for someone they don’t want to be their representative but want to represent “The Other” in order for their person to have an easier run in the final round, that’s what is breaking down the system and something must be done about it. It is not fair to the people who are voting honestly, their voices are being silenced by cheaters.

On the contrary, malicious crossover votes might not be happening as much as the numbers are telling us, however. It could be legitimate. I’ve seen evidence that many Republicans are crossing over simply because of how poorly Bush has done in terms of approval rating. These aren’t necessarily conservative Republicans, but moderate Republicans who are upset with the party. Given the last 8 years, and how many people Bush had disappointed, maybe it shouldn’t be so surprising at all that we’re seeing a large number of moderate Republicans voting in the Democratic primaries.

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