Althouse: Why do the Dems win all the close races nowadays? It's uncanny!

November 10, 2010

Why do the Dems win all the close races nowadays? It's uncanny!

"Am I crazy to think that close elections—the ones that are separated by a mere hundreds of votes, that go into overtime and threatened recounts well past Election Eve—almost always are won by the Democrat these days?"

88 comments:

chuck b. said...: He's [reasonably] intimating fraud, obviously. Regardless, as long as we live in uncertain times the elections will be close, and our politics will be volatile. Positive feedback creates more anxiety and more uncertainty.

I've had deep 80s nostalgia for most of my 40s.; 11/10/10, 9:48 PM
chuck b. said...: I've had nostalgia for the 1980s for most of my 40s.; 11/10/10, 9:48 PM
former law student said...: I heard an expert say on the radio that of those who request absentee ballots, Republicans vote early while Democrats wait till the last minute, often turning their ballots into the polling place because the mail-in deadline is past. These last minute ballots are still being counted two weeks later.

Democrats = slackers.; 11/10/10, 9:55 PM
Matthew Noto said...: It takes the dead a little longer to get to the polls, Silly!; 11/10/10, 9:56 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Only reason those races were close at all is that it was a wave year. The wave has to crest somewhere, and that means some races have to be close. In those cases, the home team wins.; 11/10/10, 9:58 PM
Alex said...: Any proven fraud Repukes?; 11/10/10, 10:14 PM
Fred4Pres said...: A. Cheating.; 11/10/10, 10:18 PM
george said...: Alex has a filthy mouth.; 11/10/10, 10:21 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: It really does make you wonder why they couldn't come up with a few extra bags of uncounted Gore ballots back in 2000. Are Florida Democrats that far below average?; 11/10/10, 10:23 PM
Alex said...: Repukes are filthy.; 11/10/10, 10:26 PM
traditionalguy said...: The spread of democratic elections into former Marxist countries in the 1990's was smooth. The old KGB guys took it in stride and simply explained it was not who voted which decided elections, but it was who counted the votes. All of these examples are in states with a Democrat Governor telling Democrat officials to keep counting votes until the Democrat wins.; 11/10/10, 10:26 PM
SteveR said...: Why do we need to prove it, Alex? That takes all the fun out of it.

Just go to Wikipedia and go to ACORN, 2008: Presidetial campaign. Of course you know that, try not to appear so stupid.; 11/10/10, 10:27 PM
Milwaukee said...: Repeal motor voter law, cut down on registration abuse, force states to clean up voter rolls. For one thing, force people to sign up for absentee ballots every time they need one. Require voter id. The solutions aren't difficult. Just do them. Hey, remember 1960? Kennedy beat Nixon that way. Fine tradition by people who do not love our country.; 11/10/10, 10:27 PM
KCFleming said...: On average, it takes about 3 Franken Units to put the Democrat over the top.; 11/10/10, 10:30 PM
Alex said...: Repukes cheat on elections, they cheat their workers out of wages, they cheat their own country, their wives, everything. There is nothing redeemable about a Repukelican.; 11/10/10, 10:31 PM
former law student said...: It's called voter fruad. I think these links give you the answer.

I was particularly intrigued by the thought that a photo ID expressly labeling the holder as a Mexican citizen would somehow let him vote in the US. "Sure he can vote. He's Mexican, isn't he?"

Mexicans needed photo ID after 9/11, and the Matricula Consular -- issued since 1871 -- was one way to get it.

San Francisco was the first city to accept the Matricula Consular as identification, in late 2001:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/
article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/12/06/
MN135311.DTL; 11/10/10, 10:36 PM
Unknown said...: PB&J/Alex projects about himself and his friends among the KosKidz.

How many times was ACORN caught with its hand in the ballot box? SEIU is doing the same thing and getting caught.

We need O'Keefe and Giles to break SEIU the way they broke ACORN.; 11/10/10, 10:38 PM
former law student said...: Repeal motor voter law,

You mean people who are ineligible to vote are getting drivers licenses? Puts a big hole in the RealID movement, doesn't it?; 11/10/10, 10:39 PM
jimspice said...: I love those posts that say something without really saying it. Glennbeckianisms -- gotta love 'em.; 11/10/10, 10:40 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: It really does make you wonder why they couldn't come up with a few extra bags of uncounted Gore ballots back in 2000. Are Florida Democrats that far below average?

I think that if there is voter corruption, it usually requires some sort of political machine to implement. And, if there is one in Florida, it is less well known that many around the country. And that usually seems to require either a large union presence (esp. it appears, SEIU these days), or less frequently I think, strong racial minority communities. Large inner-city machines seem the most likely to be corrupt, esp. where they have a history of graft and corruption.

I don't think that the Republicans are any cleaner, per se, but rather, that these big city machines tend to be run by the Democrats, for historical reasons. And, yes, the big unions tended to support them.

BTW - I don't think that SEIU misprogrammed our voting machines here in Nevada. Rather, the casinos and their unions apparently put an amazing amount of last minute pressure on their employees to vote for Harry Reid (but, apparently not for his son). It is apparently rare to see all of them get together like this. My guess though is that there was a lot of anti-Angle bias there, esp. with some of the casinos that have not been historically as supportive of Democrats. People outside the casino towns loved her - but there just weren't enough of them.; 11/10/10, 10:41 PM
mc said...: It caused, for me, such anger to see a "bag of ballots" turn up in Bridgeport.

No surprise, sadly.

Tarring, feathering?

The inner cities are so corrupt and they have the operating aegis of the A.G.'s and the cash of Acorn or whatever it will be called the next day.

The census shenanigans sent a cruel shudder up my spine. Obama and the Dems + a new census and it's "mandate" + control of the DOJ + Motor Votor + Comprehensive Imm. Reform = End of Great American Experiment.

It undermines faith...I don't have an answer as to what will thwart the cities and coasts, other than outrage and excellent investigative work put out on the 'net avoiding the MSM.

It scares me true and certain that we are in "too little too late" margins.

(P.S. if you are unaware Bridgeport is a damned corrupt hellhole. Whatever you conceive of Bport, amplify your notion until it makes you ill, and, while you are vomiting the edges off of the nihilism your thoughts have generated, double down on the wicked corruption and filter any historical romance out of the entire notion. Then realize Bport is worse.)

Well...Having been to Tea Party gatherings I will think upon the good and well read people I met there to bring my enthusiasm forth and grasp at some real "hope" and for some real "change".

That and hold death vigil for the MSM while waiting for someone to ask me for some tar or feathers.; 11/10/10, 10:44 PM
former law student said...: People outside the casino towns loved her - but there just weren't enough of them.

What does that leave? Carson City and Winnemucca?; 11/10/10, 10:49 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: You mean people who are ineligible to vote are getting drivers licenses? Puts a big hole in the RealID movement, doesn't it?

It depends on the state. I went down to the Nevada DMV to trade my CO license in for a NV license. No can do. I needed proof of residency and citizenship, along with my old license. In the end, they accepted a passport and an insurance card showing a NV address.

Remember the AZ law controversy? AZ would accept an AZ DL, or the DL from states that required proof of citizenship to get a DL, as prima facie evidence of not being illegal. But DLs for states that didn't require such, would not work.

Interestingly though, after all that, NV didn't require a DL when I voted. Rather, only that I showed on their rolls, and that my signature matched the one they had right above it - the woman ahead of me in line was all aflutter because she had to sign her full name, which she never did, except, apparently, when she registered to vote. And, they did look at her DL.; 11/10/10, 10:50 PM
BJM said...: Man I don't know which is worse the roast turkey on Reynold's page or the turkey hosting Kaus.

Mickey's getting his pre-campaign mojo back.... [ex-czar Steve Rattner writing for the FT]

" If so, it's a scandal. Disgraced machers are supposed to write for Slate."

Heh.; 11/10/10, 10:50 PM
Malcolm Kirkpatrick said...: I have another question: How often are shoe-boxes, ballot boxes, manilla envelopes, mail bags, etc of uncounted ballots discovered in election contests that are not close? That is, given the ratio of close contests to walkovers for either side, what are the odds that unaccontably uncounted ballots are discovered in elections where they make a difference, by chance?; 11/10/10, 10:59 PM
Foobarista said...: How can anyone forget the Washington state governor election from a few years ago when it seemed that boxes of ballots kept magically appearing in random places, letting Gregoire inch closer and closer to victory, until she won.

Nowadays, I assume that any super-close election will go to the Dem. After all, Soros didn't spend a bunch of money on his "secretary of state project" for nothing.; 11/10/10, 11:00 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: What does that leave? Carson City and Winnemucca?

Down here in Douglas county (just south of Carson), I can't remember seeing Reid signs, but there was a sea of Angle signs. Plus a lot of "Retire Reid", and a lot worse, bumper stickers. Of course, up at the lake, things were a bit different - resort communities tend to be decently liberal. Lucky for the Republicans though, a lot of the people there either aren't registered or vote elsewhere.

And, Carson City, being filled with government workers has a bunch of Democrats.

Reno is the weird one to me. Overall, the town is relatively conservative. But, it has enough gaming industry to swing it back left.

In any case though, it is a weird state. 98% of the land mass is dark red. But also mostly vacant. It was the casinos that swung the state from reliably Republican, as promised by the Mormons as part of their deal to get Utah statehood, to a swing state. (The story is that the Mormons had been reliably Democratic throughout much of the 2nd half of the 19th century, but that party had failed to get Utah statehood. They then promised the Republicans 8 Senate seats if they would get them statehood. The rest is history).; 11/10/10, 11:03 PM
Mark said...: Alex:

Repukes cheat on elections, they cheat their workers out of wages, they cheat their own country, their wives, everything. There is nothing redeemable about a Repukelican.

Which is why voter fraud against them is totally cool.

Go Soros!; 11/10/10, 11:15 PM
Assistant Village Idiot said...: Democratic legends to the contrary, the state most likely stolen in a recent presidential election was Wisconsin, by Kerry in 2004.

Bruce Hayden, you are attempting to be even-handed, but you are correct the first time. Machine politics is big-city politics is Democratic politics.; 11/11/10, 12:06 AM
Peter Hoh said...: The "trend" goes back to 1962.

The 1962 election was held November 6, 1962, but the results of the race for governor were not known until a 139-day recount was completed in March 1963. Rolvaag won the closest gubernatorial election in state history by defeating incumbent Elmer L. Andersen by just 91 votes out of over 1.3 million cast.

Wikipedia; 11/11/10, 12:11 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: This society is so filled with fraud - and the average citizen is so reluctant to do anything about it - I wouldn't be surprised if, one day, the whole thing collapsed like the Madoff scheme.

Shit, at times, I think all it is is the Madoff scheme, from top to bottom. You guys let known frauds - the easy ones, the low-hanging fruit, like Oprah - lord it over you like celebrities. It blows my mind.

Can anyone explain to me what's happened to Americans? As a friend of mine once said, "We used to run such people out of town with shotguns."

Now we let them get away with it and applaud how much of a take they got.; 11/11/10, 12:13 AM
former law student said...: Bruce, does Douglas County still use Sequoia AVC Edge voting machines?

Be afraid, be very afraid. Guys at U of M were able to reprogram one to play Pacman without tampering with its tamperproof seals

http://www.cse.umich.edu/~jhalderm
/pacman/

They link to a youtube showing it steal votes.; 11/11/10, 12:22 AM
Nathan said...: I disagree with the argument that this isn't fraud because "the wave has to crest somewhere." Yes, it does; but by no means does that imply that the "home team" will win a majority of close races. When the wave crests, it should barely swallow just as many seats as it barely leaves untouched.

I agree that some of this is fraud, but disagree with the tendency of partisans to blame all of the fraud on the other party. In 2008, when Republican incumbents were on the defensive, they won the majority of very close elections. In 2010, the Democrats do. This is not natural. Nor is it Democrat fraud, or Republican fraud. It is incumbent fraud. As should be expected, since incumbents have the money, influence, arrogance and desperation that make fraud possible.; 11/11/10, 12:27 AM
shirley elizabeth said...: "Can anyone explain to me what's happened to Americans? As a friend of mine once said, "We used to run such people out of town with shotguns."

Now we let them get away with it and applaud how much of a take they got."

We can't protect or defend ourselves or our society or our morals anymore because it wouldn't be politically correct.; 11/11/10, 12:38 AM
Jim said...: We can't protect or defend ourselves or our society or our morals anymore because it wouldn't be politically correct.

What's been MOST refreshing to me over the last 2 years is that the iron-fisted grip of political correctness seems to be loosening quite a bit.

Once Democrats started debasing the charge of "racism" and "bigotry" to mean "anything that stands in the way of our big government policies," people stopped being held in thrall by the threat of being so labeled.

The overreach combined with the scorched earth tactics of the Democratic Party are putting a quick end to the Orwellian Political Correctness regime, and it can't die quickly enough.; 11/11/10, 1:24 AM
Skyler said...: I think a lot of the instances of proven fraud are just fine with the Marxist wing of the democrat party. The more people that get caught, the more people lose confidence in the voting system.

If the law enforcement mechanisms have been 100% efficient and have uncovered all attempts to commit fraud, we would still be here wondering about the legitimacy of the votes.

It serves the anti-democratic ideology well simply to shatter our faith in the ballot box. It's a win/win if they succeed in stuffing the ballot box or get caught. They can concentrate on volume, not effectiveness.; 11/11/10, 1:32 AM
Milhouse said...: It really does make you wonder why they couldn't come up with a few extra bags of uncounted Gore ballots back in 2000.

It doesn't make me wonder at all. On the contrary, I'm certain that had the Supreme Court let the recount go on, the Democrats would have "found" enough Gore votes to put him over the top. That's precisely why the recount had to be stopped.

That's also why the Republican poll-watchers rioted when the (D-controlled) county election officials tried to lock themselves in a room with the ballots and no observers; what do you think they were planning to do in there? Play bridge?

Thankfully the process was frozen, no further tampering with the ballots occurred, and that's why when the press counted them they found that the votes that were to have been recounted gave Bush a majority.; 11/11/10, 2:04 AM
Milhouse said...: You mean people who are ineligible to vote are getting drivers licenses?

Of course they do, all the time. Why would you think otherwise? What has driving got to do with eligibility to vote? Why would you deny someone a license just because he can't vote?; 11/11/10, 2:07 AM
John Clifford said...: @millhouse, I'd deny him a license if he is in the country illegally.

I don't know why everyone's picking on the Democrats. Their position is based upon principle... that principle being 'Every vote counts, unless it's not for us.'

How many deployed US military personnel weren't mailed out ballots in time? By Democrat-controlled elections administrators? A hell of a lot.

This country is turning into a banana republic. Maybe it's been like this all along, but we didn't know. Now we do, and it's very disturbing. America isn't supposed to be like this.; 11/11/10, 2:52 AM
Dan said...: Dems have no honor. They hide behind: Count every vote, every vote count. But really they mean keep counting until the Dem wins. The Rep most often concedes out of desire to provide closure for the electorate. Dems keep "finding" new votes to count. Count em. Oh, the Dem wins. What a surprise.

That's how that ass-clown in MN got elected Senator.; 11/11/10, 5:24 AM
Anonymous said...: I collected every vote fraud story I could find this year, and the sheer amount of them across the country is disgusting.; 11/11/10, 6:16 AM
ErnieLane said...: I wonder if there is a correlation between an election's being close and someone "finding" a bag of ballots in his car trunk or something like that.; 11/11/10, 6:18 AM
Anonymous said...: Require voter id.

I don't care about that so much as I do about a clean registration process. Voters should have to prove citizenship when they register, not just check the "Yes I am a US citizen" box on the registration form. Anyone who is willing to vote fraudulently is also willing to lie about citizenship.; 11/11/10, 7:56 AM
Opus One Media said...: After Florida we have learned to make sure that ALL the votes are counted. That's why.; 11/11/10, 7:59 AM
AllenS said...: HDHouse said...
After Florida we have learned to make sure that ALL the votes are counted. That's why.

If my memory is correct, Bush won the first, second and third ballot count.; 11/11/10, 8:01 AM
AllenS said...: I've often wondered this. How come Democrats always have such a difficult time trying to vote? Their intentions are always having to be figured out. Excuses have to be made. Every single fucking election. Why is that?; 11/11/10, 8:04 AM
damikesc said...: I'm all for purging all registration lists every 2 yrs and requiring re-registration 3 months before an election. If you want to vote, a little work to do won't kill you.; 11/11/10, 8:09 AM
damikesc said...: HD, is every single ballot a vote?; 11/11/10, 8:11 AM
Original Mike said...: Shouldn't the nailbiters be distributed fairly evenly between the parties? ...

Over a reasonably large number of contests, yes. Eight isn't that large, but Kaus is asking the wrong question. The right question is "What are the odds that all 8 elections go the same way?". I'm not a very good statistician, but I do know that the odds of a coin coming up heads 8 times in a row is 1 chance in 64. In other words, not very likely.; 11/11/10, 8:14 AM
Fen said...: Libtard: After Florida we have learned to make sure that ALL the votes are counted. That's why.

So why did Gore force a *selective* recount of only Dem-leaning counties?

Don't bother. We already know the answer. I hope you don't drink your own bullshit.; 11/11/10, 8:16 AM
joewxman said...: the Tim Bishop, Randy Altshuler race here in NY1 looks like its going to go to the republican Althshuler. He trailed by 3000 votes until they discovered that they counted the votes wrong. He leads now by 389 votes with absentee ballots yet to be counted. They run 6-4 republican.; 11/11/10, 8:17 AM
Rialby said...: There is and has been so much voter fraud, perpetrated by the Left, that it no longer matters. It's all noise. Nobody ever gets prosecuted for it.

It will continue.; 11/11/10, 8:17 AM
Milhouse said...: @John Clifford, there are many many people who are entitled to a driver's license but not to vote.; 11/11/10, 8:18 AM
campy said...: I'm not a very good statistician, but I do know that the odds of a coin coming up heads 8 times in a row is 1 chance in 64.

One chance in 256.; 11/11/10, 8:21 AM
Drew said...: Honestly, whenever I hear of a contested election, I just assume that the Democrat will end up winning, and that fraud will be used to ensure that victory. I've sort of resigned myself to this little truism about American politics.

Reasonable solutions (such as, y'know, having to show ID to vote) are always shot down by Dems. Why is that?

I think the Murkowski/Miller race will be that rare contested election where a Democrat doesn't win. But I wouldn't be surprised if they "discovered" some votes for him in a car trunk on Attu or something.; 11/11/10, 8:26 AM
Original Mike said...: Now that the Republicans have complete control of the Wisconsin government, I hope they have as a priority cleaning up the election process in this state.; 11/11/10, 8:26 AM
test said...: The revealing point isn't that they win closely. The revealing point fact is when every recount results in the Dem candidate picking up votes. See Washington State governor's race and Minnesota Senate race in 2004.

Whoops, we found some votes in a drawer. Whoops, we found some votes in the backseat of my car. Sure you did.

This is the predictable result of espousing "By Any Means Necessary".; 11/11/10, 8:27 AM
test said...: "It really does make you wonder why they couldn't come up with a few extra bags of uncounted Gore ballots back in 2000. Are Florida Democrats that far below average? "

They didn't have time. If the Florida Supreme Court had its way they would have.; 11/11/10, 8:28 AM
Original Mike said...: One chance in 256.

Crap. Told you I wasn't a very good statistician. My ciphering ain't too good either. But I can play a mean game of Fourier analysis.; 11/11/10, 8:28 AM
Matthew Noto said...: "How come Democrats always have such a difficult time trying to vote? Their intentions are always having to be figured out. Excuses have to be made. Every single fucking election. Why is that?"

Usually, it's because democratic voters tend to fall into the following categories:

1. The Elderly, who cannot see well, nor muster the strength to punch a steel stylus through a flimsy piece of cardboard, when they are suffering from dementia.

2. Those for whom English is NOT their primary language.

3. The Illiterate, who's numbers are legion. Not surprising since they've been taught by unionized "Education" majors who were usually illiterate, themselves.

4. The clueless.

5. The disinterested.

6. Did you ever try voting properly with six-children-by-five-fathers clinging like Velcro to your hip?

7. Homeless people typically have few marketable skills: counting and reading are typically not among them.

8. You have to find SOME way of keeping lawyers occupied since the ambulance-chasing field is completely saturated.

9. It's often difficult to get a corpse to pull a lever correctly.

10. Chaos is good; chaos reinforces theneed for government control and oversight. Any system which threatens to remove chaos from the equation must be opposed. Conversely, when chaos does not pay a visit, it pays to manufacture some.

11. Our polling stations and election offices (in some places) are run by some of the biggest doofuses on Planet Earth. Guess who they tend to vote for, too?

12. Some people who ask the question "Which one gonna gimme a check?" may get the wrong answer from confused democratic party operatives (as Al Gore about that one).

13. You just can't buy the same quality fraudulent voter with a tunafish sandwich and a pack of Kools that you could in the Old Days.

14. Heaven forbid we should have to take some of that "education" money we're spending away from teaching kids about Butt Sex, and instead teach them how to do their civic duty vis-a-vis the voting process.

15. if you aren't cheatin', you ain't tryin'.; 11/11/10, 8:41 AM
Opus One Media said...: AllenS said...
"How come Democrats always have such a difficult time trying to vote? Their intentions are always having to be figured out. Excuses have to be made. Every single fucking election. Why is that?"

We democrats have to overcome rigged ballots, rigged voting machines, too few machines in high density areas, police "check points" and an occasional secretary of state on the payroll...makes it difficult Allen.

oh and by the way the recount was limited in Florida you know that but you were just trying to sneak one by me weren't you...nice try.; 11/11/10, 8:42 AM
MadisonMan said...: Now that the Republicans have complete control of the Wisconsin government, I hope they have as a priority cleaning up the election process in this state.

I'd prefer they focussed on economy and jobs.

I saw something yesterday about Don Pridemore (R) agitating to get an immigration law like Arizona's up in running in WI -- for the runaway problem that apparently exists here in the Badger State with illegal immigrants.; 11/11/10, 8:47 AM
Original Mike said...: "How come Democrats always have such a difficult time trying to vote? Their intentions are always having to be figured out. Excuses have to be made. Every single fucking election. Why is that?"

I was amazed in the 2000 election that people who could not figure out that butterfly ballot were willing to go on television and tell the nation they were stupid. I would have kept my mouth shut.; 11/11/10, 8:48 AM
test said...: "We democrats have to overcome rigged ballots, rigged voting machines, too few machines in high density areas, police "check points" and an occasional secretary of state on the payroll...makes it difficult Allen."

Actually, these are the kinds of fantasies Democrats tell their more excitable supporters to subtly encourage their voter fraud. It's similar to when the extreme anti-government types use the phrase "lone wolf" repeatedly. Except that the leftists are much more mainstream of course.; 11/11/10, 8:48 AM
Fen said...: Libtard: We democrats have to overcome rigged ballots, rigged voting machines, too few machines in high density areas, police "check points" and an occasional secretary of state on the payroll...makes it difficult Allen.

Dogs. Don't forget that part of your myth - dogs were used to keep blacks from voting. Sheesh.

oh and by the way the recount was limited in Florida you know that but you were just trying to sneak one by me weren't you...nice try.

oh and by the way it was your guy Gore who demanded the recount in Florida be limited... nice try.; 11/11/10, 8:49 AM
Original Mike said...: I'd prefer they focussed on economy and jobs.

They can do both. The elements of a clean election are well understood and can quickly be voted on.

I saw something yesterday about Don Pridemore (R) agitating to get an immigration law like Arizona's up in running in WI -- for the runaway problem that apparently exists here in the Badger State with illegal immigrants.

That would be a stupid diversion. I hope Pridemore (whoever he has) has no pull.; 11/11/10, 8:54 AM
Anonymous said...: Fen said "Don't bother. We already know the answer. I hope you don't drink your own bullshit."

As you can see just above, he does, by the barrel.; 11/11/10, 8:56 AM
jag said...: "You mean people who are ineligible to vote are getting drivers licenses? Puts a big hole in the RealID movement, doesn't it? "

This happened in Massachusetts to someone I know. They went to get a license, somehow filled out a voter registration form (they thought it had something to do with getting a license) and were put on the voting rolls for years.

In fact, they weren't taken off for years despite informing the registrar that they weren't eligible.

So, yes, motor voter registration can EASILY be a route to vote fraud.; 11/11/10, 8:58 AM
MadisonMan said...: You have to keep in mind Democratic Party culture. Their stupidity must be someone else's fault. Therefore your stupidity entitles you to governmental protection ensuring no harm comes to you as a result of your stupidity.

Read a comment like the one above, and think about the Alaska Senatorial campaigns.

Voter stupidity knows no party.; 11/11/10, 8:59 AM
Original Mike said...: ...police "check points"...

I actually watched the police check point testimony before the U.S. Equal Rights Commission in Florida back in February of 2001 (i.e. they were looking at the 2000 election). It amounted to one cop with a radar gun located 2 or 3 miles and a couple of turns onto different roads to get to a polling place. It was laughable.; 11/11/10, 9:00 AM
Original Mike said...: I have a coworker who just received U.S. citizenship. This is a very smart, and pretty liberal, professional. When it came time for him to register to vote he was amazed (and I think a little ticked off) at the lack of controls to check that he was, indeed, eligible to vote.; 11/11/10, 9:03 AM
jag said...: "You mean people who are ineligible to vote are getting drivers licenses? Puts a big hole in the RealID movement, doesn't it? "

An immigrant friend did register to vote (mistakenly) when they went to get a Massachusetts driver's license. Their name was on the voting list for over 5 years despite the registrar being advised the person was not a citizen several, consecutive, years.

So, yes, motor voter registration can easily be another avenue to vote fraud. Also, realize that registrars are bureaucrats. They won't get into any trouble leaving someone on the rolls but they can catch hell if they take someone off by mistake and, if the person is a minority, they'll be subject to charges of "racism" as well, no?

So there's no incentive to clean up voter rolls and little risk of being a) caught cheating and b) much done if one is caught.

Win, win for vote fraud, no?; 11/11/10, 9:04 AM
test said...: "Voter stupidity knows no party."

I'm not talking about voter stupidity. I'm talking about life.

For example, people claiming they didn't know variable mortgage rates meant their payment could increase. For example the consumer protection agency, a group of nannies who will decide whether something is "too confusing" for people to understand.; 11/11/10, 9:04 AM
former law student said...: the runaway problem that apparently exists here in the Badger State with illegal immigrants.

Not Mexicans in this case, but Yoopers, pouring over the border by the dozen, hoping for a better life and Packer season tickets.; 11/11/10, 9:07 AM
Peter Hoh said...: It's easy to create the impression that all close races go to the Democrat if you leave out examples that don't support your thesis.

Case in point, Randy Alshuler, who trailed his Democrat opponent by 3,400 votes, according to the WSJ. He now leads by 400.; 11/11/10, 9:09 AM
holdfast said...: "You mean people who are ineligible to vote are getting drivers licenses? Puts a big hole in the RealID movement, doesn't it?"

Huh? I have a drivers license, but am not eligible to vote. Previously when I was here on an H1-B, there was a small notation to that effect, which I suppose a poll worker could catch if they were sharp and informed. Now that I have a GreenCard, there is nothing on my DL to indicate that I am a non-citizen. Obviously I have neither a US passport nor a US birth cert, and the first couple of digits of my SSN indicate that I am non native born, but it would be damned easy to register to vote, and vote, if I was inclined to violate federal law.; 11/11/10, 9:53 AM
Calypso Facto said...: MM: said "the runaway problem that apparently exists here in the Badger State with illegal immigrants."

Yeah, i think I saw that guy the other day...; 11/11/10, 10:06 AM
former law student said...: Now that I have a GreenCard, there is nothing on my DL to indicate that I am a non-citizen.

When I got my first license, I had to bring in my birth certificate. That would have been sufficient evidence that I was eligible to vote.; 11/11/10, 10:22 AM
Opus One Media said...: .....Voter fraud redux....; 11/11/10, 10:36 AM
Anonymous said...: Why, Mickey? Honestly?

Cheating and semi-cheating by people like George Soros and Acorn et al.; 11/11/10, 11:07 AM
Mitch H. said...: occasional secretary of state on the payroll

Go to hell, HDH, you clueless, malignant tool of the worst sort of corrupt plutocratic thieves.; 11/11/10, 11:14 AM
Ken said...: The Secretary of State project.; 11/11/10, 11:15 AM
Kirby Olson said...: The Bush-Gore vote made the Dum-Dums mad, and they thought, if the Repos can do it, we can do it, and it's all justified by the Bush-Gore dimpled chads recount, in the simple thinking of the Dum-Dums.

All principles went out the window with the window, as in Myanmar, so in Seattle.; 11/11/10, 11:40 AM
Unknown said...: Up until recently in California your party affiliation was printed on the back of the absentee envelope. Given the high likelihood that your average election department official is going to be a Democrat, I'd be shocked if a big bunch of those ballots marked "Rep" didn't make it to the wood chipper.

I complained about it in writing every year and if I'm not mistaken, 2010 was the first time I didn't see it on there. There were quite a few other coded entries though, perhaps one need only know the code to continue the practice.; 11/11/10, 12:08 PM
LilyBart said...: Because Democrats cheat. Duh.

They're really great at finding a few thousand extra votes for their candidate in some guy's car trunk - that somebody forgot to turn in.; 11/11/10, 5:59 PM
Unknown said...: Well, this odd trend can also explain why the Democratic candidates are always presented as the Second Coming. At election time, the dead will rise to vote for them.; 11/11/10, 8:09 PM
John Clifford said...: @Millhouse, no one who is in this country illegally is entitled to a driver's license issued in this country.; 11/12/10, 12:27 AM
Stan said...: Same way Paul Newman wins at poker in The Sting -- cheat! See e.g. St Louis, South Dakota, Philadelphia, Miami, Chicago, Washington state, Milwaukee, Minnesota.... the hits go on and on and on and on. See LBJ in 48, JFK in 60.; 11/12/10, 9:12 PM