But the investigations were part of the ploy. Lots of press was thrown around on the ACORN investigations, even though there is no evidence of ACORN being involved in vote fraud. It made ACORN look bad, and gave the GOP an excuse to push for voter IDs and poll challenges, which was what they were after in the first place.
I am sure wingnuts will be pushing the “ACORN investigations” meme, long after the investigators finish up and quietly announce there was nothing there in the first place. Scream the accusation, whisper the retraction…
The investigations were part of the ploy? What, are you suggesting that the different police agnecies, FBI, or whoever else was involved, was actually in on this thing? So did Bush somehow really coherce these agencies to investigate to push the issue? Seriously? Do you realize that sounds like a ridiculous conspiracy theory?
I live in Milwaukee, and was first hand witness to the "smokes for votes" and the case where the sons of an Alderman and Congresswoman (IIRC) slashed tires at a Republican "get out the vote" station to keep them from being able to get around and pickup people to take them to vote. It was reported locally by our papers and TV stations. Vote fraud is real and does happen. I do not deny the possibility that people on the Right engage in it as well, and I find that equally deplorable.
But I think that this idea that it's all just created as a smokescreen to disenfranchise certain voters is a ridiculously naive position. I seriously do not mean any disrepect here.. but you are swallowing the Democratic line hook, line and sinker. I can't understand why anyone at all would not want to take seriously the issue of voter fraud. It affects every single one of us. Every fraudulent vote cancels out a legitimate one. It should be investigate, and if there are ways to reform the system without disenfranchising people, it should be done.
I also laugh at the idea that having to show an idea is such a terrible injustice. The very people the left consistently claims may be disenfranchised must have some form of ID to conduct virtually any other business they do in life. To do any kind banking.. cash checks, take out payday loans.. to puchase cigarettes or alchohol. There are tons of things that you need them for and I don't believe that there are substantial numbers of people who do not have one. And I'm all for a way to make sure they have one, 100%, if such regulations were ever enforced.
I'm sick of this strawman that the right only complains about vote fraud as some evil plan to keep minorities from voting. It's reprehensible to even suggest such a thing. Such "right wing = evil" black and white thinking is completely intolerant and every bit as flawed thinking as what the people on the right are acused of engaging in. It's time for people on both sides to pull their head out of the sands, and stop thinking in "us vs them" mentality, and demonizing the opposition constantly.
But as I said earlier, none of this really matters in an election of this sort, where the people have spoken.. and so strongly. It only affects outcomes in razor thin elections.. like 2000, and to a smaller extent 2004.
