Saturday, November 04, 2006

Getting desperate

Below is the latest tactic Republicans in Idaho have been using to "Get out the vote". This is a release from Brady for Idaho Governor.

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BOISE, Idaho -- According to a healthcare professional in the Boise area, local Republican campaigns are using unethical voter coercion tactics to gain votes in local senior care facilities.

The healthcare professional, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of professional fallout, says he/she has witnessed Republican campaign volunteers entering senior care facilities—including the Boise Samaritan Village—and distributing Republican literature, verbally coercing mentally unfit seniors into voting for candidates, and even filling out absentee ballots with or possibly for these patients. She first heard of the activity in early October.

The healthcare professional was alarmed to hear from patients who had voted absentee—including a 95 year old woman suffering from dementia—despite not knowing who the candidates were prior to voting. The patients expressed confusion as to what had happened or who they had even voted for.

The healthcare professional pointed out that there are adult protection laws in Idaho that prevent just this sort of coercion and exploitation of seniors. Democratic party officials are currently investing the legality of these tactics and will be releasing a statement.

26 comments:

Blake Roberts said...

I hope that the investigation exonerates the Republicans. However, if it is shown that these tactics were being used, I hope they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Not only is that dirty politics, but it is also insulting to the elderly, and to our civic institutions.

Anonymous said...

I just want to clarify, this information was discovered by the Idaho Democratic Party and I found out about if from Brady for Idaho governor.

From what I understand, it is confirmed that these tactics are being used, we're just trying to find out if it is legal.

Jessica said...

This is disgusting, but not too surprising. Desperate tactics from desperate people.

Anonymous said...

So, Jessica jumps to the conclusion from an unattributed source quoting an unnamed person that this is true? Weren't you the one spouting your newly learned causation theory in another thread? Where is this article from, Peter? Is this "healthcare professional" credible? Strain at a gnat, swallow a camel, I say.

Jessica said...

Hi MP.

Anonymous said...

From what I heard, this health care professional will be coming out public tomorrow to a Boise newstation.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I get it - MP=Mormon politics. It's late, that's my best excuse. Yes, I am one of the writers. However, Jessica, intelligent debate requires more than obfuscation. You dodged New Orleans by demanding causation(which was not necessary because it was not a hypothesis, but when causation was shown you.... disappeared. Now when you jump on a factless, nameless story, causation is not necessary? It seems you use protocols to sidestep issues showing your position in a bad light, but use propoganda and speculation to promote it.

Jessica said...

No, I didn't disappear, I am just helping Democrats get elected here in Idaho. When I have time to debate you, I will return. And sure you don't need causation if no hypothesis is presented, but I think it is ignorant to claim something and not have anything to back it up.

Why don't you create an account instead of hide behind "anonymous"? Scared?

Jessica said...

And I never claimed the accusations are true, I simply made a statement. Nice try, MP.

Anonymous said...

Hey,

My story is not factless, although, it is nameless.

The Idaho Democratic Party has discovered that mentally unfit senior citizens are being coerced by Republican campaigners into voting a certain way according to a health care professional.

This health care professional has wanted to remain anonymous due to professional reasons, but supposedly she will be coming out public today. Whether the news will carry it, I don't know.

In Idaho, and in situations where someone needs official help filling out an absentee ballot, both parties must be represented through poll watchers.

Jessica said...

More desperate tactics:

"There are reports out of Nashville that African Americans are getting phone calls telling them if they voted for Harold Ford Jr. in the August primary, they don't need to vote for him again now."


http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_96098.asp

Cameron said...

Wisconsin Democrats are desperate:

"On Election Day 2000, Democrat workers in Milwaukee gave homeless men packs of cigarettes in exchange for absentee votes. A television station captured the Democrat workers in the act of giving packs of cigarettes to homeless men at City Hall in Milwaukee. One of the individuals involved, wealthy New York socialite and major Democrat donor Connie Milstein, originally told reporters that she was helping homeless men vote at the behest of the Gore campaign. Milstein later backed away from that statement, saying she regretted her actions and “acted alone” in Milwaukee without the help or direction of Democrat or Gore campaign staffers. In May 2001, Milstein agreed not to contest a civil complaint charging her with 10 violations of state election law and paid a $5,000 fine."

Cameron said...

Before everyone goes into a tizzy about it, I am not trying to start a Reps good-Dems bad thing here. But election fraud is not new, nor is it relegated to any one party.

This website is one of many sources that discuss recent voter fraud by both parties.

The real issue to discuss is not whether Republicans are bad for doing it, or Democrats are bad for doing it. The issue to figure out is how to stop it.

Anonymous said...

Jesica said:

"it is ignorant to claim something and not have anything to back it up."

My point exactly. Isn't that the foundation of this thread?

Anonymous said...

OK, I took the time to make an account. There is no annual requirement to visit Rexburg in the winter, is there?

Anonymous said...

Jessica, it's clear that you amount to nothing more than a Democratic shill. Trust me, that position has already been taken. Pick a new routine.

Anonymous said...

anonymous (one of the writers from the shameful "mormon" politics site said:

"However, Jessica, intelligent debate requires more than obfuscation."

Intelligent debate also requires an opposing side to debate with, which is something your joke of a website obviously can't deal with, seeing as how all comments disagreeing with your hard-hitting reporting were deleted and the comments feature was disabled. Why don't you go get into a discussion where you actually have a leg to stand on. Your website's credibility will thank you.

Anonymous said...

"shameful," 'joke of a website." Typical reasoned discussion from the left. A little checking shows that your IP has been trying to post comments from people with three different names. You must be feeling shizophrenic. I understand it was explained to you that the site is a no comment site. If you live for vitriol and profanity, go post on Daily Kos. If you don't like MP. then don't read it. As for credibility, I think our readership may be a bit higher than yours.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, Peter:

http://www.idahostatesman.com/273/story/59387.html

Jessica, I feel no remorse for you. I'm counting the minutes until you blame Brady's loss on voter fraud and the black, silent helicopters.

Anonymous said...

James,

Thanks, I'm sorry too. He ran a great campaign though, and he really would have done a great job as governor. I talked to him last night and it took all my strength to be cheerful.

Now, I'm just going to trust that Idaho will be safe in Otter's hands, there's no point in backlashing and I feel little resentment.

When I'm through being depressed though, I'm going to blog about my "insider" experience.

As for Jazz Singer and Preston/Anonymous (You're the same person right?), can you guys take your rhetoric somewhere else?

Yes, this is a site especially for BYU-I liberals. Yes, I've tried to create an atmosphere where differing opinions are welcome, thus Blake Roberts (a conservative but not necessarily a Republican) is allowed to post here. Yes, we will assert our political views here. Yes, we will also try to maintain a higher standard of civil persuasion.

Preston, Anonymous, whoever you are, this comment, "Typical reasoned discussion from the left," and those like them are unnecessary. I don't want to censor anyone, so please, if you're a commentator and you want to use colorful and animated rhetoric, please remember to make it worth it.

Language used to tear people down is hardly saintly.

Differing views are welcome, inflammatory statements are not. This goes to everyone. I've written many comments like this one before, I'm sure many are tiring of my lectures.

But, I suppose this is what you get when you don't censor, which I will not.

Cameron said...

Well said Peter.

I'm interested in knowing the outcome of the senior citizen voting scandal that Peter brought up. I have not been able to find it reported anywhere. Did the "whistleblower" come forward?

Anonymous said...

Again, anonymous is able to sidestep an issue...

"shameful," 'joke of a website." Typical reasoned discussion from the left.

You must have super high standards. I replied to one of your articles on MP, using quotes from the scriptures and citing examples that were used in what you guys had posted, but you deleted it. I made an attempt at reasoned discussion, but obviously you're site wasn't interested. Not sure where you're getting the whole profanity and vitriol thing, unless that's how you define anything opposing your own viewpoints.

A little checking shows that your IP has been trying to post comments from people with three different names. You must be feeling shizophrenic.

The posts were made from my computer, although I didn't write them all. Is that also typical of the far left?

I understand it was explained to you that the site is a no comment site...

It was explained to me that the writers feel their ideas are being discussed in the public domain. If you want things discussed in the "public domain", make it accessible to public. You're all obviously very confident in how right you are about everything so I'm not sure what you're afraid of.

As for credibility, I think our readership may be a bit higher than yours.

Seeing as how the only responses you had were from my wife, myself and my friend, maybe you don't.

You say "typical reasoned discussion from the left", yet it doesn't seem like you've made any positive contribution since you started posting here. And yet, Peter still let's you post and says he refuses to censor anyone. Maybe MP (which yes, is shameful) can learn a few lessons from the far left.

Anonymous said...

Cameron,

LOL. I made some calls, and apparently the health care professional got to talk to our elections lawyers and they said there wasn't enough evidence.

The only witnesses were the health care professional, the mentally ill senior citizens and God.

Anonymous said...

HEY! I just realized that MY comments on Mormon Politics were deleted too!

I mean, I can understand Jazz Singers comments being deleted, he's a liberal S.O.B (j/k), but ME?

WWWHHHYYY!!???

Anonymous said...

As indicated, there are no comments on the MP site. When a writer fails to check the "no comments" button, sometimes it is lewft open but closed when noticed.

Peter, Jazz singer called our site "shameful" and "joke of a website." There was no response from you. I responded that his statement were typical reasoned discussion from the left, you stated that was "unnecessary." Perhaps you should understand why liberals are looked at as hypocritical; they dish it out but become so erudite when it is tossed back at them. I understand you are all students, and perhaps when you enter the real world you will see that it isn't all about your agenda.

It's been nice visiting, but there isn't really anything productive going on here. All the best to you.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous,

What can I say except that you must be a jerk. You do not seem to be a peacemaker, a saint, and I hope members of other faiths than my own will never visit your website for fear that they will get the wrong impression of the Church.

REREAD my post to you AND Jazz Singer.

My rebuke was to everyone. Not just you. It seems you have no intention of trying to understand anyone. Trying picking up a Steven Covey book or better yet, perhaps the Bible. You monger contention with a goal only to be right, not to understand.

I chose to single you out, that was unfair of me. However, if you were actually trying to understand me you would have gotten my point.

Let me spell it out to both you AND Jazz Singer AND everybody: Please, let us try harder to be kind to one another in our differences. Bringing an ungodly amount of contentious rhetoric to this site will be met with my scorn. If you don't care about my scorn, then so be it, I won't censor you.

BTW, Anon., I am a hypocrite. I've never denied being hypocrite. God willing, I'll slowly become better, but as far as I can tell, hypocrisies are a universal truth, excepting no one, no... not even you.

You really upset me, and I sincerely pray that God will grant me the peace I need to put out the great dislike I have for you.

Oh, and what's with the whole, "You're only students" crap? If I had skipped college and just gone straight to work would that be better for you? Or, perhaps you're trying to say we're young and naive. Well, I've met plenty of old fools. It's interesting, but not surprising to me that you resort to ageism.