Voter Fraud

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2007
Voter Fraud
20
Fri, 10-17-2008 - 9:04am

I am trying to understand something here...I am an independent, undecided registered voter...


There has been much discussion about ACORN and voter fraud.


I work for a govt agency where millions of people apply for a 'card' and out of those millions, there are people who apply with fictitious information for various reasons and we have controls in place that catch about 90% of them - unfortunately not many automated or human controlled systems are 100%. There were approx.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2008
In reply to: mytwobs
Fri, 10-17-2008 - 2:31pm
I think he was on the air.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2007
In reply to: mytwobs
Fri, 10-17-2008 - 2:41pm
I've seen Columbo.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2008
In reply to: mytwobs
Fri, 10-17-2008 - 2:46pm

Yanno... Mrs Columbo, she always loves listening to the radio.


um... there's just one other little thing that's been bothering me...

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-07-2003
In reply to: mytwobs
Fri, 10-17-2008 - 3:02pm

You seem to imply that ACORN is, itself, some kind of nefarious organization. It is not and it has done important work in poor and mostly minority communities. Both political parties have supported its' work so this new unhinged right wing attack is as baseless as the rest of their negative attacks.

It would well serve you and all unthinking partisans to educate yourself about topics and perform your own research rather than accepting at face value the content of vitriolic attack ads.

From the Wall Street Journal MarketWatch

"U.S. Senator John McCain's recent attacks on the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), are puzzling given his historic support for the organization and its efforts on behalf of immigrant Americans. As recently as February 20, 2006, Senator McCain was the keynote speaker at an ACORN-sponsored Immigration Rally in Miami, Florida at Miami Dade College - Wolfson Campus.

The rally, co-sponsored by ACORN in partnership with the New American Opportunity campaign (NAOC), Catholic League Services - Archdiocese of Miami, Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, Florida Immigrant Coalition, Miami Dade College, People for the American Way/Mi Familia/Vota en Accion, the Service Employees International Union, and UNITE/HERE, was intended to call attention to the need for comprehensive immigration reform.
Senator McCain spoke at the rally attended by hundreds of ACORN members, most of whom were dressed in the red shirts typical of its members.

It was a reminder that, for all their electoral histrionics, Republicans have aligned themselves with ACORN in the past.

Indeed, in addition to McCain, there is a host of examples of prominent McCain surrogates attending ACORN events, signing ACORN legislation, or complimenting the group's efforts.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, for example, partnered with ACORN in March 2008 for a "Homeownership Promotes The Economy" taskforce. More recently, Crist declared that -- contrary to GOP outrage -- he was not upset with the group's voter registration efforts in his state. The New York Times reported that ACORN supported a law signed by Governor Crist, which "changed the rules last year to restore the voting rights of about 112,000 former convicts."

In July 2005, meanwhile, another Republican governor, Rick Perry of Texas, signed ACORN's Lending Law Reform Bill that changed the state's homelending practices.

In July 2008, California Governor and McCain supporter Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill that ACORN helped draft aimed at California homeowners facing foreclosure.
In June 2007, Minnesota Governor and McCain VP short-lister Tim Pawlenty signed a similar bill -- drafted by ACORN -- that helped homeowners get fairer deals on their mortgages.

"The legislation was drafted according to recommendations made by a predatory lending study group established by Swanson prior to the legislative session," wrote the Northwestern Financial Review. "The study group contained representatives from the banking industry and the mortgage brokers association, as well as consumer advocates from organizations such as Illegal Aid and ACORN."

As Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney signed an anti-predatory lending bill that ACORN supported. In February 2006, Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman met with the ACORN Katrina Survivors Association. And back in July 2005, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg actually got a kiss from ACORN's state leader, according to the publication City Limits, during an announcement that the city would protect or create 65,000 affordable units in a new housing proposal. Bloomberg, it should be noted, has not endorsed a candidate."

ACORN is an important community based group. As a financial services attorney I often dealt with them and did not always find them easy or pleasant to deal with but they have their agenda, helping poor people. I can't fault them for that. I can fault McCain and his increasingly desparate and dishonorable campaign for needlessly creating divisions between people and promoting an us versus them mentality that incites violence and hatred.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2008
In reply to: mytwobs
Fri, 10-17-2008 - 3:12pm

I don't know that I consider ACORN nefarious, but they are definitely on the side I'm not.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2007
In reply to: mytwobs
Fri, 10-17-2008 - 3:13pm

>>>ACORN is an important community based group. As a financial services attorney I often dealt with them and did not always find them easy or pleasant to deal with but they have their agenda, helping poor people.<<<


Well, there go your chances of running for public office!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-23-2008
In reply to: mytwobs
Fri, 10-17-2008 - 3:55pm

This is an interesting article from Slate.com about how voter fraud is, more or less, not a real thing. Registration fraud may be, but that rarely if ever results in actual "stolen votes" or any other type of election day fraud.

http://www.slate.com/id/2202428/

The real thing to fear is voter suppression of minorities, IMO, especially since studies have SHOWN that voter fraud is largely imaginary and voter suppression is much more widespread and targets low income and minority voters.

Either way, voter fraud does not equal registration fraud. It is manipulative of politicians and pundits to try and convince you that they are the same thing when they know good and well that they are not. Do I agree with ACORN's registration policy regarding fraudulent or repeat registrations? Of course not. Do I think purging voter registration files based on dubiously accurate state records is the right thing to do - NO! That will only lead to voter disenfranchisement.

I speak from experience here - my husband - a registered democrat (if that matters) - was prevented from voting in the 2004 election even though he could provide a valid driver's license AND his voter registration card. Apparently he had been removed from the registration log in North Carolina for some unknown reason. After waiting in line an hour to vote - he was pissed. He is SO disillusioned by the system that he's not even voting this year because he's convinced that there's no point. Luckily we've moved to MD - a very blue state, or I would completely insist that he vote! I'm still trying to convince him, so we'll see. But my point is that purging the books will actually disenfranchise legitimate voters. You may thing that is worth it, but what if it were you, who after waiting in line for an hour were told you couldn't vote. How would you feel about the system then?

Just something to think about.





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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-24-2008
In reply to: mytwobs
Fri, 10-17-2008 - 5:44pm

That is so upsetting.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-28-2008
In reply to: mytwobs
Tue, 10-28-2008 - 9:03am
You have obviously done your homework, however what i fail to see in your long post is that you want a fair election.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2004
In reply to: mytwobs
Tue, 10-28-2008 - 4:41pm
I totally agree, we sure do need to wake up. This year I did my own homework on the candidates. I have lost faith in the American media and from now on take the extra time to do my research and make up my own mind. Without the media's mind games.
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