American Elections and other falderal...

[Gary Childress]

voter fraud

I didn't say nuthin' about that in my post. Funny that's where your head went to.

Anyway, since you brought it up: whether or not voter fraud is real or not, or widespread or rare, there's a growing perception that sumthin' underhanded is goin' down. TPTB are aware of this but, aside from platitudes, have done little to change that perception. Everything is fine they say, we don't need no stinkin' badges, er, reforms!

Leavin' aside all my impossible suggestions, wouldn't even a token effort by TPTB be wise? Sumthin' to allay public suspicion?

There doesn't seem to be any evidence that the voting machines or ballots are tampered with. What is questionable is the inner workings of the parties when it comes to choosing candidates and making the rules regarding third parties and such. And of course news sources pick their favorites in reporting. News media are concentrated in the hands of a few companies which is a bad thing.

[henry quirk]

Why? What's wrong with the idea? In what way is your idea better?

Seems to me splittin' a state's electoral opens that state up to more challenges. It's a layer of complexity not needed. I think two, mebbe more, states already do it. How has it worked for them?

Mine has simplicity behind it, along with respectin' state sovereignty and elevatin' a state's popular vote.

[henry quirk]

There doesn't seem to be any evidence that the voting machines or ballots are tampered with.

And, right or wrong, folks on both sides have suspicions about the machines.

What is questionable is the inner workings of the parties when it comes to choosing candidates

Yep. Harris, for example. Or Saunders.

[Alexiev]

"Elections ought happen on election day, in-person. No by mail, on-line, or drop box hooey. The polls should open at midnight and close at midnight. No exceptions."

How many voting stations you reckon we'll need to be able to move the entire voting population of this beloved country through a voting booth in twenty four hours or less?

That way we can ban voting for soldiers stationed over seas! Good plan. Also, why should invalids be allowed to vote? They'll probably just vote for socialust medical care! Tourists? Anyone who even wants to visit one of those horrid foreign countries should lose his suffrage rights.

No behind closed doors activity of any kind. No exceptions.
.

They tried this in England. No secret ballot. We should be proud of our decisions. The problem was that candidates could go to the local pub and buy votes. The secret ballot did away with the practice.

I'll agree that mail in ballots (I live in Oregon and mailed mine from Colorado a few days ago) present problems. They are no longer "secret", so votes could be bought, or abusive husbands could ensure their wives vote for (you guessed it) Donald Trump.

There are pluses and minuses.

[phyllo]

They tried this in England. No secret ballot. We should be proud of our decisions. The problem was that candidates could go to the local pub and buy votes. The secret ballot did away with the practice.

Buy votes?

You can get beat up for voting for the "wrong" candidate. Or killed.

Consider how much violent rhetoric is floating around especially from the Trump side.

And look at the violence proposed by the OP in this thread :

Armed security (preferably libertarians who hate everyone) ought be present to beat the ever-livin' crap out of any election official who shenaniganizes. The beating ought happen in full view of the public. Any voter caught doin' shenanigans on-scene ought get the same treatment.

Elected officials ought fear rightous assassination.Such folks ought tread lightly in offerin' up any legislation (outside of such canceling or negating or striking down current legislation). Tax hikes, therefore, ought only be proposed by the suicidal and insane. Any kind of rights control, therefore, ought only see the light of day when crafted by elected folks with a death wish.

The entirety of any legislative body ought face, at the least, severe beatings, daily, until they balance the budget.

[henry quirk]

That way we can ban voting for soldiers stationed over seas! Good plan. Also, why should invalids be allowed to vote? They'll probably just vote for socialust medical care!

Here's what I posted...

The only early, or non-on-site, voting that ought happen is for folks who cannot legitimately make their way to the polls. For example: a guy in an iron lung, a paraplegic lady.

I'd say bein' stationed overseas counts as legitimately not bein' able to make it to the polls.

Cripples can vote cuz they're citizens, and they can vote in whatever cockeye'd way they like.

Tourists? Anyone who even wants to visit one of those horrid foreign countries should lose his suffrage rights.

Here's what I wrote...

Voting is for citizens (native-born or legitimately naturalized), not guests or illegals

Seems clear to me: visa holders aren't citizens, refugees aren't citizens, wetbacks aren't citizens.

They tried this in England. No secret ballot.

Uh, no. I wrote...

The ballots are counted three times...in full public view

That's the kind of stuff I'm talkin' about. No behind closed doors meetings or vote counts or whatnot.

A vote ought be one man, in the booth, curtain closed. Him, his ballot, and his conscience.

[henry quirk]

And look at the violence proposed by the OP in this thread

And I mean every word.

If we're to take voting seriously (it's your duty! we're told) then let's take it seriously, not just we the people but all our proxies who oversee this most serious thing. Hold them to account, in the moment, when they don't.

If we're to take governance seriously (rule of law! constitution! democracy! the republic! we're reminded), then let's take it seriously, not just citizens but all our elected folks who stand in for us. Hold them to account when they don't.

[Impenitent]

And look at the violence proposed by the OP in this thread

And I mean every word.

If we're to take voting seriously (it's your duty! we're told) then let's take it seriously, not just we the people but all our proxies who oversee this most serious thing. Hold them to account, in the moment, when they don't.

If we're to take governance seriously (rule of law! constitution! democracy! the republic! we're reminded), then let's take it seriously, not just citizens but all our elected folks who stand in for us. Hold them to account when they don't.

that would mean the constituency would have to pay attention and possibly work...

-Imp

p.s. I'll bet Robin wishes he said "Holy falderal Batman!"

[Alexiev]

[
A vote ought be one man, in the booth, curtain closed. Him, his ballot, and his conscience.

Maybe we should allow women to vote. Radical, I know.

[Alexiev]

And look at the violence proposed by the OP in this thread

And I mean every word.

If we're to take voting seriously (it's your duty! we're told) then let's take it seriously, not just we the people but all our proxies who oversee this most serious thing. Hold them to account, in the moment, when they don't.

If we're to take governance seriously (rule of law! constitution! democracy! the republic! we're reminded), then let's take it seriously, not just citizens but all our elected folks who stand in for us. Hold them to account when they don't.

Since Trump has already stated that he won't accept any ballot count in which he loses, perhaps the armed Libertarians should hold him accountable.

[henry quirk]

that would mean the constituency would have to pay attention and possibly work...

Yep. At least then folks would actually know what to be miffed about.
hint: it ain't about the candidates or parties or ideologies

[henry quirk]

Maybe we should allow women to vote.

I wonder how much of our current woes can be traced back to broads gettin' and exercisin' the vote?

[henry quirk]

Since Trump has already stated that he won't accept any ballot count in which he loses, perhaps the armed Libertarians should hold him accountable.

Hold him as accountable as you would Harris. Which, in your case, I suspect, means not at all.

[Age]

Maybe we should allow women to vote.

I wonder how much of our current woes can be traced back to broads gettin' and exercisin' the vote?

Did you arrive at an answer?

If yes, then what is it, exactly?

[Alexiev]

Maybe we should allow women to vote.

I wonder how much of our current woes can be traced back to broads gettin' and exercisin' the vote?

Yes. Woes like the abolition of legal segregation, the establishment of income tax, and the horror of Medicaid.
The Trumpian notion that the U.S. is in horrid condition is belied by a booming economy, more equality of rights than ever, and, if Trump is not elected, a relative absence of lies and fear mongering.

Harris, by the way, has never to my knowledge tried to intimidate state officials into "finding" more votes in her favorI Nor has she publicly stated that she will not accept the results of a fair election. In that significant regard she differs from Donald Trump.