I agree with sarahb.....Only because I want localboysince1968 to share those great views!. Can't share the truth if you're stuck in a bubble! If Obama wins this election, I will truly be upset. McCain isn't selling himself very well, but the practical application of things to come would show it. If only people can see the future, then they would choose McCain.
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About these 'intimidated minorities' (paraphrased). If I were a non-white person in this state/ country, I would be completely upset that other people felt I was being intimidated at the voting places. You are running down good people under the guise of pretending to care for them. Having officals at a voting place should not affect any normal person. Maybe these individual groups you left wingers are trying to 'protect', should rebel and vote for McCain!-and show you their individual rights and independent capabilities.
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These types of condescending remarks and applications are what keep the rifts and separations going in this nation. True freedom between races means no more excuses and the right to choose your beliefs, and not just because of your socio-economic status, skin color, etc. In short, I think democrats use the non-white people of this nation, to gain in the elections. Ironically enough, I believe Obama will continue this oppression with more of the same pitty attitude towards other minorities. I certainly would not want a hand-out, at the expense of someone's pitty--saying I can't make it on my own. I just can't see McCain doing that to anyone. McCain will help those individuals help themselves through incentive based plans.

Localboysince1968: Come on outside of that bubble you've been living in.

billnewbie: You hit it on the head. But, they will spin it out to make you the bad one. Fair and balanced are not in their vocabulary.

Nothing, it seems, upsets a skunk more than the scent of a rival skunk. His own stench bothers him not at all, but nothing is more odious than the stink of a competitor. So it is in politics.
It is well known that Democrats have employed poll watchers for years. Their apoplexy over their rival's intent would be humorous were it not for the Democrats' attempt to instill racist content into the Republicans' efforts. It’s pitiful that even in a year when the Democrats seem to have a firm grip on victory; they still feel the need to sling this type of mud, almost as if they just cannot find it within themselves to rise above pettiness. I’m sure that Democrat apologists will have no trouble rationalizing this level of behavior as justified by those dirty politics playing Republicans. But if dirty politics are contemptible for Republicans to use, aren’t they also just as contemptible when used by Democrats?

Zoom - who policies do you think the ACORN group often advances? You wouldn't know it, but the Democrats! It is not a bi-partisan organization. They set up shop in the inner-cities where the Obama-spread the wealth- camp is going to get an increase in votes, because of his socialistic programs his is promoting. Why else would those people vote, unless they knew they had a shot at something free coming to them (my hard earned income)?

Registration and voting are two different things. It is against the law for ACORN to screen the voter registrations before they are submitted. They have to submit every one they get. Unfortunately, some of the people they hire make up names instead of doing the work. Again, ACORN could be a poorly run organization for all I know, but there has been no evidence that invalid registrations translates into fraudulent votes.

Ballots from Ohio and Florida were heavily scrutinized in 2004, yet there is no evidence of massive voter fraud. There sure were incompetant people creating and processing the ballots however, invalidating thousands of votes, no matter who you voted for.

Hey aj131, does Micky Mouse pass your quiz?

This is not a high school dance. This is one of our most treasured rights as a free people. The cost far outways the benefit. In a perfect world, nobody would be intimidated by police, but we all know that isn't the case in inner-cities.

Zoom - good question. Ask you friends over at ACORN the same thing. Maybe they can shed some light on it. For us law abiding citzens, we can't fiqure it out either.

How come nobody is giving President Bush credit for the recent decline in gas prices? You Dems (and ignorant posters) sure gave him the blame when the price went up.

By the way, he has no control (his family either) over gas prices.

Seriously, what's in it for the criminal to commit voter fraud, which is a felony? Do you seriously think someone is paying criminals to cast fraudulent votes? There would have to be thousands of people doing it to have any impact on an election. On the other hand, a few people managing the process, post voting, can screw up thousands of ballots.

Zoom, they represent people of authority. What is a security guard going to do at a high school dance? They don't have arrest powers, nor even carry a fire arm. They are a deterent.

I think they should be located at all polls, and not just inner-city ones, as that is racial profiling. Those white college students are liberal radicals who don't really care about democracy anyway, just about individualism, and think their idea of sacrifice for thier country, is protesting on a Saturday morning, instead of hanging out at the local coffee house.

You didn't answer my question. What exactly do you expect police to stop, that the election volunteers can't? Can't voter fraud happen in suburban neighborhoods too? Why aren't police being asked to be at all polling sites? While they may deter one person from trying to cast a faulty vote, they could intimidate far more from entering the polling place. Again, adult volunteers from both parties run the polling sites.

The only conclusion I can take away from this is that you think minorities somehow are more inclined to actually walk in and cast a fraudulent vote than non-minorities. The few cases I have heard of that actually happening were white college students. The fact is, voting fraud, where a person actually tries to cast a fraudulent vote, is very rare. There are far more problems with the process itself; i.e. "hanging chads", bad electronic voting machines, mishandled ballots, etc. These volunteers won't be part of that process, because they aren't authorized.

Zoom - you people slay me. Do you speed when there is a cop driving next to you? Or do you only speed when there isn't one around.

Are you familar with the "Hawthorne effect"?

Those of you who think police and "security personel" wouldn't be intimidating to some minorities need to step out of your white washed world. What exactly would these veterans, policemen, security personnel, and firefighters be protecting people from? What will they be "watching"? There are already adult election volunteers, both Republican and Democrat, at each polling site. This is a slippery slope, where the destination is a government asking for your "papers" to cross the street.

aj131 - patriotism= love for or devotion to one's country.

You can't love your country if you don't care about economy, health, taxes, national security, the military, Americans.

Aligning or befriending with anti-americans like Ayers, Wright, ACORN, etc is not what I would count as patriotic.

If you want to give me quiz on whether I have a clue - bring it on.

These comments are hilarious. Someone is really going to vote for Candidate X because they would be more "patriotic" (I guess Obama should have worn his flag pin the whole time, huh?). You don't consider your taxes, the strength of the economy, health care, immigration, the education system, national security, etc?

We should have a system in place (a quiz of some sort?) so that only people who have a clue can vote.

Janesvillean, I can't believe you really think McCain is comparable to Wallace. There is no comparison, yet when a direct connection to many nefarious characters is made to Obama, many who sound just like you won't even consider the facts. People really need to think about what type of actions Obama would take as president based on his record and associations.(Acorn, Ayers, Wright, Rezco, Pelosi & Reid)

Why is the Dem Party so busy creating fear in this election? Is it because if you don't manufacture fear you won't get votes for your candidate? Class warfare, racism, voters being denied or scared away from voting, all brought up by the dem's. What a great party!!!! You insult, slander and call it your right but if the other party says anything in defense,well, "see, we told you they are mean and using dirty tactics." You are the party of one-sided views only. You are limited in your concept of what a two-party system is. You believe that this country should be run by one party, one view, and that those who work for a living need to give a fair share to those who don't. Welcome to communism. Your full of empty slogans. Thank god tho, that not all democrat's are as narrow minded as a few of the commentors in this section seem to be. I encourage all to vote, regardless of party affiliation, but let it be an honest vote. Let's not call voter fraud if our candidate loses. That cheapens the vote cast by the people of this great country who believed in their candidate. Accept defeat with grace, not hate, no matter who wins. Leave the name calling and slime at home for once.

I am not a Republican or a Democrat, but an American. That means I choose who I will vote for based on the issues of the time.

I want a President/Commander-in-Chief who will handle the office with American pride and be the front man for America, and our Military.

Nothing against Obama's experience, as my decision has nothing to do with experience, but patriotism. I think McCain and Palin will just be more patriotic.

But i'm voting for McCain because I know he truly cares about Americans! Let the police, firefighters, astronauts, farmers, whatever, come and sit at my voting station!

Localboysince1968....Well put. I had an exconvict visit my home and try to get me to vote for Obama. She was working for 'WisconsinForward' I called them and they said she wasn't supposed to be on their roster. I knew who she was. Then the group's spokesperson hung up on me. These people just don't care. They are only agenda driven. The questions this solicitor asked me were only----loaded questions. My union only sends me political (and pro-democrat) stuff and never anything else. I haven't heard the equal outrage against this kind of swagger. I am not a partisan person either. Just don't like what I see in the left wing. I am a realist, not a republican.

You can't argue that there is at least a real subject of voter inequities happening. So why is the democratic side so worried about more officials at the polls? Don't you trust officials? What would make that a republican trick? I say let's make it impossible for any voting mistakes to occur, and keep the voters safe as well.
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Listen to this......If you are arguing that these people being present at the polls makes other people scared to vote, then you are saying that these people don't like or don't believe in firefighters, police, ex-military. Essentially you are calling these professional Americans-crooks. If you don't like these type of good Americans, then I don't want you voting in my country anyway!!!
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Republicans have done nothing wrong here. And democrats are producing a bad mental image for people. People need to stop alligning themselves into groups, this partisan thinking is crap. Yet many non-white and working class types keep assuming that liberal politics will save them. What are these people afraid of? I have never seen for my own eyes, how the conservative economics and thinking has been anti-anyone. It is all just excuse making.

if they don't have any fear breaking your car window and stealing your stereo, they shouldn't have any fear walking into a poll place and doing something legal.

sannio - this isn't Belarus. No cop or military person is going to check and see if you are voting 'properly'. Get real.

Why are you people so afraid of the idea? Do you think it is American to sneak your vote (Acorn), or vote early and often? No, it is your constitutional right (unless you had it taken away - felon, pervert, convict) to vote once and make it count.

Unfortunately, we have dishonest people in America (Rep & Dem), and we ALL need to be watched because we can't be trusted anymore due to the acts of a few selfish people.

usaret...
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This is intended to intimidate inner-city blacks and discourage them from showing up at the polls. Whether we like it or not, some black communities are very distrustful of the police, and this is a tactic to try to keep them away from the polls. Whether the GOP or the Dem's are asking for this, it's crossing the line. There is no reason to have a police presence at the polling places.

When you're this far behind in the polls, I guess you'll try anything. The comparisons of John McCain to George Wallace become more appropriate every day. This is a shameful campaign that will go down in history for its ugliness.

localboysince1968 - Maybe you should do some research on the elections in Belarus. In that country your vote is checked to make sure you voted correctly. You then have the option to change your vote, or begin living in hell.

if you have done nothing wrong, you have nothing to be intimidated about.

How can you be intimidated by voting while police or the military are nearby?

The GOP spreads rumors that "some citizens" may be detained or arrested at the polls for outstanding warrents etc.(even though that would be illegal) and then they publicly request police to be the poll watchers.

No, that is not intimidation!

I think the Dems should respond in kind, publically request that the largest, toughest looking, inner city residents go to suburban polling places - and just stand near the doors - watching people enter and leave.

Give me a break. The GOP has stolen two elections and now they are trying for a third.

So why is it that republicans all over the country are filing lawsuits to have the voter rolls purged?

This election has turned into the biggest joke ever. It's embarrassing to even me a citizen of this country during this.

Democrat's, get a life. Good grief, why is everything the Republicans do is to intimidate. Intimidate who? You are playing on fear, you are playing on class, you are playing on ignorance. Do you figure if you complain early enough and long enough you can taint the election your way? You're like the little boy who cried wolf so many times that when the wolf did show up, nobody believed him. So stop using your fear tactics and start doing something constructive to insure ALL VOTERS VOTES COUNT---OR ARE YOU AFRAID THAT IF THAT HAPPENS YOU WON'T HAVE AN EXCUSE TO CLAIM FRAUD AT THE POLLS?