“Get Out the Vet” to face down voter intimidation
Former special operations troops are going into Philadelphia today to counteract the effect of any Black Panther folks who might be tempted to repeat their performance of the last election there and try to intimidate voters since the Justice Department doesn’t seem willing to protect voters, according to the Philly Post;
Former Navy Captain Benjamin Brink is leading the operation. “The nation saw the video of members of the Black Panthers in Philadelphia intimidating people trying to vote in 2008,” Brink told me when I interviewed him during my radio show on IQ 106.9. “We are going to try and make certain that nothing like that happens this year.”
Brink claims to have over a hundred former Army Rangers, Navy Seal, Delta Force, Green Berets and others who have volunteered for duty. The idea of Navy Seals and Black Panthers getting into it at a Philly polling site gives a whole new incentive for casting a ballot. “Our guys aren’t easily intimidated,” adds Brink.
Don’t let the bravado fool you. The mission, according to the Captain, is to observe and report, not to engage. “We are going to watch for intimidation, videotape it, if possible, and report it to the proper authorities.”
Although Philadelphia will be one of the cities where the organization “Get Out the Vet” will have poll watchers, they’ll be spread out across the country. Brink claims that you probably won’t notice the folks watching your polling place “These men are trained to be ghosts”.
Thanks to Barnabas for the link.
Category: 2012 election
If anyone is wondering how the crowd at DU is doing, they are already having a meltdown and making excuses for if Obama loses. Top of the list is voter surrpession and voting machines.
@48: Possible, yes. Unlikely based on what I’ve seen in the polls, but this will be a moot discussion in about 10 hours. For anyone interested, here’s an page with the key swings states that shows the paths to victory:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/11/02/us/politics/paths-to-the-white-house.html
PA and VA won’t matter if the above scenario (in my opinion, one of the more likely ones) plays out. Again, we’ll see soon enough, but that’s my feeling.
IF an OH recount is in play, here we go:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/06/us/politics/ohio-law-could-bring-long-delays-in-a-recount.html?_r=0
Regarding the mural situation….nevermind.
http://cdn.gretawire.foxnewsinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Screen-Shot-2012-11-06-at-2.06.27-PM.png?9d7bd4
Nuttin makes me feels better den saysing I am vet. Its gould to be a vet cause yous gets free stuf. Like tuffesses, I glassis, and udder stuff. So whens eyes votes for OBAMA twoday, eyes wills bees thinking ofs yous all!
OH ,,, won udder ting: BAMMA PHONE … YOU KNOW … FU*K ROMNEE!
Oh, boys and girls, thanks for asking about my adventures in voting today. Well, children, around 11AM my time, I put on my jacket, picked up my purse, made sure my cell phone was working, and got into the car and went to the police station. Now, why, you ask, did I go to the police station. Well, that’s because that’s where the polling place is. No, Johnny, polling doesn’t have anything to do with the poh-lease beating people up. The polling places are where people go to vote. Now, I think we talked about intimidation. That’s trying to scare people. And we talked about electioneering. That’s advertising in the polling place. No, Mary Ann, there wasn’t anyone there with baseball bats or flamethrowers, even though I did say I might take my flamethrower along, just as a precaution. No, there were a lot of people making sure that you were a registered voter, that you could prove you were who you say you are, and that you were able to find your way to the ballot desk, where you get a ballot and a cardboard holder for it, and someone tells you it has two sides to it, and gives you a pen to use to vote. Then you go put marks in the little ovals and make sure that you read what’s on the ballot before you fill in those little ovals. What was on the ballot? Well, there were five candidates for President and one blank spot for a write-in vote, where you can write in the name of someone else you’d rather vote for. Yes, Johnny, I almost did vote for myself. There was also a referendum for an amendment to the US Constitution to give constitutional rights ONLY to HUMANS, and not to include businesses and legal entities. And there was the referendum about the vote on increasing state pensions, which means they have to ask people about it first. Then I put my ballot in the ballot machine and gave the nice lady the pen and the cardboard folder, and I went home and… Read more »
@55 & 56
Was that an attempt at humor. Fell flat.
Some of us don’t think it will even be close. Suspect that Romney will blow it out big time. Of course, since the libs believe what the media feeds them (not that it is in the media’s interests to maintain to the bitter end that it is a close election no matter what they must do to skew the “polls” to make it appear thusly), they will never believe tha actual vote unless it is close and their guy wins. That’s what they have been programmed to believe.
Would not be surprised if Romney gets over 300 electoral votes, perhaps as many as 310?
I’m just hoping that Cutter follows through with her statement if Romney wins.
@ NIK … I agree that guys Satire usually does fall flat!
@59: As a liberal-leaning independent, I’ll take that bet. My inclination is that the media wants to make it more of a race, yes, and thus has done so by making ROMNEY seem more competitive than he is. I don’t have particularly strong feelings either way, though, so I won’t be in disbelief if that doesn’t come to pass.
How about a friendly gentleman’s bet? Loser makes a small donation to Soldier’s Angels. I’m predicting an Obama win.
(I like my relative anonymity, so I won’t post a check image, but I’m happy to send it on to you and you can then send it in if my word is taken with a grain of salt.)
Whoever loses, SA wins. Deal?
Sounds like something which would be a good deal (for SA) if I was one to wager. But I do not wager. At all. On anything. Maybe someone else will take you up on that?
The group that sat home during the last general election (and who I hold personally responsible for the mess we are in today because they did so) are the evangelicals. Have heard that something over 30 million, perhaps closer to 40 million, are now energized to vote for Romney who sat it out last time. That is a huge voting block.
They didn’t realize how much they were affected by elections till they spent four years paying for other people’s goods.
Umm…not sure how it deals with betting with the proceeds going to charity, but betting on the Presidential Election is illegal.
Well, I said things would happen to make it difficult for people to even get to the polls to vote, and here is something that has never before happened in Chicago politics:
http://www.wbez.org/news/traffic-brings-down-chicago-board-elections-website-103683
The public can’t get access to find out where to go to vote.
Sad:
http://gizmodo.com/5958141/america-people-are-googling-who-is-running-for-president-right-up-to-the-end?utm_campaign=socialflow_gizmodo_facebook&utm_source=gizmodo_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
@65: I hadn’t realized that. Well, no bet then. And I’ll donate to SA regardless of who wins. My main point was that I hold a decent confidence in the polling and thus in an Obama victory, which is at odds with that of most people here, it seems.
@68
Fair enough. You’ve stated your opinion. You haven’t called anyone morons or the like who disagree with you. That’s all fair and good in my book.
@ #29-Anonymous: Your comment concerning True The Vote is rather inaccurate as evidenced by Catherine Engelbrecht’s statement regarding Ohio.
Catherine Engelbrecht, the founder and head of TTV stated:
“These allegations by the Ohio Democratic Party are dangerous and offensive, the facts are simple: no citizen volunteer– including Jan Loar, or anyone else trained by True the Vote–took any action that was either illegal or unethical, particularly as it pertains to the placement of poll watchers. Ms. Loar has conducted herself with the utmost integrity. To state otherwise is blatant slander.”
Read more at the link. I can and will vouch for Catherine’s integrity. She is part of the King Street Patriots, Houston, Texas and worked her tail off to get True The Vote up and running.
You may all like this slideshow about voting today, particularly slide #31, of Gov. Jerry Brown (CA) and the dog, as well as the surfer who brought his board with him to the polling place.
http://www.weather.com/news/election-day-photo-slideshow-nov-6-20121106
More antics:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2012/nov/6/picket-gop-poll-watcher-detroit-threatened-gun-911/
@70: Let’s wait and see. It’s entirely possible this is just typical election day shenanigans and the claims of forged signatures are ignorance or agenda, but as a left-leaning independent, I’m not terribly fond of the way True the Vote is said to operate.
And that’s not a statement against Ms. Engelbrecht. I have a good deal of confidence she’s simply trying to curb what she sees as a problem, and one which she sees as possibly impacting what some feel to be the most important election ever. It seems like all of them are like that these days. However, based on what I’ve read about TtV and its off-shoot it seems like there’s been some sliding down a slippery slope from blocking voters who are registered to vacant lots -an understandable concern- and blocking college students who listed their dorm but not necessarily their room number.
This may be one of those legally-acceptable things, but whether that makes it right is a different story. In effect, they target liberal voters – and, understandably, since they think that’s where the fraud comes from. But to someone like me, someone who is anti-fraud but feels these partisan efforts inflict too much ‘friendly fire’ (meaning to valid voters, not conservative voters), then I have problems with it. Your politics are different, so maybe you disagree.
Apparently there is going to be an investigation; let’s see if that gets dropped or proceeds, and go from there. I’ll add that I did say ‘may’ in the original — I certainly don’t think the Democrats are above dirty tricks like this could be, I just don’t think True the Vote is either.
Meanwhile, the local call-in radio station here has had two callers who showed up to vote today and were told that they already had voted. They both sounded like older men (and neither said for whom they wished to vote) with legitimate concerns. Scary stuff, even in this little place.
This lady is indeed anxious to get her vote in:
http://www.wgntv.com/news/wgntv-dolton-woman-votes-while-in-labor-20121106,0,5390140.story
You know Ex-PH2, I don’t care who that woman votes for. You have got to respect that dedication.
And just to show that technology screw up happens in non-partisan ways, here’s video of a vote for Obama flipping to Romney. These things happen, everyone. They shouldn’t, but they do, and individual incidents are not necessarily indicative of major fraud on either side.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/11/06/voting_machine_turns_obama_votes_into_romney_votes.html
Relax, vote, and let’s see what the night brings.
@ #73- Remain as anonymouse as you wish but, I get the feeling Ah….I understand what you are up to now. In fact, I am sure of it. Casting as much doubt as you can ya know, enough to chip away at the credibility of True the Vote and Catherine Elgelbrecht. Correct?
See how that worked? I used and sent you to the referenced info you are apparently relying on from that contaminated cesspool that is known to be edited by far left loons, felons and ex-cons that inhabit Wikipedia.
I’ll SWAG things a bit more, and also suspect that you are an Elijah Cummings supporter. Since he’s the one leading the investigation into the offshoot group you are referencing, Ohio Voter Integrity Project. Right? And so, in another way you also hope it’ll be useful for you in downplaying the efforts of Get Out the Vet…
@77, I’m glad you put in that link. The rumors and stories were weird enough, but that confirms what I said is going to happen today. There are more occurrences to come, including conspiracy theories that last until 2015, charges of fraud, traffic jams, breakdown in electronics and electrical equipment, commitment that come to nothing, and freak accidents. Communications will go awry, e-mails, faxes, letters — all delayed, misinterpreted or blocked; memory lapses, confusion, failing to confirm — also applies to electronic memories, i.e., computers and electronic voting machines. A major upset, an unexpected outcome, a change of course are all possible, and can (amongst other possibilities) coincide with efforts to alter the reported results through behind-the-scenes maneuvers by powerful or secretive groups of people who may even have criminal intentions. (Think Watergate and the White House burglars.) If Romney gets elected (very possible), the results may not be accepted by a large portion of the population, and extreme civil unrest is very possible, so be prepared for it if Romney is elected. Not paranoid, just think ahead. If Obama gets re-elected (also very possible), he will not have a full term in office this time. Impeachment is possible, also failing health is a possibility. I posted a long dissertation about this elsewhere, in regard to his smoking habit. Whether or not he stopped is immaterial. You never really discard the side-effects of smoking. His distance from the legislature also has long-term side-effects. It’s entirely likely that we will see more gridlock until or unless Obama is gone from the White House. We are very likely with Obama to see more extremism and major incidents that change the course of events in the world, and we already know that Obama is simply not up to the task of dealing with those kinds of events. I sent myself an e-mail on 10/15 speculating that we would see conflict in eastern Turkey between the Turks and Syria. This has already happened, and there is more to come. There is the very real possibility of real, hard core war in the Middle East… Read more »
@79: You’re welcome to think this is some concerted effort to tarnish the reputation of TtV and Ms. Engelbrecht, but in truth it’s just my honest opinion. And, as I said, I’m sure Ms. Engelbrecht is a wonderful, caring woman with the best of intentions.
Yes, certainly, I relied on Wikipedia — I don’t have personal knowledge of these events. Like I said, I’ll keep an open mind, but my liberal leanings leave me inclined to be distrustful of such groups, just as yours leave you inclined to trust them, and not trust liberal groups.
That’s all. No grand conspiracy.
I don’t even know who Elijah Cummings is outside of the news of the investigation. I’m all for people to vote legitimately, regardless of political party. That’s one of the few joys of this election for an independent who doesn’t see it as the end of the world either way.
Take it as you will.
@Anonymous, please get your posting numbers straight.
I’m @79. And I did not say anything about you or tarnishing someone’s rep.
@79: Some liberal groups have already been crying foul over the (admittedly strange) last-minute, unofficial ‘patches’ to voting machines in Ohio. I don’t expect it’s a grand conspiracy, since doing it so in such a public fashion would be the height of idiocy, but nevertheless, lawsuits have already ensued.
That said, I’ll disagree with you on your predictions – I think Romney’s chances are ‘possible’, but not ‘very possible’, and if Obama wins, I don’t see impeachment happening. Plus he’s got the best healthcare imaginable. My opinion, and it’s just that, is you’ll have four more years. I’m actually predicting Obama will win, tonight, with ~300-310 EVs, and that Ohio will be >1% and thus not subject -I think?- to automatic recounts.
Time will tell – the networks are already in full frenzy mode.
@81 My apologies; post #80 was obviously intended for streetsweeper.
Did “Get Out The Vet” find any evidence of anything more intimidating than seven hour lines?
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