The McCain camp wants you to be scared of ACORN. Maybe you are. Let my tell you why you shouldn't be. ACORN is a group that dedicates itself to protecting the rights of poor people. They run multiple campaigns to help families in low to moderate income areas. According to their website:
"ACORN members across the country work to raise the minimum wage or enact living wage policies; eliminate predatory financial practices by mortgage lenders, payday lenders, and tax preparation companies; win the development of affordable housing and community benefits agreements; improve the quality of and funding for urban public schools; rebuild New Orleans; and pass a federal and state ACORN Working Families Agenda, including paid sick leave for all full time workers."Terrifying, I know.
They don't make a lot of money, but they do a lot of good. They should be applauded, not demonized. Every presidential candidate should work with them to help rebuild out country into a healthy, participatory democracy.
The far right wingnuts are up in arms because some of the people they hired this year, instead of doing their job and actually registering voters, wrote in fake names to make some easy money. The percentage of ACORN employees who do this is minuscule, and according to Factcheck.org, "no evidence has yet surfaced to show that the ACORN employees who submitted fraudulent registration forms intended to pave the way for illegal voting." They are not destroying the fabric of our democracy.
These guys could though.
Diebold (now Premier Election Solutions) are the guys who won Ohio for Bush last time. They make voting machines. They donate to Republicans. And they have the power to rig elections. Huffington Post's Michael Carmichael wrote an eye-opening article called, "Arc of Darkness" that you should all take a look at. It takes a comprehensive peek at the lengths desperate Republicans are willing to go to in order to win an election.
Here's a Democracy Now interview of Mark Crispen about Diebold and 2004. You should watch if you still aren't convinced:
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A lot of commenters on Carmichael's article made calls for revolution if the GOP steals this one.
Dear these people,
Be careful with the revolution talk. Violence only breeds more violence. It does nothing be lend credibility to the extremists on the other side (see Bush's response to 9/11 and the spreading of Al Qaida).
I hate to even consider this, but how terrifying would it be if the election was stolen again and there was a violent reaction? This is exactly how it would go down.
McCain declared winner despite overwhelming inconsistencies. People (whites and blacks alike) go nuts, hit the streets in record numbers to protest. Violence breaks out in a few areas. Mainstreammedia media shows image after image of these few instances. Limbaugh and friends rally the racists and stoke the flames of fear, making it look like the public wants the government to "restore order." President Bush finds some loophole to bypass Congress and declare Martial Law. Troops and tanks hit the streets. Funerals for American democracy held throughout the country. I move to Canada.
Okay, maybe I exaggerate a little, but I couldn't resist a scary story for Halloween. And though this scenario is unlikely (see state-by-state polls), it IS possible.
If you are not insane, and you want to prevent even the remote possibility of this nightmare, I have the following recommendations:
- VOTE. The only way to make sure this doesn't happen is if it's a landslide. EVERY vote in EVERY state is important. I don't care if you live in Illinois and Obama's up 30.
- VOTE WITH A PAPER BALLOT!!! It takes a little longer, but at least you don't have to rely on software that could easily manipulated.
- VOTE. Obama will win Missouri if there is a large turnout in St. Louis and Kansas City.
A guy who's concerned about people who talk about revolution and shit like that.
