Saturday, October 18, 2008

If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying

Ever hear that at a football game? I have, and it disturbs me. If you can't play fair and expect to win, then just don't play at all. Unfortunately, folks in the Republican Party don't hold with my philosophy. First Florida, then Ohio, and now right in my backyard.

This disturbing story in the Charleston Gazette
details how Democrat votes are being switched to Republican in Jackson County. Jackson County is an interesting one in that the folks around Ravenswood tend to be Democrat and the folks around Ripley tend to be Republican. Guess which one is the county seat? That's right...Ripley. Let's also note, for the record, that Betty Ireland, the Secretary of State of WV, is a Republican that chose not to run this year for personal reasons. So she has no recourse from voters. (Full disclosure: Natalie Tennant is running for Secretary of State on the Democrat ticket. I went to college with Natalie, like and respect her a lot, and will buy a drink for anyone who votes for her. Not that she needs it, because I think she's going to run away with it. Just saying.)

Now, in WV, especially southern WV, we have a long tradition of voter fraud that has been pretty much extinguished. "We are the most democratic state in the US," we boast. "your right to vote doesn't even stop when you die!" Every election day Dad calls me and tells me to "vote early, and vote often." But these are jokes pointing at a past we've left behind, such as saying "Wow, fancy new house! You've got the outhouse inside!"

We as West Virginians, and as Americans, have GOT to stand up and fight against stealing this election. Everywhere it happens. They've already started talking about the Bradley Effect (which I'll blog about later). They are setting up to steal this election too. Because, as every fan knows, if you can't win, cheat. And if you ain't cheating, you ain't trying.

UPDATE: It's happening right next door. Literally.

2 comments:

Neurotic Atty said...

Do you know what the scariest part of this is? If my vote was "flipped," I probably wouldn't even notice because I rarely, if ever, actually read through my completed ballot at the end. I usually just hit "NEXT," knowing that I chose who I wanted to choose and assuming my vote was recorded as I wanted it to be recorded. I will certainly check this year, though!

MountainLaurel said...

Lara, that is scary. I always check my vote because I'm obsessive that way, but I have no idea what happens once it's in the ballot box.