The whole point of free speech is not to make ideas exempt from criticism but to expose them to it.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Food for votes



Does it cross the line when a political party offers up a free meal in an impoverished area in exchange for votes?

Democrats are quick to point out that Republicans have offered up donuts and coffee at Republican events. But, they weren't registering voters and they weren't offering up absentee ballots with their bowl of chili.

C'mon everyone! Have a bowl of chili and then I'll show you how to fill out your ballot.

And in Cincinnati, it's ice scream, you scream, we all scream for the Democrat! Do you suppose there just weren't any Republicans running? Read it here.

Sometimes the moaning from the left about ethics makes my ass tired.

20 comments:

repete said...

The moaning is universal.
Tax cuts for the rich, food for the poor... just depends upon whose vote you're trying to buy.

Bill Fleming said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bill Fleming said...

You should maybe go to one of the rallies and watch what they do before you point fingers, Mike.

By the way, have you ever gone over a sample ballot with anybody who hasn't voted before?

Did you ever encourage anyone to register to vote?

Become part of the American political process?

Exercise their constitutional rights as a citizen?

Tell them not to feel intimidated just because they don't think they're as smart or as well informed as some other people who think they know it all?

And if you ever did any of those things, did you feel like you were doing something criminal when you did it?

I have, and I didn't.

People who think those kinds of things are illegal make MY ass tired.

Douglas said...

"Does it cross the line when a political party offers up a free meal in an impoverished area in exchange for votes?"

Could be. Has it ever actually happened in South Dakota?

How about Republican candidates who gave away free booze on the reservations in the hopes the natives would never make it to the polls?

BMW said...

Left whine vs Right wine???

Michael Sanborn said...

I have been to rallies where people were encouraged to register to vote. I have been to high schools and explained the importance of taking part in Democracy. I have gone over sample ballots with people to show them how the process works.

I have never offered someone food, money or any other valuable consideration in exchange for their vote. It is against the law, with good reason.

Michael Sanborn said...

Please show me the video where Republicans gave away free booze to get natives too drunk to exercise their right to vote.

I'm not saying that it didn't happen. But i don't believe it has happened recently (meaning in the last 40 or 0 years.)

If you're operating by the numbers, it would make more sense to give the poor a bowl of chili than to give the rich a tax cut.

But, give the rich a tax cut and they might give the poor a job, so they could buy their own chili.

Wayne Gilbert said...

Well I don't know about free booze but it is a matter of judicial record that the (Republican) South Dakota legislature skewed legislative district boundary lines in an manner that disenfranchised Lakota voters.
the significance of a piece of pie is lost on me in the face of continuing Republican efforts to hinder Lakota voting.

Bill Dithmer said...

Unless you follow someone into the voting booth and visibly see who they vote for how can you say it is in fact food for votes?

At most it sounds like food to possibly attract some votes. But in reality it sounds like trying to just plain get people to vote no matter who for but to just vote.

Our AG has more important things to do then getting involved in this kind of campaign drivel. It just shows how easily influenced a man can be when asked to look into something for his party. Nuff Said.

repete said...

Talk about buying votes... What do you good folks think about all the outside money coming from unknown sources? Seems to be OK with the "conservatives".
Is this really a positive thing for the conservative movement? or just plain old fashioned fascism, using the disguise of socialist hatred?

DDC said...
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DDC said...

repete,

The ads are being paid for by conservatives. I'm pretty sure that 99% of South Dakotans can figure that out.

repete said...

Yep, Chinese corporate conservatives.
Kind of funny how the conservatives (cough cough) get their panties in a bunch over this question.

DDC said...

Probably because it's a BS ad hominem attack. Can't run on your record? Just start yelling "look out for them brown and yellow people!".

Sounds like Republicans most years, except they yell "they're stealin' our jerbs!" instead of "they're stealing our elections!".



You're going to have to find some other conspiracy for the Democrats to run on. Not even the media are buying into this one.


"scons"

repete said...

>>> Look out for them brown and yellow people? WTF? Racism seems to be your problem here, not mine.

But yes, that is the typical conservative response... Quick, change the subject.

DDC said...

Haha. Yeah, defending someone against baseless attacks makes you one of them.

Speaking of changing the subject, wasn't this thread about whether or not the whole "food for votes" thing crossed the line when you decided you wanted to talk about Chinese money?


"somakke"

repete said...

Buying votes is buying votes... the repugs cry about a bowl of chili and the libs cry about hidden corp funding.
You're the one squirming ddc - I just asked a simple question. lol

DDC said...

There's a huge difference between "buying" votes and paying for ads. To suggest otherwise is patently absurd.


I'm not sure what you think has me "squirming"? Perhaps you could enlighten me.


"stabil"

repete said...

Do you really believe the candidate with the biggest purse doesn't have the major advantage? Buying an election IS buying votes. Just ask the creative ad people like Sanborn.

Squirming? You ddc? Yes... I ask a question and you first bring up race, then conspiracy, then you try to change the subject, then media and finally irrelevance. Yes, you're squirming. lol

DDC said...

repete,

Do you think that Obama won in '08 simply because he raised more money and had more groups spending money on his behalf?

I don't. I think he raised all of that money and had all of those groups backing him because he was a popular candidate running against a moron.

If elections can be bought by simply spending more money, the Democrats should win again this time around. 3 of the top 5 independent campaign groups are labor unions. Number 1? AFSCME at $87.5 mil, compared the the US Chamber's $75 mil. 3rd is Rove's American Crossroads at $65. Number 4 is SEIU at $44 mil and 5th is the NEA at $40 mil.

In case you weren't counting, that's $171.5 mil from unions for Democrats in the top 5 compared to $140 mil for the Republican groups.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303339504575566481761790288.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories#articleTabs%3Darticle

Nationally, spending by/for Republicans and Democrats will end up about equal this year.


As far as the "squirming" goes, I merely pointed out that the left and right like to blame those durn foreigners for all of our problems. They know that they can play on people's prejudice and fears. Why did you feel the need to say "Chinese corporate conservatives" if not for this purpose?

By the way, the Chinese would love it if the Democrats stayed in power. They're cleaning up on the deficit spending and "stimulus". We borrow money from them to buy stuff from them and then have to pay them back with interest. What a great system.

And no, I never tried to change the subject. Nice job of projecting on that one. This thread was about the "food for votes" crap, then you tried to change the subject by bringing up the made-up buying of votes by "all the outside money coming from unknown sources". I called you on it and you accused me of changing the subject.

Lastly, if you need to know where I stand on race relations, let me know what your email address is. I'd be happy to send you some of my wedding photos.


"remoily"