Obama continues to errode election integrity

Over and over I hear people saying that things are going to get so bad that by the time the 2010 and / or 2012 elections roll around the voters will put Republicans back in control. If not in control, then at least there will be sufficient Republican numbers elected to mitigate Obama's actions.

I wonder if our vote will matter by the time we head to polls in 2010. I fear that by the next national election cycles the integrity of our voting system have been so corrupted we won't win no matter how many of us cast the "right" vote.

When I share my concerns with friends I can feel their skepticism. I feel their eyes rolling upwards even if they're too courteous to do anything more than nod politely.

However, the feeling persists, especially as I read reports from across the country of problems with election results.

Just like most of you I've watched with interest some of the close elections like the comedian versus Norm Coleman. It's a foregone conclusion that if it's a close election the Democrat will sooner or later take the seat. Hook, crook or fudge, the end result is consistently that the Republican loses on some technicality.

Bit by bit Obama and friends are nipping away at our election process. I won't go into all the problems with ACORN and similar groups. If you're the kind of person who reads my blogs then you're also the kind of person who knows about ACORN.

Obama has just taken an axe and almost chopped through the trunk of the mighty oak tree of voter integrity in Georgia. The ruling (below) could completely topple the stalwart old oak and knock off one state that voted against Obama in last year's elections.

If this ruling is any indicator of what he's doing across the country, my fears may have just moved from the "chicken-little paranoia"column into the "gee, maybe she's right to be worried" column.

Regardless of my concerns and fears, as I've said before, I'll fight to the end for our country and our values. I'll do everything in my puny power to protect the integrity of our elections. I may not have much power alone, but if enough of us get concerned, if enough of us collaborate, maybe we can affect the outcome. Maybe we will be able to put our country back on the right track.

I received this earlier today:

Obama Justice Department Decision Will Allow Non-Citizens to Register to Vote in Georgia

Decision Bars Georgia From Continuing Voter Verification Process

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel issued the following statement following the U.S. Department of Justice’s denial of preclearance of Georgia’s voter verification process

Atlanta - “The decision by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to deny preclearance of Georgia’s already implemented citizenship verification process shows a shocking disregard for the integrity of our elections. With this decision, DOJ has now barred Georgia from continuing the citizenship verification program that DOJ lawyers helped to craft. DOJ’s decision also nullifies the orders of two federal courts directing Georgia to implement the procedure for the 2008 general election. The decision comes seven months after Georgia requested an expedited review of the preclearance submission.

“DOJ has thrown open the door for activist organizations such as ACORN to register non-citizens to vote in Georgia’s elections, and the state has no ability to verify an applicant’s citizenship status or whether the individual even exists. DOJ completely disregarded Georgia’s obvious and direct interest in preventing non-citizens from voting, instead siding with the ACLU and MALDEF. Clearly, politics took priority over common sense and good public policy.

“This process is critical to protecting the integrity of our elections. We have evidence that non-citizens have voted in past Georgia elections and that more than 2,100 individuals have attempted to register, yet still have questions regarding their citizenship. Further, the Inspector General’s office is investigating more than 30 cases of non-citizens casting ballots in Georgia elections, including the case of a Henry County non-citizen who registered to vote and cast ballots in 2004 and 2006.

“It is important to underscore that not a single person has come forward to say he or she could not vote because of the verification process. Further, while DOJ argues that the process is somehow discriminatory, the historic voter turnout among Hispanic and African-American voters in the 2008 general elections clearly says otherwise.

“This decision provides a specific example of the inherently illogical and unfair nature of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. It is a sad day for the rights of our state and for the integrity of our elections. I remain committed to continuing the fight for citizenship verification. In the coming days, I will consider every option available to the state, including the possibility of legal action.”

Background:

As required by law and ordered by federal courts in October 2008, the eligibility of new applicants to register and vote is checked against the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) and Social Security Administration databases to ensure that individuals registering to vote report similar information. If information in these databases does not match information reported on the voter registration form, the applicant is asked to clarify the information. Additionally, if the applicant previously reported to DDS that he or she is not a U.S. citizen, that person is asked by a registrar to provide proof of citizenship.

Prior to the November 2008 General Election, Secretary Handel sent letters to 4,771 voter registration applicants whose records at DDS indicated they were not U.S. citizens, asking them to provide documentation of their citizenship. As of March 2009, 2,148 of these applicants still have chosen not to resolve the question about their U.S. citizenship.

In the November 2008 General Election, county election officials reported that 599 individuals cast a challenged ballot because the voter had previously indicated to DDS that he or she was not a United States citizen and had not resolved their status with county officials at the time of the election. Of those, 369 ballots were accepted because the voter provided documentation of their citizenship after the election; and 230 were rejected because the individual chose not to confirm his or her citizenship status.

On October 10, 2008, activist organizations including the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit to attempt to prevent Georgia from verifying the eligibility of applicants to register and vote in the November General Election, including whether those individuals were citizens of the United States.

On October 16, 2008, U.S. District Court Judge Jack Camp denied the motion by MALDEF and ACLU; directed the State to continue the verification process; and acknowledged the State’s requirements to verify information under the Help America Vote Act. In his order, Judge Camp stated:

HAVA requires that Defendant Handel match information in the statewide voter registration database with information from the Georgia DDS and the SSA databases “to the extent necessary to enable each such official to verify the accuracy of the information provided on the applications for voter registration.”

Judge Camp also stated:

Since the possibility of fraudulent and inaccurate voting could significantly injure and diminish the public’s respect and confidence in the electoral process, the State’s ability to maintain reliable voter lists is paramount to a temporary and minor inconvenience to a few individuals.

On October 27, 2008, a U.S. District Court three-judge panel again directed the State to continue its voter registration verification process and challenge ballot procedures through the November General Election.

The 2008 elections were the largest in Georgia’s history, featuring record turnout among minority voters with the citizenship verification program in place. The figures below represent voter turnout statistics among Hispanic/Latino, African-American and White voters from the 2004 and 2008 General Elections.

Voter Demographic

2004 Total Number of Votes Cast
2008 Total Number of Votes Cast
Percentage Increase in Votes Cast
Hispanic/Latino
18,000
43,000
140%
African-American
834,000
1.2 million
42%
White
2.3 million
2.5 million
8%

Karen Handel was sworn in as Secretary of State in January 2007. The Secretary of State's office offers important services to our citizens and our business community. Among the office’s wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting efficient and secure elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders. The office also oversees the Georgia Archives and the Capitol Museum.

Georgia Residents go Door-to-Door in Support of President Obama’s Budget

Just thought I'd pass this one along... Wonder if we should be organizing to go door to door to explain just what Obama, Pelosi and friends are doing to our country? freedoms? government? children's future???? economy?

This is going on across the country. What you want to bet that ACORN is helping, too? Can we say "brainwash"? I left off the dates and times, don't want to help in any way on this one.

I find the following SCARY.

Georgia Residents go Door-to-Door in Support of President Obama’s Budget

Organizing for America Canvassers Call on Neighbors to Help Rebuild and Renew America by Passing President's Budget

On Saturday, Organizing for America (OFA), the grassroots and volunteer network which came together to help elect President Obama in November, will launch a nationwide canvassing effort in support of President Obama’s proposed budget plan. Citizens across Georgia will canvass their communities to let their friends and neighbors know about the President’s plan to invest in America's future, improve health care and education, create green jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and cut the deficit in half over the next four years. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have already signaled their support for the Organizing for America Pledge Project – part of an OFA project to identify and mobilize support for the economic vision President Obama outlined in his budget. OFA is also encouraging Americans to call their Members of Congress and urge them to support the plan.

"Across the nation, people are suffering," said Mitch Stewart, Director of Organizing for America which is a project of the Democratic National Committee. "The President has a bold plan to invest in America's future and get our economy moving again, and now he needs our help to turn his budget into law. That's why it's so important for Americans on Saturday to go door-to-door and talk to their neighbors about the President’s plan and ask them for their support. The President has made great strides in turning the economy around with passage of his jobs and economic recovery package. However, to ensure long term economic growth, we must make health care more affordable, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and improve education - all priorities the President has outlined in his budget plan and which are part of the change he promised to bring to Washington. The vast majority of Americans support the President on these issues because they know they are critical to long term economic growth and to creating jobs. The canvasses on Saturday, the pledge drive and the calls to Congress are all designed to put our elected officials in Washington on notice that Americans expect that the change President Obama campaigned for becomes reality."

I want to be half as smart as Hans Von Spakovsky

When my brain grows up I'll be happy if it's half as smart as Hans Von Spakovsky. I was privileged to get to know Hans when he was in Atlanta going through the Coverdell Institute. I had no idea that this fun-loving, sharp talking guy was anywhere near as brilliant as I've since discovered. Since he left us for Washington D.C., I've kept up with him via his writings, the Institute and his appearances on various shows.

Why am I writing about Hans? He is a "Visiting Legal Scholar" at the Heritage Foundation. Every day I get an update from the Foundation and occasionally he is quoted or writes. Even when he doesn't write, seeing the update makes me think of him, however fleetingly.

He isn't mentioned in the article below, nor does he probably have anything to do with it. But I have long neglected giving him a shout out and kudos for doing so much to help the conservative cause. We in the conservative side of the political spectrum are blessed to have people like Hans on our side.

Now, on to why I thought of Hans, the Morning Bell.

Today's Morning Bell from the Heritage Foundation focuses on Omnibus package and its impact on some students. Something you may or may not hear about in the mainstream media is the fact that by signing the $410 Omnibus package (you know, the one with thousands of, gasp, earmarks) Obama is kicking two kids out of his daughter's school. The two students are only able to attend the school due to a scholarship that Obama kills with the stroke of a pen.

It seems to me that if he cared as much about the children as he says he does, if all the "regular" people were at least as important in his estimation as the unions, he'd veto the bill and make them bring him one that was earmark free.

Instead he is countering his so-called principles by tossing underprivileged students out of schools and signing a bill with un-needed earmarks. Then, to add more poop to his mud-pie, he's going to tell us about earmark reform.

The other day he treated us to his view of education. It includes fun things like increased time in school, also known as the babysitting and daycare killing provision.

Here's the Morning Bell from the Heritage Foundation which sparked all of the thoughts above... whew. As always, the Bell is chocked full of information that I wish I had written or thought of myself:

The “Same Chance” Obama Had

Outlining his educational policy yesterday, President Barack Obama said: “And I want every child in this country to have the same chance that my mother gave me, that my teachers gave me, that my college professors gave me, that America gave me.” These are wonderful words, but unless President Obama vetoes the $410 billion omnibus spending bill heading towards his desk, he will fall far short of living up to them.

Inserted into the omnibus’ 1,132 pages is language dictated to Congress by teachers’ unions killing 1,700 scholarships that enable kindergarten through 12th grade students from low-income families in the District of Columbia to attend private schools. Conservatives in the Senate fought to strip the provision from the bill last night, but were defeated by the liberal majority.

The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program was passed by Congress in January 2004 and approximately 7,200 children have applied for the 1,700 spots in the program. A 2008 Department of Education study found that after just 19 months of instruction, scholarship students realized slightly higher academic achievement than those students who applied but were not lucky enough to secure a spot in the program. A more recent University of Arkansas study has shown that parents are overwhelmingly satisfied with their children’s experience in the program. Common reasons for this higher level of satisfaction included appreciation for the ability to choose their child’s school and the success their children are having in their new school environments.

President Obama and his administration are very familiar with the empowering benefits school choice brings to families struggling to educate their children. Growing up in Chicago, Obama’s Secretary of Education Arne Duncan attended a private school. Growing up in Hawaii, President Obama attended a private school. Growing up first in Chicago, and now in Washington, Obama’s two daughters attended and still attend private schools. In fact, two of Obama’s daughter’s classmates are able to attend Sidwell Friends thanks to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program. By signing the omnibus spending bill, Obama will be denying these children the “same chance” he had as a child.

Some in the media are portraying Obama’s speech as “tough talk on teachers” since the president said he wanted to spend additional money on “effective” teachers. But the teachers unions were in no way disappointed with what Obama actually said. National Education Association president Dennis Van Roekel said: “I think people are putting words in his mouth and jumping to conclusions about what he supports.” American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten added: “The devil is in the details, and it is important that teachers’ voices are heard when we implement the president’s vision.”

Well, the voices of teachers unions are already being heard, and unless President Obama does something about it, those voices will cost 1,700 children the “same chance” President Obama had to school choice.

Wondering when the MSM is gonna figure it out???

I scanned a couple of stories about Sarah's visit to Georgia yesterday. She drew HUGE crowds and really does have rock star status. The mainstream media just doesn't get it. They don't understand her popularity and they still don't believe it's real.

You know something else? They don't know we're out here. They don't know (or they're ignoring) all the people like us who love what she stands for, her character, her intelligence, her values and abilities. She's a TRUE rock star, not one of these empty heads who has a God-given talent and a little luck. Well... some of them just have luck, can't speak for the talent .

We need to get active in as many areas as possible on the Internet. We need to have multiple blogs (if time permits). We need to have Twitter, MySpace, Facebook and Yahoo groups going that are associated with our blogs or causes.

We need to make them take notice that we're here.

I'd also suggest that everyone go read a few articles on getting ranking in the search engines. A lot of us don't use key words or labels on our blogs. We should.

Another thing that helps with blogs is to have links to other sites and to mention key phrases in your blogs. For instance, you may have noticed that I will off and on mention something about the Read My Lipstick Network. I do that whenever I can reasonably do it because it helps in rankings, helps in promoting the Network. I try to mention your blogs, which is why doing the hat tip to other blogs is important. They're more likely to find your blog and come read and link to it... Not to mention that it's just the right thing to do!

You have to be reasonable about all the things you do though. The various search engines are set up to ignore obvious attempts to gain rank. In some cases I understand they'll write your blog or website off completely if you try to fool them and get caught.

I'm just rattling off a few thoughts --- you really do need to consider taking a few minutes to read up on ways to increase your readership and visibility on the Internet. If we're going to take the time to write, it is nice to know someone is reading the words and the more the merrier.

OK, I'm done for now. Keep an eye on the Georgia race. I understand the early voting looks like it was swinging in Saxby's favor, but today there's a high Obama supporter ratio of voters heading out to the polls. The numbers give Saxby 50% to Martin's 46%, but there's a 4% margin of error so who knows what those totals really mean.

If you're in Georgia and you're voting Republican, go VOTE. If you have Republican leaning relatives or friends in Georgia, call them and tell them to VOTE.

Voter fraud concerns in Georgia

I heard on the news earlier today that the Democrats have been hitting the jails and registering voters. They registered around 800 in just one county! These are not convicted felons who can't vote, they are those waiting trial, awaiting conviction, etc., I gather (or what would be the point).

I am hearing tales from across the country about the tactics being used to register voters. (I guess I should let my friend who has the Obamatactics blog write about this one!)

As we're learning more and more about the ACORN group, their ties to Obama (or vice versa) and Democrats going after the homeless and other tales, I am getting more and more concerned that they've decided if they can't win the election they'll steal it.

We've had problems here in Georgia in the past (I'm so glad Cynthia McKinney has moved to California!). It sounds like we're going to have major problems again.

I've signed up to be a poll watcher, a first for me! We have a fairly sedate county and haven't had problems in the past but we're hearing that they'll be targeting our county. It could get interesting.

I'd encourage everyone who's willing to find out about being a poll watcher. You need to go for some brief training so do it now if you're willing. If you have legal training that's a great plus.

The McCain campaign is requesting volunteers to help out through the election. Please consider helping!

Obama is scaling back in Georgia per WSB Radio

Posted 5:35am 9/10/08
(WSB Radio) It seems as if Barack Obama no longer has Georgia on his mind and, instead, in his mind he's going to Carolina.

North Carolina that is.

Staffers with the Democratic candidate confirm Obama has shifted workers out of his offices in Georgia and moved them to more competitive states, like North Carolina.

Campaign officials would not say how many staffers are moving out of Georgia. There are 75 paid workers in the state for the Obama campaign.

The campaign insists they are not giving up on Georgia and will still have an effective staff here.
Voter registration drives will continue, and two new campaign offices will be opening this week; one in DeKalb County and the other in Savannah...

If you want to read the rest, click here: http://wsbradio.com/news/091008obamaga.html