Press continue to be used by GOP to perpetuate myths that are basis for “reforms”

Submitted by DemCat on Sat, 04/14/2007 - 12:18pm.

For years, the Missouri (and national) GOP has been crying voter fraud and the press simply repeat their talking points in their stories. By doing so, the press has been used like a dishcloth in order to help build the case for regressive election changes that would make it harder for voters – especially poor, disabled, minority, and elderly voters – to vote. (Most of these folks aren’t Republican voters, so Republicans would prefer they not vote.)

For those of you who haven’t figured it out yet, here’s a refresher how the national GOP election reform spin strategy cycle works:

Republicans continually cry, “voter fraud is rampant!” --> Media outlets continually repeat and print this quote --> Public continually hears and reads “voter fraud is rampant!" from the press and GOP --> Perception of voter fraud is perpetuated, undermining voter confidence --> Republicans call for regressive election reforms, such as photo ID legislation, to address people’s lack of confidence in elections due to “rampant voter fraud”

Take, for example, Rosenbaum’s article today in the Columbia Daily Tribune on this year’s GOP attempt to pass another unconstitutional photo ID bill: “Changes favor photo ID bill, lawmaker says; Voters might decide proposed election rule.”

Despite these facts in Missouri,

2000 election – no voter impersonation fraud

“Certain eligible but inactive voters were unable to vote in the November 2000 election.” ~Department of Justice, St. Louis City consent decree, 2002

2002 election – no voter impersonation fraud

"I commend the local authorities for their work in conducting an election that was free of fraud…” ~Secretary of State Matt Blunt, press release, 11/21/02

2004 election – no voter impersonation fraud

“.Nor has the United States shown that any voter fraud has occurred.” ~US District Court opinion, 4/13/07

2006 election – no voter impersonation fraud

“As in previous elections, the absence of reports of voting impersonation or voting fraud in the 2006 election in Missouri was notable.” ~Secretary of State Robin Carnahan post-election report, Winter 2007

And this week's New York Times two blockbuster pieces on research proving lack of widespread voter fraud nationwide and attempts by GOP appointees to hide the truth,

CDT’s Rosenbaum still gratuitously prints:

...Republicans say the bill would stamp out voter fraud that they say has been prevalent over the last few years...

"I continue to think that a photo ID would be a solution to blatant fraud that was attempted by ACORN in Kansas City and St. Louis," Scott said…

…But Scott said his legislation has a popular appeal. "You can talk to people on the street and ask if it’s a good idea to have a photo ID to vote," Scott said. "I can just go to my constituents and ask them."

To paraphrase US Attorney Catherine Hanaway, "What part of no voter fraud don't you understand?"

But the GOP spin strategy cycle continues. Talk about Groundhog's Day.

OK, so it is not the job of the press to protect our citizens' right to vote. But it is the job of the press to be responsible, pursue and report facts, and serve as a source of truth for our citizens.

PS – Note to Rosenbaum – requiring a specific type of government issued photo ID of eligible, registered voters on Election Day in order to vote would not address voter registration processes. See Missouri Election Law.

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voting machines

Submitted by Betty Kowalewich on Sat, 04/14/2007 - 4:18pm.
The GOP can cry and whine all they want for voter ID cards..it would make no difference one way or the other cause they would still have control of the 'touch screen and scanner' machines which can be programed from miles and miles away.... and they can designate anyone a winner they want to. I do not trust the republicans with any type of voting machines...and the ID cards are not needed cause most people have their voter registration or their drivers license to show at the polls... the republcians have been trying for many years to force everyone to have an ID card...and when they happens, the police can stop you on the street and ask to see your card... Horrors... we are beginning to live in an Orwellian world policed by Gestapo....
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Weapons of Mass Destruction in the War on Voters

Submitted by IreneMolloy on Sat, 04/14/2007 - 1:27pm.
Here’s an exercise: strike voter fraud in elections and insert WMDs in Iraq.
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New York Times on Bush's DOJ voter fraud spin

Submitted by DemCat on Sun, 04/15/2007 - 10:09am.

From today's New York Times...they agree with the WMD analogy.

The Fantasy Behind the Scandal

The more we learn about the White House’s purge of United States attorneys, the more a single thread runs through it: the Bush administration’s campaign to transform the minor problem of voter fraud into a supposed national scourge...

Last week, we learned that the administration edited a government-ordered report on voter fraud to support its fantasy. The original version concluded that among experts “there is widespread but not unanimous agreement that there is little polling place fraud.” But the publicly released version said, “There is a great deal of debate on the pervasiveness of fraud.” It’s hard to see that as anything but a deliberate effort to mislead the public.

Sound familiar? In President Bush’s first term, a White House official, who had been the oil industry’s front man in trying to discredit the science of global warming, repeatedly edited government reports to play down links between climate change and greenhouse gases. And then there was the 2002 National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq, which turned reports on old, dubious and false tales about weapons of mass destruction into warnings of clear, present and supposedly mortal dangers. [emphasis added]

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