10/29/2004 07:07:01 PM|||Nathan Moore|||

It does not exist. Here's why.

Today there is no voter intimidation. In the dark days before civil rights were equally distributed, there was real voter intimidation. Fire hoses, dogs, police brutality, verbal threats of violence - all marks of voter intimidation. Today, none of those are being cited. No such claims are being made.

Today "voter intimidation" consists of asking for a valid form of indentifiction. Voter intimidation is made up of concerned poll workers wanting to make sure that the person voting is a legitimate voter. Somehow this is a problem. It makes no sense.

Real voter intimidation is just that - voter intimidation. Being afraid of legitimate authority is NOT voter intimidation. It is a requirement for fair and honest elections. I am beyond tired of the claims of fake "voter intimidation". If you are easily startled, perhaps you should not vote. If the request of a government-issued ID is too much to ask, perhaps you should not vote.

Voting is not a right - it is a privilege. We are guaranteed a republican form of government. This requires some effort on the part of the voter. To require that voters should not exert any effort is an insult to our system of government. If the people are not willing to go through some minor, legitimate trouble to case their vote, they have none of my sympathy. Voting is something we should embrace as a right many across the world fight and die for, and we once did. Millions have died for us to have the ability to vote. Those who think it should be as easy to vote as changing the channel to "The Jerry Springer Show" are an obstacle to responsible government.

It's a bogus argument. It's a Democratic trick to play the media and get extra-legal votes. The media is sadly a willing accomplice. The major media outlets have a horrific record. The extra-legal votes need to be litigated to the point of absolution.

Republicans vote - and let us pray for rain.

|||109909554131851058|||Voter Intimidation10/29/2004 09:08:17 PM|||Graham|||When the subject of voter intimidation is raised we shouldn't forget the father of the modern election, Al Gore. A troubling precedent was set in 2000. In the absence of a landslide victory the Democratic Party will cry foul in every state that's close. And the GOP will be forced to respond even if not one count or recount is in favor of the Democrats.

After Bush wins reelection we'll no doubt hear cries of another stolen election in 2008. We'll hear about disenfranchised voters in Idaho. We'll hear about voter intimidation in Minnesota and with any luck the Democrats will have "chads" to blame in Florida.

In a time when America needs to be a shining example of the democratic process the Democrats themselves have stained democracy. With Afghanistan and Iraq watching, will the world's leading democracy be the laughing stock of democratic nations around the world?

Maybe President Bush can create another hurricane to bring those rains we so desperately need.