WP: Minn. GOP Asks Activists to Report on Neighbors' Politics

[kskiska]

All politics is local. But this year, it is getting downright neighborly.

Take Minnesota. The state Republican Party has developed a Web site that allows its activists to tap into a database of voters whose political allegiances and concerns it would like to know. But it is not just any group of voters -- they are the activists' neighbors.

The project, dubbed WebVoter, gives GOP activists the names and addresses of 25 people who live, in most cases, within a couple of blocks from them. The party has asked 60,000 supporters from across the state to figure out what issues animate their neighbors and where they stand in the political spectrum, and report that information back to the party -- with or, possibly, without their neighbors' permission.

Those who seem persuadable will receive campaign literature from Republican candidates -- including President Bush -- with whom the party plans to share its data. Those deemed incorrigible Democrats will be struck from the list.

"We don't want to waste our time or money on people who are not going to vote with us regardless of what we do," said Larry Colson, a Minnesota entrepreneur who helped develop the site. "We would like to be able to hone the message to people who are already with us and then people who are on the fence -- those are the people that we'd like to target."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58309-2004Jul17.html

[glitch]

1. incentive for everyone to become an 'incorrigible democrat'

as soon as possible.

[The Zanti Regent]

20. They're makin a list, not checkin it twice...

gonna find out who's naughty and nice...

[truthisfreedom]

2. the gop will never ever get Minnesota.

they've already lost here.

[CRK7376]

3. Nothing like Big Brother

watching over your shoulder. Fortunately we live to far out in the country for neighbors. Those that want to talk politics are welcome, but that seldom happens where we live. Folks tend to keep to themselves their political agendas...Although more of our neighbors tend to dislike Bush and company than support him...No many signs or placards go up in yards near us...

[Hawkeye-X]

7. Falsify info!!!

Make everyone a Democrat! Let them hunt wild goose!

[SoCalDem]

12. NO.. make everyone a republican..let them waste postage and time

I still think that we should all re-register as republicans immediately following a primary,and confuse the hell out of them.. Make them waste resources..:evilgrin:

[0007]

18. Great bumper sticker!

[madrchsod]

4. alot of my dads relation

lived in southern minny and that`s one thing you never mentioned was politics-it was corn and wheat prices and how much the livestock was bringing at the markets..oh and the weather..
the republican party is turning into a vast spy network for the new world order and the enemy of the order is anyone who disagrees with the republican party..stalin,hitler,and mao taught these people well

[kikiek]

5. This is unreal. When martial law is declared will we be the first

rounded up and put in prison? Sounds innocuous but it reminds me of Nazi Germany. Turn in your neighbor.

[grytpype]

6. Just when you think you can no longer be shocked...

... they do something more shocking.

[Bo]

11. AMAZING!

It really is not real anymore,they must be stopped.

[mzmolly]

8. Well, I suggest a new lawn sign ....

"Incorrigible Democrat"

[meow2u3]

21. Don't forget to add...

INCORRIGIBLE DEMOCRAT--AND DAMN PROUD OF IT!!!

[shockingelk]

9. I don't see anything wrong with this

I'm just as creeped out as the next guy at the thought the MN GOP may have a file on me.

But what is wrong with compiling information? I'm not embarrassed of my political views, and I wouldn't share them with someone if I wanted to keep them from them.

If someone tells me Mary is on the fence about voting for Bush, I'd think it fine to seek out Mary and see if she wants to chat. What the MN GOP seems to be doing is that exact thing, except on a large scale - and they have the disadvantage of being on the wrong side of nearly everything.

[koopie57]

19. for me

the problem is not the list but that they are asking neighbors to be doing this. If my neighbor put me on the list you can bet that would be the end of a beautiful friendship. It is putting a wedge between people who need to cooperate.

[jdj]

10. "and report that information back to the party."

Stalin would be proud.

[DeepModem Mom]

13. KGB tactics n/t

[fishnfla]

23. "with or without their permission"

that line sent a chill down my spine

[Art_from_Ark]

14. Don't be shtoopid, be a shmarty

come und join
ze Republikkkan Party!

[Algomas]

15. Thanks for the laugh Art!

[oldhat]

16. Obey

Obey Andre the Giant

[shance]

17. And we believed them when they said TIPS was scrapped..SILLY US!!

Read between the lines. Neighbor/Post man surveillance looks to still be quite a priority with this Administration.

Propaganda is the better way to sell it however.

[truthisfreedom]

22. "We don't want to waste our time "... code words for "we don't want anyone

from the Democratic party to get ahold of any of our lie-filled literature and cause a stir by pointing out what Nazi propaganda it is.

[question everything]

24. Bring them on!

And they can have the photos of Bush et al torn to pieces that keep arriving at our address. Or... perhaps now they will remove us from their database. Finally.