"Homeland ballot security?"

[AirAmFan]

According to an AP story today quoting Tom Ridge, Homeland Security Secretary, "officials are considering how to secure polling places come November." (See http://www.indystar.com/articles/3/161068-7433-010.html )

But, in addition to fending off "terrorists", will some of the actions being set in motion for Election Day target Democratic voters who have good reason to fear Republicans in uniform?

When elections are close, a time-worn GOP playbook draws on tactics from third-world dictatorships. Armed thugs are posted at polling places to harass and discourage minority and poor voters. Because of discrimination in the criminal justice system, a MAJORITY of minority and poor men in many inner city neighborhoods, and skyrocketing proportions of women, are on probation or parole. Police are free to "roust" those under "criminal justice supervision" whenever they want.

When Loretta Sanchez defeated Crazy Bob Dornan for a California House seat eight years ago, it was despite the presence of "ballot security" officers in special uniforms. The uniforms closely resembled those of immigration officials, well known for harassing naturalized citizens as well as undocumented foreign workers. (See http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/97/33/news-moxley.php )

And how did 911 Commission chair Tom Keane get to be ex-governor of NJ?

From http://www.prospect.org/print-friendly/print/V13/23/mcdonald-l.html :

'Americans might like to think that discrimination against minority voters ended with the civil-rights movement, but it's been going on in many parts of the country ever since. And BALLOT-SECURITY programs have been the usual vehicle. A notorious "anti-fraud" initiative was implemented before the 1981 gubernatorial election in New Jersey. The Republican National Committee formed a National Ballot Security Force.... On election day, the security force dispatched armed off-duty police officers wearing official-looking armbands to heavily black (and Democratic) precincts in Newark, Camden and Trenton. The Republicans also posted signs warning that the polls were being patrolled by security-force members and offering a $1,000 reward for anyone giving information leading to the arrest and conviction of election-law violators. A toll-free number was listed to report possible voter fraud.

The Democratic National Committee filed suit against the New Jersey and national Republican parties, and it was eventually settled. The defendants agreed not to post security forces at polling places or allow any other election tactics that targeted minorities or deterred them from voting. Despite the agreement in the New Jersey case, the Republicans resorted to similar maneuvers in Louisiana in the 1986 U.S. senatorial campaign involving Democrat John Breaux and Republican Henson Moore. ... Republicans ... launched still another ballot-security program in North Carolina in 1990, during the heated U.S. Senate contest between Republican Jesse Helms and Democrat Harvey Gantt.... After the election -- which Helms won -- the Justice Department sued the North Carolina Republican Party and the Helms for Senate Committee. The defendants, without admitting any wrongdoing, entered into a consent decree in which they agreed not to undertake similar ballot-security programs in the future
without court approval.

Copyright © 2002 by The American Prospect, Inc.'

[ewagner]

1. Hidden in plain sight........

No American, Republican or Democrat, should tolerate "ballot security" provided by either of the political parties. And now, "ballot security" is being practices by a government agency instead of the parties, but the abouse is still there. Because of "terra" banana republic tactics are being implemented in plain sight....and nobody gives a crap.........

[AirAmFan]

3. Consent decrees the GOP signed in the past (after they "won") will be torn up

Party opportunists will come out of the woodwork to "help" on these security issues. These Republicans are quite clever little criminals.

And since the "Help America Vote Act" includes no national standards for election fairness, Democrats will have to fight corruption of "homeland ballot security" state by state.

[nixonwasbetterthanW]

2. Rehnquist perfected "ballot security" in Arizona

<http://www.badattitudes.com/Rehnquist.html>

Gee, does anyone think CJ Bill would recuse himself if "ballot security" issues confronted a 5-4 court this fall?

[AirAmFan]

4. Thanks for the link

Maybe the GOP will slip up womewhere and provide good evidence for a Voting Rights Act lawsuit.

[Ducks In A Row]

5. Vote absentee, and no worries about polls

Oregon does vote by mail all the time and it works just fine.