Thom Hartmann: Why is it only Republicans who commit voter fraud?

[thomhartmann]

We all know that Republicans around the country are passing Voter Suppression ID laws to kick millions of Democrats off the rolls before November. As Salon reporter Alex Seitz Wald broke today - former Florida Republican Party Chairman, Jim Greer, now admits that official in his party are engaging in voter Suppression efforts to "keep black from voting." But since Republicans can't come out and say that - they instead justify their efforts by arguing that voter fraud is rampant. In fact - I had a guest on my show argue that voter fraud is so outrageous that even pets - like dogs and cats...and maybe goldfish - are walking into voting booths and casting votes: The reason they're not in jail? - is because it didn't happen. Voter fraud is virtually non-existent, happening less often than people dying because their TVs fell on top of them.

But in those few cases where voter fraud actually occurs - it tends to be Republicans committing it. Meet John Enright, Republican candidate for supervisor in Pinal County, Arizona. Enright just dropped out of the race after accusations surfaced that his companion - whom he lived with until her death in 2007 - has been voting from the grave for five years since her death. Enright claims he’s dropping out of the race for other reasons - and denies any role in illegally voting on behalf of his former companion. Seems fishy, though. And then there's Ann Coulter - one of the most shrill, hateful Conservative voices on television. As reported by the BradBlog - in both 2002 and 2004 - Coulter illegally cast absentee ballots in Connecticut - despite her ACTUALLY being a resident of - and living in - New York.

That's voter fraud. Just like it was voter fraud when former Republican Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman voted in 2010 - claiming his Governor's mansion in Utah as his official address - even though he no longer was Governor - and no longer lived in the mansion. Just like it was voter fraud when Indiana's Republican Secretary of State - Charlie White - the top election official in the state - was found guilty of several felony charges like lying on voter registration forms, voting in the wrong precincts, and submitting false ballots. However, I’m more interested in hearing an explanation from none other than Mitt Romney - who likely committed voter fraud back in 2010 when he voted for Scott Brown in Massachusetts by claiming he lived in his son’s unfinished basement. So either quarter-billionaire Mitt Romney, who owned mansions in California and New Hampshire, was sleeping in his son's unfinished basement - without his butler, maid, or chauffeur - all pretty unlikely - OR - he committed voter fraud and should face five years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

So which is it, Mitt?

Yes, voter fraud rarely happens...but when it does...Republicans seem to always be behind it. So instead of punishing millions of minorities, students, seniors, and low-income American with Voter Suppression ID Laws - people who don't actually commit voter fraud - we should go after the people who do commit voter fraud. From now on - let's make prominent Republicans present 3 forms of identification, a proof of address, AND a DNA sample just to prove they really are who they say they are. How else can we protect the integrity of our elections, right??

The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann on RT TV & FSTV "live" 9pm and 11pm check www.thomhartmann.com/tv for local listings

[Flashmann]

1. Short answer is

Because they are the ones who cannot win a fair and informed election,and they KNOW it...

[jjewell]

2. Perhaps Republicans are being clumsily altruistic...

and attempting to protect America from what they themselves would do.

You know, "projection"...

Great post Thom...

[grasswire]

3. because, at root, they do not believe in democracy

One man, one vote scares the hell out of them. Their failed ideology must be IMPOSED on the electorate.

[chknltl]

4. In my mind this topic is key to reuniting our country.

DEMOCRACY according to dictionary.com:
[ dih-mok-ruh-see ]
noun pl. de·moc·ra·cies. 1. government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.
http://m.dictionary.com/d/?q=democracy&o=0&l=dir

Thom,
We citizens have willingly and without a thought to party affiliation, entered into military service knowing that we could be called on to defend DEMOCRACY and perhaps die doing so.

There is no more blatant an example of our DEMOCRACY under attack than this.

If We The People are willing to die defending our DEMOCRACY, then clearly we should be willing to come together to defend her at the polls!

Keep pushing this Thom....every single one of us needs to push this topic. DEMOCRACY begins with me, DEMOCRACY begins with you, DEMOCRACY, triumphs with US!
yes WE can.