Calvin Coolidge aka “Silent Cal” had it totally correct about a century ago..
Category: National GOP
Secure elections need secure voter confirmation
In all the “sturm und drang” about stolen elections, the threats of lawsuits, the mathematical “proofs” that there must have been fraud. Rumors of election machines that change votes fake boxes arriving etc etc. One thing seems very clear to me.
The problem is not what we think it is.
The idea of a free election is that no-one knows how each individual voted. The process we have separates the physical voting from the counting. Or, at least it is supposed to.
We are about to embark on two run off elections in Georgia for the two Senate seats there. The elections will happen on January 5th. Inauguration is January 20th 2021. This is IMPORTANT.
It is safe to say that there is going to be enormous pressure and vast amounts of campaign cash flying around.
How do we work to ensure that this election is a secure as it can be? How do we help prevent any suggestion of hi-jack?
There will be lots of organization and money involved in turning out the vote. The GOP probably has observers named for the vote counting.
But there is a gaping hole in this process. Especially for mail in ballots.
The verification of the vote is based on the envelope. Before the envelope is opened the signature on the envelope needs to be scanned and approved. There is also another step that needs to be done.
The envelope needs to have a code that is tied to the voter who is submitting it. Both the envelope and the signature should be scanned and, if they do not match they must NOT be opened. Period. Bear with me for a few moments. The key point is to PREVENT false votes entering the system.
There need to be observers at every in-person voting station and they need to verify, by inspection, that the voter is correctly checked in by the judges. A count must be kept of a) verified voters who have cast ballots b) the number of ballots in the boxes . The observers (Dem and GOP) need to be able to verify the information and to sign the affidavit that reports how many votes were received at that polling station.
There are anecdotal reports from various voting locations that Party observers were either prevented from accessing the polling station or were prevented form being able to observe the verifications or the counting. There needs to be a mechanism for enforcing the needed access. If an observer is prevented from entering a polling station there needs to be IMMEDIATE action. The polling place should be flagged, the overseeing authority needs to be immediately informed. Everything at that polling place should be sequestered from the vote.
There is more to this than these steps. Voting machines must be tested beforehand and must be checked and signed off on by technical experts from each main party involved. Each machine. No exceptions – including any slated as substitutes. The location of each machine needs to be specified and logged. Each machine needs to be tested after use as well to make sure it is functioning correctly.
I do not know all the wrinkles and in and outs. But what I do know is that once the votes are separated from the voters it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to then prove fraud. You can assert it with confidence based on mathematics but it is the gateway that needs to be protected and verified – for in-person voting by ballot of by machine and for write in ballots with the envelope and direct correlation of envelope, signature and code for the voter.
No mailed in ballot that has been opened before election day should be allowed in the system unless there is a proven way to do it with all observing parties present and to sign off on the totals of verified ballots received.
If the GOP does not organize to take care of business in this regard then we kiss goodbye to sorting out anything afterwards as we are finding out now.
You cannot un-stir the cream out of the coffee once it has been added. Once you have opened the door to adding illegal votes to the process you lose the ability to control the integrity of the election.
Message to fundraisers
I am annoyed and disappointed with the fund raising currently going on. I am not annoyed that funds are being raised, I am annoyed at the endless bombardment of drivel flowing like torrent though my email in box.
I am annoyed to be getting requests for my “opinions” that turn into a) a form to put me on a mailing list for even more emails or b) a request for money. If you are not interested in my views and opinions then I am not interested in sending you money.
For sure this is probably going to sound surprising, I guess. I donated to a couple of campaigns in the last general election including Ted Cruz and DJT. And though my donos are on the miniscule side I believe in supporting candidates with more than just an attaboy on Facebook. I will be donating to the DJT campaign during this election season and possibly to a couple of the senate campaigns – maybe.
But here’s the thing. If you wish to get me interested in your campaign there are some steps that you need to take:
1) Tell me what are the things we are going to get done.
2) Tell me why they matter and don’t use memes and waffle.
3) Lay out what your overall philosophy is and how I can expect you to react to the world and to things that happen in this country.
Here are some things you need to avoid
- I delete, automatically, any fund raising email I get that starts off by telling me what the Democrats or Liberals or your “opponents” are doing.
- I delete, straightaway, any email that comes from an email address that cannot be replied to.
- I delete, swiftly, any email that contains a survey.
- I do not donate to SuperPacs or anything other than the actual campaign. If your email does not include those specific assurances. Again – it gets deleted.
Seriously GOP – you need to establish a messaging infrastructure that answers peoples questions, can do more than just shout loudly for money and can actually deal with adults.
Why so uninterested?
I think it fair to opine that Donald J. Trump’s victory in the 2016 Presidential election was a truly stunning achievement.
Since that time the people that dislike the 45th President have seized on every manner of reason as to why it happened. ranging from tinfoil conspiracy theories about Russian interference to the unfairness of the Electoral College and almost anything in between.
But what I find more concerning is the apparent lack of interest from the GOP as to why Donald Trump is President.
The only truly insightful work I have seen has been from Salena Zito whose brilliant book “The Great Revolt Inside the Populist Coalition reshaping American Politics” . This is a book everyone should read and it should have been the blueprint for an engagement across the USA by the GOP. But it has not. Why not?
I reside in a Conservative congressional district, I have not received one communication from the GOP, State or National, even vaguely interested in finding out why I and my wife voted for Trump. I have received plenty of interest in “send money”.
The GOP needs to do something radical – actually talk to the grass roots . Not the “consultants” not the “pollsters” not the “analysts”. Stop trying to get predigested “analysis” but take the time to LISTEN. You might be surprised.
Oath Breakers
I am genuinely curious.
When any person is sworn in as a Congressman they must take the oath of office.
That oath includes these specific words;
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”
Now I am a total busybody when it comes to the 1st and 2nd Amendments of the Constitution – they are, for me, the bedrock that helps guarantee a Constitutional form of government.
So when I hear or see Members of the “Democrat Group Think Herd” aka the current group of molluscs masquerading as “Democrat Part Presidential Candidates” laying out what they intend to do to hamper law abiding citizens from owning guns and bearing arms – I wonder.
I wonder how they can take an oath to uphold the Constitution while loudly announcing that they do not intend to do that? There is not much wriggle room – at all – in the amendments for the federal government to interfere in the rights of Citizens.
How do they get away with it? Is it not perjury to swear an oath when you have already stated you are not going to uphold it? How are these people permitted to swear to something falsely?
Democrat Party Presidential Candidates rectally insert heads in unison.
The Group Think Herd collectively known as the Democrat Party Presidential Candidates have shown that they would much rather throw themselves under a dung cart rather than admit that President Trump just gave a master class in how to negotiate.
The inundation of our southern border by waves of illegal immigrants has been stretching our Border Patrol Enforcement to the limit over the last months with various paerties reportedly supply money to groups to “sponsor” them to march to the USA. President Trump has been trying to get a handle on the issue while the Democrat Controlled Congress does nothing except to run investigations of the President and complain loudly about how badly the illegal immigrants/shady ‘refugees’ are treated.
The President declared a national emergency to get the barrier built on the border only to have low level federal judges busily trying to stop this from being done and supporting motions to block it.
Finally President Trump informed Mexico that tariffs were going to be applied on its exports to the USA. Sizeable tariffs.
One day ago the Mexican Army arrived on Mexico’s southern border to prevent migrant caravans from transiting Mexico to the USA. Mexico is also going to receive refugees awaiting decisions on their status – back in Mexico.
A stunning move from DJT – it did not cost the US Tax payer a single dime. It put the onus on our ostensible trading partner and ally, Mexico, to start doing its job properly.
And the Democrats? Their Group-Think Herd? Uniformly complained about what the President had done.
Bear in mind that most people in the USA think illegal immigration is a major problem. But it seems self-evident that what the American people want is of absolutely no interest to the Democrat Party Presidential Candidates. Instead of praising a leader who has taken smart action they, all of them, tucked their pointy heads up their own backsides.
Conversations with Liberals – a tip or two
I responded to a comment in a thread where someone posting about how a relative of theirs was always coming out with liberal claptrap like “ we need to get rid of the electoral college”. The person who wrote the comment did not want to get into an argument with a relative and was just venting.
But this is a real problem for a lot of us. Here is a test – how can you tell if someone is a Vegan? The answer? Don’t worry they will tell you. Repeatedly. Liberals always feel obliged to bring forth their talking points.
How do you deal with it? The answer is simple and, yes, effective.
Do not argue.
In response to the lame liberal point, make a conservative point of your own. It need not have ANY relationship to what the person said. Believe me.
Every Conservative need to have a good list of conservative wishes or ideas. The more radical the better. When a lefty advances a kook position just nod and then respond with one of your own.
Example Twit: “I think the electoral college should be abolished”
You: “Ah. I think the Department of education needs to be eradicated and the budget savings diverted to border control”
Or
You: “ Ah. I think there must be a balanced budget amendment as our highest priority”
Or
You: “We need to get Chevron overturned and take the power away from Government agencies”
Or
You: “We need laws that make people who declare a place a gun free zone responsible for any shooting that happens there”.
It sounds kind of ridiculous and funny but it is not. We need to fill up the conversation with conservative talking points. Not arguing about leftist talking points.
Mitt steps on his…
It is not often that we are given the chance to see a man in full hubris mode step hip deep into his own sewage.
Mitt Romney managed it. He is a freshman Senator – never having served in the Senate or the House – he arrives making pronouncements about what he thinks is wrong about President Trump. Not about what he can do in the Senate to advance the GOP, no indications of a willingness to be part of a team. Just instant opinion.
What makes it worse is that Romney is criticizing the man who did what he, Mitt Romney utterly failed to do – Trump won the Presidency. For someone like Mitt, who failed so badly at it, to make his first priority criticizing the guy who won is a faux-pas of the worst kind.
Badly done, Mitt. Badly done.
Ocasio-Cortes – the small storm in a very small teacup
With the advent of the Democrats taking control of the US House there have been numerous commentaries, memes, digs at the freshman Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes but at the same time she gets a lot of conservative airplay for her insane drivel which in turn gives her greater play among liberals.
Why is she being given such air-time? Why are so many people determined to show what an idiot or inexperienced tyro, she is?
There is NOTHING about this lady which indicates she is capable of putting together legislation and getting it through – but it does not matter if she does, the legislation would not even be taken up by the Senate. So why are so many people wasting so much time on her?
All the hysteria is doing is increasing her name recognition. It is making her seem “important” than she is and giving the Democrats a photogenic person who can be promoted to the Liberal faithful (who, we should remember, don’t actually study or care about policies but care about being seen to vote for the right “identity”).
This is a waste of space and of effort on behalf of conservatives. We are not going to defeat AOC in her district so why are we fighting this instead of coming up with creative ways to win back the seats that were Republican and now are not?
Demographics and the future
Mark Steyn has been the Cassandra of Demographics. He has, on many occasions laid out the bleak and terrible future that lies ahead thanks to the trends laid out by Demographics. His commentaries and articles continue to be overlooked and ignored for the most part. He is hated by the left because he predicts disaster and has done for a decade or more . And, given the last three or four years of evidence – he has been proven right.
Cassandra was a prophetess of Troy in Greek Mythology – given the gift to accurately predict the future but cursed with the fate that no-one would believe her.
Mark has pointed out that the trends of demographics are not speculation but arriving fact. The children in grade schools now are going to be the workforce in 15 and 20 years time. This is not something conjured out of thin air – it is just numbers. In a recent post on his website:
https://www.steynonline.com/7981/the-biggest-issue-of-our-time
He mentions, as an example, that the most popular boy’s name in England is now Mohammed (various spellings). Think about that for a second.
In that same article he also says;
“But if you have those European differential rates of birth, things change very quickly. The 90 percent post Christian Euro secularists who have 1.3 children per couple and the 10 percent Muslims who have 3.5 children per couple, which is estimated to be the European Muslim average. The 90 percent and the 10 percent will have the same number of grandchildren. That’s to say the 90 grandparents will have 38 grandchildren and the 10 Muslim grandparents will have 32 children. In two generations. It happens very fast.”
If you did not grasp the implication of the math in the quote – read it again. The youngest generation currently entering the population will be just under 50% of that demographic. In France in 20 years from now – nearly half the young working population will be from the Muslim demographic.
There are many ramifications from this and no-one, except for Mark Steyn and a few other bloggers, is even addressing the issues.
“The avalanche has already started – it is too late for the pebbles to vote” (From Babylon 5)