There really ought to be a law against grownups (age not mind) who dress up little girls to parade around in front of other adults looking like little sluts.
But that’s not what we are talking about today.
We are talking about a growing number of other idiots who run companies of various sizes and shapes. I have counted now four, and I suspect there are more and employees quietly contact the press and show them what they’ve been getting from the boss.
Not clear?
Oh, okay. Well, some of our “job creators” are sending out letters and e-mails to their employees with words to this effect:
“Things are going pretty well but that might not continue, especially if a certain administration is re-elected. Now I’m telling you that I don’t intend to pay one cent more in taxes. So let’s be clear. I’m not telling you who to vote for, that’s totally up to you. But if the wrong person is elected, and my taxes go up at all, well, your job may be in jeopardy. It’s up to you.”
The Koch brothers are the latest to issue their threat of lay-offs to their employees. David Siegel of Westgate Resorts of Orlando has threatened to retire and take his money and jobs to the Caribbean. This pig masquerading as a human owns a 90,000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE. Arthur Allen, CEO of ASG Software Solutions has done the same, telling his employees that they can vote for whom they wish, but if they. . .
“fail to make the right choice on November 6th… I don’t want to hear any complaints regarding the fallout that will most likely come.”
Couple this with the TV ad that Romney was running featuring him standing with a bunch of smiling miners in Ohio. CEO Robert E. Murray allegedly forced his employees to do this, threatening reprisals, loss of jobs, and intimidation to contribute to Murray’s PAC. Miners were required to take off time without pay to stand in the photographs.
Add to this with the war of suppression that is being organized for election day. Here in my own state of New Mexico, Republicans have been caught teaching poll watchers illegal tactics such as encouraging provisional balloting even when there is no problem with the voter registration, demanding photo ID from voters which is not required, telling those who have received voter purge letters that they must vote provisionally, telling Spanish speakers that there are no Spanish language ballots, and that voters who have moved within the state must vote provisionally. All these are lies.
I can but urge you to learn what is required in your state. Make sure you can step up and step in and stop illegal harassment. You need do nothing more than call the police. I’m told that in the 2008 election several Republican poll watchers were arrested and removed from the scene for illegal activities such as this.
Republican poll watchers nationally have promised to make voters (Democratic ones of course) so uncomfortable that they will feel that they are being followed by the police.
I find this simply awful. No doubt some of it is illegal. It all should be.
Voting is our precious right and the only thing that stands between us and oligarchy, plutocracy, or whatever else you might wish to call it. Every effort should be made to allow every reasonable desire to vote happen. There is far more likelihood that people who have a right to vote will be denied than that a few dozen will by design or mistake, vote where they have no right to. It’s not worth our democracy.
Be vigilant. Call your Democratic party and find out what you can do to protect the right to vote. Do it today.
Related articles
- Voter suppression in New Mexico? (salon.com)
- The Dangers of Poll-Watchers (theroot.com)
- Report from Tennessee: GOP invites Tea Party poll-watcher to train as poll official (maddowblog.msnbc.com)
- “A Dangerous Scenario”: The Million Wingnut March Of “Volunteer Poll Watchers” (mykeystrokes.com)
- True the Vote (balloon-juice.com)
- Koch Industries, and other CEOs warn employees of layoffs if Obama is reelected (theobamahustle.wordpress.com)
- Pro-Romney CEOs forgo subtlety as part of campaign push (maddowblog.msnbc.com)
- Voting For Lyin UnFitt Mitt Romney? You’re A Traitor To America…. (theobamacrat.com)
- David Siegel: ‘I Didn’t Try To Intimidate’ Employees With Anti-Obama Email (kaystreet.wordpress.com)
- Another US firm tells employees to ‘vote for Romney’ or ‘lose jobs’ (indiavision.com)
I’ve used an absentee ballot for years–sometimes the issues make the ballot so long there would be long lines at the polls and no time to really make sure I was marking it right. Much better to sit at the table at home with the voter’s pamphlet and other info in front of me. However, the whole state is now mail-in voting, so intimidating poll watchers are history, except for the half dozen places open.
This is despicable behavior. It is the desperation of a decaying party that resorts to this bullying and unethical behavior. We really are seeing the worst of the Republican party and its wealthy cronies. I swear, Sherry, I have friends who are voting Republicans and I don’t believe I can speak to them anymore. They are supporting an utterly corrupt and dishonest party.
I know Jean. I hate to say it, but increasingly I find it hard to understand how any moral decent person can support this party and it’s ideology. It’s simply dishonest and should be shunned by good people everywhere.
I tell you, Sherry, I’m horrified that women are voting Republican given all the assault on their rights and the vulgar and flip comments about sluts and rape. Women supporting Romney are a portion of the population that make me feel just ill.
I anticipate…… full scale confusion. And if I here one more right winger cite examples of the OLD democratic machine of Mayor Daley in Chicago of an example of ‘Democratic” fraud… I will scream. This is now, and most of that shit from Daley’s Chicago was anecdotal urban myth. Nothing like the suppression being exhibited today.
You are so right. We are going to to polls determined to do battle with suppressionists.