Rush Limbaugh will no doubt be pleased.
Assuming that he's not disappointed, of course.
By Moe Lane Posted in 2008 | Operation Chaos | The Best Democratic Primary EVER — Comments (11) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
It would appear that Ohio Democratic officials have better things to do with their time than indulge Alternet in its happy little revenge fantasy:
Cuyahoga County Board of Elections won't seek to prosecute voters who switched parties
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections decided on Monday not to pursue criminal charges against voters who switched parties in the March 4 primary.
The board had launched an investigation because some Republicans admitted to switching parties to benefit the GOP.
Democratic board member Sandy McNair, who initiated the investigation, asked the board at Monday's meeting to subpoena a Westlake Republican who wrote "Today Only" on his pledge card when he took a Democratic ballot. The three other board members, two Republicans and a Democrat, said they didn't want to force public testimony from the voter.
Voters who switch parties in Ohio primaries must sign affidavits pledging allegiance to their new party. Lying on the forms is a fifth-degree felony punishable by six to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.
"We have so many other things we need to focus on," said Inajo Davis Chappell, the board's other Democrat. "I don't want to second-guess voters."
(Via RCP Blog)
Remember, ye progressives: Democrat Davis Chappell is the reason why Rush Limbaugh isn't going to get indicted. Well, not really, but that's how you'll remember it once you've told the story to yourselves ten or twelve times.
Read on.
I'm not sure whether this little exercise - Rush Limbaugh calls it "Operation Chaos"; I'm also unsure whether it's supposed to evoke the notorious CIA operation of the same name* - is more effective as an actual voting technique, or as a burr under the saddle of the Democratic Party. As it stands right now, there's really no way to tell whether or not it's actually working... but if Democrats think that it's working, or even just can't rule it out, they're going to be off half a step. Given that they're already off two or three, thanks to this wonderfully baroque** primary that they've saddled themselves with, the results are truly marvelous to behold. For that matter, even if their primary resolves itself tomorrow they've already self-sabotaged the premise that the primary voter disparity is actually meaningful. It's kind of hard to make the argument that the primaries show the inevitable swell of support for the Democratic candidate while at the same time screaming about how every Republican in the world crossed over to interfere with their primary process.
Oh, sure, they'll still try. Then again, they try all sorts of things.
Moe
PS: All of this is apparently now gearing up to happen in Oregon. Best to jump on that, eh? I particularly recommend calling every Oregonian Democratic official to make sure that they're all on top of this. Every day. During dinnertime; that way, you know that they're at home.
PPS: My name isn't Davis Chappell. Go complain to him about how Rush really and truly did commit voter fraud: I'm not being paid to care. Shoot, I'm not being paid, period.
*I am fairly certain that he didn't mean to evoke the Poul Anderson novel of the same name, which is a shame: it's quite good.
**Not "Rube Golberg." His mechanisms worked, after all.
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Rush Limbaugh will no doubt be pleased. 11 Comments (0 topical, 11 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
No. Their primary system can't be that broken.
...Right?
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
Moe
I can only speak for Texas and for the Republican conventions but if the Dems operate anything like Republican district and state conventions it would be very easy to infiltrate the Dem conventions.
The Republicans usually don't have enough turn out at the precinct conventions so getting a seat at a district convention is a virtual lock with the exception of a few precincts in the state. Once at the district convention...there are enough seats alloted to each precinct to attend the state convention as a near certainty as a seated delegate. There are always alternates selected and they are almost always seated at the state conventions because a lot of seated delegates don't show at the state convention. I've never gone to the national convention so I can't speak with any authority on that.
I can only assume the process for the Dems is similar. I can also tell you that the precinct and district conventions had such a turnout that there is absolutely no way the credentials committee could screen out Republicans who voted Democrat because all they have to check is a copy of the poll roster that shows they voted on a Democrat ballot, (That part I am sure of since the polls and Poll rosters are the same for Republicans and Democrats).
In fact, the turnout was so heavy for the Dems in San Antonio that several district conventions had to be postponed because the locations the Dems rented for the conventions weren't big enough to hold all the delegates. This is due to the fact that there were delegates on the Dem side that were to be decided at the conventions that weren't selected in the primary.
I'll be very curious to see how many Republicans can make it to the Dem national convention and what kind of havoc they can wreak there!
--"Faith is a free work to which no one can be forced. Nay it is a Divine work, done in the Spirit."--Martin Luther
So, essentially, the Democrats will have to vet every national delegate in order to make sure that no ringers slip through, then.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
HTML Help for Red Staters
"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
--"Faith is a free work to which no one can be forced. Nay it is a Divine work, done in the Spirit."--Martin Luther
I'd put the chances of success at becoming DNC delegates for Operation Chaos 'Democrats' at about the same level as the chances that Ron Paul invaders had of becoming RNC delegates.
That is: Not great, but not impossible.
HTML Help for Red Staters
"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
"Chappel is a tool of the Vast Ri... Vast Clinton conspiracy. Hillary is behind & should give up so Obama can be transfigured at the convention..."
I don't think I'll switch my registration, but at least I know I can do it before April 29th if I want to.
___________________________________
Two thirds of the world is covered by water,
the other third is covered by Champ Bailey.
I'm from Medford Oregon, and while visiting on spring break, in the span of a week, I was in town for Barak Obama and Bill Clinton rallies. I gotta be honest, both speeches made me shake my head in bewilderment, but President Clinton used more big numbers, um...for what that's worth.
Point is, I may switch my registration and await orders. 21 days before May 20th, the registration must be received.
Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone. --Mitt Romney
The democratic party more resembles Hieronymous Bosch especially for them. This primary may be a thing of beauty but only because the subject is being tortured.
Rush has outdone himself with this. He already has people calling in saying they are Republicans and are now elected to state delegate positions. While I personally wouldn't put any credence in this idea. I mean how likely would it be that democrats vote for someone who makes sense ? It is certainly must be upsetting the nutroots. Can you imagine "What I Have been funneling my foodstamp money to these people and they elect a Republican as a delegate ?"
Its a level of casual cruelty that normally I would find repugnant. Except they invited it, repeatedly.
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777