e-Claire

Ya Say Ya Wanna Revolution, weeell, yannooo

[Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe]"OSCE members, including the United States, agreed in 1990 in Copenhagen to allow fellow members to observe elections in one another's countries," [Assistant Secretary of State Paul V.] Kelly wrote. "Consistent with this commitment, the United States has already invited the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe the November 2, 2004, presidential elections."

I'm insulted. I'm furious. I'm speechless. I'm nauseated. I'm livid. I'm disgusted. I'm dang near ready to exercise my Constitutional right to bear [and use] arms to protect my country. But our enemies have not chosen the forthright, honorable method of face to face confrontation. They have chosen to undermine with laws, lies and terror in the assumption that these cannot be fought with direct means. Suddenly -- though apparently it was given away in 1990-- we are a third world child-nation that requires watching by other, more capable, adult nations. Like the old granny the family "decides" cannot manage on her own and must be put into a death house rest home -- so they can get their grubby paws on her stuff. Feh! ptui.

However, state election authorities in Florida have already announced that such observers are not to be allowed access to the voting process and, in any case, they would have to remain at a distance of more than 50 feet from the polls.

There is no authority. No recourse. No access. No Point!! There is one point: to suck the pride and confidence out of the American citizen. To insult and shame the character of our nation. Make no mistake -- were such a thing still recognized in our culture, this would be considered a mortal insult. I believe we must recall the concept and treat it as such. We may have had problems and upsets and scandals and all manner of crap before, but we always handled it ourselves. By ourselves. Our way. That is was our right and our responsibility. Now, however, we are to be treated as children who can no longer handle our own business. This is an insult. It is an outrage. It cannot -- must not be borne. . Julia Carson of Indiana, Jerrold Nadler, Edolphus Towns , Joseph Crowley and Carolyn B. Maloney, all of New York, Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Corrine Brown of Florida, Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland, Danny K. Davis of Illinois, and Michael M. Honda and Barbara Lee of California. [needless to say -- all D-] And any and all in the State Dept. and Administration who acceded - capitulated - to this outrage. And most especially, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson , D-Texas. May you be hung in effigy and made into a cartoon-like figure to be dragged about the countryside by your tinfoil hat with fire coming out your ass and tapioca oozing out your ears. Then may your names go down in history as worse blackguards than Benedict Arnold, Brutus and Judas. Then and only then may you take your place -- reserved especially for you -- in the Seventh Circle of Hell.

1. If we (the citizens of the good ol’ U.S. of A.) are so good and honest at the election process, why do you have a problem with letting other people see our expertise?? Just askin’...

   Dave

   Posted by  on  08/09/04  at  08:18 AM

2. “I’m insulted. I’m furious. I’m speechless. I’m nauseated. I’m livid. I’m disgusted. I’m dang near ready to exercise my Constitutional right to bear [and use] arms to protect my country.”

   
   MY EXACT THOUGHTS ON HEARING THE NEWS.  And, yes, I was yelling; caps lock was not stuck.

   Posted by pam  on  08/09/04  at  11:58 AM

3. Dave,

   Think of it this way:  You’re a grown-up—a real adult.  You pay your own mortgage.  You pay your own bills.  You’ve got a good, interesting job and are building a solid portfolio.  You keep your life pretty darned neat and tidy. 

   Along comes your college roommate—the one you bailed out of so many stupid predicaments long, long ago. He never graduated and he’s still flippin’ burgers at the same old joint.  You can see that he’s starting to drink pretty heavily again.  Then he starts telling you that your clothes aren’t stylish enough, the girl you’re dating isn’t pretty enough and that job of yours—you’re not doing anywhere near well enough.  He informs you that you’re a sucker to pay your bills—you really oughta take that money and double it in Vegas.  You’re a fool if ya don’t.

   What do you tell him?

   If you’ve got any self-respect a-tall, you give him the TerryKerry salute* and walk away—no?  Make sense now?

   *["shove it"]

   Posted by Claire  on  08/09/04  at  12:22 PM

4. Claire: your outrage is understandable in the context of the invitations of OSCE observers. As this was managed by some Democrats still angry about alledged frauds in Florida, I can well understand the anger about that. But think about it from another angle: the OSCE member have agreed to allow each others the observation of elections in 1990, long before there was even talk about alledged problems in the US.
   Mutual observation is an excellent tool of learning new things from other and improve your own election system. With this I mean primarily that the oberservers learn, not so much the observed. And vice versa American oberservers might find interresting inovations and developments about procedula things in elections in some European countries. There is no fail-safe system and no system is beyond improvement. Nowhere.
   And I have just checked the relevant OSCE documents and I can not see how any of the rules agreed upon by all OSCE members would proove any wrong in the USA.

   I personally would not mind observers at our next election(s) in Germany, because we could all learn something.

   Therefore, as a proud American I would embrace the invitation of OSCE observers, but would make sure likewise, that American observers will be present at the next major elections of all participating observer nations.

   Posted by  on  08/11/04  at  02:19 AM

5. I sort-of agree with Pat on this one.  I don’t think Americans need to learn anything from the Europeans when it comes to democracy, but I do think that allowing OSCE observers can serve two important propaganda purposes for us, while causing only a minor annoyance.  One, unless the OSCE observers eschew neutrality and hop on board the next Sore/Loserman campaign, their role as neutrals will help to prevent it from erupting in the first place.  [And if OSCE monitors do interfere with a U.S. election, they’d better do a really good job because that’s the last opportunity they’ll have to do it, ever.] Two, allowing foreign observers in mature democracies that don’t need them makes it easier for us to argue for international observers in the immature pseudo-democracies that do.

   In an ideal world, the immature brats would get adult supervision and the rest of us would be left alone.  In the real world, the “adults” aren’t even allowed to tell the bratty children that they are children, so maybe the only way to get international observers where they’re needed is to tolerate them where they’re not.

   Posted by Xrlq  on  08/11/04  at  07:18 AM

6. Xrlq,

   Are you saying that you don’t see or, perhaps don’t give credence to the insult inherent in this?

   As to your other point; I disagree completely with your assessment of the “real world.” It is only in P.C. World that “tolerance” requires the brats to remain undisciplined. 

   It works the same in the larger, political world as in a household.  If the adults [no quotes—sneer, bunny or other] do not respond appropriately to the trouble-causing brats, the brats cause more and more trouble and become more and more undisciplined, lacking the capability of self-discipline, until the situation becomes unbearable for all concerned.  Go to any “family restaurant” and watch the un-parented kidlets run riot in the aisles.

   It is the same situation with the Dem Party and the Moore/Springsteen/BusHitler lefties—they do not denounce nor reign in that part of their crowd.  Not unlike the moderate Muslims who approve with their silence the goals and deeds of the Islamofascists.

   If the adults do not stand up and dole out the spankings—chaos ensues.

   Posted by Claire  on  08/12/04  at  06:32 AM

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