Vote Blocker

Hypocrisy

2005-12-18T13:46:00.000-08:00

My TABOR source tells me that two former signature blockers came into the office today inquiring about switching sides becuase blocking voters from signing petitions doesn't pay as well as promised. I find it interesting that after all of the criticism of the paid efforts of petition collectors on the Democrats of Oklahoma blog that the blockers were also being compensated for their time.

Mr. Kettle, I've got Mr. Pot for you on line one.

Compassion is a Two Way Street

2005-12-17T16:21:00.000-08:00

Nikki Kirkpatrick has asked that I remove her name from my blog. This is my response.

You gave up your anonymity when you entered a public forum and posted comments. Were I to take your name off it would still be visible on the comments that I hotlink to. Comments that you made and signed your name to. I did not fabricate comments and falsely attribute them to you. These are your words.

You are demanding that the TABOR petitioners be ARRESTED and you expect me to show you some kindness and understanding? It may interest you to know that your group's efforts have led to black TABOR petitioners being arrested and white petitioners to only be ticketed. You should be ashamed of yourself. You helped do this.

You have promoted lying to store managers about harrassment to get the petitioners kicked out:

"If they are at a store (like Walgreen's or something) you can talk to the manager, tell them that they are harrassing you and usually I think they are forcing the petitioners to leave."

You have attacked the character of the TABOR petitioners by claiming they were getting signatures by lying:

"It's so sad that they are taking advantage of the public. They could probably lie and tell these people that these signatures were going to support crippled kids or injured dogs and people would sign without reading the fine print. So technically they aren't valid signatures if the people signing them aren't informed."

You have advocated theft and damage of your fellow Oklahoman signatures:

"I am going to the mall this week and have informed my cousin that I am taking (insert child's name here) with his especially leaky sippy cup full of grape juice for this very purpose. I figure they'll hit Quail Springs mall this weekend or around there because of Christmas (oops HOLIDAY) shopping. I live right across from the mall so this should be interesting....and knowing my son he would take off with the paper. And if it ripped...."oh mister, I'm so sorry!!'"

She has entered this discussion on her own and gave the world her thoughts without prodding. I am not responsible if she is embarrassed that her thoughts are now posted on a blog that is way smaller than the Democrats of Oklahoma forum they originated from. I think it's sad that she sees no problem with slandering others but cannot take her own words being criticized. The people she wrote about harrassing are real flesh and blood people too. I'm sure they would be really pleased to read what is written about them on your forum, "homeless, dirty, ratty ass ..."

You can't willingly jump into the boat and then complain when the seas get too rough.

It Smells Like Victory

2005-12-17T15:22:00.000-08:00

At first I thought the TABOR hating members from the Democrats of Oklahoma forum were to busy stealing petitions to enter into a discussion on the merits of TABOR and it made me sad. Nobody took up my challenge to prove the petition circulators were illegal! They didn't even chat about TABOR in the usual place. I just assumed that they were out in the world causing problems for the good guys.

I was wrong. After a little closer look there are plenty of posts regarding UMass, Democrats moving toward a pro 2nd Amendment stance and other topics posted throughout the day. The opposition spent today at their computers busily agreeing with each other that Republicans are evil but not one of them decided to put a little brain work into proving me wrong. Sigh. I expected more out of them.

I like winning but I feel a little empty. It's like the Colts beating the 49ers this year. Yeah, a win is a win but come on, at least put up a fight.

Opposition Moves One Step Further From Civil Rights Violation. Bravo!

2005-12-17T07:26:00.000-08:00

From Democrats of Oklahoma forum:

John Wylie: "I'm not an attorney, but I believe there is a distinction is "qualified elector" versus "qualified voter." A qualified elector is one who meets all the requirements for registration, but may or may not have actually registered. Qualified voter is a qualified elector who also has a valid voter registration.

I read the case law on this years ago, and I believe there is a Constitutional issue which says the state can require one to be a qualified elector to gather signatures but cannot require registration (which has a lot to do with where and for what offices you can vote--something that doesn't matter on a statewide petition)."

Bingo! Now leave the qualified electors alone while they legally collect signatures.

Hoping Doesn't Make it So

2005-12-16T12:30:00.000-08:00

Again from the Democrats of Oklahoma forum:

Melody: Bona fide? Permanent? I would have chosen "established" resident... Established residency with an obligation to the utility companies and on the tax rolls for the year. I sure hope those folks remember to file their tax returns. Again, you don't get to pick the words you would like to add to the statute.

Chance: And besides, don't you HAVE to be a registered voter before they will certify your name on a petition? NO! Eligible to vote and registered to vote are entirely different.

Gary D. Klein: On the more important question of residency, I think the legal requirements for residency include establisment of a permanent legal residence. There you go thinking again. Try reading the statute.

vhutchinson: A valid elector means not only an Oklahoma resident, but also one who is a registered voter in the State, doesn't it? NO! The statute doesn't say that.

Ruffled Feathers.

2005-12-16T12:09:00.000-08:00

From Democrats of Oklahoma forum:

Craig Fleck: Screw you Joe Voter!

Oh! In two hundred years we've gone from 'I regret but I have one life to give for my country' to 'Screw you!'?

AG Does Not Get to Add Words to Laws

2005-12-16T07:48:00.000-08:00

In a recent opinion Attorney General W.A. Drew Edmondson seeks to single handedly change the meaning of Oklahoma residency.

Initiative Petition Process is Vital to Good Government, AG Says
12/14/2005
Attorney General Drew Edmondson today said anyone circulating or signing initiative petitions should be aware of state laws governing the process, and he warned Oklahomans that signatures collected illegally are invalid. Edmondson issued the warning today after the recent arrest of a petition worker.

Edmondson said the initiative petition process is vital to good government, but it must be conducted in a manner that lawfully protects those seeking signatures and those who chose to support it.

According to Edmondson, the Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled that signatures gathered by an unqualified person are invalid.

“In the cockfighting case, the court disqualified more than 4,000 signatures taken by one circulator because he was not a qualified elector,” Edmondson said. “It’s incumbent upon those who organize initiative petition drives to staff their operation with qualified workers so citizens can exercise their right to petition their government without fear that their voice will be stricken.

“It is vital in a democracy that those who speak out, either for or against a particular issue, are heard,” Edmondson said.

According to the Oklahoma Constitution, anyone circulating an initiative petition must be a qualified elector - meaning 18 years of age and a bona fide resident of the state.

“This area of law is complex, but it boils down to a question of permanent residency,” Edmondson said. “Is the individual here in an established home or just to do a job before moving on? Crossing the state line and sleeping in a hotel for a few nights or a few weeks does not make a person a permanent resident.”

Edmondson said anyone who is working to gather signatures needs to know these requirements so that they can perform the job within the confines of the law. Failing to meet the criteria set forth in the Constitution is a misdemeanor and punishable by a $1,000 fine and one year in the county jail.

A swing and a miss for AG Edmondson! There is no time requirement to establish residency in Oklahoma. There is no mention of the word permanent in the statute that defines what an eligible. It is ridiculous to claim that someone has to have permanent residency. Permanency implies that the individual will never leave Oklahoma. If that were the case, nobody could vote here. Ever.

Follow the law as it is written not what you'd like it to be.

Mores Quality Quotes From Nikki Kirkpatrick

2005-12-15T21:11:00.000-08:00

From the Democrats of Oklahoma forum:

Nikki Kirkpatrick:

"Everyone I feel has made a conscientiuos effort to report TABOR petitioners or hassle them until they just give up."

Can't argue a principle? Hassle the opposition until they give up. Yep, that's what the Founding Fathers had in mind.

"If they are at a store (like Walgreen's or something) you can talk to the manager, tell them that they are harrassing you and usually I think they are forcing the petitioners to leave."

Lying to a store manager? Nope, I don't think Benjamin Franklin would have gone for that either.

"Nowhere does it say in the constitution, "if you are from out of state, you can come into oklahoma to help change their laws by standing out on the street with your ratty ass, holding up a pen..."

Now she's against ratty asses. On behalf of all rats, I'm deeply offended.

I hope the readers are begininng to understand the level of dishonesty the petition opposition is willing to sink to. I was going to list all of them here but I keeping finding new ones as I am about to publish. Read the thread I link to at the top of this post. There's more talk about lying to store managers about the behavior of petitioners and one guy even threatens to wrestle Oklahoman signatures away from a petitioner. Disgusting.

Facts made simple. Follow the colors!

2005-12-15T16:16:00.000-08:00

From the Democrats of Oklahoma forum:

vhutchinsin: "OU Campus Update: Yes, as I understand it it is illegal to solicit these signatures if one is not an Oklahoma resident (6 months?) and are not a registered voter."

Um, no. You are an Oklahoma resident the moment your feet touch Oklahoma soil.

The governing statute: It shall be unlawful for any person other than a qualified elector of the State of Oklahoma to circulate any initiative or referendum petition to amend, add to, delete, strike or otherwise change in any way the Constitution or laws of the State of Oklahoma, or of any subdivision of the State of Oklahoma. Every person convicted of a violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for not to exceed one (1) year, or by both said fine and imprisonment.

To be a qualified elector you must be eligible to vote in Oklahoma. A person who is eligible to register to vote must be:

at least 18 years old
a United States citizen
a resident of Oklahoma

There is no durational requirement to qualify someone as a resident.

But please keep pursuing that angle. I think I saw a wild goose head that way. I'll bet if you hurry you can catch it. Now shoo.

More Fraud Proposed by the Other Side

2005-12-15T15:49:00.000-08:00

Keep it Coming!

From the Oklahoma Democrats forum:

Posted - December 14 2005 : 11:10:39
I am wondering if there is any legal prohibition aganst signing these things with obviously spurrious names like:

Jimminy Cricket
100 Pinocchio Ln
Zeppettosville OK 66666

Gary D. Klein

Why is it that the opposition's first thought is to lie and commit fraud? What is wrong with letting the petition gatherers continue to legally collect the signatures and then have an ideological battle over the issue during campaign season?

It is blatantly undemocratic to stifle the debate. I get it, those that benefit from ever increasing government spending don't want TABOR to pass. Fine. Have the debate about why TABOR is bad for Oklahoma and convince the voters that your point of view is the right one. Instead you are seeking to deny the voters the option. If you believe yourself to be right you should have to confidence and the knowledge to convince a majority of people that you are.

"Eeeeeeek! The voters might do something I disagree with. Quickly we must silence them By Any Means Necessary!"

I guess you could say the intellectual honesty of the opposition is in D. Klein. . .

Get it? You see what I did there? I used Gary's middle initial and his last name to make a clever pun.

Teachers' Union Advocates Fraud

2005-12-15T14:44:00.000-08:00

I love you Jo Davis. It's obvious that your comrades would like you to keep your mouth shut but you are giving me some great material. Keep up the good work, Ace.

Jo Davis: "I've decided the next time I am asked to sign the petition instead of refusing, I am going to sign using a fictitous nam and address so that signature will be thrown out. If several of us did that on this and other bad ideas, might they think they had enough signatures and quit then discover after the last filing date they had failed?"

Comrade Truth: "Jo, That IS illegal(a felony), not to mention, when they first begin the counting the number of signatures with the Secretary of State's office, they do not actually search the address or name, they just make sure that it looks like a real name, and has an actual address with an actual oklahoma town to determine if there are enough signatures to send on to the Supreme Court for review.Only when a legal challenge to the petition occurs, will they delve into the signatures to check them against the voter registration. A legal challenge is a very timely and expensive prospect and the more names that you add on that aren't real, the more it costs to challenge the petition as a challenge is normally based on the signature count."

Teachers' Union Accuses Police of Corruption

2005-12-15T14:30:00.000-08:00

From Democrats of Oklahoma forum:

Jo Davis: "It does sound like the cops have already figured out that the petitioners are actually attacking their finanacial welfare though since they have already arrested at least one of them."

If I am to understand this correctly, is Ms. Davis saying that the cops will only act if it is in there best interest? This is a pretty bold statement from Ms. Davis. I wonder if her employer is aware of the message she is sending.

Liberals Support Petition Thievery

2005-12-15T10:52:00.000-08:00

I never thought I would see a day when the Liberals would publicly promote breaking the law to get their way. In the Democrats of Oklahoma forum there is a discussion on how best to steal or destroy the legally obtained TABOR signatures. This is just like reaching into the ballot box to stop the will of the people.

Nicole Kirkpatrick: "I could go up there, have my toddler run off with it and just as I'm about to get it back for the "nice" petitioner person...oops the grape juice sippy just opened and totally ruined it...and then my son tore it in two...oops...I really could do that..........."

Way to teach you child respect for the system!

Kathy: "And guess what! While it is illegal for out-of-state minors to CIRCULATE petitions, it is not illegal for in-state minors go around grabbing them! Bmonkey, you're sooo delightful!"

Hey Kathy, stealing IS illegal! Imagine that!

Nicole Kirkpatrick: "Exactly...I will have my son fight for children like himself everywhere. I might even get him a happy meal for "accidentally" destroying a TABOR petition."

Nicole! I hope your son doesn't end up in jail. Not sure if a sippy cup run along the cell bars will have the same effect as a tin cup.

I'll be mining this forum for days. I'm not sure thet are aware that the internet is public and its popularity is catching on. It's not just for Democrats anymore! Idiots.

Liberal Bloggers Have No Faith in Oklahomans

2005-12-14T23:05:00.000-08:00

The nice folks over at Okie Funk have revealed their true colors in spewing their contempt for democracy and Oklahoma voters. Check out the comments under this post.

Troy Steele: "$2 per signature? holy smokes, I'm quitting my job and collecting signatures from clueless Oklahomans who are more than glad to be asked to sign anything. "

Darin: "There are several initiatives floating around right now that many people seem to be completely clueless about."

Jordan Folks: "The man had the demeanor of a homeless person."

Bravo Liberals! Your disregard for normal citizens is appalling.