Borachio
Way past lunacy
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2012
- Messages
- 26,698
What is the matter with people... observers don't have jurisdiction, or try to...
- Thread starter kochman
- Start date
holy king
Deity
right, that's why someone posts an article about alleged voting fraud every two days on cfc...
i dont think those allegations are all that true, but it can only help to have neutral observers acknowledge that before the two parties start the big blame show.
you seem to think that the usa is not part of the united nations organization. it is.
Al Gore may beg to differ.
I read last week that Afghanistan is refusing to host outside observers for their next election; how can the US apply any sort of legitimate pressure if it doesn't set an example? It's more that just 'why not'. The US would be actively damaging their international credibility by refusing observers.
rugbyLEAGUEfan
Deity
If you don't care what the UN thinks, why don't you allow them to take a look at your elections? You can still ignore them afterwards.
My suspicion is that certain people just want to vent their irrational hatred of the UN based on complete misunderstandings of what the UN actually is. It doesn't matter that election observers come from the UN. It should be a given to let the international community observe your elections, especially if you're a country that likes to lecture everyone about how awesome they are at being a democracy.
My suspicion is that certain people just want to vent their irrational hatred of the UN based on complete misunderstandings of what the UN actually is. It doesn't matter that election observers come from the UN. It should be a given to let the international community observe your elections, especially if you're a country that likes to lecture everyone about how awesome they are at being a democracy.
rugbyLEAGUEfan
Deity
UN election observer actually sounds like a pretty sweet gig. You basically travel the world watching people put paper into boxes. You could get away with not doing a thing. The boss asks you to get coffee? "No can do chief, here comes a guy with a piece of paper and I have to observe him putting into that box. Strong latte and a donut while you're up though"
Murky
Deity
I'd be more worried about voter intimidation by right-wing radicals trying to scare away people from the polls.
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
Because they're the New World Order.
Bugfatty300
Buddha Squirrel
I'd be cool with it but only if they wear those pretty blue helmets.
It'd be worth it just to see the hissy fits that would ensue.
It'd be worth it just to see the hissy fits that would ensue.
Bugfatty300
Buddha Squirrel
Yeah, I know. But the blue helmeted thug conspiracy theorists probably don't know that. That's why I specifically requested that they wear pretty blue helmets if they were to observe US elections. Otherwise it would have went without saying.
So we're on page two and nobody has bothered to mention that the organization under question is not even UN but OSCE? I am open to corrections, but afaik they've got nothing to do with each other.
There are only three reasons for refusing international observers I can think of:
1) Attempt to conceal voting fraud;
2) Especially obnoxious arrogance;
3) Pandering to win votes with local isolationists, while ignoring how that makes you look for the rest of the world.
I'm honestly not sure which is worst.
This basically.
There are only three reasons for refusing international observers I can think of:
1) Attempt to conceal voting fraud;
2) Especially obnoxious arrogance;
3) Pandering to win votes with local isolationists, while ignoring how that makes you look for the rest of the world.
I'm honestly not sure which is worst.
GhostWriter16
Deity
Once again, its Texas. He could kill a puppy on Television, they'd still vote for him (This is the same response I had about New York and Obama when my pro-Romney family was joking about how Hurricane Sandy could take votes away from Obama 
). I don't think that this is going to help him win a state that he's going to win anyway.
Or are politicians REALLY that dumb now
). I don't think that this is going to help him win a state that he's going to win anyway.Or are politicians REALLY that dumb now
Traitorfish
The Tighnahulish Kid
Wait, what?
Non-white people being violently excluded from the franchise is "fine"?
Grendeldef
Trancerelic & coffeeholic
Wait, what?
Non-white people being violently excluded from the franchise is "fine"?
It's clearly just an interesting interpretation of the word 'fine'. Apart from non-whites I have a suspicion that few females might disagree with the view that elections have been fine for over two centuries.
G
Bugfatty300
Buddha Squirrel
Conspiracy theory about the the UN small-arms treaty banning all privately owned guns.
Political points for Texas politicians, specifically Gregg Abbott in this case, in my opinion. Just like all this other voter fraud stuff, they use it when it's convenient, no real ideological underpinnings other than ignorance.
wasn't it the OSCE rather than the UN?
anyway, that mindset seems to be prevalent among national conservatives around the world...just last year one of our local SVP politicians said wrt OSCE observers in Switzerland:
«Wir sind die Ur-Demokratie schlechthin und können uns selber kontrollieren. Ausländische Beobachter, die uns anschliessend gar noch Empfehlungen erteilen, brauchen wir nicht»
To me that just smacks of arrogance, any democracy worth its salt should not only be willing but actively welcome observers.
anyway, that mindset seems to be prevalent among national conservatives around the world...just last year one of our local SVP politicians said wrt OSCE observers in Switzerland:
«Wir sind die Ur-Demokratie schlechthin und können uns selber kontrollieren. Ausländische Beobachter, die uns anschliessend gar noch Empfehlungen erteilen, brauchen wir nicht»
Spoiler translation :
To me that just smacks of arrogance, any democracy worth its salt should not only be willing but actively welcome observers.
Goodfella
Showing results for
The Texans are not trying to hide corruption, but they fear that the observers will create corruption. There have been claims that some of the observers visited an Obama rally, which demonstrates their bias (if this is true at all), and therefore makes them likely to participate in fraudulent activities. Also, laws are in place in many states that prohibit those who are not ballot counters from going near the ballots. It's easy to say "well what are they hiding?" but we might also see gangsters holding out near voting stations. The laws are to prevent fraud. But I agree with most people on this thread. The observers won't jeopardize the election and I seriously doubt they've come across the world to rigg the elections in Obama's favor.
I'm just adding a different perspective on the matter since it seems most on this forum would rather jump to the conclusion (as Aroddo did when he stated "Well, this practically confirms that the election process is rigged.") that they're hiding something. The article states that these operations have been taking place throughout this century (21st) and there have been no incidents yet. We should neither assume that corruption is taking place nor that the observers will create corruption.
I'm just adding a different perspective on the matter since it seems most on this forum would rather jump to the conclusion (as Aroddo did when he stated "Well, this practically confirms that the election process is rigged.") that they're hiding something. The article states that these operations have been taking place throughout this century (21st) and there have been no incidents yet. We should neither assume that corruption is taking place nor that the observers will create corruption.
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