Friday, August 14, 2020

BALLOT HARVESTING

Third parties in California can go out to nursing homes, churches, etc., and collect ballots during an election and transport them to the polls.

Does anyone see a problem?

The NYT and their ilk are critical of President Trump because he thinks this could lead to voter fraud. Ya think???? It is one of “Trump’s lies” according to the press.

Let’s look at a 2018 Congressional election in central California, the 21st Congressional District which lies in the agricultural Central Valley. The incumbent, David Valadao, had a 5,000-vote lead at the end of the voting day and the election was called by networks in his favor. But when the ballots harvested by third parties were counted later, he LOST by 862 votes to the Democratic challenger.

How about Orange County, California? Long a Republican stronghold, home of John Wayne, Democrats in 2018 won every seat, all seven. The last to be called was to a Democratic candidate who was behind by 3,900 votes on election night but astoundingly came back to win when the harvested votes were counted!

The Republicans in California and elsewhere are scrambling to gin up their vote harvesting game, but a little late to the cheating scene.

Just recently, the press has accused Trump’s press secretary of lying about there being more registered voters in California than there are citizens. She said 112%. Actually, according to the State’s own Secretary of State statistics, the number is probably closer to 114% in Los Angeles. Yet, they claim it is a lie. I read the “Fact Check” review that calls the claim “complicated,” and it basically proves that it is not a lie. Most of us just read the headline, sadly.

I have long held the founding fathers of this country in high esteem for many things, but especially their acknowledgement of “Human Nature.” They understood that people, left to their own devices and without checks and balances would naturally gravitate toward selfish (or worse) behavior. Thus, the Electoral College. Thus, the three branches of government (that AOC couldn’t name). Thus, vote in person with a valid ID, not through a third party. These are fundamental safeguards and minorities of all kinds need to endorse and protect them.