For the full story of how the former president of the Arizona Republican Party is running a voter registration company that rips up the Democrat voter's registrations in multiple states (not just Oregon) instead of filing them so folks can vote on election day check out this entry at
KOS.
In a past life I used to be heavily involved in the Dems when I was young and impressionable, heh. I lost a lot of love for both parties via that experience. Dirty tricks are surprisingly common on both sides. And some of the dirty trick artists are more than happy to work for both parties and often times even more so within the parties between competing personalities. I ended up resigning as president of the Colorado State University Young Dems due to my disgust. Now I only work with local candidates and issues to keep away from the slime.
Here's a short anecdote from my attendance at the DNC national strategy planning meeting for an election year. I was an idealist back then and also the youngest person in attendance at the meeting. In a workshop on fundraising led by one of the nation's top fundraiser's for either side the guy asked if there was any press in the room and then asked them to leave. I was offended by this and asked what we had to hide from the American people, why were we keeping the press out? He laughed it off saying we wouldn't want the Republicans to steal our fundraising ideas would we? I got a huge laugh when I cracked a joke about the Republicans not needing help in the fundraising department and that was that until after the workshop. Two guys that literally looked like old Chicago party bosses you picture from days of yore came up and had a "little talk" with me after words. I'll never forget the one guy quite aggressively slapping me on the back saying how much the party needs guys like me, guys with idealism and passion... BUT THEN YOU LEARN TO WORK WITH THE SYSTEM, after which he slapped my back really hard and they shuffled off. I still cringe thinking of those two guys to this day. I have no idea who they were but god were they icky.
And another quick anecdote I've never shared. I was thrown on the pavement and got whooped up on by the president of the Weld County Republican party when I was out canvassing his neighborhood for a local environmental group. I didn't fight back in the least and didn't do anything to provoke the attack, he was just pissed that I came to his door for a lefty cause. He didn't know who I was, or that my family is involved in just about every major charity in town (for e.g. my dad has run the United Way and headed up the evil Chamber in town while mom was CEO of the board for the local women's shelter, etc.) or that my dad has done work for both Repub and Dem candidates and is a leading business figure in the community. He got terrified when he realized what he had done to a bank president's son and tried to sue me for trespass as a counter suit as he thought surely an assault lawsuit was coming when he figured out who my Dad was. Of course the shit was laughed out of court and I only sued to get him to drop his lame ass case. My dad told me who he was and I asked why the heck would the Republicans pick a guy like this to be the president for the party in the county. My dad laughed and said because nobody ever wants that job and it's almost always a slime ball who gets it. I think of this story whenever I hear of something like the former President of the Arizona Repubs up to no good and realize these people in no way represent the vast majority of the real movers and shakers in either party. Trust me half of these people in leadership positions like this for either party are the scum of the earth.
Edit: PS good to see some familiar faces in this thread!
Has anyone heard from MSD? We need the outrage!