GOP Nunsense

[Jayhawker Soule]

See ...

Benedictine Sisters accuse GOP operative of 'public defamation' over voter fraud claim​

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The Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pa., issued an Oct. 23 statement noting they are “pursuing legal counsel” regarding “public defamation” after self-described “door-knocking guru” Cliff Maloney alleged on X (formerly Twitter) that while “53 voters are registered” at the Mount St. Benedict Monastery, “turns out … NO ONE lives there.​

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“We knocked on the door because a Republican mail-in ballot is unreturned,” wrote Maloney, founder of The Pennsylvania Chase, a door-to-door campaign funded by the Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania political action committee, in his Oct. 23 post. “Our attorney’s are reviewing this right now. We will not let the Dems count on illegal votes.”​

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Maloney included an image of an apparent text message, which he called a “receipt from Jeremy (one of our leaders in Erie),” that indicated the canvasser had spoken with “the lady working” at the monastery, who advised him that no one lived at the monastery, but (according to the canvasser) “from time to time” residents pass through and may “stay a night or two.”​

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Investigative journalist Jacqueline Sweet quickly disputed the claim, saying on X that she had confirmed with the sisters that they live full-time at the monastery.​

It's what today's GOP calls the ground game.

To quote prioress Sister Stephanie Schmidt: “A free republic depends on free and fair elections,” she said. “It depends equally on a discerning and conscientious citizenry who do not unquestioningly accept the word of anyone who has a social media platform.”

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

See ...

Benedictine Sisters accuse GOP operative of 'public defamation' over voter fraud claim​

​

The Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pa., issued an Oct. 23 statement noting they are “pursuing legal counsel” regarding “public defamation” after self-described “door-knocking guru” Cliff Maloney alleged on X (formerly Twitter) that while “53 voters are registered” at the Mount St. Benedict Monastery, “turns out … NO ONE lives there.​

​

“We knocked on the door because a Republican mail-in ballot is unreturned,” wrote Maloney, founder of The Pennsylvania Chase, a door-to-door campaign funded by the Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania political action committee, in his Oct. 23 post. “Our attorney’s are reviewing this right now. We will not let the Dems count on illegal votes.”​

​

Maloney included an image of an apparent text message, which he called a “receipt from Jeremy (one of our leaders in Erie),” that indicated the canvasser had spoken with “the lady working” at the monastery, who advised him that no one lived at the monastery, but (according to the canvasser) “from time to time” residents pass through and may “stay a night or two.”​

​

Investigative journalist Jacqueline Sweet quickly disputed the claim, saying on X that she had confirmed with the sisters that they live full-time at the monastery.​

It's what today's GOP calls the ground game.

To quote prioress Sister Stephanie Schmidt: “A free republic depends on free and fair elections,” she said. “It depends equally on a discerning and conscientious citizenry who do not unquestioningly accept the word of anyone who has a social media platform.”

I wonder that so few are able to see the obvious: the side screaming "election cheats" all over the place are the ones actually doing most of the cheating.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I wonder that so few are able to see the obvious: the side screaming "election cheats" all over the place are the ones actually doing most of the cheating.

Some are in denial; others view electoral vandalism as clever political warfare. All in all, we are not a particularly wise or competent species, but that's a different topic.

 

[Pogo]

See ...

Benedictine Sisters accuse GOP operative of 'public defamation' over voter fraud claim​

​

The Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pa., issued an Oct. 23 statement noting they are “pursuing legal counsel” regarding “public defamation” after self-described “door-knocking guru” Cliff Maloney alleged on X (formerly Twitter) that while “53 voters are registered” at the Mount St. Benedict Monastery, “turns out … NO ONE lives there.​

​

“We knocked on the door because a Republican mail-in ballot is unreturned,” wrote Maloney, founder of The Pennsylvania Chase, a door-to-door campaign funded by the Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania political action committee, in his Oct. 23 post. “Our attorney’s are reviewing this right now. We will not let the Dems count on illegal votes.”​

​

Maloney included an image of an apparent text message, which he called a “receipt from Jeremy (one of our leaders in Erie),” that indicated the canvasser had spoken with “the lady working” at the monastery, who advised him that no one lived at the monastery, but (according to the canvasser) “from time to time” residents pass through and may “stay a night or two.”​

​

Investigative journalist Jacqueline Sweet quickly disputed the claim, saying on X that she had confirmed with the sisters that they live full-time at the monastery.​

It's what today's GOP calls the ground game.

To quote prioress Sister Stephanie Schmidt: “A free republic depends on free and fair elections,” she said. “It depends equally on a discerning and conscientious citizenry who do not unquestioningly accept the word of anyone who has a social media platform.”

More Info here.

Benedictine Sisters of Erie fighting claim on social media of voter fraud at monastery

Cliff Maloney, founder of The Pennsylvania Chase, used X to claim that no one lives at an Erie Benedictine address where 53 voters are registered.

www.goerie.com

Who are Cliff Maloney and The PA Chase?​

Maloney is the founder of The PA Chase. Its website says, "The project is a dedicated initiative aimed at matching the Democrat’s tactics for mail-in ballot success and securing a significant victory for liberty-loving Republicans in the 2024 election." The site also says it will hire "GOP ballot chasers" to knock on 500,000 doors in key target districts from Sept. 1 through Nov. 5, which is Election Day, seeking to increase the Republican share of mail-in ballots from 20% to 33% statewide, "a significant jump that could determine the outcome of the 2024 election."

It appears that they have acquired a list of Republican persons that requested mail in ballots and they are going door to door to make sure they are returned and seem to think that this might increase Republican returns, and they think somehow there are enough ballots mailed to get them from 20 to 33% .

 

[Revoltingest]

I wonder that so few are able to see the obvious: the side screaming "election cheats" all over the place are the ones actually doing most of the cheating.

Corruption in one's own tribe is invisible.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Corruption in one's own tribe is invisible.

Not always, it isn't. Not amongst decent people.

I can remember once, quite a few years ago in 1993, when Canada's Progressive Conservative Party created an ad featuring a badly exaggerated Liberal Jean Chretien, with his mouth comically askew. Well, Chretien suffered Bell's palsy, and did have a mouth that drooped on one side. The backlash from voters on BOTH SIDES forced the PCs leader, Kim Campbell, to pull the ad less than 24 hours after its release.

That election, by the way, resulted in the governing PCs to lose all but 2 seats in Parliament, and a landslide victory for the Liberals, making Chretien Prime Minister, a position he would hold until he retired a decade later. More than half of Canadian voters switched sides. The PCs never did recover, and later merged with the Canadian Alliance Party to become the Conservative Party of Canada.

Decent people can behave decently.

 

[Alien826]

Not always, it isn't. Not amongst decent people.

I can remember once, quite a few years ago in 1993, when Canada's Progressive Conservative Party created an ad featuring a badly exaggerated Liberal Jean Chretien, with his mouth comically askew. Well, Chretien suffered Bell's palsy, and did have a mouth that drooped on one side. The backlash from voters on BOTH SIDES forced the PCs leader, Kim Campbell, to pull the ad less than 24 hours after its release.

That election, by the way, resulted in the governing PCs to lose all but 2 seats in Parliament, and a landslide victory for the Liberals, making Chretien Prime Minister, a position he would hold until he retired a decade later. More than half of Canadian voters switched sides. The PCs never did recover, and later merged with the Canadian Alliance Party to become the Conservative Party of Canada.

Decent people can behave decently.

Yes, that's what I would hope to see. It's the way I was brought up (so long ago, in England). My father would say something like 'That's not straight (meaning morally correct)" and he would refrain from whatever it was regardless of how much it might benefit him. What's happened to us? It seems that the determination of right and wrong has taken a back seat to personal advantage. I know that fear is a great motivator and also tends to "turn off" the critical thinking sections of our brain. Rabble rousing politicians have known and used this to their benefit from way back.

Do you think it's different (in degree maybe) in Canada compared to the USA? If so, any idea why?

 

[Revoltingest]

Not always, it isn't. Not amongst decent people.

Try finding those in politics.

I can remember once, quite a few years ago in 1993, when Canada's Progressive Conservative Party created an ad featuring a badly exaggerated Liberal Jean Chretien, with his mouth comically askew. Well, Chretien suffered Bell's palsy, and did have a mouth that drooped on one side. The backlash from voters on BOTH SIDES forced the PCs leader, Kim Campbell, to pull the ad less than 24 hours after its release.

That election, by the way, resulted in the governing PCs to lose all but 2 seats in Parliament, and a landslide victory for the Liberals, making Chretien Prime Minister, a position he would hold until he retired a decade later. More than half of Canadian voters switched sides. The PCs never did recover, and later merged with the Canadian Alliance Party to become the Conservative Party of Canada.

Decent people can behave decently.

I recall Democrats defending Bill Clinton
by attacking victims he raped.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Yes, that's what I would hope to see. It's the way I was brought up (so long ago, in England). My father would say something like 'That's not straight (meaning morally correct)" and he would refrain from whatever it was regardless of how much it might benefit him. What's happened to us? It seems that the determination of right and wrong has taken a back seat to personal advantage. I know that fear is a great motivator and also tends to "turn off" the critical thinking sections of our brain. Rabble rousing politicians have known and used this to their benefit from way back.

Do you think it's different (in degree maybe) in Canada compared to the USA? If so, any idea why?

In large part, I do think it's different in Canada. We are not the same as Americans, not even remotely. For the most part, we embrace our immigrants, and celebrate with them, as you can see by visiting any of our annual street festivals -- Festival of South Asia on Gerrard Street East, Greek Festival on Danforth Avenue, Polish Festival on Roncesvalles Ave., Ukrainian Festival in Bloor West Village, or our Caribbean Festival, called Caribana -- the largest ethnic festival in North America. And, of course, one of the largest Pride festivals in the world.

We own far fewer guns, we murder each other much less frequently, with much less violent crime -- partly, I think, because there's a stronger social safety net that helps people to get what they need and want without the need to resort to crime.

And I think we are generally kinder to one another, and have a stronger sense of fairness. It's one reason, perhaps, that I react so strongly to the immense unfairness of today's Republicans, like Mitch McConnell's immense hypocrisy over Merrick Garland compared to Amy Coney Barrett, or their attempts to game the election in every way possible.

 

[Revoltingest]

In large part, I do think it's different in Canada. We are not the same as Americans, not even remotely. For the most part, we embrace our immigrants, and celebrate with them, as you can see by visiting any of our annual street festivals....

Too black & white.
You guys have your problems too...

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/backlash-against-immigrants-challenges-canadas-welcoming-image-2024-09-06/

And many of us welcome immigrants.
We even marry into their families, & celebrate their culture.

Canuckistanians.....too full of yerselves.
Think'n your all superior, & put'n on airs.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Too black & white.
You guys have your problems too...

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/backlash-against-immigrants-challenges-canadas-welcoming-image-2024-09-06/

And many of us welcome immigrants.
We even marry into their families, & celebrate their culture.

Canuckistanians.....too full of yerselves.
Think'n your all superior, & put'n on airs.

I am aware of Canada's imperfections -- but I wasn't focused on those at the moment I wrote. I did say "in large part." And I am aware that many Americans are just as nice. My Grade 9 roommate at boarding school -- who I still keep in touch with after all these centuries -- lives on Mercer Island, WA, born, as the Boss says, in the USA. (Oddly, that puts him about 4 degrees NORTH of me. He always hates being reminded of that.)

 

[The Hammer]

I wonder that so few are able to see the obvious: the side screaming "election cheats" all over the place are the ones actually doing most of the cheating.

The modern GOP: Gaslight, Obstruct, Project.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Decent people can behave decently.

But this thread is about the MAGA threat.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

But this thread is about the MAGA threat.

Then Americans must find ways amongst themselves to disarm that threat. My own poor recommendation is to find means to shut down the rabble-rousing demagogues and their lies. Among the most effective of those is to stop paying attention to them. Instead of "Trump this..." and "Trump that..." Harris might try something like, "the other side wants to...and here's why that's dangerous and what I plan instead."

Unfortunately the media, the Democrats -- and even I -- spend far too much time trying to demonize Trump, which only gets his base trying to find new ways to defend him, which in my opinion makes things even worse.

 

[Alien826]

Then Americans must find ways amongst themselves to disarm that threat. My own poor recommendation is to find means to shut down the rabble-rousing demagogues and their lies. Among the most effective of those is to stop paying attention to them. Instead of "Trump this..." and "Trump that..." Harris might try something like, "the other side wants to...and here's why that's dangerous and what I plan instead."

Unfortunately the media, the Democrats -- and even I -- spend far too much time trying to demonize Trump, which only gets his base trying to find new ways to defend him, which in my opinion makes things even worse.

What disturbs me most is not the existence of these people (MAGA believers) but their number. How many people voted for Trump in the last two elections? Pardon me if I don't look it up, but it's a very sizable percentage of the population. Whether they are just naturally "bad" or they are by nature easily led, they aren't magically going away because they lost an election. By the way, I've read that they were all there all the time, but were part of different groups. Now they have all come together under one "banner" and their power is awesome.

Whatever the truth of the matter, the question is what can be done to fix it (note I'm not saying "fix them"). Pretend that this election results in a Harris presidency and a workable majority in both houses. Not likely but let's pretend. Assume also that an honest effort is made to to address the issue. Also not likely. They aren't going to go away. But maybe Canadians are really not so different form Americans at base. an honest attempt to address their grievances? Or maybe not.

What I fear is that democracy as a means of government is just going to fail on the rocks of human nature just as every other thing we have tried has. My solution is totally fanciful and isn't going to happen. A small group of honest decent people takes control secretly. They set up a network of computers that control everything, again secretly. They then create an AI that is programmed on the best version of morality that we have. They hand control of the computers over to the AI and back off. We carry on as normal, but oddly and slowly, all the bad stuff disappears. No more billionaires. Political lies don't appear or are mysteriously deleted. Justice and equality becomes universal. Crime doesn't disappear, but is immediately detected and punished before it can do harm. Just a dream.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I have been canvassing for the Democrats lately. And when it comes to claims like this I would be leery of a lone Democrat canvasser. It is too easy to make mistakes. I can tell that people have moved, or that my map is wrong. Yesterday I had two houses left because their location on the computerized map did not match reality. I used to have a job that required me to find houses so I dug up that old skill set and instead of relying on where the map said that they were, I went where their address said that they were. I had no trouble finding it. In fact when I mentioned my problems with one homeowner he knew of it. He said "they have us way over their". And yes, they did.

As a canvasser you really cannot demand answers to questions. You have no legal power. And at least for the Democrats we were told to be polite. Our list of addresses was also supposed to be all Democrat supporters. Now I had a few rude Republicans, and I can understand that. People often do not want to be bothered at home. In fact some of them may have been rude Democrats was well. Quite often people have moved since they registered, or one will run into a household member that is not a Democrat. You just thank them and go one your way.

The TLDR is that from personal experience basing such a charge as was made on the word of one lone canvasser is insane and irresponsible.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

My own poor recommendation is to find means to shut down the rabble-rousing demagogues and their lies

Brilliant. Why didn't I think of that?