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Title: Secretary of state: Voting monitors face arrest in Iowa
Source:
http://globegazette.com
URL Source: http://globegazette.com/news/local/ ... e8-11e2-9133-001a4bcf887a.html
Published: Oct 31, 2012
Author: Mike Wiser
Post Date: 2012-10-31 14:12:51 by freepatriot32
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Keywords: Secretary of state:, monitors face arrest, Iowa, libertarians
Views: 455
Comments: 24
DES MOINES — Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz warned a group of international voting monitors that they face arrest if they monitor polling locations in Iowa next week. “My office met with two delegation representatives last week to discuss Iowa’s election process, and it was explained to them that they are not permitted at the polls,” Schultz said in a statement released Tuesday. “Iowa law is very specific about who is permitted at polling places, and there is no exception for members of this group.” The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe plans to send observers from its Office for Democratic Institutions to Iowa and other states. According to the group’s website, members have been meeting with election officials and political party workers since last month to discuss their observation plans in the United States. Attempts to reach Thomas Rymer, spokesman for the Office of Democratic Institutions, were not successful Tuesday. Schultz said he supports the efforts of other nations to learn about the U.S. election process, but pointed to a statute in Iowa code that limits the number of people at a particular polling place. That section of code, with few exceptions, allows poll watchers from political parties, news media and campaigns to be at polling locations. Schultz spokesman Chad Olsen said the Secretary of State’s Office will leave it up to local county officials how to handle outside observers. “But if they do show up at a polling location, because they are not allowed to do so under Iowa law, local elections officials can request that they be removed if they refuse to do so. That could be the poll workers at the site, or the county auditor or county attorney,” Olsen wrote in an email. “They violate the statute just by showing up and maintaining a presence within 300 feet of a polling location. They are aware of the statute, and did indicate at the meeting last week that they had no intention of violating Iowa law, but then apparently were seeking permission from county auditors to do so anyway.” Tim Albrecht, spokesman for Gov. Terry Branstad, said the governor agrees with the secretary of state. “The governor believes Iowa Code should be followed, and supports Matt Schultz’s efforts to uphold the law,” Albrecht wrote in an email. Mike Wiser reports from the Globe Gazette Des Moines Bureau. related Kline: Precinct workers should use good judgment By JOHN SKIPPER MASON CITY —Cerro Gordo County Auditor Ken Kline said Tuesday it is illegal to have observers such as U.N. poll watchers at polling places. “Iowa Code Sections 49.104 and 49.105 speak to this,” he said. “They clearly prohibit such observers at the polling place and authorize and require the precinct officials to order the arrest of such a person.” Kline said he would ask the precinct officials to use good judgment in handling a situation like this by telling any person not authorized to be there that they need to leave. “If the person refused, then we would administer the law appropriately,” said Kline. “If we had international observers in Cerro Gordo County, I would discourage them from observing an actual polling place, and instead would offer the option of simulating and/or describing the operations at a polling place,” he said.
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#1. To: All, *Humor-Weird News* (#0)
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At this point I am thinking about observing my local polling place on the 2nd. I mean I really really don't get it. Only cheaters with something to hide do not want to be observed. And if the mere mention of being observed has them this much on edge.... then we should all damn sure pull double duty and do some observing after voting... if you vote.... _______________________________________________________________________________ The US government has declared civil war on itself. Its lust for war grew so great... Liberty before death. We run , we live, We fight again, till we win. We did not start this fight. We damn sure did not willingly pay our taxes to buy the bullets and drones that shall be used to kill us. We will correct the violations of this rogue nation....our rogue nation. We will fix this because nobody else can. You will work to help me help us all to fix this failure. After you're done educating yourself,Take Action!!!
I don't see it happening. If the monitors have the proper credentials, they are within their right to observe the election. "When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one." Edmund Burke
How would a group of foreigners from Europe fit into those parameters? Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. Lord Acton The human herd stampedes on the fields of facts and the valleys of truth to get to the desert of ignorance. Saman Mohammadi "If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner." Mencken "..if the military is going to defend our freedoms, then we need freedoms to defend. Our freedoms must be restored before the military can defend them..." Lawrence M. Vance Você me trata desse jeito só porque eu sou preto. Junior (my youngest son)
If Americans punch them, what are they going to do? Come back to the U.S. from Europe for the trial?
There are actually govt agents who spread conspiracy theories among the gullible to help promote the illusion that the govt is all powerful.
Why were these euros even let into the country? jimmuh caarter doesn't need to be in their countries, and they damn sure don't need to be here. Besides, the electronic, fake, tallies will be done mainly in Spain, on the plain. “The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken Damned if I know--I never sent for any of them. Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. Lord Acton The human herd stampedes on the fields of facts and the valleys of truth to get to the desert of ignorance. Saman Mohammadi "If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner." Mencken "..if the military is going to defend our freedoms, then we need freedoms to defend. Our freedoms must be restored before the military can defend them..." Lawrence M. Vance Você me trata desse jeito só porque eu sou preto. Junior (my youngest son)
According to this site: http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/article/2012/10/20121026138004.html#a xzz2AvHarwh5 "Since 2002, the United States has invited members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to do the job. It is a commitment that the United States has made as a participating OSCE country." So, since we're a participating member of the OSCE, we allow them to monitor our elections. Just to be sure, OSCE stands for "Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe". So it makes perfect sense for us to be a member, just like those who want Georgia (the country) to be a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Now, I don't profess to understand why we'd be a member, but our leaders, starting in 2002 (it's bipartisan) thought we should have international monitors here. Granted, since we meddle in elections worldwide, and we send NGOs aligned to the two NED organizations to monitor or interfere with elections, it's probably one of those "sauce for the goose" type of things. I've often thought we should invite adversarial countries that have experience rigging elections to monitor ours, because they'd know cheating when they see it, and wouldn't have any aversion to proclaiming it loudly. Rivers of blood were spilled out over land that, in normal times, not even the poorest Arab would have worried his head over." Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
Ah, I think you've identified the problem... Thanks for that nwo clarification on our status. Jesus, US suck. “The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken When the drone strikes start here it will be official. When the lawn-jockey-in-chief can declare himself the ultimate deciderer of who lives and dies, and the dog-shit congress says nothing! we are really effed. BLOAT “The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken Besides the relative lack of control the citizens of the US have over our own government, the interesting thing with this situation is why it's suddenly being publicized now. Various states have evidently previously refused to allow the OSCE monitors access. This is from their 2004 report (pg. 3): "However, in other states, access was not possible or was limited. This was a result of state law, either because international observers were not included in the statutory categories of persons permitted to be in polling places, or because the lack of reference to international observers in state law was deemed to constitute an obstacle to their presence in polling places. Lack of observer access to the election process, both international and domestic, including at polling station level, is contrary to OSCE commitments, and limited the possibility of the OSCE EOM to comment more fully on the election process." http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/usa/14028 So, this obviously isn't the first time this has happened to them. Why has the press suddenly decided to emphasize this? Overall, the effect the OSCE monitors have had on our elections has been negligible, and it's unlikely until recently that many knew they were even here. Here's the 2008 report. http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/usa/36504 There is one interesting recommendation they give in the report: "States should consider decreasing the number of required signatures for nomination of independent or third-party candidates down to a maximum of one per cent of the number of registered voters in a given electoral district, in line with good electoral practice." That might actually start to destroy the two party cartel we currently suffer under. I don't believe that these observers should be here. I also don't believe we should be a member of the OSCE. But, at the same time, we inflict this and much worse on other countries through the auspices of various NGOs, including the Democractic and Republican organizations run under the auspices of the National Endownment for Democracy. Perhaps if we get the same policies and procedures inflicted upon us, we would demand these actions stop worldwide, and perhaps start to understand why other countries despise us. That presupposes that we have some control over our own government, which is probably an inaccurate assumption on my part. Rivers of blood were spilled out over land that, in normal times, not even the poorest Arab would have worried his head over." Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
That presupposes that we have some control over our own government, which is probably an inaccurate assumption on my part. Thanks for the information. These foreign entanglements have undone US. We are toast, just waiting to see where the crumbs fall and who eats'em. “The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken i did that in 2008, walked into the poll HQ with camera rolling. the dweeb at the front desk claimed You cant film here!". i told him i dont need your permission.Get your supervisor now." They were great & gave me a guided tour & it ran on blackboxvoting.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you". Sirach 4:28
Why were these euros even let into the country? Damned if I know--I never sent for any of them. Just like nobody let the American people decide if we wanted to empty out Somalia/mexico/Yemen/etc. and dump them all here with maximum benefits.
#2. To: freepatriot32 (#0)
#3. To: freepatriot32 (#0)
Voting monitors face arrest in Iowa
#4. To: BTP Holdings (#3)
"Schultz said he supports the efforts of other nations to learn about the U.S. election process, but pointed to a statute in Iowa code that limits the number of people at a particular polling place. That section of code, with few exceptions, allows poll watchers from political parties, news media and campaigns to be at polling locations."
#5. To: freepatriot32 (#0)
#6. To: James Deffenbach (#4)
#7. To: Lod (#6)
Why were these euros even let into the country?
#8. To: Lod (#6)
#9. To: historian1944 (#8)
I've often thought we should invite adversarial countries that have experience rigging elections to monitor ours, because they'd know cheating when they see it, and wouldn't have any aversion to proclaiming it loudly.
Mike Flaherty: Yeah, it's been there a long time. I wish I knew which corner.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
#10. To: historian1944 (#8)
#11. To: Lod (#10)
Jesus, US suck.
Mike Flaherty: Yeah, it's been there a long time. I wish I knew which corner.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
#12. To: Esso (#11)
#13. To: Lod (#10)
#14. To: historian1944 (#13)
I don't believe that these observers should be here. I also don't believe we should be a member of the OSCE. But, at the same time, we inflict this and much worse on other countries through the auspices of various NGOs, including the Democractic and Republican organizations run under the auspices of the National Endownment for Democracy. Perhaps if we get the same policies and procedures inflicted upon us, we would demand these actions stop worldwide, and perhaps start to understand why other countries despise us.
#15. To: titorite (#2)
#16. To: James Deffenbach, Lod (#7)
To: Lod
-Alex Kurtagic
#17. To: James Deffenbach (#4)
They don't. I never mentioned a group of observers from Europe. ;) How would a group of foreigners from Europe fit into those parameters?
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one." Edmund Burke
#18. To: Artisan (#15)
Good stuff Artisan. I wish I had access to film equipment. I recall being at Woodstock '94 on the first show day. I saw some commotion over at the other tower and went to take a look. Someone had a camcorder and they were taking the batteries out. I went to go back to my spot, and the crowd split. Here comes the "mud people". I was caught in the open. I held up my hand and hollered "STOP". They froze in mid-stride. I got over to the side and hollered "Go ahead". They were like a freight train going by. ROTFLMAO! i did that in 2008, walked into the poll HQ with camera rolling. the dweeb at the front desk claimed You cant film here!". i told him i dont need your permission.Get your supervisor now." They were great & gave me a guided tour & it ran on blackboxvoting.
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one." Edmund Burke
#19. To: BTP Holdings (#17)
But that is what the article said--it was about foreign observers from Europe.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. Lord Acton
The human herd stampedes on the fields of facts and the valleys of truth to get to the desert of ignorance. Saman Mohammadi
"If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner." Mencken
"..if the military is going to defend our freedoms, then we need freedoms to defend. Our freedoms must be restored before the military can defend them..." Lawrence M. Vance
Você me trata desse jeito só porque eu sou preto. Junior (my youngest son)
#20. To: James Deffenbach (#19) (Edited)
How do "foreign observers from Europe" have anything at all to do with elections in the U.S? The article does state, "a group of international voting monitors". it was about foreign observers from Europe.
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one." Edmund Burke
#21. To: BTP Holdings (#20)
"The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe plans to send observers from its Office for Democratic Institutions..." Would these observers not be from Europe? It would seem so.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. Lord Acton
The human herd stampedes on the fields of facts and the valleys of truth to get to the desert of ignorance. Saman Mohammadi
"If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner." Mencken
"..if the military is going to defend our freedoms, then we need freedoms to defend. Our freedoms must be restored before the military can defend them..." Lawrence M. Vance
Você me trata desse jeito só porque eu sou preto. Junior (my youngest son)
#22. To: James Deffenbach (#21)
Would these observers not be from Europe? It would seem so. Well, then, it would seem that Iowa is within their rights to deny them access to U.S. polling places. "The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe plans to send observers from its Office for Democratic Institutions..."
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one." Edmund Burke
#23. To: BTP Holdings (#22)
I think they should deny them access because their election laws already call for people with any vested interest in the election to observe and do the counts, except where all the voting is done with the black boxes and then it doesn't matter who counts them, only who programmed them.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. Lord Acton
The human herd stampedes on the fields of facts and the valleys of truth to get to the desert of ignorance. Saman Mohammadi
"If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner." Mencken
"..if the military is going to defend our freedoms, then we need freedoms to defend. Our freedoms must be restored before the military can defend them..." Lawrence M. Vance
Você me trata desse jeito só porque eu sou preto. Junior (my youngest son)
#24. To: James Deffenbach (#23) (Edited)
That would be the incredibly corrupt State of Illinois. ;) BTW, here in Missouri they have "open primaries". They put two ballots on the table and you choose one. except where all the voting is done with the black boxes and then it doesn't matter who counts them, only who programmed them.
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one." Edmund Burke
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