Again with GOP loyalty oaths?
By Steve Benen Wednesday Nov 28, 2007 12:25pmI can appreciate the fact that Virginia Republicans are nervous right now. They’ve lost the last two gubernatorial elections, they lost last year’s U.S. Senate race, they’re about to lose next year’s U.S. Senate race, they lost their majority in the State Senate, and there’s some evidence that the national Dems consider the state in play at the presidential level. It’s enough to make any state GOP committee a little panicky.
But loyalty oaths? Seriously?
If you’re planning to vote in Virginia’s February Republican presidential primary, be prepared to sign an oath swearing your Republican loyalty.
The State Board of Elections on Monday approved a state Republican Party request to require all who apply for a GOP primary ballot first vow in writing that they’ll vote for the party’s presidential nominee next fall.
If this were limited to Virginia, it would merely be disappointing. Alas, these Republican loyalty oaths seem to be catching on elsewhere.
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don't candidates retain their voting rights? I thought we were all allowed to vote for whomever we want in the privacy of the booth?
Just lie about the loyalty...
Isn't that against the law to interfere in a person's right to choose?
I mean seriously, if I signed a voter oath but suddenly changed my mind in the booth and voted for a non-Republican, would the GOP Gestapo take me to court?
IdahoMoe @ 2:
You mean like Bush did when he swore to uphold the Constitution?
No thanks, I aspire to higher standards than that trained monkey...
They are pretty clever, I registered Republican this cycle specifically to vote for Ron Paul and I have no intention of supporting any other Republican candidate, If New York requires a loyalty oath (Zieg Heil!) then my plans are botched
Is that desperation I smell -- or just the usual GOP bullshit?
this is the craziest thing... what purpose could signing an oath to a party serve? how is putting a barrier to voting going to help these pin heads? I cant come up with any reason why they would do this.
Smart republicans are being advised not to 'fall for' the republican 'loyalty oath' gimmick.
Republican attorneys are advising their clients that 'since the democrats are just like the republicans', this is a democratic party ploy to insure that once the democrats win the '08 elections, they will arrest everyone who signed a republican loyalty oath and subject them to waterboarding before rendering them to Romania or Guantanamo.
Sign teh oath, fur de Fatherland!!!!
Otherwise we will send our Brownshirts after you you swine!
Piss on all Loyal Republicans! (They deserve no less)
How can this be legal?
sam @ 5:
Voting is private, you can vote for whomever you wish in the presidential election. This just shows what lowlifes the Republican party is. Is there ANYTHING they won't resort to to keep one of them in the white house? They have already stolen 2 elections and gotten away with it with no accountability whatsoever, that just emboldened them. Time to hold them responsible, void every one of the non presidents appointees and start to prosecute those who defrauded the American people. That would be a decent start at least.
I'd love to see how they are going to verify someone didn't vote Republican and what the penalty will be.
This worked for the communists in Russia, Nazis in German and the Brownshirts in Italy.
At least their role models are predictable.
You're missing the point. This is a precursor to affirm that all registered Republicans in the area did, in fact, vote for the Republican candidate, so we can just take it on faith and not worry about scrutinizing voting machines or recounts.
What if you LIE about your loyalty oath (take the oath but don't mean it)? Can their be legal consequences?
yoo vill do as ve say, unt vote repubvlican.
"Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer!"
Not that the oath is enforceable in any event, but besides that...
According to Keith last night, by law Virginia voters are allowed to vote in all primary elections regardless of party. I'm currently looking through the online Code of Virginia (link) trying to find the relevant section, but I'm kind of skimming it.
An approved request by the State Board of Elections, last time I checked, cannot overrule state law. I urge all Virginia Democrats (and Republicans who, like most rational people should, find such behavior reprehensible), to find the appropriate section of State Law, print it out and bring it with you when you vote in the Primaries. If the people running your voting place refuse to let you vote without signing the oath, show them the law and threaten to call the police and have them arrested for interfering with your legal right to vote.
there is only one oath we swear to in this country and that is the
Oath to our flag and country. the gop has become a nazi-fascist party
demanding an oath to their party. if anyone is or becoming a terrorist group
in this country it's the gop. this oath to the gop should be stopped.
sam @ 5:
and if you only do what you are told, please do us all a favor and jump off a bridge
like the rest of the gop should.
I say the "Republican Party" is now the ChristoFascist Party.
Hitler would be proud that his pal Prescott Bush turned out such a "fine grandson." After all, the Bush family made its big money with the rise of Hitler and Nazism in Germany.
One can trace most of the propaganda. political tactics, and policies of the present Bush administration to the Nazis in Germany. It would be intellectually dishonest to ignore the parallels of Nazism in Germany to the present political conditions in America, despite how harsh it may sound.
With the typical honor and loyalty of the "moral" party, we have absolutely nothing to worry about folks. If they sign this thing, then they'll have to vote democratl. It's in their nature to do the exact opposite of what they say they'll do. Go for it GOP! Give the dems a landslide that can't be questioned.
Breaking News!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071129/ennew_afp/entertainmentbritainmusic...
And just what will the penalty be for signing this oath and voting otherwise...waterboarding?
This is nuts. George Bush took an oath to uphold the Constitution, which he hasn't, and nothin's happened to *him*...
Mr. XXXX @ 22:
I'd also take a look at societal factors and see what other parallels there are. Nazism didn't take place in a vacuum.
They know that if you honor your committment, you're not actually a republican.
ChrisM70 @ 16:
Not if you cross your fingers.
ysbaddaden @ 24:
Sorry, I'm saving my money for the Lott/Ashcroft "Eagles Soar" Tour next April.
Boosh needs a refresher course in "loyalty oaths". Part of his swearing in is "to protect and defend the constitution of the United States" and we all know what he said about the constitution - "It' just a goddamn piece of paper."
Loyalty Oath?? Yeah... Right.... When pigs fly.
I hope to hear the lovely pear-shaped tones of the words "Loyalty Oaths" coming out of some Democratic "front runners" mouths. why not? don't they WANT the Republicans to be on the defensive?
'My honor is loyalty, loyalty unto death'....
An American translation of part (I think) of the loyalty oath...
German SS took way back when to Hitler.... Do the repubs
have to do the stiff arm salute too??? Jusss wonderin...JD
I guess they're not bothering to court the independent voter.
Then again, the GOP hasn't been accused of being smart lately.
That's not very democratic.
IdahoMoe @ 2:
Is that you, Dubya?
While I'm amazed this is legal, it's completely unenforceable.
I will stick with my plan to vote for RP in the primary and against any neocons in the main election. If they want me to sign some paper, fine. It doesn't mean a thing.
I am an American, and my loyalty is to my countrymen, not to some power-mad political party.
Bring it on, nazis.
theWalrus @ 29:
the O'Reilly War on Xmas tour is coming up. Get your Bill O'Reilly Holiday Ornaments while they last! You can hang them on members of the opposite sex, all around your office, until that sexual harassment suit results in a civil stalking injunction...
greyhawk @ 13:
Diebold is owned by republicans. The penalty is waterboarding, fingernail extraction, genital electrocution, standing for hours facing a portrait of Rumsfeld, or listening 24/7 to a compilation of Bush's 'speeches', at the offender's option.
(They are enlarging Guantanamo, focus group tests have indicated that most offenders will volunteer for rendition to Cuba).
The only thing that scares me more than someone forcing someone else to sign a loyalty oath...
is the person who willingly signs it.
it will be a great list and an asset when we round them up after this is all over.
make MORE lists repugs
i can't wait to see you sign away your futures and your family's as well.
Found a similar story in Usenet group alt.politics.liberalism; but it quotes a newspaper article (no longer available) from 1999!
Loyalty oaths only work among honorable men. Therefore, a “republican” oath is an oxymoron.
If this 'loyalty oath' crap stands, and the republicans nominate any of the current republican front-runners, they better put the republican voting machines in a vomitorium.
I believe you have to know all the lyrics to the Horst Wessel song and be able to hum a few bars, as well.
I'm a died-in-the-wool Dem and I wouldn't even swear a loyalty oath to them! WTF is this country coming to. This stuff went out with the Nazis (or didn't the Nazis go away). This is SCARY stuff. But,. even after "swearing" how would anyone know how one voted in that private booth?
Didn't Hiterl require loyatly oaths in the 1930's?
www.pafundi.com
Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom casualties as confirmed by U.S. Central Command: 4326
i hate having to do service agreements...
you know... when you sign up for DSL service, or some other service...
they want you to agree to a one or two year service agreement...
i always ask...
"if your service is so good... why would i want to terminate the service???"
this is the same kind of thing...
if they could produce a candidate for president that was really good, why would they need a pledge???
i think it speaks to the inherent weaknesses in the republican party right now...
they have clearly lost their way.
LOL trying the AOL strategy. Want out? Sorry we need you to swear allegiance to our hopeless slate.
any idiot who signs this "loyalty oath" will show up to vote in `08 and be turned away because they would have already committed their vote to the rethuglicans.
fine with me, give 'em a tase of their own medicine.
That was Hitler not Hiterl
theWalrus @ 29:
What's wrong with the kids today? Here's my favorite song when I was in High School.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXa9tXcMhXQ
I'm 'registered' as an Independent, but I think I'll request a republican ballot, sign the 'loyalty oath', and write-in all the Democratic candidates.
This obviously isn't intended for already loyal republicans - so who?
Non-repubs intending to vote for Ron Paul (and throw the CFR/neocon scum overboard).
They really are desperate.
Heh.
Pete Bogs @ 1:
That assumes the party you belong to cares about people.
The really sad thing is that a lot of people who take these oaths will either vote repub because they think they are now legally required to, or they will vote repub because they will feel guilty if they don't uphold the oath they took.
ysbaddaden @ 51:
I'm waiting. Have to make sure Larry Craig is still with the group. If he is, look for me in the front row!
You know, If I'm going to sign something like that, I would expect to be paid for it. Oops, is that legal?
Roket @ 42:
And an honorable man would vote his conscience.
An Oath, as I understand it, is supposed to be a pedge to tell the truth about your determination and dedication to upholding a sacred principle. Does anyone think there are actually Republicans who know what that means??!! Or, even many Dems for that matter......
Tell Americans the gas ovens are a sporting event or a sale and they will line up in the thousands.
So coercing votes is legal?
no one can predetermine your vote.
Purity Pledges are next.
Signing a republican loyalty oath is comparable to: A public admission of terminal stupidity; Admitting you contracted AIDS from your mother; Confessing you allowed your republican representative to perform oral sex on you; Becoming known a a Bush-hugger; Arousing suspicion that your birthplace was not on Earth; Filing a malpractice claim against your lobotomist; Declaring yourself Persona Non Grata; Admitting that you masturbate by yourself; Confessing you flunked Rehab.
The only acceptable excuse is proving illiteracy.
SM @ 3:
how would they know without revealing that they are actively tampering with the vote?
ysbaddaden @ 51:
I think you took my stapler, dude.
Weaseldog @ 58:
So - neocons would have to vote for the candidate that was congenitally non-existant?
Hummm.... let's see...IF the Repug nominee commits mass murder between the primary and the general, based on your "signed oath" are you still bound by that oath??
DUMBEST IDEA EVER FLOATED just behind the MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner...
LOSERS!!
School kids saluting Old Glory
http://www.peacebuttons.info/0614_Flag-Pledge.jpg
Wait'll you see what's coming next, if this flies.
Republican politicos are going to insist that their same-sex 'life partners' sign 'virginity oaths', and lifetime 'fidelity promises'.
And to 'Never, Ever, Lie'.
if *any* party tried this on me i'd tell them to suck eggs.
I agree with Amitola. Both sides are full of BS. And both sides are wiping their backsides with our wonderful Constitution.
All of you partisan nutjobs are only getting half of it right.
ladies and germs!
step right up! step right up!
take yer loyalty oath!
all those who declare their undying loyalty will be marked with a commemorative mark of the beast.
but, for those of you who TRULY want to impress the GOP elders, donate your first born child to be sacrificed upon the alter of reagan. aum-o-meeeee-on-paaaaa (chant along)
So what they're basically saying : Hey,we know we're corrupt. And we're a bunch of fuck-ups. And we're going to continue being fuck-ups. But we want you to swear your loyalty to us..we need your vote to continue what we're doing.
Wehrmacht oath
Ich schwöre bei Gott diesen heiligen Eid, daß ich dem Führer des Deutschen Reiches und Volkes Adolf Hitler, dem Oberbefehlshaber der Wehrmacht, unbedingten Gehorsam leisten und als tapferer Soldat bereit sein will, jederzeit für diesen Eid mein Leben einzusetzen.
I swear by God this sacred oath that I shall render unconditional obedience to Adolf Hitler, the Führer of the German Reich and people, supreme commander of the armed forces, and that I shall at all times be ready, as a brave soldier, to give my life for this oath.
I wouldn't have a problem with that oath, if my politics were on the maniacal fringe . But I'd want a secret decoder ring, too, and knowledge of all their secret handshakes.
Nutso @ 72:
Hence you nom de plume.
ysbaddaden @ 51:
Nice one, ysb! Haven't heard any Kraftwerk in ages.
Weaseldog @ 61:
Sorry, I do not recall that...
ysbaddaden @ 76:
As well as my nom de guerre: killemall
I'm beginning to wonder if I was ever a normal kid.
I was also in high school when I read that in Roman courts people swore to tell the truth on their testicles.
Audj @ 11:
Since when have any Republicans been concerned about what is legal? Except, that is, to make sure they vote themselves retroactive immunity to protect themselves from the crimes they swear they didn't commit.
BTW, the Constitution says that Congress shall pass no "ex post Facto" law - so all of these amnesty laws are flat-out unconstitutional (not that this will hamper the Wingnut Five on the Supreme Court from supporting them).
Dr. Acula @ 77:
Don't forget to seig heil when you listen. ja ja ist gut.
the rapture based community in Virginia is in its last throes
The funny thing is my Political Science degree is called a BS.
Fascism's Come
Wrapped in a flag
Carrying a cross
Here's another goldie moldie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r5MBBRRn1Y
I always hated Top-10.
ysbaddaden @ 80:
Makes a lot more sense than swearing on a book, thats for sure.
Nutso @ 87:
I dunno, with a book nearly as thick as Harry Potters, if you slam it shut on them...
CoIntelPRo @ 65:
AHA!
ysbaddaden @ 80:
Were their testicles lying about something?
There is such a thing as an 'understood' oath, neither written nor oral, but 'accepted' as a part of 'membership', or 'belonging' to a certain group.
The 'understood' oath that's a part of the republican party is:
'I promise not to think, not to question, but to accept, with the fullness of my heart, and in the 'eyes of 'god'', all the stupidity, irrationality, unreality and deliberate ignorance of truth, as shall be dumped on me by the self-appointed 'leaders' of the party, so help me Jaysus, my lord and creator, ruler of the universe, and regular converser with my one and only party leader, whoever that may be'.
ysbaddaden @ 84:
Mine is a BA - which shows you how much "science" there is in Political Science.
Nutso @ 79:
Nutsosmall what do you have against MALLS? I thought loyal bushies always went shopping when the times got bad.
Once they pass a loyalty oath, and "we" all willingly sign it, what will be the next step? Prevoting? then closing the ballot booths on election day, due to national security reasons, and only counting the preapproved voters?
my theory has always been that about twenty years ago the republican party was infiltrated by members of the john birch society with the expressed goal of taking over the party and replacing it's traditional platform with the extreme right wing principles of it's founder robert welch. this story about loyalty oaths proves my theory correct and, what's more, that the john birch society has indeed gained control over the gop.
ysbaddaden @ 80:
i have heard of making people get down on their knees, but testicles??? gee-osh! hello draconian
frank verismo @ 67:
The word for today is 'Surreal'!
An act of desperation.
Boy those republicans just can't stop hating on the constitution.
Ted @ 46:
The reactionary Right in this country were pushing them during the Red hunts of the 40s and 50s. During that time, they also turned the Pledge of Allegiance from pledging allegiance to the country to pledging allegiance to their god first, and the country only under their god.
Religious fundamentalism and corporatist Fascism are two of the most destructive belief systems the world has seen. Marry them together and you have the worst of all worlds. I fear for what's left of our grand experiment in Democracy, and am just about convinced that it has passed the tipping point and will never be recovered short of a second bloody revolution.
ysbaddaden @ 87:
My wife introduced me to this gal's music, because her dad liked her. Now she doesn't want to hear her anymore, and I think she's hot. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOHAdZUjLd8
It seems decidedly un-American and anti-democratic to insist that before a person votes, they cant change their mind fore the general election.
in fact, its down right fascist.
If Publican candidates like ghouliani can't even keep vows (as in marriage), why should the rank and file have to swear oaths?
And I do mean rank.
Summer vacation pictures of ghouliani on his last cruise:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGasNwvtpUc
That can't be legal.
Shiva H Vishnu @ 98:
An act of intimidation
ysbaddaden @ 81:
Hence the expression "The balls in your court."
it also is another prime example of Rove politics, of putting Party before Country.
Hey site moniter,
How about another chance for me. I will tame my 9/11 talk.
Thank you for your consideration.
Site moniter,
Thank you for keeping posted my earlier comment.
Mark @ 104:
http://www.magsn.com/product_thumb.php?img=images/40058.jpg&w=117&h=148
ysbaddaden @ 81:
So Eunuchs couldn't bear witness in court?
Weaseldog @ 111:
Who knows? Would you break an oath if you knew your balls were going to suffer the consequences?
Preacher Boob @ 8:
cant we just cornhole them instead!
Weaseldog @ 101:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hQ0OkcLKuE
Weaseldog @ 101:
Cool daddio...
ysbaddaden @ 114:
Thanks! :)
Loyalty oath?!? If any political party asked me to sign a loyalty oath, I would tell them where they could stick it, immediately resign my membership, and start researching the candidates from the other political party (or parties) in he hope of finding some common ground.
GOP Loyaty oaths? Good.
DNC loyalty oaths? Bad.
What this should confirm is that the voting machines in Virginia are rigged. The point of obtaining your oath means the GOP will be compariing it to your vote. So much for secret ballots.
Republicans. Just like Nazis and Commies.
ysbaddaden @ 87:
Now, *that's* more like it. Take that, Ute Lemper and Marilyn Manson!
This is another piece of proof that the Republican party cares more about the party than our contry.
Here you go. I knew I had them lying around somewhere. Enjoy!
Horst Wessel Song
Die Fahne hoch die Reihen fest geschlossen
S. A. marschiert mit ruhig festem Schritt
Kam'raden die Rotfront und Reaktion erschossen
Marschier'n im Geist in unsern Reihen mit
Die Strasse frei den braunen Batallionen
Die Strasse frei dem Sturmabteilungsmann
Es schau'n auf's Hackenkreuz voll Hoffung schon Millionen
Der Tag fur Freiheit und fur Brot bricht an
Zum letzen Mal wird nun Appell geblasen
Zum Kampfe steh'n wir alle schon bereit
Bald flattern Hitler-fahnen Uber allen Strassen
Die Knechtschaft dauert nur mehr kurze Zeit
Die Fahne hoch die Reihen fest geschlossen
S. A. marschiert mit ruhig festem Schritt
Kam'raden die Rotfront und Reaktion erschossen
Marschier'n im Geist in unsern Reihen mit
[Horst Wessel Song lyrics on http://www.metrolyrics.com]
Translation
Flag high, ranks closed,
The S.A. marches with silent solid steps.
Comrades shot by the red front and reaction
march in spirit with us in our ranks.
The street free for the brown battalions,
The street free for the Storm Troopers.
Millions, full of hope, look up at the swastika;
The day breaks for freedom and for bread.
For the last time the call will now be blown;
For the struggle now we all stand ready.
Soon will fly Hitler-flags over every street;
Slavery will last only a short time longer.
Flag high, ranks closed,
The S.A. marches with silent solid steps.
Comrades shot by the red front and reaction
march in spirit with us in our ranks.
*** Complimentary Horst Wessel Song Ringtone ***
http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/hess1.htm
Here is the story of the NAZI LOYALITY OATHS...
-----
"Political leaders! Leaders of the Labor Service, the forces of labor! Women's leaders, HJ leaders! Leaders of the BDM! You will now take an oath to Adolf Hitler!
Your oath is not a mere formality; you do not swear this oath to someone unknown to you. You do not swear in hope, but with certainty. Fate has made it easy for you to take this oath without condition or reservation. Never in history has a people taken an oath to a leader with such absolute confidence as the German people have in Adolf Hitler. You have the enormous joy of taking an oath to a man who is the embodiment of a leader. You take an oath to the fighter who demonstrated his leadership over a decade, who always acts correctly and who always chose the right way, even when at times the larger part of his movement failed to understand why.
You take an oath to a man whom you know follows the laws of providence, which he obeys independently of the influence of earthly powers, who leads the German people rightly, and who will guide Germany's fate. Through your oath you bind yourselves to a man who — that is our faith — was sent to us by higher powers. Do not seek Adolf Hitler with your mind. You will find him through he strength of your hearts!
Adolf Hitler is Germany and Germany is Adolf Hitler. He who takes an oath to Hitler takes an oath to Germany!
Swear to great Germany, to whose sons and daughters throughout the world I send our best wishes.
[Throughout Germany people take the oath.]
This has been the greatest common taking of an oath in history!
We greet the Führer!"
-------
Background: On 25 February 1934, about a million Nazi Party officials gathered at points around Germany to swear an oath to Adolf Hitler. This is an excerpt from the speech Rudolf Hess gave on the occasion, which was broadcast to the nation.
The source: "Der Eid auf Adolf Hitler," Rudolf Hess, Reden (Munich: Zentralverlag der NSDAP, 1938), pp. 10-14.
Please for the LOVE OF GOD study history!!!
Rudy Giuliani Song
Flag high, ranks closed,
The GOP marches with silent solid steps.
Comrades insulted by the bloggers and liberal media
march in spirit with us in our ranks.
The street free for the corporations,
The street free for the gun-toting, bible-thumpers.
Millions, full of hope, look back at 9/11;
The day breaks for freedom and for revenge.
For the last time the call will now be blown;
For the struggle now we all stand ready.
Soon will fly Giuliani-flags over every street;
Slavery will last only a short time longer.
Flag high, ranks closed,
The GOP marches with silent solid steps.
Comrades insulted by the bloggers and liberal media
march in spirit with us in our ranks.
so hilarious
Moving From Evidence-Based Oversight To Accusatory
There's a connection between GOP loyalty oaths and the legal profession: It dumbs down informed opposition; and shifts the attention from standards of conduct to whether or not someone can make a "good sounding accusation".
- A. What kind of loyalty oaths does the ABA or law schools-firms-government agencies require of lawyers: To only share legal views consistent with the President's goal of asserting power; and prohibit them from expressing views which oppose the President?
- B. How many lawyers fear being put on a watch list for daring to challenge the President's illegal activity?
I guess if I keep posting my favorite videos by either very German or very Jewish singers, I'll have to send myself to the showers.
I hope someone gets the courts all over this NOW.
*
Goose For Gander @ 118:
Do you bother to read your links? First, ignoring that this is a link to freeper land quoting a Newsmax article (obviously biased, only question is if it's acurate).
Secondly, the oath quoted was "I consider myself a Democrat." That's an oath? How does that compare to requiring people to vote how the party dictates? Now that's an oath I'd expect from the Communist party.
Finally, while the Democrats (supposedly) dropped this request 3 years ago the Republican party is demanding an oath now. Apparently the Republican has much less respect for their voters and feel they should continue such a humiliation to voters.
As they say in the chans - FAIL!
Click those heels with an outstretched arm and sign that loyalty oath!
This is obviously unconstitutional.
It is an invasion of the right to a secret ballot, and an invasion of privacy.
It also, obviously, can't be enforced without thugs accosting voters as in 1930's Chicago.
Speaking of invasions of privacy, someone should start a class action forbidding the obnoxious
practice of "exit polling". Not only is it un-American, the results are subject to manipulation and fabrication
and can be used by the unscrupulous news media to influence people who have not yet cast their ballots.
One way the 2000 election was manipulated was when the newsmedia (CNN, FOX) called the election for
Gore. They called it before the polls had closed in Florida. How many democrats didn't bother to vote because
they thought the election was over and their vote was unnecessary?
Mr Pelicano @ 125:
LOL, entschuldige uns, Horst Wessel! New Virginia Republican Party motto---Arbeit macht Frei.
I live in Virginia and they did something like this during the last Republican presidential primary. Since you are not registered by you party like you are in some states anyone can vote during a Republican presidential primary. They can not enforce the "loyalty" oath, believe me. I just sign it and giggle to myself, yeah right I'm a Republican.
prunes @ 36:
This has a ton of potential.
So you sign their little piece of paper - but first you amend it . . . .
Put in a line promising to suck your toes in the public square on election day.
Promise to clean the bathrooms of all election judges present, for a week - in the buff.
Promise to rebuild the Tower of Babel.
Then sign it.
*
Are these the same Republicans who complain that the Russia and Pakistan elections are not fair. Signs of desperation indeed
Joementum @ 6:
It's a combination of both.
*
When did the VA State Board of Elections forget that we have a secret ballot in this country?
Just picture general election day in VA. You go to your polling place and sign in as usual. Then somebody will have to have the list of those who signed the loyalty oath to check against your name. If they find your name and determine that you did sign, they would then have to send someone INTO THE BOOTH WITH YOU to confirm that you voted Republican. Will there be police on site to arrest you if you don't? Then at the end of the day, they would have to check the list again to see who didn't show up to vote at all and send the police out to arrest them.
Not only ridiculously, over the top stupid, but completely unenforcable as well.
Wouldn't it be great if we had an actual free press in this country? Reporters should be calling every member of the VA State Board of Elections RIGHT NOW to ask them to explain this unconstitutional, unenforcable ruling. THAT, I would love to see.
Thing Fish @ 130:
Whoops. Sorry Goose For Gander @ 118: . Jumped the gun and assumed you were saying Democratic party has oaths too (though more like a pledge) and were being hypocritical for complaining about Republican oaths.
Didn't even bother to follow the "Good" link (so Kansas is also going to do this). And didn't even pay attention to one link being "Good" and the other "Bad".
Good example of the schizophrenic nature of freeper land. (FAIL applies to Free Republic.)
The Nazis swore allegiance to the party over their country. Germany ended up outlawing the Nazi party.
When will we wake up and outlaw the Republican party and begin rounding up their criminal braintrust?
rend @ 126:
Indeed.
Wear a brown shirt when you vote. Be sure to remove your coat so they can see it.
Sign a fake name so illegibly they'll never be able to determine it's NOT yours.
Wear plastic medical gloves (tell them you're afraid of germs - really freak them out) - then they won't even have your fingerprints.
Wear one of those construction type masks to keep out dust/germs too.
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Legal Oversight @ 127:
It'd be useful for C&L to run a piece/thread for us on this spying firefighters issue . . . . anyone listening?
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Those loyaly oaths always sounded better in the original German.
Ah yes, and a message to all you "loyal Republicans":
If you ever decide to take dancing lessons, make the instructor aware that you already know how to do that old German Folk Dance that was all the rage in the 1930's: the "Goose Step".
Shadowgm @ 15:
In Virginia you do not have to register as a Republican or Democrats or any political party. You're just a registered voter. This is why they try this Loyalty oath in Virgnia even though it's unenforceable; it's just a means to intimidate. It started with the Republican presidential primary between Bush and McCain. Republicans feared a bunch of Virginia Democrats would come out and vote for McCain to knock out Bush. Didn't work but we tried.
'I swear to say I believe in 'god', and jaysus, and the republican party, and lower taxes, and smaller government, and the sanctity of marriage, and family values, and that coc*sucking is bad, and that I am an oral and anal virgin, and that Bill Clinton is the devil, and his wife is a witch, so help me George'.
'Buschland Uber Alles'
Trittydi @ 141:
Ask them if they have a copy in the original German to sign.
(credit V 4 V)
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I used to believe this about C&L: "If you're going to respond, take the time to consider and think about what you're reading." Please, if you want to help challenge the US government lawfully to force it to it's job, please stop doing what you're accusing others of doing: Making convoluted arguments to justify non-sense. Thank you.
However, I've learned that just because a post is short it doesn't mean that its going to be digested; or that a longer post is going to be given any better treatment. Thank you for the feedback: Regardless the length of the post, the issue isn't the writing, but whether the audience is interested in thinking.
To those who post without reading: Great, but don't use the challenge of others -- to your convoluted, unsupported statements -- as a personal attack: No, it's just feedback that your writing isn't quite making sense: Your arguments are not as solid as they could be. If I can't trust you to make coherent arguments -- putting aside the issue of whether one might agree or disagree with your conclusions -- then how can i expect you to provide assistance in challenging the same incoherent arguments Congress and the President are giving to justify inaction about legal issues?
For example, contrast the two responses from the same person. One is after they took the time to read; the second is their original response which they said was faster, without much attention to the issue. Succinctly, we have two different responses from the same person, which tell us two things:
1. One response is based on a reaction; another is based on reason/review.
2. They -- by their actions -- show they can answer their own question: "Do you bother to read your links?" No, they didn't bother to think before responding.
And this Congress is being accused of having problems . . .Oversight of Congress requires doing better what Congress well shows it cannot do: Comprehend issues, gather facts timely, and solve problems lawfully: Noticing details. Not expecting perfect; just asking that you not get say, "nobody pays attention" when that fault appears to be one for you to remedy, not for others to wade through and clean up.
Second Response: After They Reviewed Links
Thing Fish @ 139:
Note: Commenter asks that we do/not do something; yet the basis for that request is not based on them demonstrating credibility. Is there a third post on the way that might contradict this; new information they haven't disclosed? Credibility issues: Details.
People ask that "long posts" be short; but when they are short, people claim they don't catch it. And you want people to take comments her seriously? Pay attention the first time, and I'll more seriously consider your responses the first time. Otherwise, "Oh, maybe they'll come up with another, possibly contradictory story tomorrow, but ask others not to ask about the change."
Comment: Reaction To Second Post, In Light of First
Thank you for responding. I'll not take the responses I'm reading on C&L with as much seriousness as I once thought I might. People here, sometimes, do not read before thinking; and sometimes do not think before writing. Thank you for your feedback and the useful information you've provided. It should not be a wonder why people here prefer shorter posts: It gives them less to ignore before they open their mouths.
First response, without having thought (much) about the information/response
Thing Fish @ 130:
Comment In response To Both Comments
Stop trying to pretend that this is a partisan issue. It's an issue of privacy: People should not be required -- as a condition of engaging in political activity -- to only support one party over another as a condition of being involved with politics; nor should anyone be required to stick with that earlier decision; nor should anyone face consequences for their final decision or decision to change their opinion about who they will or will not vote for.
You miss the point: Both the DNC and GOP use oaths. Whether it's been dropped or not isn't the issue: The issue is the GOP today is doing something that the DNC stopped doing, for the most point. +Both the DNC and GOP oaths are statements of assertion. Just because the facts of the DNC oath do not fit into your paradigm, doesn't mean that that oath -- a verbal assertion of a fact -- was or wasn't required. You like some kinds of assertions, but not others. Fine, let the public decide whether the oaths by either party -- whatever they are -- are or are not reasonable.
There are other considerations. For example:
- What if that party is supporting war crimes: People should be required to blindly support that party simply because of a promise made before that information was known? No, they should be able to change their vote, or abandon that party, and not feel beholden to something that does not deserve support.
- What if that Party is pointing fingers at others for things the party has not been able to solve? Leadership means showing the example, not creating smokescreens. Some factions deserve to be opposed because we are more familiar with them -- because of our participation or experience with them -- and view them as a faction a greater danger to Society.
Accusing someone -- by affiliation alone -- that they are a threat does not serve justice. It is an accusation, not evidence. We're here to protect society from dangerous action, not beliefs or opinions. Opposing views, when freely allowed to clash, can help find the best, sound policy. Didn't we learn that after the Iraq WMD debates which were devoid of facts, rushed, and not based on a real threat? Perhaps it hasn't sunk in yet.
It seems to me that is illegal and in violation of our Constitution.
I seem to remember something about loyalty oaths in this context being verboten.
It's a secret ballot. Anybody tries to harass you for violating your "oath" goes to prison. It's not worth the paper it's printed on. They can compare until their eyes fall out. It's unenforceable and the very fact that these bozos are even trying it says how badly they are going to get creamed next November.
And now that Randi Rhodes can be heard live in Washington at 1500 AM, things can only get worse for the Retarded Party.
This so reminds me of the great loyalty oath campaign is Catch Twenty-Two. I wonder if the Republicons are planning to use these loyalty oaths as some sort of enforceable contract and count them as substitute absentee ballots. Nothing like 100% support for your candidate. Shades of North Korea.
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