US bars Russian Monitors from Presidential election

[danmand]

United States bars Russian monitors from presidential polls – elections commission
Published time: 20 Oct, 2016 10:18
Edited time: 20 Oct, 2016 11:28
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© Brendan McDermid / Reuters

The US has rejected a Russian proposal to send diplomats to monitor the upcoming presidential elections and some states have even threatened to bring criminal charges against any that appear at ballot stations, Russian election officials report.

 

[fuji]

Does anyone sane think the Russians merely want to monitor?

 

[FAST]

Doesn't matter, they will just hack the systems,...and monitor it.

FAST

 

[nottyboi]

What is the US trying to hide? I thought it was trying to spread democracy?

 

[fuji]

What is the US trying to hide? I thought it was trying to spread democracy?

The US has nothing to hide. Russia is a dictatorship and isn't a credible authority on what is democratic and the "monitors" job would be to disrupt and discredit the US election, not monitor it.


Only a fucking idiot would think that Russian intelligence agents should be let into the country, let alone allowed anywhere near a US election.

 

[nottyboi]

The US has nothing to hide. Russia is a dictatorship and isn't a credible authority on what is democratic and the "monitors" job would be to disrupt and discredit the US election, not monitor it.


Only a fucking idiot would think that Russian intelligence agents should be let into the country, let alone allowed anywhere near a US election.

Russian intelligence is ALWAYS in the USA, it does not have to be FSB goons, the US can offer access to Russian intellectuals and academics, or even people it knows oppose Putin.. they have a pretty long list I am sure.

 

[Aardvark154]

By the way in the U.S. all elections are run by the states, there are no elections run by the federal government. Hence what actually happened is that Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana have all said no. By the way the U.S. Department of State suggested that Russia instead join the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Russia refused.

 

[kingkat]

Russia will be monitoring anyways. Just "unofficially"

 

[fuji]

Russia will be monitoring anyways. Just "unofficially"

Monitoring, meddling, something like that.

 

[Frankfooter]

Trump is talking about having gangs of his ever so friendly supporters 'monitoring' the voting.
Illegal and very third world.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/19/us/politics/donald-trump-voting-election-rigging.html?_r=0

Probably way more damaging to the plutocracy down there then the soviets.

 

[Butler1000]

Trump is talking about having gangs of his ever so friendly supporters 'monitoring' the voting.
Illegal and very third world.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/19/us/politics/donald-trump-voting-election-rigging.html?_r=0

Probably way more damaging to the plutocracy down there then the soviets.

Every polling station in Canada welcomes monitors from all parties during the vote count. Why not the same down there? I don't see an issue with allowing a monitor during counts. It ensures veracity. And then Trump won't have an argument.

 

[basketcase]

Every polling station in Canada welcomes monitors from all parties during the vote count. Why not the same down there? I don't see an issue with allowing a monitor during counts. It ensures veracity. And then Trump won't have an argument.

There is a difference between official scrutineers who have been trained and mobs of random angry Trumpets staring at minorities.

 

[Butler1000]

There is a difference between official scrutineers who have been trained and mobs of random angry Trumpets staring at minorities.

So instead of barring them offer to train them. Part of the problem is people feel disengaged from the process. Show them the process and you eliminate the argument.

ANY citizen should be allowed to scrutinize the process. Transparency is a cornerstone of the system.

 

[fuji]

So instead of barring them offer to train them. Part of the problem is people feel disengaged from the process. Show them the process and you eliminate the argument.

ANY citizen should be allowed to scrutinize the process. Transparency is a cornerstone of the system.

Having more than one or two scrutineer from each campaign present at each polling station is voter intimidation, not scrutinizing.

Nobody is going to want to walk a gauntlet of jeering thugs in order to vote. Do you REALLY think having to show your ID to thirty people from the opposing party before being allowed to vote is anything other than intimidation?

He is clearly unpopular and can't win honestly so he's trying to win by physical force and intimidation. If Trump continues down this path he should be arrested and charged with voter intimidation.

 

[basketcase]

So instead of barring them offer to train them. ....

Whether the 'them' is the Russians or scrutineers, it would mean a rewriting of the state election rules. It would take significant time to pass 50 state laws to allow it (and considering the traditional way that blocking the other party's election law changes is de rigueur...).

It would also mean one or two silent observers from each party, not the mobs that Trump is calling out.