More on Supposed Voter Registration Fraud

Here is a particularly stupid article about supposed “voter fraud.” This AP article (linked off of MSNBC’s site) spends nearly an entire page covering how someone’s dead goldfish received a registration mailing in Illinois. I mean, really, who cares? The article is written mostly in a sarcastic tone, but, of course, necessitates the mention of ACORN and seems to pose this as just one instance of voter registration fraud. I'm happy that MSNBC filed this in the "animal" section instead of "politics."

What frustrates me about these articles is that they make it seem as if this is happening all around the country and that these fake names are actually going to vote (or register to vote in this case).

As Michael Winship pointed out in the CommonDreams article I read yesterday, most people that register with fake names (including those names that aren’t so obvious) are most likely not going to vote anyway. I highly doubt that thousands of tricksters are trying to dupe the system. The Republicans aren’t trying to protect the integrity of America’s voting system, they are trying to allow for skepticism in the face of many lawful voters, especially low-income and minority voters. Articles like these do not help or expand the discussion in any way whatsoever and instead make a mockery out of what organizations like ACORN are trying to do.