Now IOWA warns Evil Mad Scientist type International election observers

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**Frazzled**

PS am i the only person wishing there were a Monsters vs. Aliens II?

anyone back to the topic: Careful, they have a battleship!

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1012/83108.html

Iowa warns international observers of arrest
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Iowa AG threatened election observers with arrest if they get too close to a polling place | AP Photo

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By BOBBY CERVANTES | 10/31/12 2:00 PM EDT Updated: 10/31/12 2:46 PM EDT
Iowa has joined Texas in warning international election observers of possible criminal prosecution if they violate state laws and get near polling places on Election Day.

Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz — like Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott last week — on Tuesday threatened Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe election observers with arrest if they came within 300 feet of a polling place’s entrance, in violation of state law. (In Texas, it’s 100 feet.)

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(Also on POLITICO: Arrest threats in Texas puzzle election monitors)

“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. “Iowa law is very specific about who is permitted at polling places, and there is no exception for members of this group.”

The OSCE — comprised of 56 countries, including the United States — is chiefly a crisis mediation and conflict resolution group in Europe, Asia and North America. Since 2002, the organization’s poll watchers have observed six U.S. elections, without incident, said Janez Lenari, the OSCE’s director for the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Lenari wrote, “The threat of criminal sanctions against OSCE/ODIHR observers is unacceptable. The United States, like all countries in the OSCE, has an obligation to invite ODIHR observers to observe its elections.”

Victoria Nuland, a State Department spokesman, said last week the group assured Texas authorities and the State Department that observers will respect Texas laws.

“To my knowledge, [Texas] is the only state that came forward and said ‘please reassure us that you’re going to follow our state electoral law.’ And they have now been reassured,” Nuland said.

**Do_I_Not_Like_That**

300 feet. If these guys are European, they'll be using the metric scale. There's a clash of cultures already!

Seriously, though, this seems to be getting a bit North Korean from Iowa and Texas. I've seen observers at work, er, observing. Most of them drop dead from boredom. They're harmless, and tend to be young folk on a gap year. The states of Iowa and Texas have little to fear from these people.

**AduroT**

Bring em on! I couldn't care less.

**SagesStone**

I'm sure most of them will somehow manage to stay far enough from the polling places.

**AduroT**

So long as they're not interfering but just observing, why should we care?

**purplefood**

AduroT wrote:
So long as they're not interfering but just observing, why should we care?

Because they aren't 'Merican and they're near the voting stations!
This is clearly a plot by the evil terrorist/fascist/communist UN to destroy the integrity of the American voting system...

**Jihadin**

Bushes fault

**WarOne**

purplefood wrote:
AduroT wrote:
So long as they're not interfering but just observing, why should we care?

Because they aren't 'Merican and they're near the voting stations!
This is clearly a plot by the evil terrorist/fascist/communist UN to destroy the integrity of the American voting system...

Hmm...anyone remember the backlash in Russia about outside, foreign organizations interfering with Russian politics?

**Frazzled**

Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:
300 feet. If these guys are European, they'll be using the metric scale. There's a clash of cultures already!

Seriously, though, this seems to be getting a bit North Korean from Iowa and Texas. I've seen observers at work, er, observing. Most of them drop dead from boredom. They're harmless, and tend to be young folk on a gap year. The states of Iowa and Texas have little to fear from these people.

We're afraid you'll get in our faces, touching our minis with your socialist fingertips.
Election watching now. Soon, you'll be telling us what contents to put in our beer no way Jose!

Automatically Appended Next Post:

purplefood wrote:
AduroT wrote:
So long as they're not interfering but just observing, why should we care?

Because they aren't 'Merican and they're near the voting stations!
This is clearly a plot by the evil terrorist/fascist/communist UN to destroy the integrity of the American voting system...

They also made statements against voter ID. Thats settled law Euroscum, out of my state techno club freaks! Say Hello to Misters Monroe and Doctrine!

Oh wait, sorry, I was saving that for the F1 crowd in Austin in a few weeks. My bad.
Frazzled vs. international elite jetset, this time its personal!
"Honey have you seen my chainsaws? "
"Why?"
"Er, no reason."
"No. Not again. "

**Ouze**

Truthfully, this doesn't surprise me, being an Iowan for some years now.

I'm sure most of you understand why Texas did what they did. Texas, as a state, is very conservative and pugnacious. A lot of you that live in this country (not to mention overseas) might see this story and reflexively think of Iowa in the same vein. The truth is, though, Iowa is not a actually conservative place despite first glance and several conservative leanings. The common theme behind the things that Iowa's state government does only makes sense when you frame it how, my opinion, Iowans prefer to live: they want to be left the hell alone. That is why Iowa was a "free state" during slavery, why it's the first state to admit a woman to the bar, and one of the first states to legalize same-sex marriage. People in Iowa want to be left alone to live their lives.

**Frazzled**

Ouze wrote:
Truthfully, this doesn't surprise me, being an Iowan for some years now.

I'm sure most of you understand why Texas did what they did. Texas, as a state, is very conservative and pugnacious. A lot of you that live in this country (not to mention overseas) might see this story and reflexively think of Iowa in the same vein. The truth is, though, Iowa is not a actually conservative place despite first glance and several conservative leanings. The common theme behind the things that Iowa's state government does only makes sense when you frame it how, my opinion, Iowans prefer to live: they want to be left the hell alone. That is why Iowa was a "free state" during slavery, why it's the first state to admit a woman to the bar, and one of the first states to legalize same-sex marriage. People in Iowa want to be left alone to live their lives.

I'm suddenly liking Iowa a whole lot more.

**Ouze**

I actually found this list that offers some contrasts. It's out of date and doesn't include marriage equality but I think you get the gist.

Anyway I think it supports my hypothesis on how Iowa works.

**KalashnikovMarine**

I like Iowa... sounds fun, but you have to farm potatoes or live in a compound to be there right?

**AduroT**

Potatoes?! Pshaw! We're all about Corn here son!

**Ouze**

No, this is the corn state, and no militias of note.

**Frazzled**

Ouze wrote:
No, this is the corn state, and no militias of note.

Corn for the Corn Chip God!

No hurricanes either.

**Ouze**

Tornados, though. Flooding, sometimes. Most of all - nearly unlivable pollen. I wasn't allergic to anything until I moved here, and I wake up every day hawking when I wake up. Whenever I go back to NYC it's unbelievable how much more I can breathe.

**AduroT**

And there's like no poisonous animals wanting to kill you. Worst we get is the occasional mountain lion, but then some numb nuts goes off and shoots it soon as it makes the news. Then complains about the deer over population.

**hotsauceman1**

Im showing my ignorance, but what are poll observers?

**AustonT**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Im showing my ignorance, but what are poll observers?

They observe the polls...

**hotsauceman1**

So what? Police?

**AlmightyWalrus**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Im showing my ignorance, but what are poll observers?

People who observe polls.

(to make sure that elections aren't fethed up somehow)

**whembly**

AlmightyWalrus wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:
Im showing my ignorance, but what are poll observers?

People who observe polls.

(to make sure that elections aren't fethed up somehow)

As if *we* couldn't police ourselves with that...

**AduroT**

Wait, I thought they looked like this?

**Kanluwen**

whembly wrote:
AlmightyWalrus wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:
Im showing my ignorance, but what are poll observers?

People who observe polls.

(to make sure that elections aren't fethed up somehow)

As if *we* couldn't police ourselves with that...

Given the track record of the Republican party in the timeframe leading up to this election, it's better not to take chances.

**AlmightyWalrus**

whembly wrote:
AlmightyWalrus wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:
Im showing my ignorance, but what are poll observers?

People who observe polls.

(to make sure that elections aren't fethed up somehow)

As if *we* couldn't police ourselves with that...

The entire point is that it's supposed to be a third party observer. I'd also like to point out that the 2000 elections were a bit funky, just as the 2010 elections in Sweden fethed up in places. No one's perfect, but I find it interesting that the US cries foul whenever someone wants to monitor THEIR polls, considering the history of US, for lack of a better word, "meddling" in the elections of other nations.

**Ouze**

AustonT wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:
Im showing my ignorance, but what are poll observers?

They observe the polls...

Well played.

**AustonT**

Ouze wrote:
AustonT wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:
Im showing my ignorance, but what are poll observers?

They observe the polls...

Well played.

Thanks.
Hot sauce to answer your question poll observers are supposed to watch. For things like that picture. Overt voter intimidation, as well as ballot box stuffing or repeat voters. The latter being the in person voter fraud that just doesn't happen any more.

**Frazzled**

AduroT wrote:
And there's like no poisonous animals wanting to kill you.

Well that is a downside I'll admit.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kanluwen wrote:
whembly wrote:
AlmightyWalrus wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:
Im showing my ignorance, but what are poll observers?

People who observe polls.

(to make sure that elections aren't fethed up somehow)

As if *we* couldn't police ourselves with that...

Given the track record of the Republican party in the timeframe leading up to this election, it's better not to take chances.

Wow I I didn't know the Republicans ran the Illinois elections. Oh wait...

**Kanluwen**

Gee, let's see what we've had going on with the elections this year...

-The passage of "Voter Identification Laws" in several states on the East Coast which have pockets of Democrat voters in key districts, which a Republican is quoted as saying "will win Pennsylvania for Governor Romney" as they will impact demographics key to Democrats more than they will impact Republicans.
-Governor Romney's former company, Bain Capital, and its board donating primarily to Romney's campaign acquired one company which is responsible for a large number of voting machines in key states.
-Governor Romney's son acquired another company which is responsible for a large number of voting machines in key states.

Even if there's nothing underhanded going on with the last two, there is no justifiable reason at all for people with demonstrable ties to an individual running for public office to own any part of companies which are responsible for voting machines in key states.

If Obama had done such a thing, Fox News would be raising such a stink about it we would never hear the end of it from Frazzled and Friends here on Dakka.