Texas threatens OSZE election observers

The General DA of Texas has ruled it a criminal act for observers of the OSZE to come within 100 yards of any election office during the presidential election.

I just read that in the German newspaper "Der Spiegel". The OSZE is a European Organisation which monitors elections worldwide, and of which the USA is a member. It guarantees fair and free elections by passively observing the election process.

Countries who refuse to have their elections monitored by neutral observers are mostly considered dictatorships and totalitarian regimes, or are known to manipulate the result. Go figure ...

I couldn't find any English Article yet, but this is just in.

SOURCE: Spiegel Online

If this is true, it is astonishing. I knew we have degenerated, or our government has, but is it really this bad? After what happened in 2004, and with the recent happenings within the Republican party, where Paul got screwed by unfair play, I suppose it should not surprise me. This will have to be confirmed of course, but I see no reason this organization would lie about something like this.

This tells me that election and voter fraud will be rampant during the upcoming election. It is ridiculous, and as soon as the majority are ready to do something about our loss of liberty, I am on board.

Texas must have forgotten that they haven't seceded from the union yet. Why is the DA so afraid of them observing? Are they planning on fixing the election and thinks they may get caught?

It is beginning to gain more attention Greg Abbott, Texas Attorney General, Threatens To Arrest U.N. Elections Observers

I wonder if the Texas AG considers US Treaties legally enforceable since the Constitution says that they are to be treated as the law of the Land. I also wonder why the furor now since the organization has been observing for years.

I believe these observers are just a show put on for idiots. Presumably it's a little play of some sort to defuse the criticism of bullying like the NBP put on in the last election.

But it doesn't matter. It's in the counting of the votes that the bigger crime is committed. You can observe the voting all you want; if you don't observe the counting--particularly the electronic vote--you might as well stay home....

reply to post by H1ght3chHippie


I early voted yesterday and there weren't any foreign observers there. I guess our city isn't big enough for all of that. It's not like they would get in the building anyway, there were too many seniors there for the observers to squeeze in anyway! No need to pass a law about it. I guess our Texas Attorney General is just trying to do what the people want. we're not too keen on people getting in our business.

Just to note, no mysterious "calibration problems" in my area. Just a record breaking turnout of early voters.

Originally posted by buster2010
Texas must have forgotten that they haven't seceded from the union yet. Why is the DA so afraid of them observing? Are they planning on fixing the election and thinks they may get caught?

Texas going to Obama is as laughable as Cali going to Romney.

reply to post by littled16

I guess our Texas Attorney General is just trying to do what the people want. we're not too keen on people getting in our business.

People around here feel pretty close to the same from what I have heard talk about. I expect I might even have a line this year. it'll be a first, but it does sound as though more than I've seen before are headed to vote this year.

I'm also very comfortable in saying I would not and will not (should there be?) be at all kind to anyone 'observing' who isn't a part of the community or at least 100% a part of this American process.

Inviting observers in, is also admitting in no uncertain terms they believe they totally lost control. After all, Justice is the one charged with making sure problems never reach that level and there are enough FBI alone to put an agent in ever polling place in the states that trouble him most. Calling in outsiders is just unforgivable, IMO.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
reply to post by littled16

 

I guess our Texas Attorney General is just trying to do what the people want. we're not too keen on people getting in our business.

People around here feel pretty close to the same from what I have heard talk about. I expect I might even have a line this year. it'll be a first, but it does sound as though more than I've seen before are headed to vote this year.

I'm also very comfortable in saying I would not and will not (should there be?) be at all kind to anyone 'observing' who isn't a part of the community or at least 100% a part of this American process.

Inviting observers in, is also admitting in no uncertain terms they believe they totally lost control. After all, Justice is the one charged with making sure problems never reach that level and there are enough FBI alone to put an agent in ever polling place in the states that trouble him most. Calling in outsiders is just unforgivable, IMO.

I understand that thinking, but on the flip side we expect other countries to do this. The best way to lead is by example. I think if people have an issue with this it is a marketing problem. This is how the Leader of the Free World leads. We set the bar, we set the standard, we show them how it's done.

International observers desensitize normal people's instinct of independance.

OSZE is a form over substance gesture that mimes a global control paradigm.

The message is "global control is the only way".

"It pays to advertize"

And besides that, the number of voters who don't vote is by far a larger indictment of a croney, corrupt, artificial, rigged, decadent, and declining system than the inconvienience of 0.00001% of the voting populace.

reply to post by OccamsRazor04

The only countries I know of that have a history of seeing this done are those with a history of questionable election results as a whole. Now however much hay someone wants to make about 2000's election, the difference was within statistical margin and a follow-up media study months afterward even suggested a count would have confirmed the result anyway. So even the worst example is one we don't hear the losing side having ever made a MEANINGFUL complaint about after the Court setteled the issue and precisely how our system is set up to function.

So... What part of a past history to suggest we'd need such observers to keep things honest exists? Certainly. what part exists that would suggest Federal or state law enforcement wouldn't be up to the task if a task needed done with that kind of attention?

Frankly, the fraud that happens within our system doesn't happen on election day itself anyway and I've rarely seen people well versed in the system here argue that. Which part or how many parts is up for debate....but it's been a few years (or decades) since literally poll place funny business has been alleged. I mean, of the type an observer standing around trying not to fall sleep, would notice, anyway.

Failing that rock solid clear evidence... well? It's a profound sign of weakness as a nation to ask for or allow outside powers to directly stand in our election process. This is a step beyond anything I thought I would EVER see as an American in my lifetime. It ought to SCREAM what the issues are we are facing right now, too. IMHO.

States lost their sovereignty in the US Civil War.

Texas can't arrest International Election Observers. What would happen if Texas arrested 4 International Observers from 3 different countries....those countries would issue arrest warrants and use their authority under InterPol to send in their own firepower.

Time will tell if those countries are up to the task of taking on Texas. If they have the brass to ignore the threat and go in and actually DO get arrested.....my guess is America would step in and offer those countries HUGE sums of money to look the other way. So will they step in and do something to get the free money in the end?

I don't think they have the cahoneys to do it. They know Texas prisoners get things tested on them (see book 'Operation Day Lily')

Texas is so disgustingly right-winged that it doesn't matter. Romney had Texas voters before he was ever nominated. I swear, my home state is packed with two things; morons and racists...and the overlap between the two is enormous. Honestly, I think these observers would be better served to go monitor elections in battleground states. The good news is that Texas should shift to a democrat majority within the next 8-12 years.

This has nothing to do with worry that Obama is getting too many votes, believe me. Texas will vote Romney on it's own, they don't need to commit fraud to do that. I live in Texas, and just as the above poster mentioned, we don't want the UN in America's business.

You know what I find intersting? So many people on this site slammed voter id laws, it seems to be a partisan thing, but when voter fraud came up from the republican side, I saw several posts. I could be wrong here, but my take is that some of the democrats welcome the U.N.'s involvement, but why would we need it if voter fraud is not an issue? I am not going near a poll this year, don't much care for what we have to choose from.

Originally posted by LeatherNLace
Texas is so disgustingly right-winged that it doesn't matter. Romney had Texas voters before he was ever nominated. I swear, my home state is packed with two things; morons and racists...and the overlap between the two is enormous. Honestly, I think these observers would be better served to go monitor elections in battleground states. The good news is that Texas should shift to a democrat majority within the next 8-12 years.

Every state is packed with morons and racists. There are plenty of good people in Texas, I live there too. I have traveled beyond the U.S., and can say with experience, even morons and racists exist overseas.

(I am a libertarian, not a right-winger)

The only reason why Texas will shift is due to the Hispanic population on it's way to becoming a majority.

Originally posted by artnut
The only reason why Texas will shift is due to the Hispanic population on it's way to becoming a majority.

That is exactly the reason. Is that a bad thing?

Originally posted by LeatherNLace

Originally posted by artnut
The only reason why Texas will shift is due to the Hispanic population on it's way to becoming a majority.

That is exactly the reason. Is that a bad thing?

I think what is bad, is that crime in the lower Texas cities has become a horrible problem. My cousins used to live in Laredo, and they would not feel safe going back, and they are half hispanic and speak fluent Spanish. I used to live in South Texas, I know the problems there. Along with the increase in Hispanic population, problems are arising, and this is partially due to illegal immigration. Given the amount of poor hispanics on welfare, and the possibility of amnesty, of course the Hispanics will vote democrat, but this won't help matters. This keeps the cities down financially if most are on welfare, sorry, but it is true. I wish like hell there was a way to change this trend, but I don't have the answers. The poor Hispanics need to find a way to elevate education in their populations. I have watched a video online of the Hispanic migration through Texas, and based on current trends, the state will be going through major changes in the next thirty years or so. This is not a racist thing with me, don't get the wrong idea.

With all the cries about our President not being an American citizen maybe other countries feel we need oversight. According to the Republican party the federal government is not capable of determining whether the President is qualified so maybe someone should monitor our votes.

Originally posted by FreebirdGirl
With all the cries about our President not being an American citizen maybe other countries feel we need oversight. According to the Republican party the federal government is not capable of determining whether the President is qualified so maybe someone should monitor our votes.

That President you cite as a reason for possibly needing observers is WHO INVITED them. What sense does that crap make?

The citizen of the world first and American President second first made those sentiments known in Germany for a major speech in the 2008 campaign. He closes his career in office reaffirming it. He does see the U.S. as a mere state in the world......and that is why he is about to be thrown out of Office so hard, it's remembered for decades to come.

Almost anything can be spun, forgiven or just ignored....but INVITING IN international observers like we're friggen Panama or Iraq is insulting at such a deep level....any reserve of hate for Obama I didn't already have topped off, got it with this outrage.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
reply to post by OccamsRazor04

 

The only countries I know of that have a history of seeing this done are those with a history of questionable election results as a whole. Now however much hay someone wants to make about 2000's election, the difference was within statistical margin and a follow-up media study months afterward even suggested a count would have confirmed the result anyway. So even the worst example is one we don't hear the losing side having ever made a MEANINGFUL complaint about after the Court setteled the issue and precisely how our system is set up to function.

So... What part of a past history to suggest we'd need such observers to keep things honest exists? Certainly. what part exists that would suggest Federal or state law enforcement wouldn't be up to the task if a task needed done with that kind of attention?

Frankly, the fraud that happens within our system doesn't happen on election day itself anyway and I've rarely seen people well versed in the system here argue that. Which part or how many parts is up for debate....but it's been a few years (or decades) since literally poll place funny business has been alleged. I mean, of the type an observer standing around trying not to fall sleep, would notice, anyway.

Failing that rock solid clear evidence... well? It's a profound sign of weakness as a nation to ask for or allow outside powers to directly stand in our election process. This is a step beyond anything I thought I would EVER see as an American in my lifetime. It ought to SCREAM what the issues are we are facing right now, too. IMHO.

The US commonly invites the OSCE to elections. As I said, lead by example. They are here for every Presidential election as far as I am aware.