# That's a shitty thing for MoveOn.org to do **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 2, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496 "2004-11-02T04:28:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/21 "2004-11-02T07:11:14Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > That’d be more a ‘touch of insanity’. What’s next, pitting the Red Sox because they didn’t let the Cardinals hit a few more home runs? :smack: That’s it, tomorrow I’m driving around in my car and running over pedestrians with Bush/Cheney stickers. No law is too big to break for _this_ election. It’s _that important_. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/22 "2004-11-02T07:19:32Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > I guess after Kerry wins tomorrow we can go ahead and start locking up American citizens for all sorts of unsupported accusations of un-American activity, because, hey, the Pubbies did it too, right? … Oh well, I can go on hating politicians and the shallow little one-minded fucks that love to give the old Heil to their party as long as that party can keep winning on Wednesday-Fucking-Morning. Dude. Dial back the rage a little bit. It’s going to be a long haul between now and Inaugaration Day You want to give your Bush-voting neighbor a ride? You’re a peach. I’d likely do the same thing, but only because he’s my neighbor. But I don’t feel obligated to drive through some gated community picking up Republicans so they can punch their ballots. I’ll let a GOP group do that. More power to 'em. And if MoveOn wants to identify folks who’ll vote for Kerry and make it easier for them to vote, I don’t see anything wrong with that. There’s plenty of real atrocities to get exercised about. Pick one of those. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/23 "2004-11-02T07:21:02Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > That’s it, tomorrow I’m driving around in my car and running over pedestrians with Bush/Cheney stickers… Do many pedestrians have bumper stickers where you come from? Is J Lo from there? ---
**Author:** ![New\_Yorklebees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a5b964/32.png) [@New\_Yorklebees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Yorklebees)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/24 "2004-11-02T07:34:05Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I think the verb “drive” was being used in the sense of: > > - to exert inescapable or coercive pressure on > - to press or force into an activity, course, or direction > > I don’t think **gobear** was referring to the actual act of putting Republicans in the car and driving them to the polling place. > > If i’m wrong, then i agree that it was a pretty stupid thing to say. Well, he did say they were organizing carpools. I suppose driving is a fair enough assumption to make. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/25 "2004-11-02T07:42:55Z")
> [@](#): > > **threemae** : And yeah, I’d give a neighbor a ride to a poll, even if they wanted to vote for Bush. If I had planned to volunteer for [Moveon.org](http://Moveon.org) in the afternoon, I would be very happy to give a ride to _anyone_ who wants to go vote _during the morning hours_. But that afternoon, my time would be devoted to getting out the vote for my candidate. I would be honest enough that if a Republican requested that I pick her or him up, I would give that person a number to call to get a ride. But I would want to remain on call for any Kerry supporter who needed transportation. I don’t see anything unfair about that and I don’t think that it is unfair when Republicans do it. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/26 "2004-11-02T07:50:28Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > So, you think that what that Republican did with the voter registrations is cool? His group never hid their affiliations any more so than [MoveOn.org](http://MoveOn.org). You got a cite for that? 'cause last I heard, the Republican registration folks in your first example _did_ pose as a non-partisan group. ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/27 "2004-11-02T08:09:29Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Never said they did. I was making a general point. Crazy me, thinking your remarks were related to the topic of the thread. Who are these groups you are referring to then? There’s a good chance they’re violating some laws. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/28 "2004-11-02T11:00:59Z")
Here in Illinois, it is illegal for a deputy voter registrar to only offer forms to those voting a certain way. It is also illegal to wear clothing or post signs on or near the registration that advocates one party or candidate over another. It is a deputy voter registrar’s duty to register any who asks register to vote. ---
**Author:** ![ShockingAlberto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ea924/32.png) [@ShockingAlberto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShockingAlberto)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/29 "2004-11-02T11:19:10Z")
I fail to see what the big deal is. [MoveOn.org](http://MoveOn.org) isn’t stopping you from registering to vote. It is, however, stopping you from registering to vote with them. Much like I wouldn’t go to, say, Christians for the Unification of Church and State to register my vote, I don’t see why anyone is crying that their cup of milk is slightly different. Let me put it this way. If my basketball team is playing against another team, just because we’re sharing a court doesn’t mean it’s a good idea for me to go sit on _their_ bench. I’m not automatically entitled to drink from their drinks simply because it’s closer than my team’s drinks or bench or whatever. The process is adversarial. Hell, I’m only eighteen and I know that. Anyone complaining either holds high ideals (which is noble, in a way) that have little basis in reality or they’re complaining because it’s [MoveOn.org](http://MoveOn.org). ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/30 "2004-11-02T11:54:14Z")
Are you complaining because MoveOn doesn’t have a different mission? Their mission is to get out the vote for Kerry. They don’t need to spend the resources on Republicans. That’s not their mission. The complaint against Republicans is that they lied. They told libraries, schools, etc., that they were a nonpartisan get-out-the-vote group to get access to public space. Then they promptly registered only those people wanting to vote Republican. MoveOn did not lie about their motives to get access to anything. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/31 "2004-11-02T12:02:32Z")
It is the responsibility of each voter individually to get registered and go to the polling place. If a group is helping some voters get signed up, that’s not stopping a single person from getting registered. If a group helps some voters get to the polls, that’s not stopping anyone else either. If I’m in a battleground state, in a close election like this one, I’m not interested in helping my opponent get votes, they can do that themselves. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/32 "2004-11-02T12:09:51Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I don’t think **gobear** was referring to the actual act of putting Republicans in the car and driving them to the polling place. > > If i’m wrong, then i agree that it was a pretty stupid thing to say. Their putative goal was not explicitly to get Bush out of office, but to increase general participation in the process. If they are in fact merely a Democrat propaganda machine, then I retract my statement. But to my more general sentiment, yes, I think it would be a _mitzvah_ to drive an elderly neighbor to the polls, even if he or she were to vote for Dubya. Democracy only works if we all participate, even if your guy loses. Yours, Gobear (voting for Kerry) ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/33 "2004-11-02T12:23:51Z")
I am no fan of [MoveOn.Org](http://MoveOn.Org)… but they have no obligation to drive anyone anywhere. If they want to drive only Kerry supporters to the polls, more power to them. Now, I can tell you that this evening, I am driving my mother (blind) and her three blind friends to the polls. (I voted this morning at 6:10 AM). My mom is, I’m pretty sure, voting Bush, and all three of her friends are, I’m pretty sure, Kerry supporters. I’m also checking with our neighbor across the street, who may or may not need a ride due to his recent surgery. I know he’s a Kerry supporter, based on the two signs in his yard, but I’m happy to drive him to the polls too, because that’s what neighbors do. But while it would be very noble of MoveOn to undertake that kind of role, they have limited resources and an agenda to fulfill. There’s absolutely zero requirement that they do anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/34 "2004-11-02T12:26:37Z")
[hijack] **Gobear** : I don’t remember what thread we had this discussion in, but this morning when I voted, I was asked for ID, the woman looked up my name, entered a sequential number next to it that she got from her partner, and then announced in a loud voice, “[Bricker’s Full Name] is ready to vote.” We had discussed whether, in Virginia, they announce names of voters, and I had said that in past elections, they have. They did the same thing today. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/35 "2004-11-02T12:41:19Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] I am no fan of [MoveOn.Org](http://MoveOn.Org)… but they have no obligation to drive anyone anywhere. If they want to drive only Kerry supporters to the polls, more power to them. [QUOTE] As I said, i weas under the impression that they wanted to increase general participation in the process. If they were only an anti-Bush group, then as i said, I retract my statement. And if **Mhendo** and **Otto** consider me stupid for revering the principle of popular participation in the selection of their government over partisan victory, then I wear that label with honor. **Bricker** , I shall keep my ears peeled this morning, and if the sweet little old ladies at the desk announce, “Gobear’s up in here to th’ow down, bizzitches,” then I shall certainly let you know. Yours, Gobear (who can taste that bottle of wine already) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/36 "2004-11-02T13:02:20Z")
There would be something sleazy if [moveon.org](http://moveon.org) or any other group was saying it didn’t care how people voted, only that they exercised their right to vote - and then brushed off the other side when handing out assistance. But I don’t see anyone presenting evidence of that. Believing in a cause and doing your utmost to get out sympathetic voters is entirely justifiable and proper. \Jackmannii\, who will make his second attempt to vote this evening (you wouldn’t believe the early morning lines at my polling place). [Yoko] “Battleground state, battleground state We all live in a battleground state.” [/Yoko] ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/37 "2004-11-02T13:19:19Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > And if **Mhendo** and **Otto** consider me stupid for revering the principle of popular participation in the selection of their government over partisan victory, then I wear that label with honor. Yeah, that’s what they were saying. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/38 "2004-11-02T13:27:54Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > \Jackmannii\, who will make his second attempt to vote this evening (you wouldn’t believe the early morning lines at my polling place). Psssssst. Dude, don’t fucking \*tell \*people you’re voting twice. That’s still illegal, unless you live in Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/39 "2004-11-02T13:31:50Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally Posted by gobear_ Yes, they do. Getting out the vote only means something if you encourage all Americans to vote, not just your side. > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by danceswithcats\*Thank you gobear. On this point, you and I fully agree. Me three. And I would certainly give anyone who needs it a ride to the polls, regardless of which way they intend to vote. It wouldn’t ocurr to me to do otherwise. Among my earliest memories is watching my parents go over their sample ballots the day before Election Day. They would carefully discuss each candidate and proposition. Often, they would agree; other times, disagree. Didn’t matter – off they would go together to cast their votes, even if they cancelled each other out. Once we kids were old enough to vote, we’d do the same. Sometimes there were lively discussions with one of us trying to convince the others to change their votes – but there was NEVER any ugliness or insult. Once I was married, I brought my husband over to my family’s methods – his parents always voted directly from the sample ballot sent them by their unions, so the only political discussion he was used to in his family was drunken argument between his dad and his uncles. My son turned 18 in July. Last night we went over our sample ballots and discussed them. Nick made it clear that he is voting differently than us on 3 out of four issues. We’re still taking him to the polls with us – and proudly. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496/40 "2004-11-02T13:36:42Z")
> [@Jess](#): > > My son turned 18 in July. Last night we went over our sample ballots and discussed them. Nick made it clear that he is voting differently than us on 3 out of four issues. We’re still taking him to the polls with us – and proudly. And then taking away his car, and asking him how he plans to pay for his own college education, right? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-a-shitty-thing-for-moveon-org-to-do/272496.md?page=3)