# The (Smedley) Butler Did It! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [November 18, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smedley-butler-did-it/331670 "2005-11-18T18:10:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smedley-butler-did-it/331670/1 "2005-11-18T18:10:11Z")
[Oh, Smedley: Was there really a fascist plot ito overthrow the United States government?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/051118.html) If some people are to be believed, we’ve been under a dictatorship for some time now and all this election business is a scam. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smedley-butler-did-it/331670/2 "2005-11-18T19:40:30Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > [Oh, Smedley: Was there really a fascist plot ito overthrow the United States government?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/051118.html) > > If some people are to be believed, we’ve been under a dictatorship for some time now and all this election business is a scam. There’s PLENTY of evidence that the '04 election was rigged, Lute. Lots of people, me included, buy it. If you heard the same litany of evidence about some tin-pot Third World nation – election just HAPPENS to boil down to vote in state where candidates BROTHER is governor, with widespread allegations of vote-rigging before (ChoicePoint) during (hanging chads) and AFTER the election (Supreme Court votes to select Bush, dividing along party lines) you’d be DAMNED suspicious. Or maybe you’re really credulous, I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![Humble\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/47e85d/32.png) [@Humble\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Humble_Servant)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smedley-butler-did-it/331670/3 "2005-11-18T19:50:52Z")
> [@Cecil](#): > > Look at the bridge club’s worth of geniuses who got us into Iraq. So, Cecil, you old fart (and I mean that in the nicest possible way), how many tables do you play? Oh good. On preview I see that this is a political thread. Silly me. I just wanna talk about cards. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smedley-butler-did-it/331670/4 "2005-11-18T20:39:23Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > There’s PLENTY of evidence that the '04 election was rigged, Lute. Lots of people, me included, buy it. If you heard the same litany of evidence about some tin-pot Third World nation – election just HAPPENS to boil down to vote in state where candidates BROTHER is governor, with widespread allegations of vote-rigging before (ChoicePoint) during (hanging chads) and AFTER the election (Supreme Court votes to select Bush, dividing along party lines) you’d be DAMNED suspicious. Or maybe you’re really credulous, I dunno. You can’t even keep your elections straight. :smack: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smedley-butler-did-it/331670/5 "2005-11-18T20:55:46Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > You can’t even keep your elections straight. :smack: :rolleyes: You’re right. Meant to say 2000 election. I’ll do the :smack: :smack: :smack: around here, thank you very much! ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smedley-butler-did-it/331670/6 "2005-11-18T21:02:25Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > There’s PLENTY of evidence that the '04 election was rigged, Lute. Lots of people, me included, buy it. If you heard the same litany of evidence about some tin-pot Third World nation – election just HAPPENS to boil down to vote in state where candidates BROTHER is governor, with widespread allegations of vote-rigging before (ChoicePoint) during (hanging chads) and AFTER the election (Supreme Court votes to select Bush, dividing along party lines) you’d be DAMNED suspicious. Or maybe you’re really credulous, I dunno. What you’re describing sounds like the '00 election, not '04. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smedley-butler-did-it/331670/7 "2005-11-18T22:12:31Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > There’s PLENTY of evidence that the '04 election was rigged, Lute. Lots of people, me included, buy it. If you heard the same litany of evidence about some tin-pot Third World nation – election just HAPPENS to boil down to vote in state where candidates BROTHER is governor, with widespread allegations of vote-rigging before (ChoicePoint) during (hanging chads) and AFTER the election (Supreme Court votes to select Bush, dividing along party lines) you’d be DAMNED suspicious. Or maybe you’re really credulous, I dunno. That’s only part of it. I was referring to those who believe that there are secret societies (i.e. the [Bilderbergers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilderberg) and/or [Bohemian Club](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_grove)) controlling everything, ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smedley-butler-did-it/331670/8 "2005-11-18T22:47:24Z")
Not to mention those who believe that our current administration is a front for Halliburton. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smedley-butler-did-it/331670/9 "2005-11-19T01:17:46Z")
This really isn’t the forum for debating the 2000 or 2004 elections, so I’ll close this thread. Those wishing to comment on Cecil’s column about Smedley Butler and the supposed 1930s plot against FDR are invited to start a new thread in this forum. bibliophage moderator CCC