Reality-based election fraud?

One problem with holding Thanksgiving so close to the elections is that people who disagree with each other are forced to gather together and do things like eat turkey, or at the very least call distant relatives on the phone — in a process that inevitably seems to invite the creeping in of political discussions.
Which means I have to hear heated abuses of logic, and yesterday it was coming from Kerry supporters.
Right now there is a BIG abuse of logic going on, and for some reason it’s being kept out of MSM (and even off the editorial pages of most newspapers). For the most part, in reponsible circles this is limited to an aroma of innuendo, but the hardcore are already starting to scream. They are pissed because there’s a big stink about the Ukrainian election, but for some reason, the “BIG MEDIA” are ignoring the OBVIOUS parallel to our own recent election. In their minds, evidence of election fraud and chicanery in the Ukraine points to election fraud here.
In logic, of course, Ukrainian election fraud no more equals American election fraud than would election fraud in Uganda, but the human love of mythology (which drives most unfounded conspiracy claims) has very little to do with logic. Human nature being what it is, if people dislike a set of facts, they’ll look for a way to deny them. Even the most scanty evidence will do.
As I pointed out previously, I think the Kerry supporters are grieving, and and in such a state it is as natural to cling to any form of denial available — in much the same way that the family of someone who is dying grasps at the slimmest hopes, while death itself can often cause the most hardened (and reality-based?) atheists to develop heretical ideas about spirituality.
The obvious problem with the Ukrainian situation is that it’s too close to our own election, and it invites denial-based speculation.
While the conspiracy sites I listed here are desperately soliciting funds, so far, the biggest reality-based sites aren’t directly stoking this connection, but their surrogates [I guess “Hecate” is that] are already dangling hints like this:

Sounds as if they take election fraud seriously in Ukraine.
Interesting discussion concerning whether any position of power is worth a single human life. Too bad Lame Duckie [Bush] made exactly the wrong decision on this issue. In fact, his seizure of power has been based on the expenditure of human lives, both American and foreign. I believe we call people like that sociopaths.

Actually, that was Wednesday. As of today, things are heating up! Election fraud is such a bad thing that even if it can’t be proven, well, it’s time for a reality-based Christmas shopping boycott:

All I Want for Xmas Is Fair and Verifiable Elections
…Watching what?s been happening in Ukraine, I wonder why Americans haven?t taken to the streets, as well.
….I don?t know for sure if this last election was stolen, although I know what my gut tells me. This study certainly gives me pause. However, the point of this thread isn?t to restart the why-did-Kerry-concede-why-isn?t-Atrios-screaming-about-Diebold debate. Here?s what I do know for sure and think everyone can agree upon: it?s important for all Americans, including those whose candidate didn?t prevail, to be able to have faith that our elections are carried out fairly and honestly. And the current situation doesn?t allow us to have that faith. Instead, what we have is a patchwork of fallible systems that appears designed more for the purpose of allowing skullduggery than for the purpose of ensuring fair elections. And that, I believe, is worth an economic protest.

So it’s boycott, boycott, boycott! Till what? Till Kerry wins? Till Atrios advertisers get enough Christmas money for a recount?
Not quite. The stated purpose is something else:

until this country has a system in place that ensures fair and verifiable elections.

That ought to bring the heartless capitalist pigs and of course, Mr. “Lame Duckie” to their knees!
I’m looking for reality, but I’m just not seeing it in Atrios’s call for a boycott. I hope the American boycott isn’t based on Ukrainian reality, because that would undermine Ukrainian freedom.
And cheapen reality.
UPDATE: What the hell is wrong with Daily Kos, anyway? At least on the blog’s main page, there’s no tie-in between Ukrainian election fraud, and Bush’s stealing of the election. No boycott. Nothing. Are they trying to be responsible or something? (I must be looking for reality in all the wrong places!)


Posted

in

by

Tags:

Comments

5 responses to “Reality-based election fraud?”

  1. bink Avatar

    Eric, I don’t know about the tie-in issue that you are mentioning, but do check out the latest in the series of Daily Kos diaries by a contributor there who has been tracking developments very closely. Election maps, blow-by-blow accounts of demonstrations and Ukrainian media watch, etc. Click my name.

  2. Steven Malcolm Anderson (Cato theElder) the Lesbian-worshipping man's-man-admiring myth-based egoist Avatar

    Back to the anti-reality-based anti-community: The latest controversy: Did Wanda scientifically prove that Nietzsche was right — or did Dawn theologically prove that Nietzsche is a God?

  3. Eric Scheie Avatar

    Bink, I guess that was a strange way of doing it, but I meant what I said as a compliment of Daily Kos — and I should have made clear that they were covering the Ukrainian situation WITHOUT analogizing to our election. (Good coverage too!)
    Steven, I prefer your mythology to “reality!”

  4. Portia Avatar
    Portia

    Steve,
    I have proven to my complete satisfaction that Nietzsche is STILL dead.
    Eric, thank you for the post.
    P.