How cheap can you get? Some have given lives to preserve the voting rights of Americans, some give out packs of cigarettes and bags of pork rinds to get those votes. The report is here, about a special prosecutor's raid and search of the homes of a mayor, a councilman and his family and the acting police chief in the town of Appalachia. Allegations of fraud in the 2004 election include "buying" votes for beer, smokes, bags of pork rinds, as well as tampering with absentee ballots.
Nationally, it takes cash to get the political muscled needed to win in something like, say a presidential primary. Sen. Bill Frist has been expending the $3.5 million he raised in a single year to gather support in Iowa, where the first of the nation's presidential caucus race begins. $2000 went to the grandson of Sen, Charles Grassley, Pat who is running for state office, more to others seeking office in Iowa, as well as some to the Iowa GOP. $3.5 million will buy a buttload of pork rinds.
How sad we Americans are when we can be bought off with the deep fried salted skin of a swine. Is that what they mean by 'pork barrel politics'? Beer? Cigarettes? Who wouldn't want those items. Personally, I'm holding out for the politico that will buy my votes with petrol!
ReplyDeleteWhy not trade it for something since voting seems like spitting into the wind anyway. The only choices on the tickets are between bad and bad. Plus it seems Americans can't count the votes once they are collected. So one might as well sell a useless item for one that has some worth like smokes, skins and beer...yummy.
ReplyDeleteOops there I go being a defeatist. Perhaps I am jelous no one ever offers me a free beer to vote in their direction.
I'm not being swayed until I get the t-shirt!
ReplyDelete