This is ridiculous and should be illegal. Isn't there some laws on the books that the only people allowed at a polling place are the voters and official personnel? If not there should be. I can understand exit polling and all of that, but commercial ventures? Some people have a hard enough time getting off their ass to vote, now they may have to deal with a camera being shoved in their face or someone intimidating them? And before any of you liberals attack me I'd say the same thing if it were some asshole Conservative/Republican doing the same thing.
Yahoo/Ap
Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore plans to have hundreds of cameras outside polling places in Ohio and Florida on Election Day to watch for attempts to suppress voter turnout.
... a total of 1,200 professional and nonprofessional cameramen, filmmakers and videographers will bring their cameras to polling places in the two presidential battleground states, especially in minority communities.
Tipped by: Michelle Malkin who says
That's on top of the 100 or so U.N. monitors who will be elbowing their way into polling places across 20 states, including Florida; 10,000 Democrat lawyers; 3,600 GOP observers in Ohio; and 1,090 Justice Department enforcement monitors.
Bush-haters + Moore-haters + European nosybodies + Democrat paranoiacs + Republican crusaders + FBI agents + 24/7 media coverage + computer glitches + ballot confusion + fear of possible election-day terrorist attacks
If this isn't a recipe for trouble, I don't know what is.
Read her article for more links and commentary.
Other Commentary:
Say Anything
The American Mind
Digger: Here in California we have what is known as the Brown Act, which governs the way in which public meetings are handled. It is a complex act, and I do not know if it relates to polling places, but the reason I mention it is because it specifically mentions the videotaping of public meetings as allowable as long as it does not interfere with the proceedings. So, it remains to be seen what Florida and Ohio have that might restrict this, or, I would imagine, it would be open to a judge's interpretation of interference (not being a lawyer, I would refer you to the admin of Calblog, to whom, by the way, I referred your e-mail asking how to join the Bear Flag League). There is also very specific legislation governing polling places and I imagine these differ somewhat from state to state. Some references: http://www.vanguardnews.com/brownact.htm#penalty
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cacodes/elec.html
The first is the Brown Act, the second, the California elections code. Good luck with BFL, hope you are a new member soon!
Mark
Posted by: Mark D. Firestone on October 31, 2004 06:43 AM
I don't mind that the polling places will have cameras, that will keep people honest.
Of course, I am bothered that the scumbag MM will most like manipulate any findings with his legendary editing.
Posted by: Gordon on October 31, 2004 11:55 AM
Considering the reports coming out of Ohio, Florida, Milwaukee and other places ... I think there should be cameras recording everything that goes on during November 2nd.
Though, I do believe it would be best done if the cameras were the small kind set up towards the ceilings, set at every angle. Cameramen and such would be distracting, in my opinion.
Posted by: Rogue on October 31, 2004 09:22 PM
What pisses me off is he (Moore) makes these films to make people understand how bad the government parties are but we know the real reason he makes these films. To make him wealthy or he would just put these films on a cable station so everyone would see them for free. He's just lining his own pockets. I wouldn't watch his film for a penny and hope the rest of you wont be fooled to buy his video... total waste of air.
Go VOTE tomorrow and vote the way you want, just VOTE. YOU CAN'T JUDGE THE PRESIDENT TIL YOU HAVE WALKED IN HIS SHOES...
Posted by: Linda on November 1, 2004 09:09 PM
