Jack & Jill Politics

Please bring that entry about the republicans targeting ACORN and Senator Obama and "voter fraud" back if you can.

I think it's a really important issue. Hugely important. I was freaked to hear the talking points from Mr Wall Street Journal Republican Talking Points on NPR yesterday. It was ugly.

Then I saw this entry that has disappeared.

I see tendrils and planks of this strategy well beyond the election.

It's a trap that has been laid on many levels.

Example: I live in Arizona. In 2004 the anti-immigrant people put Prop 200 on the ballot, that had two pieces, one about voting. Made it harder to register and cast votes. We fought it. It passed. Other states have followed suit.

They had a bogeyman in this: the claim that undocumented people were practicing voter fraud. It was ridiculous on so many levels but given the coded-white-nationalism of the anti-immigrant movement, it worked.

Underlying message to/from white people goes something like this: "Brown people are taking over, brown people are stealing our stuff, brown people are trying to get control of our government." Bogeyman.

And now Senator Obama is running for President.

So when I heard the guy on NPR yesterday nattering on about ACORN and voter fraud, then saw the entry that isn't up anymore here, my stomach dropped.

Anyone who thinks that the anti-immigrant fervor isn't going to play into this election well beyond any immigration issues I don't think is paying attention.

And in general: yes yes I think that the Republicans are going to build on this energy, claiming to be protecting Americans from too many people voting, covering it under all sorts of things. It scares me.

Let me just say, while we're waiting on tomorrow's open thread, that Barack Obama brings up the intelligence level of Bill O'Reilly. The guy's still a dick, but Obama forces him out of the weasel word crap. And, frankly, O'Reilly is sorta giving Obama a few pointers on direct debate that Obama desperately needs to take on McCain.