Posted on 08/09/2004 12:13:06 PM PDT by truthandlife
The State Department's invitation for an Austrian human rights group to monitor this year's U.S. presidential election is a "frightening" development and "an absolute threat" to America's independence and sovereignty, according to the head of a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C.
Tom DeWeese, president of the American Policy Center, said he's especially angry that the Bush administration would reach out to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which is based in Vienna, Austria.
"Bush continues to give conservatives the rhetoric of sovereignty, independence and strength of the United States, and he continues to give the [opposite] actions," DeWeese told CNSNews.com. "It's just outrageous this administration would allow this to happen," DeWeese added.
The spokesman for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) was equally critical of the State Department's reported invitation. "It's exactly the type of entanglement that results from our continued insistence on being a member of the U.N. and having an interventionist foreign policy," said Jeff Deist, press secretary for Paul, a Republican who once ran for president as a libertarian candidate.
Paul believes that the United Nations and other international organizations are illegitimate and threaten American sovereignty.
"We're all supposed to accept this growing notion of world government ... that's obviously the opposite of sovereignty," Deist said, adding that "a lot of Americans are going to take offense" with the decision.
OSCE is "the largest regional security organization in the world with 55 participating States from Europe, Central Asia and North America," according to the group's website. "It is active in early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation" the website states.
OSCE observers will arrive in the U.S. from its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. It will be the first time such a team has been present for a U.S. presidential election, though the OSCE monitored mid-term elections in 2002, and the California gubernatorial election last year.
An official with the State Department said on background that the OSCE mission is "more of an assessment" designed to verify election results. "The OSCE-participating states all agreed, including the U.S., in 1990 to allow each other to observe elections," the official said.
However, the State Department's invitation coincides with lingering Democratic charges that George W. Bush and Florida Republicans stole the 2000 presidential race by preventing many African Americans from casting ballots. Bush's eventual 537 vote winning margin in Florida allowed him to gain the state's 25 electoral votes and the presidency.
Earlier this summer, 13 Democratic members of the U.S. House sent a letter to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, requesting that the agency monitor this year's presidential election between Bush and Democrat John Kerry.
The spokesman for Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), who was among those who signed the letter to Annan, said the State Department's invitation to the OSCE "represents a good first step."
Stuart Chapman, press secretary for Lee, said the U.S. should set an example for other countries by allowing an independent group to monitor the balloting.
"We bill ourselves as the greatest democracy, so therefore, we should have applied to our own situation what we send out and promote and claim that we are to the rest of the world," Chapman said. "There clearly was a demonstrated, systematic effort to ensure that the votes of certain people were not counted in the last election," Chapman asserted.
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Did I miss something?
Since when did the United States of America require the United Nations to VALIDATE the LEGITIMACY of a United States election - OF ANY kind!!?? - - - ping.
Since when has cold logic and facts ever stopped an emotionally-based, groundless whine from a liberal?
"Frightening" is a sissy word!
Ok Poohbah- If their presence is so trivial, why are they going to be monitoring/observing (Whatever the hell the politically correct term is today)?
If any of them see something they do not agree with, what will be the outcome?
Canada has considered Sharia law. Good place for observers- except for in Quebec. LOL
Absolutely right. This gives quasi-legitimacy to other countries, and the UN in their quest to undermine our sovereignty. Really, really bad. It's like asking a convicted felon to look over your shoulder while you're putting your valuables away in the safe. Then you wonder how the heck you got cleaned out two nights later.
It may cut down on Rat voter fraud. Emphasis on the 'may'. That would be a good thing. The down side is hugh. Not a tempest in a teapot. This will be used as a baseball bat to beat us to death over and over in the world press, at the UN, everywhere someone doesn't like us. And these days, and for the foreseeable future, as long as we're the world's sole superpower, there will be those whose only reason for getting out of bed in the morning is to see the US humiliated or destroyed. Nothing good will come of this. The RATs will dig up the dead to vote. The UN and pals will say that's fine.
Nothing. They have zero <Cartman Mode> AUTHORI-TAAY </Cartman Mode>
Yes. Unlike you, I actually read the articles about this. Only Lazamataz gets a pass on posting without reading the article.
Dont you think the Dems would have a field day if they did?
No worse than they did in 2000.
And if they are so insignificant, why are they even going to be here?
It's called "strategery." It defuses the call for "international observers" and ensures that all such observers actually come from reasonably civilized countries.
The reason they were "invited" was to make sure the same doesnt happen this election as what was thought to have happened with the previous Presidential election.
Then you really don't understand what's going on, or why. Please do one of two things: (a) get a clue, or (b) go back to your Y2K bunker and confine yourself to eating MREs.
International monitoring of European elections will be next, and the observers will be from the US. ;')
Well excuse the F**k outta me, your hein-ass -
With all due respect (which you obviously have for no one but yourself), take your condescending attitude and stick it. I attempt a civil conversation and you end it with your BS. At one time I had respect for your opinion- No more.
I stand by my interpretation of the article and will do so without a Poohbah-type holier than thou attitude.
I mean they already have California, isn't that enough?
Many of these goals have now been actually reached? Today, many many people might regretfully find some, or all, to be only too true. If it was drastically tried in the 1950's, it would have brought immediate action against the perpetrators. How did much of it (#16 thru #34) come to what it is today?
I say it was because the Communists got a "foot in the door", because of "their rights". Still, that may be debatable I will agree.
at this point I think the Bush apologists would dismiss, justify and excuse anything, and I mean ANYTHING the GOP does. It's pretty pathetic. we don't keep the GOP conservative by bowing down and conceding on every point, simply because "the dems are worse!" We all know the dems are worse. That doesn't mean you bow down to every leftist abomination that comes down the pike from the 'almighty GOP'.
Many people seem to embrace the motto 'PARTY BEFORE PRINCIPLE®'. No thanks!
Powell doesn't do things without approval from Bush.
A great number of people on this forum who are informed on the sovereignty issue and border invasion inevitably come to this exact same conclusion. People are not as gullible and naive as the paid pundits and political operatives (hacks) think.
Our founders repeatedly warned us of corruption within govt and taught us that 'patriotism' is NOT blind allegiance to a politcal party or candidate. I will post some of these quotes, if anyone is interested.
amen to that!
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