Do you think the 2012 presidential election is being rigged in Romney's favor before voting takes place in November?

Who had the power and ability to rig the elections and get away with it?

Waiting for a replay of the Bush/Gore Election.

I'm hoping that America isn't stupid enough to elect a douchebag like Romney.

The right has stolen two elections already, they are and will try it again.

The Republicans have long known that the only way they can win an election is by suppressing as many legal voters as they can and manipulating those votes that do get cast. They haven't actually won a Presidential election since 1988, and with Mitt essentially running for Bush's third term it seems like they're not even making an effort to win fairly.

I am pretty sure it's being rigged I just don't know yet whether it's in Romney's favor or Obama's. We will see in November I suppose.

Doesn't it strike you as a little curious that all of the voter suppression efforts all across the nation are targeted at traditionally democratic sectors of our population - students, the elderly, the disabled, the poor, minorities? If anyone were trying to rig the election for the President, wouldn't they be trying to disenfranchise rich white folks?

sorry I'm against you on the 'voter suppression' issue. I think it's being unfairly linked to that considering democrats are USUALLY minorities, the poor and disabled. Names on the voter registration lists need to be checked to make sure they are accurate. I highly doubt not one name questioned was republican. That is just too far fetched to believe.

Personally, PP, I think the whole system needs to come crashing down and start over the jenga game from scratch.

I don't entirely disagree with your last statement. The average voter today has no way of being confident that his or her vote is actually going to be counted. I believe that paper ballots, or at least electronic voting with paper receipts, should be mandatory. I also think it's ridiculous that we call ourselves the world's greatest democracy yet it is harder to register to vote here than it is in most countries. I think when someone is born here, or when they are naturalized as a citizen they should be automatically registered to vote (of course, once they turn 18 years old), and in all honesty I don't see any strong need to deprive felons of their right to vote once they leave prison. I think we should also look at the Australian model where voting itself is mandatory - if you don't vote you have to pay a fine. They have about a 98% turnout, whereas we rarely get much more than half the registered voters to vote.

but do they know who they are voting for more so then we do here? Our voting system has become nothing more than a popularity contest that was decided before they took the stage. We are not in control of the election process, no more than we are in control of which laws are put in place.

Wouldn't doubt it.

For god's sake no! Why do people keep whining about this? Besides, even with rigging the election, Mittbama doesn't stand a chance.

Attempts are being made. Hopefully they will not succeed. Florida, Ohio, two states that are trying to rig the election.

There isn't enough "rigging" available in the world to elect a guy with no personality, wearing magic underwear, carrying more baggage than a prospector's mule, and wearing "flip flop" sandals, to the office of POTUS. Even the Saudi Prince and Rupert Murdoch don't have enough propagandists on their payroll to make this guy a credible candidate.

He's trying to rig the election while Florida, Texas, and other states try to keep minorities out of the polls, but I don't think he'll succeed. Obama all the way 2012!

Probably true, but what does that mean in the big picture? Mitten will almost surely carry Texas, Florida, Alabama, etc., those states still fighting the Civil War and racial issues, and several of the mid west where the religious wingnuts have control, although his magic underwear will weigh heavily on the voters there.

The President will still be elected by the votes in the Electoral College where California, New York, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and other states with independent and educated voters will carry the day for Obama.

Oh, there's no disputing that. The other night, Ed Schultz explained that assuming Obama won all the left-leaning states, the only swing state he'd need to win is Florida and the election is his. While he may lose a couple of the states Obama won the last time like Indiana and maybe North Carolina, Barack Obama is the incumbent which means he'll be even harder to defeat.

Both parties do everything they can, to control the government, thus they can reward their friends and thus line their own pockets. So long as Obama continues to try running on his current achievements (or lack there of) and blame his failings on someone else, he's guaranteed to loose this election. There are a few social aspects of the Democrats that I agree with, and some financial aspects of the Republicans that I agree with. Yet neither party is worthy of my vote. Like the cartoon, choosing a political leader is like trying to decide which venereal disease you want to be infected with.

Because if I believed that then I'd have to believe that Obama got elected the same way.

The fact that one side engages in illegal activity does not mean that "both sides do it."

Are you sure? For all we know, every presidential election for the past 200 years may have been fixed.

I don't pretend to know everything that goes on in our elections, but I do know that when Democrats win the exit polls tend to be consistent with the results, but often when Republicans win the exit polls are totally different - for instance, in Wisconsin last week the polls all had it as neck and neck, and all of the "experts" said that the more people that turned out the better it looked for Barrett. So when we hear that there were so many people showing up to vote that they ran out of forms, and that they had to keep the polls open late because the lines were so long, and then they called the race for Walker five minutes after the polls closed and he won by 8 points, it makes me think that the vote totals that were released were not accurate. Look at Florida 2000. The exit polls all had it for Gore, and the networks even called the race for Gore at first. We know now that had every legal vote been counted Gore would have won going away.

I believe it is essential for both parties to insist that paper ballots be used in all elections. I want to know that my vote was properly recorded, and I'm sure you do too.

Read Greg Palast "the best Democracy Money Can Buy" for not only proof of election fraud by the right, but proof that Kerry and Gore won and that Obama only won because of a huge amount of votes

And Double NO I think it is more likely to be rigged in Obamas favor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

Yes, of course. That must be why all of the voter suppression efforts are targeted at blacks, hispanics, students, the elderly and the poor. We all know how much those groups support Republicans, right?

I agree

It's the only way for Obama to get re-elected.

It's very possible and if they can get away with it they'll try. Fortunately I believe the laws of the universe will cause their scheme somehow, someway to backfire in their right wing crooked mugs.

There is far too much voter suppression going on, and far too many Fascists agreeing with it!

I was reading an article the other day that the machines that are being used overheat & lose votes (or even change votes from one candidate to another) as a result of the overheating problem. I don't trust these machines. As far as I'm concerned, knowing what I know now, my congressional district more than likely ended up with the tea gagger winning in 2010 because of the new machines in NY.

We MUST insist on paper ballots, or at least electronic voting with paper receipts. If I do not have proof that my vote was properly counted then how can I call this a democracy?

I agree PP. You better believe I'll be using my cell phone to take a picture of my completed ballot. Do you think we should flood the NYS Legislature with our concerns? We've gotta have our concerns addressed ASAP. The race we had in my congressional district between Maffei & Burkle was too close for comfort. All polling data prior to the election had Maffei easily winning.

I agree, although asking the NY Legislature to do anything is a tough road. My guess is that they are going to be focusing on Gillibrand. Her opponent is a nutjob, but they are desperate to take control of the Senate.

I know & I totally support Gillibrand. She's been a real fighter for our state. Did you hear about the high tech computer chip factory near Albany? These are good, high paying jobs that will be a great boon for our state's economy.

Rick Scott hasn't got the class to hide the votes like Jeb Bush. He just takes them off the rolls. It's amazing how he stays out of jail.

I know Bob. He got ZERO jail time for the Medicare fraud his company committed. Whoever says that crime doesn't pay hasn't paid attention to how these white collar criminals get away with their mess.

Romneys Medical testing co did the same thing in MA while he was COB,

Oh my goodness, I didn't know about that.

Hi Guru, His medical testing firm was eventually sold, after the state brought a multi-million dollar action against it for fraud and decption, as i understand it, he then resigned from BOD and sold the company along with the pending suit. The fraud was in the millions of dallars for trumped up blood testing. Co. was found guilt and as i understand it the fine was the highest paid to date in the state, but the new owners assumed the liability. The fact is the infractions were while he was actively engaged as Chairman of the board of directors. Clearly the actions of an economic pirate IMO. You should be able to google something. regards

Why that dirty rotten snake in the grass. The previous board of directors should have been held responsible to pay those monies. This information should be out there for the entire world to see.