The Key Difference

As best I can tell the absolute difference between Democrats and Republicans in this election is voting--Democrats seem to believe it to be something that should happen. Republicans less convinced.

See: "Bush administration lawyers argued in three closely contested states last week that only the Justice Department, and not voters themselves, may sue to enforce the voting rights set out in the Help America Vote Act, which was passed in the aftermath of the disputed 2000 election." To recap the only person who is allowed to protect Americans' right to vote is John Ashcroft. Sweet. Because you know his defense of our other freedoms and rights has been so stellar thus far.

But it's not just that Democrats might whine. Nope, they're more dastardly than that--they actually try to vote--and in so doing slow down Patriotic Bush voters.

Again: "Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie said supporters of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry are clogging voting locations and attempting to dissuade backers of President Bush."

To recap, how dare Democrats try to vote, and to express a preference for their elected leader. It's bad enough that they want to vote for Kerry, but to talk about wanting to vote for Kerry--that's over the line.

But it's nothing compared to this:


or this:

When Catherine Herold received mail from the Ohio Republican Party earlier this year, she refused it. The longtime Barberton Democrat wanted no part of the mailing and figured that by refusing it, the GOP would have to pay the return postage.What she didn't count on was the returned mail being used to challenge the validity of her voter registration.Herold,who is assistant to the senior vice president and provost at the University of Akron,was one of 976 Summit County voters whose registrations were challenged last week by local Republicans on behalf of the state party.
...
The challengers, all older longtime Republicans -- Barbara Miller, Howard Calhoun, Madge Doerler and Louis Wray -- were subpoenaed by the elections board and were present at the hearings. Akron attorney Jack Morrison, a Republican, volunteered to represent the four.

Democratic board member Russ Pry suggested that the four could be subject to criminal prosecution for essentially making false claims on the challenge forms. The form states that making a false claim is subject to prosecution as a fifth-degree felony.

...The angry voters had the Republicans on the defensive.

``Why'd you do it?'' one challenged voter shouted out at Calhoun. ``Who the hell are you?'' the man asked.

``What the hell do you care?'' replied Calhoun, an attorney.

Stolen from Atrios