Swinging For The Fences

Maybe its just me, but I think the key to a good political ribbing or attack is subtlety...and the new press release from the TNDP is anything but subtle:

"Mr. Hargett's refusal to do the job he was sworn to do appears to be part of a nefarious Republican strategy to stand in the way of secure and verifiable elections in Tennessee.

"We deserve better. Mr. Hargett needs to go. That's why I'm calling on the General Assembly to remove him from office."

And...

"It's all beginning to look like an organized effort by the Republican Party to steal elections here in Tennessee."

And...

"It's obvious to me that Republicans are involved in a conspiracy to steal elections through intimidation, fraud, and denial of basic constitutional rights. This kind of behavior has to end. Hargett must go," Forrester concluded.

Look, I wasn't a big fan of Hargett being tapped to be the Secretary of State, but isn't this a bit overboard? I understand that a lot of people think paper ballots (you know, the things used in the Iranian election and Florida circa 2000) are the only thing standing in the way of the death of our Representative Democracy, but before making a lot of accusations, could we have a little bit of evidence first?

The main argument, not addressed in the press release, is that there isn't equipment available that meets the standards outlined in the new law. If there is that equipment available, wouldn't it be better to list a manufacturer's name, so that you could prove him wrong, rather than release a hyperbolic tirade with seemingly outlandish claims with very little to back them up?

Look, I'm sorry, I think the GOP is as evil as the next guy, but we are talking about the same equipment used in the last couple elections. The notion that the GOP (via the SOS) is involved in a massive conspiracy between 95 county election commissions to commit felonious election fraud is not backed up as of yet by any real evidence.