Bill Cullen wrote: > Rep. Kahn stole literature hoping to change the outcome of an election. If > trying to squelch the voice of your opposition is not serious, then do we > think Putin trying to control the Russian media is a minor infraction too? > > While the scale is very different, the purpose (gaining power) is the same. > I am surprised we aren't uniformly angry.
Most politicians are gaming or are attempting to game the system to gain power. Where's the outrage?
Stealing 100, or one thousand, pieces of literature has less than an infintesimal chance of changing the election. That's why the crime Kahn was charged with is a misdemeanor, not a felony -- unlike, say, attempting to prevent entire classes of people from voting or keeping entire political parties off the ballot.
Kahn was not trying "squelch the voice of" the opposition; that's over the top. The opposition still has 99.9% of its literature in the hands they placed it, they still have 100% of their media ads, 100% of the supporters vocally complaining, etc. ad nauseum. Hardly squelched, not even toned down.
Lifting literature alter an election? A windy evening probably "liberates" more literature than all party partisans out there combined who steal it. I'm constantly finding it in my garden and bushes, for instance, like the litter it is.
It's a tempest in a teapot. Virtually everyone making a mountain out of this mole hill has some ax to grind with Kahn, or with someone they can attempt to paint with her crime, for example, the DFL. Otherwise but a few of those vocal people would be saying a thing.
Let's focus on the real, bigger issues. Let's keep an eye on the people trying to buy, sell and alter elections wholesale. I'd be more worried about Kahn's attempts to quash any third party -- if that's true; I've only read the allegations here. I'm far more worried about Republican-hack Kiffmeyer doing everything she can dream up to keep the poor, people of color, recently moved, less educated and anything that resembles a class of people that typically votes heavily Democrat (e.g. citizens of Minneapolis) from having access to the polls and the vote.
Chris Johnson - Fulton
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