This is my first-ever diary, so please forgive any rookie mistakes that I may make. (They will most likely be numerous). Well, i've just been over to the frequently hillary-bubble world of mydd where a diarist has uncovered some possible links between Jerome Armstrong and Women's Voices Women's Vote. You can check out the diary and accompanying raging debate here: http://www.mydd.com/...
Apparently, Jerome's firm WebStrong has been doing work for the group, but there has been no disclosure about this on the site, and (as of yet) no comment from Jerome regarding the unearthing of these accusations.
Personally, I have been very troubled by the accusations against WVWV. I felt over the course of the primary campaign that the Clinton campaign has frequently used Republican frames or tactics against Obama. From questioning his masculinity ("testicular fortitude"), to gimmicky tax breaks ("gas tax holiday", and war-monger blustering ("obliterate iran"), i just feel that her campaign has ripped a page from Karl Rove's playbook. However, if it turns out that Clinton campaign operatives have resorted to the low-down dirty tricks of vote suppression, I will just be devastated. Voter suppression is a REPUBLICAN tactic!! No Democrat should ever try and keep people away from the polls.
I grew up in Louisiana, and perhaps that's why I'm so emotional about voting rights and disenfranchisement. The first vote I cast was for Mary Landrieu. In that election, Republicans placed robocalls that claimed to be from the bishop's office in lafayette (this is the heart of catholic cajun country) saying that to vote for landrieu is a sin because she is a lesbian and has been excommunicated for the church. In other elections, they would place people on the streets of black neighborhoods with signs that would have false endorsements by prominent black leaders. (Like "Cleo Fields endorses George Bush" or something like that.) And don't get me started on moving around polling places and the like.
It just seems that Republicans treat elections as a cockfight, and i just don't want our party to have any part in that. Our right to vote is precious! It is evil to take it away from someone.
Now, I don't know enough to cast judgement on WVWV (or jerome armstrong for that matter). All I know is this: For an organization who's goal is to increase voter enfranchisement, this group has failed miserably. In fact, they have accomplished the opposite of their objective-- by sowing confusion among the very people they want to help, they will keep people away from the polls. If this is a result of incompetence, it is an incompetence so severe as to completely nullify the organization's purpose. If it is not simply incompetence, then as far as I'm concerned those responsible can rot in jail.
With regards to jerome, my question is this: What does he have to hide?