Satellite Fight, Part Deux
I have to give Marion County Clerk Beth White credit in her quest to get satellite voting for the upcoming November election. Citing Republican party concerns over costs, White got the UAW to pony up $50,000 to cover the costs of satellite voting. They even have an agreement already to go for the Mayor to sign. Very nice political move and something I can respect. However, it’s not quite checkmate.
The problem, for me isn’t the money per se, it’s the source; the UAW. The UAW has given millions of dollars to Democrats over the years. If my memory serves me correctly, I even believe they gave money to Melina Kennedy when she ran for County Prosecutor in 2006. No offense, but if the roles were reversed and there was a Republican County Clerk who went to get money from Aiming Higher, the Club for Growth, Indiana Right to Life, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Manufacturers Association, or any other group that tends to favor Republicans over Democrats, you would hear nothing but moaning and gnashing of teeth. The histrionics would get so bad you would think that Casey Anthony and Michael Jackson had opened up several day care centers in downtown Indianapolis.
I know a pretext when I smell one. If supporters were serious, the same people who are demanding satellite voting now would have done so back in the May primary. However, since it didn’t help their anointed candidate for Mayor back then, there was no need to ask for it. And by the way, if construction around the city-county building is going to scare you off from voting and exercising your constitutional rights, then maybe the Republic is better off without you participating in the process. If people were really serious about expanding voting options we would switch from precincts to vote centers where voters could vote anywhere in the county on Election Day.
So pardon me if I am just a tad bit cynical about this one. Brilliant move finding a donor, just not brilliant enough in finding the right donor. Next time, try the League of Women Voters, Urban League, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Beautiful Black Men who Blog Regularly (I’m the President of that Association). You might have better luck, especially when trying to score political points.
