Media Unleashes Fake News Avalanche After Trump Requests Florida Mail-In Ballot
“Following multiple claims that mail-in voting was unsafe and vulnerable to fraud, Trump changed his mind about the practice last week,” the AP claimed.
It’s hard to pinpoint which mainstream media lie about President Trump over the last four years has been the most egregious and flagrant. But my personal opinion is that the fake news they continue to spread about his position on mail-in voting should easily rank in the top five.
They’ve provided us with numerous examples just in the last day alone.
It all started when it was reported by USA Today on Thursday that Trump and First Lady Melania Trump had requested mail-in ballots Wednesday for Florida’s primary, which is next Tuesday. Let’s take a look at how the paper framed the story, starting with the headline:
President Trump requests mail-in ballot for upcoming Florida primary, despite rhetoric
For the second time as a Palm Beach County voter, President Donald Trump has requested a vote-by-mail ballot ahead of Florida’s primary election on Tuesday.
And the president who has just spent the past few weeks excoriating mail-in voting has less than a week to cast it.
You have to read another six paragraphs and then scroll down below a large news video on the topic to find out the Trump’s issue is not vote-by-mail, but rather the process of states mass mailing ballots to voters they have listed on their voter rolls regardless of whether or not the person has requested the ballot:
Trump has blasted vote-by-mail — particularly universal vote-by-mail, where elections offices automatically send ballots to all registered voters, rather than allowing the onus to be on the voter to request a mail ballot.
Other media outlets followed USA Today’s lead in their false framing of the story, including CNN:
Trump and first lady request mail-in ballots despite attacks
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump requested mail-in ballots for Florida’s primary election on Tuesday, according to Palm Beach County records, despite the President’s frequent attacks on voting by mail.
[…]
Despite Trump’s rhetoric about voting by mail, the President has recently claimed that Florida’s voting system is secure…
The piece included a quote from White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere in the third paragraph on how “the President supports absentee voting, not universal mail-in voting, which contain several safeguards that prevent fraud and abuse” before pointing to alleged “election experts” who claim “there is no real difference” between the two:
Election experts have told CNN there is no real difference between absentee voting and no-excuse mail voting and the two are “essentially the same thing.”
“Essentially the same thing” except in one scenario the ballot has been requested by an actual human being while in the other scenario ballots are mass-mailed no matter how long it’s been since voter rolls have been cleaned up and/or updated. But yeah, there’s “no real difference” or something.
Here’s how NBC News reported the story:
President Trump, whose campaign has tried to thwart mail-in voting, has requested an absentee ballot that will allow him to cast a Florida primary ballot via the U.S. Postal Service. https://t.co/TbumEoLW9Z
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 14, 2020
Unfortunately, it didn’t stop there.
The Associated Press:
President Donald Trump has requested a mail-in ballot for Florida’s Tuesday primary election, despite weeks of criticizing the practice.
[…]
Following multiple claims that mail-in voting was unsafe and vulnerable to fraud, Trump changed his mind about the practice last week, at least in Florida.
“Trump changed his mind about the practice last week”? Seriously??
The president has repeatedly demonized mail-in voting as governors across the country have sought to expand it amid the coronavirus pandemic, but has previously stated that some instances, including his, are permissible.
From The Hill:
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump have both requested mail-in ballots for the upcoming Florida primaries despite the president’s frequent criticism of mail-in ballot systems in the U.S., USA Today reported
ABC News reported it this way:
After criticizing voting by mail, Trump, first lady request mail-in ballots
President Donald Trump, who almost daily criticizes voting by mail with false claims about fraud, on Wednesday requested a mail-in ballot for himself, as did first lady Melania Trump, according to county election officials in Florida.
I could go on and on, but I think the point has been made. This is “gotcha” journalism at it’s worst. There is no “despite” or “in spite of” or anything of the sort at play with Trump’s request of a mail-in ballot, in spite of how the media has framed both the request and his position on vote-by-mail.
There is no inconsistency at all between someone saying they think mail-in voting where ballots are mass-mailed to everyone is ripe for fraud, and then turning around and requesting a ballot be mailed to them. None at all.
I should also point out that in addition to playing this stupid “gotcha” game with Trump, reporters have also tried to claim White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany is a hypocrite, too, for requesting a mail-in ballot. After reports surfaced in May of her past voting practices where in some cases she requested a mail-in ballot, McEnany explained the difference between a person requesting a ballot versus ballots being mass-mailed to everyone on the voter rolls.
The only conclusion I can draw from how the media continues to misreport on the topic of mail-in voting is that it’s deliberate. There’s just no other explanation I can come up with for why they continue to falsely suggest that Trump is holding himself to a different standard on this than he wants other voters to be held to.
— Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter. —
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Comments
It’s easy to see why you would conclude that they are intentionally generating fake news but, having worked at a newspaper, I can tell you that most of them don’t know it’s fake.
News people don’t think for themselves. They look at what everyone else around them is saying and parrot it. They assume it’s true. They never do even the most basic fact checking.
And if the story someone else is telling makes some Republican look bad, so much the better.
And if that’s the case, that they just “don’t know it’s fake/manipulated news” then they should immediately resign their positions and find another job more suitable to their intellectual abilities. Perhaps one where the phrase, “Would you like fries with that.” is repeated endlessly during the day.
Many journalists found themselves unemployed, so they became PR hacks. It also happens less challenging professions like social work and PR are common destinations for people who can spew a line of BS. Tapping into that group of otherwise low performers is how all those bald faced Black Liars Matter claims are propagated.
Palin the Media.
https://i2.wp.com/www.powerlineblog.com/ed-assets/2020/08/Screen-Shot-2020-08-14-at-7.10.30-PM.png?w=970&ssl=1
Fauci: No Reason Americans Can’t Vote In Person, As Safe As Going To Grocery Store…
Not Voter Fraud Here:
Paterson NJ Election Ballots Left On Floor Like Garbage In Post Offices, Buildings…
Weasil Zippers
They’re not going to resign over something they don’t know they got wrong. They’re also not going to accept your or my word that they got it wrong.
You might think they should be fired for incompetence but it could also be argued that that incompetence is REQUIRED to do the job the way their employers want it done.
To say that “mail in” voting is essentially the same thing as “absentee voting” is equivalent to saying “male” and “female” are essentially the same.
While true at the level of “human being”, it’s still categorically different.
I don’t call them the Gaslight Media for nothing.
I simply call them the Propaganda Arm of the Democrat Party and don’t even bother reading what their media people (won’t call them journalists because they aren’t) hysterically write and post as “news” these days.
And I forgot to mention. Is there anyway for the website admins to vet or regulate the ads that appear in the right hand side? Because having this kind of stuff seems to be a bit embarrassing for this website.
https://i.ibb.co/fDn1s4c/stoptherepublicans.png
We use absentee ballots as do all our neighbors. The nearest polling location is 50 miles away….welcome to rural America.
I’m shocked, shocked I tell you to find out that the liberal mainstream media lies about Pres. Trump.
No, not really shocked. Because I’ve never believed that the propaganda arm of the democrat party, sorry, the mainstream media, would ever tell the truth about Pres. Trump under any circumstances.
Stacey Matthews: the process of states mass mailing ballots to voters they have listed on their voter rolls regardless of whether or not the person has requested the ballot
Only five states have existing all-mail voting and send ballots to all registered and active voters: Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Another four states will send ballots to all registered and active voters this year due to the pandemic: California, Nevada, New Jersey, and Vermont. That means forty-one states do not use automatic mail-in ballot. Presumably, then, the vast majority of the country should not present a problem with mail-in voting.
If I interpret what it means to be an active voter in California (at least) it requires that I have voted in one or both of the Federal election cycles. So, as a best case I last voted 2 years ago and as a worst case I last voted 4 years ago. That’s an awfully big window, I would submit.
I agree 100%…I submitted the paperwork to be removed from the voting rolls in the SF burbs three years ago (we moved to AZ). The county faithful sends out the ballots very election and our son shreds the ballots.
And if I’m not mistaken, all of those states went to Hillary in 2016.
Still, you can’t deny there is a concerted effort to get vote-by-mail adopted everywhere — in part due to the bat fever dempanic.
Tell us, Zach, is ballot harvesting permitted in any states you didn’t list?
Dusty Pitts: And if I’m not mistaken, all of those states went to Hillary in 2016.
Utah is reliably Republican, and went for Trump in 2016.
Dusty Pitts: is ballot harvesting permitted in any states you didn’t list?
Ballot collection laws vary considerably by state.
https://ballotpedia.org/Ballot_harvesting_(ballot_collection)_laws_by_state
Zach once again proving he/she/ze/itz are good for nothing.
Okay, I missed Utah, but the margin of fraud would be steam-rolled there, easily.
They sent out a pre-vote registration a few months ago. Basically, a “we have registered voter Jane Doe at this address. Would Jane Doe like a ballot for the upcoming primary election? If so, which party’s ballot would Jane Doe prefer?” And then we had to sign that, yes, I am Jane Doe and I do want a ballot sent to me.
I got the impression from that mail that they would only be sending ballots to the names at the addresses that sent back the form. maybe it will be different for the General, but there is at least some method for verification that current voters live there still
also, I have refused to MAIL my ballot. My county has a few ballot drop-off places, looks like a post office mail drop, that are only for ballots. That is where I drop mine, at the county offices
Presumably, then, the vast majority of the country should not present a problem with mail-in voting.
Even so, 22% of the Electoral College will be elected by mail.
Obama’s EC tally beat Romney’s by less than that.
Zachriel
The worry for mail out/mail in ballots v traditional absentee ballot requests and in person voting is:
1. Potential for fraud directly in the case of stolen ballots
2. Potential for fraud indirectly in the case of undelivered or inaccurate delivery of ballots to voters
3. Potential for disparity between voters within a state and of other states regarding when/how ballots are counted
Those lead to the parachute parade of lawsuits in and among the states, voters, political parties ect. Picture all the states adopting mail out/ in voting as Florida in 2000. Not good. Obviously it won’t be hanging chads but will be basic questions of whether to count and not to counts ballot based upon postmark or lack of postmark, provisional ballots cast by folks whose mailed out ballot was stolen, military and overseas ballots ect.
Finally this leads to the states hitting their state legal time limit to certify and the safe harbor limit for accepting and seating electors.
IMO, the decision to move to mail out/mail in ballots for this election is foolhardy. These states are risking their electors not being seated. As long as the proponents of this folly will publicly accept that risk and communicate the risk to their citizens then people are free to make foolish decisions. However, no crying if and when the consequences come.
The proponents of mail out/mail in voting have made their bed they don’t get to complain that the bed is hard to lay in. Pottery barn rules, you break it you buy it. I am not convinced that most voters understand the risks associated with this scheme not that the proponents will accept the consequences should their electors be refused.
Well, these folks pushing the idea of mail out/mail in ballots v traditional absentee ballot requests will eventually discover the difference.
Unfortunately for them that is going to occur when these non secure, non requested ballots are challenged and are not able to be validated. There will be folks attempting to vote in person on election day who will be told that they have already voted by mail; stolen ballots.
Two further points on this monumental blunder. The Secretary of State for.each state has a time limit to certify their election results by state law. Additionally there is a safe harbor date for certification of Presidential electors, 35 days from election. Miss that date and a given state is seriously jeopardizing their slate of electors being seated.
Of course there will be lots of lawsuits and legal or administrative wrangling as we go forward. Bottom line though is there isn’t a Rona exemption. Pandemic of 1968 and 1957 didn’t stop in person voting. Rona can’t either based on those precedents.
Best way to stop shenanigans is to vote in person on the first day allowed in your state. This gives you the time to correct the situation if someone stole your non requested ballot. At a minimum you will be allowed to cast a provisional ballot.
My advice would be to contact your county election officials and ask what happens in that and other scenarios. Get it in writing and get their written policy and exception to policy procedures. This let’s them know someone is paying attention.
Any balloting scheme which does not require that a person show up in person and present state issued ID to vote is essentially a recipe for vote fraud. However, there is a small percentage of the voting population who is unable, for a variety of reasons, to go to the polls in person. For these reasons, absentee voting is allowed in most places. Traditionally, absentee voting was limited to people who were absent from their voting precinct due to travel [business or pleasure], military and other government service or temporary confinement to a medical facility. This makes sense. Especially, when voting is restricted to a single polling date. However, over the years, voting has been expanded to make it more convenient for the voter. However, this also increases the opportunities for fraud. And, the more you expand the methods for casting a vote, the greater the opportunity for fraud to occur. We already see far to many instances of ballots being found in closets and the trunks of cars, after the polls have closed. Cam you imagine how many more we wold see with universal mail-in balloting? Not to mention placing all of this into the hands of the USPS, which already has a hard enough time delivering a simple letter across town.
They’re hoping to extend the time frame for ballots to be postmarked and/or delivered on time
California and other states will still be accepting and counting ballots when Santa comes down the chimney with yet another bag of ballots
If California or any other state doesn’t meet the 35 day post election safe harbor timeline then their electors could very well not be seated. That isn’t a risk they want to run.
It is easy to deduce that the LibT**d “reporters” are either lying or stupid. And for the absentee versus mass-mailed ballot issue, it is difficult to believe anybody could be stupid enough to confuse the two. Hence, the falsehood must be deliberate, as Ms. Matthews writes. I see the “lying or stupid” as less of a dichotomy.
LibT**ds are stupid because their mode of “thinking” on social or political issues is to believe whatever feels good, whether it be preening or tribal cheering. They have such a low regard for what is actually true that lying (which includes assertions made with reckless disregard for the truth) is routine and habitual for them. This leads to deliberate ignorance (aka “stupidity”) on those issues dear to them or their tribe. Generally, when opining or “reporting” on such issues, they are lying AND stupid.
Yes it is deliberate
The number of those in the media saying the exact same thing at the same time reeks of a Journo-List type sending out the Talking Points
If the Media Unleashes Fake News Avalanche After Trump Requests Florida Mail-In Ballot and no one is listening, did they make a sound?
I didn’t listen.