Rush Holt Fires Back at "Right, Wing Nut!"

Well, his Communications Director, Patrick Eddington, is at least...

Yesterday I was surprised that Congressman Holt (D-NJ) would show such interest in the security of military ballots when he has fought against every type of voter-ID statute that has made its way through Congress:

He (Holt) said that while U.S. military personnel should participate in the political process, "no one is served by introducing possibilities for error, insecurity, and fraud."

Nice of you to offer sufferage to the troops, Congressman! My comment:

Is Rush really worried about the security of the votes of the troops, or is he worried about the votes of the troops?

Funny Holt should start to question the "security" (read: legitimacy) of the pro-Republican military vote at this point and time; but God forbid you should ask to see a voter ID card when some straggler shambles up to the booth - that, you see, would make you a racist.

Anyway, Eddington came by to support his boss in the comments section:

My question is, why should our service members be given such a shabby and potentially dangerous voting system? Their votes should be as secure and confidential as anyone else’s.

I don't believe email and fax should be classified as "shabby"; and Mr. Holt's office once again shows their misunderstanding of the conditions faced by today's soldiers. A standard paper ballot, even sealed shut, could very easily take a punding in the Iraqi desert from heat, sand, and various transit issues...like getting blown up on the way back to base. And what kind of information would that put in enemy hands? Seems like a fairly archaic process for the 21st Century, no?
For the soldier in the field, the quickest and safest way to vote would be through an email out of one of the laptops presently carried within virtually every squadron in-country. The possibility of any one email being intercepted and edited in transit are extremely slim on military-based systems; and are likely to be less valuable in a terrorist's hand then a ballot with a name, rank, and serial number.

Enlighten New Jersey fires back in the next comment, reminding Mr. Holt of whose state is the poster child for error, insecrurity, and fraud:

Under a deal between state and federal authorities, New Jersey will rely on existing county voter registration rolls for the Nov. 7 election after determining a new statewide computer system could threaten the integrity of the vote.
The agreement between the U.S. Attorney's Office and the state Attorney General's Office stalled the full implementation of the statewide voter registration system, as required under provisions of the federal Help America Vote Act. The system, which was supposed to be ready by last January...

So the very same complaints that Holt raises regarding the military voting system are also unresolved issues in the great state of New Jersey! At the very least, I'd reckon their vote accounting systems are more accurate than New Jersey's "existing county voter registration" . And since I don't see the Congressman writing any letters complaining about the insecurity of my vote, I can only assume he has a pointed reason to complain about the integrity of the troop's votes. Is it because he cares about them so much? You'll never make me believe that about anyone who skips through the state holding hands with John Murtha...and of course, it would say something if Mr. Holt denounced John Kerry's warped view of our troops; intsead, I believe Holt's silence on the issues says something else...

But of course, the situation in New Jersey is worse than the military's:

...the U.S. Justice Department's civil rights division sought the deal after the (NJ) State Attorney General's Office failed to comply with federal voting laws for four years.

What do they say about people in glass houses, Congressman Holt?

Still, nothing like a good home-brewed New Jersey fracas within the comments section...and always check in with Enlighten New Jersey ; if Bob Menendez does by some chance lose on Tuesday; he should get an assist on the scoreboard.

And never fear, Mr. Eddington - Rush Holt is a shoo-in for re-election, despite residing far to the left of the bulk of his district. Kudos to the Republicans and their candidate in the 12th District, Joseph Sinagra...who I had never heard of until I did a Google search...yesterday. Nice job getting out there.