Michael Moore offering noodles for votes

Anthony Butcher · 06-10-2004, 05:20 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertain...lm/3719154.stm

Quote:

During Moore's 60-city tour of college campuses and arenas he has been getting habitual non-voters on stage to pledge they will vote in the next election. In exchange for promising to vote they receive gifts of potato crisps and noodles, among other small items. The Michigan Republican Party has asked prosecutors to investigate, accusing Moore of violating a law which prohibits a person from contracting with another for something of value in exchange for agreeing to vote.

The Republican party looks pathetic and petty. This will do them no favours with the public.

Lafayette · 06-10-2004, 07:38 PM

I can understand how this makes the Republicans look bad, but I can see their point. If I was known for making right-wing documentaries and then took a tour of campuses inviting non-voters onstage and giving them 25 cents in return for a promise that they would vote, it would be the Democrats making the stink, saying I was buying votes. No, he isn't telling people who to vote for, but his politics are well-known and I think it is safe to assume that there will be a few people who will vote Democrat because a celebrity gave them a bag of chips or a new pair of Fruit of the Looms. Bruce Springsteen, REM, and some others are scheduled to give concerts in "swing states" before the elections to get people to vote against Bush. I'm no fan of Bush, but tactics like these leave me feeling that this election will be just as corrupt as 2000, if not more. I don't think this Moore issue will alter the prevailing opinion of the Republicans, at least among the average citizen. Moderate Democrats don't even like to mention him because he is seen as being just as bad as conservatives in terms of manipulating facts. He's just had more success at it, especially abroad.

Anthony Butcher · 06-10-2004, 11:48 PM

They are completely correct that he isn't allowed to do what he is doing, I just think that they aren't going to win support for complaining about it. Michael Moore bases much of his "work" on humour, and by taking legal action against him, the Republicans just look humourless and petty. They should either have ignored it completely, or done something more amusing in return.

Or perhaps I am jumping to conclusions about a situation I know little about :?

Lafayette · 07-10-2004, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Or perhaps I am jumping to conclusions about a situation I know little about

I don't believe you are jumping to any conclusions. I see the point you are making and I think you have a valid argument. Republicans especially tend to come across as humorless. That's one thing that made so many people fans of Clinton. The elder Bush was boring compared to the McDonald's loving saxophone player. The only exception I can think of is Gore, who seemed rather rigid. And you do yourself an injustice when you say you know little about it. I think it's the principle of the outside observer. You might actually have a more accurate take on American politics than I do being that I am up to my eyeballs in the stuff, with this being an election year and all. Plus, anyone who stays up INTO phpbb_the early hours of the morning to watch the Presidential debates knows enough to be able to comment in a cogent manner.

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06-10-2004, 07:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
Lafayette Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 114	I can understand how this makes the Republicans look bad, but I can see their point. If I was known for making right-wing documentaries and then took a tour of campuses inviting non-voters onstage and giving them 25 cents in return for a promise that they would vote, it would be the Democrats making the stink, saying I was buying votes. No, he isn't telling people who to vote for, but his politics are well-known and I think it is safe to assume that there will be a few people who will vote Democrat because a celebrity gave them a bag of chips or a new pair of Fruit of the Looms. Bruce Springsteen, REM, and some others are scheduled to give concerts in "swing states" before the elections to get people to vote against Bush. I'm no fan of Bush, but tactics like these leave me feeling that this election will be just as corrupt as 2000, if not more. I don't think this Moore issue will alter the prevailing opinion of the Republicans, at least among the average citizen. Moderate Democrats don't even like to mention him because he is seen as being just as bad as conservatives in terms of manipulating facts. He's just had more success at it, especially abroad.

06-10-2004, 11:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
Anthony Butcher Administrator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Long Ashton, Bristol Posts: 9,538 Party: None	They are completely correct that he isn't allowed to do what he is doing, I just think that they aren't going to win support for complaining about it. Michael Moore bases much of his "work" on humour, and by taking legal action against him, the Republicans just look humourless and petty. They should either have ignored it completely, or done something more amusing in return. Or perhaps I am jumping to conclusions about a situation I know little about :?