Left-Wing Database Informed Pew Study of Voter Registration Problems
- Posted on February 14, 2012 at 7:15pm by
Dave Urbanski
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Voter registration in America is beyond a mess.
Dead people still registered. Inaccurate data. Handwritten records. Citizens registered in more than one state. Inefficient, outdated systems. Runaway costs.
Based on this month’s brief from the Pew Center on the States (”Inaccurate, Costly and Inefficient: Evidence That America’s Voter Registration System Needs an Upgrade”), tackling this mess as soon as possible would seem a no-brainer.
Except there’s one very big problem.
Pew’s voter-registration summaries are based on numbers from Catalist, a data-crunching organization that heralds itself as “serving the progressive community” (i.e., the political far left).
That ain’t the half of it.
Politico called Catalist “the new Democratic data clearinghouse that coordinated voter-contact programs for a host of liberal groups in the 2008 election.” The Atlantic noted that Catalist’s “progressive/Democratic data-mining and targeting operation measurably helped elect Barack Obama.”
Get-out-the-vote operations mounted by the Obama campaign, the Democratic Party and progressive organizations mobilized more than one million dedicated volunteers on Election Day. But it was buttressed by a year-long, psychographic voter targeting and contact operation, the likes of which Democrats had never before participated in. In 2008, the principal repository of Democratic data was Catalist, a for-profit company that acted as the conductor for a data-driven symphony of more than 90 liberal groups, like the Service Employees Union—and the DNC—and the Obama campaign.
So, beyond Catalist’s clearly stated mission, client list, and left-leaning accomplishments, why might its numbers throw Pew’s voter-registration conclusions into question?
Notably Pew found that young people and those “living in communities affected by the economic downturn” were among the groups most greatly affected by voter-registration flaws—an issue the Obama reelection campaign would presumably love to address.
And while Nathaniel Persily—a law professor and political scientist at Columbia—told the New York Times it’s “not clear“ that such findings carry ”a uniform partisan effect,” what is “pretty clear” to him is that “Democrats want to enact measures that make voter registration easier, and Republicans fear that would be an invitation to fraud.”
(Not that the New York Times is concerned; it merely characterized Catalist as “a company that collects and sells information about voting-age Americans based on data from public and commercial sources.”)
So, with Catalist’s numbers driving the conversation, who could possibly be afraid?
No big deal that Catalist was founded by Harold Ickes, a deputy chief of staff for President Clinton, amid “dissatisfaction with the DNC’s data efforts in the 2004 election and financed by wealthy Democrats,” Politico said, adding not insignificantly that Catalist’s “more than 100 million ‘contacts’ to about 50 million Americans — which include mailings and email blasts as well as knocks on doors — raised the level at which voters participated, and offered Obama his margins in some key states.”
And after all, if the Catalist founder can have ties to a former Democratic president, stands to reason that newer employees can have ties to the current Democratic president, right?
Looks like that’s the case with Marshall Miller, the deputy director of analytics at Catalist, who worked for Obama for America in 2008 and then the Presidential Inaugural Committee until February 2009.
And in case you‘re wondering if the Pew Center on the States’ brief disclosed any of Catalist’s leftward political leanings, that’d be a “no.”
But given that the sole donor listed under the Pew Center on the States’ political initiatives is George Soros’ Open Society Institute, that might explain a few things, too.
Nope, nothing to worry about.
Now get out there and register!
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Comments (44)
dmerwin
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 11:39amThere was a scrolling story on FNC last night stating that there are 2 million dead people registered to vote, 2.5 million registered in more than one state and some 40 million of some other category. That is why the liberals do not want picture ID at the polls. We should also look very closely at absentee voting as those 2.5 million ARE enough to swing the vote. Ironically, the liberals want national data bases on virtually everything EXCEPT voter registration. It seems that state government should be compelled to strike dead people OFF the voter roles when the death certificate is generated and when a person moves to another state and EITHER obtains a driver’s license or voter registration the new state should notify the old state so they can be stricken from the roles. Change of house title should do the same thing. We really need some reform and cleanup in out previously great country.
Report Post »oldchevyguy
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 10:16amDead people don’t show up with a valid ID and vote. We must demand voter ID to vote!
Report Post »LOJ
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 8:35amThese illegitimate voting problems have been going on since JFK was elected and increasing with voter fraud, dead people voting, convicts and illegals. No wonder the Left has destroyed our society and been able to control honest- good- hardworking- people who want the best for their families.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 8:46amHey, it’s simply the Chicago way.
Report Post »Arc
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 4:39amMultiple Targets……Fire for Effect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »LoneRanger
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 12:12amGet public safety unions out of the AFL-CIO – http://www.publicsafetyveterans.com
“At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant to step the ocean and crush us at a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia, and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest, with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force take a drink from the Ohio or make a track on the Blue Ridge in a trial of a thousand years.
At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, If it ever reach us it must spring up amongst us; it cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time, or die by suicide.” Abraham Lincoln – Lyceum Address 1838
Report Post »randy
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 9:40pmThought this was cute….
Origin of Left and Right
I have often wondered why it is that Conservatives are called the “right” and Liberals are called the “left.”
By chance I stumbled upon this verse in the Bible:
“The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.” Ecclesiastes 10:2 (NIV)
Thus sayeth the Lord. Amen. Can’t get any simpler than that.
Spelling Lesson
The last four letters in American……….I Can
The last four letters in Republican…… I Can
The last four letters in Democrats……… Rats
End of lesson.
Remember, November is to be set aside as rodent extermination month.
Report Post »glashole
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 11:05pmThank you for the education, past performance does predict future performance. Paul 2012. Who has more money coming in from the military than any other in the primaries?
Report Post »4xeverything
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 5:57amThat there is funny!
Report Post »GETLIFE
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:01amThanks for that, RANDY. Also, the Latin word for “left” is “sinister.”
Report Post »Bum thrower
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 9:34amThe ONLY way the Dems and the left can win is to CHEAT!!! They loose in the arena of ideas; the latest is the Starbucks fiasco; some bone headed, zit faced punk is gonna tell some ‘red neck’ with a gun to leave…………..I’d like to see how that works out!!
Report Post »Chris_Dad
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 4:52pmRandy – Also remember that ‘Right’ means Correct and ‘Left’ literally means Evil…Look it up.
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 9:34pmEasy fix. Show an ID when you vote and the majority of the problem goes away.
Report Post »WeDontNeedNoSteenkinBadges10
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 9:05pm“Dead people still registered. Inaccurate data. Handwritten records. Citizens registered in more than one state. Inefficient, outdated systems. Runaway costs.”
Oh, for a moment there, I though it had derailed. But, no, it’s working EXACTLY as designed by the Progressives (communist) Democrats “100 years” of sedition.
Report Post »Chris_Dad
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 5:58pmBadges – When I went to college in Massachusetts we were openly encouraged to register in the state. I told tem that I was already registered in CT, they replied, “So, who’s to know”. Then they gave me a schpiel to vote for Jimmy Carter.
I know that they signed up dozens of students, that day, who were already registered elsewhere. Many of them voted in their home state, by absentee, and in person in Ma.
It explains how these big college town (i.e. – Madison, WI) tend to sway elections.
Report Post »bernbart
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:48pmRead the article in the NYT, it is better and more accurate p report on the Pew study.
Report Post »bernbart
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:46pmThe Pew study said the way we register voters by state, discourages people from registering when they move, and thus supresses the number of peple who vote.
Report Post »bernbart
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:43pmBoy this Blaze article really distorts the what the Pew study said.
Report Post »bernbart
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:40pmHowever this also pointed out this is NOT due to voter fraud, but just out dated manner of using outdated methods, records and how we register voters. It not effecting voting, its just costing money to keep sending out voting materials to people dead or who have moved. And republican are always against funding to upgrade systems.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:13pmGood thing we’re not a democracy when it comes to voting then!
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:12pmOpen Society and Soros use a voting crisis as their final “catalyst” in regime change. The name of the company is not at all ironic.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:10pmWhat gives Blaze? If this is news why haven’t you covered trucks vanishing carrying primary votes or the canceling of a caucus because the weather man said they were supposed to get 3-4 inches of snow in FRICKEN MAINE IN FEBRUARY?
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 9:55pmYou want some cheese with that Whine ANGRY? How about the Ron Paul supporters who crashed and overtook a special caucus for religious voters in Nevada who honor the Sabbath, prompting long lines, and voter fraud complaints. Voters could only participate if they [signed a declaration] affirming that they couldn’t vote during the regular morning caucuses [because of their faith] under [penalty of perjury].
Most Ron Paul supporters signed the declaration [without hesitation]. Now who says Ron Paul supporters don’t lie for their messiah??
Report Post »justangry
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 10:39pmOnly if it’s pepperjack… That’s some good cheese. Seriously though, all R‘s should be concerned about what’s going on here if they wish to bring more people into the party. As for NV, I thought the guy who made the big stink on video did get in without signing. Though, I’ve also seen reports that some RP supporters just signed. I don’t condone dishonesty for RP supporters or the GOP.
Report Post »HuckleberryFriend
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:07pmThe grammar in that first sentence is a big mess…
Report Post »HuckleberryFriend
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:22amLooks like they fixed it.
Report Post »btycrkr
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:00pmDemocRATS in possession of the voter roles! What could possibly go wrong??
Report Post »nizy
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:11pmDoes this really surprise anyone?
Report Post »JUSTANOTHEROPINION
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 7:49pmWell, maybe somebody who proffeses to love this Country has the capital to start a Nat’l Conservative Organization/Company to combat these big money Liberals. Glen Beck maybe, nah, he’s to busy charging money for any information. If you can read between the lines and you don’t like it, GOOD!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »MrMagoo
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 7:48pmOf course,Michigan is at the forefront of stopping voter fraud,among other things..
“Some of the people on what is called our Qualified Voter File aren’t ‘qualified’ at all — they’re dead, they’ve moved out of state, or they’re not U.S. citizens,” said Johnson, citing a 2008 Pew Center on the States report that indicated an impossible 102.54 percent of eligible adults in Michigan were registered to vote. “That doesn’t add up and indicates vulnerabilities in the system.”
Report Post »http://www.dailytribune.com/articles/2011/10/14/news/doc4e982712c8b46331819720.txt?viewmode=fullstory
The Third Archon
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 7:47pm“And while Nathaniel Persily—a law professor and political scientist at Columbia—told the New York Times it’s “not clear“ that such findings carry ”a uniform partisan effect,” what is “pretty clear” to him is that “Democrats want to enact measures that make voter registration easier, and Republicans fear that would be an invitation to fraud.”
Report Post »There‘s no reason it can’t be made to be both simpler, easier, and more uniform, and thus ALSO more secure against fraud. A singular centralized agency responsible for compiling voter registration for the whole country would not only be easier for people, but it would be better organized, take the financial burdens of local and state governments to track it, and be much easier to cross-examine for fraud, repeated/improper registration, etc. Rather than have each state doing its own thing to the best of its abilities and inclinations, why don’t we have people register with ONE public institution that registers them to vote in ALL elections in which they are eligible to. The more I think about this, the more I find it superior to the status quo method in every way–I mean, this isn’t even complicated or controversial things that the Republicans and Democrats alike are failing us on; this is BASIC good governance!
338lapua
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:34pmShut up you lefty wackjob. Listening to your TWISTED (at best) logic on any issue makes my balls itch. Yeah…..Conservatives have balls. Keep grunting your stupidity, I will keep laughing.
Report Post »ARELL
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:59pmOh yes, ARCHON, while we’re at it why not just get rid of those pesky states, with their tiresome local concerns; take the load off all those individual statehouses and their self-interested legislatures and just have a nice centralized authority — to make things less complicated. McDonalds has stores almost everywhere; people could vote there while waiting for their Big Macs ‘n fries. And for those folks who’re unable to make their way to Micky-D’s, the gub’mint could employ some nice honest people to canvass the countryside — from sea to shining sea — collecting votes for the next Emperor.
Report Post »Twobyfour
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 9:12pmFunny thing is that if Acron proposed something like that in Canada, both left and right wing would think he’s some kind of a nazi.
One may sometimes roll eyes at Quebecois antics, but at least they help keeping the separation of provincial and federal powers in place (it’s a very similar setup like US states, give or take a couple).
Report Post »The Third Archon
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 10:02pm“Conservatives have balls”
…except conservative women presumably.
“Oh yes, ARCHON, while we’re at it why not just get rid of those pesky states, with their tiresome local concerns; take the load off all those individual statehouses and their self-interested legislatures and just have a nice centralized authority — to make things less complicated. McDonalds has stores almost everywhere; people could vote there while waiting for their Big Macs ‘n fries. And for those folks who’re unable to make their way to Micky-D’s, the gub’mint could employ some nice honest people to canvass the countryside — from sea to shining sea — collecting votes for the next Emperor.”
Report Post »1) Unitary democracies exist, and work just fine (the United Kingdom as ONE example)
2) Nowhere do I suggest abolishing federalism, which suits me just fine–what I am saying, and what I DID say, is that there is no inherent conflict between the ease and security of voter registration; we can do BOTH. And it would be easier to do both if we tracked registration (for both municipal, state, and federal elections) federally, i.e. with one organization. The REASON there’s so much voter fraud, is because every state has a DIFFERENT policy with regards to voter registration–that’s why its so DAMN HARD to detect fraud and/or simple mistakes. If you don’t believe elections and other checks can hold people accountable on the federal level, why do you make an exception to this belief for the state
ARELL
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 10:17pmMy sarcastic POINT, aRcHoN, is that administration is more reliable and much more trusted when handled closer to home. The relegation of basic civic responsibilities to federal authorities is an open invitation to tyranny.
Report Post »scott2012
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 7:41pmWhy the Hell aren’t we this organized?
Report Post »The Third Archon
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 7:51pmYou are–that’s why the government is DESIGNED to favor organization over population.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 8:38pmIf you were Organized… you would be on Trial alike the Hutaree in Detroit!
Report Post »0Troy
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 7:41pm“Voter registration IS America is beyond a mess”
This article is beyond a mess. I found a number of typos and grammatical errors just skimming it.
This is not the quality I expect from The Blaze. I’ll read it later.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 7:39pmHere it comes… the 5th, and last, part of the Soros Agenda to overthrough a Government: Declare Election Fraud and then Revolt!
Report Post »Zer0
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 7:33pmSurprise, surprise!
Report Post »TexBork
Posted on February 14, 2012 at 7:27pmYeah, the progressive liberals are going to have trouble claiming that what conservatives have been saying isn’t true and that Pew is a conservative think tank of a vast right-wing conspiracy. I‘ll be this is one report from Pew NPR won’t address unless they are given a script on how to spin it.
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