eBay'er Arrested for Attempting to Sell His Vote

[Matt Collins]

The Associated Press reports that Max P. Sanders, 19 is charged with a felony for attempting to auction off his vote (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jw-6LIru1-XwlPp9i5oNVHU-DMjgD91MP5JO0) in the upcoming presidential election on eBay. From the article: '"Fundamentally, we believe it is wrong to sell your vote," said John Aiken, a spokesman for the office. "There are people that have died for this country for our right to vote, and to take something that lightly, to say, 'I can be bought.'" [...] "It's a real shame"' Yes, that is a terrible shame, isn't it. Perhaps we should arrest, prosecute, and imprison everyone who sells their vote. (http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/06/27/1410247&tid=98) The boy says it was all a joke, but prosecutors aren't laughing. Max faces up to 5 years in prison and $10,000 in fines if he is convicted.

[SeanEdwards]

I suppose you're only allowed to sell your vote after you've been elected to public office. Somebody sure seems interested in protecting their vote-selling monopoly.

And why should this be illegal? Is it any different from voting for a candidate because they promise to give you free health care, or a break on your mortgage, or whatever constitutes the gubmint cheese of the day? I like the guy's attitude. It's direct and honest. I'd sell my vote too in this election, since the candidate I wanted to vote for has been denied to me. I was thinking to myself before even reading this post that I'd quite happily sell my vote to whoever wants it, for the bargain price of $5000.

You hear that McLame and Oboomba? Show me the money!

[youngbuck]

This is truly ridiculous. I have just a question:

How did they even find out about this? Did ebay report this to the "authorities?" Or did some Stasi snitch rat him out? Either way, they definitely are snooping into any and all actions.

I find the extent that the government tries to govern everything you do truly appalling. Where does it end? :(

[Nirvikalpa]

This whole election is a joke. The process is a joke. People didn't die for the joke this country has become, that's where these guys are wrong.

Ridiculous!

[SeanEdwards]

Where does it end? :(

//

[SeanEdwards]

This whole election is a joke. The process is a joke. People didn't die for the joke this country has become, that's where these guys are wrong.

Ridiculous!

Yeah, all those guys on Guadalcanal died to give us a "choice" between McBomba and O'Lame. That's the real insult.

[revolutionman]

Yeah, all those guys on Guadalcanal died to give us a "choice" between McBomba and O'Lame. That's the real insult.


I'd grit my teeth even harder, but it would crack my fillings!

[Truth Warrior]

Buying votes, perfectly legal.

Selling votes, a felony.

Classic! ;)

:rolleyes:

:D

[FindLiberty]

Truth Warrior: Buying votes, perfectly legal. Selling votes, a felony. Classic!

qft

[LibertyEagle]

People didn't die for the joke this country has become, that's where these guys are wrong.


I totally agree!

[Conza88]

This whole election is a joke. The process is a joke. People didn't die for the joke this country has become, that's where these guys are wrong.

Ridiculous!

Best few sentences I've read in a long time.

[NewFederalist]

I wonder if it is legal to sell dead peoples' votes? Probably should check the eBay listings from Cook County, Illinois.

[malkusm]

The difference is who pays you to vote. The candidates can pay you to vote, because it perpetuates the public's dependence on the government. When a private citizen attempts to sell his vote, though, it's undermining that dependence - the payment offered is just another example of the private sector doing a better job than the government.

That's to be expected, I can't name a whole lot of things the government could do more efficiently than someone acting on their own behalf and for their own welfare.

[IPSecure]

The Democrat’s life theory is catching up with them. They believe in the idea that there are no winners and losers, as in children’s sporting events where there is no score kept because if a child loses he will be scarred for life. Instead of teaching a child that sometimes things don’t go your way the child is sheltered from any adversity and when as an adult adversity hits they have no idea how to handle it. This mindset has crept into more aspects of everyday life. In some schools teachers aren’t allowed to grade in red because red is a very traumatising color, they are using the less daunting purple pen to grade children.

So you may be asking why I said that their life theory is catching up with them and I will now explain. It is this very theory of there can be no losers that has lead to the loser of a primary state still getting delegates. Sure a candidate was second winner, not a loser, so he/she deserves some delegate right? That is a perfect example of what this liberal mindset has produced.

But there is another aspect, a dark aspect, that the Democrats nomination process has created the possibility of. This problem lies in the super delegates. Party insiders who are going to decide the Democrat nominee. It can never be good when party hacks can decide who should be their candidate and this shows us why. It opens up the door for corruption, backroom deals, and big money to be thrown around.

Steven Ybarra, a Democrat super delegate from California, has not endorsed either candidate yet. And he isn’t going to either, until someone gives him $20 million for his endorsement. How is that for morals? This man doesn’t care about either candidates stance on any issues, he will sell his vote to whoever promises him $20 million first. He has promised that he can deliver over one million new Mexican-American voters for that $20 million bribe. All a candidate has to do is show the Mexicans how much he/she “cares” about them by delivering the bribe.

Money has corrupted politics, and the Democrat primary system is not helping the problem. It is making it worse. How can a candidate promise to bring change to Washington if they are willing to bribe a super delegate for a vote? How can a candidate promise a more open and honest administration if they are willing to bribe a super delegate for a vote? How can a candidate be trusted to be fiscally responsible if they are willing to bribe a supre delegate for a vote?

If a person is willing to do this for one vote, what will the same person do for many votes?

Link (http://mpinkeyes.wordpress.com/2008/05/07/california-super-delegate-wants-20-million-for-his-vote/)

Super Delegates are able to sell their vote, but not citizens...

[Truth Warrior]

"All animals are equal. Some animals are MORE equal than others." -- George Orwell ;)

[HOLLYWOOD]

Let's See...

U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd U.S. CA$H Committee Chairman, auctioned off his SENATE Legislation, SENATE votes to Banking and Financial corporations and anyone who gets him a kickback on Discounted Mortgages with NO CLOSING COSTS...

U.S. Kent Conrad (D-ND) Chairman Committee also, USED his influence, SOLD Votes in the Senate, endorsing Banking and Financial corporations legislation votes and anyone who gets him a kickback on Discounted Mortgages with NO CLOSING COSTS TOO...

U.S. Thad Cochran - His Legislation was bought and his Votes SOLDOUT to the Drug and Pharmaceutical Industry to banned Cheap Import Drugs from Canada and Europe for Americans... On & On!


Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh,

It's just easier to say: the almost ALL of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives (CONGRESS) have sold their SOLES, VOTES, LEGISLATION, to Corporations, Lobbyists, Industry, Foreign Entities, NEOCON/ZIONISTS and ANY other SPECIAL INTEREST that will keep them in OFFICE and MAKE THEM WEALTHY!


America 'FOR SALE' by the American Government... CONGRESS will sell ANYTHING for a PRICE or GAIN.

Except the American Citizens! As CONGRESS says, "Do AS WE SAY, NOT AS WE DO! Sound familiar?

[JosephTheLibertarian]

The Associated Press reports that Max P. Sanders, 19 is charged with a felony for attempting to auction off his vote (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jw-6LIru1-XwlPp9i5oNVHU-DMjgD91MP5JO0) in the upcoming presidential election on eBay. From the article: '"Fundamentally, we believe it is wrong to sell your vote," said John Aiken, a spokesman for the office. "There are people that have died for this country for our right to vote, and to take something that lightly, to say, 'I can be bought.'" [...] "It's a real shame"' Yes, that is a terrible shame, isn't it. Perhaps we should arrest, prosecute, and imprison everyone who sells their vote. (http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/06/27/1410247&tid=98) The boy says it was all a joke, but prosecutors aren't laughing. Max faces up to 5 years in prison and $10,000 in fines if he is convicted.

ha. that opportunistic bastard got HIS! Serves him right.

[Truth Warrior]

Best government that money can buy! ;)

[sidster]

I clearly remember watching on CNN one superdelegate who had offered
up his vote to the first candidate (Hilary or Obama) for $10,000. This
guy was interviewed on CNN and at the time CNN reported neither candidate
had responded to his offer. I don't recall this guy's name. Some Googleing
might turn him up....


Here are a few examples of how superdelegate votes have been bought up:

source (http://tomallenwatch.blogspot.com/2008/05/done-dealobama-purchases-tom-allens.html)

After receiving $10,000 from Barack Obama's Hopefund PAC, Maine Congressman Tom Allen delivered his superdelegate vote today. Cash on the barrelhead seems to be the name of the game for Allen...

source (http://theboard.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/superdelegates-for-sale/)

Senator Obama has made about $711,000 in contributions to the campaigns of superdelegates since 2005, directly or through his Political Action Committee. He also gave $18,000 in the 2004 election cycle.

Senator Clinton has ponied up just over $236,000 since 2005, as well as $617,500 she contributed to Democrats now serving as superdelegates during the 2002 and 2004 cycles.

[Omphfullas Zamboni]

What is a super delegate, exactly?

[sidster]

What is a super delegate, exactly?

Kinda like superman is to a man :D


the real answer is here: Superdelegate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superdelegate)

[IPSecure]

Two superdelegates representing the Young Democrats of America turned down a promise of $1 million in exchange for their endorsement of Sen. Clinton.

Link (http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/85830/)

So how much is the youth vote worth this year? Apparently $500,000 a pop if you are a superdelegate.

The Huffington Post is running a shocker of a piece (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/19/superdelegates-turned-dow_n_102450.html) claiming that Clinton donor Haim Saban offered the Young Democrats of America access to $1 million in funds if their two remaining superdelegates - David Hardt and Crystal Strait - endorsed Sen. Clinton:

[muh_roads]

Chalk up another example of the little guy getting fucked over while the "big guys" can get away with the same thing.

[Perry]

Funny this guy (http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2008/may/democrat-super-delegate-selling-vote-20-million) didn't seem to catch any flak.

[mediahasyou]

I suppose you're only allowed to sell your vote after you've been elected to public office. Somebody sure seems interested in protecting their vote-selling monopoly.

And why should this be illegal? Is it any different from voting for a candidate because they promise to give you free health care, or a break on your mortgage, or whatever constitutes the gubmint cheese of the day? I like the guy's attitude. It's direct and honest. I'd sell my vote too in this election, since the candidate I wanted to vote for has been denied to me. I was thinking to myself before even reading this post that I'd quite happily sell my vote to whoever wants it, for the bargain price of $5000.

You hear that McLame and Oboomba? Show me the money!

right on.

[mediahasyou]

Buying votes, perfectly legal.

Selling votes, a felony.

Classic! ;)

:rolleyes:

:D

classic...buerocracy.
lol

[Alex Libman]

You don't have a real right to vote until you have a right to sell your vote.

You can't own what you can't sell.

[Alex Libman]

... which is why corporate elections, carried out by stockholders, are a true democracy. Politics isn't and cannot be.

[TurtleBurger]

Voting is the main sacrament of the Statist religion. Anything other than awe and reverence toward this sacrament comprises the sin of sacrilege, which will be aggressively prosecuted by the government Taliban. All sins can be forgiven, except blasphemy against the State.

[Zippyjuan]

Like people voting for Stalin had the option of voting for anybody else. :rolleyes: