Is there a group of people trying to convince us that there is no election fraud in this Country?

[brooklynite]

25. Allow me to offer the response you're looking for...

Is it technologically possible to rig voting machines? Of course. It's ALSO possible to rig the old fashioned level machines and to stuff a ballot box with paper ballots. I'm a former Ward Committeeman from Philadelphia, and the tricks that could get pulled were legendary.

But, is it practically possible? I continue to say "no". And here's why

First, it requires a conspiracy of massive dimensions. First, the politicians (presumably Republicans) and interest groups that want to rig elections. Then, the company staff members (executives, mid-level managers and technicians) to design and implement the rigging software as well as design and implement the technology to change voting machines on a massive geographical basis. And all of these people have to stay quiet about the program for more than a decade.

Then there needs to be an agreed on process by which decisions are made as to who gets the extra votes. Every Republican?. Federal Candidates only? Every prescient, or is there a secret master computer running the numbers to decide which pivotal machines need to be adjusted. And who are the people running that effort who are keeping their mouths shut?

And despite the existence of this conspiracy, somehow Democrats keep getting elected. Including a majority of Democrats in the House and Senate for two elections running. And especially, a Black, Muslim, Socialist President in states like Indiana, Virginia and North Carolina.

(note - this is the point at which some conspiracy theorists kick in with either "they wanted to lose so Obama would be blamed for the economic situation and they'd win next time", or "the vote was so high they couldn't rig enough votes to make a difference". Bull---- to both. I've been engaged in politics since the age of nine, and studied electoral politics in college. NO politician ever wants to throw an election. They always think they can deal with the problems facing them, and never want to take a pass. And, the vote difference between actual and exit polls is rarely large enough to reflect that massive difference that would have to exist in the actual vote outcome to explain why the evil cabal couldn't pull out a couple more fraudulent votes.)

But, the big reason I don't believe in a conspiracy to steal elections electronically? They keep trying to steal them the old-fashioned way. Voting list purges. Voter suppression tactics. Closing polling places. And spending god-awful amounts of money on advertising. If the the Koch Brothers had an ace up their sleeve, would they be spending hundreds of millions of their hard-earned dollars to sway the voting patterns of undecided voters?

Conspiracy Theories are great because 1) you never have to prove them; 2) they answer all questions, and 3) they absolve you of any responsibility for the outcome. Now, if you have any solid evidence, I'd love to hear it. Otherwise, I'll stick with reality, unpleasant as it is: we sometimes lose elections because we have bad candidates, or bad policies to run on, or just bad circumstances beyond our control.