Need some evidence Bush & Co. is worried? Here's a cup o' joe for you...

[WilliamPitt]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AMISH_VOTE?SITE=NYSTA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Republicans Look to Harvest Amish Vote

By LARA JAKES JORDAN
Associated Press Writer

BIRD-IN-HAND, Pa. (AP) -- The Amish live without electricity, cars, telephones, and usually, without voting. But they are being sought out this year as Republicans try to sign up every possible supporter in presidential battleground states.

Amish almost always side with the Republican Party when they do vote - making them an attractive, if unlikely, voting bloc in the neck-and-neck campaign between President Bush and Democratic nominee John Kerry. A majority of the nation's Amish live in key swing states like Pennsylvania and Ohio.

"Pennsylvania and Ohio are just absolute battleground states, and to think that the Amish could weigh in to the tune of thousands of votes that are clearly going to be Republican - that could be very significant for Bush," said Chet Beiler, a former Amish who has been dropping off voter registration forms at Amish businesses and farms in hopes of signing up as many as 3,000 new voters.

As pacifists, most Amish avoid political activity that they believe would link them even indirectly with government-sponsored violence. But hot-button social issues, coupled with gentle prompting from people like Beiler, are galvanizing some Amish to register to vote.

...more...

(nothing against the Amish, per se, but if they are doing a hard push for 3,000 new voters from this group, it means they are in full scramble for everything they can get)

[mzmolly]

1. This is the only time you'll hear me say:

Thank gawd for diebold! :P

I think these folk may prefer the ol' paper ballots? ;)

[WilliamPitt]

5. 'Tis a good machine, but sure it is no vote, English

:)

[mzmolly]

13. Funny how this became a conversation about TSV machines.

We evil Demoncrats all think alike :evilgrin:

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. What's that sound?

The sound of repuke buttholes slamming shut. It's deafening.

[Plaid Adder]

3. Excellent! Will they be installing touch-screen machines in Amish country?

Man. I cannot imagine a group of people less likely to vote for the War President. I mean, they may register, but I don't see why BUsh should assume that they're gonna be in his column.

yeesh,

The Plaid Adder

[linazelle]

18. Did you say touch screens? They will surely get a great return on that

investment. Why,with 3,000 possible voters, they could net anywhere from 12,000 to 15,000 votes.

[MallRat]

4. Bird-In-Hand, Pennsylvania?

I just KNOW that there's a Bush joke to be made here.

I wonder if the Amish would refrain from using touch-screen voting machines? Hey, Bev Harris! You might have a new constituency on your side! :-)

-MR

[DinahMoeHum]

11. You think THAT's risque? Try "Intercourse".

Yep, that is a real town.


:evilgrin:

[Beetwasher]

6. Hear That?

That's the sound of SCRAPING and FLOP SWEAT!!!

[lovedems]

7. Will the republicans offer a constitutional amendment for no buttons?

Amish people only use snaps, no buttons.

[trumad]

8. Right on the heels of Faux's new realtiy TV show, "Amish in the City".

[demnan]

9. There people are pacifists

Someone should show them how many have died in Iraq. I can't see a pacifist voting for Bush.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. and Christ says don't kill yet look at the Christians and Bush

:freak:

[JohnnyFianna1]

10. Damn, if only FDR hadn't pushed for Nationwide Electrification, then we'd

have the Amish vote in the bag.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

12. Yeah...

That electricity really screws with the ol' vital bodily fluids and essences.

[stevedeshazer]

14. OMG, anyone else notice this line?

From the article:

"If I know Republicans and their grass-roots operations, they'll spend most of their time trying to phone bank the Amish," said Kerry spokesman Mark Nevins.

That's priceless.

If you're Amish, can you vote if your county uses electronic voting machines?

[sangh0]

20. Holy CRAP!!!

Phone-banking the Amish. What a concept!

You just can't make this stuff up. You just can't.

[Corgigal]

16. They need to meet us

the animal, nature and environmental lovers. The real ones. I'm sure they can smell phony miles away.

[Paragon]

17. You be careful among them English, John Book.

Kelly McGillis' Amish bath...*sigh*. :silly:

[enki23]

19. the amish are *PACIFISTS*

by all means, let's try to get the amish to vote. and make sure they know the truth regarding the iraq war.