The Military Voter Lie

Last week Republican operatives, including Red State and Mitt Romney, criticized President Barack Obama for trying to restrict the ability of military members to vote in Ohio.

This was a lie. The Obama campaign team pointed out that it had asked a court to lift new restrictions on civilian voters so as to treat every citizen equally. (As we recall, the US Supreme Court decided Bush v. Gore on a supposed basis of voter equality.) The Akron Beacon-Journal and other local newspapers agreed that the lawsuit said nothing about restricting military voters.

Within a day or two, Snopes branded the attack as False, as did Politifact Ohio and the Washington Post Fact Checker.

Even FOX News had to acknowledge, “While the lawsuit does not restrict the ability of military personnel to cast their ballots early, both sides know how volatile an issue this can be.” In other words, Republicans suffering from or exploiting OIP Derangement Syndrome could lie about the legal issue to whip up more hysteria. Indeed, a FOX News host repeated the falsehood days later.

In fact, the last Democratic Congress passed and President Obama signed the MOVE Act, making voting easier for active-duty service members. The US Justice Department has taken action against Texas to protect those rights. But facts don’t matter when one desperately wants to believe that this President is anti-military.

TOMORROW: One notable military voter.