With the growing heat of the presidential race, it's no wonderthat the Republican Party is eager to counter its opponents. Thisweek, the Republican Party of Michigan lobbied four countyprosecutors to bring charges against liberal propaganda filmmakerMichael Moore.
The GOP has made claims that Moore, who is on a 60-cityswing-state tour, is bribing potential voters. These claims aremade more ridiculous by the offer that Moore is making. He isvisiting colleges on his "Slacker Uprising Tour" and offering cleandorm rooms, snack food, Ramen noodles and even underwear to collegestudents who promise to vote Kerry on Nov. 2. But according toMichigan's election law, these offers are illegal. The lawprohibits a person from contracting with others for something ofvalue in exchange for votes.
The claims made by the GOP are true - Moore did offer thesethings to students of Michigan State, Central Michigan and U-on-MDearborn students, but is it really worth bringing charges againsthim? He is offering underwear for goodness sake.
Moore commented back by saying, "It's ironic that Republicanshave no problem with allowing assault weapons out on our streets,yet they don't want to put clean underwear in the hands of ourslacker youth," showing more focus on issues by bringing up theexpiration of the assault weapon ban and showing how ludicrousthese claims are.
The charges don't seem like a valid point this late in the race.In my eyes, the GOP should be out there in the swing statescampaigning for the president, not trying to silence his critics.The president needs help in the campaign. Some polls that I sawearlier this week showed a dead heat between him and Senator Kerry.The state polls show President Bush winning more electoral votes,but they don't give him the 270 votes to actually take the WhiteHouse again. The real thing the GOP should be doing is heading outto swing states and registering voters - and making sure they showup to the polls.
The party is so adamant against Moore that it seems to haveblinders on. They need to get out and educate people on the stanceof the president and the issues of the election, not tell everyonehow bad this filmmaker is. Moore shares his beliefs with the wholecountry through his presentations and movies. He takes the libertyof thinking his view is the only correct one on any given issue.How bad is that really? He takes the time to make his viewpointheard and the GOP gets mad at him for it. They have been lookingfor a way to shut him up for a while, and now they think they'vefound one. Charges have yet to be filed against Moore by theprosecutors, so how important is it that this was even brought up?Moore is going to speak out no matter what you try to do to shuthim up. He is one person that has an opinion and speaks up aboutit. Although his opinion is not one that I share, he is entitled toit.
Moore did break the most basic meaning of the law, but howvaluable is a clean dorm room, or a new pair of boxer shorts? Is itworth the time that a criminal case will take? Not in my eyes.
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