Hoisted by My Own Petard!

 

I decided to that I would ask people in my office if they were registered to vote, and if they were not registered to vote, that I would register them.

I did that today. My 31-year-old client had never been registered to vote. She felt embarrassed by that. I told her that it was okay, and that we could do that right then, and that she wouldn’t be charged for my time in doing that. I went to the very easy “ServiceArizona” website. I gleefully typed in her name, address, telephone number, driver’s license, and last four digits of her social security number. Then came the question about her party affiliation.

“What party do you want to belong to?

“I really don’t know much about politics. What party does Trump belong to?

“The Republican Party.”

“Okay, I’m a Republican.”

I dutifully did my job. I registered her to vote as a Republican. She is set up to vote by mail in all elections in the future. She is excited to finally be able to vote! She feels like a full adult, ready to take on the challenges of adulthood.  She is looking forward to voting for Trump.

Sometimes I hate my life.

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There are 42 comments.

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  1. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Just think of it as retrograde progress, Gary. Putting the car in reverse before going forward.

    • #1
  2. CACrabtree Coolidge
    CACrabtree
    @CACrabtree

    Ah, but you’re doing God’s work.  Many blessings be upon your endeavors!!! (A bit of sarcasm intended…)

     

    • #2
  3. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    Well you earned some respect from this quarter today.

    I’ve been moving and I had a beautiful Queen bedframe I needed to get rid of. I posted it on Facebook Marketplace and got a hit that evening.

    I met the woman this past saturday and without compunction or pre-amble, she began sharing with me pictures of her with political figures: DeSantis, Rubio… and Trump.

    She is a MAGA, an office holder for some Republican group in sanford, and a really fun woman. I was so happy to have sold her my bed.

    She even calls herself a Trumpette.

    • #3
  4. PHCheese Inactive
    PHCheese
    @PHCheese

    She just canceled your vote Gary.

    • #4
  5. Retail Lawyer Member
    Retail Lawyer
    @RetailLawyer

    Why do you want people who are disinterested in voting to vote?  

    • #5
  6. Jules PA Inactive
    Jules PA
    @JulesPA

    Well, I thought i was going to have to block you. 

    In 2004 I worked at Bushes office in our county. I spent a lot of time on the phone I encouraged everyone to vote, no matter what they said to me. 

    Those were the days when people used the phone and opened their door to strangers. 

     

    • #6
  7. EODmom Coolidge
    EODmom
    @EODmom

    Stina (View Comment):

    Well you earned some respect from this quarter today.

    I’ve been moving and I had a beautiful Queen bedframe I needed to get rid of. I posted it on Facebook Marketplace and got a hit that evening.

    I met the woman this past saturday and without compunction or pre-amble, she began sharing with me pictures of her with political figures: DeSantis, Rubio… and Trump.

    She is a MAGA, an office holder for some Republican group in sanford, and a really fun woman. I was so happy to have sold her my bed.

    She even calls herself a Trumpette.

    A woman I’m hoping to get another Vizsla from updated her web with a Trump 2020 sticker and it really lifted my spirits. She lives in CT and I sort of assumed low thoughts about her. But I wrote her a note and said thank you for doing it and it turns out she’s really really enthusiastic and her husband is a (retired) Marine. That really lifted my spirits. And she breeds wonderfully athletic hunting Vizslas. You never know and I think it pays to not be shy about where I stand. 

    • #7
  8. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    My client is a sweet lady.  She will be a down ballot vote for Republicans for years and years to come.  It was so funny to me got this to happen with the first person I registered.

    • #8
  9. JustmeinAZ Member
    JustmeinAZ
    @JustmeinAZ

    I’m glad she’s an R but do we really want people to vote who don’t even know what party the President belongs to?!

    • #9
  10. Jim McConnell Member
    Jim McConnell
    @JimMcConnell

    JustmeinAZ (View Comment):

    I’m glad she’s an R but do we really want people to vote who don’t even know what party the President belongs to?!

    I think that if we get them involved in the process they may learn more about what’s happening and come over to the light side.

    • #10
  11. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Jim McConnell (View Comment):

    JustmeinAZ (View Comment):

    I’m glad she’s an R but do we really want people to vote who don’t even know what party the President belongs to?!

    I think that if we get them involved in the process they may learn more about what’s happening and come over to the light side.

    Dreamer.

     

    • #11
  12. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Good job, Gary.

    • #12
  13. Fritz Coolidge
    Fritz
    @Fritz

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    My client is a sweet lady. She will be a down ballot vote for Republicans for years and years to come. It was so funny to me got this to happen with the first person I registered.

    The Lord moves in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. Glad you got a chuckle from the irony!

    • #13
  14. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    EODmom (View Comment):

    Stina (View Comment):

    Well you earned some respect from this quarter today.

    I’ve been moving and I had a beautiful Queen bedframe I needed to get rid of. I posted it on Facebook Marketplace and got a hit that evening.

    I met the woman this past saturday and without compunction or pre-amble, she began sharing with me pictures of her with political figures: DeSantis, Rubio… and Trump.

    She is a MAGA, an office holder for some Republican group in sanford, and a really fun woman. I was so happy to have sold her my bed.

    She even calls herself a Trumpette.

    A woman I’m hoping to get another Vizsla from updated her web with a Trump 2020 sticker and it really lifted my spirits. She lives in CT and I sort of assumed low thoughts about her. But I wrote her a note and said thank you for doing it and it turns out she’s really really enthusiastic and her husband is a (retired) Marine. That really lifted my spirits. And she breeds wonderfully athletic hunting Vizslas. You never know and I think it pays to not be shy about where I stand.

    Trumpette.  Is the accent on the first syllable or the last?

    • #14
  15. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    JustmeinAZ (View Comment):

    I’m glad she’s an R but do we really want people to vote who don’t even know what party the President belongs to?!

    Like Gary?

    • #15
  16. aardo vozz Member
    aardo vozz
    @aardovozz

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    My client is a sweet lady. She will be a down ballot vote for Republicans for years and years to come. It was so funny to me got this to happen with the first person I registered.

    Well, Gary, if you need your spirits lifted, there is a new (in the last two days or so) interview of Gov. Hogan of Maryland  by David Rubin. I don’t have the link, but if you can find it, I think you’ll enjoy the interview.

    • #16
  17. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    Gary Robbins: I really don’t know much about politics.

    How about the French she took?

    • #17
  18. ToryWarWriter Coolidge
    ToryWarWriter
    @ToryWarWriter

    We dont register people to vote around here in my country.  But I always help people vote, even though I know they wont be voting for us.

    • #18
  19. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    This will be an interesting post for non-members, only seeing the Main Feed. 

    “Why is he upset that she registered Republican? Why doesn’t he want more conservative supporters?”

    “This is an interesting site if they let Biden supporting Democrats join and post.”

    • #19
  20. Rodin Member
    Rodin
    @Rodin

    @garyrobbins, thank you for your service!

    • #20
  21. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):

    This will be an interesting post for non-members, only seeing the Main Feed.

    “Why is he upset that she registered Republican? Why doesn’t he want more conservative supporters?”

    “This is an interesting site if they let Biden supporting Democrats join and post.”

    It would feel somewhat discordant for me to fully answer this issue in the Main Feed.  To resolve that issue, please see my following post in the member feed.  https://ricochet.com/789299/being-respectful-of-the-main-feed-my-draft-letter-to-the-newspaper-editor/

    • #21
  22. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    aardo vozz (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    My client is a sweet lady. She will be a down ballot vote for Republicans for years and years to come. It was so funny to me got this to happen with the first person I registered.

    Well, Gary, if you need your spirits lifted, there is a new (in the last two days or so) interview of Gov. Hogan of Maryland by David Rubin. I don’t have the link, but if you can find it, I think you’ll enjoy the interview.

    Thank you so very, very much!  Here it is:

    • #22
  23. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    Retail Lawyer (View Comment):

    Why do you want people who are disinterested in voting to vote?

    Huge assumption. How do YOU know she wasn’t interested in voting? She may simply not have known how.

    • #23
  24. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    Flicker (View Comment):

    EODmom (View Comment):

    Stina (View Comment):

    Well you earned some respect from this quarter today.

    I’ve been moving and I had a beautiful Queen bedframe I needed to get rid of. I posted it on Facebook Marketplace and got a hit that evening.

    I met the woman this past saturday and without compunction or pre-amble, she began sharing with me pictures of her with political figures: DeSantis, Rubio… and Trump.

    She is a MAGA, an office holder for some Republican group in sanford, and a really fun woman. I was so happy to have sold her my bed.

    She even calls herself a Trumpette.

    A woman I’m hoping to get another Vizsla from updated her web with a Trump 2020 sticker and it really lifted my spirits. She lives in CT and I sort of assumed low thoughts about her. But I wrote her a note and said thank you for doing it and it turns out she’s really really enthusiastic and her husband is a (retired) Marine. That really lifted my spirits. And she breeds wonderfully athletic hunting Vizslas. You never know and I think it pays to not be shy about where I stand.

    Trumpette. Is the accent on the first syllable or the last?

    I’d think it’s like rockette more than like strumpet. 

     

    • #24
  25. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Retail Lawyer (View Comment):

    Why do you want people who are disinterested in voting to vote?

    Huge assumption. How do YOU know she wasn’t interested in voting. She may simply not have known how.

    She was a fairly shy person who was very unassuming.  She was beaming when she left my office.  My hunch is that she has been ashamed of not being registered.  And now she is.  She is becoming a full responsible adult.  As I now look back on it, I feel quite gratified by empowering her.

    That is a lot of what it is like having an attorney arguing for you in Court.  The lawyer sees the best in you, and is aware of the worst in you, and helps you put your best foot forward, and is not hobbled by your own negative thoughts about yourself.  Her 7 year old step-daughter was with her.  She had a spring in her step as she left the office.

    • #25
  26. GrannyDude Member
    GrannyDude
    @GrannyDude

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins: I really don’t know much about politics.

    How about the French she took?

    Basil always makes me laugh.

    • #26
  27. Maguffin Inactive
    Maguffin
    @Maguffin

    So let me get this straight.  You went to a website and registered another person to vote by just typing in her information.  I’m assuming this isn’t something setup for officers of the court, etc. etc. but just for general public usage?

    Look, I want everyone to vote – but I’m also a big supporter of the idea of having to present ID to someone who’s at least semi-official to register – and then having this process enabling vote by mail for all future elections? I’m also a big supporter of forcing most people to go to the polls, though for individuals like my wife who is disabled I readily make exceptions.

    Am I the only one bothered by this setup?

    That having been said, it seems this is the lawful setup in your state, so you did a good service today, and thank you!

    And the thank you wasn’t for registering a Trump voting Republican, just for helping someone register – you get an ‘attaboy!!!’  for that. :)

    • #27
  28. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    Stina (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    EODmom (View Comment):

    Stina (View Comment):

    Well you earned some respect from this quarter today.

    I’ve been moving and I had a beautiful Queen bedframe I needed to get rid of. I posted it on Facebook Marketplace and got a hit that evening.

    I met the woman this past saturday and without compunction or pre-amble, she began sharing with me pictures of her with political figures: DeSantis, Rubio… and Trump.

    She is a MAGA, an office holder for some Republican group in sanford, and a really fun woman. I was so happy to have sold her my bed.

    She even calls herself a Trumpette.

    A woman I’m hoping to get another Vizsla from updated her web with a Trump 2020 sticker and it really lifted my spirits. She lives in CT and I sort of assumed low thoughts about her. But I wrote her a note and said thank you for doing it and it turns out she’s really really enthusiastic and her husband is a (retired) Marine. That really lifted my spirits. And she breeds wonderfully athletic hunting Vizslas. You never know and I think it pays to not be shy about where I stand.

    Trumpette. Is the accent on the first syllable or the last?

    I’d think it’s like rockette more than like strumpet.

    Oh, darn, not Trumpet?

    • #28
  29. Franco Member
    Franco
    @Franco

    JustmeinAZ (View Comment):

    I’m glad she’s an R but do we really want people to vote who don’t even know what party the President belongs to?!

    That’s a good question. In Trump’s case it might be revelatory. Trump has vocal haters from Republicans too, and the case of modern Republican Party and Democrat Party, which policies are exclusive to either party? I can’t think of one.

    And remember, prominent members of the Republican Party have gone directly against Trump, like the last two Presidential nominees? Not counting the cold shoulder from the Bush Family of Presidents and the Jeb contender. Can’t blame her for wondering. Sweet innocence.

    • #29
  30. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Maguffin (View Comment):

    So let me get this straight. You went to a website and registered another person to vote by just typing in her information. I’m assuming this isn’t something setup for officers of the court, etc. etc. but just for general public usage?

    Look, I want everyone to vote – but I’m also a big supporter of the idea of having to present ID to someone who’s at least semi-official to register – and then having this process enabling vote by mail for all future elections? I’m also a big supporter of forcing most people to go to the polls, though for individuals like my wife who is disabled I readily make exceptions.

    Am I the only one bothered by this setup?

    That having been said, it seems this is the lawful setup in your state, so you did a good service today, and thank you!

    And the thank you wasn’t for registering a Trump voting Republican, just for helping someone register – you get an ‘attaboy!!!’ for that. :)

    You have a good point there.  What was needed was the full name, mother’s maiden name or father’s last name, last four digits of the social security number and AZ driver’s license number.  (By mistake I typed in her year of birth as 2989, and the site told me she wouldn’t be 18 yet!  I corrected it to 1989.)  The site asked her to confirm her mailing address.  Also requested was the state I was born.  The site is run by Arizona Motor Vehicles.  They have all of this information since I have a driver’s license, with the possible exception of my last four digits of my social security number and some of this information (state of birth) is arcane.  

    To test this, I needed to update my own voters registration, so I confirmed this information as I was writing this comment.  The site accurately had both my mailing and residential addresses; important since I get my mail at work, in a different Board of Supervisors District than my home.

    There are two goals, to make it easy to register and to make it hard to cheat.  In Arizona, you have to prove where you were born, so my citizenship was not an issue.  Because dogs don’t have driver’s licenses, that deals with dogs being registered to vote.  With the social security number, unless you are cashing social security checks after someone’s death, that would be a way to stop graveyard voting.  No system is 100% foolproof, but this one goes a very long distance in protecting from fraud.

    My client walked out of the office with a more confident air as a more mature adult.

    • #30
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