I can gurrantee if Obama wins the election...the republicans will delay the offical results like in 2000 with the democrats...just much longer....Especialy in Ohio an florida as revenge!
They will play the Acorn card for all its worth, if Mccain loses!!!
The Republicans are already claiming Ohio is a mess and the election results might be in accurate....I think this is just a hint of what will come! Also Republicans in florida are claiming the same!
It seems that ACORN is the GOP scapegoat this year. They tipped their hands when they labeled Obama a dastardly "community organizer" repeatedly at their convention. That was before this hullabaloo hit the media. ACORN stands for "Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now." The GOP claims that thousands of fraudulent voter registrations have been submitted. They may be right, but their solution is flatly un-American.
Currently early voting facilities are closed in Indiana -- in districts that lean Dem of course. The evidence of fraud, anecdotal mostly, is primarily that people paid to turn in registrations were making them up, the most recent fake being Mickey Mouse. There are other stories about addicts and criminals hired to register voters: nothing that speaks to a conspiracy but rather opportunistic criminals looking to make a few quick bucks. In Nevada college Democrats fought to kick ACORN off campus. Out of the 1.3 million voters registered there are 10,000 registrations in question. Not all are patently fraudulent. They also could have incorrect or incomplete information. In Colorado where there are no stories of impropriety, there are still charges of fraud.
So what do you do? If you're the GOP, you want to close the polls and challenge the registration with the explicit goal of eliminating as many votes from these districts as possible. One of the most reprehensible planks in the GOP is their voter disenfranchisement efforts and this fits right in.
Why is that a bad idea? In a nutshell (pun intended) voter registration fraud is a crime but prohibiting someone's right to vote is a bigger crime. When Mickey Mouse comes to the poll that's when you challenge. The worst thing is to disallow 1.3 million votes on the basis of a fraudulent 10,000 registrants who aren't very likely to even vote. That's another example of the tried and true GOP tactic of voter caging.
Civil Rights Barack Obama It seems that ACORN is the GOP scapegoat this year. They tipped their hands when they labeled Obama a dastardly "community organizer" repeatedly at their convention. That was before this hullabaloo hi... It seems that ACORN is the GOP scapegoat this year. They tipped their hands when they labeled Obama a dastardly "community organizer" repeatedly at their convention. That was before this hullabaloo hi...
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Central Florida Republicans are accusing the left-leaning group ACORN of trying to hijack the upcoming election.
ACORN has been working to register voters but some of the forms it has brought to elections offices have been filled with problems. Complaints include everything from voter registration forms that were filled out with illegible handwriting, to forms that were completely made up.
With the help of ACORN, someone named Davonte Rogers filled out 21 different voter registration forms. Some had wrong phone numbers, others phony addresses. In fact, it's questionable whether Davonte Rogers even exists. Some say he may have been made up by Orange County ACORN workers who were paid to collect registration forms.
Problems such as this prompted Orange County's Supervisor of Elections to send the group a letter saying its workers are "hurting the very people ACORN intends to help."
In Seminole County, a man's party registration was changed without him knowing.
Local Republicans are crying foul.
"I think ACORN is an apologetic, quasi-criminal group full of folks who are really trying to hijack the election," said Jason Brodeur, the McCain/Palin '08 Seminole County Chairman.
But ACORN says out of the more 15,000 new Florida voters it registered this year, there have been few errors. The group says it goes to extensive lengths to check the validity of paperwork and workers even flag registration forms found with problems for election offices. If the group finds a bad form, it is still legally obligated to turn it in.
"This is just a ploy of the right wing, the RNC, the Republicans and John McCain to suppress the vote," said LeRoy Bell of ACORN.
ACORN says it does require its workers to reach certain goals. However, in the cases locally where it appears that phony forms have been turned in ACORN said it fired or disciplined the employees involved. It has more than 13,000 paid people who canvass.
Posted by CashCowMoo on :
Mickey Mouse....for cryin out loud they are registering cartoon characters for Obama. Talk about fraud on all sorts of levels. Oh its ok though im sure there is some justifiable reason for this. Bdgee will have a great explanation on this, and would never divert that topic to something unrelated to save face.
Posted by wallymac on :
quote:Originally posted by CashCowMoo: Mickey Mouse....for cryin out loud they are registering cartoon characters for Obama. Talk about fraud on all sorts of levels. Oh its ok though im sure there is some justifiable reason for this. Bdgee will have a great explanation on this, and would never divert that topic to something unrelated to save face.
You do realize that Mickey Mouse could never vote, right?
Just as he could never be elected president even if a majority voted for him as a write in choice.
Posted by T e x on :
I'd love to be able to report that ACORN is an up-front, stand-up nonprofit organization.
However...
I can't.
I signed up with them as part of their "fight predatory lending" campaign. They promised a lot and delivered absolutely nothing. I went to a meeting that was more about THEM getting new members than it was about helping folks who needed help, right AT THE MOMENT.
We traded a few phone calls after that...long story short? They were useless, to me.
Posted by Ace of Spades on :
quote:Originally posted by wallymac:
quote:Originally posted by CashCowMoo: Mickey Mouse....for cryin out loud they are registering cartoon characters for Obama. Talk about fraud on all sorts of levels. Oh its ok though im sure there is some justifiable reason for this. Bdgee will have a great explanation on this, and would never divert that topic to something unrelated to save face.
You do realize that Mickey Mouse could never vote, right?
Just as he could never be elected president even if a majority voted for him as a write in choice.
I have no doubt that Mickey Mouse would be a better President and VP, than John Mccain and Sarah Palin....
By the way...Sarah Palin is way more entertaing character than Micky Mouse could ever be...just her voice alone Posted by CashCowMoo on :
quote:Originally posted by wallymac:
quote:Originally posted by CashCowMoo: Mickey Mouse....for cryin out loud they are registering cartoon characters for Obama. Talk about fraud on all sorts of levels. Oh its ok though im sure there is some justifiable reason for this. Bdgee will have a great explanation on this, and would never divert that topic to something unrelated to save face.
You do realize that Mickey Mouse could never vote, right?
Are you serious? Just as he could never be elected president even if a majority voted for him as a write in choice.
Posted by Pagan on :
Looks like the Repubs' have their own little ACORNish issues now.
Ontario police arrest man in voter fraud case Mark Jacoby, who owns a firm hired by the California Republican Party, violated state laws with his own registration, authorities say.
By Evan Halper Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 20, 2008
SACRAMENTO — The owner of a firm that the California Republican Party hired to register tens of thousands of voters this year was arrested in Ontario over the weekend on suspicion of voter registration fraud.
State and local investigators allege that Mark Jacoby fraudulently registered himself to vote at a childhood California address where he no longer lives so he would appear to meet the legal requirement that all signature gatherers be eligible to vote in California. His firm, Young Political Majors, or YPM, collects petition signatures and registers voters in California and other states.
Jacoby's arrest by state investigators and the Ontario Police Department late Saturday came after dozens of voters said they were duped into registering as Republicans by people employed by YPM. The voters said YPM workers tricked them by saying they were signing a petition to toughen penalties against child molesters.
The firm was paid $7 to $12 for every Californian it registered as a member of the GOP.
Dan Goldfine, an attorney for Jacoby, on Sunday denied any wrongdoing by his client and called the charges "baseless."
He said the arrest outside an Ontario hotel, which involved seven squad cars and nine police officers, was part of a "long pattern of harassment against Mr. Jacoby for an entirely valid voter registration effort."
Goldfine said the case that prosecutors are bringing against his client involves charges that are rarely pressed.
Jacoby was released on bail Sunday evening from the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, Goldfine said.
After complaints by voters and Democratic Party officials, several agencies launched investigations into Jacoby's activities. They included the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, which issued the warrant for his arrest earlier this month on felony charges of voter registration fraud and perjury.
"We contacted people at the addresses where he registered, and they have no idea who he is," said Dave Demerjian, head deputy of the public integrity unit at the L.A. County district attorney's office.
Goldfine said his client does business in many states, traveling frequently, and his permanent address has been his parents' Los Angeles County home, where he received mail and registered to vote.
Demerjian said his office is continuing to investigate allegations that YPM workers improperly re-registered voters with the GOP.
Several dozen voters recently told The Times that YPM workers said they had to become Republicans to sign the petition, contrary to California initiative law. Other voters said they had no idea their registration was being changed.
YPM has been accused of using bait-and-switch tactics across the country. Election officials and lawmakers have launched investigations into the activities of YPM workers in Florida and Massachusetts. In Arizona, the firm was recently a defendant in a civil rights lawsuit.
In a written statement Sunday, the state Republican Party called the charges against Jacoby "politically motivated." The party said the charges do not support accusations from voters and Democratic officials that YPM has been duping voters into joining the GOP.
The statement accused Secretary of State Debra Bowen, who announced the arrest, of "using her office to play politics."
Bowen is a Democrat.
Posted by bdgee on :
"In a written statement Sunday, the state Republican Party called the charges against Jacoby "politically motivated.""
Hey, this sounds like maybe the republicans may be right. After all, who is better qualified to recognize "political motivation" that is behind false charges of "voter fraud". They know that game inside and out.
Posted by CashCowMoo on :
It is a two way street. Bdgee the day you officially recognize your own party faults is the day pigs fly.
Posted by Peaser on :
Makes ya wonder how the dems knew that Florida polls were screwy in '04.
Was chad the scapegoat?
Oh, another conspiracy theory brewin'...
Posted by bdgee on :
The 2000 Florida thing wasn't first recognized by the democrats, but by the voters.
The scapegoat was the American people, who have had dubya and constant republican efforts to undermine the Constitution since then.
Pigs do fly, cow. You can see that every time you deny being a trash talking republican parrot.
Posted by glassman on :
i for one would like to see all this voting fraud stuff fixed. it's easy, just chip every US citizen. you can make it RFID, and even tie it to credit cards.
no more checkout lines at stores. just carry out what you want and it'll bill ya...
gee sounds so nice huh? anybody not chipped the next time they are scanned will be stunned by the new US Patent 6298788 - Non-lethal modular crowd control munition and chipped whether they want to be or not.
not a citizen? they can have a chip for that too...
Posted by raybond on :
Published on Friday, October 10, 2008 by CommonDreams.org The Truth About ACORN's Voter Registration Drive by Bertha Lewis and Steve Kest
Election Day is less than a month away, and our efforts to make sure that low-income and minority voters have a voice and vote on November 4th are in full swing. Unfortunately, just as we've seen in previous election cycles, the more success we have in empowering these voters, the more attacks we have to fend off from partisan forces making unfounded accusations to disparage our work and help maintain the status quo of an unbalanced electorate. We want to take this opportunity to separate the facts of our successes from the falsehoods of our attackers.
On Monday, October 6, as voter registration deadlines passed in most states, ACORN completed the largest, most successful nonpartisan voter registration drive in history. In partnership with the nonpartisan organization Project Vote, we helped register over 1.3 million low-income, minority, and young voters in a total of 21 states. Highlights of this success include:
We collected over 151,000 registrations in Florida, 153,000 in Pennsylvania, 215,000 in Michigan, and nearly 250,000 in Ohio.
An estimated 60-70 percent of our applicants are people of color.
At least HALF of all are registrations are from young people between 18-29.
We are proud of this unprecedented success, and grateful to everyone who supported us in this massive effort, from our funders and partners to the literally thousands of hardworking individuals across the country who dedicated themselves to the cause and conducted the difficult work of registering 1.3 million Americans, one voter at a time.
And this work is far from over: now begins our effort mobilize these new voters around local and national issues, getting them to the polls and helping to channel their commitment and conviction into an ongoing movement for change in our communities.
As The Nation pointed out recently, ACORN's success in registering millions of low-income and minority voters has made it "something of a right-wing bogeyman." Though ACORN believes that the right to vote is not, and should never be, a partisan issue, attacks from groups threatened by our historic success continue to come, motivated by partisan politics and often perpetuated by the media without full investigation of the facts. As a result, there have been a few recent stories about investigations of former ACORN workers for turning in incomplete, erroneous, or fraudulent voter registration applications. Predictably, partisan forces have tried to use these isolated incidents to incite fear of the "bogeyman" of "widespread voter fraud." But we want to take this opportunity to set the record straight and tell you a few facts to show how these incidents really exemplify everything that ACORN is doing right:
Fact: ACORN has implemented the most sophisticated quality-control system in the voter engagement field, but in almost every state we are required to turn in ALL completed applications, even the ones we know to be problematic.
Fact: ACORN flags incomplete, problem, or suspicious cards when we turn them in, but these warnings are often ignored by election officials. Often these same officials then come back weeks or months later and accuse us of deliberately turning in phony cards.
Fact: Our canvassers are paid by the hour, not by the card, so there is NO incentive for them to falsify cards. ACORN has a zero-tolerance policy for deliberately falsifying registrations, and in the relatively rare cases where our internal quality controls have identified this happening we have fired the workers involved and turned them in to election officials and law-enforcement.
Fact: No charges have ever been brought against ACORN itself. Convictions against individual former ACORN workers have been accomplished with our full cooperation, using the evidence obtained through our quality control and verification processes.
Fact: Voter fraud by individuals is extremely rare, and incredibly difficult. There has never been a single proven case of anyone, anywhere, casting an illegal vote as a result of a phony voter registration. Even if someone wanted to influence the election this way, it would not work.
Fact: Most election officials have recognized ACORN's good work and praised our quality control systems. Even in the cities where election officials have complained about ACORN, the applications in question represent less than 1% of the thousands and thousands of registrations ACORN has collected.
Fact: Our accusers not only fail to provide any evidence, they fail to suggest a motive: there is virtually no chance anyone would be able to vote fraudulently, so there is no reason to deliberately submit phony registrations. ACORN is committed to ensuring that the greatest possible numbers of people are registered and allowed to vote, so there is also NO incentive to "disrupt the system" with phony cards.
Fact: Similar accusations were made, and attacks launched, against ACORN and other voter registration organizations in 2004 and 2006. These attacks were not only groundless, they have since been exposed as part of the U.S. Attorneygate scandal and revealed to be part of a systematic partisan agenda of voter suppression.
These are the facts, and the truth is that a relatively small group of political operatives are trying to orchestrate hysteria about "voter fraud" and manufacture public outrage that they can use to further suppress the votes of millions of low-income and minority Americans.
These tactics are nothing new, and history has shown that they will come to nothing. We'll continue to weather the storm, as we've done for years, and we'll continue to share the truth about our work and express pride about our accomplishments. Most importantly, we want to assure you that this good work continues, unabated and undeterred. ACORN will not be intimidated, we will not be provoked, and in this important moment in history we will not allow anyone to distract us from these vital efforts to empower our constituencies and our communities to speak for themselves. If the partisan political machines are afraid of low-income and minority voters, they're going to have to do a lot better than coming after ACORN.
After all, there are now at least 1.3 million more of them, and they will not be silenced. They're taking an interest, and taking a stand, and they'll be taking their concerns to the voting booth in November.
And ACORN will be here, to make sure that the voices of these Americans are heard, on Election Day and for every day to come.
Bertha Lewis is a senior organizer for ACORN. Steve Kest is ACORN's Executive Director. ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, working together for social justice and stronger communities. E-mail this article Printer-friendly Share Close Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Newsvine Facebook Google Yahoo TechnoratiDiscuss
Posted by bdgee on :
Sadly, bond, the republicans do not read or want factual information, preferring, instead, to run about chortling sh-t they quote from Hannity and Coulter and the felon, Fat Rush, the Doper.
Their intent, including McCain's, is one of repeating a lie so often and so loudly as to drown out the truth and make the simple think the noisy lies they generate is truth.
Posted by T e x on :
New allegations, from CNN, I believe...am hearing Dems allege GOP trying to keep peeps with foreclosures from voting.
Posted by bdgee on :
Personally, I think every citizen should be able to vote.......black, white, brown, red headed, poor, rich, felons, edveryone.
And if they are so crippled (or otherwise prevented) they can't get there, go to them.
Posted by T e x on :
red-headed, too, huh?
dang, you *are* a liberal...
Posted by raybond on :
I hope we can do away with the republican water boys bdgee fat rush ,hannity, tucker,and ect,ect
When the dems get in the reestablishment of the fairness doctrin should do that much.
but you are right republicans tend to learn by repeating a message over and over by the water boys just like training dogs. There for they do not have a need to read.
Posted by bdgee on :
quote:Originally posted by T e x: red-headed, too, huh?
dang, you *are* a liberal...
Ah guess, that'ud havta be rhyatt....a gun totin red neck beer drinkin liberal, iffin ya must pen me up.
Posted by bdgee on :
"There for they do not have a need to read."
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Posted by CashCowMoo on :
get over it...this ploy used by the rep isnt gonna work..
maybe mccain should stay on topic and try to garner votes with his honest vision.(but i feel his vision only goes as far as this run for office)
america is hungry for a new approach...you know it,,and I feel you will vote for obama. you are a young man, ccm. Obama is in your corner. Mccain is old school and will support his cronies.
Please do the intelligent thing.
Posted by a surfer on :
it doen't matter who wins, just how people perceive, the results will be the same in long run
both parties serve the same masters, how long and how much evidence does anyone need to believe this,
i could post for the next year 24/7 showing absolute proof and still the masses deny
from msnbc, cpsan, pbs,fox,abc all interviews over the years proving this,congress, senate, governmnent sites, high ranking world officials, but still most deny
clinton( bill and hillary) and bush jr and sr, mcain and obama are are only here to take orders from people that run the world show- either comply and shut up or start learning before its too late for all of us
Posted by bdgee on :
o_t,
I'm not sure just exactly what you have bought in to, but I can see it fits you to a T.
And should you try posting "the next year 24/7", as you threaten, you still won't be making sense.
In your case, a monkey with a typewriter and infinite time never writes anything credible or even intelligible.
Posted by ohio_trader on :
only a fool would deny the existence and the role of the CFR, and you are king fool bdgee
Posted by glassman on :
quote:Originally posted by ohio_trader: only a fool would deny the existence and the role of the CFR, and you are king fool bdgee
i've been drawing the connecting lines for years OSU, get used to being ignored...
how on earth did Bill Clinton make 100 million$ after he left office? they used to call it payola... Dubya will too, even if he gets thrown in jail where he belongs.
Posted by ohio_trader on :
quote:Originally posted by glassman:
quote:Originally posted by ohio_trader: only a fool would deny the existence and the role of the CFR, and you are king fool bdgee
i've been drawing the connecting lines for years OSU, get used to being ignored...
how on earth did Bill Clinton make 100 million$ after he left office? they used to call it payola... Dubya will too, even if he gets thrown in jail where he belongs.
learned a long time ago the masses are asses, and unfortunately this makes up most all of this country and world, sheep, pigs for slaughter and mind control
the brainwash effect has taken hold quite well since wwII- people will deny the obvious till the end
at least you know whats up glassman
Posted by glassman on :
i can only say i have a good idea. take the latest market problems. i knew we had problems coming, but i honestly didn't think they were as bad as they SEEM to be. they may not have even been as bad they look right now, but by calling for the 700 billion? they made sure it would get this bad, and worse.
i was looking at leverage/margin figures that showed we were at '29 levels last year and even in '06. i thought margin at 12-15 to one was excessive, and it turns out that 30-40 to one was being "used".
Posted by Peaser on :
it's easy, just chip every US citizen.
easy there gunner...
Posted by glassman on :
quote:Originally posted by Peaser: it's easy, just chip every US citizen.
easy gunner...
well it would shutup all the whining.
Posted by a surfer on :
quote:Originally posted by glassman: i can only say i have a good idea. take the latest market problems. i knew we had problems coming, but i honestly didn't think they were as bad as they SEEM to be. they may not have even been as bad they look right now, but by calling for the 700 billion? they made sure it would get this bad, and worse.
i was looking at leverage/margin figures that showed we were at '29 levels last year and even in '06. i thought margin at 12-15 to one was excessive, and it turns out that 30-40 to one was being "used".
Its as bad if not worse than it looks IMO.
STORE CLOSINGS AND LAYOFFS > > If you have gift cards, hurry up and use them!! > > Just passing this along - FYI > > Ann Taylor closing 117 stores nationwide A company > spokeswoman said the company hasn't revealed which > stores will be shuttered. It will let the stores that > will close this fiscal year know over the next month > > Eddie Bauer to close more stores > Eddie Bauer has already closed 27 shops in the first > quarter and plans toclose up to two more outlet stores > by the end of the year. > > Cache closing stores > Women's retailer Cache announced that it is closing 20 > to 23 stores this year. > > Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines closing 150 stores > nationwide The owner of retailers Lane Bryant , Fashion > Bug , Catherines Plus Sizes will close about 150 > underperforming stores this year. > The company hasn't provided a list of specific store > closures and can't say when it will offer that info, > spokeswoman Brooke Perry said today. > > Talbots, J. Jill closing stores > About a month ago, Talbots announced that it will be > shuttering all 78 of its kids and men's stores. Now the > company says it will close another 22 under performing > stores.. The 22 stores will be a mix of Talbots women's > and J. Jill , another chain it owns. The closures will > occur this fiscal year, according to a company press > release. > > Gap Inc. closing 85 stores > In addition to its namesake chain, Gap also owns Old > Navy and BananaRepublic . The company said the closures > - all planned for fiscal 2008 - will be weighted toward > the Gap brand. > > Foot Locker to close 140 stores > In the company press release and during its conference > call with analysts today, it did not specify where the > future store closures - all plan need in fiscal 2008 - > will be. The company could not be immediately reached > for comment > > Wickes is going out of business > Wi ckes Furniture is going out of business and closing > all of its stores, Wickes, a 37-year-old retailer that > targets middle-income customers, filed for bankruptcy > protection last month. > > Goodbye Levitz / BOMBAY - closed already > The furniture retailer, which is going out of business. > Levitz first announced it was going out of business and > closing all 76 of its stores in December. The retailer > dates back to 1910 when Richard Levitz < ; SPAN > style="COLOR: navy">opened his first furniture store in > Lebanon , PA. In the 1960s, the warehouse/showroom > concept brought Levitz to the forefront of the furniture > industry. The local Levitz closures will follow the > shutdown of Bombay . > > Zales, Piercing Pagoda closing stores > The owner of Zales and Piercing Pagoda previously said > it plans to close 82st ores by July 31. Today, it > announced that it is closing another 23underperforming > stores. The company said it's n ot pro viding a list of > specific s tore closures. Of the 105 locations planned > for closure, 50 are kiosks and 55 are stores. > > Disney 20 Store owner has the right to close 98 stores > The Walt Disney Company announced it acquired about 220 > Disney Stores from subsidiaries of The Children's Place > Retail Stores. The exact number of stores acquired will > depend on negotiations with landlords. Those > subsidiaries of Children's Place filed for bankruptcy > protection in late March. Walt Disney in the news > release said it has also obtained the > right to close about 98 Disney Stores in the U.S. The > press release didn't list those stores. > > Home Depot store closings (E. Brunswick, Rt 18 just put > up their closing sign) > ATLANTA - Nearly 7+ months after its chief executive > said there were noplans to cut the number of its c ore > retail stores, The Home Depot Inc.announced Thursday > that it is shuttering 15 of them amid a slumping > U.S.economy and housing market. The move will affect > 1,300 employees. It is the first time the world's > largest home improvement store chain has ever closed a > flagship store for performance reasons. Its shares rose > almost 5 percent.The Atlanta-based company said the > underperforming U.S.sto res being closed represent less > than 1 percent of its existing sto res. They will be > shuttered within the next two months. > > CompUSA (CLOSED) clarifies details on store closings Any > extended warranties purchased for products through > CompUSA will be honored by a third-party provider, > Assurant Solutions. Gift cards, rain checks, and rebates > purchased prior to December 12 can be redeemed at any > time during the final sale. For those who have a gadget > currently in for service with CompUSA, the repair < FONT > face=Arial size=3>will be completed and the gadget will > be returned to owners. > http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9834177-7html > < SPAN > style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: red"> > > Macy's - 9 stores > > Movie Gallery20- 160 stores as part of reorganization > plan to exit > bankruptcyThe video rental company plans to close 400 of > 3,500 Movie Gallery > and Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520 > locations the video rental > chain closed last fall. > > Pacific Sunwear - 153 Demo stores > > Pep Boys - 33 stores > > Sprint N extel - 125 retail locations New Sprint Nextel > CEO Dan Hesse appears to have inherited a company > bleeding subsc ribers by the thousands, and will now > officially be dropping the ax on > 4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the =2 0 > loss of 639,000 postpaidcustomers in the fourth quarter, > Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7% of its work force > (following the 5,000 layoffs last year) and 8% of > company-owned brick-and-mortar stores, while remaining > mute on other rumors that it will consolidate its > headquarters in Kansas . Sprint Nextel shares are down > $2.89, or nearly 25%, at the time of this writing. > > J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot are scaling back > > Ethan Allen I nteriors: The company announced plans to > close 12 of 300+ > stores in an effort to cut costs. > > Wilsons the Leather Experts - 158 stores > > Pacific Sunwear will close its 154 Demo stores after a > review of strategicalternatives for the urban-apparel > brand. Seventy-four underperforming Demo stores closed > last May. > > Sharper Image: The company recently filed for bankruptcy > protection and an nounced that 90 of its 184 stores are > closing. The retailer will still operate 94 stores to pa > y off debts, but 90 of these stores have performed > poorly and also may close. > > Bombay Company: (Freehold Mall store closed) The company > unveiled plans to close all 384 U.S.-based Bombay > Company stores. The company's online storefront has > discontinued operations. > > KB Toys posted a list of 356 stores that it is closing > around the United < /FONT>States as part of its > bankruptcy reorganization. To see the list of store > closings, go to the KB Toys Information web site, and > click on Press Information > > Dillard's to Close More Stores > Dillard's Inc. said it will continue to focus on closing > underperforming stores, reducing expenses and improving > its merchandise in 2008. At the company's annual > shareholder meeting, CEO William Dillard II said the > company will close another six underperforming stores > this year.
Posted by Peaser on :
Ouch...
As "We've only just begun" plays in the background.
Posted by glassman on :
as far as i'm concerned this can all be traced to the trade deficits we've been running for the last 15 years... the mortgages and the CDSes are the last straw, and credit card problems are just beginning... American Express got it's credit rating downgraded today...
Posted by The Bigfoot on :
quote:Originally posted by glassman:
quote:Originally posted by Peaser: it's easy, just chip every US citizen.
easy gunner...
well it would shutup all the whining.
Maybe it'd stop the whining about voting issues. But it would also convince a good chunk of the Christian population that we have entered the "End Times".
Posted by bdgee on :
quote:Originally posted by The Bigfoot:
quote:Originally posted by glassman:
quote:Originally posted by Peaser: it's easy, just chip every US citizen.
easy gunner...
well it would shutup all the whining.
Maybe it'd stop the whining about voting issues. But it would also convince a good chunk of the Christian population that we have entered the "End Times".
You're always finding a silver lining, Big.
Posted by raybond on :
Looking at sufers list of stores what comes to my mind is that 40 years ago it would have been a list of heavy industrial factories no wonder we need easy money to lend we are a nation of low wage store clerks. All of us trying to live off each other
Posted by T e x on :
quote:Originally posted by raybond: Looking at sufers list of stores what comes to my mind is that 40 years ago it would have been a list of heavy industrial factories no wonder we need easy money to lend we are a nation of low wage store clerks. All of us trying to live off each other
Once, back in the hills, a superb colt was born, etc,etc,
punchline?
"Damnit, Jeb--we were both making a living offa that horse!"
Posted by wallymac on :
MORE STORE CLOSINGS:
Mervyns to close its doors after holiday sales
Victoria Colliver, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, October 18, 2008 The Mervyns at Masonic and Geary streets in San Francisco... A man shops for clothing at Mervyn's department store Fri... Brian Lee of San Francisco shops at Mervyns, which filed ...
(10-17) 18:12 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Mervyns, the 59-year-old department store chain based in Hayward, is closing up shop.
The ailing retailer, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July and planned to close 26 stores, said Friday that it now plans to liquidate its remaining 149 locations and shutter the business after the holiday season.
"We are disappointed with this outcome but the company's declining liquidity position and the extremely challenging retail environment, together with the fact that we have exhausted all other possibilities, requires that we take this action," said John Goodman, Mervyns' chief executive, in a statement.
Mervyns plans to hire an outside liquidator to hold going-out-of-business sales during the holidays. The company said it determined liquidating its inventory was the best way to maximize value for its creditors. Company officials declined to comment beyond the press release.
Mervyns, a privately held company that operates 175 stores in seven states, is the latest in a string of retailers to go belly up or file for bankruptcy reorganization in the wake of the severe credit crunch and overall dismal economy.
Earlier this week, Linens 'N Things backed out of restructuring plans that included some store closures and decided to shut its remaining 371 stores. Other well-known retailers to file for bankruptcy include Shoe Pavilion Inc., Sharper Image Inc. and Steve & Barry's.
Consumer spending, an early barometer of the economy, is down as shoppers cut discretionary spending amid fears of economic woes. The U.S. Commerce Department last week said September retail sales dropped 1.2 percent, the largest monthly decline in three years.
To make matters worse, retail watchers predict this holiday season will be the worst in recent years.
The National Retail Federation on Thursday released a survey that predicts the lowest increase in consumer spending since 2002. And, for the first time, survey participants said they would spend less on gifts for family members than the previous year.
Mervyns' bankruptcy did not surprise retail consultants, who have commented for years that the store has lost its footing.
Mervyns' customer base has been especially hard hit by the housing meltdown and high gas prices. The store's customers are typically low- to middle-income shoppers who live in areas especially hard hit by foreclosures such as California's Central Valley.
The department-store chain continued to lose ground against competitors such as Target, Wal-Mart and Kohl's, stores that managed to offer similar merchandise but with greater consumer appeal.
"They couldn't differentiate themselves from any of their competition," said Harry Bernard of Colton Bernard Inc., a San Francisco retail consultancy. "If you took away the element of price, the product Mervyns has ben selling could be found anywhere."
Mervyns was owned by Target Corp., for the most part under Target's previous incarnation as Dayton Hudson Corp., until 2004, when it was sold to a group of investors including Cerberus Capital Management and Sun Capital Partners. Mervyns pared down its number of stores and pulled out of several markets in an effort to improve profitability. Cerberus sold out of the chain last year but retains some interest in the company's real estate.
On July 29, Mervyns filed for Chapter 11. The company at that time said it had a commitment for a $465 million debtor-in-possession loan from a lender group led by Wachovia Capital Finance Corp. The company expected to use that money to fund ongoing operations.
As part of its reorganization plans, Mervyns said it would close 26 stores, 11 of which were in California, and keep operating as a smaller chain. Trendy retailer Forever 21 Inc. has reportedly expressed interested in the remaining 149 stores, but the company did not return calls for comment Friday.
"The real estate has a tremendous amount of value," said Helen Bulwik of New Market Solutions, an Oakland retail consultancy. "For the right retailer, those locations are quite enticing because Mervyns was a major force in California. That's where 80 to 90 percent of their stores were."
Bob Carbonell, chief credit officer at Bernard Sands, a credit monitoring and rating firm, said the holiday close-out sales mean creditors will at least be able to get paid through the holidays, but at steeply discounted rates.
"From a vendor point of view, it's disappointing because vendors lose another outlet for their merchandise," he said. "For employees, it's a horrible time of year to face losing their jobs in an already difficult California economy. It's always a sad day when we lose a major retailer." Mervyns Through the Years
-- Mervin Morris opened the first Mervyns (spelling of his name was changed) store in San Lorenzo in July 1949. The store measured 2,800 square feet and had two full-time workers and a few part-time employees.
-- The company grew through the decades, even as competition with Macy's, J.C. Penney and other retailers mounted.
-- In April 1971, Mervyns went public with a stock sale of 300,000 shares.
-- Mervyns in 1978 merged with Dayton Hudson Corp. in Minneapolis (now Target Corp.). The company expanded into the Southwest and the Pacific Northwest.
-- In September 2004, Target sold Mervyns to a private investment group led by Sun Capital Partners, making Mervyns again a privately held company.
-- Mervyns filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection July 29, 2008, and planned to close 26 stores by November.
-- Mervyns on Friday announced plans to hold liquidation sales at all of its stores through the holidays.
Sources: Mervyns, Chronicle research
E-mail Victoria Colliver at vcolliver*sfchronicle.com.
This article appeared on page C - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Posted by CashCowMoo on :
I heard Obama kicks bunnies!
Posted by glassman on :
quote:Originally posted by raybond: Looking at sufers list of stores what comes to my mind is that 40 years ago it would have been a list of heavy industrial factories no wonder we need easy money to lend we are a nation of low wage store clerks. All of us trying to live off each other
yep. it's called a "service economy" service economies are doomed by their very nature.
Posted by bdgee on :
The solution was pointed out decades back by many, that the economic well being, as well as the health of our lungs, was dependent on getting rid of the notion that petroleum was a never ending source of fuel for energy production and that there were developable methods of purely renewable energy production that could be researched and designed and that, such an effort would not only replace dependence on fossil fuel, but it would produce a world wide marketable product that would employ masses of Americans in order to supply those products across the world.
Instead we let corporate demigods, particularly the oil companies, take control of our future, so that now we are fast chasing membership in the cadre of permanently perennial second class economies. Sadly, we sat on our hands and the Scandanavian and Asian nations have stepped far out in the development of those industries and it may be too late to catch up.
We may end up buying that technology instead of producing it for the rest of the world, as we did with the automobile and aircraft and home appliances and so much other job producing endeavors that now have moved overseas.
Posted by raybond on :
Quote by cashcow
Member Rated: posted 21-10-2008 02:19 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I heard Obama kicks bunnies!
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)