Let me finish tonight with this.
I've said this before and will say it again: the Republican Party ought to be ashamed of this effort to suppress the voting of African-Americans.
Seventeen states have pushed efforts to either require more documents or shut down voting opportunities. It's a multi-state effort that you have to wonder if it's being run out of the Republican National Committee. If not, they might think of getting out there and condemning it. I think that will happen when hell freezes over.
These are organized campaigns by Republican-controlled legislatures at the state level with a single ambition: to cut back on voting by African Americans and other minorities. In some cases, the courts have been able to stop them, but certainly not all.
It's the old, dirty old scam of winning elections by keeping your rivals from getting out its vote. If you can't win the hearts and minds of the voters, just shut the window on them. Just come up with the latest technique to closing down their voting opportunities.
It all fits with the other ugly stuff—the continued talk in TV ads about "welfare recipients," the talk about Obama as a "food stamp president," the use of the filibuster to shut down the program of the country's first African-American president, and the continued "birther" talk...Shameless.
That's the word for it, and it's the program of the party of Abraham Lincoln for 2012. I don't think he'd be proud of this stuff. It's incredible that so many are. It's no way to win an election.
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Political"RIPPERISM"is based upon the idea that"CITIES"are mere creations of the states LEGISLATURE,with no inherent RIGHT to self-GOVERNMENT.@
Chris , you are wrong about Iowa passing a voter suppression act. There was an attempt to pass voter ID, but it failed to pass. Recently, the Secretary of State has attempted to "investigate" registration of "illegal" aliens, so as to strike them from voter rolls and to intimidate legal minority voters with threats of prosecution. His efforts have failed due to a court order allowing a law suit to go through, which will delay his probe until after the election.
All this strange talk about vote suppression leaves aside explanation why demands of photo ID should benefit Republicans? Intuitively it is quite obvious presuming that democratic electorate is more green oriented and do not drive cars. Just rename democratic party in pedestrians to avoid confusion with idea of honest elections.
Students, elderly and those that live in metropolitan areas all of whom rely on mass transit. Critical thought strains both of your brain cells doesn't it LK? Ha!
Sed, leave it to hypocritical conservatives to send out mixed signals on pollution control. Typical of how republican laws are written-narrow and crooked. We all knew they were doing, just one more indicator.
Rallying call: NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE! GOING OUT INTO THE STREETS!
Must reads Chris
http://www.juancole.com/2012/09/top-ten-mitt-romney-solutions-to-our-problems.html
http://www.juancole.com/2012/09/muslims-are-no-different-or-why-bill-mahers-blood-libel-is-bigotry.html
http://www.raceforiran.com/flynt-leverett-on-the-real-drivers-of-anti-american-protests-in-the-arab-and-muslim-worlds
http://www.emptywheel.net/2012/09/25/drones-nation-unbuilding-in-pakistan-and-the-us/
http://www.emptywheel.net/2012/09/24/how-mitt-manufactured-a-charitable-view-of-his-taxes/
http://mondoweiss.net/2012/09/subway-ad-gets-a-make-over-revealing-its-true-character.html
Walt, Munayyer, and Mearsheimer offer one state scenarios, and my response
http://mondoweiss.net/2012/09/slater-takes-on-one-state-scenarios-from-mearsheimer-munayyer-and-walt.html
Oh and this one
Poking Our Eyes Out in Libya
http://www.emptywheel.net/2012/09/24/poking-our-eyes-out-in-libya/
I don't know why Maine is in there. They tried to end same day registration last November and it was voted down.
Chris' if an individual already has a government benefit card. how difficult is is to get a voter registration card. You are always crying like a little bitch.Is there any creditbility on msnbc. You cringe everytime you have to introduce lying (tawana brawley)sharpton.You lymies are a mess.
Zeke,
Let's say you have been voting in the same district for 30 years, always presented the required identification, never had a problem. Suddenly, in an effort to stem the non-existant tide of voter fraud, what was always good enough isn't any more.
The state is doing the right thing by providing the required ID, but you have to provide documents you don't have, so you have to get them, usually at a small fee. Once you get your papers in order you just need to make the 45 minute drive to the nearest office, but you're a little older, you live in the city, and you don't drive. Don't even have a car, so someone has to give you a ride there, on a week day. No big deal. Once you're there, you could wait a couple minutes, or a couple hours. Then the 45 minute drive home.
Would you do it?
By the way, most of the people with a government benefit card, probably already have the necessary ID
If only it was that easy in PA. Only 71 of the 390 PennDOT centers do Photo ID. They have limited hours, some only open 1 day a week. Anyone needing ID would have to get a ride or take public transportation. the closest center to me is over 1 1/2 hrs away by public trans. Than you have the long waits 1-4 hours, staff that is not properly trained on Voter ID requirements which change weekly, so you have to make multiple trips because you were given the wrong info. Oh yeah, real easy.
500,000 to 1,000,000 people who voted in 2008 in PA will not be able to get these ID's according to PennDOT. How many people have actually committed voter fraud over the last ten years in PA? NONE.
So Zeke you whiny bastard, your fake outrage at disenfranchising as many as 1,000,000 voters in that state alone proves that you have no interest in democracy and you are un-American.
Go bitch somewhere else.
Ok sedi. Why don't we simplify things for you. Maybe we can just use our social security cards and numbers as proper ID. All good Americans are owners of a ss card, often registering for one before they leave the hospital they were born at. This would eliminate the lib complaint of the time consuming registration process and how unfair it is. Somehow this would be too easy and you clowns would have nothing to cry about .
Sounds great. Why don't you propose it to ALEC? See how far you get. Regular voter ID cards issued by the states aren't good enough for them despite the fact that the Bush Administration had their conservative federal judges spend five full years and millions of tax payers dollars investigating voter fraud and found none at all. Remember, Bush and Rove even threatened to fire them if they didn't find some voter fraud somewhere.
So keep up your effort to suppress democracy and voting in America there bud. It makes you like a real patriot! NOT.
(Not) interesting to see how you jump around (Zeke) to tailor your conversation to your complaint. Specious argument.
Zeke's logic: How do you kill a pesky fly? Swathe it down and let an elephant sit on it. :(=
Sed has given you something to ponder, but like a decent waste of time you are brushed pass it to offer another unremarkable argument.
As to your quote, "you clowns" I am sitting on that one.
PA residents, please sign, share and email this petition to every PA resident you know to postpone the Voter ID law in PA. I have over 5100 signatures and need everyone's help in making this go viral across the state so we can make an impact when it is delivered to Harrisburg. Thank you
Just remember...Even though Obama..appears to be a leading in the poles over Mitt Romney Republicans steals VOTES.. It's in their in the DNA .. Mitt continues to attend these fundraisers .. not really out campaigning much in public.. Maybe he knows something..we don't know.. 2000 and 2004..were stolen.. by the republicans...
PA residents: Please sign, share and email this petition to every PA resident you know to postpone the Voter ID law in PA. I have over 5100 signatures and need everyone's help in making this go viral across the state so we can make an impact when it is delivered to Harrisburg. Thank you
Matthews: "It's the old, dirty old scam of winning elections by keeping your rivals from getting out its vote."
Right Chris...what's next? Are you going to toss out nonsensical numbers like Sed?
The only shameful thing going on is an OVERT attempt by YOU to MAINTAIN a system that welcomes and helps facilitate fraud. So is that it Chris? You want to maintain those conditions? According to my calendar it is 2012..I enter jurisdiction after jurisdiction that requires ID to purchase alcohol and tobacco regardless of age. So the part of the electorate that is intentionally being surpressed (the young, the old, minorities, etc.)..they don't smoke and drink? That's fantastic. I applaud them then.
What a load of nonsense. Your nonsensical rant is a transparent attempt to put forth a vile, false narrative end enrage a sector of the electorate with total BS. Only ONE RACIST in this entire debate Chris old buddy....and that is you. Congrats.
So Steve, are you going to cry when Mitt loses?
I bet Mitt and Ryan will?
You know Hannity and O'Reilly will.
Perhaps you should make plans to be there with Mittens and Ryan to comfort them on that day of their defeat. Ha Ha Ha
So then,...drinking alcohol,...and smoking tobacco...are just like...voting,...because over a period of time voting....is dangerous to...to...to what, Climbbutrm?
Sed...I wasn't very clear in that post...sorry about that. My point was apparently there's a huge portion of the population that doesn't smoke or drink if you believe the numbers of those who are ID-less. I think you posted 500,000 - 1,000,000 in PA....seems implausable. I figure if you live in a city, less need for car/driver's license...although everyone I know living in Dc has one....even though they take metro. Grabbing a bite to eat...later!! Steve
P.S. And YES...I would cry! Not too worried...the polls are insane....they're sampling +9 Dem...by Nov 6, Mittens as you call him, will be elected....incumbent can't withstand vast majority of electorate that says country going in wrong direction.
Population of PA approx 12,742,886 - those of voting age est. 9,722,822
Smokers - 18%
Drinkers - did not find for PA but would assume the percentage is close to the nation average of 67%
This does not count the 42 % of 12-17+ range who drink but do not vote.
Hard to say - if your smokers all drink, you have about 3,200,000 who would not need ID for that purpose.
750,000 of those of voting age do not have a driver's license - not to say that they do not have acceptable ID for voting.
Cases of in-person voter fraud do exist - the apparent nation wide ratio is 10/600,000,000 for total votes cast over a 10 year period.
climb #11
None of what you said changes the fact that Republican lawmakers (those ELECTED represent Pennsylvanians) said the purpose of the law was to win the state for Mr. Romney. The GOP will have a problem recruiting new members from the people it spent political capital trying to deny the vote to. I will trust the local poll worker in the precincts to know whoi votes every election, who died, who moved, who got married, who has a son or daughter ready to vote for the first time and most importantly, who the strangers are before I trust a piece of plastic.
climb #11.4
The same polls saying that the country is going in the wrong direction also say that the Repubican do-nothing Congress is to blame. If the majority you speak of votes their conscience we will have Democratic majorities in the Senate and House come January 2.
Steph: Those numbers were once again the numbers stated by the Justices during the court case. I suppose the Supreme Court Justices could be committing perjury in their own courts on record, on tape, but I seriously doubt it. PennDot went on to say that of that number they have handed out 9000 Id's and only planned on handing out 1000 more.
Oh and Steve, just because a majority say the country is going in wrong direction what makes you believe they blame the President? The Congress has a 10% approval rating. it is the Republicans in Congress who have voted against 20 jobs bills in a row (the POTUS economics plan), that is the reason there is uncertainty in the corporate world. It is the Republicans in Congress who have tried to overturn Obamacare 33 times at a cost of $48 billion each time to the taxpayer. It is the Republicans in Congress who started and refused to stop the debt ceiling fiasco that caused our credit down grade even when the President, the media and Wall Street begged them to make a deal. It is the Republicans who have pushed the war on women and the anti-gay, agenda. It is the Republicans who are pushing the massive voter suppression efforts.
Yes, this country is going in the wrong direction and many, perhaps most people see it as the fault of an extremist, out of touch, corrupt Republican party.
This country is not going in the wrong direction as much as it is stopped on the right track because Republican obstructions are in the way. Once they are cleared this country can start moving forward again.
Each and every time a story about blocking the vote comes on tv my Viet Nam Veteran husband shakes his head and walks away. He risked his life to protect our rights, and now the same government is taking away our rights. Shameful. I have been compelled to get a job with the Department of Elections to ensure that at least in the precinct I work at there will be NO republican monkey business.
Good for you Maria. As a Vet I feel the same way as your husband.
thanks for your service sed - and welcome home!
Talk about suppression. The elites Ohio have already stated voting. How come the rest of us have to wait till Nov 6th?
The rest of us do not have to wait. At least 16 states are into early voting periods right now, many of them swing states. It makes you look forward to the time when all states make it as easy as possible for citizens to vote, does it not?
It will be easier to buy a gun in some states than it will be to vote!
In the states where you need a gun permit, a gun permit is a valid form of voter ID. Gee do you think the fix is in? Ha Ha Ha!
O.M.Goodness!
The only sound I hear is crickets. No Mitt Romney hastening to "instant press availability", to criticize and denouncing Sproul for disenfranchising the other 47 percent, and independents.
Talk about a Loser. :-(disturbing.
Really, don't you need ID to buy a gun, legally of course!
Again it depends on what you define as ID. You have to fill out an official purchase form and sign it. This is used to verify your ID on the federal system (firearm purchase laws). To verify your ID on the form all kinds of ID are acceptable that would not be acceptable as Voter ID under the Republican laws such as Federal and State ID's without expiration dates on them.
So, a retired military ID without a expiration date is not valid?
Depending on the state, correct.
@!$%#, I will throw mine away then. If it is no good.
I wouldn't do that. It can still get you into the PX as well as be used for other things.
Wait, just a minute, you said under the Republican laws. Since, when did laws become part of a party?
Since it has been the Republican party under the direction of ALEC who has been responsible for these laws, initiated in I believe 36 states.
So, ALEC makes the law???
As a matter of fact they have written thousands of pieces of legislation word for word and just handed to legislators to be presented as is, many times with their name, ALEC still printed on the letterhead. Amazing audacity and ludicrous laziness on the part of our legislators.