The GOP war on voting - Page 3 - Politics and Economics

Low Key · 10-06-2011, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money2Burn

I'm sorry, but requiring people to show an appropriate ID is hardly worthy of the title 'War on Voting.'

Given that evidence shows requiring an ID doesn't stop the non-existent boogeyman of voter fraud, and it is shown that the only thing it does stop is valid registered voters from voting, what choices do we have about the intentions of people who push this rubbish?

Are they either a.) ignorant, or b.) evil?

suzzer99 · 10-06-2011, 04:56 PM

Brilliant strategy by republicans. Pick something that every middle class white person has, and doesn't understand why it might be difficult for poor black people to get, then require that to vote. "Herp I don't see how requiring an ID is so bad. I have one derp."

Money2Burn · 10-06-2011, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DVaut1

The whole ****ing point is to come up with bizarre barriers to cross that are ostensibly not discriminatory but are. How are poll taxes discriminatory? Grandfather clauses? Literacy tests? Eight box laws? In each case, the law is superficially non discriminatory but overwhelmingly disenfranchised poor people and minorities.

How it's discriminatory:

- come up with a litany of documents required to procure government ID
- empower registers to arbitrarily enforce the requirements.

To wit:

http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/...eaucrat-tells/

"IDs are easy to acquire, and free!!!!" are nice cute GOP talking points to trot out, but yes, it's often a burden for 96 year old black people to get to an office and then produce the litany of documents a white Tennessee bureaucrat might require and approve of.

The GOP knows the type of people who are qualified voters are going to have a tough time meeting the ID requirements are poor and/or black. The GOP media machines know they can frighten their anger bears to agitate for voter ID laws by shouting ACORN and FRAUD and TONY ROMO MICKEY MOUSE in the same sentence enough. Strategy crafted and now implemented.

I don't see why a poor old white republican couldn't run into the same issues? Without more evidence, it seems quite a stretch to say this is some big GOP conspiracy to supress voting. Like it's just as plausible that they really could believe that voter fraud is still a problem despite so much evidence to the contrary. I mean these are people the majority of whom believe there is a all powerful being who they can talk to and will grant them wishes if they ask the right way and catch him on the right day, also they believe mmgw is a giant conspiracy mostly because that's their gut feeling in spite of mountains of scientific evidence pointing to the opposite conclusion.

Low Key · 10-06-2011, 05:03 PM

Maybe we can require people to have bank accounts or cars to be able to vote. I mean, all Good Americans have bank accounts and cars, right? So only bad foreigners trying to impersonate a Good American will not have these things and thus be unable to vote.

LIBERTY SOLVED!

Low Key · 10-06-2011, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money2Burn

I don't see why a poor old white republican couldn't run into the same issues?

Obviously this will cut into Republican votes, but I'm pretty certain they've looked at polling numbers and know exactly who this targets, and how little they'll be hurt compared to their opponents.

suzzer99 · 10-06-2011, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money2Burn

I don't see why a poor old white republican couldn't run into the same issues? Without more evidence, it seems quite a stretch to say this is some big GOP conspiracy to supress voting. Like it's just as plausible that they really could believe that voter fraud is still a problem despite so much evidence to the contrary.

Yeah, that's why republicans are pushing this so hard (and why democrats are fighting it so hard). One imaginary case of voter fraud. Has nothing to do with demographics of voters.

Try to be more obtuse.

Money2Burn · 10-06-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Low Key

Given that evidence shows requiring an ID doesn't stop the non-existent boogeyman of voter fraud, and it is shown that the only thing it does stop is valid registered voters from voting, what choices do we have about the intentions of people who push this rubbish?

Are they either a.) ignorant, or b.) evil?

Umm, considering an overwhelming percentage of these people are A) moderate to extremely religious

And/or B) willing to discount MMGW based largely on 'gut instinct' or their religious convictions then I'd say the chances of it being a are very high.

Morris King · 10-06-2011, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ogallalabob

Everyone has a right to vote. No problem with them voting. Would also like them to be required to work for their check.

Single moms are already working for their welfare check IMO. Try taking care of a kid for a day & tell me that **** ain't work.

**MrWookie** · 10-06-2011, 05:08 PM

If the GOP cared about duplicate voters, all they'd have to do would be to require people to do what they did in Iraq and/or Afghanistan after people voted there for the first time. They stuck their fingers in some blue dye that was hard to wash off. People with blue fingers had voted, and people without hadn't. This could be added to polling stations in areas that were paranoid about vote fraud, and it wouldn't discriminate against poor minorities in any way. Which is exactly why the GOP doesn't want to do it.

Money2Burn · 10-06-2011, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Low Key

Obviously this will cut into Republican votes, but I'm pretty certain they've looked at polling numbers and know exactly who this targets, and how little they'll be hurt compared to their opponents.

What makes you so certain of this other than the fact that you're assuming their intentions are nefarious?

Money2Burn · 10-06-2011, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Yeah, that's why republicans are pushing this so hard (and why democrats are fighting it so hard). One imaginary case of voter fraud. Has nothing to do with demographics of voters.

Try to be more obtuse.

Please explain how the problems DVaut enumerated couldn't also effect poor/old white Republican voters.

The fact that few cases of voter fraud have actually been found is not nearly as damning evidence of nefarious intent as you guys seem to think. People hold on to highly irrational beliefs and concerns in the face of contradictory evidence all the time, if not we could create AC-topia in like a few years.

suzzer99 · 10-06-2011, 05:21 PM

Ugh obviously you have zero desire to try to see the truth behind this, even though it's painfully obvious to anyone with half a brain. Troll on...

Max Raker · 10-06-2011, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money2Burn

What makes you so certain of this other than the fact that you're assuming their intentions are nefarious?

They can be ignorant and at the same time nefarious. They might think that illegal immigrants are actually voting in large numbers but they also don't mind doing things that make it hard for other poor people to vote.

Money2Burn · 10-06-2011, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrWookie

If the GOP cared about duplicate voters, all they'd have to do would be to require people to do what they did in Iraq and/or Afghanistan after people voted there for the first time. They stuck their fingers in some blue dye that was hard to wash off. People with blue fingers had voted, and people without hadn't. This could be added to polling stations in areas that were paranoid about vote fraud, and it wouldn't discriminate against poor minorities in any way. Which is exactly why the GOP doesn't want to do it.

This is a much more convincing argument. Has this ever been proposed and/or rejected? It seems like the perfect counter-strategy for Dems concerned about voter-suppression conspiracies. So, have any Dems proposed this as a counter-offer/compromise? If so, how did it go? If not, why not?

suzzer99 · 10-06-2011, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money2Burn

Please explain how the problems DVaut enumerated couldn't also effect poor/old white Republican voters.

There aren't as many of them. Seriously, you cannot be this out of it.