The GOP war on voting - Politics and Economics

Two Plus Two Forums Other Topics Politics

The GOP war on voting

...

Page 1 of 164

First

1 2 3 4 5 6 11 21 51 101

Last

Page 1 of 164

First

1 2 3 4 5 6 11 21 51 101

Last

10-06-2011 , 01:40 PM

dinopoker

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 9,437

I heard about this on the radio yesterday and dug up the article in Rolling Stone. Looks like in addition to trying to destroy the economy, the GOP is also actively trying to disenfranchise as many Democrat voters as possible in order to win the 2012 election...

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics...oting-20110830

Quote:

As the nation gears up for the 2012 presidential election, Republican officials have launched an unprecedented, centrally coordinated campaign to suppress the elements of the Democratic vote that elected Barack Obama in 2008.

Quote:

Republicans have long tried to drive Democratic voters away from the polls. "I don't want everybody to vote," the influential conservative activist Paul Weyrich told a gathering of evangelical leaders in 1980. "As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down." But since the 2010 election, thanks to a conservative advocacy group founded by Weyrich, the GOP's effort to disrupt voting rights has been more widespread and effective than ever.

Of course the GOP is always screaming about voter fraud, but finding actual cases of it has proven more difficult...

Quote:

A major probe by the Justice Department between 2002 and 2007 failed to prosecute a single person for going to the polls and impersonating an eligible voter, which the anti-fraud laws are supposedly designed to stop. Out of the 300 million votes cast in that period, federal prosecutors convicted only 86 people for voter fraud – and many of the cases involved immigrants and former felons who were simply unaware of their ineligibility.

gg democracy

Quote:

"Our democracy is supposed to be a government by, of and for the people," says Browne-Dianis. "It doesn't matter how much money you have, what race you are or where you live in the country – we all get to have the same amount of power by going into the voting booth on Election Day. But those who passed these laws believe that only some people should participate.

10-06-2011 , 01:43 PM

caseycjc

banned

Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 4,728

Wow, the GOP might be involved in trying to sway votes in their favor? Compelling.

10-06-2011 , 01:56 PM

Brons

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 6,565

Quote:

Originally Posted by caseycjc

Wow, the GOP might be involved in trying to sway votes in their favorblock people from voting? Compelling.

fyp

10-06-2011 , 02:14 PM

MrWookie

Don't Call Me Meredith

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 94,159

Yeah, but ACORN is out there registering Mickey Mouse. Fraud! It's happening! And we can't track it! And homeless people can totally get ID easily, because I was able to get ID easily. In fact, I already have one!

10-06-2011 , 02:16 PM

suzzer99

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 99,984

In before every republican on this forum refuses to see how this is at all discriminatory or helpful to the republican cause, then shuts up when I propose we require people to vote as a condition for their welfare or medicaid checks.

10-06-2011 , 02:19 PM

spoonieluv40

adept

Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 946

So they've employed a strategy to win a election? Is this new?

10-06-2011 , 02:22 PM

suzzer99

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 99,984

Lol armed thugs at polling places is also a strategy to win an election. Poll taxes are also a strategy. Onerous writing tests are also a strategy. Our country is founded on everyone having the right to vote and no onerous restrictions to stop them. No fraud was happening to warrant people needing an ID, republicans just know poor people are less likely to have an ID. This makes it much like a poll tax.

10-06-2011 , 02:23 PM

[Phill]

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 52,717

The republican responses so far have been perfect. Plz keep it up.

10-06-2011 , 02:31 PM

mosdef

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 11,290

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Our country is founded on everyone having the right to vote

...except blacks and women, but, you know, everyone else. Mostly.

10-06-2011 , 02:31 PM

#10

suzzer99

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 99,984

founded + amendments

yeah founded = bad word

10-06-2011 , 02:39 PM

#11

Morris King

banned

Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 3,061

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzzer99

I propose we require people to vote as a condition for their welfare or medicaid checks.

That sounds unconstitutional to me -- has the law ever "required" people to vote before?

10-06-2011 , 02:41 PM

#12

suzzer99

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 99,984

Has the law ever required ID before?

10-06-2011 , 02:43 PM

#13

Low Key

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 33,327

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morris King

That sounds unconstitutional to me -- has the law ever "required" people to vote before?

Some countries make it a requirement that everyone who can, does vote.

It's not unprecedented, we've just never seen it here.

10-06-2011 , 02:46 PM

#14

suzzer99

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 99,984

Actually I think my original idea was requiring that people register to vote and have an ID to get medicaid or welfare. I can live with that. Would be hilarious to hear the republicans cry foul about how unfair that is. If it ever happened, which it won't because democrats are pussies and like 100x less devious than republicans.

10-06-2011 , 03:40 PM

#15

Money2Burn

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 12,628

This sounds just as overblown as Tepublican accusations of voter fraud.

10-06-2011 , 03:46 PM

#16

suzzer99

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 99,984

It's not overblown if they can tip a few districts and maybe even a state from dem to republican over this.

10-06-2011 , 03:50 PM

#17

ifucankeepit

enthusiast

Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 76

FYI and discussion: Rick Perry signed a bill passed by the Texas Legislature this year that disallows (it was previously allowed) students at state universities from using their student ID as an acceptable form of voter ID but allows people to use their concealed handgun permit. Hmmmmm

10-06-2011 , 03:52 PM

#18

ogallalabob

veteran

Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2,448

Wow someone should show proof of citizenship and have a picture ID to vote. What a GOP conspircy to steal the election.

10-06-2011 , 03:53 PM

#19

suzzer99

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 99,984

Yes, it is exactly that. Just because you say it sarcastically doesn't make it true.

So you're cool with my idea to make welfare and medicaid recipients get ID and register to vote before receiving their benefits right?

10-06-2011 , 03:59 PM

#20

suzzer99

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 99,984

Quote:

Originally Posted by occupytwoplustwo

Lol "GOP war on voting". Please tell me how requiring someone to show their drivers licence or a government id discriminatory.

Hmmm, which banned poster are you? I'm going to guess the initials NVE

It's discriminatory because poor people are way way less likely to have ID, and there's no reason to require them to have one (other than the obvious of winning the election).

10-06-2011 , 04:03 PM

#21

ogallalabob

veteran

Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2,448

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzzer99

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

10-06-2011 , 04:04 PM

#22

DVaut1

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 30,005

Quote:

Originally Posted by occupytwoplustwo

Lol "GOP war on voting". Please tell me how requiring someone to show their drivers licence or a government id discriminatory.

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/

Quote:

Dorothy Cooper is 96 but she can remember only one election when she's been eligible to vote but hasn't.

The retired domestic worker was born in a small North Georgia town before women had the right to vote. She began casting ballots in her 20s after moving to Chattanooga for work. She missed voting for John F. Kennedy in 1960 because a move to Nashville prevented her from registering in time.

So when she learned last month at a community meeting that under a new state law she'd need a photo ID to vote next year, she talked with a volunteer about how to get to a state Driver Service Center to get her free ID. But when she got there Monday with an envelope full of documents, a clerk denied her request.

That morning, Cooper slipped a rent receipt, a copy of her lease, her voter registration card and her birth certificate into a Manila envelope. Typewritten on the birth certificate was her maiden name, Dorothy Alexander.

"But I didn't have my marriage certificate," Cooper said Tuesday afternoon, and that was the reason the clerk said she was denied a free voter ID at the Cherokee Boulevard Driver Service Center.

"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.

Last edited by DVaut1; 10-06-2011 at 04:15 PM.

10-06-2011 , 04:07 PM

#23

ogallalabob

veteran

Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2,448

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Really in this day and age with ID theft etc. you do not see where making sure someone is who they say they are, actually entitled to vote and there is no fraud in the elections a good thing.

10-06-2011 , 04:14 PM

#24

Brons

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 6,565

Quote:

Originally Posted by ogallalabob

Really in this day and age with ID theft etc. you do not see where making sure someone is who they say they are, actually entitled to vote and there is no fraud in the elections a good thing.

You can of course also present a large amount of examples of stolen votes, considering the day and age with ID theft etc.