The GOP war on voting - Page 143 - Politics and Economics

What do you do when judges*strike down*your gerrymanders for every level of government where you’ve tried to jink the lines in your favor? If you're North Carolina Republicans, you gerrymander the judicial districts, of course! On Wednesday, Republican state senators*passed a billalong party lines to gerrymander the lower court districts for solidly Democratic Mecklenburg County, which is the state's most populous county, with 1.1 million people, and is also home to its biggest city, Charlotte.

Thanks to legislative gerrymanders that were themselves*ruled unconstitutional and redrawn*for the 2018 cycle, the GOP narrowly holds enough seats in both chambers to override a near-certain veto from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper (North Carolina's constitution doesn't let its governor veto congressional and legislative redistricting, but it*does grant the power*to veto judicial redistricting). Consequently, if the GOP-dominated state House also approves this proposal, as looks likely, it stands a good chance of becoming law.

https://m.dailykos.com/stories/1768525

06-04-2018 , 04:17 PM

#3552

goofyballer

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An article about Florida's disgusting process for not giving voting rights back to felons

Quote:

“It’s been 10 years since these charges,” she began, referring to a 2001 conviction for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. “I’ve served my time. I’m working. I’m a grandmamma. I’m going to be a grandmamma to twins.”

Atkins smiled and touched her daughter’s belly.

“I work every day,” she continued. “I’m active in the community. I stay out of trouble.”
...
After a couple questions about Atkins’ job with the Florida Department of Management Services, Scott put down his glasses.

“First, thanks for your work for the state,” the governor said. “At this point, I don’t feel comfortable giving your restoration of civil rights, but congratulations on your work and congratulations on your daughter.”

In less than four minutes, Atkins’ decade-long quest to have her voting rights restored was over.

Quote:

For the last seven years, Scott has routinely denied restoring voting rights to former felons in hearings such as these. Of the 30,196 applications for voting rights restoration he’s received since taking office in January 2011, he’s approved only 3,005, or just under 10 percent, according to statistics compiled by the Florida Commission on Offender Review.

Scott has also rolled back the automatic restoration of rights for nonviolent crimes passed by his predecessor, Charlie Crist, and instituted a five- or seven-year waiting period (depending on the crime) for all former felons before they can formally apply for restoration of their civil rights.

There are certain kinds of requests Scott is happy to grant, though:

Quote:

During one December 2013 hearing, still available online, Scott questioned an applicant about illegally voting after his release from prison. When the man replied he voted for Scott, the governor chuckled and, seconds later, granted his voting rights.

06-04-2018 , 04:26 PM

#3553

Namath12

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It should be taken out of the Governor's hands after November, there's a ballot initiative on it that is expected to pass. It needs at least 60% approval and last poll I saw showed that 61% of Republicans support the measure.

http://floridapolitics.com/archives/...ghts-amendment

06-04-2018 , 04:32 PM

#3554

Huehuecoyotl

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The concept of 'civic death' was kind of shocking to me, especially when 'taxation without representation' is so central to the formation of the US. I thought the US, beacon of democracy, wasn't abnormal in denying felons voting rights but turns out we're one of a few that do. Most allow convicted prisoners to vote in prison!

06-04-2018 , 08:07 PM

#3555

TeflonDawg

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 5,931

The idea of prison is to return a person back to civil society as a productive citizen rehabilitated. It's not supposed to send them back as 2nd class citizens. Felons not being allowed to vote is absurd.

It's the modern day 3/5ths law.

06-04-2018 , 08:31 PM

#3556

stinkubus

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 4,422

I can't think of a single moment within the history of the United States where the criminal justice system was primarily used for rehabilitation.

06-04-2018 , 10:42 PM

#3557

TeflonDawg

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 5,931

Quote:

Originally Posted by stinkubus

I can't think of a single moment within the history of the United States where the criminal justice system was primarily used for rehabilitation.

Well, I laugh every time I use the term rehabilitation and jail in the same breath, but that's what its intent is for. It's one of four purposes along with retribution, deterrence, and incapacitation.

I guess all four purposes are kind of laughable. Our justice system is laughable...

06-11-2018 , 11:00 AM

#3558

Namath12

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More voter suppression upheld by SCOTUS today

http://www.newsweek.com/supreme-cour...o-alito-970299

06-11-2018 , 11:21 AM

#3559

Jiggymike

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Namath12

More voter suppression upheld by SCOTUS today

http://www.newsweek.com/supreme-cour...o-alito-970299

GG USA l

06-11-2018 , 12:10 PM

#3560

m_reed05

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Yea that is literally gg. Every red controlled state will follow suit and the disenfranchisement will be insurmountable.

06-11-2018 , 12:53 PM

#3561

Trolly McTrollson

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Hey, remember when Republicans stole a SCOTUS seat and Dems rolled over? This is a sneak peak at what this timeline looks like. gjge, America.

06-11-2018 , 01:09 PM

#3562

Rococo

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I haven't given the legal issue enough thought to have an informed opinion on the Supreme Court decision. But as a policy matter, the Ohio statute is morally reprehensible.

If you ask someone who supports this sort of law what problem the law is supposed to solve, or what evidence there is of an actual problem, all you get is a bunch of jibber jabber. And maybe a YouTube video if you are lucky.

06-11-2018 , 01:25 PM

#3563

master3004

Revisionist Historian

Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 56,419

Just disgusting. I have been relegated to having zero hope for the country and hoping only that my state helps keep me safe from the oncoming tyranny.

Maybe one day California, Oregon and Washington will split off into the Western states of America.

06-11-2018 , 01:58 PM

#3564

MrWookie

Don't Call Me Meredith

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 94,159

Quote:

Originally Posted by master3004

Yeah but then we have a nuclear armed neighbor with Republican, white nationalist hegemony.

06-11-2018 , 02:02 PM

#3565

Slighted

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Rococo

i have a group text with a bunch of mostly conservative lawyers that i went to law school with, i got a single article about a single case of voter fraud in ohio as a response to why this would be needed.

another other guy said, whats the problem you only have to vote every 6 years, i asked if he would be ok with a firearm re-registering every so often or losing his right to own. he was not amused at that idea.

06-11-2018 , 02:18 PM

#3566

Slighted

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this movie poster just keeps giving.

06-11-2018 , 02:47 PM

#3567

Rococo

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Slighted

And here is the script if you continue the conversation:

Slighted: Can you answer my question about firearm registration?

CL friend: Fraudulent voting is a problem. Fraudulent gun ownership isn't.

Slighted: Fraudulent gun ownership is a problem if you define it to include possessing a gun that is either registered to someone else or not registered at all. But let's put that question to the side. Where is your evidence that fraudulent voting is a problem.

CL friend: Didn't you read that Breitbart article I sent you.

Slighted: (sighs)

06-11-2018 , 03:47 PM

#3568

Namath12

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I know it won't happen because lolusa, but the optimist in me thinks this might have a silver lining, namely to get people to get off their asses and show up and vote in order to not get PURGED. I mean, just ask for a ****ing absentee ballot and mail the thing in ffs.

06-11-2018 , 03:47 PM

#3569

JoltinJake

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 5,236

Can't wait for President Joe Biden to meekly try to compromise with republicans about voting rights.

We're pretty far into burning frog territory here. Sure, maybe this individual ruling alone isn't GG USA but it's one step closer to de facto one party rule. If SCOTUS rules partisan gerrymandering is A-ok as well, then I think we could very well be favorites to get there.

06-11-2018 , 03:59 PM

#3570

goofyballer

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Namath12

I know it won't happen because lolusa, but the optimist in me thinks this might have a silver lining, namely to get people to get off their asses and show up and vote in order to not get PURGED.

Yeah that's not gonna be a thing, sorry

06-11-2018 , 04:15 PM

#3571

chillrob

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Quote:

Originally Posted by m_reed05

Yea that is literally gg. Every red controlled state will follow suit and the disenfranchisement will be insurmountable.

I hate the decision, but I can't see it making that huge of a difference. It seems to me that those removed from the rolls would be very unlikely to vote anyway.

06-11-2018 , 04:40 PM

#3572

aarono2690

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Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 3,870

Quote:

Originally Posted by Namath12

Two things:

1) Americans are lazy and barely vote as is.

2) Democratic voters tend to be constituents who somehow always struggle to vote. Go ask 10 people between the ages of 18-24 and see how many know what month elections are held in every two years. Yep, these are the people Democrats bank on for votes.

06-11-2018 , 08:36 PM

#3573

dth123451

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Thanks to our stupid ass system, the product of appeasing stupid rural white bigots, and marginal reduction in Democratic voting is a huge GOP win. Trump lost by 3 million votes but won by like 1-3% in three key midwestern states (including Ohio, of course). If voter ID is worth a point and this **** it worth a point, it swings the whole thing.

06-11-2018 , 09:00 PM

#3574

Loki

binary duo

Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 12,772

Quote:

Originally Posted by chillrob

I hate the decision, but I can't see it making that huge of a difference. It seems to me that those removed from the rolls would be very unlikely to vote anyway.

What other constitutionally guaranteed rights should we just be able to take away from people because they don’t use them as much? Gun ownership? Right to remain silent? Right to privacy? Right to not have soldiers stationed in your house?

06-11-2018 , 09:05 PM

#3575

dth123451

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Hey *******, you didn't publish anything in the last few years, no more free press for you!

These ****ing scumbags

Isn't there supposedly some con law doctrine about only infringing upon fundamental rights in the least restrictive possible way? GJGE "originalists"

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