Mitt Romney was in Michigan this week trying to make it competitive in the presidential election. It’s a steep climb for the native Michigander because President Barack Obama’s auto bailout, which Romney opposed, has helped bring the state’s unemployment rate down by 5.7 points since 2009.
But Romney has a strong ally there: legislation being pushed this month by his fellow Republicans aimed at preventing the nonpartisan League of Women Voters from undertaking the voter-registration drives it has sponsored for nearly a century.
Across the country, the Republicans’ carefully orchestrated plan to make voting harder — let’s call it the Voter Suppression Project — may keep just enough young people and minorities from the polls that Republicans will soon be in charge of all three branches of the federal government.
Yes, both sides try to change voting laws to favor their team. The 1993 “motor voter” law that made voting more convenient by extending registration to the Department of Motor Vehicles helped mostly Democrats. That was at least in the long American tradition of expanding the franchise.
The Republican effort to restrict voting isn’t just anti-Democrat, it’s anti-democratic. No fair-minded person believes the tall tales of voters pretending they were someone else, which have been debunked by the Brennan Center for Justice and others. What fool would risk prison or deportation to cast a single vote?
This isn’t about stopping vote-stealing and other corruption, for which there are already plenty of laws on the books. It’s about rigging the system to keep power.
First we saw the efforts during the George W. Bush administration by Karl Rove and Justice Department officials to get rid of U.S. attorneys who refused to pursue bogus voter- fraud cases. When Republican prosecutors complained, Rove and company ran for cover.
Then came Crawford v. Marion County, the 2008 case in which the Supreme Court ruled that mandatory photo-identification laws were constitutional on the basis of ballot protection. The evidence presented included not a single case of in-person impersonation fraud — the only fraud that photo ID laws can prevent. And the millions of Americans — mostly less-affluent seniors — without driver’s licenses? Good luck.
The big Republican victory in the 2010 election was essential to the Voter Suppression Project. With the help of ALEC — a conservative lobbying outfit that spreads cookie-cutter bills to state legislatures — Republicans moved with lightning speed to implement their scheme. Since 2011, 18 states have enacted voter-suppression bills, with similar ones pending in 12 more.
In the presidential race, it’s hand-to-hand legal combat, with almost every battleground state embroiled in a struggle over voter eligibility.
Michigan’s bills attack the League of Women Voters by requiring some volunteers to attend state-approved training sessions before they can register voters. The catch is that the bill makes no provisions for such sessions. Ha! It does threaten them with penalties for registration offenses that aren’t specified.
The bill is modeled on Florida’s, parts of which a federal judge invalidated May 31 because he said they had “no purpose other than to discourage” constitutionally protected activity.
In Ohio, the Obama campaign helped collect enough signatures to put a referendum on the ballot repealing restrictions on absentee voting. Preferring not to face the voters directly on voter suppression, the Republican-controlled legislature repealed its own law, although it left intact a related measure that prohibits early voting on the three days before an election. That’s designed to discourage the tradition in black communities of busing worshippers from church to the polling place.
Several battleground states have new photo-ID requirements. Pennsylvania’s law allows valid student ID, but with a number of restrictions. Same in Wisconsin, which attached a series of bring-me-the-witch’s-broomstick demands for students looking to use a school ID. Fortunately, a state judge ruled against the Wisconsin law, although it’s being appealed.
Virginia’s legislation allows multiple forms of photo ID but restricts registering for an absentee ballot in person. A New Hampshire bill that required those without photo ID to fill out an onerous affidavit was thankfully just vetoed by Governor John Lynch.
The Obama campaign is obviously concerned about these ballot-access issues for political reasons. But even those with no dog in this fight should recognize that a great democracy doesn’t sully itself by suppressing the precious right to vote.
Jonathan Alter is a Bloomberg View columnist and the author of “The Promise: President Obama, Year One.”
It should be remembered that Maine was one of the 1st, if not THE 1st State, to take this ridiculous voter supression idea and toss in the trash can from whence it came. More so is to remember that Charlie Summers, and his bandwagon of cheerleaders from the MHPC, were the one’s to propose it in a time when Maine’s voter’s were being bombarded with all kinds of boogeymen voter stories that were barely on the side of laughable, if not outright ridiculous, in their supposing that Maine voter’s were either too stupid, or worse, gullible enough to believe them. No, this voting right’s supression is nothing less than a GOP-led drive to prevent the voter’s, especially in Maine, of any Political Party or position from exercising their basic Constitutional right’s as voter’s. And if they want to resurect the boogeyman voter joke, fine. Let’em and I hope that enjoy being seen for what they are. Transparency goes both way’s and so do the voter’s when they are dissrespected assumed to be idiot’s. Maine voter’s are getting that now from Blane House.
More nonsense from the party that loves to flout the law.
Bear these things in mind:
1) The Democratic Party wants to give citizenship to millions of people who have stolen into this country because the majority of them will vote D to draw down entitlements they should not be entitled to.
2) The Democratic Party supports the anarcistic Occupy movement, which has commited some truly vile acts to force their views upon others. It is easy to believe, even if hard to prove, that these anarchists will “vote early and often.”
3) The highly respected Pew Center recently released a report saying that 1 in 8 voter registrations are not valid.
4) One cannot prove a negative. When the Left says voter fraud does not exist, they cannot prove it.
5) It is entirely reasonable and appropriate for states to review their voter roles to scrub them of illegimiate and expired registrations.
Alter is wrong, simple as that.
“4) One cannot prove a negative. When the Left says voter fraud does not exist, they cannot prove it.”
Tell us again how much voter fraud Republican hero Charlie Webster found?
Remember the election fraud when two of Democrat legiscritter for life John Martin’s chief lackeys were jailed for stealing a box of ballots and hiding it in a closet? The Dems haven’t been caught trying to rig an election since then, so I guess hasn’t happened since…or maybe they just got better at it.
And requiring an ID to vote stops that how?
Voter Fraud is how W BUSH got elected twice……. GOP Knows about voter fraud.
Alter is right. Photo ID laws are aimed at those who already have the least amount of influence in the political process: the poor, the homeless, the disabled. The Right would have us believe that most of these people are criminals and should not be allowed to exercise the most basic right of citizenship.
A lot of things are easy to believe and hard to prove, often because they are wrong. Ptolemy twisted himself in knots trying to prove that the Sun circled the Earth, which seemed obvious to most of his contemporaries.
There are over 10 million criminals from Mexico who would like to vote for whoever will let them stay legally. The foodstamp president would love to have more people to give foodstamps to and lock in the votes. It’s a marriage made in heaven, especially if it’s a gay marriage.
You hate a lot of people, don’t you?
It’s not about hate, I go to Mexico often and I leave when I’m done. If I wanted to stay I would respect Mexican laws and apply through the proper channels.
Liberals are the ones who hate. You hate that most don’t like this president and his policies. You really hate that he will lose this next election. I don’t think you hated anybody more then two of our best Presidents ever, Reagan and Bush.
We all gave Obama a chance and he failed. He’s alot like Jiummy Carter in that regard.
86’d
You are correct, we do hate the condition. But instead of giving them the handout the Dems do, we give them a hand up. That’s the difference in our ideologues, You see them as poor and downtrodden. We see them as individuals that only need a chance to succeed and flourish IF THEY WANT TO.
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Last Poll I saw showed almost 60% like the President, they may not voe for him but they like him. Romney, or any Republican for that matter, would love numbers like that.
The last poll I saw showed 44% would re-elect the President while 38% would vote for Romney. This is before most people know anything about Romney and know everything the Republican’s are going to throw at Obama, unless they start making things up.
A nation is defined by its laws and borders. Illegal immigration offends both, as does your careless tossing around of the word “hate”.
The last person to grant immunity to undocumented immigrants was a Republican, Reagan was his name.
By foodstamp President I take it you are referring to George W. Bush. According to the
U.S.Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition service for month-by-month figures going back to January 2001, show that under President George W. Bush the number of recipients rose by nearly 14.7 million. Nothing before comes close to that. And under Obama, the increase so far has been 14.2 million. To be exact, the program has so far grown by 444,574 fewer recipients during Obama’s time in office than during Bush’s.
In fact since those numbers were compiled the actual number of those on what you refer to as food stamps have declined and continue to do so. I am sorry if the facts do not confirm your warped ideological statements.
source:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-01-18/fact-check-gingrich-obama-food-stamps/52645882/1
FYI: USA TODAY is owned by News Corp. the parent company of Fox News
It is a fact that under Obama, more people have signed up for food stamps faster than any president. Bush served for eight years, and Obama only 3.5 so far, yet their food stamp numbers are nearly identical. That means Obama’s rate has been DOUBLE Bush’s.
Was you math class pass/fail?
By the way, Obama has held nearly 170 fundraisers since taking office, by far out-pacing any prior president, and his 100 rounds of golf is exactly what we can expect from President Kardasian.
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Yes, a photo id is truly reprehensible unless you want to buy beer, cigarettes, board an airplane, etc. But ask for one to vote and the libs start wetting their pants! Wonder why?
Right, because buying beer is a civic duty?
Buying alcohol or cigerettes is to prove you are old enough to purchase them not where you live and if you appear old enough you most likely won’t get carded.
Wonder why Conservatives want to force people who have been legal voters and voted for years to get new picture ID’s?
1. No one is given citizenship, it is earned. They can give amnesty to being here illegally like Reagan did and then work towards citizenship.
2. Cite your sources for the Democratic Party supporting Anarchists.
3.And yet the Bush Administration spent 4 years and millions of dollars trying to find evidence of voter fraud and found less than 100 cases nationwide from 2000 to 2006. One example of voter fraud was Ann Coulter use of her publishers address instead of her own and Mitt Romney using his son’s basement in Massachusetts to vote there while not living there.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/washington/12fraud.html?pagewanted=all
Also cite your source because I did a search of teh Pew Center and was not able to find the article you speak of.
4. And the Right is not able to prove voter fraud exists, except in a few rare cases even with the power of State and Federal Government’s investigative authority.
5. That would be true if done without any political advantage being sought. Florida is currently under investigation for purging voters based solely on their name and it’s similarity to convicted felons not on whether the personis actually the very person on the list. Or Katheryn Harris’ purging of voters based on a list of convicted felons that she bought from Texas.
Republican’s are wrong in regards to voting, simple as that.
Repubs and Tea Baggers don’t cite sources. the only source they have is ALEC and Faux News
Only one hundred cases were found? I’d say more but can’t stop laughing.
Did you read the article that I cited? That would probably stop your laughing.
Occupy = Anarchy. Haven’t you figured that out yet?
Florida is under investigation by the most corrupt Attorney General in the history of this country, one that refuses to enforce border laws and marriage laws he and his boss disdain.
Can’t wait for November!
I swear Conservatives either never studied history or have were asleep in class. Eric Holder is not even close to the most corrupt Attornet General.
All you have to do is look to the last 4 Republican Attorney Generals to find them. John Ashcroft replaced all 50 Attorneys General with corrupt political hacks and then told them to go after Democrats. Alberto Gonzalez instituted and backed the criminal interogation techniques used by the US on suspected terrorists (most of whom were later released for lack of evidence) and using “black” locations to torture suspected terrorists in places like Poland, which is currently being criminally investigated.
Thanks for numbering those lies.
It makes it easier to keep track of them.
Have a blessed day.
Let’s try to understand, if we can, that those “evil Republicans” are trying to suppress the votes ONLY of those who are not legally entitled to vote, under the laws of the United states, or of the state in which the potential voter resides. Examples would be: non-US citizen, under-age person, deceased person, legally incompetent person, person who votes in another jurisdiction or state (multiple voter), and in many states, convicted felon.
Let’s also try to realize that a substantial majority of US voters think that it’s reasonable to require a picture ID in order to vote. I know that the Democrats have been crying “VOTER SUPPRESSION” in regard to picture IDs (WOLF—WOLF) for years, but apparently, fewer and fewer people are believing them.
Should we assume that people who are so totally opposed to making sure that voters are legally entitled to vote, actually want ILLEGAL voters to vote? Or would that be UNDOCUMENTED voters?
Or you could Google the Florida voter suppression currently going on. The Florida Secretary of State is getting sued to stop an obviously illegal voter purge of voters who happen to have the same name or similiar name to convicted felons, not just from Florida but other lists from other states.
Or Katheryn Harris’ purge of mostly African-AMerican voters who had similiar names to TExas Felons, not even felons from Florida.
Or Texas’ attempt to purge voters based solely on their name.
Or Wisconsin requiring Picture ID’s from State Drivers licenses while closing many rural offices requiring voters to drive 40 or more miles to get a new picture ID. Oh, and charging for the new ID even though that is illegal but covering it by putting in small print that you coudl get one form free and not allowing clerks to tell people this.
And many more examples of Republican’s trying to reduce the number of voters because they know that the more voters there are the less likely they will win an election.
Yet when true voter suppression occurred with racist thugs camped out in front of polling places carrying clubs, that racist gun runner Holder refused to prosecute. There are indeed racists, but you’re looking in the wrong place.
Don’t be bringin up the contemptable gun runner Holder. Thats just not fightin fair! After all he DID want to prosecute the Gitmo group right in downtown New York City. Remember that? And those thugs in front of the polling places carrying clubs were just exercising their rights weren’t they?
In Florida during the 2000 Presidentail election, State and local police in the Florida Panhandle set up a presence, with flashing lights and armed deputies, outside of minority, Democratic area Polling stations for “security”and yet did not feel the need to set up in front of Republican Polling Stations. That is VOTER SUPPRESSION by the government.
Now why would Democrat voters be dissuaded by the presence of the police? Things that make you go hmmmm…
Minorities, in general, have a distrust for the police for good reason.
And for the record, it is illegal for either the military or the police to be anywhere near a polling station or for offices of those same organizations to be used for polling stations so even a Republican should have a problem with blatant voter intimidation.
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Your right to vote is next.
Wrong. It is high time we started being more vigilant with voter registrations so that each of legitimate vote is never negated by an illegimate vote.
Of course, in your case, illegal voting probably doubles your vote, as your support the party of illegality.
Unfortunately for the Republican Party, voter fraud is almost non-existent but they need to put the fear of illegals voting to muster their base.
Prove it! Prove voter fraud is almost non-existent!
Ok, no. That’s not how it works. You are accusing others of a crime. That means, you have to prove that it’s happening. The default isn’t guilty. Remember? “Innocent until proven guilty.” You prove it.
Come to Tremont on any election and watch it for yourself. But then we
all know Dems only see what they believe, never believe what they see!
I said real evidence, not hearsay. Show me evidence of someone who was caught. Otherwise all you have are accusations.
Do you report all this Tremont vote fraud?
Where are your reports?
Papers please!
Prove that voter fraud is rampant. I’ll wait.
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No need to wait, I’m sure ACORN could show you how they do it.
So you can show no prove of voter fraud. Thought so.
ACORN was the subject of a witch hunt by angry Republicans because they dared to enroll minorities. It was not found guilty of anything once the smoke had cleared and the PRess had gone away. There were some peopel who faked names but, like Mickey Mouse, but unless Mickey Mouse actually voted tehre was not voter fraud. Besides, it is up to the Voter Clerks to verify voter registrations not members of voter drives for either side.
That’s toothsucker nonsense.
Where is it?
Come to Tremont on any election and watch it for yourself. But then we all know Dems only see what they believe, never believe what they see!
I guess you could be like Chaney when he stated that the lack of evidence of WMD in Iraq just proved that there were WMD’s in Iraq. Only a conservative would claim that lack of evidence of something is prove that it exists.
Chaney? Wow, you really had to stretch for that one! ANd only a Liberal would claim that in-your-face evidence is not profe that something exists.
How about Rather; “The documents are fake, but they prove misconduct.”
Present some of this “in your face” evidence. It shouldn’t be that hard, even for a conservative, if it is so obvious.
Chaney was just one example of Republican’s manufacturing issues to suit their needs. Who needs evidence when you think you are right, or so it goes for REpublicans.
Actually Maine Secretary of State Summers did just that. After an extensive investigation he was able to find ONE case of voter fraud in eight years. In that period of time millions of votes were cast and they were still only able to come up with one case of voter fraud. I would say that would count as almost non-existent. Of course you are more then welcome to question the honesty of Secretary of State Summers if you wish.
Come to Tremont on any election and watch it for yourself. But then we
all know Dems only see what they believe, never believe what they see!
Summers would have a field day in Tremont!
Too many kooks in Tremont!
How about the Bush Administration investigated voter fraud for 5 years and got, wait for it, 86 convictions nationwide for voter fraud.
Or was the Bush Administration hiding voter fraud?
Yes, because the crappy economy, sky-high gas prices, lack of jobs, White House scandals, and driftless foreign policy bungles certainly cannot be enough of a reason to visit the voting booth and vote these liberal clowns out!
The Bush Administration is no longer in office, why did you bring them up?
Wrong. It is high time we started being more vigilant with voter registrations so that each of legitimate vote is never negated by an illegimate vote. Of course, in your case, illegal voting probably doubles your vote, as your support the party of illegality.
Tell us again how much voter fraud Republican hero Charlie Webster found?
Tell us again how much voter fraud the Bush Administration found after 5 years of investigasting it?
I’ll tell you 120 cases with 86 cvonvictions. mostly by people who were confused or did not know that they could not register to vote.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/washington/12fraud.html?pagewanted=all
Probably half of them worked on the Bush Ranch.
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Do you have evidence to support you or just paranoia?
You’re funny!
Republican’s cannot win an open election weith most people voting. They know this and try to limit all who can vote by making if more difficult than it has to be to register to vote, to get to the polling station, to intimidate voters…. etc.
There’s notenough rich people to elect them, so they are trying to even the odds.
But there are always plenty of poor folks that love to vote democrat, so they can keep the freebies a’coming!
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There are plenty of Democrats able and willing to keep the poor down on the plantation as permanent voter pool.
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And poor people are a waiting voting pool for Democrats.
86’d
No My point is that Democrats think they own ’em, and maybe they do.. Taxpayer money.
0212
Then why do they continually make the choices that keep them poor?
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That’s a despicable comment.
If that were the case Washington County would have all Democrats representing them in Augusta. I do believe Washingotn Co. is the poorest in the state.
Maybe in Washington county but nationally that is not true.
Here is the Demographic from the 2008 presidential election that makes my point.
http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/elections/how_groups_voted/voted_08.html#.T-elyfVhRI0
Not only are low income voters the plantation of Democratic politicians. Most people that serve the low income are Democrats and their incomes depend on them.
Maybe that’s because Republicans have a long track record of not giving a large rat’s rectum about anyone but the top echelon. Just look at how well the Republicans took care of Washington County. David Burns puts forth an ALEC cookie cutter bill to allow employers to only have to pay $5.25 an hour training wage for up to 180 working days for teen agers. The man is so far out of touch that he lives amongst the poorest in the state and doesn’t know it. The collective Republican response to the removal of needed nursing care beds from Calais eliceted a few letters. No legislation from any of them No real action for the very people that voted them into office. Could it be that they don’t know how to write legislation on their own?
Naah. I think I have it right.
As for ALEC writing legislation … Did you know that there was a left wing progressive outfit that does much the same thing for Democrats? Can you even name the organization? Why not? Could it be that Democrats can’t write their own legislation and have a group do it in secret?
Even so, It’s not really important. Its part of the process. ALEC has been around for over 40 years doing what it does now. So has the Democratic Progressive counter organization. (I won’t name it for you… I want to see if you can.)
Some are! They make the choices (like voting Democrat) that keep them poor!
Just thinly veiled racism, and yet ,no reality.
No, don’t call it thinly veiled. Call it for what it is, namely ‘plantation thinking’ racism. Not every one is so inclined to go back and chop cotton. And come November the ‘choppin’ is gonna start coming a lot faster and A LOT MORE PUBLIC.
Well at least the HNIC will be back in Chicago!
Nice to have you ouuta the closet. Just make sure you fly your flag so we all can see and know who’s side your on. As for the rest of us, well, time and reasoned decision will what determines the outcome. Then we ALL move forward.
PS, you wanna talk trash, learn to do it better. All you’re doing here is embarassing yourself !
Everything about you leads to racism of some kind. Don’t you get tired of making this stuff up? Perhaps you are the racist if it consumes your every waking minute.
Oh right, claiming that a party led by a black man of wanting to put people on a plantation isn’t racist. And it would be acceptable to say that Obama is lynching your freedoms? That he’s a “boy President”? Maybe gay people are bullying you? And Jewish people are trying to put you in a concentration camp?
I’m not making anything up. It’s right there. Perhaps you’re a disgusting racist and you’ll do anything to try and pin it on someone else.
And nice argument, the old I’m rubber and you’re glue. That’s awesome. I love how you paired it with your time honored personal attacks. You must be incredibly intelligent along with being a race baiter.
My opinion that Democrats have run plantations of poor people is one I’ve held for decades. The deal is quite simple … Democrats pay poor people to vote for them using taxpayer money. It was you that decided it was a race question. It’s only natural to question your motives when you bring it up.
You can keep trying to flip it around all you want, but there are obvious implications and connotations that come along with the words you use. I think it’s so pathetic that you and people like you use these race baiting words and then try and claim ignorance and no vicious intent. It’s dishonest and shameful. It demonstrates that you don’t have merit on your side.
You mean like referring to the last 3 1/2 years as America’s Dark Age? Well, it has been. But a new Renaissance is coming, so that makes it okay!
I’m assuming one can criticize our president without it being racist, thinly veiled or otherwise?
I never said otherwise.
It’s possible, MTI, but unfortunately most folks who hate Obama just can’t resist a bit of nasty race-baiting while criticizing him – and unfortunately, the vast majority of “criticism” of the POTUS from right-wingers is nothing more that blind, knee-jerk hatred.
I disagree. For sure, some (and perhaps many) who criticize Obama use a tinge of race, and it says more about them than the President. I don’t hear racism in most criticism of him, and certainly not actual Hatred. I did hear far more “hatred” directed against W from the Left, and I still hear it…not dislike, actual hatred.
That said, I think any critique of the President can be seen in racial terms. And that makes it easy for some to disregard any criticism, which stifles discussion rather than increase it.
Incorrect! Republicans find it humorous that the poor continually vote Democrat, even though it’s Democrat policies that keep them poor, stupid and dependent on government!
But without them, the Dems would have no voter base!
In case you didn’t notice, there are a helluva lot more poor folks than there used to be. Of course, maybe you didn’t notice that your money doesn’t go as far as it used to. If you work hard for what you have and realize that you are only 1 paycheck away from unemployment and poverty you wouldn’t be saying that.
Sure I would! And I’ll wager that a lot of those you refer to are planing to vote for obozo again. He promises the world to them, but never has to deliver. It’s the same dog and pony show the Dems have been playing for decades. They need the poor, the inner city idiots as their base. Without them, they are nothing. But what have they done to help ANYONE out of poverty? Not a damn thing! Why would they destroy their base?
I just heard on Dateline that between 2007 and 2010 the net worth of the middle class in this country dropped 40%. That means that the number of hungry people in this country probably doubled. Apparently you are so detached from society that you don’t understand that we are all in this together.
We are in this together but that fact makes ‘them’ very angry. The thought of actually having to share or take care of each other blows their collective mind.
The Voter Suppression Act…..
No, it’s the democrat way. We want you here as long as you don’t get a job and apply for foodstamps. The new american relative is uncle foodstamp barrack.
Racist tripe.
A typical lib response to anyone who is critical of the foodstamp president. His support is way down among white voters, must be racism.
Has to be! Can’t possibly be all his failed policies!
And what’s your typical response? Screeching about “illegals” and foodstamps, like some how they’re stealing the elections from poor white conservative men. “Take our country back!” And yet, you can’t cite actual facts. You just have racist conspiracy theories and it’s all so far from reality.
Working class voters cannot identify with Romney and will not cast a vote for a republican.
Keep telling your self that!
I wasn’t generalizing all white voters as racist, just you.
It’s in the new diffinition of Repub. The new pure race.
Taking the MHPC, ALEC and Koch Brother’s position’s, and extending their line of thought and political thinking, you are far more right than you realize. Go back and listen to the GOP Primary debate’s and the Candidate’s position’s. To a one, even Mitt, they are all dedicated to turning the Country into a giant version of Leave it to Beaver, complete with Mom in a dress making dinner and vacumming the house in high heel’s. Please, gag me with a snowshovel !
Michelle Bachmann all but called for the forced deportation of ANYONE that could not prove that they were born in the U.S. So much for her understanding of The Constitution, the Rule of Law and Due Process. And Rick Perry has openly called for the building of a Berlin Wall on the Rio Grande River, ala Germany in the 60’s, and shooting anyone caught coming over. Extend that idea and see where it gets you ! Even Newt got into the act, be it politiely, by arguing that all illegal’s, no matter how they got here, had to leave and then re-apply. Same arguement, just pretty’ed up and re-sold. So much for the GOP’s belief in freedom and democracy. It’s got to be ‘their’ version of freedom (freedom for ‘us’ and screw everyone else) and everyone else has to dance to their tune or they can go screw themselves. History’s already called that for what it is, namely DICTATORSHIP and the price for it just keeps going up.
WW1 had 6 million dead, WW2 had approx. 30 million dead and Korea and Vietnam each have their own body count’s for their defense of freedom of us all. How far right, and taking the body count up, is the GOP and their radical right-winger’s, prepared to go in this insanity ? It’s time for these arguement’s to be taken and seen for just what they are, namely a call for the Government to seized by white supremacist’s, thru voter intimidation and voter roll manipulation, and anyone not fitting ‘their’ idea of America to be deported, or worse. Those of you who lived thru the 1930’s and served in WW2 saw that result 1st hand. The same can be asked of those who served in Korea and in Vietnam and saw what happened in the town’s, the roadside’s and various hamlet’s courtesy of the North Korean’s, the Chinese and the VC. And the history of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in the South is right along side it as well, including body count’s ! History may not be pretty or convienient but it can not be denied. Nor can the truth that comes out of it ! Freedom is expensive and painful. But how much more expensive and painful is it’s loss and what it takes to get it back ?
What is the alternative to food stamps that you offer? You must have something in mind to keep kids from starving and a fall-back program for yourself for when and if you fall on your face. The problem with Repubs and Tea Baggers is they think they will build a fantrasy world where everyone prospers. They are too blind to see they are being used so only the rich pulling their strings will prosper.
Well, remember when the foodstamp president was running for office and he promised unemployment below 6% in his first year, complete transparency, closing gitmo, yes we can and the rest of his mumbo jumbo?
Well, the only reason unemployment isn’t 12% is because people are removed from the unemployed list after they find out there are no jobs.
You should be able to figure this out, WISCONSIN DID!
Okay, you have racism on your side, but no evidence. Real examples of fraud or….?
The Dems have been caught and jailed for Maine election fraud when the chief lackey’s of Dem legiscritter for life John martin were caught with a stolen box of ballots. The Dems haven’t been caught since then, so I guess that was the last time they rigged an election…or maybe they just got better at it.
Okay, so let’s pretend that’s a valid example of voter fraud. How does voter ID laws and stopping same-day registration protect against ballot stuffing?
You see, generally when you’re solving a problem, the solution will relate to the problem. I don’t see how requiring a photo ID stops people from stuffing ballot boxes. Help me understand ;)
No need to pretend. It was proven in a court of law.
It goes to the Democrats demonstrated disregard for fair elections.
When the fox is guarding the hen house and making the rules then evidence of wrong doing is impossible to come by.
And so you admit there is no connection with the problem you claim exists and its solution. You’re going to pretend this isn’t about voter suppression? LOL Next time you push a solution for a “problem”, try having that solution actually be related to the problem.
So pathetic.
A photo ID will guarantee the person is a U.S. citizen and not an illegal alien, (undocumented guest in your lingo) the lack of same day voter registration will deter people from voting in more than one precinct which I’m sure you will deny that it happens, but it does.
If it happens, then provide evidence of it. So far you’ve offered nothing.
The only example of fraud you’ve been able to cite is a very old one and it has nothing to do with the proposals you’re pushing. A photo ID doesn’t stop a ballot stuffer. Eliminating same-day registration doesn’t stop a ballot stuff.
Come to Tremont any election and watch Dem voter fraud for yourself!
The level of damage that Republican fiscal and war policies have done to the American economy since 2000 is unprecedented, and it won’t be fixed until Republicans loose their House majority and the filibuster rules are changed in the Senate.
And until that happens the “my way or the highway” gang will continue to push the American middle class into the ranks of the poor.
It has nothing to do with catchy phrases that teach people how to hate.
An accurate, reasoned and historical perspective. You, sir, are providing a much needed independent perspective on what’s wrong with DC. Keep it up !
There is no Utopia for you.
Mexico has a better voter registration system than the United States.
Every registered Mexican voter has a Voter ID card, complete with photograph, fingerprint, and a holographic image to prevent counterfeiting.
But hey, that’s Mexico. Here, Dems want EVERYONE voting, not just those eligible.
And yet the solutions you push punish thousands who are eligible to vote. Ironic.
Every registered Mexican voter has a Voter ID card, complete with photograph, fingerprint, and a holographic image to prevent counterfeiting.
in Mexico
Jonathan Alter is an MSNBC contributor … considering the source what’s more to say… the whole darn network is off it’s rocker.
LOL, good argument — a personal attack! You must be smart.
Voter suppression is the current buzzword for liberals and the reason they scream why they lose elections, never once considering the fact that it might be their crappy policies people are rejecting instead. Can’t be that, so must be racism or voter suppression or something else. Pitiful.
Do you have evidence of voter fraud or just the personal attacks you are spewing?
Funny how the Libs totally ignore and dismiss voter fraud, until they think it cost THEM an election.
But then, in over 50 years, I can’t think of a singe election the Libs didn’t try to buy, steal, or manipulate to their advantage.
Why don’t you be honest and admit it, you want everyone voting. Illegals, felons, even the unregistered. Bring them all on, let them all vote. Everyone knows they vote Democrat. Is this the voter base you REALLY want? Or is this the base you NEED to stay in power! After all, everyone knows it’s not what’s best for the country, but only your staying in power that really matters!
Oh really? So why not cite some examples of real voter fraud that did in fact sway an election?
You have conspiracy theories and that’s all. The facts are not on your side.
Yeah, come on… let’s have some facts and figures… let’s have some incontrovertible statistics… the number of people caught cheating, spending time in jail… just getting caught and going to court… Come on… let’s have some proof, not just more of your right wing, Faux News BS…
Think that’s possible? Seeing how funny it is when the reality-based community asks for actual data from right wingers slinging their mud around…
And I AM old enough to have some real world experience. (And you know, I’m talking about criminality, not just political stuff… I want data on how many people have been caught rigging votes, cheating… You up for that…?)
So, Mr. Alter doesn’t care if people who are not citizens are voting. Voter fraud is no stranger to the democratic party & is well documented even back to JFK’s election. If people have to show ID to buy beer & cigarettes, or to get on an airplane, then showing one when you go to vote should not be a big stretch. And to those who say “oh, the poor won’t be able to get to city hall to sign up, etc.” bullcrap. Policies would be put in place to make it possible to sign up then & there. In some areas, officials will come to their homes to aid in registration & getting an ID. So all the phony arguments are just that – phony.
So many make these wild claims, like you have, and yet when pushed, they struggle to cite even one real example of voter fraud. You don’t have evidence of it! Your claims that voter fraud is rampant is what really is phony.
It’s just so disgusting. They can’t cite serious or real examples of voter fraud but they push these pieces of legislation. There needs to be proportion between the problem and the solution. If you struggle to find one example of the problem you purport to be rampant then how can you justify a solution that negatively impacts hundreds and thousands who are in fact legal voters? This is voter suppression, plain and simple and it’s unAmerican. They claim they’re patriots and that they love this country, but I question that.
Recall the zeal with which would-be US Senator Charlie Summers, State Pres. Kevin Raye, and Bangor area State Senator Nichi Farnum, among others, fought to eliminate same-day voter registration and voting. They wanted to make it harder for likely Democratic voters to vote–esp. students. Nichi Farnum is up for re-election, and the voters should keep in mind that many in her district are students at Husson, UMaine, and UMaine-Augusta at Bangor. If she’s re-elected, she’ll surely try this anti-democratic tactic again. A sad commentary on contemporary Republican politics.
A photo ID requirement is a photo ID requirement and discourages the disadvantaged from participating fully in American life regardless of what it’s required for. So I propose a simple legislative fix, a federal law prohibiting photo ID requirements absolutely, across-the-board.
Congressman Michaud, you listening?
A mandate? Not a mandate! Don’t take away the conservative’s freedoms!
They have no trouble getting that EBT card, but a free ID to vote is just too much trouble to get off of the couch for.
HAHA, too funny. You ignore the requests for evidence of the so-called voter fraud you claim to exist and move right along and send out more personal and baseless attacks.
Incidentally, in what sense is “Jonathan Alter, Bloomberg News” a “contributor?” I suspect the BDN pays the going rate to print his material.
Wow,now I know why I don’t read the BDN. What a one-sided, hack-written story. And you wonder why no one buys this newspaper?
Yup, another one. Only personal and character attacks — but no evidence of voter fraud. You guys sure are desperate to change the subject.
D’s(liberals) can not win without the dead voting and other sleazy tactics that they use, including the recent immigration release policy put forth by Obama so he can get the young Hispanic vote. No research needed there. They do not want voter ID, because it will throw a huge monkey wrench into their fraudulent voter tactics. This is written by a Bloomberg News(liberal) who says —“let’s call it the Voter Suppression Project.” ID’s for everything else, so why not for voting? Not hard to figure that one out!
With so many progressive, liberal articles in the BDN lately, it makes me wonder if Donald and Chellie now own this paper.
http://www.salon.com/2000/12/04/voter_file/
Voter fraud is virtually nonexistent, but vote fraud is alive and well… Just ask a black voter in just about any district in Ohio, or Florida of the 57000 kicked off the rolls by Kathleen Harris for having a name similar to a convicted felon anywhere in the country. Just ask any of the technicians that have examined the electronic voting machines Diabold installed in the 2004 prez election. But what does it matter? Our government is the best money can buy, and the bidding is well under way.
U.S. voter registration is a joke.
Not only is it unnecessary for a voter to prove citizenship, it is also unnecessary to prove identity.
Since 2011 Republican lawmakers in some 17 states (and more pending) have passed voter suppression laws. Those states happen to make up nearly 70% of the electoral college votes. Yes, Republicans plan to pull another 2000 election by ignoring popular vote and win by electoral college. In 2012 Republicans do not have the black vote, the hispanic vote, the gay/lesbian vote, or the middle class vote. They don’t need any of them if they win electoral college with what should be illegal practices had their Republican lawmakers not made it legal.
Voter suppression has the side effect of demonstrating to the public that the Republican party admits to the fact that more and more people don’t want to vote for them. Before 2000 an electoral college vote overruling popular vote had not been done since the 1800s. Why did Republicans start going after it in 2000? The age of information. It has helped shine the light on the true motives of political parties over the past 15 years or so. The same might be said for the Arab Spring. Voters are not as ignorant as Republicans want them to be anymore.
Republicans are getting desperate for votes and it should set off red flags that they want to milk what’s left of the U.S. economy and either bail ship or retire and leave the middle class broke and unemployed. Why else would they be so tight with the tea party?
Just exactly how hard is it to go down to the local town office and register to vote. Why must someone who thinks he knows what’s best for me try to fix a non problem ?
Just exactly how hard is it to present evidence of actual voter fraud?
As the Republicans continue to warp our Democratic process there is little doubt that they are indeed the thieves of Democracy. With their fascist tactics they reveal their hand that’s been dealt from the bottom of deck and contains suits of jokers, liars, heartless hearts and thieves.
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