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| Image from source, Rolling Stone |
I've said before in this space that Republicans are
excellent at coming up with reasonable sounding reasons for extreme positions. In the case of voting rights, Republican-led states all over the country have introduced legislation to restrict them. The "good reason" they've used is that it prevents "voter fraud," an alleged crime that happens about as often as Dick Cheney's heartbeat. That is to say, it almost doesn't exist. So, what is the
real purpose for all of these laws? In almost every case, the tightened restrictions will prevent mostly
Democrats from voting. Because statistically, if voters turn out in very large numbers, Democrats tend to win. Cut down on the number of eligible Democrats, and you reduce that chance. It's pure math, it's purely evil, and it's dressed up to look legit by claiming that it reduces "voter fraud." Bullshit. I can't think of much that is more anti-American than trying to prevent eligible people from voting.
[Excerpt]
The GOP War on Voting
In a campaign supported by the Koch brothers, Republicans are working to prevent
millions of Democrats from voting next year. . .
. . . "What has happened this year is the most significant setback to voting rights
in this country in a century,". . .
Read more at: Rolling Stone
I do wonder if their voter ID laws might have an unintended effect. In Wisconsin, there has been a lot of attention paid, and so many people went to the DMV to demand their free ID for voting purposes (and document how time-consuming and difficult it is to do so) that our Republican Overlords were forced to pedal back their plans to de-fund and close a number of DMV service centers around the state, lest it be seen as an attempt to disenfranchise people in rural areas (and make it likely that the Voter ID law would be struck down). They are operating on the assumption that young and minority voters are lazy and unmotivated, and if they throw up more road blocks, those people will simply stay home. But nothing motivates some people like being told they can't do something. They may have awoken a sleeping giant.
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