Judge Declares Concern Over Voter Fraud Irrational

Image from source, Think Progress

You could call conservatives' concerns over voter fraud "irrational" as this judge did. Or you could go a little further and call it what it really is: a cover story. A cover story for whittling down the vote.

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Striking Down Wisconsin Voter ID Law, Judge Finds ‘No Rational Person Could Be Worried’ About Voter Fraud

A federal judge invalidated Wisconsin’s photo ID requirement Tuesday, in at least the third court ruling to strike down the law. The ruling is an overwhelming win for plaintiffs, who argued that the voter ID law suppresses ballot access in the state. And while the decision could be overturned on appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the law has also already been blocked by two state court decisions, one of which is still in effect. In March, Gov. Scott Walker (R) threatened to go so far as calling a special session to pass a modified law so that some ID provision is in place during the November election. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

Miami-Dade Polling Places to Close Bathrooms? For Fairness?

Only in Florida, man. Miami-Dade election officials have responded to a question regarding restroom accessibility for the disabled by closing all restrooms. That's right, in polling places with hours-long lines, there will be no potty breaks. Tough it out, or go home. A third option would be to pop a squat right there in line, I suppose. But this strikes me as just ridiculous. You?

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New Rule Prohibits Voters In Miami-Dade County From Using The Restroom, No Matter How Long The Line

During the 2012 presidential election, voters reportedly waited on line for upwards of six hours. That wait alone is enough to deter would-be voters from going to the polls. But now residents in Florida’s most populous county will have another disincentive: they won’t be able to go to the bathroom. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

Ever Wonder How the GOP Manages To Hold on to So Much Power?

Image from source, Rolling Stone

If you're going to use tricks and schemes to cling to as much power as you possibly can, it's best to have a good cover story. And when it comes to the GOP keeping a majority in the US Congress, they've had several good ones as cover for things like Voter ID and other changes to voter laws. They've used redistricting in ways that both sides do, and in extra, law-bending ways. And though their party is shrinking, due to demographics (and the general dickishness and batshittery of the Tea Party) they still manage to hold the US House of Representatives by a wide margin.

Like I said, they have good cover stories. But they're not perfect. Sometimes they slip and admit what they're up to. And sometimes, good reporting can piece it all together. The excerpted piece below, from Rolling Stone is a must-read, even if you're a conservative who hasn't been paying attention.

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How Republicans Rig the Game
 
As the nation recovers from the Republican shutdown of government, the question Americans should be asking is not "Why did the GOP do that to us?" but "Why were they even relevant in the first place?" So dramatically have the demographic and electoral tides in this country turned against the Republican Party that, in a representative democracy worthy of the designation, the Grand Old Party should be watching from the sidelines and licking its wounds. Not only did Barack Obama win a second term in an electoral landslide in 2012, but he is also just the fourth president in a century to have won two elections with more than 50 percent of the popular vote. What's more, the party controls 55 seats in the Senate, and Democratic candidates for the House received well over a million more votes than their Republican counterparts in the election last year. And yet, John Boehner still wields the gavel in the House and Republican resistance remains a defining force in the Senate, frustrating Obama's ambitious agenda. . .

Read more at: Rolling Stone

North Carolina Bill Aims to Make Voting Harder

I've said it before, Voter ID laws sound reasonable. I mean, you need ID to rent a car, or even a tuxedo. You need ID to cash a check, to get a library card, for all kinds of things, and we don't give it much thought. But here's the problem with Voter ID laws: they weren't created to stop voter fraud, they were created to prevent "undesirables" from voting. The fact is, the people most likely to not have ID (which includes an amazingly high number of voters) are disproportionally likely Democratic voters. In unguarded moments, several prominent conservatives and Republicans have even admitted as much.



Voter fraud is vanishingly rare in the United States, and North Carolina is no exception. But I hear you, you think it's a reasonable requirement. Though this ID had better be free, and had better not be difficult to obtain, or it is the equivalent of a poll tax. And if the passage of one of these laws is so urgently important, I'd say there ought to be a broad campaign to educate the public about exactly what they'll need in order to vote. That would only be fair, right? Except in places where these things tend to pass, that sort of assistance rarely seems to happen.

Add to that, that Voter ID itself isn't the only thing being passed here. There's a whole list of things on deck to complicate or restrict current voting rules. They want to cut early voting times. They want to stop pre-registering 17-year-olds who are soon turning 18. They want to complicate voting by college students. They want to repeal same-day registration. They want to ban straight-ticket voting.

Whatever you think about the individual parts of the bill, the fact is, this is an effort to make voting harder. What's amazing to me is that there doesn't seem to even be a cover story for why they're doing it. As with the huge list of restrictions and regulations (regulations from conservatives!) on abortion clinics that exist simply to make abortion harder, this voting bill is just trying to reduce the number of likely--mostly Democratic--voters. It's as plain as day.

And that--my dear Republican friends--should piss you off too. You've got an organized movement at the state level by the GOP to skew election results just by preventing voting by a group of people. It's not really "winning," it's cheating. And it's amazing to me that they don't even have to present even a bullshit reason for why they're doing most of it.

[Excerpt]

Voter ID bill raises controversy in North Carolina

Republican Leader Berger rejects the notion that his party is trying to suppress the Democratic-leaning black and youth vote. "Absolutely not," he said. "I am concerned the people are talking about substantial problem with this that I don't agree exists."

State-issued IDs, which now cost $10, will be free in the future, according to the bill. State Senator Floyd McKissick, Jr., the Democratic Deputy Minority Leader, tried to stop the reforms he called "draconian. . ."

Read more at: CBS News

Rick Perry Angry that Eric Holder Wants to Prevent Discrimination in Texas

"Don't mess with, uh. . .oops."
Image from HuffPo.

Okay, so Texas wanted to pass some new voting rights restrictions a while back (Why? Because it's a good way to suppress Democratic votes, that's why.) And because of the Voting Rights act, they couldn't get away with it, because the restrictions were deemed to be discriminatory against minority voters. Then, the Supreme Court hobbled the Voting Rights act, for reasons that are baffling. Within a couple of hours, Texas is there waving their already-declared-discriminatory restrictions, and insisted they're going to ram them through.

To me, this just confirms that the Supreme Court's decision was wrong, and that without the Voting Rights Act, some states will act in a discriminatory way. I mean, Texas just proved it, showing no restraint whatsoever. The Justice Department reacted by trying to find another way to prevent discrimination. And Governor Herp Derp Goodhair has whipped out his can of "Don't Mess with Texas" stupid ass whoop ass.

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Rick Perry Slams Eric Holder, Department Of Justice For 'End-Run Around The Supreme Court'

Gov. Rick Perry (R) criticized a decision by the Obama administration to pursue legal action against the Lone Star State to place Texas back under preclearance, requiring federal approval for any changes to voting laws. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

2 Hours After SCOTUS Decision, Texas Moves to Suppress Minority Voters

Texas shows how fast it can execute a dick move.
Image from source, Think Progress.

Emboldened by the Supreme Court decision to remove part of the Voter Rights Act of 1965, the State of Texas is moving forward with distracting maps that would previously have violated the act. The maps were already blocked last year for being discriminatory to minority voters, so I'd imagine they remain discriminatory. They're just legal now.

So, it took two hours for Texas to prove SCOTUS wrong. The law was still necessary, obviously. And my theory that Republicans are just trying to out-mean each other stands.

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Two Hours After The Supreme Court Gutted The Voting Rights Act, Texas AG Suppresses Minority Voters

Just two hours after the Supreme Court reasoned that discrimination is not rampant enough in Southern states to warrant restrictions under the Voting Rights Act, Texas is already advancing a voter ID law and a redistricting map blocked last year for discriminating against black and Latino residents. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott issued a statement declaring that both measures may go into effect immediately, now that there is no law stopping them from discriminating against minorities. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

SCOTUS Kills Key Provision of Voting Rights Act

Wade Henderson, president and C.E.O. of the Leadership Conference
on Civil and Human Rights, criticized the decision on Tuesday;
from source, New York Times.

This one is a head-scratcher. I can't figure out why the Supreme Court found it necessary to carve out a cornerstone piece of the cornerstone piece of civil rights legislation ever passed. They basically said that since the Voting Rights Act has forced affected states to play by the rules, the act itself is no longer needed. What? Isn't that a bit like saying that stop signs have done a terrific job of getting cars to stop at intersections, so they are now no longer needed?

I just sit and shake my head, because I'm really not sure what to say. I mean, SCOTUS gave Congress the option of fixing the language, to modernize the act. . .but have they paid attention to this Congress lately? They're not doing shit. And already, states like Texas are pouncing, by ramming through voter ID bills and other things that--until Tuesday--were considered legally discriminatory against groups of voters. But no more! Sheesh.

And it really makes me queasy about the DOMA and Prop 8 marriage equality bills to be announced Wednesday. Ugh.

[Excerpt]

Supreme Court Invalidates Key Part of Voting Rights Act

The Supreme Court on Tuesday effectively struck down the heart of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by a 5-to-4 vote, freeing nine states, mostly in the South, to change their election laws without advance federal approval. . .

Read more at: New York Times

Right Wing World: Rush Limbaugh Has Finally Lost His Mind

. . .Or lost what's left of his mind? Or thinks his audience is irredeemably stupid? Or is back on the oxy? Something's going on, because his latest claims are so empirically false, so laugh-out-loud ridiculous, there's no way anyone but the densest dittohead could believe it.

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Rush Limbaugh: Conservatives Don't Suppress The Black Vote, Restrict Women's Choice, Or Lie  


Displaying a remarkable lack of self-awareness, Rush Limbaugh tried to convince a caller that "it's a pretty safe bet" that liberals always lie and conservatives never do -- an assertion he backed up with a series of his own lies on everything from abortion to minority vote suppression and the IRS. . .

Read more at: Media Matters

Charlie Crist Alleges Voter Suppression Attempts in Florida

Yes, another Rachel Maddow Show clip. Can't help it, this is good stuff. Rachel interviewed former Republican Florida Governor Charlie Crist. And the most interesting part of the interview is Crist's certainty that all of the voter shenanigans in the State of Florida were a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise Democratic voters. I mean, we knew that, but it's nice to have an in-the-know politician admit it.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Ridiculously Long Voting Lines in Ohio and Florida Engineered?

Answer me this, my Republican friends. When you see images of and hear stories about 3, 4, 5, up to 8-hour waits to vote in Florida and Ohio, what is your reaction? Is it just liberal whining that we find this ridiculous, embarrassing, just shy of criminal? How about the fact that much of it is taking place in heavily Democratic counties? How about the concerted efforts of some Republicans--like Florida Governor Rick Scott and Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted--to make voting as difficult as possible, challenging the courts, in some cases. I'm serious, Republicans, does rigging the game seem American to you? Is winning by any means acceptable, as long as your guy wins?

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

4 Years Ago Today: Voter Rolls in at Least 19 States Being Purged

The more things change, the more they stay the same. . .

ORIGINAL POST: October 2, 2008

Conservatives often rail about "voter fraud," where dead people, illegal aliens, criminals, and unregistered voters allegedly vote--apparently for Democrats. The cases have been pretty thin, with people convicted of voter fraud numbering somewhere around a few handfuls. Maybe not even enough to matter in Palm Beach County, Florida in the 2000 election.

But election rigging--a specialty of Republicans--is real, and much more effective. By various means, they attempt to sway elections, and probably (almost certainly, by my estimation) even decided both elections for George W. Bush.

Image from source, BradBlog

Unfortunately, the issue apparently isn't very sexy to your average American, and only crops up in the news right before an election. Usually to late to do anything about it. And just as unfortunately, even when the rigging becomes known, very few people go to jail for it (Karl Rove, anybody?). You'd think in America that people messing with thousands of legitimate voters would be a big deal. But if they care at all, they're worried that Mickey Mouse cast one vote in Chicago or something. If they're going to focus on an illegal voter, you'd hope they'd finally go after Ann Coulter.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Even if you don't want to read this article, I urge you to click the link at the bottom of the story, and find out if you are registered to vote. Even if you know you are, it doesn't mean you haven't been "purged." It's an easy and useful tool, and took me all of two minutes.

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BS News: New Study Details Massive Voter Roll Purges Underway in At Least 19 States

Tonight's CBS Evening News finally covered what may well be the November Surprise that we've been trying to warn about for months here at The BRAD BLOG: Massive voter roll purges being done in secret, with little or no oversight, and often under federal Justice Department cover, in states and counties around the country. . .

Read more at: BradBlog

Sarah Silverman on Voter Suppression (NSFW)

This video is Not Safe For Work, unless you have a very forgiving boss or a pair of headphones. But who cares, it's everyone's favorite vulgar comedienne, Sarah Silverman! And she's got a very important message: just about the only actual voter fraud going on is  voter suppression, and it is a Republican-sponsored activity.

Pennsylvania Voter ID Law Halted (For Now)

Image from source, Addicting Info

Republicans have enacted laws all over the country that make it harder to vote. Though it is done under the guise of "protecting" the vote by weeding out voter fraud (and I will admit, their storyline sounds good), it is increasingly clear that this is not the main reason they're doing it. First and foremost, actual in-person voter fraud is a vanishingly small problem. It almost never happens. And secondly, more and more conservatives have copped to the fact that it is in fact an effort at voter suppression.

This is not surprising, when you realize that all of the new laws had the side-effect of making it more difficult than it has ever been for groups of Democratic voters to cast their ballots. We've all seen the news stories of 92-year-old ladies who voted for FDR, and this year would be ineligible without significant effort. In Pennsylvania, there were an estimated 750,000 voters who would not be able to vote in November with each of them taking the initiative to meet the new standard. All in the name of preventing a handful of theoretical fraudulent voters. Of course this has nothing to do with Pennsylvania being a swing state. . . Ahem.

Fortunately, these laws are being squashed by sane courts and legislatures in most of the places they've been enacted (if they weren't shot down before). And finally, Pennsylvania has seen the light. It's not a done deal, but it's a really good chance that it's gone, at least for this election cycle. Here's hoping what has really been going on here gets a little more widespread before they try again.

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BREAKING: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Remands Voter Photo ID Law

. . .The Supreme Court has ordered that the state’s controversial new voter ID law be returned to a lower court for a speedy hearing on how the state is implementing it to ensure all voters have access to appropriate state-issued photo identification. . .

Read more at: Addicting Info 

FOX "News" Host Suggests Democrats are for Voter Fraud

The FOX "News" Brain Trust. Image from Raw Story

No, you stupid oaf, Democrats are just pointing out that actual voter fraud is almost non-existent. When states put Voter ID bills before voters, it sounds so innocent: we just want to keep the elections fair! What's the big deal? You need an ID to buy a pack of smokes! Which is all true. . .sort of. The fact is, the reason so many (shhhh. . . .Republican-controlled) states are putting restrictions on voting is because they know that the people most likely to not have a photo State ID are more likely to vote Democrat. And FOX "News" knows this. They're just playing all innocent, "Why don't Democrats care about voter fraud?" They would. If there actually were any measurable voter fraud. But there isn't. You'd think this widespread push to enact legislation on a fundamental right, would have a tangible reason, other than suppressing Democratic voter turnout.

[Excerpt]


Fox News host suggests Democrats are ‘for voter fraud’

Fox News host Gretchen Carlson says she can’t understand why Democrats would be against discriminatory voter ID laws unless they are “for voter fraud.”

Earlier this week, the Department of Justice blocked a law requiring Texas voters to show identification on the grounds that it could disenfranchise Latino voters.

Similar Republican-backed laws have also been blocked or temporarily barred in South Carolina and Wisconsin. . .

Read more at: The Raw Story

Rachel Maddow: Voters Beware!

On MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show, the host has a segment called "Rachel re:" that is akin to the "Special Comments" on Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Rachel has a different style though (despite what some right-wing critics think), sprinkling sarcasm, and a knowing bemusement to her editorials.

Here, Rachel takes on the dirty tricks being employed by the right, to try and suppress the vote. It's must-see. Check it out.

Rachel Maddow on the New Poll Tax: Long Lines

Rachel Maddow and other liberal talkers like Randi Rhodes have been talking for quite a while about lengthy voting lines, and their potential to disenfranchise voters. This was a problem in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006. And it is a problem again this year.

Here in Nevada, or at least in Clark County, the elections have run very smoothly every time I've voted in the last 14 years. But in some locations--surprise, surprise, usually in minority and poor areas--lines can be 2, 4, 8 even 10 hours long. Many of the precincts have only a handful (or less) of voting machines. How many people have the time or the inclination to wait that long?

On Sunday's special edition of The Rachel Maddow Show, Maddow gave an impassioned editorial to end what is essentially a poll tax. Watch.

Young Turks: More Voter Suppression in Georgia

Why don't you find any stories like this on The Drudge Report, FOX "News" or FreeRepublic.com? Gee, I wonder. . .

Brave New Films: ACORN and the Truth About Voter Fraud

Just watch.