Coincidence?

[Cigar]

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/imgs/2014/141114-coincidence.jpg

Supreme Court says Voting Rights Act of 1965 is no longer relevant (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jun/25/court-past-voting-discrimination-no-longer-held/?page=all)

22 States Have Instituted Voting Restrictions Since 2010 Election, Study Says (http://www.wpr.org/22-states-have-instituted-voting-restrictions-2010-election-study-says)

Voter Turnout in Midterm Elections Hits 72-Year Low (http://time.com/3576090/midterm-elections-turnout-world-war-two/)

[Mac-7]

No restrictions that black people cannot meet.

all they need is a picture id.

[Cigar]

No restrictions that black people cannot meet.

all they need is a picture id.

Then Why the need to close Voting places, shorten Voting days and time?

Are you so ignorant about the Voting Suppression that you think it's only about Voter ID?

Try Educating yourself on Current Politics

[silvereyes]

Golly gee. Now why would new voting restrictions be put in place since 2010 in red states?

[momsapplepie]

IDK, maybe to stop illegals and the dead democrats from voting?

[Max Rockatansky]

Coincidence?

Supreme Court says Voting Rights Act of 1965 is no longer relevant (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jun/25/court-past-voting-discrimination-no-longer-held/?page=all)

22 States Have Instituted Voting Restrictions Since 2010 Election, Study Says (http://www.wpr.org/22-states-have-instituted-voting-restrictions-2010-election-study-says)

Voter Turnout in Midterm Elections Hits 72-Year Low (http://time.com/3576090/midterm-elections-turnout-world-war-two/)

Yes, coincidence. Ever see how people try to draw parallels between JFK and Lincoln?
http://www.snopes.com/history/american/lincoln-kennedy.asp

The coincidences are easily explained as the simple product of mere chance. It's not difficult to find patterns and similarities between any two marginally-related sets of data, and coincidences similar in number and kind can be (and have been) found between many different pairs of Presidents. Our tendency to seek out patterns wherever we can stems from our desire to make sense of our world; to maintain a feeling that our universe is orderly and can be understood. In this specific case two of our most beloved Presidents were murdered for reasons that make little or no sense to many of us, and by finding patterns in their deaths we also hope to find a larger cosmic "something" that seemingly provides some reassuring (if indefinite) rhyme or reason why these great men were prematurely snatched from our mortal sphere.


I have no problem with Voter ID. It's important that our voting system be as flawless as possible. As long as it isn't turned into a poll tax, then why the concern about verifying the ID of voters? Obviously the Republicans have overblown the issue, but it's still an important issue.

"Voting restrictions" is an interesting choice of words since it appears to be used to inflame the issue, not set the record straight. The fact we even have early voting is relatively new (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_voting#United_States). Budget cuts have shortened it, but I still took advantage of it.

Voter turnout in the US is abysmally low considering it's the world's greatest democracy. Midterm elections are notoriously lower. According to your own link, it was a 36.4% turnout, down from 40.9% in 2010. In 2002 it was 39.5% and in 1996 it was 38.1%. No voter ID then, so how do you account for those low figures?

http://www.electproject.org/national-1789-present

[Cigar]

IDK, maybe to stop illegals and the dead democrats from voting?

GTFOI ... The President is going to issue a XO ... so stop your whining.

[momsapplepie]

So Obama is going to issue an EO to stop voter ID laws? I don't think so.

[Captain Obvious]

I'm guessing that so many people were unhappy with the O'bama and Democrats that even the illegals and dead people didn't want to vote for them.

:biglaugh:

You lost, get over it.

http://www.body-languages.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/babies-cry.jpg

[momsapplepie]

Or maybe it was those voter ID laws in 22 states that cut into the voter numbers for the election? Could those laws be working???? Democrats had a pretty dismal turnout this time around.....

[Mac-7]

Then Why the need to close Voting places, shorten Voting days and time?



Only for black folks?

Do you mean whites can vote more days and longer times than black people?

I seriously doubt that.

[silvereyes]

Hmmmmm....then why do it at all?

[Cigar]

Hmmmmm....then why do it at all?

I think we all know why

[silvereyes]

Just seeing if anyone will admit it.

[nic34]

7 papers, 4 government inquiries, 2 news investigations and 1 court ruling proving voter fraud is mostly a myth


Voter ID laws are back in the news this week after a group of college students joined a lawsuit challenging North Carolina's new restrictive rules. And as Catherine Rampell pointed out earlier this week, it's not just ID laws - Republican state legislatures have been busy devising all manner of creative ways to make voting more difficult for traditionally Democratic-leaning groups.

All of these restrictive measures take their justification from a perceived need to prevent "voter fraud." But there is overwhelming scholarly and legal consensus that voter fraud is vanishingly rare, and in fact non-existent at the levels imagined by voter ID proponents. That hasn't stopped many Republican lawmakers from crying "fraud" every time they're faced with an unfavorable election outcome (see also: McDaniel, Chris).


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/07/09/7-papers-4-government-inquiries-2-news-investigations-and-1-court-ruling-proving-voter-fraud-is-mostly-a-myth/

[momsapplepie]

Uh huh. Who's crying about losing an election this time and screaming about Voter ID laws that are working?

[Ravens Fan]

7 papers, 4 government inquiries, 2 news investigations and 1 court ruling proving voter fraud is mostly a myth


Voter ID laws are back in the news this week after a group of college students joined a lawsuit challenging North Carolina's new restrictive rules. And as Catherine Rampell pointed out earlier this week, it's not just ID laws - Republican state legislatures have been busy devising all manner of creative ways to make voting more difficult for traditionally Democratic-leaning groups.

All of these restrictive measures take their justification from a perceived need to prevent "voter fraud." But there is overwhelming scholarly and legal consensus that voter fraud is vanishingly rare, and in fact non-existent at the levels imagined by voter ID proponents. That hasn't stopped many Republican lawmakers from crying "fraud" every time they're faced with an unfavorable election outcome (see also: McDaniel, Chris).


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/07/09/7-papers-4-government-inquiries-2-news-investigations-and-1-court-ruling-proving-voter-fraud-is-mostly-a-myth/


So if voter fraud is a myth, then why cry about their efforts? Let them use the voter ID laws so they cannot use that excuse anymore.

It is pretty obvious that even the most poorest of Americans still must have some sort of photo ID just to make it through life (benefits, check cashing, liquor store, cigarettes). So what's the big deal? Just stipulate that in order for these laws to pass, they must include state provided ID's for those who cannot afford them.

[Cigar]

So if voter fraud is a myth, then why cry about their efforts? Let them use the voter ID laws so they cannot use that excuse anymore.

It is pretty obvious that even the most poorest of Americans still must have some sort of photo ID just to make it through life (benefits, check cashing, liquor store, cigarettes). So what's the big deal? Just stipulate that in order for these laws to pass, they must include state provided ID's for those who cannot afford them.

Try to keep up ... this isn't all about Voter ID ... do some researching.

Ask yourself this question ... why would a Firearms ID be accepted but not a College Student ID?

[momsapplepie]

Try to keep up ... this isn't all about Voter ID ... do some researching.

Ask yourself this question ... why would a Firearms ID be accepted but not a College Student ID?
Maybe because there are illegals in our colleges.!

[Ravens Fan]

Try to keep up ... this isn't all about Voter ID ... do some researching.

Ask yourself this question ... why would a Firearms ID be accepted but not a College Student ID?

Maybe because one ID is government issued and one is done privately with no government oversight? I mean they aren't voting on class president after all.

[Mister D]

So if voter fraud is a myth, then why cry about their efforts? Let them use the voter ID laws so they cannot use that excuse anymore.

It is pretty obvious that even the most poorest of Americans still must have some sort of photo ID just to make it through life (benefits, check cashing, liquor store, cigarettes). So what's the big deal? Just stipulate that in order for these laws to pass, they must include state provided ID's for those who cannot afford them.

That's a good question.

[Mister D]

The truth is that Republicans know that even the most minor inconvenience will result in lower Democrat turnout. Democrats know it too.

[nic34]

So if voter fraud is a myth, then why cry about their efforts? Let them use the voter ID laws so they cannot use that excuse anymore.

It is pretty obvious that even the most poorest of Americans still must have some sort of photo ID just to make it through life (benefits, check cashing, liquor store, cigarettes). So what's the big deal? Just stipulate that in order for these laws to pass, they must include state provided ID's for those who cannot afford them.

Because it's not just about"ID".

Read the link....

[Ravens Fan]

Try to keep up ... this isn't all about Voter ID ... do some researching.

Ask yourself this question ... why would a Firearms ID be accepted but not a College Student ID?
I answered your question, could you answer mine? I know it doesn't fit your "whitey keeping the black man down" meme, but really, why not remove the Republican's talking point by issuing ID's to everyone, then requiring that they be used in order to vote? Hell, the little magnetic strips on the back could even be used to make sure the ID's are only used once.

Voting is one of our very most important rights in this country, any act to invalidate your personal vote should be just as upsetting no matter your political views.

[Common Sense]

The myth of rampant voter fraud seems to be a myth that people love to latch on to.

[nic34]

And everyone knows there were never any voting restrictions for citizens before the 20th century.

[Ravens Fan]

Because it's not just about"ID".

Read the link....

Ok, but that is the portion that I addressed. do you disagree with what I said?

I cant do much about budget cuts, and based on my own state's turnout, (along with no voter ID laws and no cuts to the early voting) the Dems just didn't show up. Here, the ones that did, overwhelmingly voted for a Republican... in one of, if not the bluest state in the union.

[hanger4]

Ok, but that is the portion that I addressed. do you disagree with what I said?

I cant do much about budget cuts, and based on my own state's turnout, (along with no voter ID laws and no cuts to the early voting) the Dems just didn't show up. Here, the ones that did, overwhelmingly voted for a Republican... in one of, if not the bluest state in the union.

Same here in NC and the new *voter suppression laws* don't even go into effect till 2016.

[Professor Peabody]

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/imgs/2014/141114-coincidence.jpg

Supreme Court says Voting Rights Act of 1965 is no longer relevant (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jun/25/court-past-voting-discrimination-no-longer-held/?page=all)

22 States Have Instituted Voting Restrictions Since 2010 Election, Study Says (http://www.wpr.org/22-states-have-instituted-voting-restrictions-2010-election-study-says)

Voter Turnout in Midterm Elections Hits 72-Year Low (http://time.com/3576090/midterm-elections-turnout-world-war-two/)

Full of excuses!

Turnout increased in 14 states: Turnout actually increased in 14 states, plus D.C., from 2010-2014. In 10 of the 14, there were competitive to potentially competitive Senate races. In nine of the 14, there were governors’ races. Here’s where turnout increased, ranked by biggest increase:

1. Louisiana: +12.9% (38.9%-43.9%) <--------------Run off.
2. Nebraska: +10.1% (37.5%-41.3%) <--------------Governor Hold
3. Arkansas: +9.9% (37.5%-41.2%) <---------------Senate Seat Win
4. Wisconsin: +9.4% (52.0%-56.9%) <--------------Governor Hold
5. Maine: +7.4% (55.2%-59.3%)
6. New Hampshire: +6.8% (45.7%-48.8%)
7. Alaska: +6.6% (51.9%-55.3%) <---------------Senate Seat Win
8. Washington, D.C.: +4.8% (28.9%-30.3%)
9. Colorado: +4.7% (50.6%-53.0%) <---------------Senate Seat Win
10. Kentucky: +4.2% (42.4%-44.2%)
11. North Carolina: +3.8% (39.2%-40.7%) <---------------Senate Seat Win
12. Florida: +3.4% (41.7%-43.1%) <--------------Governor Hold
13. Kansas: +2.6% (41.7%-42.8%) <--------------Governor Hold
14. Iowa: +1.4% (49.9%-50.6%) <--------------Governor Hold
15. Oregon: +0.2% (52.6%-52.7%)

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/2014-midterm-election-turnout-lowest-in-70-years/

It was down, though — and by a lot in many places — in 36 others. Here are the top 10 biggest decreases:

1. Missouri: -27.4% (44.5%-32.3%)
2. Washington state: -27.3% (53.1%-38.6%)
3. Delaware: -27% (47.5%- 34.5%)
4. California: -25.5% (44%-32.8%)
5. Indiana: -24.5% (37.1%-28.0%)
6. Oklahoma: -23.2 (38.8%-29.8%)
7. Nevada: -23% (41.3%-31.8%)
8. Alabama: -22.1% (43%-33.5%)
9. Utah: -20.7% (36.3%-28.8%)
10. Mississippi: -19.7% (37%-29.7%)

NONE of the states with the biggest decreases were battle ground states with contested races nor Republican wins displacing Democrats for the Senate or Governor

Let me remind you of Bill Clinton won in 1992 with 43.0% of the vote. Next NONE of the States with the biggest drop in voter turnout were state where Republicans beat Democrats for Governor in DEEP blue states Arkansas, Illinois, Massachusetts and Maryland. Like it or not it WAS a repudiation of the Democrats/Obama policies.

http://www.wpr.org/sites/default/files/Map_5.jpg

Only 3 out of the 10 states with the lowest turn out have Voter ID laws.

[PolWatch]

if voter fraud is such a problem and this is just to correct the problem...what new absentee voter laws can we expect to see now the repubs are in charge? gotta be sure everyone is entitled to send in a ballot. if not, then its just a new form of gerrymandering and trying to rig elections...

[Bob]

if voter fraud is such a problem and this is just to correct the problem...what new absentee voter laws can we expect to see now the repubs are in charge? gotta be sure everyone is entitled to send in a ballot. if not, then its just a new form of gerrymandering and trying to rig elections...

A mexican that hopped over our border understands how Obama and Democrats operate.

Shows up to vote.

Tell me how do you prevent aliens from having our citizens rights?

When will Obama stop handing Mexicans the same rights American citizens have?

[Common Sense]

A mexican that hopped over our border understands how Obama and Democrats operate.

Shows up to vote.

Tell me how do you prevent aliens from having our citizens rights?

When will Obama stop handing Mexicans the same rights American citizens have?

Show us some stats that show illegal aliens vote in any significant numbers.

[Bob]

if voter fraud is such a problem and this is just to correct the problem...what new absentee voter laws can we expect to see now the repubs are in charge? gotta be sure everyone is entitled to send in a ballot. if not, then its just a new form of gerrymandering and trying to rig elections...

You know, my drivers license must have a photo on it. To collect Social Security I had to provide my birth certificate certified at the County of birth and a photo ID.

So, what is wrong with all of us showing a Photo ID to vote?

[Bob]

Show us some stats that show illegal aliens vote in any significant numbers.

I would show them to an American.

[Common Sense]

I would show them to an American.

Oh Bob...don't get so butthurt.

I'll take that as an admission that you can't.

Technically I am an American.

[PolWatch]

Alabama & Mississippi both offered $$$ rewards for anyone reporting voter fraud...last year. We are still waiting to hear about anyone collecting. Yeap, its a real problem.

[Peter1469]

Each of those headlines are misrepresentations.

And DNC talking points. Enough said. :smiley:

[Common Sense]

Alabama & Mississippi both offered $$$ rewards for anyone reporting voter fraud...last year. We are still waiting to hear about anyone collecting. Yeap, its a real problem.

It's a manufactured story to scare the scaredy cats.

[PolWatch]

if its a problem...let's tighten up those absentee ballots...get 'em all to go to a notary and prove who they are and that they have a right to vote.

[Polecat]

If all the voting was done only at job centers then we would have a hostile situation.

[PolWatch]

If all the voting was done only at job centers then we would have a hostile situation.

no price is too great to prevent voter fraud.

[momsapplepie]

if its a problem...let's tighten up those absentee ballots...get 'em all to go to a notary and prove who they are and that they have a right to vote.
I have no problem with that. Of course the notary would be free. Wouldn't want to disenfranchise anyone.

[Ravens Fan]

Since every state has a computerized database of registered voters, and early voting is counted before election day. Why not set up a system where the early voters names are removed from eligibility on election day? If "Sam" sends in an early vote, when he goes to vote again on election day, his polling place knows that he has already voted. When you vote on election day, same thing. Your name is removed from eligibility (not all together, just for that vote). Then the absentee ballots are checked against the Database when they are counted to make sure they are eligible. Any absentee ballot that is received where the person has already voted will be caught. No one but registered voters would be able to vote (unless someone steals your ballot and fills it out for you, but I'm not sure how to watch for that).

[PolWatch]

that would work...but it lacks the added benefit of requiring people take off of work, etc and go somewhere to get an id. Its much too convenient & sensible....wouldn't discourage enough voters

[Ravens Fan]

Since every state has a computerized database of registered voters, and early voting is counted before election day. Why not set up a system where the early voters names are removed from eligibility on election day? If "Sam" sends in an early vote, when he goes to vote again on election day, his polling place knows that he has already voted. When you vote on election day, same thing. Your name is removed from eligibility (not all together, just for that vote). Then the absentee ballots are checked against the Database when they are counted to make sure they are eligible. Any absentee ballot that is received where the person has already voted will be caught. No one but registered voters would be able to vote (unless someone steals your ballot and fills it out for you, but I'm not sure how to watch for that).
General Motors does something similar with recalls. You can actually go online with your car's VIN# and check for open warranties/recalls, as well as see what recalls have been done on your car previously. GM uses it to make sure they do not have to pay for the same recalls twice. The technology is there, let's use it.

[Ravens Fan]

that would work...but it lacks the added benefit of requiring people take off of work, etc and go somewhere to get an id. Its much too convenient & sensible....wouldn't discourage enough voters

I disagree with the whole ID being an inconvenience argument, because I think it is a cop out. If you don't have an ID already, how do you survive life these days? I mean really?

The discouraging voters idea is a shameful ploy that both parties try to use, but all things considered, the voter ID just doesn't stick out as one of those ploys.