voter suppression
- Chapter 7: The Black Bag-
The black bag. Freedom Fyter had been, I think the legal phrase is, “keeping it about his person” since he and I drove to DC from Detroit. I was firmly told to stay away from the black bag for my own sake. I knew that Uncle Bud was concerned about the bag the night that he and FF had their argument at the bar. And it seemed like Fyter was finally ready to let me in on the secret.
“Let’s get out of here,” said FF, rising to his feet and sweeping the bag off the table with one large hand. “Too many Republicans. Besides, I’ve got some people I want you to meet.”
It was 10:30, and I had to be ready to begin work in the tunnels by 7:00 a.m. the next day. I miss those days when sleep was an option. In younger days, my theme song had been, “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.” Well, I guess Zevon is catching up on his sleep these days, and I spend more time napping than I do awake in wee, small hours.
“Wait a minute, FF. Where we going? How long’ll we be gone. I’m beat, and I’ve got a busy schedule tomorrow.”
He cast me a piteous look and shook his head. “You’re worried about your bed-time? Curiosity doesn’t give you that adrenaline boost, anymore?”
“Curiosity’s all well and good, but every time I look at that bag I hear one of Rove’s hand-picked US attorneys reading my name from a list headed ‘Conspirators.’”
He shrugged. This was not reassuring. “Life’s about taking risks. You comin’ or not?”
“Ah, what the Hell,” I grumbled, adding that little “Uhn” that accompanies my getting in and out of chairs these days. “Nothing like a fool-hardy adventure to pretend that time stands still. But do me a favor, will ya? Give me the heads-up before the felony stuff happens. Give me chance to reach the door safe in my ignorance, OK?”
“Word,” FF said, throwing his arm over my shoulder. “Have I ever let you down?”
“Yeah, well, just remember I’m the one who usually has to get the bail money together, so don’t get me locked up with you, or we’re both screwed.”
- Students face HUGE obstacles when Voting- This morning Matthew Segal from the Student Association for Voter Empowerment" was on CNN talking about some of the challenges Students face and the rights that need to be protected for young voters.
- Montana GOP-ED Resigns Post-Voter Suppression- Just a few short weeks before the election Montana's Republican Party Director has resigned. No, not to spend more time with his family, but instead to take another opportunity in the private sector. This comes after a controversy I reported on earlier this month in gest, but the long and short is that 6,000 voters on the rolls in Missoula were challenged by the GOP, but when asked for the list of people "challenged" so that those folks could be checked out or would know that their registration was being challenged, the GOP said they wouldn't hand over the list. This just SCREAMS of dirty tactics.
- McCain Now Linked as ACORN Supporter-
Oh what a difference some perspective makes. Ben Smith has a great picture on Politico this great picture
And includes these little tid-bits
"The beleaguered Democratic-leaning community group Acorn sends over this photograph: John McCain, in March of 2006, sitting beside Florida Rep. Kendrick Meek at an event Acorn co-sponsored in Florida. The immigration event, which other photos show was packed with red-shirted Acorn member, was co-sponsored by the local Catholic Archdiocese, the SEIU, and other groups. McCain, still spiting much of his party on immigration at the time, was the headliner.
- ACORN Fraud Story FAKE GOP Scam- UPDATE: Now John McCain's campaign is attacking Obama for being associated with ACORN All day the mainstream news has been reporting the so-called Voter Fraud on the part of ACORN that has registered over 1.2 million people to vote in low income areas of the country. THE FACTS: - all people who do voter registration are REQUIRED BY LAW to turn in the forms that they receive, whether they are valid or not. What ACORN does when they register someone to vote is then turn around and verify that the person is who they say they are. When the person can't be found ACORN then flags them as suspicious. When they turn them into boards of elections (which again they are require to do) those suspicious ones are flagged so BOE's can deal with them accordingly.
- Bring on Voter Suppression- The last day to register to vote in most states is tomorrow and you know what that means, time for the disenfranchisement to begin!! I am very excited about this! Every election I look forward to poor people having their votes stolen. Let's be honest, they really have no right to vote anyway. Poor people often talk funny and well... they're poor. Who wants to be friends with poor people? They can't do anything because its all too expensive for them. Wanna go to the bar with your poor friend? Too bad! Movies? Forget it. And going over to their place to play XBox - HA! Never going to happen. Therefore, the more disenfranchisement the better! We don't need those kinds of people in our society.
- Huge Day for Voters from Congress-
"Today was a huge victory for us," Matt Segal the Executive Director of the Student Association of Student Empowerment (SAVE) said Thursday evening in an interview after testifying before the House Administration Committee on voting rights for young people.
This was the culmination of 5 months of SAVE members and volunteers working the Hill in efforts to educate Congress on the difficulties young voters face each election year.
These stories are not unique to us. Recently, even, we've heard about voter disenfranchisement affecting students. In Colorado and New Mexico as well as Virgina Tech students who are "being told that they risk losing their scholarship and tax dependency status if they register to vote in their college, as opposed to home, state."
- Purple Thumbs There - Will Mine Be Counted Here?- Purple Thumb. It has become the shorthand for free, fair and first elections in emerging democracies and in U.S.-conquered nations. First used by Delaware’s Pete DuPont in the June 21, 2005, Wall Street Journal, “Iraqis held their third purple-thumb election last week ...” the purple thumb represents the unsaid guarantee that a free and fair election has taken place. That same electoral hue was later adopted by our President, when he spoke to the UN General Assembly in September 2006: “To the people of Iraq: Nearly 12 million of you braved the car bombers and assassins last December to vote in free elections. The world saw you hold up purple ink-stained fingers, and your courage filled us with admiration.” [ White House press office ] Yet, the concept of an admired and fair “Purple thumb” election seems to mean nothing in our “We’re Number One! God Bless America!” country; where suppressed turnouts and election day equipment ‘shortages’ and ‘malfunctions’ have become the expected norm on our national polling days.
- Stealing Elections 101- Appearing at The Jaundiced Eye, the Independent Bloggers' Alliance, and My Left Wing.
- Robin Carnahan: Voter Protection & Young Voters-
Carnahan's are a pretty big name in Missouri politics as public servants who have gone above and beyond to lead and serve with distinction. The first (possibly only) campaign my cousin (who is 10 years older than me and have always looked up to) was a Carnahan campaign. I haven't stopped hearing about them since.
But as a next generation voter and politico in my family, I've discovered my favorite Carnahan in Robin for her relentless pursuit of fair and accurate voting laws.
Give the post I did yesterday about the Durbin/Schakowsky/SAVE Student Voter Bill extravaganza, I wanted to also highlight some of the dangers Missouri faced in had the new voter ID bill passed. These laws and other "policies" enacted by renegade county clerks can result in the disenfranchisement of hundreds if not thousands.
The bill presented yesterday seeks to help with some of those stumbling blocks, but the states can do so much more. Look to Robin Carnahan as a guide. As her site says - Voter Protection Key to Legislation Today-
At a time when organizations across the country are focused on increasing voter registration, the Student Association for Voter Empowerment (SAVE) has worked hard to make sure that when those newly registered voters go to the polls, their votes will count.
Today the movement to protect our votes will take a giant leap forward when SAVE teamed up with Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois and Congresswoman Jan Shakowsky of Illinois and Congressman Steve LaTourette of Ohio present the Student VOTER Bill of 2008.
Durbin said on the floor:
- IN and NC set Precedent (or Presidents?)- Crossposted from WiretapMag
In the most exciting news I've seen on election coverage, the Washington Post declares Young Voters to be one of the winners of last night's election.
"No age group has been more ridiculed for their lack of participation than those under 30. But in Indiana that age group comprised 16 percent of the overall vote while those 65 or older comprised 15 percent. Under 30s went for Obama 61 percent to 39 percent, a margin that all but neutralized Clinton's 44 percent margin among older Hoosiers."
- Breaking: Indiana Voters Turned Away- According to a release from the Student PIRGs a number of Indiana voters were INCORRECTLY turned away from the polls today and given MISINFORMATION about the validity of their identification preventing them from casting a ballot they legally should have been able to cast. Let me remind you - that when the US Supreme Court made its decision they decided...
- BREAKING: Voting Rights Under Assault- The US Supreme Court just voted to disproportionately disenfranchises our rights to cast a ballot. Remember that whole thing about democracy and everyone having the right to vote - HA! I bet you thought that was real, right?? UPDATE 2: Rock the Vote recently released statement calling it "supremely wrong." UPDATE 1: Politico has also reported on the topic ------------------
- March 4 Young Voters Smackdown the Vote- Crossposted from Wiretap First, let me just say that I told you McCain would win. And Mike Huckabee conceded with a lovely speech about a pitcher that is always waiting and ready in the event the other pitcher can't make it. Media folks are speculating if this is Huck making a comment about being VP? Or is this a crack about McCain being so old he's nearing death? I think that this was actually a comment about Mike Huckabee's new career in baseball. Last night's primary and caucuses brought another opportunity for us to measure the successes of the youth vote. All of the following are for 17-29 year olds and can be found by combing through the CNN Exit polls.
- Jim Ryun Source of KS Voter Caging- I just had to tell ya'll about this because its something that makes me crazy. Last year around Christmas time - the Kansas GOP sent out what I'm sure they thought was a normal everyday fundraising email. What they mistakenly did was talk about all the great work they are doing and talked about their Vote Caging program.
- Voter Caging Practice 2004. Will It Happen Again?- Transcript - 7.27.07 BRANCACCIO: Welcome to NOW. You're about to hear an important story that's been given far more attention overseas than by any news outlet here. It's a story that involves both your right to vote, and to have your vote counted.
- Voter Suppression Activities Hit Voter Registration Drives- Weekly Voting Rights News Update
This an entry in a series of blogs to keep people informed on current election reform and voting rights issues in the news.
Featured Stories of the Week:
Are Voter Registration Drives Being Put Out of Business? - AlterNet
- Michigan Voter ID Law Upheld by State Supreme Court - Weekly Voting Rights News Update
This an entry in a series of blogs to keep people informed on current election reform and voting rights issues in the news.
By Erin Ferns
Featured Story of the Week:
Michigan Supreme Court upholds law requiring photo ID to vote – Associated Press, Chicago Tribune
- Update: Von Spakovsky opposed mail registrations- By Michael Slater I posted yesterday on Hans von Spakovsky nomination, noting that a common theme that unifies his work “is not just that it advances his political party’s interests but that it does so by impeding minorities from voting and choosing their political representatives.” Now there’s more evidence.
- Will any candidate touch election reform?- I’ll be brief.
I’m throwing out a challenge to the Presidential candidates, and I won’t even make it a difficult one. We know that many of them (or their staff) read what is posted here, so maybe one would read this. Certainly, they are aware of the goings on in Congress regarding the US Attorney purge. Hopefully they know about the Pulitzer Prize worthy work being done by McClatchy’s Washington Bureau about the tie in between the US Attorneys and the issues of “voter fraud” against Democratic party voters or officials.
- Life and Death Struggle Against Voter Suppression: TX Senator Gallegos Blocks Voter ID Bill- Weekly Voting Rights News Update By Erin Ferns This an entry in a series of blogs to keep people informed on current election reform and voting rights issues in the news.
- The story that should bring down the republican party- But only if it gets told, gets told loudly, clearly, simplistically and repetitively. It is still unfolding, even though it has been happening for years. It is pervasive, deep, goes against the very first and most basic premise of democracy and is a concerted effort by many individuals and organizations throughout the republican party, its affiliated "associations" as well as many levels of government whose primary purpose is to ensure that this most basic premise of democracy is not subverted.
- Talking Points: Voter fraud, US Attorneys and Suppressing the Vote- The idea that fraudulent voting is undermining elections is myth promulgated by the Bush Administration and its partisan partners.
- Chapter 2: Freedom Fyter brings Democracy to DC, pt. 1.-
After hearing from Uncle Bud about his DC bar, I decided take some time off work and visit. When I mentioned on my blog that I was going to DC, Freedom Fyter asked if he could come along. We were both curious about the reception a 6' 5" openly gay Black man would receive at Uncle Bud's. He assured me that he'd dress conservatively, which I took to mean that he wouldn't be wearing one of his numerous Gay Pride T-shirts by refinish69. (He also bet me he'd know at least two people there from DC area gay bars. He was wrong. He knew four.)
- Barred from the Polls- Voting Rights & Election News Roundup: April 6, 2007 Edition
By Erin Ferns
This an entry in a series of blogs to keep people informed on current election reform and voting rights issues in the news.
Featured Stories of the Week:
- BREAKING: Federal Election Agency Plays Politics with Voter ID Study- US Election Assistance Agency releases but fails to endorse report finding voter ID requirements reduce turnout. By Michael Slater and Nathan Henderson-James The US EAC tasked with, among other things, serving as a clearinghouse for election research decided to play politics today with the release of a study documenting the impact of voter identification requirements on voting. The study, conducted jointly by the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University and the Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University for the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC), found that documentary ID requirements lower voter turnout, particularly for minority voters. Researchers examined voting in the 2004 election. Several states have adopted more stringent voter ID requirements since 2004. The EAC, however, despite commissioning the study and setting the guidelines for its completion took the unusual step of declining to endorse it.
- Politics and the Abandonment of Voting Rights: Project Vote's Voting Rights & Election News Roundup: March 30, 2007 Edition- By Erin Ferns This an entry in a series of blogs to keep people informed on current election reform and voting rights issues in the news. Featured Story of the Week:
- US Atty Scandal Shines Light on Bush Adminstration Voter Suppression Efforts-
By Nathan Henderson-James
This well-researched and timely article from the Washington Bureau of the McClatchy Newspapers shows how deep the Bush Administration's obsession with using the myth of voter fraud to support schemes to suppress the votes of minories and other marginalized groups runs.
- Election and Voting Rights News Roundup: Week of March 23, 2007- By Erin Ferns
This an entry in a series of blogs to keep people informed on current election reform and voting rights issues in the news.
Featured Stories of the Week:
- US Atty Firings Latest Administration Move to Undermine Voting Rights- By Brian Mellor, Project Vote's Senior Counsel The improper firing of eight U.S. Attorneys by the Administration is only the latest in a series of actions by political appointees at the Department of Justice to suppress minority voter turnout, minimize minority representation and control the electoral process through legal threats and restrictive laws.
