Republicans Look to Rock the Voting Rights

Posted on 03-09-2011 by Evan Morris (ev.morris28)
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Newly empowered Republican lawmakers have set out on a quest to reform a few of the policies with regards to voting rights across the country, which could make voting difficult for many Americans in 2012. According to an article by Peter Wallsten for The Washington Post, lawmakers in 32 states are pushing legislation that would require voters to show a state ID or proof of citizenship. On the heels of those reforms, states like New Hampshire are looking to put limits on college students who vote in the state, and end same-day voter registration. One of the bills would permit students to vote in their college towns only if they or their parents had previously established permanent residency there, which requires all others to vote in the town or state they came from.

In Wisconsin, Republicans are moving forward with legislation that would keep students from using school-issued identification to verify their identity, and in North Carolina the GOP is preparing similar laws requiring state ID's. This is something that could be problematic for African-American voters according to the North Carolina Board of Elections.

Republicans claim they are cracking down on voter fraud, but in my opinion this move is a pretty transparent attack on large pieces of the Democratic voting base. In the article, Wallsten quotes New Hampshire's House Speaker William O'Brien who, when speaking to a tea party group, said of college kids, "They're foolish. Voting as a liberal. That's what kids do." O'Brien also added that students lack "life experience" and "they just vote their feelings." In other words, college kids are dumb, liberal babies who don't understand the world and vote for the cool kids. He should have just come out and said "President Obama kicked our ass in college towns and we are trying to put a stop to it."

One major question is why are the Republicans focusing on states like Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and North Carolina? The answer is that those states were among some of the closest races in the 2008 election, and President Obama narrowly beat out McCain with help from young college students and African-Americans in those states. If they can get an advantage over Democrats in the "purple" states, they might be able to take the next election, especially in North Carolina, a "Battleground State" where Obama received 50% of the vote to McCain's 49%.

(Click on the image for a full interactive map)

I was born and raised in The Commonwealth of Kentucky, which is the greatest state in the country as far as I'm concerned, but it is also as red as the day is long. If Republicans are worried about voter fraud, why aren't they trying to pass new legislation in all states? Because in many states like Kentucky...they simply don't have to.

For the record, I consider myself to be an Independent that doesn't swing too far to the left or right. I believe in things on both sides of the fence, but when one party makes an obvious move towards suppressing voters and tells me it's something good on the surface, I have to call them on it. What do you think?

Should The Cap'n Retire?

Yes. Time to set sail.

No. He's
Grrrrrrrrrreat! (cereal joke)

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Debate It! 26

O'Brien is an idiot. The right to vote includes voting however you want for whatever reason you want. Some people voted against Obama because they're racist, while some young voters may have voted for him because they thought he was cool. It would be great if everyone voted based on informed, rational decisions, but let's be honest, virtually nobody (Republicans, Democrats, Independents, etc) votes that way.

Posted By Rebecca, 03-09-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

Hear, hear!

Posted By jclymer, 03-09-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

I agree. Also I'm not against voting reforms if they make sense, but to me these seem like an attempt to make it a little harder for some young people and African-Americans (The main reason Republicans lost) to vote. They are almost out front with the fact that they would prefer these particular groups to stay home on election day.

Posted By ev.morris28, 03-09-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

if republicans think young people only vote for the cool guy, why don't they just put somebody cool up there? ted nugent looks pretty cool, with the guitar and long hair and such.

Posted By Nate, 03-09-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

They have a hard time winning when they don't mess with the votes. Anyone remember Bush v. Gore? Anyone?

Posted By Johnny4, 03-10-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

I believe that voter fraud is a problem that needs to be addressed. Having to prove your citizenship with a state issued identification card is a very reasonable requirement. Same-day voter registration and other lax procedures invite fraud, and have been used to sway elections. I agree with the author that this effort should be done in all states, but since each state can run itself, you are seeing only those that are taking on the issue.

Posted By psyclo, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

I don't see this as a Right / Left issue at all, or of whom it targets.

Same day voter registration doesn't give the board of election to verify the registration. Unless you can get same day verification like the NICS for firearm purchases, I'd agree of a registration deadline.

The second point of having a state issued ID to vote in a location I can totally understand, especially for college students. Students, whom haven't declared residency in their college town, aren't residents of the state, or the locality. Logically speaking, why would they be allowed to vote for a representative of a district they don't reside in, or a senator for a state they don't live in? This comes down to a sovereignty issue. In which one state doesn't want non-residents voting there. One should vote where they have declared residency.

Posted By bp1222, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

I like how liberals try to somehow deny that college students are overwhelmingly liberal. The fact that they are liberal was never, ever used as justification for why they shouldn't be able to vote in a state they aren't a resident of. It was used to discuss the major demographic shift that can be caused by a homogeneous group of non-residents in a town or city. It's a completely legitimate point. What liberals apparently want is such relaxed voting laws such that it is easier to vote in an election than it is to vote in an online poll.

Posted By jbrien, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

Just a question. How would requiring ID make voting difficult for African-American voters??

Posted By steveit, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

I think its hilarious that bleeding liberals are crying about this, because they know they are going to lose all there illegal immigrant and ghetto votes that got them there ignorant useless president elected in the 1st place. I'm not saying McCain was any better, but Obama is just a FOOL, he has fucked our country 10x harder than Bush did

Posted By Mike18blue, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

I live in a college town in NH, when we have town elections we are voting for people to run our town it has nothing to do with the university.We are also voting for different appropriation bills that effect tax rates which students do not pay- (the university doesn't pay any taxes to the town either). The purpose of this bill is to stop transient students from voting in our local elections it's a very good idea. If they want to buy some property in town and/or establish permanent residency that's fine. If they really want to vote in town elections then they should make a personal check out to the town for $10,000 each year, that buys them the right to vote.

Posted By Burt, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

I agree. I myself have a ridiculously huge ear fetish so I voted for Obama.
Next time I refuse to base my vote on ridiculous ears. I learned my lesson... :)
http://www.youtube.com/user/MrDrawingguy?feature=mhum

Posted By MrDrawingguy, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

You guys seem to think that same day registration means that the voter is never verified. That is entirely wrong. If you use same day registration, you vote provisionally which means **your vote is not counted until the registration is confirmed and verified!** If they ACTUALLY wanted to make sure permanent residents voted and not just remove liberals they would change the residency requirements and not just limit the law to students. But that isn't their goal. And you Conservatives have been conned into not seeing it. Also you guys seem to think illegal immigrants are allowed to vote. They are not and never have been. The Secretary of State in each state is responsible for making sure each voter is legitimate. Photo ID is required, proof of residency, and a social security number when registering to vote. Say some illegal has made a fake ID and is trying to vote. They are not listed as being born in the US or a naturalized citizen, so there is on reason for the Secretary of State to accept their voter registration. The justice department locks up people who fraudulently try to vote. Do you know the number they have found over the last decade? Exceeding few. Ph, I'm sure you'll say "but the justice department is liberally biased!". Morons. Even during Bush's tenure so few voter fraud cases were actually found that it was laughable. Many investigations were opened, but HARDLY ANY found any wrongdoing. You guys will believe any BS shoveled at you by Fox News!

http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/policy_brief_on_the_truth_about_voter_fraud/

Posted By ArcAnjel, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

FACT: College students spend the majority of their time in their college locality (7 months...they are only away from campus locality for most of May and August, all of June & July, less than a month at Xmas, and maybe a week each for Thanksgiving and Spring Break).

Given that fact, I think It's only reasonable that students should have a say on political matters that affect said locality (provided they are US Citizens, of course).

Posted By DJParticle, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

The Koch Brothers must be patting each others backs with their cloven hooves and agreeing that their money has been well-spent!

Posted By trueblue, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

yeah Mike18blue, that way only the rich could pay a vote. you say its for voter fraud but buying votes is just the same. what about the rich that fly from one state to another just to vote more than oncewhat gives them the right to vote where their corporation is located then in the state where their vacation home is then where their actual residence is located. mutiple vote by the super rich NEEDS to stop. college kids vote ONCE either in the state they go to school or the state where their parents live, good luck finding any college kid who will vote let alone in TWO states.
this is just a tacktic the right is using to BUY another election. next they are going to want the electronic voting machines back even though they we easy to bypass the security to make mutiple votes. not to mention the FACT that the votes get counted in a GOP database center located in New Mexico. if you need proof the companys name is GOVTECH. they were in charge of the GOP's private email accounts but they also acted as a reserve for counting the votes in Ohio during the Bush/Gore race. Ohio seemed like a landslide victory for the dems but low and behold repubs won. but he state couldnt understand why the computers were taken over by GovTech from 2am- 4am but after the state was back in control the count went from 20% to the dems to 60% for the repubs. then when they asked the owner of GovTech to testify about it, he was killed the night he was fling to washington. and that was how Bush and co. BOUGHT THE ELECTION in '08. by the way heres the link www.mcclatchydc.com/2008/11/03/55233/computer-expert-denies-knowledge.html

Posted By jops360, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

sorry '04 election

Posted By jops360, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

What voter fraud? Document the problem that you are trying to solve. How widespread? Give us facts and figures. Lay it out in black and white. X number of fraudulent votes were cast, by Y number of people in Z precincts. You don't have those figures? Oh, then how do you know there's a problem? Then we could compare the cost of the solution (the possibility that a legitimate voter could be denied the right to vote) against the cost of the problem. Until you can do that please go sit down.

Posted By spencerfalco, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

Normally I would write this off as a very good tactical move by Republicans and just an example of politicians using the system to gain an advantage in elections. In this case though they are coming dangerously close to infringing on certain groups of Americans right to vote which doesn't sit well with me. On top of that they claim the purpose is to clean up the voting system, which isn't sincere and certainly not true. Anyone that looks at what they are trying to do and where they are doing it can see that this is aimed at groups of Americans that tend to vote Democratic in states that will be up for grabs in elections.

Posted By ev.morris28, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

Voter fraud was rampant in Harry Reid's relection in Nevada, where 50% of the voters picked "Not Reid." If you have the unions and Latinos in your pocket in Nevada, you will win. Liberals aren't squeaky clean either, friends.

Posted By WrightInReno, 03-13-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I like how at least one commenter suggested that the Black vote and the "illegal aliens" vote is what got Obama into office. Not only is that basically not true (especially the second tenet, and it was young voters that helped Obama just as much if not more than Black voters). It is a sweet mixture of outright racism (implying the a Black vote is a ghetto vote, and thus less worthy than some white trash bullshit artist vote), and complete ignorance (the idea that it is possible for large enough numbers of ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS to VOTE in an election for high office such that it could statistically sway the outcome).

Keep it classy!

Stay

Posted By Brash Equilibrium, 03-14-2011 (2 years and 3 months)

the way that the media portrayed Obama is partially to blame. They hyped him to be the next best thing since sliced bread. If you go back and look at all of the media coverage, you will see that Obama was given the "favorable light" and McCain was placed on the proverbial back burner. Unfortunately, we do not have our own opinions, we have whatever opinion the media pushes on us. The way they push it is by "sensationalizing" everything! Everything has drama and that is what media focuses on. they do not report the news, they report on the drama and shape public opinion via their reporting!

Posted By Mr.Truther, 03-22-2011 (2 years and 2 months)