Florida Governor Rick Scott doubles down on his illegal purge of Democratic voters
By louisehartmann
You need to know this. Get your lawsuits ready – the state of Florida announced on Monday that it is filing a lawsuit against the Department of Justice to gain access to a federal database of undocumented immigrants so the state can continue its illegal purge of Democratic voters. In response, the Department of Justice said it is suing the state of Florida for violating the Voter Registration Act and the Voting Rights Act by continuing its voting purge after the DOJ demanded the state stop last week.
Several county election supervisors in Florida – many of them Republicans – have come out against Governor Rick Scott’s lawsuit – arguing that it’s just an effort by the Governor and Secretary of State to improve their image. And every single local country election supervisor has refused to comply at a local level with Governor Scott’s purge. A new poll shows a majority of voters in Florida oppose Governor Scott’s purge – and his own approval rating has plummeted to 31%.
But Governor Scott knows what the rest of the Republican Party knows – and that’s that polls don’t matter – votes matter. And if enough Democratic voters can get kicked off the rolls – then Mitt Romney will win in November – and Governor Scott will be re-elected a few years after.
Comments
#2
What's going on is shameful. But now people have to really get motivated. Everyone needs to check and make sure that they're on the rolls and that there isn't an excuse to be used to knock them off. And if that means that they have to jump through the hoops set up by people like Walker, then that's the case. It is unfortunate that it has been made so hard to vote. And yes, it is hard (or sometimes unnecessary) for some people to get to the DMV to get a license or a state ID. But that's the game the right is playing so people need to figure out a way to do it (and there is always a way to do it). And maybe there needs to be a drive of some sort to help those who can't easily obtain the required forms of ID get them. They need to be on the voter rolls. They need to be able to cast their votes so that hopefully sanity will win. Then perhaps this nonsense can be changed back. And those who've been knocked off the voter rolls should see what they can do about suiing the state of Florida for denying their civil rights. Everyone in the US can help with this stuff, but it's he people personally affected who need to get out there and shout.
This is the true election fraud. Pure 1920s corruption. And it's terrible that the people are now in the position to once again have to fight for our rights.
#3
Floridians elected a criminal so expect criminal behavior. I just hope the DoJ can stop him. What I see is that republicans all over have overplayed their hand at trying to make Obama a one term president and have become blatantly obvious with their sabotage, so obvious that it will have the opposite effect and end up getting Obama re-elected IF the elections are played out fairly. Republicans will lie, cheat, steal, crash an economy, start a war etc. just to gain power. Their corruption is unmatched and they must be stopped if we are to survive as a democracy. Florida's purge is a big battle but not the only one. This is the Republican Taliban and they are proud of the title. Their leaders have been plundering our nation since its inception. Necessity will cause their defeat this time. Its greed has hit a wall.
#4
No Thom, Rick Scott's plan will not work and Barack Obama will win the state of Flordia in November and he will be re-elected President of the United States.
Great show again today (listening on WCPT-AM 820 in Chicago) ... BTW Why is Peter Ferarra so rude to you when he comes on your radio show?
#5
I wonder what an election in this country would look if we voted on a paper ballot, rather than a "Vapor Ballot"?
While we argue in public about voter purges and voter suppression the electronic polls are jiggered so the final results match the rhetoric of the propaganda that is pervasive in the media.
If you try to find the truth, it is buried under a mountain of disinformation, which most people never bother to even attempt to do.
#6
Scott can't be reelected here. Even Republicans here are fed up with him. The problem is that he's done so much damage in two years that it will take much longer to fix.
#7
I will never believe that Scott will win re-election. Floridians despise him. He has destructed our state. I'm a Floridian & I did not vote for him & never would. As far as I'm concerned he is a criminal who defrauded Medicare & can never be trusted. He is arrogant & believes he is above the law. The people are plain fed up with his pandering to special interests & big business. He has put the burden on the working poor & cut services for the elderly & disabled.
#8
I'm curious as to how the Fed's have a federal database of undocumented immigrants. If they are documented why weren't they deported? Furthermore, what moron would tell a census takers if they are illegal? I believe that the hard right would prefer that only people with a networth of $1million should be the only ones who could vote. It would bring down the cost of elections.
#9
It's a "smoke screen" to keep off focus the "election fraud", in my opinion...
#10
One of Thom's last caller's today, was suggesting that if the current Baby Boomers or Seniors would just die off "Things." would get better. It's true the senior generation is the most certain to vote. Mainly in fear of loosing their Social Security, Medicare and way of life that they had created in the 50's, 60's and 70's. "The greatest Middle Class in the in World." It's true the younger contingent helped sweep Obama to victory. But face it JR, the country is the way it is today because most of the country is uniformed, (some polls say 30 - 40 percent), and /or indifferent, and especially because most of the Dems, The Uniformed, the Indifferent sat on their Butts during the 2010 election and gave the Tea Party Terrorists our Congress. Now the Republican Plutocrats are Gerrymandering our votes off the ballot boxes, privatizing our public services, destroying our rights to bargain and dumbing down the electorate. To paraphrase Caesar's diviner, "Beware the 6th of November."
#11
How exactly does this procedure of purging names work?
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/florida-gov-rick-scott-defends-voter...
"The Justice Department's action was a direct response to Detzner's announcement earlier Monday that Florida would sue the Department of Homeland Security to gain access to the federal citizenship database (SAVE) to help carry out their voter purge. Scott said Monday that Florida has found nearly 100 non-citizens on state voter rolls."
What is the "federal citizenship database?"
Am I on it? I was born in California, I have a birth certificate, I have a Social Security Card, I registered for Selective Service when I turned 17, I've had several passports and used them to exit and enter the US.
My wife likewise has a birth certificate being born in California, she has a marriage certificate with my name, she notified Social Security about her name change and got a new card, she has had passports in her maiden name and in my name and has likewise used them.
Florida identified 100 non-citizens? How? Are these incarcerated felons released and their names and addresses upon release (does Florida demand an address upon release?)
If I move from California to Florida, and I register to vote in Florida, does DHS have this info in their database? Do I automatically get purged?
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