NC GOP puts the "extreme" in extremism!
By Thom Hartmann A...
Ever since Pat McCrory took office as governor earlier this year - GOP lawmakers in North Carolina have turned that state into ground zero for Tea Party extremism - gutting social services- slashing taxes - and - yes - even banning Sharia law. And now, Republicans in the Tar Heel State are kicking that extremism into overdrive with the worst voter suppression law in our nation.
According to the Think Progress Blog, this new law doesn't just require voter ID, but includes a broad range of other initiatives designed to keep as many people as possible from the polls. The bill eliminates North Carolina's same-day voter registration, cuts early voting hours by a full week, and makes it easier for voter-intimidation groups like True The Vote, to challenge voters' eligibility.
Republicans know that their gerrymandering and political spending will only keep them in office for so long... so, they're resorting to disenfranchise millions of voters just to hold on to power. Thankfully, the people of North Carolina aren't taking this right-wing extremism lying down. Each week, successful “Moral Monday” protests grow larger, as more people speak out against these extreme policies.
At the rate people are getting involved, it's likely that even more voters will go to great lengths to ensure their voices are heard. Republicans may be able to enact these laws now, but the growing “Moral Monday” movement in North Carolina appears ready to strike back in the next election.
Comments
#2
Thom, if your position was true, you wouldn't have to portray the people you disagree with as these shadowy-evil drones. (They are not) There is nothing 'extreme' about cutting taxes. There is nothing anti-voter about requiring rules that prevent fraud in voting. Democrats object to ths because this hurts their chance at election, because honesty is not a desirable character trait for democrat politicians. (No group has fought moral standards harder or longer than your group.)
#3
Quote David in Vegas:There is nothing 'extreme' about cutting taxes. There is nothing anti-voter about requiring rules that prevent fraud in voting.
David in Vegas ~ There is nothing 'extreme' about cutting taxes? In times of fiscal abundance this case may be made; however, in times of national debt to the point that critical social net programs may be considered for limitations, such efforts can be considered treasonous. 'Extreme' is far too mild of a description.
You claim that there is nothing anti-voter about requiring additional rules to prevent voter fraud. In that case, kindly list all the cases of proven voter fraud that supports the argument that there is a need for such measures. Without overwhelming cause, additional rules intended to prevent voter fraud is nothing more than election fraud. Don't you agree? If not, please present your list!
#4
Carson L ~ You are so right! The RepubliCONs have so outraged the vast majority of citizens that they have no hope of winning any fair election; so, they do the next best thing--something they are good at--THEY CHEAT! Personally, I agree with what you are saying. The more they behave underhandedly, the more they enraged the majority of voters. Rage is a powerful motivating emotion. Regardless of the cheating method, I too foresee the sheer masses fighting back at the polls in a landslide. Thanks for the help! These idiots are doing more to loose the next election than the Democrats could ever do.
#5
The GOP has free reign with their extremism because they have control of the “mass media” and they act with impunity. The Republican Party has the corporate news in their pocket where they control the mass information that we are plummeted with by the hour 24/7. You must remember that 5 corporations own most of the news media, thanks to 32 years of Reaganomics with tax breaks to the wealthy.
#6
Just maybe this goofy belief Teabaggers cling to.....the billionaire induced idea that tearing down democracy to the point where government can be drowned in a bathtub.... needs to be actually allowed to happen in a select red state. It might be the only intervention strong enough to send the message that trickle down feudalism in the 21st century isn't any different than the feudalism of Medieval Europe. Texas might be a good choice for this ground zero of Teabag extremism. I think the Enlightenment Deniers are pretty numerous there.
#7
Please explain to me why banning Sharia law is a bad thing.
I have never heard of a county voting 110% of regesterd voters for a republican as Ohio did.
#8
Quote Hartmann:..and - yes - even banning Sharia law...
Oh, no! Not that! How horrible! You mean, if Sharia law is banned in the US, that we won't ever have the chance to witness public beheadings here in America like they do in Saudi Arabia? How horrible! Oh, and we won't even be able to watch some woman being stoned to death for adultery!
#9
The problem with the current two party system is that the Democrat party is plan B. The ruling elite prefers plan A...the Republican party... but they rely on the voter to either be dumb enough to vote Republican or stupid enough to believe that the Democrat party is the only viable alternative. The ruling elite wins either way. We need to either elect a third party that is radically progressive or we need to get way more aggressive in the streets...make the ruling elite fear that they will lose it all....otherwise, this political ping pong idiocy will never make things better for the majority of Americans.
#10
And, oh, how cute...Obama is now promising to work harder for the middle class...duh!!! You all should know by now that Obama is full of bovine excrement! And if he does actually make some improvements..it will be for the UPPER middle class. Obama's popularity is at an all time low...he'll SAY anything (guardedly-like a skilled and devious lawyer/politician) but I don't think many people really believes him anymore. And it's not just Obama...it's many of the leaders in the Democrat party...sell outs to the ruling elite.
#11
Reminds me of Nazl brownshirts and the rise of Hitler to power. In his day, they decided the world's problems were caused by the Jews. Today, we are possibly seeing a replay. Only this time, the target is the Muslim.
I'm sure that many of us are fearing the same thing that honest, hard working Germans feared in the 1920-30's when Hitler emerged - the fear of uncontrolled power unleashed on a minority to satisfy the bloodlust of godless men. We'll know we are closer to this when the bloodthirsty begin smashing the storefronts of Islamics in a modern day "Kristallnacht."
I hope I'm wrong, because we don't want our country to look like post WWII Germany did. And, don't think that we are invincible or you'll be thinking just like Hitler did.
Let us hope and pray that democracy and the goodwill of Americans will somehow put a stop to the oppression and other Hitleristic acts that we are already seeing the rise of.
#12
Palindromedary ~ You are so right! Today I received an email from the white house with this link:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/a-better-bargain/speak-out
What is this? What the people want and need is the repeal of free trade, the war on drugs, the Patriot Act, and foreign involvement with our military. We are tired and fed up with empty promises that mean nothing.
I, much like you, can't wait till the next election to make my wishes heard. The Administration of Obama had the audacity to return an email I sent them about the Sequester saying, basically, that I didn't know what I'm talking about and that these measures were necessary for my own good. Fine! I've heard enough to know when I'm being jived!
Let us take back our country and vote for anything other than the dominant paradigm! It's time to take names and kick butt!!
#13
"There is nothing 'ant-voter' about requiering rules [laws] that prevent fraud in voting". DAVID IN VEGAS are you practicing your stand up routine? Okay we're ready, give us the punch line.
Even the crickets have left the building.
#14
It is easy to identify a republiCON. They have calves like watermelons from hauling around 75 pounds of fat cells stored above their shoulders. By the same token, it is also easy to identify democRATS. They have calves like watermelons from hauling around 75 pounds of fat cells stored above their shoulders.
#15
So DAVID IN VEGAS, do you think it is good politics to deny convicted felons their civil right to vote...Even after they have "paid their debt to society"!?!?
This is a common practice favored by neonazi conservatives and right wing bigots! Don't agree with me...Consider the practice here in Florida that Fl. Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote and Fl. Gov. Dick sign into effect just 6 months after he took office. The law states than any one convicted of a fellony must wait and "minimum" of 5 years, up to 7 years, before applying to have their Civil Liberties reviewed for re-enstatemen.
I'm not sure what "You" call this type of behaviour, but to me, not only is that an over reach of punishment after a person has completed their sentence it's also "Voter Surpression 101"!
To deny any U.S. citizen their Right to Vote goes against our Civil Liberties, which is protected by U.S. Constitutional Law. Anyone person, party or organization that trys to enact or commits Voter Surpression should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
#16
I agree with Thom, it was pretty damn ludicrous for NC lawmakers to insert a ban on Sharia law. They gotta keep that fear machine cranked up, it justifys the spending by the military industrial spy complex. On the other hand these same lawmakers are trying to institute Christian religious law......via civil law................with legislation that oppresses and denies rights to women in our own country......fear that!
#17
DAnneMarc: I suspect that you, as well as a few others, realize that any communications with the White House: emails, letters, even phone calls will most likely never be seen, read, or heard by anyone important.
First, they have electronic (computers) means of parsing these communications and responding with replies with form letters or emails or recorded promises of some kind of action. Few communications are ever heard or seen by anyone of importance. The politician's second line of defense are "pages" or "analysts" that scan any communications that are flagged by the computers. Certain words (key words) are entered by the analysts..just like they do with Echelon where they use "dictionary computers" to detect select key words. And any communication they believe they can use for some favorable propaganda might even get to the actual politician...you know...like some young child writing the President with some emotional plea that the President can use to emotionally manipulate the public with.
They do collect general data on whether the communication was positive (ie: supportive) or negative (ie: angry comments) so as to filter that down into percentages of support or popularity of various issues.
So, as you are composing that email or letter, I wouldn't take much importance on worrying about spelling errors or grammatical mistakes. Unless, of course, their computer algorithms are analyzing the education or intelligence of the sender and crunching that down into how much importance they need to attribute to the communication. IE: they realize that uneducated flunkies will likely never rebel or try to overthrow a corrupt government exploiting and abusing them so those communications are worth less than dirt and can be totally ignored. Those are the people that politicians realize are going to continue playing within the rules set down by the corrupt system...ie: continue voting for either Republicans or Democrats and emailing, writing letters, or phoning their "elected" officials. If you are sitting in a game of poker and you know you are being repeatedly cheated, that all of your opponents were skilled gambling cheats, would you continue to play in their game? How dumb it that?
#18
Quote Palindromedary:If you are sitting in a game of poker and you know you are being repeatedly cheated, that all of your opponents were skilled gambling cheats, would you continue to play in their game? How dumb it that?
Palindromedary ~ I suppose you are right! What it would ultimately come down to is how good of a hand I thought I had; and/or, how good of a cheat I believed myself to be. In either case, I suppose it would be really stupid to think one could sweep the table at such an event and walk out the door alive. Nevertheless, if one doesn't ante-up and play a few hands they will never see how the cards are dealt, who's sitting at the table, or how the game is played. You can play to learn without necessarily playing to win.
Not to worry! I don't send anything other than friendly emails to politicians. I want them to consider my thoughts not consider me a threat. The emails replies that i received are equally friendly, though annoyingly condescending. Yet nothing to get upset about other than content. Very formal and eloquent. Most likely prepared genetic computer generated responses, as you've suggested. Yet it is the content that concerns me the most. Regardless of the response mechanism it is nice to be acknowledged. Yet, they address all my concerns and suggestions by politely dismissing them. Fine! Doesn't motivate me to write other emails or vote for these people or their party again. I know better than expressing anger in a formal communication with a dignitary. Despite how one feels it is proper protocol to always respect authority. Only in the US amongst the most ignorant groups in our population is that protocol absent. Rudeness, aggression, or disrespect in a communication with dignitaries is a fast road to getting its content ignored--among other potentially unpleasant consequences.
Nevertheless, I think I see what you're really saying. Thanks for the advice!
#19
MMmmNACHOS ~ I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for our friend David in Vegas to respond to your or my questions. He appears to be merely an internet sockpuppet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sockpuppet_(Internet)
I see these political hacks all the time. If they never again rear their ugly puppet head they are political sockpuppets. If they return and try to antagonize you they are internet Trolls.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)
Sockpuppets try to derail the course of discussion or refocus political topics. Internet Trolls do the same but with the goal of arousing hostility. They derail the discussion by trying to pick fights. The sockpuppet is the equivalent of a COINTELPRO spy and the Troll is just a schoolyard bully. The best way to handle such losers is to ignore them.
#20
Gotcha.
I just receive todays email news letter and it is a repeat of yesterdays...You???
#21
MMmmNACHOS ~ Same here! I found the blog the hard way. Here's an invite:
http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2013/07/can-obama-defeat-republican-cult#comment-223773
#22
In reading the comments, my favorite is the one about there being no difference between the Democrats and the GOP/Tea Party...sort of like saying there was no difference between Chamberlain and Churchill...both British, both with names beginning with "C", so what's the difference?.... On topic, unless the DOJ weighs in heavily in NC, as in TX, to stop the GOP shenanigans, it will not matter what form of vengence the electorate plans to exact in the next election, because they will be headed off before arriving at the polls...
#23
If only Obama would stiffen up his back and get Holder to sue North Carolina in a similare manner to the suit against Texas for violating the Voter Protection procedures.
Too bad we can't impeach 5 justices of the Supreme Court!
#24
There are other "filters" for sidelining complaints, even suggestions. I decided to skip the letter-writing and phone-calling and go directly to my representative's office, to ask what was being done to prevent Republicans from tampering with the next election. He wasn't there (in DC) but I spoke to his staff. I told them that there was good evidence that the 2004 presidential election was stolen, and not just for George Bush, but for several down-ticket races. In fact, the tactics used to steal that election were tried in numerous smaller and local races before being applied to the national races. That Republican majorities have taken over state legislatures, or gained power in otherwise Democratic or even moderate states is an indication that there is still plenty of election (NOT voter) fraud.
Although my rep was a Democrat, it was over a month before I received a letter. It was a "form" letter that addressed some vaguely related issues with elections - election fraud was not mentioned. It was clear that no government office-holder wanted to say anything blunt, much less accusatory, about what actually goes on in our elections. Although the guy's staff was concerned about my issue, and even agreed with me, it was obvious the staff had communicated SOMETHING to him, but since there was no pre-written response to my specific concern, I got only a distantly related, bland, generic reply.
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