Today is a preview of 2014 and beyond.
By Thom Hartmann A...
Today is election day in several states around our nation, and the danger of many new voting laws is apparent. This week in Texas, former democratic representative Jim Wright was almost denied the right to vote under the new voter ID law. That state's new voter-theft law also nearly blocked a Texas district judge, a state senator, Democratic candidate for governor Wendy Davis, and even Greg Abbott – the attorney general of that state who is pushing the new law.
In Virginia, in one of the most high-profile races this year, 57,000 voters were purged from the rolls just days before the election. And, that state's attorney general, Ken Cuccinelli, has not recused himself from being involved in a challenge to today's election results. The very man behind the voter purge is on the ticket, and thinks there is no conflict of interest if his office needs to investigate election irregularities.
These scenarios are likely to become more common in the wake of the Supreme Court striking down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. After the justices made their ruling, republican-led states around our nation enacted various laws to disenfranchise as many voters as possible. And, we're already seeing the results of that decision in an off-year election.
Republicans know that keeping people from the polls is the best chance they have at winning elections, and they're not afraid to go to any lengths to make that happen. Hopefully, enough voters are fed up with these tactics, and overwhelm these voter-theft efforts by flooding the polls. We need a huge turnout in these races, and we must be prepared to fight for our democracy in coming elections.
Comments
#2
Hooray for "Annonymous"! Those guys are heros. In these dangerous, crazy times, the enemies of democracy are gumming up the works in every branch of our government. People like that, and like Assange, Manning and Snowden, could be our only hope. - AIW
#3
When at first you don't succeed, cheat, cheat and cheat. That is the Republican mantra. Even when people are fed up with Democratic candidates the Republicans naturally assume they are the underdogs. After all, who in their right mind would ever vote for that party again after the last Bush administration? I suppose they are right in that respect. However, with people as fed up and desperate as they are, I doubt they are going to take this slick sorcery lying down. You can't please all the people all the time; but, you sure can't win if you just piss everyone off.
#4
Republicans in the Congress and in many state legislatures are anti-democratic. They do not trust the people. They are against a government that is by the people and for the people. These people believe they have been told by God and Jesus Christ that they are to rule the country. They appear to have an all out war against women. They seem to want to return the country to the laws of 1830 when women could not vote, blacks could not vote, and only people who owned real estate were in charge. They love corporations but seem not to care about everyday people such as children whose single mothers are unable to earn enough money to feed their family. Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Paul Ryan, Michelle Bachmann and their ilk seem to despise ordinary Americans.
#5
I expect that there are computer programmers working for the United States Government who are against the Affordable Care Act. I would not be surprised to learn that some of them have intentionally damaged the ACA website to harm the system. I hope that some computer forensic experts are at work to determine how much of the system glitches were sabotaged work by people who hate President Obama.
#6
Phillip, I love that shit-eatin' grin on your face. Don't ever change avatars, ya hear?!
Of course the Republi-cons are going to distrust the people they keep screwing, while projecting their own negative character traits onto us. It's what they do! And as far as the ACA website is concerned, you could very well be onto something. It wouldn't surprise me either, to hear that some of those programmers sabotaged it maliciously.
This country, and certain sectors of its population, have always had a mean streak. - Aliceinwonderland
#7
Voter ID means one person - one vote and Dems HATE that concept!
#8
You do not have to sabotage ACA software; just underfund it. In addition to underfunding then stress it with making the feds do the state's job.
#9
akunard ~ What's the matter? Crossing a name off a list is too complicated for you? Too many mistakes possible? Funny how losers are always the first to cry cheat. If you ask me this little trick is going to backfire big time--just like all the other reich wing trickery. When the people learn a countermeasure--and it won't take long--this voter ID law is going to be a huge disadvantage to cheating Republicans. Hoisted, on their own petard.
#10
Yeah "akunard", ALL the Repub Teabrains hate democracy, along with some Democrats (in name only). Voter ID isn't about one person, one vote; it's about sabotaging the vote by placing yet another barrier in front of poor and marginalized voters.
#11
Buss loads of voters going from place to place is NOT Democracy! Poor people need photo ID to get food stamps.
By countermeasure you admit to getting around the one vote only concept?
#12
What is not being talked about is court corruption. I prove with the court record that judges lie and just make things up when the common man who cannot afford $250+ an hour (the pro per). If judges are so accustomed to lying and misrepresenting the facts and evidence within their rulings, then how can they be given the right to choose over criminal issues that involve private prisons? Please See c42009.wix.com/divinejustice
#13
I admit no such thing, akunard.
Here in Oregon where I live, we have one of the best voting systems in the country. Once you're registered here, voting is a breeze. We don't even have to go to polls. We use paper ballots and vote in the privacy & comfort of our homes. No waiting lines, no gatekeepers, no B.S.! Once we're finished, we mail our ballots or drop them off at the local library where they have special ballot bins. Voila! And that is what democracy looks like. - Aliceinwonderland
#14
Quote akunard:By countermeasure you admit to getting around the one vote only concept?
akunard ~ Use a little imagination my friend. No, I don't mean getting around the law. What I do mean is that this futile effort may have some preliminary success; however, if it does, it will surly spawn a citizen action committee dedicated to insuring that all potential voters in their districts are prepared with everything they need to vote. In doing so, they will spur, encourage, and infuriate far more voters into taking part in the election then have ever before. If you can't guess what that means, then, you might be a Redneck.
#15
Aliceinwonderland ~ Good for Oregon! I'm glad to hear that. We have the same system here in California. Although here we have the option of going to the polls or absentee ballots. I too prefer the absentee ballot system. Here they send the ballot to your address with your name on it. You sign it at the bottom under penalty of perjury. (I think the penalty is something like $20K + 5 years. More than enough discouragement.) The best part like you said is no lines and no rush to vote. You don't have to dress up, and can take your time. Best of all, you don't have to deal with idiots at the ballot center who may want to change your mind at the last minute; or, discourage you from voting altogether. You also avoid mistakes that can disqualify you. You avoid those stupid Diebold voting machines. You avoid the possibility that you might be sick on election day. Also you avoid the discouragement of a long line during your lunch hour. Here, we just put the filled out ballot back into a prepaid envelope and drop it into the mail. We can also drop it into an ballot box on election day. Now that I've done absentee voting I will never go back.
#16
Unfortunatly I think this will be a big sucksess for the repubs. I fear that people who are turned away and a great number of those who feel they will have a hassel to vote, will simply not show up and not vote the next time. They will just say "It's not worth the hassel. It won't change anything. They will just throw out the votes anyway. etc. etc." The corporate news will run stories of how good people get right in to vote but bad people and people who "may" be trying to cheat the system and steal your money are turned away. Then ask - did you have problems voting? They will pick beautiful and respectful people, and a few ringers to say "NO Problems!" and skuzzy ones to say "Yea they wouldn't let me vote twice and now they want me to look for work before they give me my welfare check!"
I would welcome being shown I am totally wrong, Not just "Oh no that could never happen here".... talk, but proof people are able and willing to change a system by massive collective action to get everyone able to vote.
#17
Cheryl, you've brought up a very important issue and I don't want you to think you're being ignored. Maybe you can suggest to Thom that he bring up court corruption in one of his future posts.
I've had thoughts of doing this myself, as I would like to see some discussion here about the Teabrains' misogynist "War On Women". This could even overlap the issue of court corruption, as I keep hearing about convicted rapists getting ridiculously light sentences from sicko judges. Example: a high school teacher convicted of raping a 14-year-old student, sentenced to just thirty days in the slammer, while that judge more than implied the young victim was partially responsible. This drew attention to the judge, as people were outraged enough to demand his removal from the bench. - Aliceinwonderland
#18
dan - You forgot to mention that Debra Bowen forced all those voting machines into deep storage. Hopefully next to nuclear waste.
#19
chuckle8 ~ I didn't know about Debra Bowen's work. Thanks for that tidbit. I haven't been to a poll in years thanks to absentee ballots. It's nice to know that one of our representatives is looking out for the voters. Who would have thought it would be a Democrat? (Pardon the sarcasm.) That explains all the recent desperate gerrymandering and voter suppression by the Reich Wing. Still, I think I'll stay away from the polls. Absentee ballots are so much more convenient and with the extra time I feel like I've done a better job at voting. Thanks again!
#20
Dan -- Another interesting addition to the Debra Bowen story. She was my representative until she termed out. She than ran for and won the Sec of State office. As Sec of State she had the power to deep six the voting machines even though it cost millions of dollars in equipment. Some of the equipment had never been used.
#21
chuckle8 ~ Wow! Debra Bowen for President!
#22
I second that! Voting machines are just another devices the fascists use to squelch democracy.
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Images of Thom
From Screwed:
"Thom Hartmann’s book explains in simple language and with concrete research the details of the Neo-con’s war against the American middle class. It proves what many have intuited and serves to remind us that without a healthy, employed, and vital middle class, America is no more than the richest Third World country on the planet."
From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
"Thom Hartmann seeks out interesting subjects from such disparate outposts of curiosity that you have to wonder whether or not he uncovered them or they selected him."
From Cracking the Code:
"No one communicates more thoughtfully or effectively on the radio airwaves than Thom Hartmann. He gets inside the arguments and helps people to think them through—to understand how to respond when they’re talking about public issues with coworkers, neighbors, and friends. This book explores some of the key perspectives behind his approach, teaching us not just how to find the facts, but to talk about what they mean in a way that people will hear."
Is it possible that the "train wreck" of the Health Care.gov website was sabotage and perpretrated by the same group that fixed the Ohio/Florida/Nevada presidential election results in 2000 and 2004? Thankfully they were stopped in 2008 by "Anonymous".