Excerpt: "This is just the latest alarming example of how Republicans across the country are trying to manipulate the electoral system by blocking the voting rights of their opponents."
Left to right: Ohio State Senator Nina Turner, Ohio State Representative Sandra Williams and Congresswoman Marcia Fudge at a rally against early voting restrictions in Cleveland, Ohio, 07/16/12. (photo: anastasjoy/flickr)
Overt Discrimination in Ohio
15 August 12
f you live in Butler or Warren counties in the Republican-leaning suburbs of Cincinnati, you can vote for president beginning in October by going to a polling place in the evening or on weekends. Republican officials in those counties want to make it convenient for their residents to vote early and avoid long lines on Election Day.
But, if you live in Cincinnati, you're out of luck. Republicans on the county election board are planning to end early voting in the city promptly at 5 p.m., and ban it completely on weekends, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. The convenience, in other words, will not be extended to the city's working people.
The sleazy politics behind the disparity is obvious. Hamilton County, which contains Cincinnati, is largely Democratic and voted solidly for Barack Obama in 2008. So did the other urban areas of Cleveland, Columbus and Akron, where Republicans, with the assistance of the Ohio secretary of state, Jon Husted, have already eliminated the extended hours for early voting.
County election boards in Ohio, a closely contested swing state, are evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. In counties likely to vote for President Obama, Republicans have voted against the extended hours, and Mr. Husted has broken the tie in their favor. (He said the counties couldn't afford the long hours.) In counties likely to vote for Mitt Romney, Republicans have not objected to the extended hours.
This is just the latest alarming example of how Republicans across the country are trying to manipulate the electoral system by blocking the voting rights of their opponents. These actions have a disproportionate effect on blacks, Hispanics and other ethnic minorities who struggled for so long to participate in American democracy.
Cincinnati, for example, is 45 percent black, and Cleveland 53 percent. Butler County, however, is 8 percent black, and Warren 3.5 percent. This kind of racial disparity is clearly visible wherever Republicans have trampled on voting rights during Mr. Obama's term.
In Florida, more than half of black voters went to the polls early in 2008 largely to support Mr. Obama. So, last year, Republican lawmakers there severely curtailed the early voting period. In Pennsylvania and other states that have imposed strict voter ID requirements, the impact will be felt hardest by blacks, Hispanics, older citizens and students, all of whom tend to lack government ID cards at a higher rate than the general population. At the trial in Pennsylvania over the constitutionality of the state's voter ID law, the plaintiffs introduced clear evidence, compiled by a geographic data analysis firm, that registered voters in Philadelphia who lack government ID cards are concentrated in minority and low-income areas.
In Ohio, as in other states, the Republican Party is establishing a reputation for putting short-term political gain ahead of the most fundamental democratic rights.
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Comments
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Susan is far from the only one who do not know how hard....and expensive...it is for many people to get a picture ID. It is becoming clear to many of us who follows what is REALLY going on. That, that is the big idea.
Because it is so cumbersome and costly many people will be prevented from voting.
AND THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT THE REPUBLICANS WANT..THE PENNSYLVANIA SEC. OF STATE, SAID SO OUTRIGHT. Voter ID so Romney will win Pennsylvania, CHECK.
The republicans realized that in spite of the difficult times, Obama is well liked, so they will try to...again...st eal an election.
I do hope they will not be able to do that.
For many reasons.
I fear that if they are able to steal the election we may have huge riots. And of course I think Romney would be a terrible president
and don't drive. Example, older, disabled, poor, etc etc.
At the very least you have to go to the County Seat town which can be 50 miles or more, and with no public transportation can be a problem. You have to get a certified copy of your birth certificate if you have one (born in a hospital) That may require a trip to the State Capital.
No need for photo ID to get SS or to pay tax or get tax return, but that is not accepted. Student ID's are not either nor are local or State Government worker ID's. These laws are totally about restricting those who normally vote Democrat.
Republicans are unpatriotic for attempting to rig the presidential election by suppressing the vote using the false justification of voter fraud to ram through totally unjustified voter ID laws and such other means as described above.
Republicans are unpatriotic.
I think many on The Right, now with so much Corporate money behind them, openly believe and profess THEIR exclusive 'Exceptionalism ' as the 'TRUE' Americans; the true patriots, just as if they are like angels of God and defenders of 'God's Realm'- a.k.a. America. I believe they now openly and arrogantly view the vast majority of Americans as UnAmerican Scum they despise, look down on and intend to separate themselves from in every way, shape and form possible.
I believe I see and hear this coming from their Corporate Media Empire's Wealthy 'Political' Talking Heads, Republican Politicians and the Global Corporate Sponsored Tea Gang.
I feel strongly that they have drawn lines in the sand against most Americans just as if WE have become their mortal enemies worthy of the severest pest control measures.
I see their blog postings, hear their broadcast talk-talk, see and hear their politicians.
I believe I see and hear what I just described.
Anyone want to tell me how or why I might be wrong. Because I hope I am.
I follow all this closely, as I think you do and i wish I could say. You are wrong. I can not. It is sickening to see the republicans trying to steal yet another election.
WE CAN NOT LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT.
BTW I cannot find ANY evidence of your "facts" about MN convictions.
What you wrote directly contradicts the information provided about voter fraud contained in a recent article right here on Reader Supported News.
According to the article, there weren't even 132 convictions for voter fraud in the entire US, much less in Minnesota.
How about provide the source for your alleged facts about voter fraud convictions?
1. PRNewswire is a publication for hire group. They have NO opinion about anything. At a price they will print ANYTHING you pay them for. They were paid by the writers of the article are "Minnesota Majority".
2. "MInnesota Majority" was Googled in about 30 seconds and I found out they have a history:
-closely alied with ALEC
-used racist imagery in their web site
-soul purpose is to get voter i.d. laws passed
-It also contends Minnesota kids are being "RECRUITED" into homosexuality.
-They released reports that Islamic voters were planning to bomb polling locations on election day.
-They haven't registered their OWN LOBBYING records with Minnesota state representatives , which is against Minnesota state law, as it SHOULD BE.
-The lobbying in question was to promote voter i.d. laws.
It AMAZES me that you didn't bother checking into YOUR OWN LINK before copying it and pasting it.
You just proved pbbrodie's point perfectly.
I see your one (poorly checked) link and raise you three more:
http://my.firedoglake.com/phoenix/2012/02/20/alec-ally-minnesota-majority-uses-racist-imagery-to-sell-voter-id/
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/archive/2008/10/minnesota_majority_under_the_m.shtml
http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/161302035.html?refer=y
They could have single-handedly bankrupted the ACLU by finding 132 of them. BUT, they didn't. In a state with over five MILLION people, they were able to find ONE. That person was convicted of a felony, by the way.
Where are the convictions for Diebold "delivering Ohio" in 2004? Oh that's right. ELECTION tampering is ok, it only affects MILLIONS of people.
FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. THANK YOU.
It is so important to show the liars, that they are wrong, and STOP the lies in their tracks. Before other gullible people run with it.
That is ballony. I flat out do not believe you.
Particularly not in Minnesota. I have seen and read how minuscule the percentage of fraud is.
Republicans on the other hand outright stole the election in Ohio in 2004. The Diebold machines were rigged, and the democratic areas and the poor areas had way too few machines, and they kept breaking down. All that caused loooooong lines and people waited for hours in bad weather to cast their vote.
The information about the picture ID is not widely known in many of the states, where it will make a BIG difference. It is also expensive and difficult to obtain some of the papers you need in order to get the ID.
Years ago many poor people born at home.... in the South, didn't GET a birth certificate.
Now, the Republican Party is totally different. It is no loger such! It has indeed been over the recent decades commandeered by the extreme right in this contry such as the Neo-Nazi crowd, the religious extremist right, and other 'distasteful' sundry organisations that seek out for absolute power and to DESTROY America!
In short, it is the American equalivant to the NSDAP of A. Hitler and his Nazis! This is ever more so IMPORTANT that come November, EVERY REPUBLICAN MUST BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE ACROSS THE BOARD -- NO EXCEPTIONS!
Thanks!
All true. What is absolutely STUNNING, is that the same scoundrels trying hard to destroy what little is left of democracy in this country. will send observers to other countries
to make sure elections are fair and honest.
That takes KINGSIZE balls!!
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