The Republican Way to Steal Elections - Disenfranchisement

[Howey]

Since they obviously can't convince people to vote for them because of all the true stuff they're saying, I guess making it harder for people to vote would be the thing to do!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/06/AR2011030603824.html

New Hampshire's new Republican state House speaker is pretty clear about what he thinks of college kids and how they vote. They're "foolish," Speaker William O'Brien said in a recent speech to a tea party group.
"Voting as a liberal. That's what kids do," he added, his comments taped by a state Democratic Party staffer and posted on YouTube. Students lack "life experience," and "they just vote their feelings."

New Hampshire House Republicans are pushing for new laws that would prohibit many college students from voting in the state - and effectively keep some from voting at all.

One bill would permit students to vote in their college towns only if they or their parents had previously established permanent residency there - requiring all others to vote in the states or other New Hampshire towns they come from. Another bill would end Election Day registration, which O'Brien said unleashes swarms of students on polling places, creating opportunities for fraud.

The measures in New Hampshire are among dozens of voting-related bills being pushed by newly empowered Republican state lawmakers across the country - prompting partisan clashes akin to those already roiling in some states over GOP moves to curb union power.

Democrats charge that the real goal, as with anti-union measures in Wisconsin, Ohio and elsewhere, is simply to deflate the power of core Democratic voting blocs - in this case young people and minorities. For all the allegations of voter fraud, Democrats and voting rights groups say, there is scant evidence to show that it is a problem.

[ekg]

putting what he said aside.. I can see the argument for making college students vote in their own hometowns.. why can't vote the same way overseas people/soldiers vote?

I wouldn't want a bunch of people who don't live in my community, but instead were just 'visiting' it, being able to decide what goes on in my community...

[lil mike]

I don't see how this is stealing elections.  As a general rule, college kids are not permanent residents.  If they really have moved to these college towns, that's one thing, but if their actually permanent residence is their parent's house, which is usually the case, why would you want them voting in your local elections?

[Howey]

I don't see how this is stealing elections.  As a general rule, college kids are not permanent residents.  If they really have moved to these college towns, that's one thing, but if their actually permanent residence is their parent's house, which is usually the case, why would you want them voting in your local elections?

They're residents of those towns for four years. They live by the town rules and regulations, eat the town's food, drink the town's water, run the town's red lights. Why shouldn't they be able to vote?

why can't vote the same way overseas people/soldiers vote?

Do you remember how screwed up those absentee ballots are every election?

And of course it's voter disenfranchisement.

Disfranchisement (also called disenfranchisement) is the revocation of the right of suffrage (the right to vote) of a person or group of people, or rendering a person's vote less effective, or ineffective. Disfranchisement may occur explicitly through law, or implicitly by intimidation or by placing unreasonable registration or identification impediments in the path of voters.

While disfranchisement literally refers to the right to vote rather than the right to direct representation, various polities have adapted their voting systems to attempt to reduce the number of "unrepresented" voters.

In proportional representation systems which use election thresholds, parties which do not receive enough votes to meet the specified thresholds claim that their supporters have been disfranchised since their votes do not translate into any legislative seats

And, it's not just college kids. It's the poor and homeless, who may not be able to afford a photo id. It's the elderly, who not only may not be able to afford a photo id, but may not be able to go out and get one.

Plus. Do you know how hard it is to get an ID anymore?

And, ekg, did you really think this comment wasn't indicative of disenfranchisement?

They're "foolish," Speaker William O'Brien said in a recent speech to a tea party group. "Voting as a liberal. That's what kids do," he added, his comments taped by a state Democratic Party staffer and posted on YouTube. Students lack "life experience," and "they just vote their feelings."

[clc]

So Rick Scott is responsible for asshole toll-takers with misinformed policies?

[Howey]

So Rick Scott is responsible for asshole toll-takers with misinformed policies?

See that FooFa? Now that's how to derail topics! 

lol...789 and all that jazz...

[ekg]

They're residents of those towns for four years. They live by the town rules and regulations, eat the town's food, drink the town's water, run the town's red lights. Why shouldn't they be able to vote?

Do you remember how screwed up those absentee ballots are every election?

And of course it's voter disenfranchisement.

And, it's not just college kids. It's the poor and homeless, who may not be able to afford a photo id. It's the elderly, who not only may not be able to afford a photo id, but may not be able to go out and get one.

Plus. Do you know how hard it is to get an ID anymore?

And, ekg, did you really think this comment wasn't indicative of disenfranchisement?

They're "foolish," Speaker William O'Brien said in a recent speech to a tea party group. "Voting as a liberal. That's what kids do," he added, his comments taped by a state Democratic Party staffer and posted on YouTube. Students lack "life experience," and "they just vote their feelings."

I said putting what he said aside.. 

and if they truly 'live' there fine.. they are residents.. but most don't, they 'visit' for a few weeks then go home for Christmas, then visit again for a few weeks and then go home for spring break.. visits again and then go home for summer.. so no, they don't get to decide what the locals should/shouldn't do..

and I'm not talking about old people, poor people or homeless people so don't add them to my agreement with this bill.. I agree that the college kids who don't reside, year round, in the town shouldn't be able to vote in that town.. it could just as easily be an overwhelming religious school deciding for the local around them who are not as religious but are outnumbered by those college visitors..

and it doesn't  give an accurate picture of that town and whether it's liberal or conservative.. if it's most conservative but the 'liberal' college forces it's 'liberal agenda' upon the people against their will.. well, that's just as wrong if it's the other way around.. and besides,  that just forces the conservative to take over census numbers and redistrict more which hurts liberals more than this law would.. no one is stopping them from mailing their vote into their home state..  that would be Disenfranchisement, this is just good politics no matter who you are..

[lil mike]

They're residents of those towns for four years. They live by the town rules and regulations, eat the town's food, drink the town's water, run the town's red lights. Why shouldn't they be able to vote?

There are ways to establish residence, but living in a dorm or sharing an apartment with 6 other guys and a beer can collection isn't the way to do it.  I'm not sure I understand what your point is really.  I find it hard to imagine you support some sort of wandering tourist voting/

Do you remember how screwed up those absentee ballots are every election?

And of course it's voter disenfranchisement.

And, it's not just college kids. It's the poor and homeless, who may not be able to afford a photo id. It's the elderly, who not only may not be able to afford a photo id, but may not be able to go out and get one.

Plus. Do you know how hard it is to get an ID anymore?

And, ekg, did you really think this comment wasn't indicative of disenfranchisement?

They're "foolish," Speaker William O'Brien said in a recent speech to a tea party group. "Voting as a liberal. That's what kids do," he added, his comments taped by a state Democratic Party staffer and posted on YouTube. Students lack "life experience," and "they just vote their feelings."

Photo ID?  I doubt there is a college kid without a photo id.  Sometimes more than one with different names and ages on it.