The Republican Party's concerted effort to suppress the vote of those individuals -- primarily minority, low-income, working class and student voters -- who are likely to vote the Democratic ticket in November has refocused attention on the connected issues of enfranchisement and voter turnout, as well as their consequences for the future of our political system. If this were merely an attempt to return Southern states to the Jim Crow era's poll taxes, literacy tests, and voter intimidation, it would be bad enough. But it is more widespread than that, occurring even in Pennsylvania which has no Jim Crow heritage and considers itself "the Cradle of Liberty" with its Liberty Bell and Independence Hall where the Constitution was created. What makes the Pennsylvania case especially egregious is its express purpose -- implicit elsewhere but overtly declared by its proud legislative sponsor -- to have Mitt Romney elected president, as well as benefiting the rest of the Republican ticket. Ostensibly enacted to counter voter fraud, as in most states, authorities in Pennsylvania were hard pressed to document any such cases.
If these efforts are successful, with Romney as president and a Republican-controlled Senate and House, not only will they control two of the three branches of our government but will then be in the position to reinforce the already highly conservative Supreme Court with one or more appointments. This is a situation that any person concerned about civil liberties, constitutional rights, and the power of money and corporations in politics would have to view with acute alarm. If this were to occur through the fair exercise of the will of all of the people choosing to exercise their constitutional right to vote, that would be one thing. But to see the country set back decades by latter-day Jim Crow electoral strategies would be a disgrace.
That is why these efforts need to be exposed for the partisan and undemocratic goals they are pursuing and challenged through all appropriate legal avenues. The stakes are too high to allow another presidential election to be stolen. Fortunately, Mitt Romney and his campaign are currently doing enough damage to their cause to allow one to be cautiously optimistic about the re-election of the president and retaining a majority in the Senate. If that turns out to be the case and House Republicans are suitably chastened by the rejection of the head of the ticket and other defeats, the moderate wing might be emboldened and less committed to partisan obstructionism. The opportunity might then exist for the Democrats to pass legislation that addresses constructively the issues of voter registration and turnout.
And what, specifically, might be done? In their new book, It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism, congressional scholars Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein make a number of suggestions for reforming the electoral system, with the purpose of making it less partisan, dysfunctional, and disrespected by the majority of the electorate. They believe that, first and foremost, much larger numbers of qualified voters need to be registered and the great majority of them must be encouraged to vote. The continuation of the present situation, where the extreme fringes of the two parties simultaneously pursue widely divergent policies, alienates the moderate middle and discourages their participation which, in turn, prevents them from diluting the impact of the extremes.
Among the measures that need to be done to begin addressing these issues, registration must be modernized by making it possible for citizens to register online -- which 12 states currently do and others are in the process of implementing. It is cheaper and more effective than paper processes. The Federal Government should mandate that any ID required to vote be provided free, as well as any necessary supporting documentation. Access to these documents should be readily available -- through mobile services, if necessary. In addition, voting places should be required to accept valid student IDs.
One of the reforms that Mann and Ornstein view favorably is mandatory voting which is the law in several European countries, most of Latin America, and Australia -- whose model would be the one most likely to work in the U.S. This is the measure which would have the greatest impact on expanding the electorate and mitigating the present dysfunction which they characterize, as follows:
In both primaries and general elections in the United States, party professionals and consultants focus on bases: how to gin up the turnout of the party's ideological base and suppress the turnout of the other side. Nothing has forced discourse and political strategy away from the center to the extreme more than that focus. It has encouraged a concentration on hot-button issues that appeal to the party bases, like guns, abortion, immigration, and same-sex marriage, and led to more and more extreme rhetoric and exaggerated positions to accomplish the larger political goals.
Mann and Ornstein concede that, since Americans do not like mandates, "the chance that such a law would pass is, in a favorite phrase of George W. Bush, 'slim to none and slim just left the building.'" However, they are hopeful that we will change our minds if the present "asymmetric polarization" - they blame the Republicans more than the Democrats -- persists much longer. Short of that, early voting by mail -- which is now an option in 34 states and Washington, D.C. -- if expanded nationwide, would have a significant impact on voter participation, especially by working people, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, in long-term care facilities, or without transportation.
A very practical and productive approach to expanding the electorate that Mann and Ornstein propose is changing our customary election day from Tuesdays to weekends. They point out that, contrary to widespread belief that voting on Tuesday is written somewhere in the Constitution, it was originally chosen to fit the needs of our agrarian forebears. Sunday was the day of worship, Monday allowed people time to travel to their county seat where they voted on Tuesday and traveled home afterwards. This makes no sense today since it is a workday for most people who typically have to vote before or after work when lines are long and discouraging. Many simply do not vote at all because of this unnecessary barrier. Changing the national voting day to the weekend (midday Saturday to midday Sunday, for example) would greatly expand turnout, without impinging on anyone's religious obligations.
Something needs to be done, if we are to continue to believe that our government represents all -- or even the majority -- of us. Mann and Ornstein's suggestions for corrective action help point us in the right direction.
 |
 |
|
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Electoral Votes (270 to win) |
332 | 206 |
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 65,899,660 | 60,932,152 |
| Percent | 51.1% | 47.2% |
| Democrats* | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Current Senate | 53 | 47 |
| Seats gained or lost | +2 | -2 |
| New Total | 55 | 45 |
| Democrats | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats won | 201 | 234 |
"It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism" by congressional scholars Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein.
I hope my friends will join me.
The Sec of state is still playing with voter suppression and the only thing the ravenous desperate GOP has not done to date is to send out the POLICE the water hoses and the DOGS
Having, said that I will not apologize. I was there in Alabama as a young woman made aware of the terrible racism perpetrated against my humans of all races
Fire hoses and police dogs were used to disperse Afrikan HUMANS protesting racial segregation,
Humans were bitten and had to receive segregated hospital treatment. Suffice that, Robert F. Kennedy warned that this would continue by a refusal to grant equal rights to my people
There have been many instances which have driven me and my mate of 44 yrs to this place, as cr activists and advocates for those who have suffered most for the right to vote.
Yes! there has been misconduct of the side of the dems, however there has never ever been any attempt by the Democratic party at voter suppression de jure
In our homes these photos have a place and as such they keep us grounded
No apology offered
IT AIN"T HAPPENING
http://everyday-i-show.livejournal.com/136142.html
Just want you to know that your words inspired me. I'll print a few out and hang in my office because I've decided to get involved fighting voter suppression for the next 4 years. Thank you for posting your link.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Dead-Always-Vote-Democrat/dp/0988271427/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1349781711&sr=1-1-fkmr1&keywords=voter+suppression+and+poll+taxes
The Democrats claim there is too little vote fraud to worry about and that the real problem is Republican voter suppression caused by new Voter ID laws and state efforts to remove dead, alien, felons, duplicate, and incorrect voters from the voter rolls. A retired Navy Captain with 36 years active and reserve service, Ben Brink has experienced real voter suppression?late, lost, and rejected military overseas ballots. In his first book, he discusses these issues, the new laws, and state efforts to fix them. And he makes a call to action for citizens to ensure a fair and fraud-free election this November 2012.
BARAKANOS!
i AM IN MY HOME STATE WATCHING THE LINES ANDALE mi gente!
For those who care and for those who are wondering Educ yourselves about the cost paid to vote
www.amazon.com/Electoral-Dysfunction-Survival-Manual-American/dp/1595588124/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1349781711&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=voter+suppression+and+poll+taxes
This, stayed in my mind, and made me realize even then that my job would never end until my death...I purchased the book and the DVD as well and used it to educ about hate and how to fight the good fight via org and educ
My decision then was to defend the right to vote with everything i have, everything i knew and to this end i have never been sidelined
The day freedom died the Colfax massacre, the Supreme Court, and the betrayal of Reconstruction
And Romney wants to end PBS why is that?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/grant-colfax/
http://romneytheliar.blogspot.com/
Romney endorsed legalization of abortion pill RU-486 access during his 1994 Senate race and backed federal funding of abortion, saying “I think it’s important that people see me not as a pro-life candidate.”
In 1994 and 2002, Romney confirmed his support for Roe v. Wade decision and forcefully positioned himselfas pro-choice in 1994 Senate race, saying “you will not see me wavering on that.”
Romney has refused to comment on bill pending in South Carolina legislature requiring that abortion doctors offer pregnant women option of viewing ultrasound
Enter the Orisha!
The 2012 general election is less than 30 days away but the Ohio legislature is doing its best to still rig the rules of the game right now. for 2016
This is a transparent attempt to suppress participation by voters who lean Democratic and may want to see Hillary Clinton enter the ring in 2016
The GOP will do anything to hold on to power ANYTHING!
The GOP have BUNKERS where they hunker down in DC and make laws unbeknownst to voters, but which me and my husband know about because he worked Cap Hill for yrs
. Worse still is the underhanded process through which the Republican dominated legislature has pushed through these changes. If enacted, the bill is certain to cause confusion for voters and poll workers alike and will result in years of litigation challenging these infringements on the fundamental right to vote. HOW American is that?
Current Ohio law requires all voters to present one of these forms of ID. Fortunately, most voters have such a document, and there are exceptions in the law for the few who don’t, so this requirement imposes only a modest burden on the right to vote. Now that the courts have spoken