Gerrymandering, Voter ID Laws Created for a Virtually Non-Existent Problem, Voter Suppression, Disenfranchising Voters, How Fair Are Our Elections?
 |
| Original meme by www.Facebook.com/StoptheObstructionistTeaParty and www.Medic3569.blogspot.com |
Republicans have passed "Voter ID" laws in 34 states that often address things other than preventing people to vote when their not eligible. Laws that restrict early voting hours, types of ID acceptable, not extending voting hours when their are long lines, limiting the number of voting stations in particular areas (where Democrats are more likely to vote,) all suppress, and disenfranchise the vote of minorities and other specified voting demographics.
A twitter friend of mine @HenryStradford tweeted this: "The only true Democracy is India...imagine that! 1+Billion people...consider the logistics of holding elections. Yet, they do.." I have to wonder if he's right.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following is from a Center For American Progress Action Fund article on January 16, 2014:
With election administration delegated to officials and boards in more than 3,000 counties and localities in the United States, the ease with which one exercises his or her right to vote can depend on where he or she lives. Not only do state voting laws differ across the nation, even within a state, county-based election administration varies widely.
Take, for example, Florida’s Duval County, which during the 2012 election had provisional ballots cast at a rate four times higher than the state average. This is particularly alarming given that Duval County also rejected more than 34 percent of the provisional ballots cast in the county during the 2012 election. Similarly, voters in Indiana’s Tippecanoe County cast provisional ballots at a rate more than seven and a half times the state average. While provisional ballots are legally prescribed and serve as a fail-safe mechanism that allow voters to cast a ballot when questions regarding his or her eligibility to vote arise, both examples raise questions as to why these counties issued provisional ballots at rates so much higher than their state’s average.
Read the Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/200129107/Unequal-Access-A-County-by-County-Analysis-of-Election-Administration-in-Swing-States-in-the-2012-Election
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anything Different in the Upcoming Elections?
Former Ohio Rep. Steven LaTourette and the Main Street Partnership, a group with strong backing from the corporate world, are trying to counteract the power of the tea party, which they believe is damaging the standing of the GOP. "We want our party back," LaTourette explained to the The New York Times.
The most visible battle between a mainstream Republican and tea party Republican is taking place in Kentucky, where Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is facing a challenge from Matt Bevin in the primary. In Texas, the controversial right-wing Rep. Steve Stockman is running against Sen. John Cornyn.
There are certain must-wins for Democrats if they are to show that they are capable of taking advantage of this moment. In Florida's 13th District, Alex Sink, a well-known and well-respected Democrat, is attempting to win the seat of long-term Republican veteran Bill Young, who recently died, leaving open this highly competitive district. If Democrats can't win this special election on March 11, it will signal trouble. Read More of CNN.COM's Five Big Questions on 2014 Elections
Retirements Hurt Democrats' House Prospects
 |
| AP Photo |
The Democratic quest to win the House majority has always been something close to mission impossible. A procession of lawmakers opting for retirement is pushing the prize even further beyond the party’s grasp.
Seventeen seats shy of the majority and confronting an electoral landscape tilted against them, Democrats have virtually no room for error in the November midterms. Yet the problems they’re encountering of late are coming from within their own ranks. Read More Politico - House Democrats Retiring
Democrats Will Need to Get Out the Vote To Have Any Chance
With all the Republicans efforts to tip the elections in their favor through Voter ID laws, suppressing votes, disenfranchising voters, gerrymandering, and the backing of the ultra-rich and corporations, it will be very difficult, to say the least, to keep control of the Senate, much less, to win back the House. If the U. S. Supreme Court sides with McCutcheon in the McCutcheon v FEC, which it heard arguments for on October 8, 2013, it will be that much harder and a total disaster for our beloved country. The U. S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision created "Corporate Personhood" and removed limits on how much corporations could contribute to political campaigns, and donors could be kept unanimous. As you can see in the meme below top donors from the fossil fuel industry contributed over $11M in the 2012 election cycle. If the court sides with McCutcheon those same donors could contribute over $312M, or, 27x more.
Fixing a Big Part of the Problem - Taking Money out of Politics
Overturn Citizens United
There is a growing movement across the country that is calling for the U.S. Supreme Court's decision, in the 2010 Citizens United v FEC case to overturn it through one or more amendments to the U.S. Constitution.There are currently Constitutional amendments pending in the Congress that would overturn Citizens United by (1) making it clear that corporations do not have constitutional rights, such as "free speech," which are only for natural persons; and by (2) restoring Congress' and the states' authority to limit campaign gifts and spending. See H.J. Res 20 and H.J. Res 21.
Overturning the disastrous Citizens United decision is NOT a partisan issue, it is an Across-the-Aisle effort. In a 2010/2011 Peter Hart poll 79% of Americans, including 68% of Republicans, 82% of Independents, and 87% of Democrats "support a Constitutional amendment that would overturn the Citizens United decision and make clear that corporations do not have the same rights as people."
Furthermore, a 2012 Associated Press poll found that 83% of Americans, including 81% of Republicans, 78% of Independents, and 85% of Democrats believe "there should be limits on the amount of money corporations, unions, and other organizations can contribute to outside organizations trying to influence campaigns for President, Senate, and U.S. House."
Free Speech For People has compiled:
- 111 Republicans who have called for an amendment to overturn Citizens United;
- 9 Republicans who have criticized Citizens United for it's claim that corporations have constitutional rights; and
- 10 more Republicans who have criticized Citizens United in more general terms.
More than 120 National Organizations -- have endorsed the United for the People collaborative's unified Call to Action for a Constitutional amendment. For information click the link above or go to www.United4ThePeople.org.
Find an organization operating in your area. Get involved For A Better America and make your voice heard by contacting your;
U.S. Senators and Congressmen and women through GovTrack.us. and
State Assemblymen/women and State Senators at VoteSmart.org
Organizations involved in the effort that you should look at are:
Democracy is for People and as a resource: Siena College Moreland Commission poll
Move To Amend Huff Post Politics - Pearl Korn: Mission is Clear
United For The People
Move To Amend Huff Post Politics - Pearl Korn: Mission is Clear
United For The People
No comments:
Post a Comment
We appreciate hearing your opinions