Monday, October 29, 2012

Al Jazeera goes where the MSM fears to tread, reports that millions of Americans are being kept from voting.

Courtesy of Al Jazeera:

 The US Presidential race is being fought out most visibly in its "air war" - the barrage of TV ads concentrated in swing states, and the televised debates reaching tens of millions of viewers at once. But in the end, the outcome may well be determined by its trench warfare, a crucial component of which, for the GOP, consists in an intensively-fought effort to prevent as many Democrats as possible from voting. 

It's a throwback to a bygone era, when similar efforts throughout the North - stopping short of the blood-stained mass terror favoured in the South - were employed to suppress the votes of thousands, perhaps millions of naturalised working class voters. 

With roughly seven million voters effectively prevented from voting in 2008, according to the Co-operative Congressional Election Study, and perhaps five million more imperiled by new voter-suppression measures, according to another study in 2011, this should be a dominant campaign story. 

Instead, it's marginalised, partly because it can't be squeezed into the US media's sacred "both sides do it" frame, and partly because those most impacted are primarily poor, low-income, and/or young. In 2005, for example, figures showed that only 59 per cent of citizens in households earning $15,000 or less were registered, compared to 85 per cent in house' earning over $75,000. 

 It's also the case these would-be voters are much less likely to have driving licences, birth certificates, or any other sort of documentation required by the avalanche of voter-ID laws, being marketed to "protect the vote", so those figures are probably only going to get worse, and the US media is not going to help you understand how or why. 

Now I know that MSNBC HAS been reporting this, but I don't believe that many other news outlets have given it any coverage, and of course Fox News is doing everything they can to cover it up.

In fact our situation is so dire that UN affiliated election monitors have been requested by the State Department, which of course has freaked the Right Wing out and caused them to fear that they might get caught red handed suppressing the vote or outright stealing the election:

Catherine Engelbrecht of True the Vote appeared on Fox News on Monday claiming that the monitors’ presence was actually intended to prevent and discourage U.S. voters from exercising their rights. Fox’s Megyn Kelly readily agreed, stressing the left-leaning nature of the civil rights groups, seemingly unaware of the State Department’s role in inviting the monitors. It’s worth mentioning that True the Vote, itself a Tea Party group voter suppression effort, is currently under investigation for possible criminal conspiracy.

I cannot stress the importance of getting as many Democrats as possible to the polls, but also of making sure that these that we make sure that these naked attempts to destroy our democracy fail.

I am beyond being surprised by the depths that those on the Republican side of the aisle will sink to in order to retain power and am now at the stage where my opinion is, if it's a fight they want, then by the Gods it's a fight they will get!

The right to vote is a sacred honor in this country and we need to impress on every family member, friend, and acquaintance that we know, that if they want to retain that right they need to exercise that right, despite whatever obstacles are thrown in their path by those who want to take that right away from them.

28 comments:

  1. ibwilliamsi4:56 AM

    I'm glad to see the UN Inspectors. They should have been here for AT LEAST the past 12 years.

    If Romney wins it will be because he cheated. I don't think that bothers me NEARLY as much as that his followers will know it and won't think that it matters. They'll put it in the "Win" column and never look back.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous8:43 AM

      Romney will win because of lack of enthusiasm for Obama.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:40 AM

      @8:43
      There is no lack of enthusiasm for Obama on this blog! Perhaps you made a wrong turn on the way here??

      Delete
  2. Anonymous4:57 AM

    Keep President Obama and VP Biden in your prayers. He and FEMA are handling this horrible storm on the east coast and any perceived errors will be blamed on him by the Republican party - you can be sure!!!

    And, asshole Romney has stated that these type storms should be handled by each state vs the federal government! Friggin amazing, as usual!

    OBAMA/BIDEN 2012

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous6:24 AM

      I did not know Romney said that. However while watching Obama who met with Fema and others I thought of Romney having a predictable response "let the states take care of it".

      We need to consider how a president Romney would deal with a severe hurricane. Would he spin "they" take no responsibility for their storm clean up? Would he not bother to get facts prior to making judgment calls?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous8:41 AM

      The misery the people will be suffering in the wake of this storm will be put onto Obama's shoulders, lowering his popularity even more.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous8:42 AM

      Praying is a total waste of your time. Find something meaningful to do to support Obama.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous5:00 AM

    At 69 I'm way too old to be angry and in the street.......or am I....? One more little nudge from these bone-headed Rovians and I'm there.......

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous8:40 AM

      An Obama loss will put you over the edge. Guaranteed!

      Delete
  4. Anonymous5:05 AM

    It's amazing to me that an international news organization has taken the initiative to report what our own media can't, or won't, about the efforts of the GOP to suppress voter registration and thus votes. I'm saddened that our great powerful nation, looked upon by other countries as a bastion of democracy, may have the UN monitoring our election. What's next? UN troops guarding/protecting voting precincts? Will we dip our finger in ink to show the world that we made it through the voting process?
    Vero Guy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous5:12 AM

    The Video That is Exploding Heads on YouTube

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/28/1151703/-The-Video-That-is-Exploding-Heads-on-YouTube

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The mindset of the RW bagger crowd is truly frightening to listen to when they think they are talking only to one another inside their echo chamber...

      http://www.theblaze.com/stories/pro-obama-ad-has-children-singing-about-an-america-where-sick-people-just-die-oil-fills-the-sea/

      Just read their own words in the comments. These are Sarah Palin's and Glen Beck's people that they are manipulating. I don't have to stereotype them one bit.

      I could only make it through a few dozen comments, but there are hundreds more. I tried to read to a point where there would've been at least a handful of intelligent, thoughtful responses. I guess I didn't read far enough.

      I don't live a very sheltered life by any means, but I don't encounter this type of hateful and destructive intentions in my everyday life. This is shocking. Who are these people?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous8:39 AM

      Those people are americans and you don't have to look far to find some more haters on the other side too. Your whole country has been manipulated into hating for the sake of politics. Have a nice election, then have a nice killing spree when your side doesn't win. No matter which side is yours.
      luv from Canada.

      Delete
    3. Fuck You, 'luv from Canada'.

      Even if you're just a cynical yahoo who likes to stir shit by throwing your wise-cracks in every direction, you must have a miserable life for some reason or another.

      "Have a nice killing spree"? You're a sick fuck. Don't direct your comments towards me again or reply to mine, please. Frankly, I wouldn't consider you worth killing or even having a conversation with, unfortunately. Sign yours and I will ignore them as well, you miserable piece of shit.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:49 AM

      Boney Boo Boo, "Luv from Canada" is not really from Canada. I agree, s/he is a sick fuck. His/her other posts have the same mind set. Low information imposter!

      Delete
    5. I'm sorry that you had to read my reply to 'luv from Canada', Anon 10:49 AM. I would delete the message if I hadn't meant it when I said it.

      I can understand if someone is a contrarian or has a different ideology but is still respectful of others, but when someone is willfully stupid in suggesting that people of different political parties ought to kill one another based on a certain outcome, I don't want any association with that loser.

      Based on luv from Canada's previous remarks, I might've stepped on his/her toes while criticizing the blatant racism in the comments at THE BLAZE article I referenced earlier. If that shoe fits him/her, then so be it, because the comments at that site are about as disgusting as I've ever read. I guess racist bigots don't like to be recognized for their values that they exhibit.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous3:56 PM

      Election victory shooting in Canada:

      http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/05/quebec-separatists-election-victory-shooting

      Delete
  6. Crystal Sage5:18 AM

    Melissa Harris-Perry does have a segment in her show called: This Week in Voter Suppression. It is outrageous that the US boasts its "free and open elections" when, in fact, a secretary of state of some state that acts like a banana republic holds sway over the election process and outcome. The most blatant example of this was the 2000 election. It was repeated in 2004 and may well happen again this year.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous5:25 AM

    Dems, we must VOTE. A large turnout for Pres. Obama is imperative!
    Get every Dem to the polls that you can.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous5:40 AM

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn7uLmXVskw&feature=channel&list=UL

    The Road to November 6th: America Forward! Tour

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous5:59 AM

    Romnopoly

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVAfPdadkGg&feature=

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous7:20 AM

    It's as if Mitt Romney simply can't help himself. Gripped by an irresistible obsession to become President of the United States, Romney will lie to voters on almost any issue, large or small. And on no point is Romney's compulsion to fabricate more pathological than on President Obama's successful rescue of the American auto industry. As his new ad designed to dupe voters in Ohio and across the industrial Midwest makes clear, the same Mitt Romney who was content to "let Detroit go bankrupt" now pretends to be its savior.

    http://crooksandliars.com/jon-perr/romney-suffers-auto-neurotic-prevarication-in-ohio

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous7:25 AM

    The Boston Globe Endorses President Obama Over Their Former Gov Romney

    http://www.politicususa.com/boston-globe-endorses-president-obama-gov-romney.html

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous8:35 AM

    What do you do about people who don't register to vote? And the storm on the east coast is now becoming everything it was promised to be. This will effect the poor the most and those are the people who would have voted for Obama. A lot won't be voting because they'll be more concerned about survival. Buh bye Barack.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the aftereffects of Sandy will more likely be affecting the smug Republicans who'd planned on voting Election Day, to throw the balance of tallied votes in Romney's direction.

      Some of them will be miles away from their polling place, and there will be questions as to whether the polling places will be in the usual place (floods, infrastructure like building integrity, power, phone lines).

      And what about news of changes to polling places, where to go and when? Some smug Republicans may not even have access to the news.

      Buh bye Romney.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:55 AM

      @8:35, it is "affect," not "effect." Not much education???

      @KaJo, LOVE your post!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous1:15 PM

      @8:35, it is "affect," not "effect."

      I agree.

      To affect something is to have an influence upon it.
      "Sandra will affect election turnout."

      To effect something is to create it, to bring it into being.
      "Romney's policies, if he's elected, will effect economic disaster."

      Delete
    4. Anonymous3:59 PM

      I'm sorry, OP, are you gloating over people losing their votes because they're fighting for their safety and possibly their lives? Are you cheering because poor people will be effected [sic] to a greater degree (as usual) and your candidate will win? You're quite the humanitarian.

      Delete

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