As Rachel explained on the show last night, there's an ongoing dispute over early-voting rights in Ohio, but the problem does not apply to every part of the state. In Republican-friendly Ohio counties, local officials are making it easier to vote, while in Democratic-friendly Ohio counties, the opportunities will be limited, thanks in part to the efforts of Ohio's Republican Secretary of State, Jon Husted.
The Nation's Ari Berman had a great piece on this yesterday.
The Romney campaign has recently captured headlines with its absurd and untrue claim that the Obama campaign is trying to suppress the rights of military voters. The real story from Ohio is how cutbacks to early voting will disproportionately disenfranchise African-American voters in Ohio’s most populous counties. African-Americans, who supported Obama over McCain by 95 points in Ohio, comprise 28 percent of the population of Cleveland’s Cuyahoga County but accounted for 56 percent of early voters in 2008, according to research done by Norman Robbins of the Northeast Ohio Voter Advocates and Mark Salling of Cleveland State University. In Columbus’s Franklin County, African-Americans comprise 20 percent of the population but made up 34 percent of early voters.
Now, in heavily Democratic cities like Cleveland, Columbus, Akron and Toledo, early voting hours will be limited to 8 am until 5 pm on weekdays beginning on October 1, with no voting at night or during the weekend, when it’s most convenient for working people to vote. Republican election commissioners have blocked Democratic efforts to expand early voting hours in these counties, where the board of elections are split equally between Democratic and Republican members. Ohio Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted has broken the tie by intervening on behalf of his fellow Republicans.
In one of the nation's largest and most important battleground states, GOP officials are so eager to rig the game, they're creating two very voting standards -- one for each political party. Welcome to American democracy in the 21st century.
Secretary of State Jon Husted's office issued a press release yesterday, promising a "major announcement" on Ohio's elections process this morning. As Rachel explained, "Unless it's a wild change in course for Ohio Republicans, the right to vote is anthropomorphically bracing itself."
Update: So what was the major announcement? Husted has made it easier for Ohio voters to fill out a change-of-address form online. He and I define "major" in very different ways.
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The teapubs have been doing their best to rig the votes for 30. The only difference now is that they don't hide it because they know nothing will be done about it. Welcome to the country/government the people of the Revolutionary War fought against.
When you can't win a fair competition, rig the game. From the party that claims they care more about America than the other, they sure seem to care more about winning than anything else. I am not surprised, because many of my Republican friends always say that their opinions are right and mine are wrong. When you have that kind of mindset, you don't care what you have to do to impose your ideology on others. Whatever happened to humility and decency? Did the iPhone do away with those traits that should be lauded (and are actually promoted in the Bible in several books)?
Thank you for highlighting what is going on in Ohio. It is so very hypocritical that we celebrate high voter turnout in newly Democratic countries yet have one of our own parties engaged in doing nothing but suppressing the vote of those for who they only spew hatred (minorities AND women).
Republican billionaires have discovered that you get the government you pay for.
This nonsense should provoke a lawsuit.
This nonsense should provoke firing squads..
One of the most memorable events for me from 2004 was when a letter surfaced from the CEO of the company providing Ohio with electronic voting machines to the Republican officials. In it, he assured them that Ohio's adoption of his company's machines would deliver the election to the Republicans.
That's what happens when it stops being about democracy and starts being about tribal warfare.
It's not really "tribal warfare" its more reich-wing theocracy, brought to you by the 1% of rich corporate pigs that want to control everything!
I'm no fan of the Bush v. Gore decision, but didn't they rule you had to have uniform voting standards? I'll bet this nonsense is un-Constitutional as well as un-American.
I'm not sure about that but I am sure that they ruled that the case couldn't be used as precedent.
On a much lighter and less consequential side note out of Ohio, we may have uncovered why Romney uses so many "stock" photos and video footage in his campaign ads.
What's worse than using stock photos that carry license of use in campaign commercials? Using a video clip of someone who does NOT want and did NOT give permission to use their likeness or business in a campaign ad.
Source.
Or you could just use ads that just plain lie, lie, and lie some more:
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/06/13144744-romney-gets-caught-lying-about-obama-military-voters?lite
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/03/13106907-chronicling-mitts-mendacity-vol-xxviii?lite
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/02/13085778-when-a-candidates-numbers-dont-add-up?lite
Or refuse to release your tax returns.
Or retire from a company retroactively.
But hey, bob, I know you need to get your fun from coming on this site to say something absolutely stupid because you hate Obama so much.
I don't hate Obama. I think he's a sharp engaging guy who is rearing a great family, appears to have a wonderful relationship with his wife. I'd like to meet him.
On the other hand, I don't think he's been a good president and don't agree with some of the areas he wants to take the country.
But, this was not the purpose of my post. If you've been on this blog long you know many, many posts have made fun of Republicans use of stock photos. I bet you will not see a post making fun of Obama for using a real video seemingly acquired under false pretense which now is being challenged as to the legitimate use of it.
As to your other commentary. Okay.
Your post translated: "I am a right wing troll who is trying to appear 'fair and balanced."
You're welcome.
I'm a right wing reader who tries (but often fails) to be "fair and balanced."
From you post and position, you seem to think Romney is a thief, tax evader, SEC felon, murderer...why not have Obama's administration bring charges, arrest him, and be done with it. That's what I'm getting from you...could be wrong.
You are a right wing idiot who is not even remotely "fair and balanced."
From your post and position you are trying desperately to cover up the fact that Robme is a liar, a tax evader, SEC felon. And the murder part is pure hyperbole on your part.
Obama is President.
The DOJ could very well bring him up on charges, and that is why robme won't release his tax returns.
And you are wrong. In every way, shape and form. Not to mention ignorant.
The IRS does their own criminal investigation and enforcement AND they have Romney's returns. No need for him to "release" them for charges to be brought.
And you think I'm "ignorant" and an "idiot."
Gov. Kasich and the Ohio Republicans are shameless. How can this be even remotely constitutional?!?
It isn't unconstitutional unless the Roberts Court says it is.
When Mitt R-money is your candidate you've got to cheat to at least try to make it look like you're going to win! Stay classy Ohio (the dark heart of it all!)..
From the 14th Amendment to the Constitution: "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States;..."
Any more questions?
Of nine Justices, are there any besides Clarence Thomas who take the "privileges and immunities" clause, or the idea of "substantive due process" seriously?
BTW, looks like the "major announcement" from the Secretary of State was that registered voters could now update their addresses online.
http://www.sos.state.oh.us/mediaCenter/2012/2012-08-09.aspx
How can it possibly be legal, ethical and moral to have neighbors on one side of the street able to vote at their convenience (after dinner) while neighbors across the street who were put into another voting district be limited hours (take of time from work). Surely this is discrimination by geography (address) at the very least. It costs one to vote and the other votes after dessert.
Access to voting should be at the state level, not based on the party in control in each county and rubber stamped by the state controlling party. What can be done and how soon can it happen before all our individual rights as voters are erased!!!
want to thank you for publishing this. saw that on tv last night and was outraged.
Does anyone know what Military Organizations are supporting Ohio Republicans in this?
Republicans are not even attempting to hide their contempt for the democratic process. In true Machiavellianfashion, they have displayed a willingness to take an ideological dump on the U.S. Constitution in order to further their political agenda.
Minorities can't even go to the ballot to even choose leadership. But people can go to the gun store to get AK47'S and the like with much ease and less documentation. Is the America we live in? Like for real?
Wow I really dislike your website Rachel, I love your show but this website is very hard to find anything on, You claimed this was probably the most important story you had and here it is three pages back in archives after it was on only last night.
R&R is not a very big deal, take a breath and please focus on what is really important.
Is there a link that I may use to start a few conversation on this county by county voter suppression story in Ohio? Not one to this site but to one in Ohio local press?
Well it is too bad that this is so far off your radar to get a response.
Have a nice day.
If you do decide to show me some links where I can get more info on this story please email me as I will not be here waiting on this site.
Too bad that the democratic members of the election boards in republican leaning countries didn't have the lack of ethics of their GOP counterparts. They should have voted against extending voting hours in republican leaning counties and only voted for it in democratic leaning counties. Then the secretary of State for Ohio would have had to either approve them all, deny them all, or do it on a piecemeal basis, proving that the decision had nothing to do with cost or any of the other lies he is spouting.