Republican efforts to restrict voting rights come in a variety of forms. Some of the most notable efforts involve onerous voter-ID laws and closing early-voting windows.
But in Florida, GOP officials have also placed sweeping restrictions on voter-registration drives. As Laura explained overnight, new Republican-imposed rules have made it almost impossible for progressive groups to register new Democratic voters. This isn't an accident.
And according to a federal court this morning, the law is simply unacceptable.
A federal judge said Wednesday he would permanently remove harsh restrictions on third-party voter registration groups that have handicapped registration efforts in Florida this year. U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle said he would grant a motion to permanently remove the restrictions once he receives confirmation that a federal appeals court has dismissed the case (the state of Florida has agreed to dismiss their appeal).
The suit was originally filed back in December by the League of Women Voters of Florida, Rock the Vote, and the Florida Public Interest Research Group Education Fund. The Justice Department opposed the restrictions in a separate lawsuit.
What's less clear if the move will be too late. Laura noted in her piece that when a court blocked enforcement of the law in May, registration numbers soared in June and July. Today's announcement is heartening, but time is obviously running out before Election Day, and groups that hope to register tens of thousands of voters will have a limited window of opportunity.
Still, the Brennan Center called this a "decisive victory," and Deirdre Macnab, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida said, "Thanks to today's ruling, we can finally put these roadblocks behind us and concentrate on getting Floridians registered to vote."
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League of Women Voters of Florida • Support
I just used this link to donate to the LWV Florida site to help them make up for lost time.
Maybe if we all do the same we can help erase some of this ugliness.
Florida is just the tip of the iceberg. See this map -->http://99problems.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/INTERACTIVE-MAP-Voter-Suppression-Efforts-By-State-Campus-Progress1.png
Just to give you an idea because this map hasn't been updated since May 7, and Florida isn't even on it.
This is is exactly right. Make sure that you don't allow INTIMIDATION on election day. The GOP is going to have thugs in voting polls trying to prevent the DEMOCRATS from voting.
Proof of what too few knew, and the media squelched in 2008.
Every voter should see this video before they vote!
This
lady is putting it on the line in these video clips. I was stunned by some of
the information she shared and how damning her story is. Our media is doing all
they can to suppress this kind of whistle blower and if we don't share it
somehow, the facts won't ever be brought to the light of day!
Very informative videos.
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/blog/detail/shocking-truths-about-the-enemy-within-from-one-who-knows-an-absolute-must-view
I gave through Act Blue. It's easy and fast because they take paypal.
There needs to be consequences for intentionally denying citizens the right to vote. Unless these flagrant partisan acts carry some penalty, they will continue to be tempting to those who seek to rig elections. It is scary that the Pennsylvania judge ignored video evidence that the legislature was tampering with voting rights and upheld voter restriction legislation.
I think the penalties for interfering with citizens' right to vote must include some hard prison time and/or heavy fines. That ought to deter anyone tempting to tamper with elections.
That judge who sided with the Pennsylvania legislature has it in for Democrats; he's a partisan hack in a black robe.
It is an act of treason to deny an American citizen a fundamental right. Anyone doing so as well as anyone in agreement with those policies and tactics should be taken out back, and buried neck deep in a septic tank until they can feel their body beginning to rot, and then on a lottery system basis shot. Those who do not get their number called will be left to rot to death.
Why do Republicans hate democracy?
The mugwumps are still talking about Acorn years after it's demise.
3.....2....1....
blah Blah Blah ....liberal activist judges
Because the word reminds them of... Democrats?
Vulture/Voucher 2012
Proving Two Rights DO Make a Wrong!
;-)
Proof of what too few knew, and the media squelched in 2008.
Every voter should see this video before they vote!
This
lady is putting it on the line in these video clips. I was stunned by some of
the information she shared and how damning her story is. Our media is doing all
they can to suppress this kind of whistle blower and if we don't share it
somehow, the facts won't ever be brought to the light of day!
Very informative videos.
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/blog/detail/shocking-truths-about-the-enemy-within-from-one-who-knows-an-absolute-must-view
#1.3, 3.2, 11.1, 17.1, 28 ie. DisabledVet-3102838
Enough with trolling for views of your anti-Accorn propaganda please, you're beating a dead horse.
Can they make up for lost time, as dfabs4 above suggests? Are there groups on the ground to do this? I sincerely hope so.
It's never too late.
"Ain't nothin' over 'til it's over"
~ Rocky Balboa
Nevermind that crap, read this: http ://www. rollingstone. com/politics/news/the-federal-bailout-that-saved-mitt-romney-20120829 (Remove spaces to read about the Government bailout/Debt Forgiveness of BAIN)
Excellent find. It is more evidence Mitt is a two-faced, greedy, manipulative vulture, unworthy of the trust of the American people. He may be a bulldog in finance, but has the morality of an alley cat.
Hey, what have alley cats ever done to you that you treat them with such disrespect? :-)
Great article!!! Thanks for posting...
To say Mittwit has the morality of an alley cat insults the cats.
If the election outcome is directly linked to the voting restrictions then the government will be officially identified as illegitimate. No authority will be recognized. No judges, no police, no lawyers, no politicians. None. Because the voting rights span all of federal, state, county and municipal authority. It will be unlike any world we have ever seen.
Coincidental to this story, I completed my first Voter Registration Drive in Florida this AM on a local college campus! I believe the State of Florida allows Voter Registration up until October 9. Not perfect, but I think it will allow us some time to get things moving! Yay!
This raises questions about the above chart, like "Are all three items on the chart based on the exact same time references, or are the 2004 and 2008 statistics totals for those years whereas the 2012 statistics only a partial measure of what the total might be?" If the latter is the case than the chart above is a distorted unfair comparison.
Those are the totals thru July 31 of each year. So "those" numbers won't change.
I do think it is odd that they used a 13-month period. My guess is they start on July 1 of the previous year and will continue to add a month at a time, and the "July 1 of previous year through August 31" for 2012 will show a marked improvement.
It is important to note, however, that since a whole lot of folks got registered in 2008, we can expect fewer this time around. Same number of 18-21 year-olds need to register, but fewer 22yo and older.
Congratulations Matt! Best of luck to you in your continued efforts, and thank you for participating in the process!
If anglo Americans are not affected from wide spread disenfranchisement, then there is no real problem.. We have some strong advocates in the anglo communities, and your work is commendable. Just think??? If this country denies one citizen the right to vote we are no longer a democratic or republican society, but we are now hinging on a TOTALITARIAN system.... TOTALLY--- ARIAN, the same system HITLER instituted to control the voices of the masses, and a WAR millions fought and died to defeat. So if you think that the disenfranchisement laws are not affecting you now do not think it will not eventually reach your front door. It doesnt take but a little drip in the faucet to make a flood...Remember the parable of the leaven and unleaven bread, it only takes a little
re: Because there is no right to vote in the U.S. Constitution, individual states
set their own electoral policies and procedures. This leads to confusing and
sometimes contradictory policies regarding ballot design, polling hours, voting
equipment, voter registration requirements, and ex-felon voting rights. As a
result, our electoral system is divided into 50 states, more than 3,000 counties
and approximately 13,000 voting districts, all separate and unequal.
Want to see some real hate?
http://www.ourfuture.org/fact-sheets-briefs/record-breaking-republican-obstructionism
Proof of what too few knew, and the media squelched in 2008.
Every voter should see this video before they vote!
This lady is putting it on the line in these video clips. I was stunned by some of
the information she shared and how damning her story is. Our media is doing all
they can to suppress this kind of whistle blower and if we don't share it
somehow, the facts won't ever be brought to the light of day!
Very informative videos.
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/blog/detail/shocking-truths-about-the-enemy-within-from-one-who-knows-an-absolute-must-view
The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) was a collection of community-based organizations in the United States that advocated for low- and moderate-income families by working on neighborhood safety, voter registration, health care, affordable housing, and other social issues. At its peak ACORN had over 500,000 members and more than 1,200 neighborhood chapters in over 100 cities across the U.S.,[3][4] as well as in Argentina, Canada, Mexico, and Peru.[5] ACORN was founded in 1970 by Wade Rathke and Gary Delgado.[6] It filed for Chapter 7 liquidation on November 2, 2010, effectively closing the organization,[7] although many chapters and state-wide organizations continued work under different name(s).[8]
ACORN received significant negative publicity in the wake of the 2009 production and publication of videos, which were later found to be partially falsified and selectively edited,[9] by two conservative activists, James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles. The activists used hidden-camera recordings to portray low-level ACORN employees as engaging in criminal activity, apparently advising them on how to hide prostitution activities and avoid taxes.[10] A nationwide controversy ensued, immediately resulting in a loss of funding from government and private donors,[11][12][13] including legislative amendments to spending bills in the United States House and Senate prohibiting government funding of the group.
Following the publication of the videos and withdrawal of funding, four different independent investigations by various state and city Attorneys General and the GAO released in 2009 and 2010 cleared ACORN, finding its employees had not engaged in criminal activities and that the organization had managed its federal funding appropriately, and calling the videos deceptively and selectively edited to present the workers in the worst possible light. Despite this, by March 2010, 15 of ACORN's 30 state chapters had already closed[11] and the group announced it was closing its remaining state chapters and disbanding.[
and now to strike down laws in Ohio and Pennsylvania... TODAY.
A non brain dead judge who can read.
Congratulations Gov Chad Scott
Why does the right fear a large turnout? Why do they want to kill the federal government? Why do they insist on calling this a republic not a democracy? Why do we sit on our butts watching them destroy this country?
See you in November.
The Teapubs have alienated women, blacks, Hispanics, students and the elderly.
Angry white men are not a majority. They have to rig the turnout to even have a chance at winning.
Look what they did to Ron Paul in the convention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYrZ0uxnZbQ&feature=player_embedded
This story is one of the most shocking Rachel and her excellent crew have brought to light recently, and as horrifying and stomach-churning as it was, I thank you for sharing it. You are all doing a GREAT job on the convention coverage, under Rachel's leadership.
I know you won't forget about Ohio, and will get back to that story soon. But, meanwhile, those 2 brave guys who were trying to keep the polls open on weekends (sorry, forget what county - in the Dayton area, as I recall) were fired yesterday.
finally, please cover this story, asap, as the Repub's are winning the messaging about this: Ohio early voting on weekends will be available for military families (so they can't claim that early voting on weekends is not affordable - the polls WILL BE open on weekends). The Dem's have sued to make weekend voting available to ALL VOTERS/not restricted; but the Repub's are twisting it (ie, lying) to make it sound like the Dem's are trying to deny military families to convenience of weekend voting.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/romney-says-obama-lawsuit-blocks-ohio-military-voters/
I have been voting for nearly 40 years. I have NEVER seen this totally over-the-top bald-faced lying before . . . "stretching the truth," of course, but not outright lie-telling/win at ANY cost. It it disgusting, and I believe it will be very costly to this country in the long run.
K
This seem to be a big problem in a lot of states!!! Why can't we take some campaign money and make sure we get these people to a place to register to vote. Something that should have been done as soon as we saw the way the GOP wants to screw us at the polls. There should be a simple way to do this. I pray this will get overturned. If such a law is to be put in place, it should be at the first day of the fiscal year to give everyone a chance to comply to law. By the way the GOP convention really sucks with lies.
Say like a "Title Company" that is set up for processing applications and making voter registration cards in much the same way we can go to a Title company to get our vehicle registration renewals?
I'm sitting here being very ANGERY. My 88 year old mother, who is home bound, is being taken to the DMV by neighbors to get an ID card. We are having a real estate closing and they need a photo ID, moreover they will not let her vote without one. The woman running the closing said these things are necessary because even the President is illegal. WTF!!!!!!! Is this the smaller government these HYPOCRITES are talking about?? Do I need to carry my government papers just to a public restroom? I am here visiting in UTAH, the people who left the US in 1847 to get away from government rules. WHAT A BUNCH OF BS. They love rules, their rules.
Proof of what too few knew, and the media squelched in 2008.
Every voter should see this video before they vote!
This lady is putting it on the line in these video clips. I was stunned by some of
the information she shared and how damning her story is. Our media is doing all
they can to suppress this kind of whistle blower and if we don't share it
somehow, the facts won't ever be brought to the light of day!
Very informative videos.
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/blog/detail/shocking-truths-about-the-enemy-within-from-one-who-knows-an-absolute-must-view
What's wrong with ACORN asking for donations from people maxed out on their party contribution? It's legal, it's fine. and now with Citizens United it's secret and unlimited. And that IS a problem. There have been so few actual cases of voter fraud that they have no effect on any election, and almost all of them are felons not being removed from the voter rolls and being allowed to vote. Which the ID won't fix anyway. This ID movement is voter suppression, pure and simple. And it's despicable. You don't want my mother to vote? WHY? Quit lying about what you are doing. One person, one vote. Everyone get one vote. Not just you and your supporters. This is not a banana republic. Not yet anyway.
Voting is the ultimate form of free speech. I didn't know you could restrict free speech. I guess letting the elderly vote is equivalent of screaming 'fire' in a crowded theater.
Today, the Colorado Secretary of State's office held a public meeting to discuss the new "emergency rules" that will challenge the voting rights of nearly 4,000 voters that SoS Scott Gessler believes may not be citizens. At the hearing it was revealed that so far, 88% of those challenged have turned out to be U.S. citizens.
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_21427636/88-percent-challenged-voters-are-u-s-citizens
Of course, Gessler himself wasn't at the hearing. Instead, the official in charge of administering Colorado's elections was in Tampa at the RNC.
NEED AN ILLUSTRATION OF THIS BROADCAST? I created a double-panel online "poster" of Rachel's broadcast on this. This is the medium sized .JPG version. If you need a large .PNG (3000x2500 pixels) version for print. please message me via Facebook. Feel free to share this image at will. ~ Philip S. Knight
"WAKE UP!
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/96/voterregistrationwakeup.jpg/
I have posted the image to Facebook.
I hope it is shared all through facebook.
Well. we are back. And guess what, no voter ID. They said the SS card still needs to be connected to the stub, or at least have the stub there. WHAT STUB? We can close the the loan, found a work around, but she can't vote until this is fixed. This is so WRONG! IF you can't win the election, threaten to shoot people, (Sharon Angle) or just don't let people vote. Right left center republican democrat or Lutheran, everyone should recognize the right to vote. Are we a democracy or a totalitarian regime?
If you wonder why this is going on in Utah, where no ID law was passed, that's because Utah loves to be first, they passed this several years ago. They said they had to keep the "Illegals" from voting.
Utah is 65% republican to begin with. It would be decades before it even gets close to purple. Mormons still control much of the state even though they are no longer the majority.
Frankly, I don't trust Mormons. Had too many problems with them. Romney will do whatever the church tells him to do.
I really HOPE that Obama wins Florida with such a large majority of the vote that a recount would even be a thought. May the League of Women Voters be able to register a million voters intime to vote for Obama.
Obama=300 electorial votes.
If Romney won, all those red states can kiss their welfare, food stamp, WIC, HUD housing, Medicaid and job training Good Bye. He'll try to get rid of FEMA too.
This is supposed to be the best country in the world? Where politicians can limit the voting rights that made this country the example democracy of the world? what are we turning into? where are we going to end up? we are losing everything in this country!