Posted on 08/22/2013 10:36:35 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
UPDATED: Moments after Gov. Pat McCrory left the stage, former Secretary of State Colin Powell took aim at North Carolina's new voting law Thursday, saying it hurts the Republican Party, punishes minority voters and makes it more difficult for everyone to vote.
"I want to see policies that encourage every American to vote, not make it more difficult to vote," said Powell, a Republican, at the CEO Forum in Raleigh.
"It immediately turns off a voting block the Republican Party needs," Powell continued. "These kinds of actions do not build on the base. It just turns people away."
The retired general served as the keynote speaker at the event and made his remarks moments after McCrory finished his remarks. His comments represent the most high-profile criticism of the Republican-crafted law that requires voters to show photo identification at the polls, cuts early voting days and makes it harder for students to vote.
In one comment, he seemed to rebuke McCrory for suggesting that voter fraud likely exists but is hard to detect. The governor had compared it to insider trading.
"You can say what you like, but there is no voter fraud," Powell said. "How can it be widespread and undetected?"
Powell, who served under President George W. Bush, also said the new sends the wrong message to minority voters. "What it really says to the minority voters is ... 'We really are sort-of punishing you,'" he said.
McCrory delivered the event's opening remarks and preceded Powell, but didn't address the election law directly. McCrory stayed for part of Powell's speech but not long enough to hear the voter ID remarks, a governor's office spokeswoman said.
Instead, he focused on the role of community colleges in education and job training. "Education is our greatest challenge. There's a disconnect between what we're teaching and what employers need. What I'm trying to do is bring commerce and education together."
Powell also blamed the political impasse in Washington on the Internet, cable TV and extremist advocacy groups. And he defended the liberal arts as a discipline that gives people as sense of their place in the world -- another line that hits at McCrory.
I know. Close call there. I have to say, that he tipped his hand - for me
- about 15 years ago when he gave an endorsement to Fidel Castro. After that I knew he was garbage, and he keeps proving me right.
Racism has many aspects.
This Affirmative Action hire has no clue what Americans with real jobs have to go through these days as his beloved nanny government robs them of their earnings to buy the votes of the ever-fatter Dependent Class.
When over 100% of registered voters vote !00% for the Democrats in elections to keep the freebies flowing, even an Affirmative Action “general” ought to be able to figure out that election fraud is not a figment of a right-winger’s imagination.
CP needs to stick to phone sex w/ euro babe.
He is the General of village idiots.
I’m going to have to disagree with you on this. I think back then most folks just assumed you went to school, learned, grew up and got a job. The majority now are takers and someone giving a “Go America” speech will fall on deaf ears.
Colin Powell is one of the “perfumed princes of the Pentagon” that David Hackworth wrote about. God save our republic from such faithless men.
“Not dead. Just in need of another Reagan.”
***
The few who show promise, such as Ted Cruz, are beaten down by the liberal party elite. As long as the current power structure within the party remains, there will never be another one who comes close to Reagan. Real conservatives are not welcome.
Damned if I do!
I'm in favor of policies that encourage every American to study the issues and candidate records, or stay home on their lazy, no good butts. You bet I believe in "vote informed, or don't vote at all."
The “Republican” Powell, endorsed, promoted and voted for Obama twice. Even after pushing hard to get McCain the nomination. That right there tells you what he is made of.
Has anybody heard the General say anything about our military turning into a gay, non-Christian fighting farce?
“Colon Bowel believes that black people are inferior and must be allowed to vote multiple times as compensation.”
I say it is time to break out the purple ink in Amerika! Will that show up on Holder’s people?
“It immediately turns off a voting block the Republican Party needs,”....
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Illegals and felons?
Why does anyone give this liar a forum, anyway?
Sadly, Powell is the Republican Party. The party of Reagan is dead.
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So true. ~sigh~
Last weekend my wife and I were Milwaukee for a wedding a music festival. Coming back from the wedding, both our hotel room keys malfunctioned, and we had to ask the desk clerk to revalidate them. And (gasp!!) SHE ASKED FOR AN ID!!!! Just because anybody with another card who saw us enter our rooms could claim to be us and enter and rob our possessions is no reason for the clerk to maliciously violate our constitutional rights of not undergoing illegal search and seizure. Boy, was I outraged. (snicker)
The burden of proof rests on people, like Powell, who apparently believe people should be required to identify themselves when they buy antihistamines but not when they want to vote.
That liberal "no vote fraud documented" talking point is flat out wrong. Anywhere it's investigated fraud has been found, in North Carolina and elsewhere.
Liberals can't have it both ways, even if that's the reason they became liberals. Voting is suppressed by a perception of voter fraud. Restoring voter confidence in what Democrats and liberals worked so hard to single out as a broken system for 12 years is either important to them or it's not.
And what Voting Block is General Powell referring to? The first person to talk about "Block Voting" was George Wallace.
If, like the late Gov. of Alabama, General Powell is referring to African American voters, clearly Republicans shouldn't worry.
This is the guy every person who today supports Chris Christie supported after the first Persian Gulf War.
Colon full of crap again- This man needs an enema!
“I want to see policies that encourage every American to vote”
I guess that’s where the General and I differ. I would limit suffrage to those who are mentally competent and responsible enough to support themselves. No drug abusers, no antidepressant or lithium users, and certainly no one on government support. Voting is a leadership function and should be left to those demonstratably capable of doing so. As in the early Republic, as envisioned by the founders, only the qualified should vote.
As for the voter fraud which Powell takes so lightly - controlling elections through fraud is an attempt to force your fellow citizen to do your bidding - to enslave him, if you will. As such, I would punish voter fraud by death.
“I want to see policies that encourage every American to vote”
I guess that’s where the General and I differ. I would limit suffrage to those who are mentally competent and responsible enough to support themselves. No drug abusers, no antidepressant or lithium users, and certainly no one on government support. Voting is a leadership function and should be left to those demonstratably capable of doing so. As in the early Republic, as envisioned by the founders, only the qualified should vote.
As for the voter fraud which Powell takes so lightly - controlling elections through fraud is an attempt to force your fellow citizen to do your bidding - to enslave him, if you will. As such, I would punish voter fraud by death.
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