Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant!
Posted on 04/05/2006 12:16:42 PM PDT by Icelander
Legislation granting non-citizens the right to vote is expected to pass in New York City this year, immigration rights advocates tell the Amsterdam News.
"We’re very excited and very optimistic that this will pass," New York City Councilman Charles Barron said at a recent press briefing. "We see this as the historical launching of something that should have happened a long time ago," the outspoken Democrat added.
Dubbed the "Voting Rights Restoration Act," the measure would permit immigrants who have a green card to vote in municipal elections, including for mayor, comptroller and city council, after having lived in the city for six months.
The New York Coalition to Expand Voting Rights sees the measure being extended one day to state and even federal elections. "There is nothing in either the U.S. or the New York State Constitution that prevents us from expanding the franchise to include non-citizen residents," a spokesman for the group argued in January.
Story Continues Below
Advocates claim that 22 states and federal territories allowed non-citizen voting during the 18th and 19th centuries. In New York, non-citizen residents were denied the right to vote in 1804. According to the Caribbean news service, Heartbeat News, the measure's impact on New York City elections would be substantial, adding up to 1.5 million voters to rolls. Most of the new voters, experts predict, would cast their ballots for Democrats.
While New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has voiced opposition to the proposal, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn told the Amsterdam News that she's "open to talking about passage."
In a statement issued by her office, City Council Member Melissa Mark Viverito praised the measure, explaining:
"East Harlem, Mott Haven and the Upper West Side are home to at least 25 thousand non-citizens of voting age who contribute in countless ways to the economic, social and cultural vitality of District 8 and NYC as a whole. Unfortunately they are not allowed to directly participate in choosing the municipal representatives who make the policies that affect their daily lives."
Amendment 14
Section 1: Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.
Yes. Most nations have higher voting rates than the United States. These immigrants will carry that sense of responsibility with them.
Taxation with diluted representation.
Former thug and Black Panther Charles Barron is an idiot and has no power whatsoever.
I guess we'll see them at SCOTUS if it comes to that.
Well this sucks.
I don't live in NY so it doesn't matter to me.
Why are you speechless???
I think you are right. Now who do we want them to vote for???
I would expect Hillaey's fat, greasy fingers to be involved in this crap also.
Hillaey's=Hillary's... coffee still brewing.
Upstate needs its own state.
While we're at it, let's give the rest of the world the right to vote for US President in '08, let's give them control of our economy and military/industrial complex. (That's what they want.)
"Upstate" also voted for the HillaBeast.
Perhaps of interest is that New York has always been an advocate of centralized government, ever since the Revolution. Hamilton was supported by the New York and Massachussetts crowd, waaaay back then.
New York and what is now Taxachussetts have always been what they now are - open apologists for large government.
A pox upon all of them! If, and only if, they don't find a way to pass the medical costs to the rest of us Red state residents, that is.
I'm renouncing my citizenship RIGHT NOW!
I can have free school, free welfare, free social security, preference in university/college selections, don't have to have auto insurance, the right to vote and never have to pay income taxes again!!!! Plus I can sue all you bigots who complain under hate laws!
**
Also, you can commit a crime and just head for the border to escape justice.
Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant!
Thank goodness we have an electoral college.
My County Republican Chairwoman watched them get bused back to Mexico from the polls two elections ago.
I know the deal, Brian.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.