Portland, Maine, weighs letting noncitizens vote

Boston Herald ^ | 10/23/10 | Associated Press

[ruralvoter]

Like his neighbors, Claude Rwaganje pays taxes on his income and taxes on his cars. His children have gone to Portland’s public schools. He’s interested in the workings of Maine’s largest city, which he has called home for 13 years.

There’s one vital difference, though: Rwaganje isn’t a U.S. citizen and isn’t allowed to vote on those taxes or on school issues. That may soon change.

Portland residents will vote Nov. 2 on a proposal to give legal residents who are not U.S. citizens the right to vote in local elections, joining places like San Francisco and Chicago that have already loosened the rules or are considering it.

[Josh Painter]

“My father has lived here for 53 years and is not a citizen.”
__________

Because...?

[psjones]

Perhaps he was just as happy being a legal resident?
Don’t need to have those citizenship papers to have
love for this country and be loyal to it.

[bigdaddy45]

Wow, look at all the pile on. Lets take on these questions one by one. The idiocy here is breathtaking. Re: my father who has been here for 53 years and is not a citizen:

Has he ever voted: No, that is illegal. Do I think he or any other non-citizen should be able to vote: No. Only citizens should be able to vote.

As to “partaking of the benefit of residing in, working in, blah blah blah”... well my friend, my father has been a taxpaying resident of this country for those 53 years. He himself served in the U.S. Army, and raised two sons who served as U.S. Air Force Officers. He has chosen to remain a citizen of his own country for these years for a very particular and personal reason (which is something I don’t really care to share on the internet). He has a green card, he fills out his paperwork every two years to stay here, and even though he is NOT a citizen, is probably a better “citizen” that most people born here.

I think the idea of non-citizens voting is ridiculous. My original post was aimed at the individual stating that the fact that there should be a “fix” if someone lived here for 13 years without being a citizen. I’m still waiting to hear what that “fix” is.

[the invisib1e hand]

all election chaos accrues to the benefit of the communist agitators.

because, ultimately, they'll end in riots.

[ilovesarah2012]

If our president doesn’t have to be a U.S. citizen, then why do voters?

[maine-iac7]

if he wants the privilege of a citizen, let him bestir himself to BECOME a citizen.

What next? Send out absentee ballots to everyone around the world so’s they can vote too - even tho’ not citizens?

[MarkL]

"on a recent day in a small lunchroom at the Al-Amin Halal Market, a group of Somali men ate lunch and talked in their native language. Abdirizak Daud, 40, moved to Minneapolis 18 years ago before coming to Portland in 2006. He hasn’t been able to find a job. Some of his nine children have attended Portland schools, "I like the Democrats. I want to vote for Democrats, but I don’t have citizenship," he said.

There's been a huge brouhaha in North Kansas City about a dem primary that was decided by 1 (yes, just 1) vote, and the fact that roughly 40 Somali people voted. Now this wouldn't be a big deal, except for the fact that not a single one could read, write, nor speak a word of English. Not only were these people who voted NOT CITIZENS, but the people who brought them to the polling place broke MO state election laws, since they were not direct relatives of the "voters."

The problem is that the dem machine candidate was going to lose, until the Somali voters, so the KC Red Star refuses to report on it, and the person who's supposed to make sure that the voting is honest? Well, she was bought and paid for by George Soros, and her name's Robin Carnahan. Is the name familiar? Well her daddy used to be governor, then her mommy was appointed US senator, and she is the current Secretary of State. The Caranhan's are doing all they can to become Missouri's "Kennedys" and bring back the glory days of massive MO political corruption, not seen since the Pendergast days (in the 1940's, Harry Truman was known as the "Senator from Pendergast.)

Mark

[maine-iac7]

Portland, Maine is the Moonbat capitol of Maine.

Got that right.

That's why we keep Portland down in the south of the state - keep the flatlander influence outta the 'real' Maine.

'moonbats' gravitate to cities. Portland is Maine's biggest 'city' at 60,000 - ahaha, what would be considered small to medium town in most states. We like it that way.

To live up here in the real Maine, ya gotta have some gumption - gotta be able to cope with winter and not totally reliant on man's 'cultural activities' for 100% of your pursuits. Gotta be able to be an individual and not need to be with the herd.

LibRats don't feel safe without the herd. We ole Mainers don't cotton to big city life - we don't have the 'herd instinct'.

[Salvation]

** weighs letting noncitizens vote**

Huh? Not Portland, Or?

[apillar]

"on a recent day in a small lunchroom at the Al-Amin Halal Market, a group of Somali men ate lunch and talked in their native language. Abdirizak Daud, 40, moved to Minneapolis 18 years ago before coming to Portland in 2006. He hasn’t been able to find a job. Some of his nine children have attended Portland schools,

It amazes me that this country accepts this third world trash that have no intention of assimilating into American culture or becoming productive members of their communities. Then taxpaying citizens have to feed, cloth, house and educate his NINE children. I imagine we are shelling out well over $100,000 a year on this particular drone. Then what will we get for trouble?! Apoo Habib Goatluvy or whatever the hell his name is wants to vote in democrats so he can get more handouts and in a few years he will send his nine children to blow up buildings because America is such a mean country.

[Salvation]

**San Francisco and Chicago **

I wasn’t aware of this. Don’t count their votes then!

[traditional1]

"Don’t need to have those citizenship papers to have love for this country and be loyal to it."

If you had a "guest" in your HOME, for say, 50 years, but he doesn't wish to be a "member" of your "Family", why would you expect loyalty? Sure; he may LOVE the benefit of living in the home, and feel he owes you for your hospitality, but then, did he sneak in at night, and just squat there, and partake of all that hospitality without contribution?

The Non-Citizen Voting issue is ignorance at its worst, in terms of OBLIGATIONS on the resident. CHOOSING to be a non-citizen while living an entire lifetime in the home of others is beyond the smell test.

Yes; you can be proud of, loyal to, and be-holdin' to.....but you are NOT a Member in Good Standing, and don't deserve to participate, therefore, in how the rules are shaped and formed.

[SSS Two]

One of the requirement of a republican form of government is that ONLY citizens may vote.

This is simply inaccurate. Wisconsin allowed non-citizen immigrants (primarily Scandinavians and Poles) to vote in local elections over a hundred years ago. There is nothing prohibiting this in the U.S. Constitution. In fact, the practice has long-standing historical precendent. That's not to say it is required or even a good idea -- just that there's nothing illegal about it.

When it comes to federal elections though ....

[x_plus_one]

Which election was that?

[Clintonfatigued]

Ping

[SSS Two]

If non-citizens are allowed to vote, then we no longer have a legally constituted government, and the people who took that government away from We The People should be hunted down like dogs. I find your references to the Constitution amusing. It tells me that you didn't even bother to read the article which states:

Historically, 40 states allowed noncitizens to vote going back to 1776, but an anti-immigrant backlash in the late 1800s and early 1900s resulted in laws that eliminated their voting rights by 1926, Hayduk said

Allowing non-citizens to vote state and local elections dates back to the country's founding, and the creation of the Constitution a decade or two later didn't impact the practice. Opposing the enfranchisement of non-citizens is a perfectly defensible position. But using Constitutional principles to support that position corrupts the Constitution.

[Don Corleone]

Pure Madness

[sourcery]

To be a republic in the Constitutional sense, there must be a written Constititution drafted by a Constitutional Convention, and approved by the citizens, that limits the powers of government to only those that are just and rightful, the government established by that Constitution must be elected by vote of the citizens, and must be Constitutionally required to apply and enforce all laws equally on everyone. That's the accepted and agreed definition of the term based on the clear semantics used and understood by those who participated in the Constitutional Convention.

[bigdaddy45]

And why would you assume that just because someone is in the “family” that they are loyal? There are plenty of hardworking, legal immigrants who contribute plenty. AND, plenty of native born deadbeats who contribute nothing.

It doesn’t mean the the legal immigrants should be allowed to vote (they shouldn’t), but your stipulation that someone who has lived here for many years but decided against citizenship doesn’t “pass the smell test” begs the question...why? They have their own reasons. The vast majority work, pay taxes, DON’T demand the right to vote, and keep their noses clean. OH, and thousands serve in the armed forces (and are doing it now). Hope that arm chair of yours is comfy.....

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Be reminded that certain leftist groups monitor conservative web sites. Free Republic is a conservative web site. Free Republic is probably monitored. These leftist groups often have retirees as their monitors. The monitors will interject, that their families have served in the military, have seven tours of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan; are wounded vets, pay taxes etc. etc. Having told us of the alleged honorable service of themselves and/or family they will then advocate people remaining in our country illegally, illegals voting, illegals receiving social benefits and of course advocating that our hearts should be filled with love for those who ignore the political and/or social American norms; etc. etc.