A GOP Plan To Disfranchise Democratic Voters in 2012?

National Review: The Corner ^ | 05/18/2011 | Peter Kirsanow

[BuckeyeTexan]

In today’s USA Today, former DNC interim chair Donna Brazile claims that Republicans are trying to block voters from the polls and reduce the voting rights of ”Democratic-leaning Americans.” She asserts that Republicans are passing state ballot integrity laws — such as voter photo-ID requirements – to limit the participation of minority voters, the young, and the poor (purported Obama voters) heading into the 2012 elections. Brazile asks, ”Do we really want to see Florida’s 2000 election controversy replayed?”

Expect to see lots more of this leading to the presidential election. The 2000 presidential election produced voluminous claims of rampant voter intimidation, suppression, and harassment in Florida. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights investigated these claims over a six-month period immediately after the election. The Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department also conducted a separate investigation.

Despite numerous allegations suggesting widespread voter intimidation, suppression, and harassment, the Commission’s investigation produced just two ostensible instances of perceived voter intimidation. Were there voting problems in Florida? Sure, as in every election. But the Justice Department found no credible evidence that Floridians were intentionally denied the right to vote.

In contrast, a subsequent media analysis showed that at least 2000 votes were cast illegally in Florida in the 2000 presidential election. Since the margin of victory in Florida was 537 votes, the fraudulent votes were sufficient to affect the outcome of the election.

That’s not an isolated example. Evidence adduced at various commission hearings suggests numerous instances of actual voter fraud. The cases involve organizations and individuals who register ineligible voters, dead people, and fictional characters. In an infamous Ohio case during the 2004 presidential election campaign, a canvasser paid with crack cocaine registered Dick Tracy, Mary Poppins, and scores of other equally noteworthy characters.

Again, these aren’t isolated cases. A major 2001 voter registration drive in St. Louis’s black community produced 3,800 new voter cards. When some of the names appeared suspicious, elections officials investigated all of the cards and determined that every single one was fraudulent. Dogs, the dead, and people who simply didn’t want to register were among the new registrants.

The problem isn’t only that canvassers are being paid to produce manifestly fraudulent voter registrations; it’s also that voter rolls throughout the country are being padded with hundreds of thousands of false and fraudulent names. For example, testimony by John Sample before the Senate Rules Committee showed that Alaska had 503,000 people on its voter rolls but only 437,000 people of voting age in the entire state. Before the last presidential election, 140,000 Florida voters were registered in multiple jurisdictions.

This isn’t a minor concern. The 1998 Miami mayoral election actually had to be set aside due to rampant absentee-ballot forgeries.

Voter fraud isn’t the imaginary phenomenon some claim it to be. Brazile bemoans the the expense of voter ID requirements ($10 million over four years in Indiana, according to her). Given the closeness of so many recent elections that could’ve been decided by fraudulent ballots, is $10 million per state too much to spend on improving election integrity?

— Peter Kirsanow is a member of the U.S.Commission on Civil Rights.

[BuckeyeTexan]

Well, allow me to take you from hopeless to utterly depressed. Consider this ... If Obama runs unopposed for his party's nomination, the Democrats will cross over in open primary states and vote for the Republican candidate of their choice. They'll run their own little Operation Chaos against us to choose our nominee - someone Obama can stomp.

Meanwhile, we're bickering about why this or that candidate (or potential candidate) isn't conservative enough on social issues or doesn't have the name recognition or [insert your own rant here] to attract support or do well in the debates or win the nomination.

Democrats have complained for years about the big bad Republican Machine, but the cold hard truth is that there is no such thing. Even FReepers are pretty divided about whom to support. We're all waiting for the perfect candidate and the truth is that no candidate is going to please all of us.

I haven't been at FR long enough to experience a purge, but I've heard the stories. My fear is that discussion about the primary candidates will cause a lot of discord among us when we should be united in our effort to defeat Obama.

My philosophy going into the 2012 primaries is "anyone but Obama." A.N.Y.O.N.E.

I despise Romney. Don't care much for Gingrich. Like Cain thus far. Ditto for Daniels. Like Palin & Bachman. Don't know enough about Pawlenty, Huntsman or Santorum to have an opinion. And have issues with Perry. At the end of the day ... I'd pull the lever for any of them over Obama.

But that's me and my coupon for a free (R) vote is good only for this election cycle. I know many FReepers will not vote for someone who isn't a full-on social conservative and have said they'll stay home or vote third party even if it means Obama gets re-elected.

To me, that is truly depressing because we could have this election in the bag on the issues alone.

[Gabz]

Bless you -— and THANK YOU very much.

I’m gloatingly anticipating the exploding heads later this evening.

I’d love to do it now, but I have to wait until we get back from our daughter’s chorus concert —— but I am going to do it!!!!

Thanks again!!!

[GatorGirl]

Florida does require photo ID so it really is pretty stupid to focus on us. The big problem is the dual residencers voting in both states and of course absentee ballots.

[JimRed]

”Do we really want to see Florida’s 2000 election controversy replayed?”

Sure, as long as the results are the same. RATs losing is a good nthing!

[newzjunkey]

Let me take this opportunity to thank Ms Brazile for running Al Gore’s 2000 failed campaign.

[sergeantdave]

“Donna Brazile claims that Republicans are trying to block voters from the polls..”

Suck air from a thousand whoopie cushions, you racist over-inflated whale.

[pburgh01]

Let's see --- My first vote was in 1980 - I was in college and still lived at home. I moved into an apartment, in another state, in 1982 when I got out of school. I moved back into an apartment when I got divorced in 1988. I bought my first house in 1992, my second, in yet again another state in 2003. In late 2009 I broke down and applied for food stamps, when after more than a year my husband and I could not get regular work and every penny we were making was going to keep the roof over our head and the power on and food in our daughter's belly and clothes on her ever growing back. It was damned hard for me to do that. That first vote I cast was for Ronald Reagan and in all the ensuing years I have served on my local GOP committees, including serving as an officer more than once and delegate to the state GOP convention 8 years running. I've been a FReeper in good standing and have participated in my fair share of FReeps. I've worked at the grass roots level since before I ever even heard of the internet......... And you're all for straight up voter disenfranchisement of me.

Yes I am! If we can keep 10 drones for voting for every College Republican I would be happy with that outcome. As far as your scenario, you being on foodstamps, damn right you should not be able to vote. I think if Washington and Jefferson were alive today they would agree with me. There is not even a debate that people on public assistance OVWERWHELMINGLY vote liberal, so sorry you were proud, poor and Conservative, we can't trust you in the polling place to do the right thing.

[mo]

Sounds “racist” to me Mz. Brazile....saying certain legitimate American citizens have been deprived of a drivers license../s

[sergeantdave]

“Election fraud is a black civil right.
Anybody who wants to stop it is RACIST.”

Any black who engages in election fraud is racist. Anyone who stops it is a patriot.

It’s time to use their volatile language against the leftists. And if they object, which they will, invite the leftist pigs into a dark parking lot for a cup of tea.

[sergeantdave]

“More liekly a serious social upheaval is coming with the country going broke and we have some sort of military junta taking over at the civilian government cannot keep order, think RoboCop or Judge Dread type...”

You read too many comicbooks.

[Gabz]

Yes I am! If we can keep 10 drones for voting for every College Republican I would be happy with that outcome. As far as your scenario, you being on foodstamps, damn right you should not be able to vote. I think if Washington and Jefferson were alive today they would agree with me. There is not even a debate that people on public assistance OVWERWHELMINGLY vote liberal, so sorry you were proud, poor and Conservative, we can't trust you in the polling place to do the right thing.

College Republican? Not hardly. What a laugh.

YOU don't trust me to do the right thing in a polling place? There are a lot of FReepers who will tell you otherwise, and I really don't think you wish for me to call any of them into this conversation.

Listen, buster, whether you wish to acknowledge it or not, such things as food stamps were created as a safety net measure and not intended to become a way of life.

Hardworking people do occasionally fall on hard times, thank your lucky stars you have no clue what I'm talking about.

Which is obvious from your lack of reading comprehension skills.

It didn't matter to you in the least that my husband and I were doing what we could to pay the bills. Nope, we're just liberal leeches. Just because we took some temporary, steady, assistance.

It is this sanctimonious attitude you have taken here that is giving conservatives a bad name. there is no give in you whatsoever..........just like the LSM says.

YUP --- you are behaving here just like the caricature you claim as the LSM portrayal of conservatives.

BTW, the day my husband landed a steady job was the day I called social services and ditched the assistance, even though I was told I was still eligible for a lesser amount.

What a shame for your sanctimony. According to your standards, both my husband and I are fully eligible to participate in the political process.

You can kiss my grits.