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Tennessee becomes new front in battle for American democracy
The Associated Press ^ | April 8, 2023 | By TRAVIS LOLLER, ADRIAN SAINZ and GARY FIELDS

Posted on 04/08/2023 3:57:35 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee has become a new front in the battle for the future of American democracy after Republicans expelled two Black lawmakers from the state Legislature for their part in a protest urging passage of gun-control measures.

The removal of the lawmakers, who were only recently elected, reflects a trend in dozens of states where Republicans are trying to make it harder to cast ballots and challenging the integrity of the election process.

At least 177 bills restricting voting or creating systems that can intimidate voters or permit partisan interference were filed or introduced in dozens of states so far this year, according to the Brennan Center.

“It represents a really slow erosion of our democracy,” said Neha Patel, co-executive director of the State Innovation Exchange, a strategy center for state legislators working toward progressive policies.

Patel called the expulsions “the third prong of a long-range strategy.” She said it was once “unprecedented” for states to make it harder for people to vote, but the practice has become “commonplace.”

It’s also become common for the GOP to challenge the electoral process and raise questions about election integrity. The next question is whether states with Republican supermajorities will follow Tennessee’s lead in expelling opponents with different points of view, she said.

Fred Wertheimer, founder and president of Democracy 21, a nonpartisan organization advocating for better government, said expulsions have generally been reserved for lawmakers involved in criminal activity.

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: adriansainz; americanpravda; associatedpravda; brennancenter; democracy21; garyfields; innovationexchange; insurrection; jan6thsurrectionbad; journalism; media; mediabias; nehapatel; press; sie; socialists; tennessee; transurrection; transurrectiongood; travisloller
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1 posted on 04/08/2023 3:57:35 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Hey Neha Patel,, I don’t know what it’s like in the country you came from but it’s not your democracy, it’s our republic.


2 posted on 04/08/2023 4:00:56 AM PDT by shoff (Vote Democrat it beats thinking!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Saul Alinsky keeping it real I suppose. Outside a Southside blues room? Was Muddy Waters playing that night? These days he would get stabbed.


3 posted on 04/08/2023 4:02:21 AM PDT by dennisw
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“ Republicans expelled two Black lawmakers from the state Legislature for their part in a protest urging passage of gun-control measures.”

God forgive me for hating the news media this much.


4 posted on 04/08/2023 4:02:38 AM PDT by Gary from Dayton (Scary unvaccinated American )
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

It should be hard to vote ....


5 posted on 04/08/2023 4:06:30 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: shoff

“Neha Patel, co-executive director of the State Innovation Exchange........”

For these devious pos subcon maggots, the US is an open territory to be conquered by hook or by crook. They are the settlers and we are the Injuns.


6 posted on 04/08/2023 4:06:55 AM PDT by dennisw
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

BTW those 2 Democrats raised their right hands and swore that they agreed with the rules of the Legislature floor ...


7 posted on 04/08/2023 4:08:59 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

It’s about more than “democracy”


8 posted on 04/08/2023 4:10:31 AM PDT by P.O.E. (Pray for America.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“Two ... lawmakers” who violated the legislature’s rules of conduct, decorum, and procedures - to an extreme - and would not discipline themselves, so adios.


9 posted on 04/08/2023 4:10:55 AM PDT by linMcHlp
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To: dennisw

These days, he would be on the Mayor’s staff and have police protection.


10 posted on 04/08/2023 4:19:05 AM PDT by jmcenanly (You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.” ― Winston)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Let me get this right? Some people protested, paraded, and disrupted an official proceeding on J6 and they went to jail without trial or even a bail hearing? These three do exactly the same thing and simply get expelled? Lock there sorry asses in jail like they did to the MAGA people.....


11 posted on 04/08/2023 4:22:09 AM PDT by eeriegeno (Checks and balances??? What checks and balances?)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Biased AP reporter immediately sources far left radical Brennan Center...


12 posted on 04/08/2023 4:23:10 AM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Any time it takes three reporters to write a story you know it is steeped in bullcrap.


13 posted on 04/08/2023 4:24:32 AM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: linMcHlp

Their gripe isn’t that the two were expelled, but rather that a third, the female who is white, was NOT also expelled. The reason she wasn’t expelled was there was one or two less people voting for her expulsion due to her not doing what the other two did... she didn’t pull out a bull horn, etc.
But the truth doesn’t matter to activist reporters who lie about Democracy 21 being nonpartisan, etc.


14 posted on 04/08/2023 4:29:38 AM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: shoff

Hmmm...I think Patel is an Iranian name.


15 posted on 04/08/2023 4:30:58 AM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Battle for democracy? Forget that!

We're in a battle for our national sanity.

At this point, I don't even think a power-mad dictator would be interested in America. Who wants to be emperor of a country of lunatics, trannies, and queers?

16 posted on 04/08/2023 4:31:25 AM PDT by RoosterRedux (Bonhoeffer: “Silence in the face of evil is evil. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
...where Republicans are trying to make it harder to cast ballots...

Translation: "harder for Dems to cheat".

17 posted on 04/08/2023 4:35:13 AM PDT by jeffc (Resident of the free State of Florida)
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To: RoosterRedux

Bttt


18 posted on 04/08/2023 4:36:29 AM PDT by Guenevere (“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”)
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To: linMcHlp

Self discipline isn’t a thing for these progressives. They were offered a chance to apologize and refused so the vote was held. Sadly it was all for show since their county/city council will appoint them to fill their own vacant seats and they’ll run again in the special elections with a high probability of re-election. The worst consequence is being stripped of their committee positions, with any justice those will never be returned. The one part of all this that’s been ignored is these a$$holes turned a mass murder by a deranged killer into a show all about them.


19 posted on 04/08/2023 4:37:42 AM PDT by EandH Dad (sleeping giants wake up REALLY grumpy)
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yeah...nice battle field they picked, a State they lost by 30 points and have R’s have whopping super majorities. Im sure Tennessee is really shaking in their boots..


20 posted on 04/08/2023 4:41:23 AM PDT by basalt (qb's)
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