The Politics Thread

[DRW50]

In other positive news, even if these never mean much in the end.

 

 

[Khan]

 

ICAM.  I, too, applaud those who stayed and made sure everyone in line had their opportunity to vote.  Black voters DO matter, even if the states wish they didn't.

[marceline]

This man is such a nice reminder that there are good people in the world.

 

 

[DramatistDreamer]

I agree @marceline Jose Andrés has been doing great works for people in crisis for years now.

 

 

More on the clusterf*ck in Georgia yesterday. On a side note, I read that the point person in charge of the acquisition of the new voting machines used to be associated with the Brian Kemp campaign for governor of GA. Some of these machines had a test run in December and had problems back then. Meanwhile, the entire voting apparatus seems to have broken down.

 

[Khan]

What happened in GA yesterday is nothing short of a national disgrace, and I'm STILL pissed about it today.  Wypipo will do anything to retain power and deny black and brown people their constitutional rights.

 

Now, I'm hearing (from my aunt, who's positively borderline, so take it with a grain of salt) that in El Reno, OK, where most of my extended relatives live, they are deputizing and arming citizens in order to help the local police force "keep law and order."  Like it's an episode of "Gunsmoke," or something.

[Ponds]

I live in a state that has had total mail in voting for 20 years.  There's no fraud, more people vote and we still elect many Republicans in our state.  It's ridiculous that it isn't mandatory in every state.

[Khan]

 

Obviously, I don't know which state you live in, but I suspect (as others have expressed in this thread) that the GOP wouldn't stand a chance (especially in the Southern states -- which, as we've noticed, is where most voter suppression efforts have been concentrated) if voting were made easier in any way for non-white voters.

 

Last month, our state's governor, Kevin "Bull" Stitt, reinstated a requirement (which our state Supreme Court had previously struck down) for all absentee (mail-in) votes to be notarized; citing the old "protecting election integrity" excuse during this pandemic, even though instances of voter fraud are few, far between and (as recent events have shown) usually perpetrated by Republicans.  Oklahoma is one of three states to have this ridiculous requirement; Mississippi and Missouri are the others.

 

Of course, in lieu of notarization, Oklahoma voters can mail in their ballots with a copy of their ID or voter registration card "if a public health emergency has been declared within 45 days of an election."  But, as we know, ID's remain an issue and a sore spot particularly with immigrants and working class voters; and if I know my state, I'd bet that, come this fall, there won't BE any public health emergencies to keep folks here from heading to the polling places and (exposing themselves once again to the coronavirus and) voting.

Edited June 10, 2020 by Khan

[Juliajms]

 

[Khan]

Despicable.

[Ponds]

This makes me sick!  You have to ask yourself, why are they so afraid of mail in ballots....it's because they can't control it.  F*CKERS!!!

[Khan]

We're just one step away from going back to literacy tests for voters.

[Ponds]

I was not able to vote until I was 21, but I have voted in every primary and general election since then.  I don't understand how people feel that they don't need to vote....JUST SEE WHAT WE GOT!!!

[Khan]

 

I understand, because, for much of my adult life, that was me.  Even now, I don't believe either party operates in the best interests of the American public.  But, I have to put aside my skepticism about politics and politicians in general, because the Trump administration has proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there IS such a thing as the lesser of two evils.

[Juliajms]

I think Ari is right. They are straight up afraid of democracy.

[Khan]

What can you say?  Trolls gonna troll!