It seems obvious to me that every hurdle the Republicans install to make voting harder has a counter move. We as Democrats have to stop looking for easier voting and institute actions to meet those austere standards.
Of course I believe voting should be as frictionless as possible and someday will be, but until then we have to rise to …
It seems obvious to me that every hurdle the Republicans install to make voting harder has a counter move. We as Democrats have to stop looking for easier voting and institute actions to meet those austere standards.
Of course I believe voting should be as frictionless as possible and someday will be, but until then we have to rise to the challenge. Where it's not possible to legislatively correct the Republican's draconian laws, we organize to help those voters meet the criteria.
-If states demand photo ID's, then help those targeted by this law to get one.
-If states limit voting days and hours then do whatever possible to get the targeted voters to the polls
-If lines are too long then document it with live video feeds and flood the media contrasting the hours long lines in low income precincts vs the champagne and caviar conditions in the rich.
Don't lie down and just take. Don't give up and just accept it. Get up, Standup, Standup for your Rights!
Christopher, thanks! I've been saying this for a long time. We are the majority party, and can't allow ourselves to be intimidated. So far, the Supreme Court hasn't said that minorities can't vote, only that it's permissible to make it more difficult. If that's the hand that's been dealt, play it, and enable the affected voters to participate. It might be more difficult, but minorities doggedly decided to vote to dump TFG, control the Senate, and defy the worst pandemic in 100 years. We have the number, so stop wringing your hands.
This absolutely spot on. If the "patriots" could organize to overthrow our democracy on jan. 6th, we can organize to maintain our democracy! We need to target areas that need help and then hire buses and carpool, all flying our democracy flag (tbd), and go help in numbers. I'm in.
Not much of a leader, but I can follow. Too early yet til '22, but I wouldn't be surprised if folks like Black Voters Matter would coordinate buses to the polls
If we really cared about voting, the cities would provide free city bus transportation to the polls! Why not! And all employers would give a day off for those who voted. Voting machine would spit out a "receipt" to be taken to the employer for verification and a (voting)day's pay.
Yes they absolutely do matter. And another thing that matters is helping people feel empowered, feel good about doing the civic duty, feel supported in doing their civic duty, feel that their vote does matter.
I don't know. It would need to be an alliance of blue state blue folks and red state blue folks. It would be a big undertaking to make a difference but how cool would its be???!!! Can you just see us in a cavalcade streaming our flags, standing up for democracy, helping folks who need help...As I said in another similar post, let those Texas boys try to run us off the road with their pickup trucks! We have kindness and love on our side!
Thanks for this link, Lynell. This is the kind of thing I hope more folks like Beto, who are not in political office but are known and respected, will do more often…to counter the right’s narrative.
Oh awesome Bruce! Thanks for sharing! There is just too much to keep up with, but from time to time it pops into my head, "shouldn't that be a lawsuit???" Yay!
I did some of phone banking prior to the presidential election and had mixed feelings about the productivity of that. But those organizations were definitely on it--getting people involved, keeping in touch, setting it all up online, etc. But then again, the Jan 6th folks were just organizing on social media. I guess that wasn't quite as complicated in some ways. If a town needing help could register somewhere, indicate what they need, then people wanting to help could be matched. Of course, who knows what will be illegal by then!
Friends, I am old enough to remember the voter ID ploy when it was clearly racist. Please be aware that, in most cases, this refers to a driver's license and/or passport with a photo, which is government-issued, too expensive for the poor, and requires some weeks or months of waiting before one is obtained. There is nothing wrong with an ID per se but it should be accessible to everyone, free of charge and tamper-proof. In my mind, this is a national registration card and will be a huge undertaking that is not likely to happen anytime soon. (Guess who will be the likely adversaries?)
Making a government-issued ID free, while useful, would only solve part of the problem, I'm afraid. The other part is the documentation required to obtain it. See the documents required here in Georgia for a "Real ID," the term used for the secured ID mandated, I think, by Homeland Security post-9/11. https://dds.georgia.gov/list-acceptable-real-id-documents
You've gotta be pretty settled down to have these documents ready at hand. For instance, I'd be hard pressed to find my marriage license -- do you have yours handy? I'm quite sure that one's ability to assemble proof of identity is heavily influenced with income, level of transience, location, education, etc. How that skews the voter pool is probably very complicated and not necessarily intuitive.
And as alarming as restrictive voter ID requirements may be, not having to prove that you are, in fact, the person named on the voter registration roll seems...well, insecure, to put it mildly. I suspect that the end result will always be that a certain segment of potential voters will inevitably be excluded simply because they are too disorganized and poor to participate.
When they did the post 9/11 "security" horseshit, I had to arrange to get an ID for my father.
Born in 1913, he was in his late 80's, and was already suffering from early dementia. They insisted on his birth certificate. He had a copy. They said the copy was no good, they needed an "original." Gosh. Did they actually keep those original records from 1913?
My father served in WWII, and after he passed, I found his honorable discharge papers. Those would probably have been insufficient, too. He had lived in the same house in the same town for almost fifty years. Everyone in the neighborhood knew him. One of the clerks processing these was our neighbor. She took me aside and said, "I'll take care fo this."
That's how "identification" works in police states.
I'm one of those people who shouldn't be impacted by getting a "real ID" and it still cost me $40 and six weeks to get an official copy of my birth certificate from Texas, as well as $35 for the license. I will say (thank you, COVID-19!) that the California DMV instituted a great system during the pandemic, which I hope they'll retain in the future: getting it all done online, no visit to teh @#$#@!! DMV office - if you don't have any moving violations during the period of the old license, you go online, create an account, answer their questions, take a photo of the birth certificate and upload it, and 2 weeks later there it is in the mail: your new drivers license/real ID.
And I'll bet it doesn't work like that in Jawjah or Tejas.
Another complication: the Indiana DMV would not accept my valid marriage license b/c it was issued and signed by the church official even though the minister was also an authorized state official with an official state seal. I had to get a copy from the county clerk's office where we had applied and lived at the time. I was told that since 9/11, "church" issued licenses aren't accepted. This feels like Republican sh*t to me.
In the otherwise regressive bill proposed in Washington State was included the option of a voter ID card issued upon registration. I'd have to go back and look at the requirements for getting that card, but it was not as onerous as I'd expected - although possibly still beyond some people's ability.
I know in Florida, one can obtain a state ID if one has no interest in driving privileges. Works as proper ID, gets one registered to vote, and does not take as long as a drivers license or passport.
And another thing. If the GOP says they are addressing "fears of election fraud in order to reassure voters," then let them. Then when the next election comes along, they will have no excuses for losing! How can they then claim a Big Lie again? Meanwhile we will do our work to make sure that everyone who wants to vote, is able to.
As for the Supreme Court decision this week, one of the angst in Arizona was the voting in the wrong polling place. Arizona has a bad habit of changing polling places in heavily Democratic areas on a whim. So voting in the wrong polling place is to be an expected mistake. Let's work on more polling places in more permanent places.
I don't understand this mentality of you must go to the voting place in which you are assigned. In Texas so long as you go to one in the same county, it's no big deal.... hopefully Abbott, et al., aren't trying to change that flexibility! I've voted by mail, at a local university, and at all sorts of libraries. Early voting is 3 weeks long, so there's not a ton of pressure to go vote NOW - if the line is too long, check out a different library or come back a different day. Or do like Colorado and mail out ballots to every citizen a month early - so you get more active participation in local elections where your power really matters but are easy to miss if you don't pay attention to local news.
The Texas approach is good and very doable in the computer age where information sharing is instant and secure. Still I don't see the harm in having to go to your local precinct. It should be and probably is the law to notify voters if their polling place has changed. Mine changes depending on the party in power but I always get a notice in the mail.
Mine changed during the pandemic - maybe even the day before the primary, which then got postponed. I used to vote at a nursing home; it was a sensible change.
I don't see how they can allow that to happen. When I go to vote they verify me on the voter roll. AZ is in need of a major overhaul if someone can walk into the wrong precinct and be able to vote unchallenged.
In AZ, it is also difficult to get an ID. DMV sites have been reduced, requiring hours of travel. Online does not work. Getting appointments is impossible. And I am a highly mobile person.
Thanks so much for posting this, Lanita! Although a 1980 song, it sure has totally appropriateness for today -- in the US and Canada! (I'm a dual citizen.) Love Bob Marley!
I went to see him at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle on his 1979 tour - on my birthday!!! - and I just found a recording of that concert. Wow! It was an amazing evening - I'm not sure I sat down once the whole time. I have such a strong memory of his dreads spreading out like sunrays when he danced. Gonna listen to that concert right now!!!
I am in complete agreement with you Christopher. It is up to us, "the people " to continue the work to form "a more perfect Union ". While we can hope for good results from our elected representatives, it is up to us to take up the cause of ensuring that every American who wants to vote complies with their state requirements, are able to get to the polls, and vote! Boots on the ground for each of us who is able.
Well said, Christopher. However, If other states are like Ohio, you have to have numerous documents with you (some certified/original) to get either an ID or a Drivers License. The push being recommended is right on target, but it requires a lot of preparation and documents that many folks don't have easy access to. A real problem......
It's not like that in the Ohio where I live. First I always vote absentee and don't need a reason. On the application I usually just give my SSN last four because I'm too lazy to pull out my Driver's License. I haven't been a poll judge for a while but when I was, in the absence of a photo ID you only needed a utility bill with your name and address. You can find all the acceptable ones here: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/id-requirements/?
So, every voter can vote absentee or in person without a major hassle as you seemed to imply.
Somethings are best not left to the states. Maybe the whole process doesn't need to be federalized but the question of proving who you are definitely should be.
Many, too many things are left to the states. What is the point of being the "United" states when states can make up their own rules about such basic needs/rights as voting, adequate health care and free quality K-12 education?
Agreed. It allows things like pockets of the virus flourishing while the rest of us comply with masks, etc. A democracy requires that everyone be vaccinated and/or comply with rules to protect our fellow citizens. The notion that democracy means total independence from government rules has gone off the charts. States' rights people are milking it for all it's worth.
It seems obvious to me that every hurdle the Republicans install to make voting harder has a counter move. We as Democrats have to stop looking for easier voting and institute actions to meet those austere standards.
Of course I believe voting should be as frictionless as possible and someday will be, but until then we have to rise to the challenge. Where it's not possible to legislatively correct the Republican's draconian laws, we organize to help those voters meet the criteria.
-If states demand photo ID's, then help those targeted by this law to get one.
-If states limit voting days and hours then do whatever possible to get the targeted voters to the polls
-If lines are too long then document it with live video feeds and flood the media contrasting the hours long lines in low income precincts vs the champagne and caviar conditions in the rich.
Don't lie down and just take. Don't give up and just accept it. Get up, Standup, Standup for your Rights!
Christopher, thanks! I've been saying this for a long time. We are the majority party, and can't allow ourselves to be intimidated. So far, the Supreme Court hasn't said that minorities can't vote, only that it's permissible to make it more difficult. If that's the hand that's been dealt, play it, and enable the affected voters to participate. It might be more difficult, but minorities doggedly decided to vote to dump TFG, control the Senate, and defy the worst pandemic in 100 years. We have the number, so stop wringing your hands.
We can all help make the “more difficult “ possible.
... and less difficult.
This absolutely spot on. If the "patriots" could organize to overthrow our democracy on jan. 6th, we can organize to maintain our democracy! We need to target areas that need help and then hire buses and carpool, all flying our democracy flag (tbd), and go help in numbers. I'm in.
See, Kimberly, you did/do have a great idea!
Thanks Lynell! You remembered! Now how to make it happen!
Not much of a leader, but I can follow. Too early yet til '22, but I wouldn't be surprised if folks like Black Voters Matter would coordinate buses to the polls
If we really cared about voting, the cities would provide free city bus transportation to the polls! Why not! And all employers would give a day off for those who voted. Voting machine would spit out a "receipt" to be taken to the employer for verification and a (voting)day's pay.
Now you're on to something, Mary...why not, indeed!
I am too… but CT is a blue state, and we’re near to NYC, which is also blue. How can I find an area where I could be useful?!
Margins matter everywhere, even in solid blue or solid red states. Every vote matters.
Yes they absolutely do matter. And another thing that matters is helping people feel empowered, feel good about doing the civic duty, feel supported in doing their civic duty, feel that their vote does matter.
This is the United States. You mobilize the blues to make the voice LOUD in Connecticut, Cynthia. They will hear it in Alabama.
Especially coming from me...My voice REALLY CARRIES!
I don't know. It would need to be an alliance of blue state blue folks and red state blue folks. It would be a big undertaking to make a difference but how cool would its be???!!! Can you just see us in a cavalcade streaming our flags, standing up for democracy, helping folks who need help...As I said in another similar post, let those Texas boys try to run us off the road with their pickup trucks! We have kindness and love on our side!
Here is an example of Texans fighting back against those trying to run us off the road with their pickup trucks.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/24/politics/trump-train-lawsuit-biden-campaign-workers/index.html
We do fight back. Don't give up on Texas. We are definitely in the fight.
Beta O'Rourke isn't giving up. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jul/03/beto-o-rourke-interview-texas-politics
Thanks for this link, Lynell. This is the kind of thing I hope more folks like Beto, who are not in political office but are known and respected, will do more often…to counter the right’s narrative.
And no, I am not giving up on Texas!
Oh awesome Bruce! Thanks for sharing! There is just too much to keep up with, but from time to time it pops into my head, "shouldn't that be a lawsuit???" Yay!
Maybe a way to start would be to coordinate with Stacy Abrams. Set up a system and then expand it to other red states.
thanks! I was thinking about that~
I did some of phone banking prior to the presidential election and had mixed feelings about the productivity of that. But those organizations were definitely on it--getting people involved, keeping in touch, setting it all up online, etc. But then again, the Jan 6th folks were just organizing on social media. I guess that wasn't quite as complicated in some ways. If a town needing help could register somewhere, indicate what they need, then people wanting to help could be matched. Of course, who knows what will be illegal by then!
With you!
Friends, I am old enough to remember the voter ID ploy when it was clearly racist. Please be aware that, in most cases, this refers to a driver's license and/or passport with a photo, which is government-issued, too expensive for the poor, and requires some weeks or months of waiting before one is obtained. There is nothing wrong with an ID per se but it should be accessible to everyone, free of charge and tamper-proof. In my mind, this is a national registration card and will be a huge undertaking that is not likely to happen anytime soon. (Guess who will be the likely adversaries?)
Agree. If a state or national ID is required, it should be free.
Making a government-issued ID free, while useful, would only solve part of the problem, I'm afraid. The other part is the documentation required to obtain it. See the documents required here in Georgia for a "Real ID," the term used for the secured ID mandated, I think, by Homeland Security post-9/11. https://dds.georgia.gov/list-acceptable-real-id-documents
You've gotta be pretty settled down to have these documents ready at hand. For instance, I'd be hard pressed to find my marriage license -- do you have yours handy? I'm quite sure that one's ability to assemble proof of identity is heavily influenced with income, level of transience, location, education, etc. How that skews the voter pool is probably very complicated and not necessarily intuitive.
And as alarming as restrictive voter ID requirements may be, not having to prove that you are, in fact, the person named on the voter registration roll seems...well, insecure, to put it mildly. I suspect that the end result will always be that a certain segment of potential voters will inevitably be excluded simply because they are too disorganized and poor to participate.
When they did the post 9/11 "security" horseshit, I had to arrange to get an ID for my father.
Born in 1913, he was in his late 80's, and was already suffering from early dementia. They insisted on his birth certificate. He had a copy. They said the copy was no good, they needed an "original." Gosh. Did they actually keep those original records from 1913?
My father served in WWII, and after he passed, I found his honorable discharge papers. Those would probably have been insufficient, too. He had lived in the same house in the same town for almost fifty years. Everyone in the neighborhood knew him. One of the clerks processing these was our neighbor. She took me aside and said, "I'll take care fo this."
That's how "identification" works in police states.
I'm one of those people who shouldn't be impacted by getting a "real ID" and it still cost me $40 and six weeks to get an official copy of my birth certificate from Texas, as well as $35 for the license. I will say (thank you, COVID-19!) that the California DMV instituted a great system during the pandemic, which I hope they'll retain in the future: getting it all done online, no visit to teh @#$#@!! DMV office - if you don't have any moving violations during the period of the old license, you go online, create an account, answer their questions, take a photo of the birth certificate and upload it, and 2 weeks later there it is in the mail: your new drivers license/real ID.
And I'll bet it doesn't work like that in Jawjah or Tejas.
Another complication: the Indiana DMV would not accept my valid marriage license b/c it was issued and signed by the church official even though the minister was also an authorized state official with an official state seal. I had to get a copy from the county clerk's office where we had applied and lived at the time. I was told that since 9/11, "church" issued licenses aren't accepted. This feels like Republican sh*t to me.
In the otherwise regressive bill proposed in Washington State was included the option of a voter ID card issued upon registration. I'd have to go back and look at the requirements for getting that card, but it was not as onerous as I'd expected - although possibly still beyond some people's ability.
What you say is true, imo, personal experience too, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't begin. The system can be tweaked over time.
Totally agree. I know people in that certain segment.
I know in Florida, one can obtain a state ID if one has no interest in driving privileges. Works as proper ID, gets one registered to vote, and does not take as long as a drivers license or passport.
And another thing. If the GOP says they are addressing "fears of election fraud in order to reassure voters," then let them. Then when the next election comes along, they will have no excuses for losing! How can they then claim a Big Lie again? Meanwhile we will do our work to make sure that everyone who wants to vote, is able to.
Oh they will anyway Kimberly. Have you ever seen facts sway the opinion of a Republican?
Point well placed. But there may be a few Lincoln Project Republicans who can push that idea.
And who cares if they do? We will be celebrating our greater majority for Pres Biden to work with.
As for the Supreme Court decision this week, one of the angst in Arizona was the voting in the wrong polling place. Arizona has a bad habit of changing polling places in heavily Democratic areas on a whim. So voting in the wrong polling place is to be an expected mistake. Let's work on more polling places in more permanent places.
I don't understand this mentality of you must go to the voting place in which you are assigned. In Texas so long as you go to one in the same county, it's no big deal.... hopefully Abbott, et al., aren't trying to change that flexibility! I've voted by mail, at a local university, and at all sorts of libraries. Early voting is 3 weeks long, so there's not a ton of pressure to go vote NOW - if the line is too long, check out a different library or come back a different day. Or do like Colorado and mail out ballots to every citizen a month early - so you get more active participation in local elections where your power really matters but are easy to miss if you don't pay attention to local news.
The Texas approach is good and very doable in the computer age where information sharing is instant and secure. Still I don't see the harm in having to go to your local precinct. It should be and probably is the law to notify voters if their polling place has changed. Mine changes depending on the party in power but I always get a notice in the mail.
Mine changed during the pandemic - maybe even the day before the primary, which then got postponed. I used to vote at a nursing home; it was a sensible change.
I don't see how they can allow that to happen. When I go to vote they verify me on the voter roll. AZ is in need of a major overhaul if someone can walk into the wrong precinct and be able to vote unchallenged.
In AZ, it is also difficult to get an ID. DMV sites have been reduced, requiring hours of travel. Online does not work. Getting appointments is impossible. And I am a highly mobile person.
Yes, Christopher. I believe Stacey is thinking along the same lines you are.
Bob Marley in Munich in 1980 sang it! Get up, Stand Up, Don't Give Up the The Fight!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhJ0q7X3DLM
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Don't give up the fight, oh
Preacher man, don't tell me
Heaven is under the earth
I know you don't know
What life is really worth
It's not all that glitter is gold
'Alf the story has never been told
So now you see the light
You stand up for your right
Get up, stand up (oh)
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
And I say, most people think
A great God will come from the sky
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high
But if you know what life is worth
You will look for yours on earth
And now you see the light
I want you to stand up for your right, ay
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Don't give up the fight
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your right
Get up, stand up
Don't give up the fight
We sick an' tired of your bullshit game
To die and go to Heaven inna Jesus name
We know when we understand
Almighty God is a living man
You fool some people sometimes, yeah
But you can't fool all the people all the time
So now we see the light
We gonna stand up for our rights
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Don't give up the fight
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights (yeah)
Get up, stand up
Don't give up the fight
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Don't give up the fight
Wish Bob Marley had been alive and performed Get up, Stand Up, Don't Give Up the The Fight! all over Germany in the 1930's.
Thanks so much for posting this, Lanita! Although a 1980 song, it sure has totally appropriateness for today -- in the US and Canada! (I'm a dual citizen.) Love Bob Marley!
Face towards the light…..been sayin’ it. That’s where the Love is.
Love this one. ❤️🤍💙
Thanks, Lanita!! I knew those words sounded familiar. Bob Marley, a consummate activist.
I went to see him at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle on his 1979 tour - on my birthday!!! - and I just found a recording of that concert. Wow! It was an amazing evening - I'm not sure I sat down once the whole time. I have such a strong memory of his dreads spreading out like sunrays when he danced. Gonna listen to that concert right now!!!
https://seattlepalate.com/bob-marley-the-wailers-live-at-paramount-theatre-seattle-wa-u-s-a-20-11-1979/
Oh, my, Lanita...lucky you!
The song has been in my head all day, since I read Christopher’s post this morning 🙂
I am in complete agreement with you Christopher. It is up to us, "the people " to continue the work to form "a more perfect Union ". While we can hope for good results from our elected representatives, it is up to us to take up the cause of ensuring that every American who wants to vote complies with their state requirements, are able to get to the polls, and vote! Boots on the ground for each of us who is able.
100% on target! Prepare for the worst as well as fight for the best!
Yes, Christopher. I want to believe this significant forum of voices is thinking along the same lines as you are.
Well said, Christopher. However, If other states are like Ohio, you have to have numerous documents with you (some certified/original) to get either an ID or a Drivers License. The push being recommended is right on target, but it requires a lot of preparation and documents that many folks don't have easy access to. A real problem......
It's not like that in the Ohio where I live. First I always vote absentee and don't need a reason. On the application I usually just give my SSN last four because I'm too lazy to pull out my Driver's License. I haven't been a poll judge for a while but when I was, in the absence of a photo ID you only needed a utility bill with your name and address. You can find all the acceptable ones here: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/id-requirements/?
Absentee voting is even easier imho: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/absentee-voting/
So, every voter can vote absentee or in person without a major hassle as you seemed to imply.
Somethings are best not left to the states. Maybe the whole process doesn't need to be federalized but the question of proving who you are definitely should be.
Many, too many things are left to the states. What is the point of being the "United" states when states can make up their own rules about such basic needs/rights as voting, adequate health care and free quality K-12 education?
Agreed. It allows things like pockets of the virus flourishing while the rest of us comply with masks, etc. A democracy requires that everyone be vaccinated and/or comply with rules to protect our fellow citizens. The notion that democracy means total independence from government rules has gone off the charts. States' rights people are milking it for all it's worth.
Exactly!
Yes !
Excellent, Christopher! (I love that song)
Yes!
I love this attitude! 👏🏻✊🏻