The Obama campaign yesterday went to court to block what it alleged was an attempt by Republicans in Michigan to stop people who lost their homes in the mortgage crisis from voting in November’s election.
The suit, filed in a Michigan court yesterday, is the latest sign of contention over voting procedures. Voting rights activists in several battleground states have reported an aggressive push by Republican elected officials and activists to make it harder to vote.
In Macomb county, Michigan, a swing constituency, Republican officials for the first time tried to use America’s housing crisis as a way of striking people off lists, the Obama camp told reporters yesterday. “There is no doubt that there is an immediate threat to the voting rights of citizens in Michigan whose names could appear on a foreclosure list,” said Bob Bauer, an Obama lawyer.
The situation came to light last week when the Republican party chairman of Macomb county told a local newspaper he planned to draw on publicly available lists of home foreclosures to bar people from casting their vote.
The national Republicans later distanced the party from his comment, but other state party officials confirmed there were plans to deploy an army of poll “challengers” who would check voters’ credentials.
If you lost your home in this trickle-down-your-leg economy – the Republican Party is going to make certain you’re also cut off from your right to vote, as well.
A more commonly seen alternate headline:
Democrats Exploit Cemetery Records to Increase Their Voter Base
So…because the Republicans want to make sure each voter has the credentials to vote in their district…and that they only vote once; they are the bad guys?
#2, Well put.
If you don’t live in that house anymore, where do you live? Do you live in the district or not?
Well, if you want the federal government to bail you out of your stupid ARM mortgage it doesn’t matter who you vote for. Both parties are giving money away!!
Furthermore, we’re getting screwed by the government again. Washington is spending billions to bail out Freddie and Fannie and now they are spending billions more to bail out AIG, one of the world’s largest insurers and now the automakers lining up for a free handout from Washington. What is galling is this is all happening under an alleged “conservative free-market” administration.
What a bunch of hooey. In addition to being the stupidest president in history Bush is also the worst. It really pisses me off.
Of course, Obama is such a pathetic lightweight that nothing will change with him in office. Those crooked old rascals in Congress will play him like a cheap violin and McCain is just a venal old fool who sacrificed all his principles for a run at the White House.
So should I get to vote in every district, precinct and state I’ve ever lived?
If so I’m going to be real busy and really rack up the frequent flyer miles come November.
“The Republicans argue that people who have lost their homes may no longer be resident at the address listed on voter records, and hence are ineligible to vote,…”
So, since the Republicans were so [kind] as to bring attention to this problem, voters can now make sure that their current address is registered on voter records. Right?
Good thing those “right to bare arms” folks fight to allow us to keep our M16. Anyone in Michigan or anywhere else keeping people from voting will not be able to vote in the future. Again thanks to their pro-NRA stand I know have access to the tools that will keep those retards out of control of anything, Hahahahaha… Saddle up and head to Michigan boys.
How is this such an issue?? If you’re registered to vote in a district and you move after the closing of voting registration, then they tell you to vote where you’re registered.
So if you’re house was in one district, and you live in an apartment in another you still vote where you’re registered.
Are the democrats that worried about Obama that they have to resort to smear campaigns against the Republicans?
Though this is not really anything new. Every election some local party official tries some shinaniggans to paint the other party as disenfranchising the other.
Always encouraging to see loyal Republikans line up to defend sleaze. Especially by passionately throwing up one or another straw man as off topic as is possible.
No honest answers for their dishonesty.
Only the landed gentry should be able to vote.
Thinker, think about that when you ask why this is an issue. Where will all of the newly homeless citizens vote? What district should they be part of? What happens to residents of Galveston, TX? Should they also not be allowed to vote if their homes are destroyed?
#2,6 and 5. Not to mention it is illegal to allow people without a permanent address.
I seriously don’t believe the Obama campaign will make it’s best effort to verify the accuracy of their voters. Just get the names!
I wonder if they are passively allowing/promoting voter fraud? Turning a blind eye?
#5, fortunately most of the government bailout money is in the form of short term loans, which has to be repaid. Something like the Chrysler loan under Lee Iacocca.
The loan saved Chrysler and tons of jobs, and was paid back early with interest.
Net result. Economic disaster averted.
There is a good chance these loans will do the same thing.
Net result: Saved economy with no net loss to the taxpayer.
With all the voter fraud perpetuated by Democrats (Washington, Ohio, Wisconsin, etc) especially by that community organizing group that Obama was part of -ACRON, it’s perfectly legal to do what the Republicans are doing. We all knw that dems have to resort to fraud to win elections.
Btw, whre is Obama from? Chicago! What’s Chicago known for? Political corruption!
#12, “Political corruption” is an oxymoron.
The federal budget should consist of 50 equal portions doled out to each state for them to spend as they please.
I wonder if I could write an entire novel with vi?
#11 “Not to mention it is illegal to allow people without a permanent address.”
Are you saying that there are laws on the books to deny people their constitutional rights just because they are homeless?
Not that I would put such a scam past either party, but I don’t think it will fly. Has the Supreme Court heard about this??
Slimy Repukes should crawl back under the rocks from whence the came !!!
GLAD TO SEE THAT DEEVORAK’S SITE HAS BECOME LIBERAL CENTRAL.
This is a good idea but will only make a small dent in the dead voters constituency that makes up such a large part of the Democrat vote. Not to mention the illegal alien’s and fictional people who seem to vote consistently Democrat. Why to dead, illegal and fictional people keep voting Democrat? What have the Dems done for these people in all these years?
Maybe I’ll use emacs.
#17
Maybe the Obamination needs to find his rock too. He can’t point fingers about corruption and sleaze- look at what his fellow democrats have to say about his corrupt caucus strong-arming:
http://wewillnotbesilenced2008.com/
Verifying the integrity of voter registries isn’t a bad thing, except when you’re targeting groups who are likely to vote against you.
Legal? Perhaps. Sketchy? Absolutely.
Where’s the surprise in this? Since Nixon led the call in 1970 to bring the “Negrophobe” vote into the Republican Party, the Party has officially supported bigotry.
That Republicans are pro-active about excluding voting rights from people with declining incomes should not be any more of a surprise than their efforts in general to impede voter registration drives.
#10 MS,
The situation I layed out is the exact one I found myself in during the 2004 elections, and this is how the state of maryland resolved the situation.
I use thinker, because I hope people might think outside the box in a constructive fasion, instead of standing on it, before commenting.
Step up to the mike and impress me.
“So…because the Republicans want to make sure each voter has the credentials to vote in their district…and that they only vote once; they are the bad guys?”
“#2, Well put.
If you don’t live in that house anymore, where do you live? Do you live in the district or not?
”
You guys don’t get it. This gives you a list of likely democratic voters to challenge. The challenge itself takes you out of the voting process. Many people give up or by the time the issue is resolved it’s too late.
Fucking despicable. Anyone who votes republican after this is an asshole. You can’t say you’re now living at a friends house or worse yet this hotel? Should go by SSN not what home you own. Last time I checked this country was a democracy, which means every person gets A vote.
I am ashamed that I was ever registered as a Republican. I am glad I fixed that problem.
#25 “Last time I checked this country was a democracy, which means every person gets A vote.”
You do, you just can’t vote in a district you don’t live in. If you live with a friend you can vote in that district. If you move you have to re-register in the district you currently live in.
Forms are available to all citizens at the local post office…
#24…so we should allow voter fraud because it’s “fair”?
#25…call me an asshole. I was actually going to vote 3rd party because my vote isn’t going to count this year anyway. However, after enough of these “You’re stupid if you vote for McCain” and “You’re an asshole if you vote the Repuklikans again” statements have made me rethink that position. I genuinely want to vote for McCain now…just for spite.
Last time I checked this country was a democracy, which means every person gets A vote. And the last time I checked this country was a Republic…which means not everyone gets A vote. There is no federally guaranteed right to vote…never has been. Felons in prison in many states don’t have a “right to vote”. In a few states, they lose the right for their entire lives.
You can’t say you’re now living at a friends house or worse yet this hotel?Sure you can, and there is nothing right now to stop you from doing it. Read the truth, not the headlines. This is strictly to stop people from voting in more than one location. You can’t legally vote without proof of residency somewhere anyway…show proof…go vote, no problem.