While both sides have really stupid voters, republicans can count on them turning out on their own. Usually because they are engaged, even if they believe in crazy stuff like the earth being flat, vaccines causing autism, Obama is a Muslim born in Kenya, etc.

Democrats, especially young ones, tend to be lazy. This is why they are democrats, if they weren't, they would be successful republicans. So it takes a little more effort to get them out.

I kid, but I for one think that voting is a pretty important thing and have always made the effort since I was 18, no matter what. I'd work 60 hour weeks and deal with traffic, yet still show up in person to wait up to an hour to vote. I find the concept of making it so easy that you don't have to put any effort into it counter productive to society. I really don't want people who aren't engaged or willing to put at least some effort into voting actually voting. I also take offense to the concept that I only hold this belief because republicans wouldn't win without restrictions or that I'm racist because of it. I'm not trying to stop anybody from voting and certainly not going out of my way to keep them from voting. I just think people need to accept a little responsibility and planning in order to execute their right to vote.

I don’t disagree with anything you said above. I do have a great wife and a bunch of great surfboards.

My point is that are no special voting opportunities which I enjoy that are not available to individuals who are black.

And no inherent deficiency in black people that makes it particularly difficult to comply with whatever voting laws are passed.

For the record I’m not in favor of laws that make voting harder.

It’s just that the idea that such laws are somehow MORE difficult for black people to follow is, well, racist.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

By the way. I think voting restrictions would negatively impact republican voters as well, and I'm fine with that. Do you know how much easier my life would be without the nutjobs that pander to the lowest common denominator? These same nutjobs that then suck up all the media oxygen in my state despite being not being the majority? The same nutjobs and their base that make it impossible to have rational political discussion over policy and implement legislation where more people leave happy vs both side leaving pissed because they didn't get what they want?

A lot easier, because a I can think of a couple state and local politicians that are batshit crazy, elected by batshit crazy people. Politicians who wouldn't stand a chance outside their throwback distracts as evidence by losing nearly every state level race they engage in.

i don't think we're that far apart. and i'm not all that against certain voter laws that identify you as a voter, that democrats are against. but, when i drive 2 miles to get to the precinct, and spend 1 minute waiting in line to vote; while a black person in louisiana drives 20 miles and spends 2 hours waiting in line; to the degree that dynamic is fueled by policies geared to make it that way, that's either: A) racism at work; or B) voter disenfranchisement at work. and that's what is happening, and it's been happening since the voting rights act was gutted by SCOTUS.

black people are voting by mail, now, as a result. voting early. so, states are clamping down on that in response. some are saying, "it's the same restrictions placed on whites who vote early as placed on blacks." but as you see, that's really not what's happening. don't fall into that trap.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

I'm not going to quote anything because I seemed to have screwed up the formatting above.

We take away their rights to guns because we can't have those in prison. We take away liberty because the point of prison is to isolate from society. We take away the right not to be searched because we can't have contraband in prison.

We don't take away the right to free speech, press, self incrimination, religion etc.

So what is it about voting that puts it in the first category and not the second? The only answer I've seen is, "because other rights are also taken away". I don't really have a dog in this fight but I'm wondering about the reasoning of those that do.

Again, I’m not seeing any law forcing black people in particular to drive 20 miles and wait 2 hours. There’s no segregated voting places, one for white and one for “colored” voters.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

Where in the bill of rights is voting covered?

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

you're choosing willful ignorance. i'm out.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

No, I’m trying to figure out how a particular voting law would be harder for a black person to comply with than a non-black person.

Please explain that.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

Honestly, what's crazy about it? Those who would be voting are still citizens and there are a hell of a lot of non-violent and non-victim criminals incarcerated, plenty of drug users incarcerated who are serving time for things that have since been decriminalized. I'm all in favor of doing what it takes to get more eligible voters to the polls and makes it easier for them to do so. What would it hurt? Do you honestly think the low percentage of voting in the general population is going to be overrun with massive amounts and percentages of incarcerated voters? They're serving their time in prison, which is enough punishment and shouldn't include losing the right to vote for those who will be their representatives once they're out. But call me crazy, because I believe in redemptive opportunities and grace and mercy and stuff, while still setting smart boundaries...

But rant on senselessly. It's your right. And I support that, as un-factual as your rants may be.

No, I’m trying to figure out how a particular voting law would be harder for a black person to comply with than a non-black person.

Please explain that. //

Shit Duffy, even you cannot be that dense. If an area is 80% black and 20% white and they "ALL" as you put it have to wait 2 hours to vote, which group % wise is most affected?? No need to spin of on some tangent, just answer this one simple question, and there is your answer..

voting is relegated to the states, with some exceptions, enumerated in 4 or 5 constitutional amendments. states set up their own voting boards, by state statute. those boards actively work to disenfranchise voters through various legal means, that is, they were legal until civil rights legislation in the 50s and 60s outlawed them. this SCOTUS struck down this legislation. so, states that habitually found ways to disenfranchise black voters are again free to do so. if i place (for example) a lot of precincts, easy to get to, in white areas, and take them out of black areas, that's perfectly *legal*. if i figure out who's likely to vote democrat - blacks, college kids - and i divine their voting patterns, and specifically set up processes that make it harder for them to vote, then what i'm doing is legal, but only because a republican led state *legally* disenfranchises voters it doesn't want casting votes.

there. there you go. you're smart enough to already know this. i just wasted 3 minutes.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

That’s a geographical issue. It’s not racial issue.

You’re white. Your wife is black.

Name a precinct anywhere in the US where it would be more difficult for her to vote than you.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

I'll humor you just to make this clear, even though I'm quite sure you already know all of this and are playing your usual game.

It's not the particular voting law. It is state by state.

Consider gerrymandering for a moment. I think we can both agree that it happens. There are cases headed to the Supreme Court already.

Gerrymandering means that a state can readily identify voters by region. It's all computers now but the point is that they can identify Republicans or Democrats based on where they live within the state. They can also do breakdowns on any demographic you want: race, income range, # of kids, religion, whatever. Gerrymandering redraws the lines to leverage that to the advantage of the current majority party.

What does that have to do with the ability of black people to vote? Well, when you know which communities belong to each race, and knows which party they generally vote for, you can move on to obstructing your opponents from voting.

The behaviors seen - particularly in the Southern states that had their pre-clearance removed by the Supreme Court - are as follows:

- reduce the # of polling stations in predominantly black neighborhoods, forcing a long drive to go vote.
- reduce the # of places to register to vote in those areas. Same thing.
- cut down the # of hours those stations are open. Usually forcing someone to skip work to go vote.
- limit the types of id allowed for registering to vote. One example was Texas allowing concealed carry permits (mostly held by whites), but not student ids.
- throw out as many votes from those areas as possible ("exact" match signature rules, that sort of thing).

So in the areas where these things apply is there a separate super secret polling place and registration rules that are only used by white people?

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

You're not as dumb as the character you're playing in this thread.

Not seeing how that is relevant. Let's say we're going to add it to the Bill of Rights, which category does it go in and what criteria do you use to decide?

Agreed, Duffy, you are simply playing it too stupid here. That kind of stupid failed 60 years ago, it's not making a comeback.

Can’t refute the point so say I’m playing stupid.

In other words, I’m right. There are no voting laws that apply only to blacks.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

He's basically Jim @ LOTO, MO

The only difference is that he posts more than once per thread just to keep the troll going.

Not usually. For one, he doesn't just throw out one shots and flee. He also seldom falls into a chasm of silliness, like that last post.

poll taxes and literacy tests didn't apply only to blacks. You are being an imbecile, you are replaying the segregationist playbook ... in the 21st century! Just stop doing that, and stop congratulating yourself on your own self-debasement.

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DFL > DNF > DNS

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