• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Bernie Sanders: Alabama Republicans are 'cowards' trying to 'suppress' vote

MrT said:
My 97 year old grandmother does not need photo ID for any aspect of her daily life. She is also a college graduate that routinely does fairly complex math in her head for the fun of it.
Click to expand...

Complex math in her head and still too dumb to get an ID? (rhetorical). Obviously your grandma doesn't represent the average person nor even the average elderly person as most still write checks, have bank accounts and travel. I encounter a lot of poor people and minorities in my job and not once have I ever asked for ID and they didn't have one.
 
I agree that everyone should be registered by default when they turn 18. As for "cowards," meh. Name calling won't fix the problem. But do Republicans generally try to put obstacles in front of voting? Absolutely. It increases their chances of winning. Democrats remove obstacles at least partially for the same reason. Both sides know the stats and enact policies to give their party an advantage.
 
soot said:
Why, Hmmmmmm????

Seems to me to make perfect sense.

There's no denying that the overwhelming majority of Democrat voters are the very same low-income people (minorities, young people and seniors) "targeted" by this type of tactic.

Since the Democrats promise these people free stuff, while all the Republicans have to offer them is personal responsibility, it's really no mystery why these people vote for the politicians they vote for.

After all, if they took responsibility for themselves in the first place they wouldn't need Republicans telling them that they need to, nor would they be so enamored of Democrats promising them free stuff.

Since you can't fight free stuff offering things like personal responsibility, strong moral values, hard work ethic, or religious faith the only thing to do is cut them numbers of freeloading losers actually going in to a voting booth.

All's fair in love and politics...
Click to expand...

America needs republicans like a fish needs a bicycle. LOL!
 
Crovax said:
That's true only if your of the opinion that the average Democrat is too stupid to have a basic ID needed in every facet of daily life.

So do you think the average Democrat is dumber than a box of rocks?
Click to expand...

No, it's just true. Republicans push for changes that will hinder voter turnout. Why it hinders voter turnout is beside the point. They know it does and they want it to.
 
TheDemSocialist said:
Alabama has historically and continues to be one of the, if not the worst state in America when it comes to implementing a free and fair elections for our representative democracy
244y89l.png

https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/HSD-report-FINAL.pdf

This new law that has been implemented is just another roadblock to suppress a certain segment of the population... I mean how much more evidence do we need? We have had republicans and conservatives come out and admit that these new laws are aimed at suppressing the vote and we have had right wing strategists as well admit that they (the American "right") do better when less people show up to the polls...

Tea Partier Admits Republicans Don’t Want African Americans To Vote. No ****.

Republicans Admit Voter-ID Laws Are Aimed at Democratic Voters
LISTEN: Nevada Republican Admits GOP Can Only Win If Fewer People Vote
Fla. Republican: We wanted to suppress black votes
Click to expand...






Not this stupid **** again...


MORE WHITES are affected than blacks in their dmv closings which was budgetary.
 
ReverendHellh0und said:
Not this stupid **** again...


MORE WHITES are affected than blacks in their dmv closings which was budgetary.
Click to expand...

“I’m going to be real honest with you. The Republican Party doesn’t want black people to vote if they are going to vote 9-to-1 for Democrats.”
 
Captain America said:
America needs republicans like a fish needs a bicycle. LOL!
Click to expand...

LOL

If it weren't for Republicans most Democrats wouldn't have a fish, a bicycle, or a pot to piss in.
 
Sanders is AGAIN trying to rile up the idiots.

His platform is built on creating division for his own personal gain and people claim he has integrity.
 
David_N said:
Not fear mongering, truth hurts. If you want fear mongering, look to the morons rallying against planned parenthood.
Click to expand...

I'll Take A Desperate Pivot For $500, Alex. :lol:
 
Captain America said:
Does anyone other than myself think it's somewhat strange that all the voting law changes, instituted by the republicans, are geared to help the GOP at the expense of the Democrats?

That alone should make one rub their chin and go, "Hmmmmmm????"
Click to expand...

Now that you mention it, I have indeed noticed that Democrats have consistently argued that anything that ensures against voter fraud will harm them in elections.
 
azgreg said:
While it's true that other types of ID's are valid to vote in Alabama you still need to obtain one by visiting a DMV.
Click to expand...

No, you don't. You can get a voter ID at the same registrar's office that you registered to vote. DMV is the most common, but hardly the only place to get an ID, especially given that - as you mention - lots of other forms of identification are equally as valid.
 
MrT said:
Woah, how in the WORLD can you possibly support this claim?
Click to expand...

Because it has what Henry Kissinger has described as "the added benefit of being true."

We do not have a profile case on this issue specifically because the individuals most likely to be disenfranchised and discouraged from voting are low-profile.
Click to expand...

:doh So your argument is that people are being disenfranchised and that the evidence for that is that we can't actually produce any evidence of it.

okedoke.

Listen, I understand the argument that the additional burdens being imposed by Alabama and other States are relatively slight - particularly for someone who is accustomed to navigating governmental entities and willing to engage actively with their community - but the situation remains that they are imposing a burden with even less justification.
Click to expand...

Actually the burden they are imposing is reduced - since the registrar's office that you use to register to vote with in the first place is also an office capable of issuing you a valid ID for voting, you don't even have to walk down the hall to the DMV. The act of registering to vote itself is the majority of the effort required to get an ID. As for those "accustomed to navigating government entities", well, those disenfranchised populations sure seem to be able to produce ID's when it's time to apply for public assistance. The burden here is minimal. Frankly, I'd prefer that it be much higher for all citizens.

The possibility of voter fraud is extremely low and the possibility that voter fraud would impact an election is even lower
Click to expand...

We have a sitting US Senator who was likely elected to his seat due to voter fraud. The likelihood is not extremely low.
 
cpwill said:
Now that you mention it, I have indeed noticed that Democrats have consistently argued that anything that ensures against voter fraud will harm them in elections.
Click to expand...

How serious of a problem is voter fraud in your opinion?
 
cpwill said:
Because it has what Henry Kissinger has described as "the added benefit of being true."
Click to expand...

In other words, you cannot support the claim.

cpwill said:
:doh So your argument is that people are being disenfranchised and that the evidence for that is that we can't actually produce any evidence of it.
Click to expand...

Oh I am not saying that it is impossible to provide evidence. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It is extremely easy to show evidence of disenfrachisement. For starters, I could use surveys of individuals who are discouraged from going through the new process in order to vote. I could simultaneously use those same surveys to ask them whether they would be more likely to vote if such a step were not required. Additionally, I could rely on voter turn out data. You mention that this law was passed in 2014 and, as such, the next voting cycle occurs in 2016. We could compare data from 2012 to 2016. Perhaps comparing 2014 to 2010 would also be useful.

Oh, let's go ahead and do that: Alabama voter turnout only 41 percent, lowest in decades | AL.com

Seems like 2014 was the single lowest turnout in a non-presidential year in at least 28 years. 2010 saw a turnout of nearly 9% points higher.

cpwill said:
Actually the burden they are imposing is reduced - since the registrar's office that you use to register to vote with in the first place is also an office capable of issuing you a valid ID for voting, you don't even have to walk down the hall to the DMV. The act of registering to vote itself is the majority of the effort required to get an ID. As for those "accustomed to navigating government entities", well, those disenfranchised populations sure seem to be able to produce ID's when it's time to apply for public assistance. The burden here is minimal. Frankly, I'd prefer that it be much higher for all citizens.
Click to expand...

First off, the notion that "those disenfrachised populations sure seem to be able to produce ID's when it's time to apply for public assistance" is an application of confirmation bias. You have no idea how many additional individuals are allowed to collect these benefits, but do not do so because of their unfamiliarity with the governmental system. Second, you are comparing a collection of resources through welfare to the act of voting. One necessarily requires a cost from the Government and the taxpayers and the other, the right to vote, is an ideal that we hold onto as a Republic. It makes absolute sense for the former to hold a higher standard of burden.

cpwill said:
We have a sitting US Senator who was likely elected to his seat due to voter fraud. The likelihood is not extremely low.
Click to expand...

Who?
 
Captain America said:
What other choice does the GOP have to survive but to gerrymander and obstruct voting? Their numbers are dwindling due to attrition and common sense. All's fair in love and politics.
Click to expand...
Really? Have you seen the Representative numbers in the House? Senate? Governor-ships across the country?

I'm fine with automatic registration. I do think there ought to be a check and verify vote system but thats not a problem...right?
 
soot said:
LOL

If it weren't for Republicans most Democrats wouldn't have a fish, a bicycle, or a pot to piss in.
Click to expand...

History shows the opposite. Maybe not for you, but for most of America, we seem to have done better when a democrat occupies the Whitehouse.

I guess it's a matter of perspective I suppose. If one favor's national division, social oppression, bombs and blood and economic collapse, I could see why they would tend to vote republican. But you can understand why that might turn some people off, no?
 
ReverendHellh0und said:
Is that racist, or is that reality?
Click to expand...

Enacting a antagonistic policy that makes it more difficult for certain segments of the population ("black people") to vote, and attempting to justify it because their overall voting trends... You tell me...
 
MrT said:
Mostly by virtue of showing up to the correct polling station and requesting their name. They can also present a number of documents or IDs (lacking a photo) that contain the correct name as well for additional verification.
Click to expand...

Doesnt that put a burden on them to get some sort of document that doesnt have a photo? Why are you trying to suppress their vote?
 
Captain America said:
History shows the opposite. Maybe not for you, but for most of America, we seem to have done better when a democrat occupies the Whitehouse.

I guess it's a matter of perspective I suppose. If one favor's national division, social oppression, bombs and blood and economic collapse, I could see why they would tend to vote republican. But you can understand why that might turn some people off, no?
Click to expand...

Didnt democrats support racial division? Heck, Lincoln, a Republican, killed a bunch of people in the name of unity.
 
TheDemSocialist said:
Enacting a antagonistic policy that makes it more difficult for certain segments of the population ("black people") to vote, and attempting to justify it because their overall voting trends... You tell me...
Click to expand...


thats a different thing than what we are talking about. stating that one doesn't want a segment to vote because they don't vote in thier favor is a long long way off from the accusations sanders is making by pandering to the gullible.



You need to prove that in this case a change in the dmv in alabama that affects far more whites than black is racist against blacks.
 
jonny5 said:
Doesnt that put a burden on them to get some sort of document that doesnt have a photo? Why are you trying to suppress their vote?
Click to expand...

Did you feel this post was a clever turnabout? I have no problem with some level of burden specifically because I do not want someone (or more likely a powerful corporation/political party) to rig the election by sending someone to vote in multiple districts that might result from zero burden to vote.

On the other hand, I do not want to discourage voting too much out of an irrational fear of individuals committing voter fraud.
 
Captain America said:
What other choice does the GOP have to survive but to gerrymander and obstruct voting? Their numbers are dwindling due to attrition and common sense. All's fair in love and politics.
Click to expand...

Nope, Republicans are stronger than ever. They hold both houses in Congress, most of the state legislatures, and most of the Governorships. Republican presidential candidates are leading Hillary in the polling.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom