If Republicans are so sure they can win the vote, why do they keep passing laws making it hard for Democrats to vote?

by NewChapter 159 Replies latest members politics

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  JeffT

  Beks, you're proving that democrats are so partisan and ideological they can't read the Constitution and understand what it says. The Constitution states how electors are to be chosen. The Florida legislature laid out a procedure for selecting electors. Like it or not, that procedure was followed. The only body with the Constitutional authority to say otherwise was the Florida legislature.

  Like I said, if you want direct election of the President, change the Constitution.

  Edited to add: I expect you're thinking of asking me how I'd feel if the situation was reversed. Well, for the last eight years I've been dealing with just that here in Washington State. Christine Gregoire was elected in 2004 after the second of two recounts pushed her over the top. I find it odd that the King County election board found a pile of uncounted absentee ballots, which just happend to give her the winning margin of 100 or so. I thought it didn't pass the smell test, but it was legal.
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  Diest

  Oddly enough Jeff Gore won every recount that was done....and ooo 500k votes nation wide....if that is not proof of the point that repubs dont like voters dont know what is.....and no one refuted the list of silly laws NC put out.....
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  JeffT

  Diest, so what? Constitutionally, the popular vote doesn't make any difference. If you don't like that, amend the Constitution. And neither do recounts conducted after the election is over, unless the plan is to keep counting until you win.

  Rules matter. Take a look at that World Series I mentioned.
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  Glander

  NC - "At least Jeff tries to inject some facts and not just snide."

  JeffT understood my comment. His information re: the Bush/Gore election is factual and has been common knowledge for 10 years. This does not stop liberal zealots who continue bringing up the "stolen" election issue. The facts be damned, they have been shouting falsehoods knowingly on this and so many other myths that continuing to try and have a dialogue with some posters here is an excercise in futility.

  Bravo to Jeff for his efforts.
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  garyneal

  I tend to be torn over the popular vote vs the electoral college. I've seen the words we are a democracy being thrown around but the truth is, we're not. We're a republic and for a very good reason. Sometimes the majority is not always in the right.
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  NewChapter

  I've seen the words we are a democracy being thrown around but the truth is, we're not.

  Agreed Gary. I try to be careful to define it as a democratic process. We are a republic for very good reason. Purely popular vote is what messed up some states under the Articles of the Confederation. Laws were being passed and debts forcefully forgiven by popular demand. Passing such things through an electorate really allows for a cooling process. We need that. Mob mentality is never good and is always emotional. Still it is carried out with a democratic process. So votes are still important. Suppressing them is UnAmerican.

  NC
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  Berengaria

  Beks, you're proving that democrats are so partisan and ideological they can't read the Constitution and understand what it says. The Constitution states how electors are to be chosen. The Florida legislature laid out a procedure for selecting electors. Like it or not, that procedure was followed. The only body with the Constitutional authority to say otherwise was the Florida legislature.

  No where in the Constitution does it say that the unelected SCOTUS gets to play Kingmaker. Either you are unaware of the details of this event, or you are being obtuse.
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  Berengaria

  I've seen the words we are a democracy being thrown around but the truth is, we're not.

  Agreed Gary. I try to be careful to define it as a democratic process. We are a republic for very good reason. Purely popular vote is what messed up some states under the Articles of the Confederation. Laws were being passed and debts forcefully forgiven by popular demand. Passing such things through an electorate really allows for a cooling process. We need that. Mob mentality is never good and is always emotional. Still it is carried out with a democratic process. So votes are still important. Suppressing them is UnAmerican.

  NC

  We have essentially evolved in to a Democratic Republic. There are no longer requirements to be male, white, property owning, in order to vote. It is now the right of every citizen to vote, and have that vote counted.
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  NewChapter

  I was thinking about this and wonder. The republicans have shown extreme willingness to abuse their power and overreach. They have taken this "republican moment" as an opportunity to overreach and secure things for their buddies. It becomes more blantant every day, and continues to surprise us. They have shown their willingness to tamper with the vote by suppressing votes. DO YOU THINK they are shameless enough to become faithless electors? Which would mean they would vote against the popular vote to oust Obama.

  Nothing really stops them from doing this. A few states have some laws preventing this, but if they are ever challenged in court, they could be overturned.

  I'm not a conspiracy theorist, however I'm seeing something I've never seen before. I just wonder . . .

  NC
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  Glander

  NC,

  I appreciate your frequent use of the word "wondering". The generally accepted definition of this word is "pondering" - thinking about it - weighing the matter. Good for you. That's how we grow in our intellect and personal beliefs. Some people freeze their beliefs in high school, or the Theocratic Ministry School. I am 65 and still wondering about all sorts of things and I'm not averse to changing my thinking on almost anything. With cause.

  I would be interested to know your current outlook (after considering the thoughtful posts by JeffT) on the subject of the Bush/Gore election. You began the thread with comments that showed you had embraced the liberal mantra that the election had been "stolen" or won illegally. Now the discussion has shifted to various opinions about the prevailing election LAWS. So, let's back up just a little bit. Would you still charactize the Bush/Gore election as having been stolen?