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[elocs]

This message was self-deleted by its author (elocs) on Mon Nov 5, 2018, 05:46 PM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[mucifer]

1. please pay attention. There have been tons of lawsuits. It's like a whack a mole.

repubs often lose the lawsuits. More right wing judges are being appointed. Once in a while the republicans win the lawsuits. They have a lot of money so it's all worth it to them to lose a lot of lawsuits and win a few.

Pure evil. Don't buy the propaganda that the dems are wimps and do nothing.

[shanny]

5. Lawsuits after the fact don't help.

We need to change the narrative of "voter fraud" (all those non-existent illegal and multiple voters) to election fraud--which is going on ALL THE TIME and has been for the better part of TWO DECADES. Pro-active, not reactive. Why did it fall to Greg Palast to file a lawsuit in Georgia?

[elocs]

6. I'm sorry, did I not make it clear that I do NOT mean lawsuits?

An organization to use some of those millions of dollars to help people get those IDs. Practical help, not lawsuits.
Need a ride to the DMV to get that ID? A volunteer will be found. Need help in getting that birth certificate? We'll help you out.
If you have food and people are hungry then just give them the damned food and don't tell them you'll file a lawsuit on their behalf.
Isn't that better than just throwing our hands up and proclaiming there's nothing we can do because there are too many conservative judges out there?

[tazkcmo]

2. Any suggestions

That the minority party can accomplish?

[beachbum bob]

3. The efforts are done, but more resources should be allocated

So voters have all the proper ID stuff to begin with

[uponit7771]

4. K&R, I don't think they think voter suppression affects decisions as much as we do

[shanny]

8. uh huh

"The NAACP sued Florida after the election for violating the Voting Rights Act (VRA). As a result of the settlement, the company that the Florida legislature entrusted with the purge—the Boca Raton–based Database Technologies (DBT)—ran the names on its 2000 purge list using stricter criteria. The exercise turned up 12,000 voters who shouldn’t have been labeled felons. That was 22 times Bush’s 537-vote margin of victory. "

https://www.thenation.com/article/how-the-2000-election-in-florida-led-to-a-new-wave-of-voter-disenfranchisement/

That was kind of a big one, wasn't it?

[uponit7771]

15. Yep, I don't understand their logic in letting VS issues out of the front of the news constantly wit

... with healthcare.

For the last 15 years most of the close races have gone to KGOP

[JCMach1]

7. We have been dropping the voting ball for 18yrs... since 2000

[Demsrule86]

17. Voters dropped the ball when they refused to vote for Hillary Clinton or even Russ Feingold in 16..

If one doesn't vote in midterms and presidential elections for the Democratic candidate, they enable voter suppression...we lost the census redistricting...if we had retained the states and the house in 08, we would not have faced a gerrymander... And would have got the house back in 12...in 14, some made it worse by harshly criticizing pres. Obama and not voting to save the Senate...we lost a SCOTUS pick, so spare me please. Many who castigate the Democrats need to look in the mirror...especially those who cried about emails while helping elect a Nazi ( not saying you a general comment on those who voted for a third party or stayed home).

[EffieBlack]

28. Not one thing you said is a lie ...

[OnDoutside]

30. Correct, and it's not going to be fixed overnight, but they are working on it.

[EffieBlack]

9. This IS being done

It's happening all over the country.

[mucifer]

11. Exactly! I'm so sick of the "blame the weak dems" attitude

[EffieBlack]

12. People don't bother to do even a minimal amount of research to find out what's going on - often in

their own backyards - but then go online demanding to know why nothing's being done.

Organizations across the country are working their asses off registering voters, making sure they know their state voter ID laws and can get the IDs they need to vote. Much of this work is being done in minority communities by minority organizations and activists - which may be why far too many progressives have no idea it's happening since they don't bother paying attention to or even talking to people of color right in their own communities.

Instead of complaining and accusing online, folk should just pick up the phone and call their local NAACP, Urban League, League of Women Voters, Community Action Agency, etc., find out what they're doing on voter engagement, and volunteer to help them.

[elocs]

19. Then why isn't the word out there and it being well known where people can go for help?

We've got millions of dollars for political ads, but how much money is going to combat voter suppression in a practical way by a well known organization?

[EffieBlack]

20. Because it's being done at a local level

The fact that you don't know about doesn't mean that "the word isn't out there.""

"Well-known" organizations like the NAACP, Urban League, League of Women Voters, unions and others are already doing this. Why not call your local community organizations and get more information about what they're doing and volunteer to help them? And if they're not already doing it, either because of lack of human or financial resources, you can certainly step up to work with them to organize an effort

That's certainly more productive then assuming that because you didn't hear about it on MSNBC it's not happening and then going online to complain that Democrats aren't doing enough.

[Gothmog]

25. Partisan v. Non-Partisan voter protection

The ACLU, Texas Civil Rights Project and the American Constitution Law groups are all working on a non-partisan voter protection program. These programs are great.

I am working with the Texas state party on partisan voter protection. I prefer partisan voter protection because we have standing to sue and we can assign poll watchers to be inside the polling places. I have been busy getting poll watchers trained and assigned this weekend for tomorrow.

In Texas you can 844 TXVOTES to get to the state party war room that will assign your problem

Each war room is part of a computer database where all voter issues are documented and referred to the local person for dealing with

[EffieBlack]

27. Fantastic!

[MineralMan]

10. That's a matter that needs to be taken up in states that are using that

to suppress votes. And that means using that state's Democratic Party organization to lead the way. Only the people within each state has any chance to affect this, and not all states, by any means, put up ID barriers.

If your state does, then you have an opportunity to raise the issue within the party organization where you are. It would be a great thing to work on, and it often just takes one dedicated person to get things underway.

In the end, though, the goal should be to enact laws that remove those barriers. That means gaining control of legislatures in those states. It's not going to be an easy battle, at least in some red states.

[EffieBlack]

13. It's a 2-track effort: Fight the laws in the courts, but in the meantime, do whatever it takes to

help people overcome the obstacles.

That's being done all over the country - unfortunately, it seems that too many people aren't paying attention and don't know it's happening.

[Gothmog]

23. I have been training poll watchers and assigning them this weekend

I will be in my county's war room tomorrow

[EffieBlack]

24. Awesome!

[Demsrule86]

14. Like what? The Democrats were stripped of power in many states hence the purges and what not...

Stop blaming Democrats.

[elocs]

29. What power is needed from the state for a private organization to help people get IDs?

[FSogol]

16. Get involved with your local party. Then you would know that it is being done. n/t

[Gothmog]

22. Yes

Each county party has plans in place

[betsuni]

18. Why didn't Democrats stop ______ ?

[Gothmog]

21. The Democratic Party and its lawyers have been very busy

In 2014, we had a program in Texas to help voters get Ids and helped a couple of hundred voters. In the mean time, Chad Dun (outside counsel to the Texas Democratic Party) pushed his lawsuit and got the Texas voter id law largely gutted. I have been in two different election law training classes in October and I will be heading up voter protection in my county

The State Party has had a war room in action since the start of early voting. You can reach it at 844 TXVOTES. The Harris County party has a couple of dozen lawyers in its war room for election day.

As for rides to the polls, each of the candidates are working on this.

I have fielded several dozen calls last week on voting and absentee ballots. It has been far busier than normal

The Democratic Party is fighting voter suppression. There will be lawyers standing by fighting to protec the vote

[EffieBlack]

26. This is all awesome

And it's being replicated in cities and towns all across the country.

I really don't get why Democrats complain that no one's doing enough but don't even bother to just look around their own community to find out what's going on - I guess it's easier just to assume that Twitter and MSNBC are the political universe and if they don't see it there, it's not happening.