Congressional Black Caucus rallies preachers to tackle voter-ID laws

[babylonsister]

Congressional Black Caucus rallies preachers to tackle voter-ID laws

Ben Jealous

The NAACP and President Ben Jealous have launched what it says will be its biggest ever push to register voters ahead of the 2012 election. | Rerinhold Matay/AP

By William Douglas | McClatchy Newspapers

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Members of the Congressional Black Caucus and several hundred clergy leaders from the Conference of National Black Churches are scheduled to hold a summit Wednesday in Washington to discuss the new laws, their potential impact on African-American voters and how churches can educate parishioners, help them register and help get them to the polls on Election Day to prevent any significant drop-off from 2008.

“We will have attorneys there who are well-equipped to provide the guidance to the clergy members,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., the Congressional Black Caucus chair and a United Methodist pastor. “They will understand, before they leave, about some of the new laws in certain states designed – as we interpret them – to reduce the turnout. The day is over when they could just stand in the pulpit and say ‘Go vote. It’s your duty.’ They’ve got to now be equipped with some sophisticated information to help inspire a turnout and protect parishioners from some of the schemes that are out there.”

Since last year, at least 15 states have passed a wide array of laws that they say are aimed at reducing voter fraud. Up to 38 states, including some of those 15, are weighing legislation that would require people to show government-approved photo identification or provide proof of citizenship before registering or casting ballots.

Other changes that states have adopted or are considering include restricting voter-registration drives by third-party groups such as the League of Women Voters and the NAACP, curtailing or eliminating early voting, doing away with same-day registration and rescinding the right to vote of convicted felons who’ve served their time.

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http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/05/28/150182/congressional-black-caucus-rallies.html

[jenmito]

2. You obviously took a wrong turn on the way to the site you were looking for. n/t

[babylonsister]

3. I predict pizza in 3...2...1... nt

[jenmito]

5. The pizza has been delivered. n/t

[DirkGently]

4. Absolutely. Voter suppression tactics are off the charts.

[BlueCaliDem]

6. GOOD! Is this what the GOTP ran on in order to gain power?

When will the American people learn? And I'm talking about the majority of Americans in this country, not the fringe GOTP. We need to be as vigilant and as dedicated to voting in each and every election from anything local, statewide, primaries, and the presidential.

In the primaries, the RepubliBots out-vote Democrats by 3% - Democrats 8% to the RepubliBots' 11%. If we don't change this, they will always win seats in power.

My 20-year-old daughter, who has voted in every election the moment she became 18, was astounded by how few people in her circle of friends vote! In fact, she was the only one! She immediately decided to have them all register to vote. When one protested and said she isn't political, my daughter countered with, "Fine. But when you find you can't find a job, or your taxes go up (Ryan's plan), or you get sick and can't get health insurance, then don't come whining."

It's astounding how many people don't know that, no matter how boring politics might seem to them, it has direct effect on your personal life if the wrong people are in office.