General Discussion

The Velveteen Ocelot

(128,793 posts)

9. Not necessarily. Congress can, and has, passed legislation relating to elections.

Sun Oct 14, 2018, 03:16 PM

Oct 2018

Article I of the Constitution says: "The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of choosing Senators." So far Congress has regulated federal elections with respect to campaign finance and election interference, and the Constitution does not prevent Congress from "making or altering" other voting regulations - but explicitly allows it. The Help America Vote Act of 2002, intended to create improvements to voting systems and voter access, is an example of this. Unfortunately the current Supreme Court has been interpreting HAVA as narrowly as possible and has gutted the Voting Rights Act, so even if Congress were to pass such a registration law (unlikely if the GOP retains control of the Senate), the Supreme Court probably would kill it.

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Michael Avenatti with another great idea: [View all] Kingofalldems Oct 2018 OP

The only argument against this is gop purposeful voter suppression. Funtatlaguy Oct 2018 #1

Pass laws with jail terms for suppression of the vote, gerrymandering, registration, etc. olegramps Oct 2018 #53

he forgot something Grasswire2 Oct 2018 #2

People move around, they sometimes even change their name FakeNoose Oct 2018 #10

Social Security seems to do a pretty good job. SS# eligibility to vote. YOHABLO Oct 2018 #13

As pointed out elsewhere in this thread, having a SSN doesn't automatically mean The Velveteen Ocelot Oct 2018 #34

It's so easy here in Colorado meadowlark5 Oct 2018 #3

Even Florida has something like this. Ligyron Oct 2018 #25

Pennsylvania does that don't they? Vote only on election day? meadowlark5 Oct 2018 #27

Yes, that's what I was thinking when I wrote that but wasn't sure. Ligyron Oct 2018 #42

I wish.. cannabis_flower Oct 2018 #54

It's so much easier. meadowlark5 Oct 2018 #63

Since moving to Oregon we got new driver's licenses at the DMV calimary Oct 2018 #55

His idea of controlling state election registration requirements from the federal level would not Trust Buster Oct 2018 #4

He didn't say anything about state registration. Kingofalldems Oct 2018 #6

State registration is the only registration. The feds cannot usurp that. Trust Buster Oct 2018 #7

Not necessarily. Congress can, and has, passed legislation relating to elections. The Velveteen Ocelot Oct 2018 #9

First we need the federal birth registry jberryhill Oct 2018 #16

Social Security data? A federal birth registry is very unlikely ever to be created. The Velveteen Ocelot Oct 2018 #17

SSN doesn't imply citizenship jberryhill Oct 2018 #18

Then it's not going to work at all, at least not automatically. The Velveteen Ocelot Oct 2018 #21

Damn the details!!! Gets the desired re-tweet & exposure. 7962 Oct 2018 #38

Thumbs Up for Citing Your Sources of Information PandoraAwakened Oct 2018 #33

If it's a bill passed into law why not? brush Oct 2018 #14

We will not have 60 Senate votes to pass it into law even if we have a President that wouldn't veto. Trust Buster Oct 2018 #15

The 60-vote rule is for ending debate (cloture), not to pass a bill in the Senate. The Velveteen Ocelot Oct 2018 #35

You never know HOW many D or R members will be in a future Senate. COULD be 60 Dems, 7962 Oct 2018 #40

A GOOD lawyer should...... 7962 Oct 2018 #37

I like that idea. Turin_C3PO Oct 2018 #5

Don't take away a weekend day from workers please but Little Star Oct 2018 #8

But only for registered voters...... getagrip_already Oct 2018 #29

make the weekend day one of TWO election days..FIXED BamaRefugee Oct 2018 #11

Yep. Automatic voter registration at 18 should have been done long ago Autumn Oct 2018 #12

It will have to be done by the states, but it's a good idea. The Velveteen Ocelot Oct 2018 #22

Bold SANE moves . . . it's no long the time for "incremental", GOP doesn't do incremental pdsimdars Oct 2018 #19

This message was self-deleted by its author nini Oct 2018 #32

It is a great idea oldtime dfl_er Oct 2018 #20

He is GREAT! LBM20 Oct 2018 #23

And it should be a PAPER vote! Oregon does this! pioche4 Oct 2018 #24

Elizabeth Warren proposed this in 2015 oberliner Oct 2018 #26

Yep. NT. warmfeet Oct 2018 #41

So what, he never said he was the first. Kingofalldems Oct 2018 #43

Hmmm. shanny Oct 2018 #50

Wow, that makes me like him even more KelleyKramer Oct 2018 #51

That should be part of the senior curriculum near graduation day. kentuck Oct 2018 #28

the gop thinks it wrong to teach them anything..... getagrip_already Oct 2018 #30

Not a new idea - but needs to be done. nini Oct 2018 #31

He's addressing a key issue.... zentrum Oct 2018 #36

To this I would add 100% absentee ballot voting. OMGWTF Oct 2018 #39

Motor voter is a federal law, part of the Help America Vote Act DeminPennswoods Oct 2018 #44

I'm likin' this guy. But he's not a politician... Honeycombe8 Oct 2018 #45

He's a lawyer; he probably knows this stuff - but he's also a publicity hound The Velveteen Ocelot Oct 2018 #48

Being a lawyer is very different from being a politician. Honeycombe8 Oct 2018 #57

Something like 55% of US presidents have been lawyers. mtnsnake Oct 2018 #59

25 of 44 Presidents have been lawyers. 26 have been military. Honeycombe8 Oct 2018 #60

Very well said. mtnsnake Oct 2018 #61

I know that very well - I retired from that line of work some years ago. The Velveteen Ocelot Oct 2018 #62

It's not his idea. Qutzupalotl Oct 2018 #46

We should push for a constitutional amendment for mandatory voter registration blue-wave Oct 2018 #47

Remove "mobile." from the URL to get the actual tweet: tblue37 Oct 2018 #49

michael avenatti Dolly123Jimmy Oct 2018 #52

K&R Scurrilous Oct 2018 #56

That's a great idea. Vinca Oct 2018 #58