Voter ID Redux

Sunday Photo-'Toons 1.24

Ken O'Brien

As we close the door on another exhilarating week in the land of O’Z, we look back with fond reminiscences.

We enjoyed a nicely entertaining town council meeting, followed by a snooze fest of a school committee meeting. (No mention of MCAS, hmmm.)

On the national scene, Willard continued to slide in the polls. Fortunately, he was joined by the non-mainstream media in protesting that such samples were clearly inaccurate if not tilted. (This did create somewhat of a conundrum for Faux News whose own poll showed Mittens behind by five points).

Homer Simpson Votes For President

Court Strikes Down Texas Voter ID Law

Ken O’Brien

Texas' controversial voter-identification law was struck down unanimously today by a three judge panel. The court held that the law violates civil-rights protections by putting an unfair burden on poor and minority voters. This is a major setback for Republicans on a key legal fight leading up to November elections.

A number of states, including Texas, Georgia and Pennsylvania, have passed laws tightening identification requirements for in-person voting. The Texas law would require a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, passport, or gun permit, but wouldn't allow a student ID for purposes of voting. 

Voter Suppression Phase Two (Or Is It Three?)

Ken O’Brien

The O’Zone has received a lot of pushback for the attention we have paid to the voter ID law movement sponsored by Republican legislatures across the country.

Court cases in Texas and Pennsylvania have amply demonstrated the total lack of incidents of voter fraud that have been the justification put forth for such laws.

As Jon Stewart has famously put it, it’s now time to move on to addressing the pressing matter of leash laws for unicorns. As for myself, I think we should first legislate and enforce an extraterrestrial registration act. 

Meet Viviette Applewhite

Ken O’Brien

Viviette Applewhite

Say hello to Viviette Applewhite. Viviette is 93 years young. She lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In the sixties Viviette marched alongside Martin Luther King in Georgia. The first time she ever voted in a Presidential election it was for John F. Kennedy.

Viviette is upset with her government. She is mad as hell and she’s not going to take it.

No, it’s not Washington and the Feds that has raised Viviette’s dander. It’s the Pennsylvania state government in Harrisburg. 

MSNBC’s “The Cycle” Weighs In On Voter ID Laws

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

See The O’Zone’s detailed discussion of this matter HERE.

Repetition of prior material will not be posted.

Those who disagree can file their complaints with the Department of Redundancy Department.

Analysis of Pennsylvania Voter ID Law Shows Scope of Voter Suppression

Ken O’Brien

Ten days ago The O’Zone pointed out that the true goal of nationwide Republican efforts to enact voter ID laws were not what was claimed.

In that article we ran a video of the Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) proudly proclaiming that the state’s new voter ID law would ensure a victory for Mitt Romney in Pennsylvania.

We immediately received pushback that these were “common sense” laws designed to prevent voter fraud. 

Republican Brags About Voter ID Law Winning the State of PA for Romney

Ken O’Brien

Despite several years of Republicans promoting voter fraud as the basis for new voter ID Laws around the country, the truth has leaked out. Numerous non-partisan groups including the League of Women Voters and The Brennan Center for Law and Justice have repeatedly shown that the incidences of actual voter fraud are insignificant.

Rather than being a response to voter fraud it is widely recognized by many that such laws are an effort at voter suppression designed to disenfranchise traditionally Democratic voter groups such as the elderly, students and minorities.

Fox News Picks Up ALEC’s Banner On Voter ID Laws

Ken O’Brien

One day after ALEC decided to give up the battle for repressive voter ID laws, Fox News picked up the fallen banner.

Special Report with Bret Baier featured a report by Shannon Bream that advanced the misinformation effort supporting the campaign for these laws that seek to disenfranchise elderly, young and minority voters.

It was amusing that the report led off with a statement by South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley citing such laws as “common sense”. Apparently she was unaware of the famous observation by Mark Twain as to how uncommon “common sense” actually is.

Never missing the opportunity to include one of their favorite right wing demons, the report included a comment by Van Jones who has been the subject of vilification by Fox News for years.

Here’s the report as it appeared tonight:

ALEC Ends Push for “Stand Your Ground” and Voter ID Laws

Ken O’Brien

according2g.com

ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council), responding to its desertion by numerous high profile corporate sponsors, announced today that it was eliminating its arm that dealt with social policy issues. Without acknowledging the recent exodus of such high profile sponsors as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, McDonald’s and Kraft, ALEC said it was refocusing its efforts on economic policy.

The organization’s press release follows:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kaitlyn Buss

Phone: 202-742-8526

Email: kbuss@alec.org