Voter Suppression and Why The Republicans Love It So Much?

[Al-O-Meter]

Perhaps you can name a country that uses democratic socialism that is not a social democracy?

I actually can't name a single country that is a democratic socialist country. Venezuela was probably the closest recently but even they have backed off somewhat.

Who ever said I was not a fan of capitalism?

I never said you were, never even intended to imply it. Typically I try to stay well clear of saying people I'm talking with are this or that. It is hard enough to keep people talking about ideas. Everyone seems inclined to take everything personally these days and so I do what I can to defuse and walk a bit lightly around those who are extra passionate about their belief structures.

 

[Al-O-Meter]

Rip the essay to shreds. Be as scathing as you wish in your critique. I’m not required to explain why I find that same essay of value.

True and fair enough.

 

[One Brow]

From what I’m reading, Democrats would have to counter to gerrymander a few states themselves AND flip tossup seats like in Utah (Owens). A tall order for a midterm election where a Democrat resides in the White House.

I believe the advantage for the Dems is currently +9 right? Florida will most likely add between 2-5 R seats. Not sure about Texas, Georgia, and Arizona. I’m also unsure about New York and Oregon, I believe they’re some of the few blue states which don’t have indep commissions drawing up maps.

I expect there will be gerrymandering on both sides, and that it really won't be that easy to up the number of seats for either party.

 

[One Brow]

I never said you were, never even intended to imply it. Typically I try to stay well clear of saying people I'm talking with are this or that. It is hard enough to keep people talking about ideas. Everyone seems inclined to take everything personally these days and so I do what I can to defuse and walk a bit lightly around those who are extra passionate about their belief structures.

Fair enough, and I didn't take it personally.

I hope this doesn't come across as being too critical, but the one thing I would like to see is that sometimes you seem to focus on categories to define phenomena, rather the than phenomena defining the categories, which can give your posts an artificial flavor and come across as being more prescriptive than descriptive.

 

[JazzyFresh]

Simple yes or no ..

You think the lawmakers illegally fleeing Texas on a plane with no mask(covid right Qhiller?) had to show id to board that plain?

 

[Al-O-Meter]

Simple yes or no ..

You think the lawmakers illegally fleeing Texas on a plane with no mask(covid right Qhiller?) had to show id to board that plain?

No. I don't know for sure, but probably not. Their plane was chartered. The bus they were on likely drove them right up to the stairs on the plane.

 

[JazzyFresh]

No. I don't know for sure, but probably not. Their plane was chartered. The bus they were on likely drove them right up to thE stairs on the plane.

Bus driver needed an ID. Ok, what about for you and I? What about for the beer? Is it racist to Id people "up to 32"(as signs at liquor store say)for beer?

 

[JazzyFresh]

And remember hypocrites... Mask are for Republicans and kids 3 and up ONLY! Not some criminals flying a private jet, using tax payer money, living lavishly eating airport salads, drinking cheap beer. I'm told covid is the biggest issue ever by Qhiller the king of hypocrisy. These privileged *** people are simply using black people for a fun vacation thus the smiles and beer. All smiles, free vacation, free beer, free flights, free food, all because "they are helping". Look how serious they are about this issue... Beer....

#usingblacksforvacations

 

[Al-O-Meter]

living lavishly eating airport salads, drinking cheap beer.

LOL! How dare they eat a salad from an airport or drink beer from aluminum cans! Revolution now! We must bring these government people laterally across, or maybe up just a bit. I mean, Miller Lite in a can? Like, really?

 

[JazzyFresh]

LOL! How dare they eat a salad from an airport or drink beer from aluminum cans! Revolution now! We must bring these government people laterally across, or maybe up just a bit. I mean, Miller Lite in a can? Like, really?

Do you know what being facetious means? Lol obviously not even though you're being facetious yourself.

Deeerp

 

[One Brow]

And remember hypocrites... Mask are for Republicans and kids 3 and up ONLY!

Masks are for the unvaccinated only, according to the latest guidelines.

 

[Al-O-Meter]

Masks are for the unvaccinated only, according to the latest guidelines.

Are you sure about that? As far as I can tell the CDC has relaxed mask guidance everywhere except airplanes.

Save the Air Rage and Just Wear Your Mask

It’s one of the last Covid restrictions still in place, even for the vaccinated, but there are good reasons.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[One Brow]

Are you sure about that? As far as I can tell the CDC has relaxed mask guidance everywhere except airplanes.

Save the Air Rage and Just Wear Your Mask

It’s one of the last Covid restrictions still in place, even for the vaccinated, but there are good reasons.

www.bloomberg.com

My error, then, although the CDC guideline is for public conveyances, which would not apply to charters.

Updated Interim Guidance for Airlines and Airline Crew: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | CDC

Updated Interim Guidance for Airlines and Airline Crew: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

www.cdc.gov

 

[JazzyFresh]

Comparing wanting IDs to vote to the civil war is about the dumbest most uneducated and dangerous stances I have ever seen. Not only that but it's actually flat out racism in itself. You need an id to do the most basic of things in life, like get a job, buy a car, home, buy alcohol, pack of smokes, cough syrup, get tickets from the mlb all-star game in Denver, vote in Denver. Basic everyday things. Democrats are literally saying black people are incapable of doing basic things.

A major study finding that voter ID laws hurt minorities isn’t standing up well under scrutiny

A follow-up study suggests voter ID laws may not have a big effect on elections.

www.google.com

 

[JazzyFresh]

"they can't afford it" they say

All while basic goods are inflating at astronomical numbers but hey they can afford that and it's a "good thing". Remember you also needed Id and proof of who you are for Obamacare, but hey that's not racist when it fits your agenda. Let's not forget it also literally FORCED people to sign up.

 

[JazzyFresh]

According to race baiting Democrats healthcare is racist and the worst thing since the civil war. Complete idiots and hypocrites.


What You Need To Sign Up For ObamaCare
Make sure you have the following information ready to go before starting your process for enrollment.

• Last year’s tax information for you and your family

• Projected incomes for this year

• Medical history – ObamaCare does away with pre-existing conditions and gender discrimination, so these factors will no longer affect the cost of your insurance. Smoking, weight, and age still affect cost.

• Social Security Numbers (or document numbers for legal immigrants)

• Employer and income information for every member of your household who needs coverage (for example, from pay stubs or W-2 forms—Wage and Tax Statements)

• Policy numbers for any current health insurance plans covering members of your household.

• Any other important information that could affect your health insurance premium or coverage options.

ObamaCare Website

The official ObamaCare website, that is the official health insurance marketplace website under the Affordable Care Act, is HealthCare.gov. We explain the history of HealthCare.Gov and how it works.

obamacarefacts.com

Through healthcare.gov

Documents to confirm your U.S. citizenship
U.S. passport
Certificate of Naturalization (N-550/N-570)
Certificate of Citizenship (N-560/N-561)
State-issued enhanced driver's license (available in Michigan, New York, Vermont, and Washington)
Document from federally recognized Indian tribe that includes your name and the name of the federally recognized Indian tribe that issued the document, and shows your membership, enrollment, or affiliation with the tribe. Documents you can provide include:

A tribal enrollment card
A Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood
A tribal census document
Documents on tribal letterhead signed by a tribal official
If you don’t have any of the documents above, you can submit 2 documents — one from each list below.

You can submit one of these documents:

U.S. public birth certificate
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240, CRBA)
Certification of Report of Birth (DS-1350)
Certification of Birth Abroad (FS-545)
U.S. Citizen Identification Card (I-197 or the prior version I-179)
Northern Mariana Card (I-873)
Final adoption decree showing the person’s name and U.S. place of birth
U.S. Civil Service Employment Record showing employment before June 1, 1976
Military record showing a U.S. place of birth
U.S. medical record from a clinic, hospital, physician, midwife, or institution showing a U.S. place of birth
U.S. life, health, or other insurance record showing U.S. place of birth
Religious record showing U.S. place of birth recorded in the U.S.
School record showing the child’s name and U.S. place of birth
Federal or state census record showing U.S. citizenship or U.S. place of birth
Documentation of a foreign-born adopted child who received automatic U.S. citizenship (IR3 or IH3)
AND one of these documents (that has a photograph or other information, like your name, age, race, height, weight, eye color, or address):

Driver's license issued by a state or territory or ID card issued by the federal, state, or local government
School identification card
U.S. military card or draft record or military dependent’s identification card
U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card
Voter Registration Card
A clinic, doctor, hospital, or school record, including preschool or day care records (for children under 19 years old)
2 documents containing consistent information that proves your identity, like employer IDs, high school and college diplomas, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, property deeds, or titles

How do I resolve a data matching issue? | HealthCare.gov

If you provide information on your Marketplace application that doesn’t match our records, this is called a data matching issue or "inconsistency." You’ll need to submit documents to confirm your information.

www.healthcare.gov

 

[One Brow]

Comparing wanting IDs to vote to the civil war is about the dumbest most uneducated and dangerous stances I have ever seen.

I tend to agree. It's much more likely to hurt very poor, rural folks than city dwellers.

 

[The Thriller]

Fantastic article on voting rights. The same arguments being made today were used against Americans who had recently immigrated in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Opinion | Republicans Now Have Two Ways to Threaten Elections

A ‘house divided’ cannot support our democracy.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Al-O-Meter]

... did not recognize the authority of the Legislative branch to exercise oversight...

Question regarding what you think is authoritarian:

As a side note, I was watching content from a historian I respect and he used authoritarian in the same way you did. I am not attacking your use of authoritarian to indicate someone who exceeds their authority but I am interested to see where you draw the line.

If a President exceeds the constitutional bounds of their authority but the act is highly popular, is that authoritarianism? Is usurping power above and beyond their limits enough to make a leader authoritarian to you? Or does the usurped power have to be used in a way that oppresses the people for it to be authoritarian?

I do have a specific instance in mind but I’m not trying to set you up for any sort of gotcha. The trigger for this question was Biden’s latest executive order that usurps Congresses power to regulate commerce. Among the laundry list of commerce regulatory directives is one targeting right-to-repair. It is a rotten thing some companies do to forbid users and independent repair shops from repairing things. John Deere tractors and Apple are the 2 most commonly complained about transgressors. Almost everyone loves that right-to-repair is being addressed.

The executive order is clearly beyond the power of a President and likely wouldn’t survive a legal challenge, but the only party with standing to sue is Congress and no one is going to do it because no one wants to be tagged politically with fighting right-to-repair.

The act is ultra vires but is it authoritarian because it is ultra vires?

 

[Red]

Question regarding what you think is authoritarian:

As a side note, I was watching content from a historian I respect and he used authoritarian in the same way you did. I am not attacking your use of authoritarian to indicate someone who exceeds their authority but I am interested to see where you draw the line.

If a President exceeds the constitutional bounds of their authority but the act is highly popular, is that authoritarianism? Is usurping power above and beyond their limits enough to make a leader authoritarian to you? Or does the usurped power have to be used in a way that oppresses the people for it to be authoritarian?

I do have a specific instance in mind but I’m not trying to set you up for any sort of gotcha. The trigger for this question was Biden’s latest executive order that usurps Congresses power to regulate commerce. Among the laundry list of commerce regulatory directives is one targeting right-to-repair. It is a rotten thing some companies do to forbid users and independent repair shops from repairing things. John Deere tractors and Apple are the 2 most commonly complained about transgressors. Almost everyone loves that right-to-repair is being addressed.

The executive order is clearly beyond the power of a President and likely wouldn’t survive a legal challenge, but the only party with standing to sue is Congress and no one is going to do it because no one wants to be tagged politically with fighting right-to-repair.

The act is ultra vires but is it authoritarian because it is ultra vires?

Historians have spoken of “the imperial presidency” in recent years. Throughout our history, the balance of power among the three branches of the federal government has varied. In some eras, one branch or another exercises more power than other branches. I think in recent years presidential power expressed through executive orders has enhanced a president’s power. But, just this week, we have seen Obama’s executive order creation of DACA shot down by a federal judge.

I think Trump’s clearest demonstration of his authoritarianism was his attempt to remain in power by creating a Big Lie, and having legal teams run with it in several swing states. Attempting to overturn an election is pretty authoritarian I should think. I believe this is what dictators do. I’m not aware of another instance in our history where an elected president, soundly defeated at the ballot box, in an election considered fair, tried to ignore those results and retain power. Trying to remain in power after clearly losing is one way of saying “I am more important than our constitutional government, and I am not going to recognize an election result that demonstrates I did not win”. And recall, he began setting things up for this effort months before the actual election. Apparently, he had every intention of attempting to overturn an election. Saying if he lost it could only be because he was cheated through election fraud, well, to me that says he regarded himself as being above the law.


When I think of authoritarian, I’m thinking of someone who attempts to accrue as much power unto himself as possible. Including ignoring what a constitution might say are the limits of his power, if need be. Including placing himself above and outside the law. Our system, in particular our judicial branch, kept these inclinations on Trump’s part in check at times. But, it was clear to me that Trump regarded himself as above the law. Trying to enlist the help of Ukraine in the 2020 election was a good example of that. Ignoring the power of oversight of the executive branch by the legislative branch was another. He was the first president in my lifetime who never reached out to those who did not vote for him in 2016, making it very clear that he did not intend to be a president who would unite Americans, but would be a president for his base alone. Attacking the press, being willing to label the media “the enemy of the people” is certainly straight out of an authoritarian handbook.

You’ll have to forgive me for leaving this link, instead of relying entirely on my own words. It is very, very difficult to put into words what I knew “instinctively”, and from the day he first descended the escalator in Trump Tower to announce for 2016. I’m sure it must have been partly because my graduate work in history involved studying the intellectual roots of 20th century fascism, but that was 50 years ago. Now, I’m lucky I can remember what I just had for breakfast. All I know is I recognized a demagogue when I saw one, I understood demagogues are authoritarian by nature, so to speak, I knew that day that here was a man who cared not at all about my country, who cared only about himself and accruing power under himself. Of course at first I did not realize how successful he would be. But I knew he was a demagogue, and that meant authoritarian by nature, in my experience.

Trump's authoritarian statements - Google Search

I only post that link because a person might find it difficult to not spend days discussing how Trump was authoritarian. For me, personally, Trump’s authoritarian personality was at the level of being self evident. Regrettably, when things are self evident to someone, it actually is harder to break down the reasons. It’s similar to when knowledge becomes “second nature”. Someone asked me recently why a rock they found was not a man made artifact. Well, I am so experienced in distinguishing geofacts from artifacts, that I do not have to go through a series of thought exercises to distinguish the two. My recognition is at a second nature, instant recognition, level. But that actually makes it more difficult to explain how I know to someone who does not have the needed experience. Similar with demagogues and authoritarians I guess. I know them when I see them, and it is most difficult to reverse engineer second nature understanding.

So, once again, I’ve only been awake an hour or so, and already I’m writing tomes…..