Have you ever wondered why Republicans want to implement voter ID laws, which would restrict the number of blacks, women, and college age kids from voting in America? It's definitely not because of voter fraud, as they claim. You stand a better chance of being hit by lightening or winning the lottery than uncovering a case of voter fraud (it accounts for a paltry .0004 - .0007 percent of voting activity).
The reality is that the GOP wants to turn back our nation's constitutional clock, to a time when it was more difficult for women, 18 year-olds, and blacks to vote. The rationale is simple. If we make it more difficult for blacks, women and college age kids to vote their chances of winning elections go up.
While no Republican advocates this (at least openly), it helps if we understand what the GOP leadership sees. If we turn back the clock to 1850 this is what the 2012 presidential election results would have looked like without blacks, women, and 18 year-olds voting in America.
Yeah, it's "President Romney" in a landslide.
Simply put, the 15th amendment (blacks allowed to vote, 1870), the 19th amendment (women allowed to vote, 1920) and the 26th amendment (18 year-olds allowed to vote, 1971) are the cornerstone of American democracy today. And the GOP understands this. But they also understand that blacks, women and college age kids are the demographic groups they do not appeal to, and are losing ground on every year.
It's why America ended up with an electoral map in 2012 that looked like this ...
Bluntly speaking, diluting the results of the 15th, 19th, and 26th amendments with voter ID laws and other legal gimmicks is an attempt by the GOP to gain control over an electorate - and a nation - that increasingly rejects their political ideology and divisive views.
And, for the record, trying to over turn a law (Obamacare) that was passed in Congress, signed by the President, and upheld by the Supreme Court falls in line with the desperation the GOP feels over having their world views passed over by history. To get their way they need to undo or ignore established constitutional protocols.
It's really that simple.
- Mark
The reality is that the GOP wants to turn back our nation's constitutional clock, to a time when it was more difficult for women, 18 year-olds, and blacks to vote. The rationale is simple. If we make it more difficult for blacks, women and college age kids to vote their chances of winning elections go up.
While no Republican advocates this (at least openly), it helps if we understand what the GOP leadership sees. If we turn back the clock to 1850 this is what the 2012 presidential election results would have looked like without blacks, women, and 18 year-olds voting in America.
Yeah, it's "President Romney" in a landslide.
Simply put, the 15th amendment (blacks allowed to vote, 1870), the 19th amendment (women allowed to vote, 1920) and the 26th amendment (18 year-olds allowed to vote, 1971) are the cornerstone of American democracy today. And the GOP understands this. But they also understand that blacks, women and college age kids are the demographic groups they do not appeal to, and are losing ground on every year.
It's why America ended up with an electoral map in 2012 that looked like this ...
Bluntly speaking, diluting the results of the 15th, 19th, and 26th amendments with voter ID laws and other legal gimmicks is an attempt by the GOP to gain control over an electorate - and a nation - that increasingly rejects their political ideology and divisive views.
And, for the record, trying to over turn a law (Obamacare) that was passed in Congress, signed by the President, and upheld by the Supreme Court falls in line with the desperation the GOP feels over having their world views passed over by history. To get their way they need to undo or ignore established constitutional protocols.
It's really that simple.
- Mark
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