Anyone following the transgressions in Florida over the last few years already knew this to be true. Now there’s no doubt.
A new Florida law that contributed to long voter lines and caused some to abandon voting altogether was intentionally designed by Florida GOP staff and consultants to inhibit Democratic voters, former GOP officials and current GOP consultants have told The Palm Beach Post.
Republican leaders said in proposing the law that it was meant to save money and fight voter fraud. But a former GOP chairman and former Gov. Charlie Crist, both of whom have been ousted from the party, now say that fraud concerns were advanced only as subterfuge for the law’s main purpose: GOP victory.
Former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer says he attended various meetings, beginning in 2009, at which party staffers and consultants pushed for reductions in early voting days and hours.
“The Republican Party, the strategists, the consultants, they firmly believe that early voting is bad for Republican Party candidates,” Greer told The Post. “It’s done for one reason and one reason only. … ‘We’ve got to cut down on early voting because early voting is not good for us,’ ” Greer said he was told by those staffers and consultants.
It’s always been about voter suppression in Florida as it’s been in other Republican controlled states where new voting legislation was aimed at dissuading minorities from voting. Tampering with one’s constitutional right to vote is serious stuff but don’t count on the Benghazi-crazed conservative media to be talking about it much. It’s time for Eric Holder and the Justice department to get involved in a serious way.
Florida needs to clean up its act and there would be no better way to start than to boot out the sociopath they elected as governor two years ago. Did anyone seriously believe that putting a Medicare fraudster like Rick Scott in the governor’s mansion would have brought on anything other than disaster for Floridians?
Rick Scott, the poster boy for everything that is wrong with the Republican party, is up for reelection in 2014 and voting him out of office would go a long a way in sending a clear message to the GOP that enough is enough.
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Why has no one gone to prison yet over Florida’s election suppression? I don’t get it.
The good thing about this is that Scott and his cohorts underestimated the power of the people. I’m sure some gave up waiting hours and hours in long lines. But this just goes to show the will and spirit of the people not willing to give up their rights to the oligarchs. We need to continue to fight for our rights, lest we lose them. And yeah, FL needs to vote this criminal out in 2 years!
Bush squeeze through because of this deceit but Obama came through thanks to a good ground game.
I hope that something can be done to correct this cheating misdemeanor. Is it possible to take away the responsibility of elections away from the state ? Shouldn’t a national election be organized by a national government ? It is done like that in Canada. If not,is it possible to have a vote without passing regulations or referenda at the same time as the election? We need to protect the basic right to vote.
Americans shall respect the right to vote or else America cannot call itself a democracy.
Occupy….one thing that they should do is stop private industry from owning, servicing, and controlling voting machines. When you think about it…it’s just nuts.
I’m a Floridian. As a resident who waited in line for 2 hours to vote, I can assure you that everyone who waited KNOWS why. And like anonymous says…..we don’t forgive, ve don’t forget, we are legion. And we vote.
I think we need to have national standards for voting…applicable to ALL states…the same rules apply to every state…controlled and monitored by non-partisan groups, or the Federal Election Board…if that is possible…
I’m ok with some form of picture ID card…but it must be issued by the govt, at NO cost to the voter…kinda like a Social Security card…and plenty of time must be provided so that all individuals can get the card…say 8 years years from the date of implementation…or 2 federal election cycles…
None of this 30 days before election you gotta get a picture ID crap…or some other asinine rule that is only there to keep some class of voters from voting…
Just thought of this…since 18 year olds can vote…when you graduate High School, the voting card is part of your diploma…and some other voting card system set for those kids who don’t graduate…
Also…maybe some kind of Tax checkoff so you get say $25.00 deducted from your taxes if you vote…
Just some random thoughts…