Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Arkansas Elections The vote suppression forecast — clearly a chance of disenfranchisement
Posted by Max Brantley on Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 6:07 PM
Republican Sen. Bryan King told Roby Brock he'll seek approval Thursday of his bill to suppress the vote of elderly, minority and other Democratic friendly constituencies in Arkansas.
He'll call it a voter ID bill. It is nothing less than an attack on voter rights.
Studies everywhere show voter ID laws have the effect desired by Republican sponsors — depression in turnout by voters who trend Democratic. Many people don't have IDs. Many people don't have the wherewithall to get them. The ability to vote under challenge is meaningless because of the hoops that must be cleared to get a challenged ballot counted. There is virtually no evidence of in-person voter fraud in Arkansas or the rest of the country. Absentee misdeeds, which have indeed occurred, are not affected by voter ID bills.
Given the majority Republican makeup of the legislature, the bill will pass. They've fallen to court challenges in other states. The improper aims are no different here. They've also had the effect in other states of stirring up those targeted for suppression and renewing their vigor to participate. See the presidential election of 2012. Arkansas is heading with the rest of the South to be a country for old angry white men. Short term, it's a great strategy for GOP dominance. Long-term, the demographers say it's not so hot.
Speaking of Voter ID, vote Suppression
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Republicans mount PR effort on Voter ID bill
April 4, 2013The Arkansas Republican Party, having passed a Voter ID bill developed nationally to depress turnout among traditional Democratic constituencies, mounted a PR effort this morning to show that they really do care about people voting. /more/
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House overrides Beebe veto of voter ID bill
April 1, 2013At 2:20 p.m., the House is hearing arguments from Rep. Stephen Meeks to override Gov. Mike Beebe's veto of the bill to require a photo ID to vote in Arkansas. /more/
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Speaker Carter gets touchy on senator's outburst
March 30, 2013The Arkansas legislature faces a six-day week next week because of the need for extended meetings to complete action on pending business before the currently scheduled end of the session April 19. /more/
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The Good God Friday Edition
March 29, 2013Prop 8 and DOMA and the Arkansas General Assembly and Sen. Mark Pryor shameful responses where, the fight over voter ID, media criticism of the Democrat-Gazette, the morality of Republican tax cuts, Big River Steel, new numbers on expansion and the latest on the potential merger between UAMS and St. Vincent — all covered on this week's edition. /more/
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Republicans don't want poor people to vote
March 29, 2013When they say it (voter ID, whatever) isn't about race or poor people .... Check this out. /more/
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The floor to Gov. Beebe
March 28, 2013Gov. Mike Beebe on Monday vetoed the Republican vote suppression bill because it unnecessarily restricts the right to vote. It was courageous. /more/
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Gov. Mike Beebe vetoes Voter ID bill
March 25, 2013Gov. Mike Beebe has vetoed SB 2, the Republican-backed Voter ID bill. /more/
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The gubernatorial race open line
March 21, 2013The line is open. Finishing up: * VOTING RIGHTS: Now that the legislature has approved a bill to make it harder to vote in Arkansas, it's a good time for reading the Encyclopedia of Arkansas's new entry on voting rights in Arkansas. /more/
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NSFR: Not suitable for Republicans working in legislature
March 20, 2013Wider circulation on YouTube of Rep. John Walker's powerful remarks on efforts to make it harder to vote in Arkansas, a speech that a white-faced Republican unborn when Walker faced institutional discrimination found inappropriate. /more/
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Back in Arkansas
March 18, 2013Well, I"m back in Arkansas, operating on some time zone other than Central Daylight Time. /more/
- More »
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NSFR: Not suitable for Republicans working in legislature
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Morning roundup: Partisan judge, Children's leader
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