Texas Voter Suppression Laws on the Table

Started by Shiranu, March 15, 2021, 11:16:00 PM

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Shiranu

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/voter-suppression-lone-star-state-past-and-potential-future
QuoteFor example, last fall, Harris County, home to Houston, offered the state’s first-ever 24-hour voting sites. But S.B. 1115 would keep jurisdictions from offering expanded hours for voting. S.B. 1113, on the other hand, punishes election officials if they do not purge voter rolls aggressively enough. Again, a step in the wrong direction given Texas’s past history with sloppy purges that disenfranchise eligible voters. For its part, H.B. 6 would limit the ability of election workers to protect voters against illegal disruption and harassment by “watchers.”

But those bills are only a smattering. The wide-ranging S.B. 7 would ban counties from proactively sending out vote-by-mail applications and further prohibit them from merely encouraging voters to apply to vote by mail. The bill would also require voters with disabilities to obtain and provide documentation in order to qualify to vote by mail. It allows poll watchers to video or record voters, which is basically an invitation for harassment.

Lina Hildago, one of our judges from Houston, had a really good 3-min video break down on these laws; it's on Twitter so cant have the video itself playing here, but here is the link...

https://twitter.com/HarrisCoJudge/status/1371598716885295105

Two of the main points; 24-hour voting allowed essential workers, particularly medical workers who work non-traditional hours, to be able to vote and the other, a more cynical and evil issue, is that S.B. 7 amongst other things institutes what is essentially a poll tax for people physically disabled by requiring medical documentation proving you cannot vote in-person (documentation that costs money in a state with double the national average of uninsured individuals at 20%).

In my arguing with a BlazeTV social media personality about this bill, I actually looked at S.B. 7 and found, in section 2.05, that it also violates the first amendment by showing favoritism to one religion over all others...

It makes me wonder... how many other small constitutional violations or malicious legislation go under-the-radar because people aren't, frankly, as stupid as I am to waste their time reading 75 pages of legal mumbo-jumbo?
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Shiranu

Also, 253...

...the number of new laws Republicans are trying to get passed across the United States that limit the right of the populace to vote.

253 bills trying to silence voices from having a say in democracy.

"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

GSOgymrat

I want to hear the Republican arguments for intentionally making it more difficult for citizens to exercise their right to vote. For example, reducing polling hours has nothing to do with voter fraud.

Shiranu

Quote from: GSOgymrat on March 15, 2021, 11:47:35 PM
I want to hear the Republican arguments for intentionally making it more difficult for citizens to exercise their right to vote. For example, reducing polling hours has nothing to do with voter fraud.

I'm honestly drawing a blank on if they have actually been asked/answered that.

I think for the most part they try to get these things passed with little to no fanfare, and when they are called on it they tend to just divert to the one's they can at least remotely justify while ignoring what they cant.

It would be nice to have journalists with balls to press them on these issues.
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Draconic Aiur

Just goes to show, republicans don't give a shit about the people. All they care about is the sheep voting for them despite hating said sheep.

fencerider

they say 37? states are in the process of creating voter suppression laws. They know that the less people that are allowed to vote, the better republicans do.

One state is even going so far as to make a law that says if the legislature doesn't like the results of the election, we reserve the right to throw out 100% of the popular vote and put our guy in
"Do you believe in god?", is not a proper English sentence. Unless you believe that, "Do you believe in apple?", is a proper English sentence.

drunkenshoe

Quote from: fencerider on March 17, 2021, 11:53:59 PM
they say 37? states are in the process of creating voter suppression laws. They know that the less people that are allowed to vote, the better republicans do.

One state is even going so far as to make a law that says if the legislature doesn't like the results of the election, we reserve the right to throw out 100% of the popular vote and put our guy in

Do you have any source?
"science is not about building a body of known 'facts'. ıt is a method for asking awkward questions and subjecting them to a reality-check, thus avoiding the human tendency to believe whatever makes us feel good." - tp

Mike Cl

Arizona GOP bill would let lawmakers overturn presidential election results

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jan/29/arizona-gop-bill-would-let-lawmakers-overturn-pres/

A wide-ranging proposal filed late Wednesday would specifically allow the Legislature to override the will of a majority of Arizona voters and appoint members of the Electoral College to back the presidential candidate lawmakers want elected, among other things. If in place last year, Trump could have picked up the state’s 11 electoral votes.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?