Most Republicans know that, whether through Russian intervention or laws to prevent qualified voters from voting, that they lose honest elections and therefore, must resort to dishonest tactics to win. Usually they make up lies about things like voter fraud to excuse their voter suppression, but once in a while they goof and admit the truth.
Montana’s Republican Party chairman has sounded the alarm against efforts to the conduct an all-mail ballot election to replace Congressman Ryan Zinke.
In an email to party members, Jeff Essmann warned Republicans the mail-in election would “give the Democrats an inherent advantage in close elections due to their ability to organize large numbers of unpaid college students and members of public employee unions to gather ballots by going door to door.”
At issue is state Senate Bill 503, which would require a mail ballot election this spring when Montanans are likely to vote to replace U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican nominated by President Donald Trump to be Interior secretary. The Senate is expected to vote on Zinke’s confirmation next week. A special election would follow within 85 to 100 days.
The warning evoked responses that Essmann, who is also a state House representative from Billings, is trying to suppress the vote…
From <The Billings Gazette>
Rachel Maddow covered he issue in two segments. In the first she provides background and introduces the issue.
In the second she discusses it with Democratic Governor Steve Bullock.
I have experienced Oregon’s vote by mail. I have nothing but praise for it. As long as Republicans fear honest elections, we may still reap benefits, when we
RESIST!!
8 Responses to “Voter Suppression”
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Geesh, the Repugs will do anything to suppress the Dems. W.T.H.????
"The Democrats might win!" I hope they do!!! BIGtime!
Montana elected Jon Tester to the Senate. Twice. He's a DINO, but at least he's not a Republican. Montana only has one Congressional district, so they can't gerrymander. i am not surprised they are panicking. Good luck to the Dems.
The GOPigs have known, for a long time, now, that they can not win fairly, and so these Family Values Patriots tunnel under the very system they have taken oaths to support, and lie, cheat, plant "Fake news," hire scum, like Carl Rove, to orchestrate their tactics, and so on. Along the way, they do Hitler's "Big Lie" thing and accuse their opponents of precisely what it is they are doing!
PART 1:
This is voter suppression, pure and simple. Cross Check- Motherlode of Vote Purge Scams
In his Rolling Stone investigation Greg Palast revealed that a program to prevent alleged voter fraud, “Interstate Crosscheck,” has wrongly tagged voters listing them as registering in two states or voting in two states, a felony crime. The suspect list of potential criminals contains an astonishing SEVEN MILLION NAMES—naming ONE IN SEVEN voters of color in the Crosscheck states.
While partisan officials have kept the list confidential, Rolling Stone investigative reporter Greg Palast obtained over one million of the accused.
The ONLY evidence that you have voted or registered in two states is that you share a first name and last name with another voter. A typical example: Maria ISABEL Hernandez of Virginia is supposedly the same voter as Maria CRISTINA Hernandez of Louisiana.
As many as one million may have lost their right to vote in the election.
Experts have stated the Crosscheck system, directed for 30 states by the highly partisan Secretary of State of Kansas, is “dangerously biased against minorities.” As the great civil rights leader Rev. Joseph Lowery said of Crosscheck, “This is Jim Crow all over again.”
Crosscheck is controlled by a Trump henchman, Kris Kobach, Kansas Secretary of State who claims his computer program has identified 7.2 million people in 29 states who may have voted twice in the same election–a felony crime. The catch? Most of these “suspects” are minorities—in other words, mainly Democratic voters. Yet the lists and the evidence remain “confidential.”
Do have a listen to Greg Palast explaining what "crosscheck" is in this trailer at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP46nJWH7OE
You can google for the YouTube videos: Greg Palast cross check:
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Greg+Palast+cross+check&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
Election 2016
Greg Palast's New Film Exposes How Republican Oligarchs Are Crusading to Stop People of Color and the Poor from Voting
'The Best Democracy Money Can Buy' showcases political corruption in 2016.
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/greg-palasts-new-film-exposes-how-republican-oligarchs-are-crusading-stop-people-color
DVD can be obtained from the library, NetFlex, friend or you can buy it.
The Best Democracy Money Can Buy [videorecording] :
The best democracy money can buy a tale of billionaires and ballot bandits
Author: director, Greg Palast, David Ambrose.
1 videodisc (111 min.) : sound, color ; 4 3/4 in. (CC)
Abstract: Follow investigative reporter Greg Palast as he busts the new KKK–the billionaire bandits that are behind a scheme to purge one million voters of color in November.
For me, it was an eye-opener on the interstate crosscheck scam run in GOP controlled states. Well worth the time to view this DVD video.
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PART 2:
YouTube Videos:
They hunt down and confront Kobach with the evidence of his "lynching by laptop." Then they are off to find the billionaires behind this voting scam.
58min (NO CC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5Uey_jekNY
VIDEO FILM (NO CC) 2:49:21min.
The Best Democracy Money Can Buy — Greg Palast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox2ijC3y3aY
BREAKING: Election Experts Explain How The Election Was Stolen!
Greg Palast & Professor Mark Kristen Miller
Redacted Tonight (CC) 26min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LF0830IYMU
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Blatant suppression move by Republicans! If ever there was a move worthy of being fought vigourously, this is it! Go Montana!
Resist and Persist!!!
Good news seldom comes in heaps, but this time it does:
1. Montana may seem to be a red state, but it's not a given with a Democratic governor and a Democrat in the Senate.
2. Voters have chosen Drumpf over Clinton by 20%, but in light of the recent large scale resistance in the state people are either backtracking on their choice or a large group of voters (Democrats) never got to the polls.
3. Saving on elections and making use of cheaper, reliable and user-friendlier mail ballot election was a bi-partisan issue; apparently there are quite a few RINOs in Montana when it comes down to practical sense.
4. There seems to be a fair chance of a Democrat winning when Montana goes with a mail ballot election.
5. Montana’s Republican Party chairman Jeff Essmann is big blabbermouth who has given the Republican game away.
6. Resistance in Montana is strong and seems to pay off.
All in all very good prospects for the RESISTANCE!
Thanks and amen to all. Kudos to Jim for the links!!