The Rampant, Irresponsible Political Thread

[Dr Maturin]

Then if the states can't get their asses in gear in regard to changing voting procedures, then the federal government should get involved. Instead, the states want to bitch and whine when the government does that.

The act was from the 60s to ensure that bastions of discrimination did not disenfranchise black voters. That was forty years ago. The states' asses ARE in gear to change things, but the act prevents them from doing so. One of the justifications for renewing the act would be to prove that the jurisdictions indicated therein have more of a risk of fraud and disenfranchisement than jurisdictions not listed in the act. That isn't going to happen.

The only politics involved are the NAACP and Democrats wanting to keep it alive so that that latter will receive more votes. Congressional GOP scumbags will vote for it due to their fear of being branded as "racists."

[Karachi Vyce]

The old way of doing things: We don't win, so we rebel. When this happens in America, bloggers just whine that the SCOTUS "selected" the president.

Yay for Calderon. I mean, he's the lesser of two evils.

Seems that they're taking a page from the liberal playbook: if we lose, we'll just cry fraud, whether there's a shred of truth to the allegation or not.

The only politics involved are the NAACP and Democrats wanting to keep it alive so that that latter will receive more votes. Congressional GOP scumbags will vote for it due to their fear of being branded as "racists."

Yes. For those of you not keeping track, this is essentialy the Democrat equivalent of the GOP's ridiculous anti-gay marriage amendment. It's just being presented so that the Democrats can continue to con minorities into thinking that they really give a shit about them. In other words, it's all being done for votes instead of a real concern about the issue.

BTW, ZHD, very good assessment of congressional GOP. Somewhere along the way, they really became pussies when it comes to being painted with the racist brushstroke.

[David Panzer]

Aren't all members of Congress pussies? No matter the party affiliation?

[Dr Maturin]

Aren't all members of Congress pussies? No matter the party affiliation?

Most, yes. But there are standouts like former Virginia governor and my pick for president in 2008, Senator George Allen, whom the liberal bloggers are already after.

[David Panzer]

Damn those people with differing opinions...

But then, I've yet to find a worthwhile blog

[Der Mike]

...looks at Mississippi 12 miles South of my home...and glances at Alabama which is farther...

Tough shit. That's what you get for having a history of racism. No sympathy from this white boy

Because nothing is as fair as punishing people for the sins of their fathers.

Then if the states can't get their asses in gear in regard to changing voting procedures, then the federal government should get involved. Instead, the states want to bitch and whine when the government does that.

Having friends who actually work for the state election commission, the hoops they have to jump through to even change a voting location would make your head spin --- even if they're moving it to an area that is EASIER for people to get to.

One of the provisions of the VRA that many are irked with are the requirements for foreign language ballots. People ignore how much they cost and that, theoretically, a state can be brought up for "disenfranchising" voters if they don't have a ballot in an obscure language that only 3 people in the state speak.
-=Mike

[David Panzer]

Growing up in the South, I have no sympathy for racists, or states that have a history of it.

[Der Mike]

Yes, because what people did 50 years ago should cause me punishment, even though I didn't do it, nor was I alive when it happened. Heck, Rome tortured Christians. I guess I have a right to money from the Italian gov't due to it. This is the same tortured logic behind the asinine slavery reparations argument.

Sounds fair.

Unless your argument is that the state is fundamentally racist and everybody from the state is racist.

In which case you are not making yourself look too good.

Heck, I've live in SC and in NJ. THe number of racists I met in NJ dwarfed any I ever met in SC.
-=Mike

[Karachi Vyce]

That's cause of all the guidos living there.

Good point, though. Pointing at just the southern states and crying racism is naive. New England / the Northeast has some of the most racist people in the country. Jesus Christ, have you ever BEEN to Boston?

[David Panzer]

Isn't the point of an internet message board to avoid looking good?

This isn't a message board for the damned MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour

[Dr Maturin]

That's cause of all the guidos living there.

We're everywhere, paisan.

I grew up and lived in California for 23 years, and like Mike in NJ, I came across many more racists there than here in Arkansas. If slavery is your reason for saying that certain states have a history of racism, well, you forgot about the northern states.

Vyce studied more criminal justice than I did, so he can probably attest to the fact that NY and CA are among the states with the most white supremacist organizations in the country. That being said, racial white supremacist groups are so fringe these days that they're insignificant.

[David Panzer]

Some take this message board too damn seriously.

[Karachi Vyce]

Vyce studied more criminal justice than I did, so he can probably attest to the fact that NY and CA are among the states with the most white supremacist organizations in the country.

True, but in all fairness, NY and CA are MAJOR population centers, so just through sheer density alone they'd have a high number of those groups. But yeah, basically, there are a lot of supremacist organizations there. People still harp on the southern (i.e. RED) states as being racist, but it's not really that true anymore.

[Der Mike]

Heck, Montana has more white supremacist groups than almost any Southern state out there.

I've always said that the South, unlike the rest of the country, had to come to grips with its racist past. The people in the north, who were no more racially sensitive (the Emancipation Proclamation led to mass riots in the North), always said "Well, we're not as bad as the South".

At this point in history, the north is WORSE about racial problems than the South. It's not even close.

Again, NJ had FAR more racists than SC. And with FAR fewer black people that I ever saw. My bosses in SC, routinely, are black. In NJ, one out of about 25 was. THAT is equality?
-=Mike

[Dr Maturin]

"Do the Right Thing"