Republican Senate Candidate: Female body can shut down a pregnancy in case of rape

[Duelist925]

Ya know what? Fuck it, let's not check ID, let's not even check if the person is a citizen or registered. Let's just allow any Tom, Dick or Harry to vote. Why should there be any accountability?

No one's arguing lack of accountability. The argument is twofold:

A: Its unnecessary. There are so few cases of voter fraud that all this brew ha ha over this shite is completely pointless. Links have already been posted.

B: It places an undue burden on one class of people, either monetarily, time constraint wise, or both. Again. Links have already been posted.

Everyone should be allowed to vote as long as they meet the requirement of being a US citizen and proving they are eligible to vote. How hard is it to get an ID? There are several different rates for ID cards including free. Don't know how you can't afford free.

A: Most of those ID"s require other ID's that someone may not have. Its damn hard to get a drivers license without a car, for instance. Furthermore, not everyone KNOWS about the "free" id cards. Would be lovely if some of the places passing laws like this would let this be known, but, hey, their not.

B: Not everyone has the TIME. Working a crap job, you're working as much as possible to pay rent and feed yourself and your family. You don't HAVE the half hour wait for the bus, plus 10-45 minute bus ride, 1-fucking 4 hour wait (Yes, I have had to wait that long in a DMV once when it was particularly busy), then ANOTHER 10-45 minute bus ride.

When I say "15 minutes" to the DMV, that is with traffic. It is on several bus lines, next to stores that "common folk" go to and is fairly easy to get to. It is right in the "low income area" of town so anyone can get there. It isn't a lack of ability to get there, it is a lack of want to get there.

Well, that's lovely for you.

Closest DMV to the house I grew up in was 20 minutes away in good traffic. Friend of mine, closest DMV was 45 minutes by car.

And thats by car. Thats not dealing with a fucked up bus schedule.

[Jester]

This jackass (Todd Akin) is a perfect example of why I feel bad for my Republican friends. Yes, I do have several friends who are registered Republicans, and I actually feel bad for them, as they are intelligent, rational, well-meaning people, and they are watching their chosen political party being taken over by a bunch of brainless talking chimps who are making their party the laughingstock of America, and perhaps even radicalizing the party into eventual extinction.

Using the exact same logic this mental midget did, I could say that if I stole someone's car, and it was a "legitimate" theft (in other words, not a misunderstanding, but I actually took a car from someone without their permission and/or knowledge), all they would have to do is WILL it not to happen, and the car would not, in fact, be stolen. But if it remained out of the rightful owner's possession, it was clearly their fault, for not willing hard enough. That, or they were simply lying about the theft, as they wantonly give out their car to anyone and everyone. Damn car sluts. They were clearly asking for it, having a sexy red paint job like that.

How the hell do we keep electing these morons?

Because stupidity is not limited to elected officials, but also runs rampant among the electorate. And even the really stupid ones are usually amazingly good bullshit artists.

I mean we have candidates who call themselves fiscal conservatives but the only thing they are fiscally responsible about is making sure that more of our treasury finds its way to people who don't really need it. And when told something that is contrary to their beliefs they either ignore it or state that it is wrong.

As I said....bullshit artists.

Outlaw abortion and birth control if you want more dead babies. It really is that simple. But perhaps too long for a bumper-sticker, so I guess it doesn't count.

Personally, I think that would make a lovely bumper sticker. Might even put it on my truck. And I never put bumper stickers on my truck.

Romney: Candidate's comments on rape "inexcusable"

On one hand, we have Romney condemning this nimrod for his statements. On the other, we have Romney picking Paul Ryan as his running mate, a man who has the exact same core beliefs on abortion as Todd Akin, and co-sponsored many anti-abortion and anti-woman bills with Rep. Akin.

how the fark does that guy have a wife and not been bitchslapped yet.

Because amazingly, shockingly, and troublingly, many women believe the same and support people like Akin and their positions and beliefs on these issues. More proof of equality of the sexes: women can be just as frickin' stupid as men can.

Oh no, someone may have to drive a little bit to get something done. Boo hoo. Out west in the way rural areas it may be a bit more difficult, but in places like Illinois, most of Missouri and the like one is no more than 30-40 minutes from a Drivers License Bureau.

Not registered because you were too lazy to get off your ass and register/get an ID? Tough shit. No vote for you. Follow the damn rules.

Not everyone is lazy. Not everyone has a car. Not everyone drives. Not everyone has a driver's license. Not everyone can afford to take time off of work to get to the DMV that is "only" 30-40 minutes away (that's each way, mind you, and doesn't include the inevitable wait as the bureaucratic machine slowly cranks through its day). Most people will choose keeping their jobs and their subsequent health insurance and feeding themselves and their families over losing said jobs by taking days off to go do all this. Not everyone has jobs where they CAN take off without being fired for it. Not everyone works in a field that, if they lose their jobs, they can quickly find another one. And not everyone lives in a place that is similar to yours, set up like yours, or as convenient as yours.

When I say "15 minutes" to the DMV, that is with traffic. It is on several bus lines, next to stores that "common folk" go to and is fairly easy to get to. It is right in the "low income area" of town so anyone can get there. It isn't a lack of ability to get there, it is a lack of want to get there.

In your area, perhaps that is true. But to use your area as a blanket example of how the entire country is set up? In a word: bullshit.

I live in a town where you can quite literally walk EVERYWHERE. I also live on a small tropical island. Not everyone lives on a small tropical island where you can walk everywhere, and not everyone lives in a place like yours that is so conveniently set up. I have traveled this country extensively, and talked to people from literally all over this country, and the fact is simply that no place is the same. Not just with dialects and accents, but in metropolitan transportation, ease of access of the DMV, wait time in the DMV, efficiency of the DMV staff, etc., etc., etc. I guarantee you that Los Angeles is quite different from your area of the Midwest. As is Seattle, Phoenix, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Miami, Tampa, Knoxville, Raleigh, Bismarck, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Tucson, Louisville, Baltimore, Atlanta, Savannah, Jacksonville, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Portland (either one), Tulsa, etc., etc. Hell, I guarantee you that not everywhere in the MIDWEST is set up the same as your area.

So please, refrain from the blanket statements that presume that this entire nation of over 300 million people, spread over 50 states, several time zones, and several different climates, is exactly like where you live. Because, quite frankly, it isn't.

Having a state ID is a "luxury"?

To some people--yes. See my comments above.

You can make the case for people not being able to go to the DMV during business hours because of job constraints, but then I'd simply say we should have a few days out of the year where DMVs are open a few extra hours to accomodate them.

Yes, the case can be made for such people. One small problem with your argument: while there probably SHOULD be days out of the year where DMV's are open non-standard hours, in most places, DMV's AREN'T open non-standard hours, and thus these people are not accomodated quite so simply.

What SHOULD be and what ARE are often quite different things.

Todd Akin SHOULD be kicked in the head repeatedly by a mob of angry soccer moms. What WILL happen is, at worst, he'll lose his job as an elected official and go get a job in some field other than politics.

After all, an ID is already essential to having a bank account, driving, and quite often employment.

And there are many people in this country who lack one or more of the above things. But just because you don't have money in the bank or don't trust banks to hold your money, or you can't afford a car or never learned how to drive, or find yourself without a job, that in no way eliminates your Constitutionally guaranteed right to vote.

[daleduke17]

Voting must be completely free. Putting any dollar amount to the right to vote is the same as a poll tax and, therefore, unconstitutional.

How would requiring an ID put a dollar amount to vote when the ID would be free?

[daleduke17]

So, checking ID has no effect on fraud: all it does is provide an artificial barrier that disproportionately affects minorities and the poor,

How is it disproportionately affecting minorities? This is not a black (or Mexican, or Chinese, or whatever) and white issue. Why is it being made into a minority vs majority issue now?

[Jester]

How is it disproportionately affecting minorities? This is not a black (or Mexican, or Chinese, or whatever) and white issue. Why is it being made into a minority vs majority issue now?

The thinking on this one is that minorities are disproportionately poor as opposed to whites. That is why some (not all) people are making this into a racial issue rather than a class issue. But since white people dominate the upper classes, the "haves" that will barely be affected by this law, it is not that tough to see why the "have nots," many of whom are not white, view this as being racial.

Now, some people merely view it as being class warfare bullshit rather than racist bullshit, but in the end, to them it is still bullshit, not matter how you categorize it.

[Dreamstalker]

How would requiring an ID put a dollar amount to vote when the ID would be free?

It costs money (and time, which for a lot of people IS money) to get the documents required to get the ID, so even if that card itself is 'free' it really isn't.

I lucked out when getting my NM state ID as I could have it done at a "MVD Express" branch (it cost a little bit more, but only took 10 minutes and for me as a fulltime student it was worth it not to have to go downtown and wait all day). In MA, I don't think you can do this at the 'express' locations (they'll let you renew existing ID, but not get it).

[lordlundar]

How would requiring an ID put a dollar amount to vote when the ID would be free?

Because the employees aren't allowed to advertise they're free. They can only confirm it's free if they're asked. But they can put up signs all over the place of just how much it costs to get the alternate one which you do have to pay for and requires less documentation for.

[mikoyan29]

Here, the Secretary of State office (Michigan's version of the DMV) is open until 8 on Wednesdays. Good luck if you go there between 5 and 8 though. There used to be some open on Saturdays but budget cuts have pretty much killed that idea. At least our Governor had the wherewithall to veto Michigan's version of these laws. He basically said that they don't need to alienate one more group of people in the State.

[Fire_on_High]

I would rather allow 1,000 non-citizens to vote than to deny even 1 American citizen the right to vote.

So how do the 999 ppl who just had their legal vote negated by an invalid voter feel about that?

[daleduke17]

Because the employees aren't allowed to advertise they're free. They can only confirm it's free if they're asked. But they can put up signs all over the place of just how much it costs to get the alternate one which you do have to pay for and requires less documentation for.

Maybe in your state they can't, but in Illinois the free cost ones sure are posted.

[lordlundar]

Maybe in your state they can't, but in Illinois the free cost ones sure are posted.

You mean the Democrat held one? The very same state where such a Voter ID requirement was introduced but has not made it past committee?

Yeah, why don't you talk about states like Arizona or Florida where such practices ARE common.

And for the track record, I'm Canadian and we have no legal photo ID requirement to vote. Still haven't had any real cases of voter fraud, but then again, neither does America yet the Republicans keep saying it's rampant.

[Andara Bledin]

So how do the 999 ppl who just had their legal vote negated by an invalid voter feel about that?

When and if it ever happens (because it hasn't. ever), then people who've had this sort of thing happen can get back to you on that.

However, we have had thousands of legitimate Americans who were denied their right to vote based on pointless, costly, and discriminatory regulations that serve no purpose other than to disenfranchise people.

^-.-^

[BlaqueKatt]

How hard is it to get an ID? There are several different rates for ID cards including free. Don't know how you can't afford free.

Think Getting “Free” ID Is Easy? Think Again!
in the above link you will find the stories collected from a diverse group of hardworking Americans.

these are real stories from real people denied the right to vote because of voter ID laws, and none of them are "because they were too lazy to get an ID",(most are the elderly, or homebirths, which are becoming more common, and birth certificates aren't magically issued for every child born, one is a veteran, and his VA card "wasn't acceptable", and one story is from a group of 12 NUNS) plus exactly what address is a homeless person supposed to use on an ID? Or does being homeless preclude one from voting because they may be "undesirable"?

also this:
Wisconsin Department of Safety worker Chris Larsen was fired after encouraging his co-workers to inform citizens that IDs are free for the purposes of voting. To save money, Wisconsonites will only receive ID cards for free if they know on their own that they need to check a box on their application, otherwise they will be charged.

96-year-old Florence is disabled and rarely leaves her home, voting by absentee ballot. After writing to the state asking how to get a photo ID under Wisconsin’s new government-issued photo ID law, she was told it would cost her $28, even though Wisconsin ID cards are supposed to be free.

[Racket_Man]

HMMMMM I am not sure what the problem is in Wisconsin????
when ever the local news played a story on the ID thing they ALWAYS mentioned that a state ID to be used for voting purposes would be FREE. No questions or tricks involved.

I guess I listen to the news boradcasts a little closer than most



My GF recently had to stop driving so when her drivers license expired she and I went to the local DMV office to get her a state ID. On the form, in clear sentences, it stated that if the ID was to be used for voting purposes, right in the middle of a very short form, the ID was FREE. I check the proper box and no problem.

Now I do not know the forms or procedures to get a brand NEW state ID, so I can not comment on that. I would assume that certain validating documents are required such as a birth cert and proof of address.

[Andara Bledin]

They say that it's free, that's only the cost once you've met all other requirements.

The cost of gathering the "proof" you have to have before they'll accept that you are who you say you are is where most people run into a problem.

If you can even get a replacement birth certificate, that costs around $45 just for that alone. And most states require a notarized statement before you can get the birth certificate, which is another $20.

That's over $50 spent on a "free" ID card.

And, again, this is to solve a problem that doesn't exist and never has. It may be a solution, but it sure as hell isn't to solve what they claim it is because those claims are nothing but smoke and mirrors set up to fool the gullible.

[eta]
I continue to be amused that people keep trying to push that these ID cards are free, so nobody should have a problem with them being required, but not a single person has yet to put up any proof that they serve any purpose other than to lock otherwise legitimate voters out of the polls.

^-.-^