Progress Illinois

This is the sort of racist Hoosier cynicism that made me leave Indiana 40 years ago.

Indiana: a great place to be...from.

Lou, I'm with you. I left Indy 6 years ago. Although I miss Indy for a lot of reasons, one of them is not the right wing racist idealogy still at the surface.

Only way to counter the GOP voter suppression is to provide rides to the polls.

"According to Republican Election Board attorney Bruce Lambka, satellite voting offices can be set up without a vote in county clerk's offices only in counties where the clerk is in charge of elections."

Seems to me they had a vote and Republicants lost that vote 3 to 2.

I still live in southern Indiana. Racism is definitely alive and well here. About two weeks ago I had an elderly male customer come in and ask me if I had made up my mind about who I am voting for. I said yes but did not offer anything else. He replied 'I bet they're not colored'. I then said 'I bet they are!' He doesn't mention it anymore. The attitude about race from some around here makes me want to scream some times. I can say it is getting better, but we aren't there yet.

Democrats: Spend some money, provde a caravan of buses, take ALL THE VOTERS to the voting station and return them home. It is cheaper than filing legal complaints and paying lawyers for it.

Don't worry about the polls!!!! Get out and vote!!!!!! Don't wait until the last minute, VOTE EARLY!!!!!

And this is the democracy Americas young men and women are dying to create in Iraq. One where everyone is allowed to vote except for those who are of one race or another or aren't of a certain economic class. The thing is, there is no shame in it. People shake their heads and claim that that's just Indiana being Indiana but there is no action to subvert the injustice that you all seem to be completely aware of.

"Tierney is only able to thrive when people of good conscience fail to act." I remember hearing this somewhere and in one of the most important elections of the year it's become painfully apparent that the statement rings true. Don't just hang your head in sorrow, DO SOMETHING! Change is a word of action, if you really want change you need to act!

Oregon has put in place a safe methodology for mail in voting. Registered voters have signatures in the system. Each one is verified as it comes back in the mail. This could perhaps be expanded to a thumb print mark and scan if necessary. You can mail it in ahead of time, or you can drop it in special receptacle boxes up until the time the polls close for those who prefer voting in person. They have worked the kinks out and they have not been having any problems with voter fraud. It eliminates long lines at the polls. It eliminates any attempts to keep certain areas or groups from voting. It avoids last minute crunch. And it insures that everyone who wants to vote has a fair opportunity to vote conveniently without having to miss work or face physical challenges if they have health problems. We should expand a very well safe guarded version of this to every state. And every state should have early voting too. All these tricks in the last moments of election campaigns to try to keep people from voting is wrong. It is the opposite of everything America stands for and we shouldn't allow it anymore.

One of the things the Democrats need to do is to make a major political issue out of the undemocratic, unamerican attempts by the Republicans to suppress the votes of minorities.

I canvassed in Westmont IL yesterday. Even though I was in a neighborhood of newer mcmansions I was surprised by all the McCain lawn signs. I found out why when a woman told me her neighbor was the the local Republican precinct committeeman. The good republican that she is, she tried to be snotty about it. told me she had a friend who is also a PC sitting on her couch in her den too. I told her here I am knocking on doors and he's sitting on your couch, what's that tell you?

So anyway I had some lawn signs to pick up and another canvasser who came out from the city to find and drop off at the train station so I left for awhile. I came back to the neighborhood later and lo and behold there'd been a Republican lit drop all over the little development. I also noticed the creep must have stolen the lit I left. I was gonna skip the rest of that neighborhood and use what little lit I had in my bag a few blocks over where there are more modest house but I got irritated. I sued the rest of lit
to blanket the neighborhood. And I told everyone who answered the door about my competitor stealing the lit I left. Many were not amused. So when it comes to Republicant dirty tricks, expose them everytime and watch them backfire.

I'll get the other neighborhood next weekend.

That should be "where there are more modest houses but I got irritated. I used the rest of lit to blanket the neighborhood."

How can we help those who need transportation so that they can vote early. I live in Chicago and I will be more then happy to donate my time or put money together with others to transport people to and from the poling places. We should not allow the Rethugs to steal this election from us. As Senator Obama said in his speech ENOUGH!!!

DEMS please start organizing those busses now and don't wait for the courts. Anyone who lives in that area or nearby please donate your time, if you own a bus or can afford to pay for the busses, please, please help out. We cannot and will not afford McSame another four years of the last eight years.

How can anyone call these republicans Americans!!! They do not believe in the fundalmental basis principle of democracy , which is that all Americans should be able and allowed to vote...
The republicans wave the flag and shout about the patriotism , while they take an axe and set fire to our constitution , country and destroys our democracy and the principles it stand for...

Wow. How come this county has different rules? And what's with this "unanimous" stuff? Scary ...

Could somebody add this to the Voter Suppression Wiki's Incident tracker page when you get a chance -- along with any links to additional coverage etc.? Thanks much!

jon

I grew up in Gary, IN. The only thing worse than the crime was the politics. If you were connected, you could get just about anything, given enough time and money.

It is no surprise to me the GOP is trying to play games with the election there, but I will be surprised if the Dems let them get away with it. Let's go, my Region friends. Get those votes any way you can.

Jail these racist election officials.

The fact that they were *for* the early polling places in the primary
election and then *against* them in the main election means that whatever
criteria they used to make their decision, it was NOT about maximizing the ease and accuracy of the vote.

It was for something else.

You don't even need to legally prove that the real reason was racist (tho it obviously is); just that any criteria at all, other than what's best for a smooth and accurate election, is bogus. Bogus criteria that "happen" to result in a bunch of minority votes not being cast.

Jail them I say.

One of the strongest reasons to push harder than ever for an Obama presidency is to ensure that federal judgeships at all levels go to qualified jurists who value and will defend such American principles as free and unfettered voting for all.

We have already seen what happens when a politically motivated Supreme Court, for example, appoints a president over the will of the populace.

I just moved back to Indiana after living in Ohio and abroad since 1989. I was immediately struck by the racism here. The ignorance is overwhelming. However, voter supression by republicans occurred in Ohio too. I lived in a failry affluent neighborhood, but my voting occurred in a poor neighborhood. We had to wait outside in bad weather for 3 1/2 hours to get a chance to vote, and many elderly and handicapped people gave up and left the line and went home instead of voting. There were hundreds of Republican signs all around the polling booths and people hassling voters sometimes. In wealthy areas there were far more voting machines and lines were not so bad. Also, our paper ran out and they cancelled voting on a couple of machines. It was sad.

I guess I should post some good news from Indiana. My brother, a life long Republican called me a couple of days ago to say that he was rethinking things based on the issues and will be voting for Obama. There are so many people in Indiana who have lost their manufacturing jobs. There are ghost towns with empty buildings. My father unbolted the last machine in his plant after more than 20 years to ship it to Mexico. These people should be all for Obama, but some are just too uninformed or stubborn to make the choice that would help them the most. I would gladly volunteer to pick people up and take them to vote.

The republican leadership all over this country aer racist. These deeds require a stern and powerful response. Their tactics are anything but democratic. So you see, we're not in Iraq to spread democracy. We don't even have it here. We are going to end having to fight fire with fire. They simply must not be allowed to get away with it!

Yes, how arrogant it is of Washington to think they can build a good government in Iraq, when they can't even make people free in America. How are we qualified to setup a government there? Should we really setup a government run by big business there so there people have no say? By the way, I am white, I'm a veteran, and I'm an American. After years of living in foreign countries and experiencing different cultures and people, I come back home to find that the same ignorant racist folks are almost as stupid as when I left. It makes me sick. All I can say is that assholes come in every color. When I was in the military most of the units I was in functioned as one unit, one color, and I never looked at anyone as black or white, we all wore the same camo. I owe my life to black people and white people and you would think in this day and age that people would realize that we are all interdependent on each other and that our motivations are all similar, we all want to be free, do well and lead happy lives. I hope people in Indiana realize that Obama represents them and McCain represents the oil companies and super-wealthy. I'll be volunteering for the Obama campaign.

This isn't right. I tired of the GOP bad behavior against American Voters. I know where I will be on November 4, 2008, at a voting site, voting for Obama/Biden 08'

People should learn that it is RUDE to ask someone who they plan to vote for. It's none of their busines firs off.
Next, election sites should be aware. Every radio station of color has gotten word out about crooked dealings and possible turnaways at the polls. However, they are also telling people to have lawyers posted at some sites so if they're not admitted in they can tell the lawyer and an election official will be called or the media. This election will NOT be stolen like the one in 2000.

I'm another refugee from Indiana, too often ashamed of my roots because of the pride my home state takes in being hatefully religious and opened racist. Years ago, during a several-month return to Indianapolis, I attempted to register to vote prior to a presidential election. When I declared myself a Democrat, I was told without embarrassment that I could only register as a Republican before the election. If I insisted on registering as a Democrat I'd have to wait until after November. When I asked what would stop me from registering Republican and voting Democrat anyway, they decided I wasn't allowed to register at all.

Why should the govenment be burdened to provide people with rides to and from the polling locations? Why not take some personal responsibility and arrange your own transportation; carpooling sounds like a feasable option. If people are UNWILLING to make an attempt to get to the polls it is their choice not to exercise their right to vote.

It's very unlikely that the government will provide any transportation to the early voting center in Crown Point. However, I've heard that some organizations are mobilizing to create a bussing system -- and willing to cover the considerable cost. More details on this soon.

well, this is really business as usual here. i'm from east chicago and we have a history of political dirty tricks. the mayor we had up till a few years ago always fixed the elections. there were all kinds of dead people voting and out of state voters. a lot of the people involved with that, and stealing city money, have been indicted by the feds. i don't know if any of them will actually go to jail.
i went to vote in the primary in may and they will be outside the office telling you who to vote for. "a vote for so and so will be greatly appreciated." yeah, a lot of stuff should change, but it comes down to us being a bunch of poor minorities who vote democrat in a red state.

How many dead voters are in your state? In New Mexico, it's not uncommon for a ballot box to be stuffed witth votes for democrats which are cast by people who's names are found on gravestones in various cemetaries around the state. We have had problems where democrats cast more votes than there are residents of various cities in the state. I can see your point where everyone should have the opportunity to vote, but why do the democrats fight the requirement to have identification when casting votes?

I'm a democrat, and I do not oppose having ID to vote. In fact, if online is secure enough to pay our taxes, I think it should be secure enough to vote. Then maybe you could log in later and "verify" how your vote was recorded. People say this reduces the annonymity of voting, and that the wealthy could "pay" people for votes and verify they actually voted a certain way. I just think with all the technology and taxes being paid online, we should be able to login with our social security numbers and a PIN and be able to vote from the comfort of our living rooms. I remember in Ohio an elderly couple voting republican last presidential election and laughing on the way out saying they had voted several times that day throughout the state. I've never heard of democrat voter fraud, around these parts it seems to be only the republicans committing the fraud. (but I don't question that its possible)

American people: Wise up! Point: TO open additional early voting sites requires an unanimous vote. Point: The vote was not unanimous. Point: No one is being denied a right to vote. Point: All election sites will be open on election day. Point: Laws are written and put into law by the people WE elect. Point: The "Special Judge" in this case was not elected! We need to reclaim our government. Too many issues now go to court to be decided by some pompous "Judge" that has no care for the impact that may result from their decision. I live in Lake county, I am a republican, I have no problem with additional sites being open. I have a problem with them being opened in direct violation of the law. Take control of our laws back. Do NOT let judges make decisions for us. If a law needs to change then elect officials who will change them.

You shouldn't worry about the polls. Either way you should get out there a vote!

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