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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHoly Shit the Arizona House has gone nuts
People went to protest the long lines and other issues and this was the end result. Leaders who don't care and bullies who want to push the little people around for shits and giggles.
Land of the free you say?
Freedom to assemble? Not here.
Freedom to state grievances? Not here.
We all need to wake up, because our leaders do.not.care.about.us.
This video shows the rest of the world just how putrid our leaders have become.
UPDATE to add: Major kudos to Democratic Rep. Jonathan Larkin. The only politician in Arizona who appears to give a fuck about this rampant election fraud is a Democrat. Go figure.
Firebrand Gary
(5,044 posts)billhicks76
(5,082 posts)I know of 4 people who switched from independent to democrat way before the deadline and they are showing up as non-affiliated. I've heard this is happening all over CA. People are being systematically disenfranchised. People fought and died for the right to vote. If this keeps up someone may decide to fight back.
rms013
(119 posts)There is a website you can access as a California voter to check on your status. I just did it and it is correct
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/registration-status/
dpatbrown
(368 posts)All the people I know here in Sacramento are chopping at the bit, waiting to vote for Senator Sanders. Last weekend, I sent a message, on facebook, giving all my former students (retired after 26 years) homework, they have to register to vote, and listen to what Bernie is saying. This election in California will be huge.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,154 posts)There are so many reports of peoples affiliations being switched by computers before the election even begins. Is this the new tactic by the establishment Clintonian geek crew? That they know that overall, anyone that had independent status before switching to Democrat is probably a Sanders supporter, and so are targeted for disenfranchisement.
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)They have ZERO control over the apperatus in OR and CA.
brush
(53,475 posts)billhicks76
(5,082 posts)People cards said Democrat so they were registered properly originally. It's the computers that spas otherwise and those can be hacked from anywhere so your argument wouldn't hold up in court.
https://anonymousinvestigationsblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/26/anonymous-report-was-arizonas-voter-registration-database-hacked/
brush
(53,475 posts)The voting machines and software are made by repug-run corporations (that is nothing new, we've seen these vote suppression shenanigans in previous election cycles (Rove on national TV in 2012).
Who do you think had access to the voting machine software?
And who closed all but 60 of the previously 200 polling places in the Phoenix area, most being polling places in minority communities who vote democratic?
And who do you think those minority voters would vote for, mostly likely Clinton as we've seen in all the other state primaries?
And who do you think would benefit from vote suppression in minority communities in the upcoming general election? Republicans, if you haven't reached that conclusion already.
The Arizona vote suppression was an obvious rehearsal for the November general election to learn how to keep minority vote counts down. They just weren't smart about it as they closed too many polling places which resulted in the long lines, but no one ever accused repugs of being the sharpest knives in the drawer.
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)brush
(53,475 posts)communities most likely to vote for her?
Forget the "Bernie voters were targeted" meme. They were targeting dem neighborhoods to see if their vote suppression tactics would be effective in November's general election.
Come on, they closed 140 polling stations, most in minority communities which vote dem, and only left 60 open.
Can't get anymore obvious than that.
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)Or worse
Dustlawyer
(10,493 posts)to reflect the change. Then received her new correct registration and voted. Next major election after the change in voter I.D., which must match their records to be able to vote, they had changed her back to her married name. She would not have been able to vote had she not checked her card when it came in the mail and taken the time to make sure it was corrected. Wish Jimmy Carter was able to help monitor our elections!
marble falls
(56,359 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,764 posts)tweeted
2naSalit
(86,061 posts)just like the neocons want it.
KT2000
(20,544 posts)pnwmom
(108,925 posts)They told us to get there at 9:30 but made hundreds of us stand outside my caucus location for an hour before they let us in. Then we had to be there for more hours before the voting was finally done.
Caucuses are just another form of voter suppression.
eridani
(51,907 posts)No waiting--just go in and sit with the folks in your precinct. We didn't need anywhere near as many of the forms we printed up as we thought we would need. Everyone was out the door by noon.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)till we were all seated inside at our precinct tables. (And everyone at my precinct had the forms, though a couple people had forgotten to sign them and did it after we were seated.)
But for some inexplicable reason they made us all stand outside from 9:30 till 10:30, and then they had everyone swarm in at once -- without checking anyone's paperwork or anything. (They'd made a big point a few minutes earlier of having a white haired man with a walker and an oxygen tank go inside first, but there were plenty of other people out there who would have liked to sit down.)
You say "everyone was out the door by noon" as if that was a good thing. That still meant that people had to spend an hour and a half or two hours to vote (not including the hours many rural voters had to spend just driving to their county caucuses, if they had cars) as opposed to voting by mail in the primary, which takes two minutes.
Several FB friends also mentioned the difficulty the volunteers had interpreting the rules. In one precinct instead of tallying the written ballots, they were making voters raise their hands and counting them, Iowa style. And they told people that if they left before they raised their hands for another recount later, their votes would be tossed. (In my precinct, OTOH, two people left sometime after they turned in their written ballots but before we got to our second precinct room. And that wasn't a problem.)
What a stupid, messy, onerous system. Three times as many people participated in the 2008 primary as in the caucus, but those votes don't count. It's a travesty that the state party leaders went to court to overrule the voter approved primary referendum. But they wanted more power over the process and the outcome, so they got it.
Then they add insult to injury by asking the caucus goers to contribute money to defray the costs of the caucus -- even though the voters voted to replace the Presidential caucus with primaries. No thanks. I'm already paying for that beauty contest primary with my tax dollars. I don't need to pay for the caucus I voted against having.
eridani
(51,907 posts)I don't want Republicans or members of other parties choosing the Dem nominee. Neither do most active Democrats.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)All they have to do is sign the form saying they're not going to be participating in any other party's primary.
You know as well as I do that there were MANY self-professed independents who participated in our caucuses, and that our state doesn't require anyone to register by party.
So anyone can be a Democrat-for-a-day and participate in our caucuses -- and many non-Democrats did.
eridani
(51,907 posts)No primaries where anyone can vote for any party's nominee.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)they can re-register as anything they want.
One of the women in my Hillary group said that her husband was an Independent who'd planned to vote for Bernie but he was too tired to get up for the event. But it was fatigue that kept him away -- not having to register as a Dem.
eridani
(51,907 posts)That is a significant barrier to plenty of people.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)to vote was put their signature on the line that said they wouldn't be voting in another party's primary. Done.
You know as well as I do that in WA there is no such thing as a '"registered Democrat." All that matters is putting your signature in that one blank on your ballot. Done. And then when the General comes along, everyone gets the same ballot.
eridani
(51,907 posts)Having to go through the trouble of changing your party registration will stop people from doing it casually.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)with everyone on it and anyone can vote for whoever they want.
The vote-Bernie website talks about registered parties, but that doesn't really apply in WA because the state doesn't do separate ballots.
But look what the site says about how easy it is for non-dems to vote for Bernie.
http://voteforbernie.org/state/washington/
Good news! Because Washington has open caucuses, you can vote for Bernie regardless of your registered party. If you want to vote for Bernie, get registered to vote!
http://wa.forberniesanders.com/caucus-in-wa/wa-state-caucus-faq/
Q. DO YOU HAVE TO BE A REGISTERED DEMOCRAT?
NO! Washington state does not register voters by party. When you sign in to the meeting you will pledge that you are a democrat for the purpose of the meeting only.
eridani
(51,907 posts)--to favor caucuses.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)Nothing beyond a signature attesting to THAT DAY ONLY.
That's probably why the Rethugs didn't take the same position as we did. Realistically, it just didn't matter. They can't stop control who votes in the primary or the caucuses.
eridani
(51,907 posts)blackspade
(10,056 posts)Were your caucuses run by Democrats?
Why does your state party use the caucus system?
Maybe you should consider some of these and other questions before you go spouting off misdirecting bullshit.
Are you not the least bit upset that AZ voters were dis-enfranchised?
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)That's just how it is.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)That's just how it is.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)Nice try.
You and I both know the reality...
We also know you won't be honest about it, but that's nothing new.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)pnwmom
(108,925 posts)for the first time, and figuring out the rules as they go along.
We use the caucus system because the State Democratic party went to court to have a voter-approved primary referendum overturned. The judge agreed with the party that the party is a private entity and should be able to choose its delegates in any fashion it selects.
So even though we voters strongly approved a primary -- and we're still paying for it through our taxes -- all the Democratic delegates are assigned at caucuses. The primary for the Dems is just a glorified poll that follows the caucuses. (The GOP listened to the people, however, and switched from caucuses to the primary. So their voters have it better than we do.)
Only about 5% of eligible voters in WA and other caucus states participate in caucuses, because the process is so onerous. So it's hard for me to get excited about Arizona voters standing in lines. That's the NORM here, and that's the way the party leaders prefer to keep it -- as difficult to participate in as possible.
ON EDIT: Yes, there were problems in Arizona that should be fixed before the general. But blaming the problems on HRC, as many did here, is outrageous. The worst problems occurred in the county where she had the most support. Why would she want to suppress the vote count in a county that was heavily minority? In any case, the election was run by the GOP and they are the ones who bear responsibility for that debacle.
LiberalFighter
(50,504 posts)And the taxpayers are only paying to run their election. The Democratic caucus is paid for by the Democratic Party.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)And the state's taxpayers have to pay for it even though we voted to have primaries instead of caucuses.
IOW, the Dems have two main events during the primary season. The March 26th caucus, which will assign delegates, and the party pays for; AND the May 24th primary election, which will give the winner bragging rights but nothing more -- zero delegates. And THAT is what the state's taxpayers will be paying for.
Because, after the voters approved the primaries, the state Democratic party went to court for the right to ignore primary results when they assign delegates.
https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/2016-Presidential-Primary.aspx
LiberalFighter
(50,504 posts)So it looks like it is the voters that screwed it up. Will the voters demand that anyone can be a delegate to the National Convention?
Only the Party can determine how they will allocate their delegates.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)was whether that primary would determine the allotment of delegates or not -- and the court ruled with the party.
HOWEVER, the GOP decided to honor the wishes of the voters and to use the primary results to assign delegates.
It was the Dem party leaders, in my opinion, that "screwed it up" when they decided to ignore the wishes of the voters so they could keep more power to themselves.
This is voter suppression, plain and simpler.
Hulk
(6,699 posts)With the likes of Jan Brewer and sherrif "head-up-his-ass"....and then throw in to that about 65% geezers.....this is the perfect storm.
My apologies to citizens of AZ with any smarts whatsoever.
jillan
(39,451 posts)I do have to correct you tho. Az is not 65% geezers. There are pockets of retirement communities but we are a thriving metropolitan city---- as much as possible under rw control.
Hulk
(6,699 posts)I'm glad to hear it. The concept that I have is all the gray heads and beards are migrating south for the better weather. I know my older brother, who is complete asshole and reich winger, bigoted jack ass lives there now, and my older sister migrate there for the winters, but I'm not sure if they are voting residents, or just sunshine soakers.
I'm a gray beard myself, but not near as selfish and paranoid as my older four. They are a complete and utter disgrace. God, I hope AZ can come around to the light side before it's too late for this country I was once so proud of.
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)davidthegnome
(2,983 posts)Does anyone have more on this particular incident? What did the person do to be manhandled and arrested for? The people in the video seem to think the cops were out of control. I can tell that people are pissed off and think this is a grave injustice - but I'm wondering what started it all.
FreedomRain
(413 posts)posting here to light up your tab, but the info deserved a direct response to OP
Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)House was about to vote on a bill to allow politicians to hand each other cash with little oversight. When the committee shut down the election fraud hearing so the Reps could go give each other blowj- I mean vote for a politician-enhancing-fuck-the-people bill, the folks at the election hearing moved over to observe their elected officials make their vote on their self-serving bill.
Apparently, the elected officials of Arizona are clueless fucks who can't understand why anyone would begrudge them their little cash-for-politicians vote. Couldn't those disgruntled voters just leave the greedy Republicans alone to fellate one another --I mean, vote in their own self interest?
When they realized that the horde wasn't going to stop snickering over the criminals occupying seats on the PEOPLE'S house floor, the Arizona legislative criminals sent their plump and steroid-infused goons to squash somebody, and they chose the dude in dreds and a Guy Fawkes mask. Because different.
(I can't believe the guy is still alive. That one fatass must have broken half the bones in the poor dude's body. How does that roid rage dude think sitting on a skinny guy isn't attempted murder?) Then the horde went nuts, while the Arizona politicians looked like stunned deer in the headlights because they aren't used to anyone witnessing their MASSIVELY corrupt goings-on.
Anyhoo, that's the Tsiyu Gonzo version
FreedomRain
(413 posts)nt
C Moon
(12,188 posts)FreedomRain
(413 posts)and I did not see this part, though I watched a fair bit livestreamed. It was an open meeting of the (state) House Elections committee, given for the express purposes of hearing the grievances.
the entire thing on you tube:
v=iWvH84YvEF
People were understandably highly emotionally charged, and long lines is only part of it, there was minority disenfranchisement, party registrations were tampered with, people were lied to and then blamed by the Maricopa County recorder for getting in line.
I believe that someone was kickin up a fuss about the time limit on speaking per person ( to get as many as possible a chance to speak) and had to be forcibly removed because they were preventing the business of the meeting--hearing the citizens--from happening. Whether they did so with excessive force or preemptively, I make no judgement, I can sure imagine it is the case, but will bow to someone with more information. They may also have been pumped up with the news of the nearly concurrent shooting incident in DC and were afraid this might be related in some way.
related?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10383165
questionseverything
(9,631 posts)they say in the video that the other is already gone
100,000 less democratic votes than in 08 on election day should make any citizen concerned
from anon's release....
The numbers in Pima County and Maricopa are particularly glaring. Reports of five-inch thick piles of provisional ballots and up to 2/3 of ballots in a particular voting location in Pima are quite suspicious. Numbers Anonymous is using internally to monitor election results across the country suggest that Sanders should have won student rich, and reliably progressive Pima county comfortably. The lack of polling stations alone in Maricopa County cannot explain how Phoenix, with a Democratic Mayor, could see Republicans show up at the polls on election day to the tune of around 80,000 voters, while Democrats cast a paltry 33,000 votes in Maricopa County on election day.
While Early Voting is increasing in Arizona with each election, we are rather skeptical of the idea that Maricopa had nearly 100,000 fewer Democrats voting in-person over against 2008s primary between Clinton and Obama.
FreedomRain
(413 posts)nt
jillan
(39,451 posts)She's the only one that seems to care what is going on in Az. I'd do it myself but not near my computer (on cell phone now).
This is what happens when you take away the right to vote.
Grab your popcorn the people of Arizona have had enough.
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)NSA? Republicans? Clinton Surrogates? No one knows who but it was probably done electronically.
questionseverything
(9,631 posts)i always ask,
who benefited?
FlatBaroque
(3,160 posts)thereismore
(13,326 posts)dbackjon
(6,578 posts)So your jab is wrong.
Please delete your asinine assertation, or at least have the guts to apologize.
People like you make it easy for the GOP to stay in power.
I am fighting to take MY state back.
lakeguy
(1,639 posts)having significantly more early votes.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)Who supported Hillary overwhelmingly.
passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)In some states, the POC are not going to favor Hillary, so you may be way off base here.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)0rganism
(23,856 posts)or maybe just insert an alternate ear worm. here, try this one:
raccoon
(31,092 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)to stop their bigotry? That might be a good idea now. Democracy or we ignore you.
former9thward
(31,805 posts)Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)former9thward
(31,805 posts)AZ had just as many visitors, conventions and meetings as before. SB 1070 went to court and while some of it was upheld much of it was gutted.
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)So many people fought and died to protect our right to vote.
Now the Republicans all over this nation blithely look us in the eye and tell us to fuck off, because our rights mean NOTHING to Republicans.
And make no mistake: the issues in Arizona are due to ravenous Republicans gaming the system, playing fast and loose with ballots and cutting election funding for areas they don't like.
They can't ever win fairly, because Republicans HAVE to lie, cheat and steal or they die. It's in their bylaws.
Become a Republican: Fuck over everybody except other Republicans. It's your right as a conservative to deny rights to everyone but conservatives!
They do not understand honesty, fairness or equality and Republicans NEVER WILL.
Here is another article and a snippet:
Air Force veteran Dean Palmer described his horrific experience voting in Maricopa County.
My experience down there, it was tough People in wheelchairs and canes in the heat We were out of provisional ballots at 7am So many people, they wheeled up there and got hit with the sprinklers. So many people, they couldnt take it. They had to leave, people were crying.
The executive director of the Arizona Students Association shared the testimony of a student who had just come back from a one-year tour in the Army.
I just spent a year laying down my life to protect the rights of Americans. I faced death every single day. One of the things I kept telling myself was It was worth it. Yet the right that I looked at death over a year for was taken from me.
THIS is how Republicans treat our veterans and our disabled. It's horrific. We have no business ranting about the depravity of ANY other culture when we sit back and let Republicans treat anyone this way.
Our nation's politicians all need to develop consciences pretty quickly or realize soon enough they will receive swift, decisive kicks in their posteriors. Figuratively speaking, of course.
The whole world is watching, Republicans. I hope you're enjoying the shit show you've made of your nation, you crooks, clowns and losers.
"So many people fought and died to protect our right to vote. "
Nobody died to protect our right to vote. They died protecting the moneyed interests and the oil pipeline and shipping lanes. I don't think that those polls who sent us young fighters over there were interested in our votes (unless you voted for them.)
All wars are about money.
Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)The soldier joins to serve his or her nation, even if the nation spits in his or her face.
Your reference to the true beneficiaries of warfare makes their treatment of veterans even more reprehensible.
The rich fatcats use our kids and then throw them away like trash. And Republicans eat it up like candy and turn around and blame Democrats.
Cheney, Rumsfield, Haliburton, military no-bid contractors and the 6 corporations that run our media made a lot of money maiming our kids and driving them to suicide, but none of the aforementioned beneficiaries are "goddamned liberals" by even an imbecile's definition.
Conservatives still blame the "goddamned liberals" though, for everything, which is very hilarious to me at this point. Complete and utter rubes.
In my case it was the Viet Nam war. And I still don't really know why we were there.
socialist_n_TN
(11,481 posts)that a revolutionary situation comes about when the rulers can't rule in the same way they have before and when the masses will NOT be ruled in the same way they have been ruled. I think AZ is showing both of those conditions.
ghostsinthemachine
(3,569 posts)Don't give up the fight....
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)Geronimoe
(1,539 posts)This is just a glimpse into the future.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Thank you,
An actual Democrat
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)People like you help keep the GOP in power.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)being spread on DU.
Metric System
(6,048 posts)0rganism
(23,856 posts)and no, i don't think this fiasco sticks to HRC or her campaign.
Initech
(99,915 posts)DhhD
(4,695 posts)turbinetree
(24,632 posts)both are retired and they say it is just getting nuts down there, people are walking into places with guns strapped on.
And then they have wing nuts in a government that just does not care, but they want and want all they can get, without providing anything-----------he said he has never had to stand in line to vote and never had to question if the vote was counted, and he his a Korean War Vet ---------------------this is just insane ----------------and the voter has a right to be pissed off..................................
And then they get this crap...........................let's point the finger here and let's point the finger there, while at the same they were giving the voters of Arizona the middle finger---------------they really have no shame------------none whatsoever, the Arizona republicans created this mess and they need to be called out again, in the state house----------again
A big thumbs up to Rep.Larkin
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/voters-enraged-over-botched-election-pack-arizona-capitol-hearing-officials-take-blame-8166930
Honk----------------------for a political revolution Bernie 2016
Thespian2
(2,741 posts)I never need to go back again...
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)PatrynXX
(5,668 posts)this will happen. Especially if we have to (American Right) come in on the Jury Pool.
Uncle Joe
(58,112 posts)the massive voter suppression that took place in Arizona?
Thanks for the thread, Tsiyu.
highoverheadspace
(307 posts)against what the fascists want. Voting lines a mile long and when you voice your concerns about it you are arrested and beaten. This is only going to get worse and worse. Real Americans need to wake up now. People that are supporting the propagandist fascist establishment are not real Americans. They are faux Americans that stand for fascism, propaganda and the suppression of voters rights.
On a side note, how many tonnes does one have to weigh to apply to be a police officer in Arizona? No offense to obese people, but police officers should be in excellent shape to properly do that job. I seriously doubt that most of these officers could pass a basic physical exam.
TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)highoverheadspace
(307 posts)intentionally seek to disenfranchise voters.
Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)So the government of Arizona is basically saying "Fuck You" to the people who pay for that government.
I think they had a term for that a couple hundred years ago. Lemme think...oh yeah:
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
How can you be represented when you can't vote? I wish that every American voter understood the significance of the video you posted.
This is Republicans shrinking the government to Third World Voter Suppression levels.
This is a fucking embarrassment. The world is laughing at the "land of the free" right now because of Republicans.
But of course, the Republicans and conservatives and teabaggers are elected to protect the corporations, not all those working people standing in line in your video. Republicans hate the workers. HATE them.
And working Americans will continue to vote for Republicans until THEY are the ones impoverished and unable to vote...
Very alarming and sad, that some Americans think it is okay to treat their fellow Americans this way.
Shame. Shame Shame.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)for no good reason. There was no "process" or paperwork that kept us outside. Just some rule that said when the doors would open -- though they told us all to get there an hour earlier.
So, in Arizona, the GOP caused the long lines in the primaries.
And in WA the Dem leaders caused the long lines -- and the incredibly low turnout of 5-6% -- by opting for the caucus system.
In WA, we don't need the GOP to engage in voter suppression -- we do it to ourselves.
seanjoycek476
(54 posts)It's up to all of us to prevent its destruction.