Missouri GOP leader calls Ferguson voter-registration drive ‘disgusting’

[apnu]

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/missouri-gop-leader-calls-ferguson-voter-registration-drive-disgusting

Stay classy GOP.

By Steve Benen
08/19/14 11:12 AM

Voter participation in Ferguson, Missouri, has been poor of late, with just 12% turnout in the most recent election. As the Rev. Al Sharpton, host of msnbc’s “Politics Nation,” said at the Greater Grace Church’s during Sunday services, “You all have got to start voting and showing up. 12% turnout is an insult to your children.”

With this in mind, as we discussed yesterday, some in the community have set up a tent in Ferguson to host a voter-registration drive. As one volunteer put it, “We’re trying to make young people understand that this is how to change things.”

When I noted this on Twitter yesterday, I was surprised by conservatives complaining about the voter-registration efforts. Apparently, I wildly underestimated how upset the right would be about this. Breitbart.com, a prominent far-right website, reported this morning, “Republicans are criticizing efforts by liberal organizers to set up voter registration booths at the site where Missouri teenager Michael Brown was shot and killed by a local police officer.”
In an interview with Breitbart News, Missouri RNC executive director Matt Wills expressed outrage about the reports.

“If that’s not fanning the political flames, I don’t know what is,” Wills said, “I think it’s not only disgusting but completely inappropriate.”

Wills is described by the RNC as the executive director of the Missouri Republican Party.

More at link.

[HooptieWagon]

1. Not just Ferguson.

I imagine theres a lot of unregistered AAs in other suburbs and St Louis itself. How cool would it be to get them registered and to the polls in Nov? It would be like a wonderful, cleansing, tidal wave. MO Blue!

[Fred Sanders]

2. There it is. What the RW voter suppressor sand traitors of democracy fear most....voters.

Disgusting that people vote....that "these" people get to vote is bad enough, that "they" actually do vote is the nightmare scenario.

"We will take you out with our vote" would be a fine protest sign....

[BaggersRDumb]

26. Wouldn't it be beautiful if EVERY republican in the county is kicked out on election day

now, they will institute anti voting laws or regulations overnight to stop AA from voting, and we need to send volunteers down there to assist the citizens in getting their unconstitutionally required ID's and provide bus rides etc


But at the end of the day those disgusting rightwing assholes must be kicked out...

[JoePhilly]

3. Maybe he'd prefer they seek "2nd ammendment" remedies?

[talkguy365]

4. Now isn't the time.

The GOP will use this against Democrats calling them opportunists who took advantage of Michael Brown's death. Wait until the rioting is over then go to Ferguson and sign people up. They'll still be plenty mad and looking for change.

[Sherman A1]

5. I must disagree

Now, is exactly the right time. The system will change only when the voters change it. Democracy belongs to those who show up.

[Aristus]

6. ^^^THIS!^^^

[apnu]

8. That's exactly what the GOP is saying in the article.

But now is the time. And if the GOP calls it "disgusting" we Democrats and liberal should call them racists to their faces. Let them eat that.

[talkguy365]

9. The timing only hurts our party.

Nearly 90% of the black vote is polling for our party regardless of the outcome in Ferguson so why give the GOP more fuel to use against Democrats. If anything we drive away independent voters who are sitting on the fence. Let the riots die then go out and get the vote.

[BronxBoy]

11. You cannot be serious.....

I think it's disgraceful that our folks allowed the political situation to get to where it is given what we sacrificed to get the vote.

Go ahead and register voters and fuck the alleged optics and the vapors coming from RW assholes who are trying to suppress the a lack vote wherever they can

[JRLeft]

14. He has 47 posts, he's a paid troll.

[GeoWilliam750]

18. I doubt that he even gets minimum wage, though

"Right to work" shop, probably

[Arkana]

16. What on earth are the teabaggers going to say that they haven't already said?

I used to be like you, but I'm not anymore. I want the black community to vote every racist POS asshole in Missouri into the ground.

[Arkana]

15. They can squawk all they want. Wait till November.

[Cali_Democrat]

19. ROFL...your concern is noted!

[NickB79]

21. 67% of Ferguson is black, while the vast majority of the politicians and cops are white

The police force has only THREE black officers and FIFTY white ones.

The ENTIRE REASON this city has exploded in outrage is because blacks are massively under-represented in the city.

The ONLY solution to preventing this sort of thing from happening in the future is to ensure that black citizens in Ferguson have fair representation in the city's government and on it's police force.

Now is EXACTLY the time, and anyone who says otherwise has no fucking clue what they're talking about.

[geretogo]

7. Is there any doubt the Rethuglicons hate democratic government with more than just a single

Corporate Authoritarian ruling party ?

[kwolf68]

10. Where is the law being broken?

Getting people involved in the political process is not a bad thing is it?

Is it taking advantage of a situation? Sure it is, but the situation was caused by an incompetent and possibly racist police force.

[BronxBoy]

12. I wonder how many of these...,

Concerned conservatives are using this event in fundraising letters as we speak

[mac56]

13. ^ THIS ^

[kwolf68]

25. NO SHIT

But as we all know COnservatives are hypocrites so it's only honest if they do it.

[Jack Rabbit]

17. Mr. Wills' idea of racial harmony in America is a plantation in the antebellum South

A community headed by a rich white man whose workers have no right to vote, no right to an education, no right to adequate medical care, no right to unionize and no right to collect wages on their labor.

[hue]

23. This sounds exactly like our penal/prison system which is overpopulated w/African Americans--

too many of who are incarcerated/convicted wrongly with over sentencing. It is another form of cultural, thus voter suppression.

From WI: http://www4.uwm.edu/eti/2013/BlackImprisonment.pdf

[bigwillq]

20. I think the voter registration drive is a wonderful idea (nt)

[PatrynXX]

22. yet another white GUY who failed civics class

face palm.

was always in disagreement with George Carlin's line of fuck it I don't vote so I don't get blamed for what happens. No actually if you don't vote. if the country goes the wrong way. you get blamed along with whatever party is doing the damage. I've always voted. probably why they keep putting us on the jury selection. ain't never been on so many jury selections before.. nor has mom. last time was when she was taking care of my brother who was rather young and she just served on a 3 day trial like this was about the 4-5 time she's been in the thing. while we've lived here.

[SharonAnn]

24. Juror selection is usually based on drivers licenses, etc. as well as voter registration.

The court can get names of potential jurors from many different government sources. They don't rely just on names of reigstered voters.