Voter Suppression – ENFORCE THE CURRENT LAW! Lawyers?? Will Pitt??? [View All]

[Pooka Fey]

I consider the two methods by which the republicans used to steal the 2004 election: 1) paperless electronic voting and 2) massive disenfranchisement of primarily African-American voters; to be two SEPARATE issues. Yes, they were combined to produce the same end, namely another ** sElection; aside from this, they are fundamentally unrelated.

Many democrats and DUers are calling for an Election Reform movement which will address both issues in ONE campaign. I VEHEMENTLY disagree that this is our best course of action. IMHO, paperless electronic voting should be the ONLY focus of the Election Reform movement. In this editorial, I will discuss the issue of voter disenfranchisement through suppression as a violation of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution of the civil war era, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

LET’S NOT “REINVENT THE WHEEL”. We don’t need another constitutional amendment nor another Voting Rights Act. WE NEED TO ENFORCE OUR CURRENT LAWS PROHIBITING JIM CROW VOTER SUPPRESSION TACTICS. The fight for equal access to the polls was fought during the Civil War, and it was REPEATED 40 years ago during the Civil Rights Movement. The blood and tears of those patriots has been shed, and the reforms that they fought for have been enacted.

Republicans have devised a new voter suppression tactic, 10 hour long lines at the polls, to achieve the same ends of those who used poll taxes, voter qualification tests, harassment and intimidation in the pre-civil rights era. It’s a variation on the SAME theme. If someone devises a new way to murder, are we required to write a brand new law? NO! We prosecute using the existing laws on the books.

If we are unable to enforce our current election laws, dating from the mid 19th century and from 1965, why does ANYONE believe that we will be able to enforce a new law stating exactly the same thing? An unenforceable law is WORSE than no law at all, because it creates contempt for the law. We all know that this contempt is a defining characteristic of neo-conservative republicans. In 2000, 2002, and 2004 the republicans violated American laws repeatedly and vehemently. Attaching voting rights protections to a new Election Reform Movement is the equivalent of IGNORING the hard-won legal battles of prior generations of patriots to ensure equal access to the polls.

We cannot allow another four years to pass writing letters and politely asking a republican congressional majority to pass a THIRD version of a law that they have systematically and deliberately violated. The Ohio Police department will not be making any arrests. The democratic leadership (notable exceptions are Barbara Boxer and the CBC) has done nothing to prosecute the perpetrators of previous Voting Rights crimes, thus it is unrealistic to look to them for ANY effective help at this time.

Why can’t we here at DU organize our brilliant legal team, pool our financial resources, and start handing out some LAWSUITS? DU lawyers, how were violations of the 1965 Voting Rights Act prosecuted during the 1960’s? I read some great threads by DU Lawyers in November discussing the 10 hour long lines in Ohio as a form of an illegal Poll Tax – because Time is Money. We need to send a message. We will not accept the flaunting of our laws and our constitution. We do not accept the silencing of our fellow citizens.

These were not stolen Kerry votes in 2004, these were stolen AMERICAN votes. Votes to uphold our constitutional rights. Votes to remove an appointed President who LIES in order to gain acceptance of the illegal invasion of Iraq. Votes for a living wage for regular working Americans. Votes for Social Security for our parents. Votes for a Nation that garners respect abroad, rather than utter contempt and ridicule. I’m not a Lawyer, but I will happily contribute whatever funds I can spare, and work as the DU Legal team office girl. Can we can assemble a legal team to take some action? Can we prosecute some criminals? Lawyers? Your thoughts? Can we keep this thread kicked until we can get some real answers?