Freeper tells me "there's no Right to vote"

[Courtesy Flush]

This is unreal. I've been dealing with these guys all through the campaign. They honestly think that Americans have no right to vote, and if they can be intimidated or tricked out of voting, then they're not smart enough to vote anyway. It's fucking maddening!

http://bbs.trailersailor.com/forums/pol/index.cgi/noframes/read/26772

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Darwin's Voting Maze?

This is a new theory. I need to mull it over.

[LeftishBrit]

2. Isn't that an essential part of democracy - having the vote?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. Technically We Are A Republic-You Guys Are A Parliamentary Democracy

~

[Hawkowl]

3. Kinda correct

There is no constitutional right to vote. There are guarantees against discrimination but the Supreme Court has ruled many times that poll taxes, proofs of identity, citizenship tests, etc. are all allowed as a way to prohibit people from voting.

You want a "right" to vote? You are going to have to push for a constitutional amendment.

[WeDidIt]

6. Wrongo Bucko

The Supreme Court ruled against poll taxes as a violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment.

Your right to vote is guaranteed there.

[Hawkowl]

13. Yes.

Yes, I know that, but used it as an example of how standards change. Yesterday it was poll taxes--now states are allowed to REQUIRE birth certificates and driver's licenses. This illustrates how there is NO WRITTEN GUARANTEE OF THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

People need to understand this so we can fix it.

[depakid]

22. Poll taxes were outlawed by constitutional amendment in 1964

See my post below.

[supernova]

16. Do go take a civics class

or at least a constitutional law class. Believe me, you need it.

[damntexdem]

No constitutional right to vote? That's funny. I could have sworn it was in there.

15th Amendment: 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

19th Amendment: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

24th Amendment: 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.
2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

26th Amendment: 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.
2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

[GinaMaria]

31. What a great post.

Everyone should have a copy of this on them when they go to vote!!!!

[Bake]

4. Then what was the Voting Rights Act all about?

:shrug:

Bake

[Iterate]

7. A flag is good enough, no need for that complicated constitution.

[Why Syzygy]

8. Their leaders even announce it on national cable

news programs. It's their motto and justification to steal elections. The rest of us are too afflicted to know what's best. Very ugly.

A DUer on this thread says the same thing (some people don't deserve to vote)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7739950

[Poseidan]

9. confederate fuckers

'freedom means the right to enslave'

Maybe we should turn them into slaves? Maybe then, they will finally understand?

[jobycom]

10. There is no right to vote for the president.

There's nothing in the Constitution that calls for presidents to be elected. That's a state decision. This came up in Bush v Gore, during which the Supreme Court argued that people did no have an inalienable right to vote for the president, but that since the states had decided that the Electoral College was to be chosen by elections, then all of the Constitutional requirements of fairness and equality and non-discrimination came into play.

At one point Senators were not elected, either. I'm not sure if that was changed in the Constitution, or by the states.

Jesse Jackson Jr has from time to time introduced a "Right to Vote" amendment guaranteeing everyone the right to vote, and declaring that the president must be chosen by election. It has never gained much weight.

So your pal is partially right.

On the other hand, SCOTUS and the states have ruled that in an election, everyone has the right to be free from discrimination, everyone has the right to equal protection, and no legally competent citizen can be denied the right to vote. In other words, all the rights of the Constitution apply to voting. In that since, although there is no inherent right to vote for the president, for instance, the right to take part in an election once it has been declared by the states is absolute, and can't be violated based on the usual discriminatory methods. And Equal Protection means that all people have to have equal access to voting booths without undue restrictions.

So your pal is wrong on the big picture. It's like the people who try to draw distinctions between a democracy and a republic. The technical difference is rarely relevant to the point being made.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

15. The Seventh Amendment Established The Direct Election Of Senators

~

[depakid]

21. The 19th & 24th Amendment are more applicable

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
--------------------

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

[damntexdem]

24. Vote for senators = 17th Amendment

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

[ITsec]

11. Bull Effin Shit. Guess they've never read the Constitution...

but hey, freeptards can't read, so that explains it.

[damntexdem]

12. That's right -- that's why the law was called the Voting Privilege Act.

That's why the 15th Amendment says:

"1. The privilege of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

2. The Congress shall have leisure to enforce this article by inappropriate legislation."

It's just like the privileges of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

;-)

[1Hippiechick]

26. Voting Rights Act of 1965 - print w-i-k-i-p-e-d-i-a and v-o-t-i-n-g r-i-g-h-t-s a-c-t

on a piece of paper and give it to them. Better still, Google it, print it and READ it to them. Otherwise, they would probably struggle with any words longer than two syllables.

[Old Codger]

14. Here In our constitution

Article. XV.

Section. 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Section. 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.


:dem:

[Hawkowl]

19. But your papers have to be in order.

You must have a valid government picture i.d. in Indiana. In Missippi you must have proof of citizenship. Etc. etc. etc.

[jobycom]

17. Here's an article by Jesse Jackson Jr on the lack of a right to vote.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060206/jackson

"The vote" is a human right. It is seen as an American right. In a democracy there is nothing more fundamental than having the right to vote.


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And yet the right to vote is not a fundamental right in our Constitution. Some liberals argue that the fundamental right to vote for every American citizen is implied in the Constitution, based on Supreme Court precedent. Yet when I ask them about the denial of voting representation in Congress to District of Columbia citizens, or about the denial of ex-felons' voting rights in most states, many liberals concede that the current structure of our Constitution limits the ability of the courts and Congress to adequately address important voting-rights issues.

It is amazing to me that many Democrats failed to grasp the most fundamental finding in Bush v. Gore: "The individual citizen has no federal constitutional right to vote for electors for the President of the United States."

Our voting system's foundation is built on the sand of states' rights and local control. We have fifty states, 3,141 counties and 7,800 different local election jurisdictions. All separate and unequal.

more

[bobd0]

18. No surprise. I had one of these assholes tell me there's no such thing as right and wrong --

At the time I thought, "I must be talking to Karl Rove."

[damonm]

29. And hereI thought moral relativism was a LIBRUL thing...

[RamboLiberal]

20. I'd had to explain to a coworker why a homeless person

w/o a permanent address had a right to vote if born or naturalized as a citizen. Nor a freeper but just someone who allows the wingnuts of the world to influence her. Save me please!

[1Hippiechick]

23. I have decided that the redneck idiots in this country are the pure, pure white Europeans who

participated in in-breeding to keep their "race" pure. Of course, they sacrificed intelligence for it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

25. They will stop at nothing, eh?

[youthere]

27. Make sure you spew that shit back at him if he brings up the ACORN smear.

[Why Syzygy]

28. Good point. nt

[1Hippiechick]

30. And that is why they belong to the RepubliKLAN Party. n/t

[Naturyl]

32. Sounds like electoral Darwinism

Not surprising since social Darwinism is their philosophy of life, even though many of them don't believe in evolution.

"If they can be intimidated or tricked out of voting, then they're not smart enough to vote anyway."

[GalleryGod]

33. Not to worry...WE'VE got the "Boots on the ground" THIS time!

Got them on the run?
Chase 'em into the woods,dammit!:patriot: