Veterans Administration Blocks Efforts To Help Soldiers Register to Vote

[babylonsister]

Veterans Administration Won't Help Soldiers Register to Vote

By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet. Posted March 18, 2008.

The VA has thrown up roadblocks since the last presidential election.


For at least four years, since the 2004 presidential election, when a veteran, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., was the Democratic Party nominee, the Department of Veterans Affairs has blocked efforts to help U.S. soldiers register to vote at its facilities in all 50 states.

"This is politically motivated voter suppression," said Scott Rafferty, an attorney based in Washington, D.C., who has fought the VA in federal courts since 2004 over the right to assist homeless people, including veterans, register to vote at a shelter on VA property in Menlo Park, Calif. "Now the political motivation might be different that the veteran running for president is a Republican."

The issue has resurfaced, not merely on the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq and in the midst of a heated presidential campaign, but because the VA -- whose public affairs office did not answer telephone calls nor return requests to comment Monday -- apparently has also stonewalled requests by U.S. senators for an explanation.

"We write today to once again highlight our concerns about voter registration in VA facilities," began a March 6, 2008, letter from Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., chair of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and Sen. Kerry, to James B. Peake, secretary of Veterans Affairs. "Nearly one year ago, your predecessor, Secretary Nicholson, was questioned about the lack of access to nonpartisan voter registration services for our nation's veterans. A response to this inquiry was never received."

The letter continued, noting that "despite this lack of response, we now understand that the VA has engaged in litigation against voter registration efforts by third-party groups in VA facilities. In light of the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals decision that voter registration groups are not allowed to register veterans, we strongly urge you to focus on what the VA can do to ensure all veterans have access to registration."

more...

http://www.alternet.org/democracy/80024/?page=entire

[MagickMuffin]

1. Remember the republicons think they own the military

If you recall there were a lot of dirty tricks back in 2000 concerning the military and voters.



Abuse of Congressional office for partisan politics; politicization of active-duty military (Rep. Steve Buyer, Rep. Tillie Fowler, Michael Higgins, Rob Carter)

On 11/22, Rep. Buyer gave the Pentagon a list of active duty sailors whose ballots had been rejected as invalid, which was provided by Florida Republican operative Rob Carter. Buyer demanded their e-mail addresses immediately. Buyer's aide Michael Higgins then contacted the sailors and put them in touch with Carter, who enlisted these sailors in a propaganda campaign to attack Vice President Al Gore as anti-military, and to pressure county officials to count invalid ballots. Carter also supplied Rep. Tillie Fowler with stories from service members, which she used to denounce Gore at a rally.

http://archive.democrats.com/display.cfm?id=239

[Vinca]

2. How many times has King George talked about them

"fighting for our freedoms?" Apparently soldiers themselves are not entitled to said freedoms. This is shocking.

[babylonsister]

3. Disgusting, isn't it. Their 'support of troops' is not proven by their deeds. nt

[Hissyspit]

4. kick!

[KansDem]

5. So, we're "spreading democracy" in Iraq by denying it to the very troops who bring that "democracy?"

The mind boggles...:crazy:

Only in BushWorld...:silly: