Suppress'n the Vote: How NOT to get Wis. ID

[mojowork_n]

Thank you, ALEC

Thank you, Gov. Walker

Thank you, Charles & David K.

From dKos:

A video has surfaced of a boy trying to get one of the new Wisconsin Voter IDs that were ushered in by the signing of new a voting law in the state. Shot by the boy's mother with the clear intention of indicting the process, the video shows the pair going from station to station at the DMV, asking all of the right questions as to why there are so many hurdles to acquiring this constitutionally guaranteed ID card.

It is a shame the video is not edited more briskly -- at almost ten minutes in length its viral spread will certainly be thwarted -- but it nonetheless lends itself to breath-holding drama because of this fact.

The first station clerk determines that the boy's bank account does not display enough "activity" to constitute a proof of address form. This is not only absurd ("does he use it?") but a clear privacy infringement as is the follow up question of whether or not the account is of the "checking" or "savings" variety. "Oh, it's just a savings," the clerk remarks. The mother throws a subtle jab, countering that "he's unemployed."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/07/26/998944/-VIDEO:-WI-DMV-Tells-Boy-His-Bank-Account-Doesn%E2%80%99t-Show-Enough-%E2%80%9CActivity%E2%80%9D-To-Get-a-Voter-ID?via=siderec

also, comments at:

http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/640060/wisconsin_dmv_tells_boy_his_bank_account_doesn%E2%80%99t_show_enough_%E2%80%9Cactivity%E2%80%9D_to_get_a_voter_id?page=entire

[BadgerKid]

1. Next up: Closing post offices in Dem. areas to discourage absentee ballots. n/t

[mojowork_n]

3. It's the DMV offices, actually

And I have to be honest, I don't know for sure who lives where.

I read the article about this in my local bought-and-paid-for-by-BIG-$$$-Interests daily news periodical,
and I couldn't tell from the list of closings if those were mostly BLUE parts of the voting map, mostly
PURPLE, or mostly RED.

Here's the link and the list:

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/126037933.html

Statewide DMV centers will add another 625 hours of service per week under the proposed change. The added service hours will cost about $4 million a year, with an additional $2 million in start-up costs the first year.

"We believe that this will provide better service to the taxpayers statewide," said Reggie Newson, executive assistant at the state Department of Transportation.

The locations proposed to be closed are:

Iron River (Bayfield County)
Luck and Amery (Polk County)
New Richmond (St. Croix County)
Phillips (Price County)
Stanley (Chippewa County)
Abbotsford (Clark County)
Wittenberg (Shawano County)
Minocqua (Oneida County)
Eagle River (Vilas County)
Algoma (Kewaunee County)
Westfield (Marquette County)
Reedsburg and Sauk City (Sauk County)
Fort Atkinson (Jefferson County)
Oconomowoc (Waukesha County)

The locations proposed to be opened in the expansion include: Washburn (Bayfield County); Arbor Vitae (Vilas County); Balsam Lake (Polk County); southern Eau Claire (Eau Claire County); Alma (Buffalo County); Viroqua (Vernon County); Montello (Marquette County); Kewaunee (Kewaunee County); and Keshena (Menominee County).

I live in Miltown, and except for the occasional visit to Madison, I hardly ever get as far west as Waukesha County, anymore.

...Edit ADDITION:

It's not hard to find other people who think the closings are politically motivated:

http://progressivetoo.com/2011/07/23/wi-governor-scott-walker-to-cut-dmv-centers-in-democratic-districts/

http://rock947.com/news/articles/2011/jul/23/dmv-office-closings-political-says-rep/

http://forums.colbertnation.com/?page=ThreadView&thread_id=27773

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/more-voter-disenfranchisement-wi-walker-cl

[Blue Owl]

2. Well aren't the GOP some CLEVER MOTHERFUCKERS.

They're finding even more new ways to screw the unemployed, poor, homeless, etc.

How noble -- how big of them.

[jwirr]

4. They are going to get a big surprise - we have been through this before.

Registration for voting was a big hurdle to overcome in the Civil Rights movement. We can do it again.

[Omaha Steve]

5. I was going to post this

I can't believe the few comments on this.

K&R!

OS

[mojowork_n]

6. Closing the DMV offices made "Countdown w/Keith" tonight.

As long as someone pays attention.

I'm not holding my breath that the local paper (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)
is going to put it on Page One, but hopefully someone edits the video, and
other stories about "how easy it is" to get an I.D. come out.

The hypocrisy is pretty thick on this one. Republi-Cons are always making
invidious comparisons between GubMint (BAD) and Private BidNess (GOOD), by
talking about how bad the service is, and how long the waiting times are,
at the DMV.

Edit ADD:

It's a perfect frame for them, they can blabber on a long time, telling DMV
jokes, and add ironic spin ad infinitum.

....But add this to the Vote Re-districting plan they're pushing -- which will make
sure 40-some percent of R. voters get to elect 60-some percent of the state Legislature
for the next 10 years -- with the winners in Democratic districts always sure
to win by 65% of the vote -- and it might just come back and hurt them.

With Independents.

With objective, fair-minded voters.

With anyone who's not "Me-First" all the time.

[October]

8. I put this story up on FB Sunday afternoon.

Teamster Nation: Walker cuts DMV in Dem districts now that voter ID is passed
teamsternation.blogspot.com


http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2011/07/walker-cuts-dmv-in-dem-districts-now.html?spref=fb


I can't believe what's going on in this country. It's hard to keep up.


Edited to add hyperlink.

[mojowork_n]

9. Check out the video at dKos

It's not just about closing the offices, it's what happens at the window when you find one open.

[NNN0LHI]

7. Recommended