Map of Voter Suppression Legislation state by state.

Courtesy of Mother Jones:

What the map doesn't show is that five states, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio, and West Virginia, have actually curtailed early voting as well. As Ari Berman reported, some of these ban voting on "the Sunday before the election—a day when black churches historically mobilize their constituents." 

"Americans are killed by lightning more often than they are victimized by fraud that voter ID would do something to stop," said Justin Levitt, a professor of law at Loyola Law School. "We've amputated a foot to stop a potential hangnail." The Brennan Center for Justice estimates that nearly ten percent of eligible voters lack the kind of photo ID required by these voter ID laws. 

Republican defenders of voter ID laws claim that higher black turnout in Georgia during the 2006 and 2010 elections proves that voter ID laws don't suppress the minority vote—an argument repeated by minority witness Hans von Spakovsky in his Senate testimony Thursday. But in states without such restrictions, the increase in black turnout was actually much larger. Von Spakovsky's analyses would "fail statistics 101 at just about any college in the country," Levitt said.

Before we all get too cocky about the embarrassingly inept pack of Republican candidates fighting over who will suffer a crushing defeat at the hands of our President, don't forget that the Republicans are essentially cowards who are terrified of a fair fight.

They will pull every trick in the book to level the playing field, and WE have to remain vigilant to call them out on these tactics and hopefully find ways to render them ineffective.

And if any of you have doubts that the GOP can steal a national election, than either you must be new to this country, or you were born AFTER the election of 2000.

The rhetoric from the Teabaggers in Wisconsin has gone from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Courtesy of Politico:

"I will tell you ladies and gentlemen, I detest and despise everything the left stands for. How anybody can endorse and embrace an ideology that has killed a billion people in the last century is beyond me," said Tea Party Nation CEO Judson Phillips.

Phillips, who a day prior likened protesters of Gov. Scott Walker to Nazi storm troopers, urged a few hundred tea party supporters to turn out for state Sen. Alberta Darling, who is in a ferocious battle with state Rep. Sandy Pasch to hold onto her suburban Milwaukee seat.

Something about me that you may not know is that I can be terribly forgetful.


However I am PRETTY sure that if I were involved with the killing of a billion people I would remember it.

I am going to assume that this jackass is comparing the American Left Wing to the Chinese and Soviet  Communists, and then I will further assume that the Teabagger's ongoing struggle with mathematics explains that ridiculously inflated number. (By the way if you wanted to know which ideology really HAD killed almost a billion people, I am afraid you would have to look to religion. But of course I would say that, I am a Godless liberal.)

Which means in just that one sentence this idiot has demonstrated his lack of a competent understanding for history, politics, as well as mathematics. And THESE are the people jerking the choke chain controlling the Republican party?

By the way, just in case you think I am being too judgmental concerning the intellectual prowess of our anti-education, pro-Constitution (Before they added all of those troublesome Amendments), Bagger buddies, perhaps you have not yet seen what was written on the side of the bus that they drove to Wisconsin.

Now I only attended public schools, so you will have to forgive me, but WE were never taught to spell September that way. (Psst, it's up at the top of the bus.)

Come on Wisconsin Democrats, you can't let these idiots win the day now can you?

BREAKING: NY-26 Goes Democratic... and Why it Means Something

You know you're in trouble when upstate New Yorkers (some who make the hillbilly characters from the film Deliverance seem sophisticated by comparison) join in kicking a conservative politician to the curb -- in one of the most conservative districts in the state (and possibly the nation). This is a district that voted against Obama, who took the rest of NY by a landslide. This is the same district that hasn't voted in a democrat in, like 100 fuckin' years...

Today, upstate voters voted in a... democrat! LOL

Paul Ryan by DonkeyHotey

Sure, you say that it's just one measly district, but I believe this is a bad omen for the knuckle-dragging twats on the right. For one, they poured enormous amounts of money and resources into this election -- in what should've been a cakewalk. The right wing parade of national batshittery passed by the district to lend their name recognition and support.

And they lost. They lost because this was a referendum on right wing fiscal policies -- mostly rehashed dismal failures of past decades: rob from the poor to give to the rich. Otherwise known as Reaganomics, supply-side, trickle down bullshit. Bush I had it right: it's magical thinking dressed as economic policy, or better put: Voodoo Economics.

Public Policy Polling shows why this election is very important moving on:

Congressional Republicans are extremely unpopular and voters think they're doing an even worse job than the Democrats they put out of office six months ago. That was true in NY-26 and that's true nationally. Last month we found nationally that 43% of voters thought House Republicans were doing a worse job than the Democrats did while in the majority to only 36% who felt they were an improvement. Even in NY-26, which voted 13 points more Republican than the country as a whole in 2008, 38% of voters think the Republicans are doing a worse job than the Democrats to only 34% who think they're an improvement. You can talk about Jack Davis all you want but the reality is that if voters thought House Republicans were bringing the improvement they hoped for when they went to vote last November Jane Corwin would have won tonight...

And believe me, the take-away here -- the chum in the water -- is that House Democratic candidates will run against John Boehner and the Ryan plan next year. Again, Public Policy Polling lays out the cruel numbers:

Boehner's approval rating nationally is a 25/42 spread and even in this traditionally Republican district it's a 28/45 spread. Barack Obama's not popular in this district either, don't get me wrong- his approval is a 42/51 breakdown. But it's remarkable that his net approval is 8 points better than Boehner's in a district that John McCain won by 6 points in 2008. Again you can talk about Jack Davis all day but if John Boehner was more popular than Barack Obama in this district, as you would certainly have expected the case to be, then Jane Corwin would have won tonight.

Interesting times indeed...

My name is Eddie and I'm in recovery from civilization...

Update #1 (h/t Steve Benen)

Last night's was a huge upset -- a body blow against the conservative agenda, but it’s also the latest in a spate of recent victories for democrats...

• New Hampshire: Last week, there was a special election in a state House district where Republicans have dominated for years. The Democratic candidate won in a landslide, even after a local town clerk illegally required photo IDs to vote.
• Florida: Also last week, Jacksonville was home to a high-profile mayoral race, and the state GOP touted the election as the first warning shot of the 2012 cycle. Instead, voters elected Democrat Alvin Brown — Jacksonville’s first African-American mayor — stunning the Republican establishment statewide.
• Wisconsin: Three weeks ago, there was a special election in a Wisconsin state Assembly district that has been represented by a Republican for 16 years. In this case, the Democrat won by eight points.
• Maine: Two weeks ago, there was a special election to fill a vacancy in the state Senate, in a district that has been very competitive in the recent past. In this case, the Democrat won by a crushing 2-to-1 margin.

This is not to say that Dems have recovered from a brutal 2010. Dems withstood a beating after doing well in 2009 special elections, for example. Also, Let me be clear: last night's winner is at best a Blue Dog democrat, hardly something progressives should celebrate. Still...

Conservatives began the year with the help of a passive corporate-run media with all the national momentum going for them. However, after a series of losses in races Republicans should have won easily, it is clear (except to conservatives, apparently) that the American public isn’t buying what the GOP is selling.

Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Energize the Latin@ Vote!

¡Hola! Everybody...
It was a rough night for us progressives, but considering we're in midst of one of the worst financial fuck ups in modern history (caused by failed conservative policies), a jobless rate going through the roof, and a president who just doesn't seem to “get” it, it could’ve been worse. for example, if the GOP had real cojones, they would’ve hitched their wagons to the looneytarians rather than the rabid teabaggers. Loonies are more attractive to people who identify as “independents (really: indies are shamed conservatives for the most part).

Also, I don’t get all this hoopla about the teabaggers, they’re not anything new: they’re overwhelmingly white, overwhelmingly male, and overwhelmingly older. sounds like the same angry KKKristian KKKonsservatives to me!

The pundits are already writing eulogies for liberalism, claiming that voters have rejected progressive ideals. But this is so much bullshit. Half of the Blue Dog (conservative) incumbents were defeated, and by themselves accounted for close to half of the Democratic losses. Conservative democrats: Why vote for a make-believe conservative when you can vote for a true, meat and potatoes, rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth one?

Considering all the above factors and taking into account that the midterms have historically always been bad news for the party in power, this wasn’t really a mandate at all.

Yes, the old guard Cuban American come mierdas in Florida went out en masse for one of the dumbest muthfuckas I’ve ever seen, Rubio (and considering the intense competition for that the designation this election cycle, that’s saying a lot). On the “good news” front, Latin@s came out saved democratic ass in a number of high profile races. Here’s a good piece on Latin@s from America’s Voice...

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Energized by Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric, Latinos Win It for Dems in NV, CA

The Spanish-language press reports today on the Democrats’ defeat in the House of Representatives, and retention of a reduced majority in the Senate. They also focus on the role of Latino voters in key races, such as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s reelection in Nevada and Jerry Brown’s victory in the California gubernatorial race. While the anti-immigrant rhetoric used by many Republican candidates motivated millions of Latinos to vote for Democrats by historic margins, the Republican majority in the House of Representatives presents an obstacle to passing immigration reform.

Latinos key to Harry Reid's and Jerry Brown's victories. EFE writes that

“exit polls reveal that Latinos represented 16% of the electorate in Nevada, surpassing even the presidential election in 2008, when the percentage was 15%. The strong presence of Hispanics at the polls could have been crucial to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s victory."

La Opinión (Los Angeles) cites a Latino Decisions poll on the Hispanic vote commissioned by NCLR, SEIU and America’s Voice:

“One important reason for Brown’s triumph, according to the Latino Decisions poll, was the overwhelming Latino preference for the Democrat—to an extent never before seen in California: 86% for Brown and 13% for Whitman—which gave him an important advantage.”

The paper adds:

“This trend was repeated not only in California, but in other states where some candidates used the immigration issue--such as the Nevada Senate race and in Arizona, where the law SB 1070 became an issue in governor Jan Brewer’s reelection campaign.

“'This is the most Democratic vote we’ve ever seen in the Latino community—I mean, the margins are incredible,' said Matt Barreto, director of the polling firm Latino Decisions, noting that 'exactly in the states where anti-immigrant rhetoric was strongest—such as Nevada, Arizona and, in the case of California, with the episode with Whitman and the maid—is where Latinos revolted against Republicans."

Wins for Hispanic Republicans. The Spanish-language media also cover victories for Hispanic Republicans in Florida, Nevada and New Mexico. Marco Rubio has been elected to the U.S. Senate from Florida, and Brian Sandoval and Susana Martínez were elected governors of Nevada and New Mexico, respectively.

EFE writes that:

“while Florida’s Hispanic voters are divided with respect to Rubio, the new senator can provide a new perspective for Republicans in the debate over immigration reform.”

Anti-immigrant rhetoric swings Latinos for Democrats. EFE reports that, while Republican control of the House of Representatives will hinder the advance of an immigration reform bill in that chamber,

“in general, anti-immigrant rhetoric from the majority of Republican candidates was, ironically, a key factor in the mobilization of the millions of Latinos who came out to the polls. In Nevada and Arizona, where the immigration issue dominated statewide elections, 69% of Latino voters said that immigration was the driving factor behind their participation at the polls, according to the pro-reform group America’s Voice.”

The America's Voice series “‘Qué Pasa’ in Immigration” brings Spanish-language coverage of immigration and politics to a wider audience. Look for daily roundups (in English) of some of the best Spanish-language news.

The latest Spanish-language reporting and analysis on immigration can now be found at AmericasVoiceEspanol.com. Check it out!

Republican Rampage!

¡Hola! Everybody...
I had another Latino/a-themed post ready, but yesterday’s elections sidetracked me...

G O Y A N K E E S !

* * *

-=[ Republican Rage: Or How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot ]=-

The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. Ignorance may deride it. But in the end, there it is.

-- Sir Winston Churchill (1874–1965)

First things first: I just found out from a friend that our own Madison Square Garden is sponsoring a debate between former presidents Bill Lady Killer Clinton and George W. Bush (“Dumbya”). This is either the most hilarious thing in ages, or an exercise in cruelty. Dumbya can barely construct a grammatically correct sentence, let a lone a coherent argument. I know, I know: I shouldn’t make fun of the slow of foot, but DAMN! Is this even a contest?!! I mean, will the judging be rigged? Will Karl Rove sneak up on Bill and smash him with a chair? Will Lush Rimbuagh sneak Dumbya a shiv, or will Glenn Beck pepper spray Bill eyes? This is a true event, people; I am not making this up! LMAOOOO! OMG! I have tears in my eyes...

Bring on the fancy Pageant walking! The result in the NY 23^rd, where a Conservative Party candidate (darling of the right wing lunatic mainstream) lost a seat that has been Republican since the Ice Age, demonstrates that the GOP really has become a party of Zombies cannibalizing moderate republicans. This just might open the way for Palin in 2012, and while that prospect will certainly warm my heart (and the hearts of comedy writers everywhere), it’s bad news for any sane conservatives (if indeed, there are any left).

After the Republican Party successfully managed to shoot itself in the foot and lose New York’s 23^rd House seat for the first time in 100 years, the only question remaining is how much more bloodletting will the GOP endure. Surely, the blame for this electoral train wreck leads directly to the crazies on the right. You know: the Palins and Limbaughs. Equally responsible is Glenn Beck, who extremist right wing candidate Doug Hoffman calls a “mentor.” While we’re at it, why don’t we throw in the neocunts from the Club for Growth, the “fiscal responsibility” organization that nevertheless threw over $1 million at Hoffman’s candidacy? I guess it is a sin to allow a fool to keep his money.

Of course, before the polls even closed Hoffman was already blaming the4 democrats and ACORN for stealing the election. Evidence? Zilch! Nada! Nothing! Even more pathetic, the Hoffman camp claimed the sabotage of a campaign worker’s car (ACORN again?), and, of course, had no comment when it was later discovered (by Plattsburgh police) that the worker had run over a bottle and blown his own tires. LOL! Apparently, whiny victimhood is the essence of the soul of the Republican Party (right next to the hate gene). And let’s be clear: yes, the NYS Conservative Party isn’t the GOP, but none other than the Assistant Chair of the GOP, Michael Steele, openly celebrated and backed Doug Hoffman.

This is a stunning loss for the teabaggers, for the 9/12ers, for Limbaugh and Giuliani, and Fred Thompson, and the whole clown car of right wingloons that is the GOP.

Doug Hoffman lost his election last night. A plurality of talk radio (i.e., hate speech) entertainers, and a former half-term governor of Alaska supported him, but it wasn’t enough. Unfortunately for them, there is still that constitutional idiosyncrasy that says you also need votes from voters. Rudy Giuliani shouldn’t be surprised, it’s the same nasty hurdle that tripped him up in his failed bid for the Presidency: nobody voted for him.

So boys and girls, to summarize: with overwhelming help from “Big Dawg” republicans, a million dollars from the Club for Growth, Doug Hoffman still managed to lose a part of New York State that more closely resembles a scene from the film Deliverance, than the film, Manhattan.

Keep up the good work, teabaggers!

For clarity’s sake, Doug Hoffman didn’t just have money to burn and the support of the Fox Propoganda Machine, he also had red-state ranters on the ground; a veritable army of volunteers from the tea bag movement, the 9/11 Project, and the always dependable and equally fanatic anti-choice Looney Tunes crowd. The problem was that shouting at polling sites only gets you so far, the citizens who lived in the district voted, but the teabaggers didn’t live there, so they weren’t allowed to vote.

Of course, Rush Limbaugh predicted a Hoffman win. In fact, Hoffman’s victory was such a foregone conclusion in his drug-addled mind that Rush was already mocking the Dems yesterday on their presumed loss. Today, The Lush is reduced to practicing his “I’m an oppressed white guy” shtick and blaming the big guns at the GOP for this debacle.

In other news, the vote in Maine was fucked up. Good, decent, hard-working, tax-paying Americans have had their right to marry taken away. I have no doubt I will live to see this travesty of justice changed, but what were you thinking, Maine?. The governors in Virginia and New Jersey? C’mon now, Virginia goes to the party other than that holding the White House and has for years. Big fuckin’ deal. And John Corzine was in real trouble in a state that’s in real trouble -- in many different ways. Besides, it’s New Jersey, people! Duh! Anyone here think Chris Christie will be more than a one-term Governor?

I feel bad for the sane republicans, though (not really!). That mess in the NY 23^rd will serve to embolden the extremists from the GOP right. They lost, but don’t think for a minute that the Limbaughs, the Palins, and the teabaggers will do a reality test. Wait until 2012 and watch the batshit crazy birthers, firsters, and deathers and tenthers start getting mainline GOP support. Shoot, at this pace, Bachmann will be considered a moderate! LOL!

OK! That’s it for today folks!

Love,

Eddie

ADDENDUM: I was remiss in not mentioning that pro-gay-rights measures passed in both Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Washington state. So while Maine may have been a disappointment, it’s not the only thing that happened last night.