LA Repub is trying to get DC GOP behind plan to keep poor Dems out of NOLA

[BurtWorm]

So it will vote Republican. :puke:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2005/09/28/republican-congressional-_n_8019.html

Louisiana State Senator Craig Romero (R) visited Washington earlier this month under the auspices of raising money for Katrina disaster relief, Roll Call reported today. But the trip was also an opportunity for Romero to drum up support for his run for Congress in Louisiana’s 3rd district now held by Democrat Charlie Melancon.

The Huffington Post has acquired pages from a packet of candidate information that Romero handed out to special interest groups: A main selling point of Romero's candidacy is that if Katrina's victims don't move back home, the district will go Republican.

In the 2004 election, 50.2 percent voted for Democrat Charles Melancon and 49.8 percent for Rep. Billy Tauzin (R).

Romero's campaign information includes a pie chart that shows the district's make-up without the residents who were displaced by Katrina. Leaving those residents out, the chart says the district would be have voted 57.1 percent Republican and 42.9 percent Democrat in the 2004 election.

[Liberty Belle]

1. Kick! Reprehensible. On the other hand...

if enough survivors stay in Houston and San Antonio, maybe Texas will turn blue.

:think:

[Erika]

2. So true. Good point

Their affects may be seen in the other Southern states.

[BurtWorm]

3. Except the Repubs will figure out a way to keep them disenfranchised.

That's what being Republican is all about: disenfranchising the poor.

[Trevelyan]

56. Rep. Conyers is on to them and tried to head them off at the pass

Please help. Rep. Conyers has asked for our help to counter the Carter/Baker Election Commission - they already have disenfranchisement built into their recommendations. Several Conyers articles on his blog and two action steps on his main site:

http://www.johnconyers.com/ Conyer's Action Items
http://www.conyersblog.us/ Conyer's Blog

"Good Start on Defeating Photo ID Proposal

We made very good progress on the first day, thanks in no small part to your help. We recieved lots of press, including an AP story. We got great editorials in both the New York Times and the Washington Post. The New York Times was particularly strong, writing "the bombshell recommendation is for the states to require voters to have drivers' licenses or a government-issued photo ID.

That would not be a great burden for people who have drivers' licenses, but it would be for those who don't, and they are disproportionately poor, elderly or members of minorities. These voters would have to get special photo ID's and keep them updated. If they didn't have the ID's, their right to vote would be taken away. The commission recommends that the cards be free. But election administration is notoriously underfinanced, and it is not hard to imagine that states would charge for them. Georgia is already charging $20 and more for each of its state voter cards."

I also participated in a press conference today with Senators Obama and Dodd and Rep. John Lewis where we announced our resolution opposing the ID requirement. Our petition to the Speaker and Majority Leader is going well, with approximately 4,000 signatories already. Please let your friends and family know about this so we can keep the momentum going in this critical fight.

Please Sign the Letter to Congressional Leadership.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr. -Speaker/Majority Leader-:

The advances our country has achieved in voting rights over the past half-century have provided a model for democracies across the globe. Recently, we are sad to say, there are proposals being readied that would set us back in that struggle. In particular, the Baker-Carter Commission Report includes a proposal for a national ID requirement to vote that could disenfranchise over ten percent of eligible voters. When voting rights legislation is considered in the -House/Senate-, we strongly urge you to exclude this provision........

[Beetwasher]

16. I Guarantee That Displaced Black Hurricane Victims Will NEVER Be Allowed

to vote anywhere in TX. Just watch. There will be insurmountable requirements for them before they would be allowed to vote.

[Bridget Burke]

20. Quite a few blacks already vote in Texas.

What problems do you foresee?

The problem here is that they will be prevented from returning to their homes in Louisiana. They should be able to live there & vote there.

[Beetwasher]

21. I'm Not Talking About the One's Already There

I'm talking about the one's displaced by the Hurricanes.

[Bridget Burke]

22. How do you propose this will be done?

It's not that hard to vote in Texas. Racism has not been defeated, but voting rights are no longer much of a problem. We even have quite a few non-white elected officials.

I live in Houston. Where in Texas do you live?

[Beetwasher]

23. Oh, I Dunno

Maybe they will have to "prove" they've established residency, provide forms of identification they don't have because they were destroyed in the hurricane, etc. It's not such a far fetched notion. Maybe I shouldn't have said guarantee, but let's just call it a strong suspicion that it won't be easy for these people to vote, and probably not just in TX either. Do you really think it's so far fetched that there will be attempts to disenfranchise black people? Like it hasn't happened recently? I'm not slamming TX, I'm merely making a prediction based on my observation of a pervasive pattern of disenfranchisement of blacks by the GOP.

[Bridget Burke]

26. So you've just got a hunch....

Here's what it takes to register in Texas:

www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/pamphlets/largepamp.shtml

A first-time voter must enclose a copy of identification along with the voter registration application or a first-time voter may instead present identification the first time the voter votes in a federal election.

Acceptable identification includes: a driver's license, bank statement, utility bill, pay check, or other government document that shows your name and address.

I'm more concerned about residents of Louisiana not being allowed to go home & vote there.

[Beetwasher]

27. Yeah, That Too

No doubt...

"Acceptable identification includes: a driver's license, bank statement, utility bill, pay check, or other government document that shows your name and address."

Unfortunately, that may indeed be a problem for many...

[tx_dem41]

33. Nevermind answering my previous question...

yours was just wild-assed speculation based on nothing.

[Beetwasher]

37. You May Consider the Current Disenfranchisement of Black Voters Nothing

I don't. Or maybe you haven't been paying attention and noticed the disenfranchisement of black voters in large quantities all over the place in the last few elections. Maybe YOU consider that nothing. I don't. So it's not based on nothing, and it's not wild assed. It's based on an abundance of evidence of this type of thing being quite common.

[Bridget Burke]

36. Well, if they're going to drive here....

They will need a driver's license. If they work, they will have a paycheck & maybe even a bank statement. If they pay for utilities, they will have the bills.

If they receive any kind of government assistance, they will have plenty of documentation. Surprise--maybe not ALL of them will be on welfare FOREVER.

Why do you assume that all the Black evacuees are weak, passive, stupid & ready to let Republicans take advantage of them?

[Beetwasher]

38. Why Do You Assume Repubs Won't Try to do What They do Best?

Underestimate at your own peril.

[Bridget Burke]

40. Why do you assume that the black evacuees are stupid children?

Texas has branches of the NAACP. They fought for voting rights long ago & have not gone out of business.

Sheila Jackson Lee is my Rep. She speaks up LOUDLY when she sees a problem.

[Beetwasher]

42. Good!

I hope they don't have blinders on regarding this as apparently you do. This is a displaced population and I foresee lot's of problems. I hope I'm wrong, but everywhere Repubs control the state govt, blacks get disenfranchised.

As the above article shows, the Repubs are nothing if not gross opportunists looking for ways to disenfranchise people.

[mermaid]

50. Not Quite

They are only looking for ways to disenfranchise people they know damned well will not vote for THEM!! (Witness how few Hispanic voters were challenged in Florida...where the majority Hispanic population is Cuban...and tends to vote Republican.)

[mermaid]

49. Ah!! A Wonderful Lady!!!

I have twice met with Sheila Jackson Lee, and she is a wonderful lady, and a delight to talk to...makes me kinda sad I'm no longer a Texan.

Well, you have a damn fine Rep in Shiela!

[TankLV]

47. And then the "impartial" REPUKE election officials conveniently loose ONLY

the DEMOCRATIC registrations - just like happened here in NEVADA and elsewhere in the country - all by the same "impartial" REPUKE company!

No, it's quite easy to prevent these people from registering, let alone voting!

And there will be NO PENALTIES for them doing this, either, just like last time!

[mermaid]

51. Actually...I'm Going To Have To Take Issue With That Statement

where Texas is concerned.

As a former Deputy Voter Registrar for Travis County (Austin) Texas...I know that one DOES NOT declare their Party of Affiliation on their Voter Registration Applications.
Now I know that in many states, like Nevada...they do. But not in Texas.
What happens in Texas is...you show up with your voter registration card, and they ask you if you want a Dem or a Rep primary ballot. THEN, they stamp your card with whichever Party's Primary you voted in...so that you cannot vote twice....or in both Party's primaries.

And every election cycle, you get a new card...which does not identify on it...which Party's primary you voted for last time.

So they cannot do in Texas what it is documented that they did in Nevada...because they don't honestly KNOW who is a Dem or who is a Rep...based only on what is on the Voter Registration Application.

I know they WOULD do it, don't get me wrong...but they can't in Texas.

[tx_dem41]

29. Care to elaborate on this? Are you from Texas?

Texas has loose residency laws just like every other state. Why do you feel Texas would do this? How do you think Texas would do this?

[Beetwasher]

39. Who Said TX Would Do This?

I'm suggesting Repubs will try to do this. They will try to stop these people from voting, just like they are trying to stop them from returning to LA.

I don't have to be from TX to know that Repubs will try to disenfranchise black voters any chance they get. What makes you think TX is so special that they won't try it there. Must be your Democratic Governor? Or your Democratic congressional leaders? :eyes:

Yeah, it's speculation, but based on lots of evidence of massive disenfranchisement of blacks all over the country. Maybe you've missed it.

[Bridget Burke]

41. Democratic Congressional Leaders?

My Rep is Sheila Jackson Lee. She spoke up TWICE when the Black Caucus stood for Gore. What was your Rep doing that day?

Sheil is not perfect but she is LOUD.

[Beetwasher]

43. I Expect She'll Continue

Let's hope I'm wrong about my predictions. These displaced people are a vulnerable population and I think my concern for their rights is not unwarranted. TX state gov't is Repub controlled, and wherever that's the case, blacks are disproportionately disenfranchised, and, again, these particular displaced people's are quite vulnerable.

Barbara Bush's comments about it being scary that they might stay in TX is not comforting. They are scared about that and will not hesitate to find any opportunity to disenfranchise them.

[Trevelyan]

57. She's a good lady but not invulnerable and the liberal blogosphere has

shamefully been ignoring the very risky recent steps by members of the Black Caucus who are doing all the heavy lifting. Call your Democrat and ask them to get involved.

Rep. Barbara Lee just had A RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY that failed by ONE VOTE!! 3 weeks ago and the Left Blogs said nothing. This would have been the beginning of Impeachment hearings. Go to http://www.AfterDowningStreet.org to keep up.

Rep. McKinney mentioned Impeachment and it was striken from the Congressional Record - only takes one Rep to call for Impeachment and the Hearings begin. Rep. McKinney had to put her speech on bellacio and Rense.com herself because the liberal blogsphere is ignoring her.
http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=8235

A United Coalition of Blogs for the Impeachment of George W. Bush
'Impeach Bush' is the #1 searched term on Technocrati today
http://impeachbushcoalition.blogspot.com/http://www.petitiononline.com/DropBush/petition.html
http://www.counterpunch.org/boyle09162005.html

Rep. Conyers has 3 articles on his blog on the planned disenfranchisement of blacks, elderly and poor from the Carter/Baker election commission and shamefully for the left, only has 4,000 signatures for his letter to the House Majority leaders on his main blog. This is the Grand Chessboard, bushco is changing the laws rapidly. Keep up with the above sites and participate, please.
http://www.johnconyers.com/ http://www.conyersblog.us/

[BurtWorm]

45. Beetwasher, I caught your drift.

You're not crazy. Florida 2000 and Ohio 2004 happened. And so did a lot of other shit no one caught.

[dmkinsey]

34. And even if they do get to vote

They're so dispersed that they're not likely to swing any precinct our way. We'll lose the blue in LA but no gain anywhere else.

[Trevelyan]

55. That is why Bushco is shipping them to Utah, Puerto Rico??, Okl, DC, etc.

Families were separated according to Salt Lake Tribune when they kidnapped NOLA evacuees and put them on a plane supposedly going to Houston but illegally flew evacuees to Utah and Colorado and other places where they are behind barbed wire, fences, under heavy armed guard and not allowed to talk to the press and God knows how many are permanently disappeared in the confusion like the elderly after Hurricane Charley. Keep email media and Congress about this inhumanity!!!

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/fema.html/
http://www.abovetopsecret.com On ATS front page if link to fema camps doesn't work.

"I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp

I’m extremely depressed to report that things seem to only be getting sadder concerning the people so devastatingly affected by Katrina last week..." many photos, excellent article and comments

http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/evan/25229/

FEMA is giving proof that the have the "Final Solution" in their concentration camps.

http://www.globalnewsmatrix.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2449
Refugees from New Orleans behind barbed wire in Utah
Posted on Wednesday, September 07

"Utah's Governor Jon Huntsman has taken in some of the New Orleans refugees, at Camp Williams. Replete with barbed wire, armed soldiers with weapons at ready, police and sheriff with weapons at ready, and hell, they must surely feel right at home. In America yet. What bulls**t! I’m not done with this outrage, not by a long shot. I’m actually just getting started."

Denver Post even used this phrase about what is happening to the NOLA Detainees: Evacuees’ stories are moving, but fence isn't
Article Last Updated: 09/07/2005 03:37:49 AM
By Diane Carman http://www.denverpost.com/carman/ci_3006502
"If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought I was peering through the fence at a concentration camp." (more)

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/005403.php#

Thursday :: Sep 8, 2005 Welcome To George's Holiday Camp Here we go again.

"The other day, I wrote about Katrina evacuees being taken to Utah with no prior knowledge of their destination, and that they were reportedly being kept behind barbed wire.......

And then there is that report I have noted in recent days of the 1,000 evacuees flown to Roosevelt Roads naval base on Puerto Rico's eastern tip. What of them?"

Please send questions to http://www.Congress.org/and media:

Why are Evacuees Being Sent to Puerto Rico Against Their Will?

The Katrina Evacuees are being treated like POWs behind fences, not allowed to leave with heavy military guard. Please investigate and help these survivors of Katrina who are being treated like Gitmo detainees. They haven't committed any crime! The following article has a photograph of two very unhappy, oppressed and worn looking women behind orange fence.

~~~~
".....FEMA is refusing to reveal to aid groups the locations of thousands of citizens forced out of their homes by "Hurricane Charley," citing "privacy restrictions."

Original news source:
FEMA Rule Blocking Aid to Seniors - www.heraldtribune.com

Some elderly citizens forced out of their homes by Hurricane Charley are missing out on vital help, including meals, transportation and in-home care, because federal officials won't tell government aid groups where they are.....

Where have these people gone?? "
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread167902/pg9

[PegDAC]

59. "I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp...

I’m extremely depressed to report that things seem to only be getting sadder concerning the people so devastatingly affected by Katrina last week..." many photos, excellent article and comments

http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/evan/25229 /

I read this article referenced in the Alternet blog. It's horrifying. The people took pictures and everything.

:mad: :grr: :nuke:

[FreedomAngel82]

4. These people are disgusting!

Have they know freakin shame?! All they care about is themselves and money! I hate them all and wish they'd go away and stop fucking with my country!!!

[aquart]

5. Absolutely.

Keep the rich Republicans in the areas most likely to be drowned. What do they plan to do? Fly in their maids, waiters, cooks?

[donheld]

6. The nerve of these idiots is just stunning

:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

[Erika]

7. The elitism is stunning

But that is what W has brought us.

[autorank]

8. Recommended. Thanks Burnt. We knew this would happen, didn't we.

What a pig this guy is.

They will be crushed. They will be exposed. They will live in infamy for what they're trying to do.

No more Republicans for anything ever.

[enigmatic]

9. What a weasel

And oh-so typical.

[bobbieinok]

10. some pundits after 2000 said 'if blacks hadn't voted, W would have

easily won the popular vote'

always out for the good of the party......dreaming of pre 1865

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Com'on these guys at times want to go back to the 1200s

[bobbieinok]

44. 1st I thought they want to go back to the 50s, before women's liberation

and the Civil Rights Movement

then I realized they want to go back before national parks, food and drug regulation, restrictions on child labor, and definitely to pre labor laws.....IOW before Teddy Roosevelt, to the 'Golden Age' of the Robber Barons

now I think it's back to medieval serfdom......certainly back before modern science and the Enlightenment

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. We knew it was happening. Just another route to redistricting for them.

Instead of gerrymandered districts, we have "reservations" and dispossession.

Horrible, despicable, but entirely expected from these people.

And let's not forget another GOP who was overheard by a Wall Street Journal reporter as he was gloating to a lobbyist shortly after the Katrina disaster:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/09/AR2005090901930.html

The latest elected official to step into the swamp was Rep. Richard H. Baker, a 10-term Republican from Baton Rouge. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that he was overheard telling lobbyists: "We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did."

Democrats, of course, gleefully disseminated the report, saying they detected a GOP pattern. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) recently spoke of bulldozing part of New Orleans, they reminded everyone, and Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) suggested punishing people who had ignored pre-storm evacuation orders.

Baker issued a lengthy statement saying he was "taken aback" by the Journal's brief item. "What I remember expressing, in a private conversation with a housing advocate and member of my staff, was that 'We have been trying for decades to clean up New Orleans public housing to provide decent housing for residents, and now it looks like God is finally making us do it,' " Baker wrote. "Obviously I have never expressed anything but the deepest concern about the suffering that this terrible catastrophe has caused for so many in our state."

Sometimes I'd SWEAR these creeps are having a Hypocrite Of the Century contest...

The DU thread reporting the Baker quote is here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1768731
Thread title: WP: Sympathetic Tone Eludes Some in GOP (Hit Jarring Notes re. Katrina)

[rosesaylavee]

13. Kicked. Nominated. n/t

[BurtWorm]

14. Now HUD is saying right out, New Orleans will be "less black."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4922640&mesg_id=4922640

[zbdent]

15. It would be interesting to see how the election numbers stand up

when all those voters decide to stay away from New Orleans, but their votes remain - and turn Repuke . . .

[ck4829]

17. That's a Crime Against Humanity

Forcing people to stay out of their homes for political reasons fits the definition.

[BurtWorm]

18. It's called ethnic cleansing.

[ck4829]

19. Exactly

Thank you, I knew there was another word for it, but I couldn't remember what it was.

I can't believe that this is happening here!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

24. A white New Orleans

will be a sham.

[Norquist Nemesis]

25. Redisctricting by God

Don't think that's what God had in mind though.

[BrklynLiberal]

28. That was part of the plan from the getgo.... LIHOP

The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050502/klein

[klook]

30. Disgusting

Hope Melancon's people will use this to their advantage. This jerk Romero must be publicly and loudly shamed.

[democrank]

31. What a nifty plan.

Let`s not worry about human suffering when we have more important things to worry about....like the next election.

[ClintonTyree]

32. These opportunistic ghouls will stop at nothing.......

to further their hideous agenda. They still have dreams of taking over the world IF they can solidly and permanently take over the government of the United States first.
There's no shame, no sympathy, no empathy, no moral goodness at all within the Republican Party. It's all about power, not how to best serve the people of this country, but how much power they can grasp and hold.
I hate these fuckers with every fiber of my being. They are scum, the lowest form of life on this planet. I would mourn the death of a houseplant more than that of any Republican.

[mermaid]

52. You Got That Right!!

If I saw a Republican on FIRE...I wouldn't PISS on him to put out the flames!!! :mad:

[tandem5]

35. had to know that was coming nt

[TankLV]

46. We've been warning about this since the hurricane.

The Democrats had better get a plan going to insure that not only do we NOT LOOSE anybody previously registered to vote, but we INCREASE it too, for NOLA!

I knew it. I knew it. I knew it!

WE TOLD YOU SO!

[mermaid]

48. Typical Republican Fucktard Tactics. n/t

[ramblin_dave]

53. Can evacuated New Orleans residents vote absentee?

If not, why not? Their legal voting address is still there and they are just waiting to return.

[Trevelyan]

58. If Evacuees are behind fences in FEMA camps with armed guards for "five

months" (or until Americans forget about them which seems to have happened already) or in Puerto Rico - how are they going to vote?

Keep a list of good Democrats, Kerry and Hilary left town to avoid US Citizens protesting.

"Yesterday the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call reported that Congresswoman Louise Slaughter will likely face primary opposition in her campaign for re-election. Sources told Roll Call that our likely opponent, "is putting together fundraisers for a Congressional run and is telling acquaintances that he plans to raise $500,000 for the primary."

Louise has never taken any election for granted and doesn't plan to start now. That is why we must raise $10,000 over the next eight days to show the world we are prepared for the challenges we may face in 2006. http://www.votelouise.com/contribute

Each week Congresswoman Slaughter leaves her Western New York district for Washington, DC where she stands on the front lines in our fight to stop right wing Republicans in their efforts to pervert the values we share as Americans. When Jeff Gannon was discovered lobbing soft ball questions to the President in the White House press briefing room... Louise Slaughter was there exposing yet another
example of media manipulation by the Bush Administration.

When Republicans and too many Democrats voted to send our troops to Iraq... Louise Slaughter was there fighting to keep our troops from embarking on an ill-advised war. When the Republican Leadership in Congress tried to gut House Ethics Rules to protect Tom DeLay... Louise Slaughter was there leading the victorious fight to have them reinstated.

When we learned that Karl Rove had played a role in leaking the identity of a covert CIA agent in a callous display of political retribution... Louise Slaughter was among the first to call for his firing, encouraging each of us to send him his pink slip.

Now as Louise embarks on her campaign for re-election she needs you there by her side. http://www.votelouise.com/contribute

On September 30th, Louise's campaign committee must report to the Federal Election Commission on the status of her campaign fundraising. Her likely primary challenger and National Republican operatives will be closely watching how much money she has in the bank to see if there is an opportunity to take her out.

Because she has been working so hard for us in Washington, Louise has spent little time wining and dining the big money donors most folks rely on in their campaigns. That is why she needs you.

We must raise an additional $10,000 by the September 30th fundraising deadline to show the world that Louise is serious about her campaign and that WE are here by her side ready and willing to fight for her. Please use the link below to make a contribution of $25, $50, $100 or whatever you can afford, to her campaign for re-election.

Your help today will go a long way towards ensuring our success in the coming campaign. Together we can make sure Louise stays in Washington so our voices will be heard for years to come.

In Solidarity, Karl Vincent Frisch Campaign Advisor Rep. Louise M. Slaughter

[shance]

54. Like they'll have to twist any arms.

They'll be chomping at the bit and sucking up for contracts like ticks on a dog.

This may be the first infighting we've seen in years between Republicans.