Grover Norquist: low-income workers rarely vote

[question everything]

and thus, he is not concerned about the issue of raising - or not - Federal minimum wage.

From the WSJ

[xxqqqzme]

1. norquist is a prick.

We should all be so lucky 2 read 2morrow morning that a piano rolled out a window and landed on his head.

[Kutjara]

2. As a rule, I try to keep my petty prejudices under wraps...

but, in this case I'm going to let one out into the light of day and say I don't think anyone should ever take anything that someone named Grover says at all seriously. Add to this the name 'Norquist' and, I'm afraid, he sounds like the brunt of a Rose Nyland story from St. Olaf.

Poor Grover is a human joke, I'm afraid.

[Kagemusha]

3. So was Caligula. nt

nt

[Kutjara]

4. "Little Boots" was just a party boy who got bad press.

Another victim of the librul media.

[SheilaT]

18. A long time ago,

when he was still an obscure first-term Congressman, someone said to me that the name "Newt Gingrich" sounded like some obscure, yet terrible, skin disease.

[ninkasi]

5. I wonder if this is because of the roadblocks

put up discouraging the poor, and minorities. The cons lie about the election date, they give confusing polling places, they make sure that the equipment used in poor districts are either prone to malfunction, or that there are not enough of them. They pull hundreds of tricks to keep all of us from voting.

If they didn't resort to all of these illegal and immoral tactics, they would have been gone from public consideration a long time ago. They want some people to vote, but not what they consider the "wrong" people.

They also work, when they are lucky enough to find jobs, which penalize them if they take any time away from work. Regardless of how late to polls stay open, when a single mom, or adult caregiver of an elderly parent has to get home to take care of their loved ones, it only makes voting even harder. A pox on Republicans and their sleazy tricks.

[Kutjara]

9. Damned good points.

I'm currently staying in a hotel that rents some of its rooms on a weekly basis to long term residents. I was doing some laundry the other night and got talking to a middle-aged woman who was working her way through an enormous pile of laundry. Seems she's staying at the hotel, long term, with her daughter and three grandchildren. The daughter works two jobs, which necessitates her getting up at 5:30am, getting to work by 6, working till 7pm, then picking her kids up from various soccer games, band practices, friends' houses or other activities. She then, good mother that she is, spends a couple of hours just being with her children, before putting them to bed and finally getting some time for herself. If she's lucky, she gets to bed at 1 or 2am. According to her mother, even her bosses are concerned about when she's going to crack. While the daughter is at work, her mother looks after the kids, does laundry and generally keeps things ticking over. In return for all this labor, this family of five can barely afford the $36 per night hotel room they all share. They certainly can't save enough to get together the deposit for an apartment.

I gently probed my laundry-room companion on political issues, but was quickly rebuffed with "I have no interest in politics. Every one of the bastards is as bad as the others. Nothing that happens in Washington or Sacramento helps me or my family." Neither she nor her daughter will give a second thought to the elections. They simply don't have the time or energy.

[question everything]

19. And this is why it is so important for us to concentrate on this issues

that are close to everyone.

For people like the one you describe, work, schools, health care - I doubt if that family has any - and retirement, are more important than the war in Iraq or impeaching Bush.

I think that it was in Bowling for Columbine that Roger Moore described a woman who, under the "welfare reform" act, had a similar day to the one you described, while leaving her child behind to fend for himself.

[bobbolink]

27. You're so right -- those are the issues.

Yet, say that to a "liberal" or "progressive" and you get a withering look like you've lost your last braincell, and then a lecture on how the war is the ONLY ISSUE now.

Then they'll be whining when they lose.

I've been preaching this for years, to deaf ears, and I'm fed up.

It was a great Democratic party, while it lasted.

RIP.

[question everything]

30. Thank you, same here

It even included Lieberman when I asked, except for his support for Iraq, why has he become a pariah, and I was flooded with responses that Iraq was the only issue.

But, as wiser people have said: all politics is local and the voters care about what is close to them. And since we do not have the draft, the casualties do not touch the lives of many people. As a matter of fact, most the families are proud of the ultimate service by their sons and daughters to the country. This is the only way they can endure their loss.

And it appears that too many state Democratic parties passed a resolution that put impeachment as issue number one! And John Edwards, who have skirted this issue has been derided on these pages, too.

He said that the most important issues for a Democratic Congress, and Administration, is to help with jobs and health care and schools.

And this is how Rove has been successful. He can frame the issues of "baby killers" and perverts" and "defense of marriage" as the ones with which voters should identify.

And now, their tax cuts is also hurting our health, see this story http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2039519

[bobbolink]

42. I don't understand why Dems can't multitask.

Certainly, there *used* to be a focus on racism, poverty, war and gay issues, all at the same time.

Why has it shrunk down to just war???
Oh yeah, and gay issues. Those two are it.

I couldn't even get Dems interested in working for Universal Health care, and that's not a poverty issue--it's straight muddleclass.

What is wrong? I really don't get it.

Maybe too much energy spent on Mike Malloy and Steve Irwin, and there's nothing left over?

[MH1]

16. Absolutely

Even without dirty tricks, the system makes it easier for more well-off people to vote.

In PA there was a bill, that among other things, would allow combining polling places so that a person might have to go further to get to their polling place. That is no big deal for someone who drives and isn't on a tight schedule, but if someone relies on public transit it could put voting literally out of reach for that person.

And that is just one of the hurdles that make it harder for low-income people to vote.

[cherokeeprogressive]

24. Every time I see a post like this...

I feel like I've just been slapped in the face. Your post uses words like "the cons" and "they". I work for a County Registrar of Voters. When you make the claim that "they" make sure that the voting equipment used in poor districts are either prone to malfunction, or that there are not enough of them", you're impugning the honesty of myself and everyone I work with. WE are responsible for the successful and accurate outcome of elections in my county. Not the republicans, and not the democrats. In fact, we practice non-partisanship to a fault. You're basically calling those of us who are on the front line of democracy republicans.

"They pull hundreds of tricks to keep all of us from voting." WE DO? Like what? What kinds of dirty tricks do my coworkers and I perpetrate to keep ANYONE from voting?

"they... resort to all of these illegal and immoral tactics..." You paint with a very broad brush. Our job is governed by what is written in our state's Election Code.

I never fail to share these posts with my coworkers. Some of them wish broad-brush accusers such as yourself would come visit our office and say that where it counts. The old cliche about the MONEY and the MOUTH comes to mind...

[ninkasi]

25. I wasn't trying to offend the many diligent, responsible people

who work for the county registrar. I am, however, basing them on such things as the Conyers report. Here are a few paragraphs from his report. The link is here
http://www.truthout.org/docs_05/010605Y.shtml

"# Mr. Blackwell's decision to restrict provisional ballots resulted in the disenfranchisement of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of voters, again predominantly minority and Democratic voters. Mr. Blackwell's decision departed from past Ohio law on provisional ballots, and there is no evidence that a broader construction would have led to any significant disruption at the polling places, and did not do so in other states.
# Mr. Blackwell's widely reviled decision to reject voter registration applications based on paper weight may have resulted in thousands of new voters not being registered in time for the 2004 election.
# The Ohio Republican Party's decision to engage in preelection "caging" tactics, selectively targeting 35,000 predominantly minority voters for intimidation had a negative impact on voter turnout. The Third Circuit found these activities to be illegal and in direct violation of consent decrees barring the Republican Party from targeting minority voters for poll challenges.
# The Ohio Republican Party's decision to utilize thousands of partisan challengers concentrated in minority and Democratic areas likely disenfranchised tens of thousands of legal voters, who were not only intimidated, but became discouraged by the long lines. Shockingly, these disruptions were publicly predicted and acknowledged by Republican officials: Mark Weaver, a lawyer for the Ohio Republican Party, admitted the challenges "can't help but create chaos, longer lines and frustration."

Here is more information from Daily Kos, explaining how Republicans will try to suppress votes by likely Democratic voters in six states.

" For the 2006 elections, with the control of the House and the Senate in the balance, Salon has selected six states with the most serious potential for vote suppression and the greatest potential for affecting the outcome of key races. In nearly every case, the voter-suppression techniques have been implemented since 2004 by Republican legislators or officials; only one state has a Democratic secretary of state, and only one has a Democratic-controlled legislature."
"http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/8/15/113528/687
I was not trying to give offense at the many hardworking, honest people who do work at the county level, but there is too much evidence of the local Republican party's underhand tactics to suppress the vote from people they consider the "wrong" voters.

[cherokeeprogressive]

28. My coworkers don't work for ANY party.

Nor do we work in the state of Ohio.

The republican party holds no sway in what we do.

I've been involved in the process from the design of the ballot to the tallying of the vote. So have most of the good folks I work with.

We don't steal elections, nor do we allow it.

We do our best, as public employees to see that elections are held fairly, honestly, and openly.

Screw Kos and Screw anyone who paints US as being a party to anything other than TOTALLY HONEST ELECTIONS.

[ninkasi]

29. Then of course you must realize that my comments

were not directed toward you. It seems, however with such abundant evidence, that somebody other than yourself and your co-workers ARE pulling dirty tricks. The examples John Conyers gave, and the evidence of discouraging poor and minority voters is in many areas. Don't be offended by remarks that were not directed toward you.

If there were not some people trying to rig elections, nobody would have been convicted of jamming the Democratic Party's help lines on voting day, and there would not have been circulars handed out to warn people that they would be checked to see if they had any outstanding warrants, and there would have been no shortages of voting machines in traditionally Democratic precincts, while largely Republican districts had plenty, and no waiting lines.

Since you work as a public employee, making sure that elections are fair and honest, can it be that you have never heard the evidence that people as honest as you are not, alas, working in some areas? I am sure that you and your fellow employees are fair, but that doesn't mean that there is fairness everywhere, as I'm sure you realize. Don't be offended at words that are not directed toward you.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

6. Sadly, he is right

They are too busy trying to "put food on their families" to pay attention and they certainly can't take time off to vote, especially when they make minimum wage. They often have to work so hard that reading newspapers or otherwise staying informed is a luxury they cannot afford. The fact that, in a true "representative Democracy", election day would be a holiday (or, more succinctly, a holy day) is not an idea that our corporate masters want contemplated because the less fortunate might actually participate.

[Gman]

7. Yes, he is correct

he's being very frank. They really have nothing to lose by opposing rasing the minimum wage.

[TygrBright]

8. And YET...

...back in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, none of the great political and social reforms would have taken place had people from the Democratic and Progressive and Socialist Parties not consciously, consistently, persistently and determinedly ORGANIZED those same low-income workers (who were working longer hours in worse conditions for less money, although only just) to take actions, get involved in the Parties, and vote. And it worked.

It could work again if the Party VIPs would just get their noses out of Wall Street's anus long enough to look around and SEE what's under them.

irritatedly,
Bright

[OffWithTheirHeads]

10. The fact is that as soon as the party waits for the "vip"

to take action, we have already lost. Reminds me of an old Richard Pryor flick where he is a labor organiser who is successful enouh that big business buys him off. The party is us! We, "the people" need to take action, stay informed, inform others, pass the word, and take back our country. If we wait for those with access to the corporate jets to do it, we won't see it in our lifetime.

Unfortunatly, even the top management of my union, Sheet Metal Workers, have fallen to the God of Manna. Fuck our "leaders", the American people need to heed what is going on in Mexico and take it to the streets

"the people should not be afraid of their government, the government should be afraid of the people" "V"

[bobbolink]

26. I kept hoping that the "people" of DU would do just that,

and speak up loud and take action on poverty.

Push the party to get back to its roots.

But, nooooooo.....

Poverty doesn't even count with "progressives", so it sure as heck isn't gonna count with the leaders of the party.

Sing along with me...

"How many deaths will it take til they know, that too many people have died...?"

[aquart]

11. Grover might want to look up the events of 1877.

And rethink.

[Ignacio Upton]

32. Or the Pullman Strike, or the Homestead Strike...

er, mevermind Grover.

[xchrom]

12. ding! ding! ding! winner!

you have just NAILED the central problem with many beltway liberal/progessive, Democratic, what ever leaders.

there should be whole sale representation of leadership luminaries at labour events, subsidised housing events, protests at big box stores, etc

there IS movement out here -- and there is a movement waiting to grow in numbers -- all they have to do is look around and pick it up.

[fasttense]

13. So who was it that voted Hoover's party out of power

during the depression? Who was it that fought for a fair vote count in Ukraine? Who is it that is fighting to get an accurate vote count in Mexico? Who was it that started the French revolution? It certainly wasn't and isn't the well-to-do that did all this.

[Vinca]

14. I know they've TRIED to vote, but low-income workers are

often easy to intimidate and scare away, plus they need to take time off from work to vote. Disenfranchising a class of voters is nothing to crow about, but not surprising considering the source.

[no_hypocrisy]

15. The demographic of low-income workers can be to the democrats

what the fundamentalist Christian demographic is to the republicans, but unfortunately moreso because there are so many more of them. If memory serves, the union movement went to these people at the beginning of the 20th century and effectively politicized them into a voting block. Norquist has inadvertently given the democrats another segment of voters with his comment.

[question everything]

31. I certainly hope so (nt)

[sinkingfeeling]

17. That's the Republican plan anyway...make sure low-income workers,

blacks, Native Americans, and Hispanics can't vote.

[Wiley50]

20. Oh God! I find myself agreeing with "The Bathtub Strangler"

except for the minimun wage part

That is the whole premise of my post

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2808235

The Dem party is really fucking up by ignoring it's

NATURAL BASE

Somebody read Bageant's piece!!

Greyhound gets it at least:

greyhound1966 Sat Sep-02-06 06:01 PM

4. This is THE MOST IMPORTANT issue for the Democratic Party to deal with,

So, of course let's all just squeeze our eyes shut, stick our fingers in our ears, and sing "La la la la la" really loud, so we can continue to pretend that eventually, somehow, some way, people will become desperate enough for it to work.

It is absolutely maddening that, even here, we just can't break through the distraction du jour, long enough to get this out front. My head is so sore... :banghead:

[Wiley50]

21. K&R n/t

[roseBudd]

22. They waited in line in the rain in '04 in OH but Blackwell and the BoEs

that undersupplied dem polling locations with machines and Blackwell's fight to the last minute to not count provisional ballots cast in the wrong precinct EVEN if they were only a few feet from the right precinct in a multiprecinct polling location meant that many of those voters gave up or did not have their ballots count.

[AX10]

23. Norquist and the rest of his rightist-libertarian mob can go to HELL!

The people are angry and there will be change come this November!

[Supersedeas]

33. making sure the lines are long, the wait is considerable, and employers

will not have workers miss time to vote on a Tuesday...all party of the RW agenda.

[AtomicKitten]

34. The Rs are counting on it.

Except oppressing the poor is the precise motivation for people to vote. Dems need to get out and rally the masses.

Dean's 50-state strategy provides a plan to do just that ... http://www.democrats.org/a/2004/06/a_50_state_stra.php

[PresidentWar]

35. Hate to say it, but he's right

I know of soooo many low income workers locally that do not vote - and the reason is that they are disgusted with the whole system. Yes, I realize that's a self defeating conundrum but when I approached them in conversation from that perspective, it was like talking to a wall.

In order to get more voter participation from this group, they need to see a benefit for them. To say they are disenfranchised from this scheme is the mother of all understatements. But what can be done to reverese it right now? I have no idea.

What do you think?

[proud patriot]

36. I will tell every low wage worker I know

that grover norquist a republican said that .

Thanks grover :*

[Eric J in MN]

37. Good argument for making Election Day a national holiday. NT

NT

[SPCAworks]

38. or...

internet voting with secure voter ID numbers.

[Eric J in MN]

39. As long as there is a secret ballot,

...the computer programmer who designs a webpage for internet voting can determine the outcome of an election.

If people were willing to have their full names, full adresses, and phone numbers posted next to whom they voted for on a public webpage, then maybe internet voting could work. Otherwise, it's just blackbox voting.

With regard to voter ID numbers, a company running an election could give out the same voter ID number to multiple people.

[ComerPerro]

40. this proves two things

First, that Norquist is a huge asshole (which most of us already knew and could prove)

and, second,

ITS RIGHT HERE! Republicans don't give a shit about the working poor, and they are completely unapologetic about it.

[nealmhughes]

41. Who the F cares what Grover says? I sure don't.

An absolute creep, Ayn Rand-with-Jesus freak.

Why would anyone print him, save for comedic value?

He's just another shill for BushCo, Inc. The stupid bastards don't know they are being played and that the big boys don't care a whit about them in reality: looks like Wolfowitz at the World Bank and Bolton at the UN pretty much shows how much the Oilogarchy cares about the true believers...