Florida legislators aren't fighting fraud, they're perpetrating it

[seafan]

John Romano at the Tampa Bay Times writes:


September 2, 2012

.....

That seems to be a reasonable interpretation of recent court rulings that say laws passed by our legislators and signed by Rick Scott are pretty darned unconstitutional.

Or as Darden Rice, president of St. Petersburg's League of Women Voters, put it:

"It became pretty clear what they were trying do,'' Rice said. "They wanted to make it as difficult as possible for young people or minorities or people in low-income situations to register to vote. It was a cynical attempt by the party in power to remain in power.

"They demonized something that should be as All-American as apple pie.''

.....

Romano takes a look at the numbers:

The number of new Republicans registering to vote in Florida in the past 13 months is up roughly 25 percent over the same time period prior to the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections, according to a study done by the Florida Times-Union.

The number of new Democrats registering to vote in Florida the past 13 months is down 95 percent over the same time period prior to the '04 and '08 elections.

Got that? One party is up 25 percent, and the other party is down 95 percent. And you don't think those laws that took effect 13 months ago had anything to do with it?

There are two specific "voter fraud laws" that the Republican Legislature passed last year, and Republican Governor Rick Scott signed, that specifically targeted 'the voting habits of those not inclined to vote for them.'


The first law targeted voter registration groups such as League of Women Voters and Boy Scouts, for example. This law required that voter registration forms that were collected by these groups be submitted within 48 hours, or be forced to pay fines of $1000 for each registration for each day of late submission.

As a result, many of these groups suspended their voter registration drives 13 months ago.

So why is this a big deal?

Because Republicans, who skew older and whiter, tend to register in traditional fashion with the supervisor of elections. And Democrats, who are younger and more diverse, are more likely to register via third-party groups.

The second law, passed by the Republican Legislature and signed by Republican Governor Rick Scott, severely limits the number of early voting days. Perhaps the early voting day having the highest turnout among African Americans is after church on the Sunday before election day.

And, gee, guess what?

In the 2008 election, only 27 percent of white voters took advantage of early voting days, while 54 percent of African-Americans and 32.5 percent of Hispanics voted early.

So here are your choices.

Either:

A) The Legislature and governor passed two voting laws because they were terribly worried about widespread abuses that law enforcement officials say do not exist.

Or:

B) The Legislature and governor passed two laws that specifically target the voting habits of the type of people who might not be inclined to vote for them.

So I ask you:

What's the greater fraud?

It appears as if your flag-waving and Constitution-loving governor and Legislature have done far more to rig election results than anyone with a fake ID or stolen ballot.

Report ranks Florida at top of USA -- in voter suppression, April 5, 2012





Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, center, Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, left, and Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Melbourne, Thursday, March 25, 2010, in Tallahassee, Fla.(AP Photo/Phil Coale)



Rick Scott, Pam Bondi
(Photo credit: Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)



'And stop blaming my brother!'




Laugh, you fools.


All of you.

[Enthusiast]

1. Criminal assholes!

That is all.

[Me.]

2. Kick