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VOTER RIGHTS Republicans are not about preventing voter fraud. Republicans are about discouraging blacks and other ethnic minorities who vote primarily Democrat from voting. The firing of eight Federal prosecutors by the Bush administration appears to be linked to in substantial part to their failure to vigorously prosecute voter fraud. This week, Americans learned that expert researchers of a federal panel studying voter fraud upon commission of the Bush administration found no serious or prevalent organized effort to commit such fraud. Bush’s commission, however, altered the conclusions of their experts: A federal panel responsible for conducting election research played down the findings of experts who concluded last year that there was little voter fraud around the nation, according to a review of the original report obtained by The New York Times. Instead, the panel, the Election Assistance Commission, issued a report that said the pervasiveness of fraud was open to debate. The revised version echoes complaints made by Republican politicians, who have long suggested that voter fraud is widespread and justifies the voter identification laws that have been passed in at least two dozen states. . . . Though the original report said that among experts “there is widespread but not unanimous agreement that there is little polling place fraud,” the final version of the report released to the public concluded in its executive summary that “there is a great deal of debate on the pervasiveness of fraud.” Based upon the perception and fear that voter fraud widely exists, a number of States, including North Carolina, have made identification requirements for voter registration more stringent. There is a corresponding chilling effect on minority voter registration. The same federal panel that altered the findings of its experts, also refused to release a report documenting the adverse affect on minority voter registration and voter turnout: [T]he panel faced criticism for refusing to release another report it commissioned concerning voter identification laws. That report, which was released after intense pressure from Congress, found that voter identification laws designed to fight fraud can reduce turnout, particularly among members of minorities. In releasing that report, which was conducted by a different set of scholars, the commission declined to endorse its findings, citing methodological concerns. The panel’s actions are consistent with Republican operating procedure; alter or hide facts that do not comport with their perceptions. One op ed writer wryly notes: Republicans seem to believe that if they lost an election, somebody cheated. That delusion not only has led them to chase after unsubstantiated rumors of fake voters, but also to put in place unconstitutional restrictions at the ballot box. Harsh voter ID laws have already suppressed voting by people of color around the country. . . . Why have leading Republicans invested so much credibility in spreading the canard of widespread election fraud? They use that fiction to push highly restrictive voter ID laws, which tend to block ballot access for poorer black and brown citizens. It's no coincidence that those voters are also more likely to support Democrats. Voter ID laws may not shave off more than a few hundred votes, but in close races, that may be enough to assure Republican victories. . . . According to one study, states with highly restrictive voter ID laws saw turnout fall by about 3 percent in the 2004 presidential election -- and by two to three times as much among minorities. Those numbers may hearten Republican strategists, encouraging them to keep up their good work at limiting the franchise. . . . But Republicans may be tangled in their web of lies. They've spent years insisting that Democrats have conspired to give the franchise to illegal immigrants and dead felons. The truth is that they'll find all those phantom voters about the same time they uncover the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. North Carolina Democrats should be making voter registration and voting as easy and convenient as possible. Access to voter registration and voting should be treated with the importance it deserves – the fundamental constitutional right of every citizen. REP. BRAD MILLER Rep. Brad Miller’s announcement that he is actively considering a bid for US Senate against Sen. Dole has North Carolina Democrats cheering. Democratic Rep. Brad Miller of North Carolina is weighing a possible challenge to Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole next year. Miller is being courted by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and Miller said he is listening. "I'm at least going to talk to folks in North Carolina and get a sense of what people are thinking," Miller said Wednesday. National Democrats have had difficulty recruiting a candidate to run against Dole, a two-time Cabinet member and former president of the American Red Cross. Democrats tried unsuccessfully to persuade Gov. Mike Easley and, then, first lady Mary Easley to enter the race. They also made runs at the two leading Democratic candidates for governor, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and state Treasurer Richard Moore. If the article quoted above is accurate; the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is actively recruiting Rep. Miller, it signifies that the DSCC is convinced that Gov. Easley will not offer himself as a candidate. Gov. Easley consistently polled slightly ahead of Sen. Dole in a head to head matchup. At a meeting of Democratic bloggers several months ago, Rep. Miller stated that his House race had left him financially depleted and he was not willing to consider a run against Sen. Dole unless he could be assured of raising some 20 million Dollars. Rep. Miller is obviously testing whether he can muster the funds to make successful bid. Democratic activists are organizing a grass roots effort to demonstrate their support for a Miller candidacy. Specifically, since Rep. Miller does not have a Senate campaign committee, Democrats are going to ActBlue to make a $5.00 donation to his House campaign committee to demonstrate support. TPJ supports the effort. Click on the hyperlink above and make a $5.00 donation. Time to field a great candidate like Rep. Miller is running out. Act today. Sen. Dole has already raised 1.7 million dollars for her reelection; Democrats need to get a strong candidate in place. BUSH’S ECONOMIC POLICY Bush’s national economic policies have practical local implications in North Carolina communities. The Wilson Times makes the connections with an excellent report of the effect of subprime loans in Wilson County. According to a MBA delinquency report for North Carolina, this state ranked 15th in delinquencies and 21st in foreclosure inventory at the end of 2006. North Carolina has 19 percent nonprime borrowers (FHA and subprime). . . . MBA reports that the percentage of loans in foreclosure in North Carolina was as follows: prime loans, 0.57 percent; subprime loans, 4.18 percent; FHA loans, 2.34 percent; VA loans, 0.94 percent. In Wilson County, the number of foreclosures since Bush took office belies Republican claims of economic prosperity
1998 – 159 Clinton For hard working middle class North Carolinians the message is clear. Elect Democrats.
Last Update: 04/21/2007 |
