Michigan Republicans are eyeing using a petition process in a bid to get several restrictive voting measures around a promised veto from the state’s Democratic governor.
Dems. need to pass criminal penalties, make it a felony with 5-10 years of jail time for obstructing, interfering with, restricting, delaying or hindering, a citizen’s right to vote, aiding or abetting or conspiracy to do the same. And there should be a presumption that any actions taken to restrict voting rights are knowing and intentional. And there should be no bail while awaiting trial because of the seriousness of the offense against democracy. Then start making arrests and let 'em appeal.
We can put a stop to all this slimyass BS if we end the filibuster and pass HR1.
NOW.
Honestly, from the summaries I have read, HR1 does not do nearly enough. Dems. need to shut this obstruction of voting B.S. down hard, once and for all. It will not end unless the powerful people pushing voting restrictions are made to pay a price personally.
I hope Manchin and Sinema are paying attention to this and the atrocity that just became law in Georgia.
Dems need to quit whining.
You have a right to vote.
There is no right for that vote to actually be counted.
If only these paragons of truth ,justice and the American way would extend such creativity to serving the interests of the AMERICAN PEOPLE instead of their monied masters who control them…they could put the mirrors back up in their houses…gut wrenching treachery against our institutions.
Cannot Democrats get 340k votes for the converse, if necessary, to circumvent this?
Wait, wut?!? Just 340,000 signatures and it becomes law? That can’t possibly be correct - there were something like 7,471,088 registered voters in Michigan in the 2018 election, with a total voting age population of 7,831,250 and 4,341,340 votes cast in that election.
I hope they meant it would take that many signatures to get this onto a ballot to be voted on, or are they that seriously fscked up?
Dug a little more, looks like that number is to get it on the ballot:
https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governing_the_initiative_process_in_Michigan
So the party frantically screaming about “Cancel Culture” wants to cancel votes?
Glad you asked.
The TPM article says this:
“That plan includes taking that legislation and getting the signatures necessary for a legislative initiative so it can become law without Gretchen Whitmer’s signature.”
The petition process would require Republicans get more than 340,000 signatures, the Detroit News said. If they met that threshold, the proposal would become law, circumventing a veto from the governor.
As you can imagine, this is inaccurate. A couple of steps are missing, one of them pretty much crucial.
You’re right, of course.
That makes much more sense, thanks for digging.
Also, since their goal is to suppress the vote in the next election, how on earth is a referendum “taking away your right to vote/ undoing the rights the people of Michigan voted for” going to help?
"In a last, desperate attempt to forestall the inevitable, they napalmed Cheltenham."
Oh, wait, that was The Piranha Brothers.
“Atrocity that just became law in Georgia”
Michigan GQP to Georgia GQP:
“Hold our mint julip”
My guess is they’re targeting getting this on the ballot for the gubernatorial election next year so the restrictions will be in place for the next presidential election in 2024.
What Dems. need to do is get 51 votes to make it a felony to take any action (even if by use of one’s political office) that has or may have the effect of restricting, hindering, slowing, interfering with or delaying a citizen’s right to vote in a federal election. And the burden of proof should be on the persons passing laws that appear to have such an effect.
We need federal criminal penalties or, just as Republicons keep whittling away at abortion rights, they will keep proposing laws that hinder our right to vote.
In fact, Dems. should pass a law that makes it an affirmative obligation of all persons who work in formulating rules or regulations that impact federal elections to ensure that they protect, defend, and increase the ability of citizens to vote.
There really isn’t any more pressing business for a Dem. congress right now. Dems. need to get out in front and cut-off at the pass all these laws that have the effect of or may have the effect of restricting voting rights. This is serious. We have to make a goal line stand for democracy.
Why do Republicans hate American voters?
That’s easy - because they vote for Democrats.
Republicans hate voters for saying “we’re just not that into you anymore”.