Rachel Maddow Claims Voter Registration's 'Impossible' in Kansas, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz Whacks GOP for Vote-Rigging
On Monday, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback signed a new voter-identification law the requires photo identification of all in-person voters at every election, as well as requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration beginning on January 1, 2013. The state House passed the bill by a margin of 111 to 11. Naturally, liberals like Rachel Maddow think these simple rules are rigging the system. On Tuesday night's show, a very hyperbolic Maddow claimed "it's going to be almost impossible to get registered to vote now in Kansas." Her guest was Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, the incoming chair of the Democratic Party, who was lobbing bombs at Republicans.
MADDOW: Is making it harder to register to vote, which many Republican-controlled states are pursuing right now -- is that a partisan tactic?
WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: Well, I think it's sending a very strong signal that Republicans don't think they can win elections in a fair fight. So, they need to go systematically state-by-state rigging it so that it makes it much more difficult for all voters, regardless of political party affiliation or philosophical approach can get to the polls.
I mean, just to give you an example of a bill that's going through the legislative -- the legislative session right now in Florida. I mean, this is particularly offensive to women voters, there's actually a provision in a bill that's been introduced and pushed by the House speaker in Florida that says that a newly married woman cannot actually vote without bringing her marriage certificate to a polling place, and at that point, she can only vote a provisional ballot if her voter registration hasn't officially been changed to her newly married name.
I mean, those are the kind of outrageous tactics, the intimidation -- and the thing that has been much more prevalent, Rachel, voter fraud has been proven time again in the last few years not to be rampant. What is rampant is the intimidation tactics that have been used by Republican supervisors of elections, Republicans secretaries of state, and that the policies used across the country by Republicans overseeing elections has really been outrageous in terms of getting in the way of voters who simply want to go to the polls.
Maddow wanted to return to her hyperbolic claim that requiring a photo ID or a passport made voter registration "essentially impossible," and that the new Kansas law somehow means the end of new voter registrations in the Sunflower State, and Democrats are too wimpy in fighting it:
MADDOW: We're looking at an extreme version of this in Kansas -- Kansas making it essentially impossible to register to vote unless you have your birth certificate or passport with you. Given the proportion of Americans with passports that we know of, and I don`t know how many people where their birth certificate is, it`s hard to imagine many new voters will be registered in Kansas. But it`s not just Kansas. We`re seeing this in a lot of states. The Kansas secretary of state is an activist Republican secretary of state. He says he wants this to be model legislation across the country.
I feel like the defense on this has, in many cases, been left to civil rights groups who worry about the disproportionate impact of these sorts of things on minority voters, say, or elderly voters or the poor. What about the Democratic Party institutionally sort of taking the other side of this fight?
WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: Oh, gosh, no. I mean, institutionally, the Democratic Party has been very aggressive. I mean, I sit on the House Judiciary Committee, as you know, Rachel, and, you know, particularly when President Bush was still in office, and there was hearing after hearing with the -- with the Republican Department of Justice employees coming before us and literally maintaining that voter fraud was rampant, we called them out under the leadership of my colleague, Jerry Nadler, who`s been the chairman of that subcommittee, and, you know, really pushed back hard on them. Democratic legislators across the country have pushed back hard and have tried to flush out that voter intimidation practices by Republican elected officials are much more prevalent than the supposed voter fraud that they really haven`t been able to turn up just about anywhere in the country.
Then DWS really dropped a bomb -- comparing the Republicans to Moammar Qaddafi and Arab dictators, while the Democrats and their activists are like the rebels:
And, you know, what's more outrageous about this whole effort by Republicans to get in the way of Americans who just want to go and cast their vote is look at what's going on in the Middle East and North Africa right now. You have literally, you know, hundreds of thousands of people who are risking their lives and dying to be able to have the franchise, to be able to actually vote and choose their leaders.
And here we are, we have people who pull the levers of power in the Republican Party who are trying to do the opposite and disenfranchise Americans because they don't like the outcome of an election in a fair fight.
The incoming DNC chairwoman added:
Voter intimidation has been the M.O. of the Republican Party, unfortunately, for many years now. They don't like the outcome of elections when everyone from every walk of life gets to actually go to the polls and cast their vote. They certainly don't like when we have record turnout of young people, record turnout of first-time voters. They don`t like the outcome of those elections.
So, instead, their goal now is to get in the way of those folks being able to cast their vote. And, you know, hopefully, if they can rig the election with the right makeup of voters that they prefer, then their candidates will be successful.
- Tim Graham's blog
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Comments
I think we can all stipulate
Submitted by liberalsarefunny on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 12:30pm.
I think we can all stipulate that childishness is a basic tenet of liberalism.
Logic
Submitted by Blorg on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 12:31pm.
This is what passes for logic coming from what passes as a Rhodes scholar. Cecil must be spinning.
n/t
Submitted by Beukeboom on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 4:30pm.
n/t
how can they cheat
Submitted by SouthJersey1953 on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 12:40pm.
If rules are put in place to prevent fraud at the polls, how can the Dems vote?
So funny reading these words (glad I didn't have to listen to it)
Trunk
Submitted by m1xram on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 3:56am.
I can tell you one thing, they won't be able to "find" over 200 votes, all for Al Frankin, in a trunk.
They will still be able to illegally declare a winner one hour before the polls close or force recounts only in counties where the vote was close for Democrats. It was an impressive attempt to steal the Presidency of the U.S.
Remember.. "the ends justify the means" so check your morals at the door.
The opposite of Left is Freedom.
Hey Wasserman: was your pal Grayson disenfranchised, too?
Submitted by SickofLibs on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 12:48pm.
Or did the voters who elected him just finally come to their senses?
Showing photo ID and proof of citizenship should be the law in all 50 states.
Our Obama hind tit sucking
Submitted by ricklail on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 2:32pm.
Our Obama hind tit sucking governor here in NC will veto it when she gets the bill.
Up Until Now...
Submitted by GeneralAl on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 12:54pm.
Up until now, I thought Pelosi was the dumbest broad in the Democrat Party. Sorry Nancy, because of DWS [Dumb Worthless Sloth!], you're now number 2!
"Old Soldiers never die, they just fade away"!
How appropriate
Submitted by jon_torlin on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 2:35pm.
Considering the crap that comes out of her mouth generally all the time.
Does that mean that the fight between number 1 and number 2, both are trying their hardest to pee on the backs of people and tell them it's raining?
-Jon
General
Submitted by ricklail on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 3:34pm.
I hate to disagree with you but as long as Shelia Jackson Lee is still around she will be the dumbest broad in the Dem party.
I disagree...Wasserman-Shultz
Submitted by Beukeboom on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 4:32pm.
I disagree...Wasserman-Shultz is the dumbest...Jackson-Lee is the most psychotic.
Sheila Jackson Lee is a she?
Submitted by thescoots on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 4:11am.
Sheila Jackson Lee is a she?
This is just the beginning
Submitted by Iron Tigers Vet on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 12:54pm.
of another election coming up and the lefties blaming the GOP/Conservatives of "plotting" to keep voters out. Actually they should do this to keep the LEFT from cheating the vote. Illegal immigrants, the dead, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck can't all vote like they have in the past.
i wholeheartedly agree. when
Submitted by sometimesright on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 1:07pm.
i wholeheartedly agree. when the dems get annihilated come the next election, they're going to fabricate some hog-wash to justify that it wasn't their fault when in fact we ALL know that it is.
I had no idea
Submitted by Scrap Iron in Texas on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 1:02pm.
If iy weren't for this site and srticles like this, I would have never known about the idiocy of the " 'casters" at MSNBC.
I thank my lucky stars everyday for Cartoon network.
how the hello dolly......
Submitted by sometimesright on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 1:02pm.
is verifying citizenship an under-handed "tactic"? please someone explain this to me. speaking of voter intimidation, don't get me started on the black panther incident where the liberal press is strangely quiet.
how can anyone object to verifying one's right to vote AND citizenship(which go hand in hand)? it insures accuracy. wth is wrong with maddow?
Rachel and Debbie, let's make a deal
Submitted by DontFeedTheTrolls on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 2:04pm.
Why don't we use the same rules for registering to vote that we do to legally purchase a handgun.
10-day waiting period?
Submitted by almostacowboy on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 2:14pm.
Psychological profile? That would prevent most Dem's from registering!
DFTT, I LIKE that
Submitted by Scuba Dude on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 3:13pm.
DFTT, I LIKE that idea!!!!
After all, both of those rights are in the Constitution. The libturds argue that the right to bear arms can be harmful to people, we on the right say that the right to vote can be harmful to the country, just look at what has happened to this country since The Absentee President won.
I like that.
Submitted by johnsonl on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 6:51am.
In Virginia, we have to show a government issued photo i.d. with a birth date, and a second i.d. with our address. I routinely carry a driver's license and my voter registration card. I had to show my birth certificate to renew my driver's license to prove citizenship and my voter registration proves residence.
blockbuster
Submitted by ds7 on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 2:06pm.
blockbuster has mastered this type of ID system...surely the states can come up with a system that has the same level of functionality.
you have to ask the question, why do democrats insist that voters not prove they are legally entitled to vote?
how about this...return to the founders original intent and restrict voting rights to those who are land-owners...we can't continue to allow the looters/moochers to bargain with the politcos to determine how much they will be compensated for putting them into office.
I like that.
Submitted by johnsonl on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 6:52am.
Nobody who takes any type of assistance should be allowed to vote. They'll just vote themselves more assistance. They're called democrats.
Add that to my list of things
Submitted by Master-of-Disaster on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 2:45pm.
I would add this to my list of things that would be taken into account to receive benefits. no more that $200 for food a month, regardless of how many illegitimate kids you pump out. $800 for rent, no more. No more than a net asset value of $30,000 including gold, cars, homes, TV, s cell phones, game machines, and anything else other than necessities. If you get Medicade, no smoking, drinking or drugs. If you receive any kind of assistance there should be a restriction like no buying cigs, booze or lap dances with food stamps or welfare checks.
Now I like your vote idea. If you do not contribute to society then you do not get a vote. By the way if you are in the lower 50% that pay no taxes, you don't get a vote either!
Poor Debbie Wattertank-Sgt. Schultz...
Submitted by bigdaddy on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 2:10pm.
...Now she has to figure out how to get current pictures and signatures from all those deceased voters who always seem to choose democratic candidates.
All she needs to do to
Submitted by Beukeboom on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 4:34pm.
All she needs to do to accomplish that is consult with the Chicago gang in the White House. They are experts on deceased voters.
But, see....
Submitted by almostacowboy on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 2:12pm.
It only makes it "nearly impossible" for Democrats to register, since we all know that all Republicans, or those who would vote Republican, Independent, Green, or Socialist (redundant, I know), either know where their birth certificates are or have passports.
That's the way we planned it, Mr. Maddow.
Yes, I agree!!!!!
Submitted by JoiseyJ on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 2:47pm.
It's almost as difficult as getting through an airport! Want to fly on a plane, bring photo ID and be prepared for a search tantamout to foreplay.
So, is the government getting in the way of people who just want to fly? Yes, I know the rebuttal will be that airport screening is about safety. My response is that averting voter fraud is not only about safety of citizens, it's also about the future of our republic.
Madcow and the yenta
Submitted by hughglass on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 3:05pm.
Are you kidding me?. The Horror!
So proving you are eligible to vote is wrong?
Submitted by richb313 on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 3:41pm.
Only a liberal democrat would say that showing an ID would be wrong. If Republicans had a rich a history of rigging elections as the democrats would Republicans even support such a measure? In every state in the union it is illegal for non-citizens to vote. It is also illegal for dead people to vote. It is also illegal for someone to vote a fraudulant identity. None of these items are in question. When you go buy a six pack of beer you have to show ID. Which is more important to our country anyway? If it is a burden to produce ID to vote then by all means sell beer everything else to anyone who can put the money on the counter.
Little girls
Submitted by jaywl on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 3:54pm.
When these two get together, on air not literally, they feed on the other's insane ideas. All the other posters today have touched on the ladies weirdness effectively. But it makes me wonder. At some point in the past both were normal, obviously smart little girls playing with dolls and knowing that the lemonade must sell at a profit. What trauma befell both? As NB has noted a recent study found differences in the brains of Right thinkers and Wrong thinkers. Maybe their right amygdalas were damaged and stopped developing. Its possible!
Illegals get iD's; surely citizens can
Submitted by nkviking75 on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 4:01pm.
Funny, the illegal aliens the Dems so cherish seem to have no problem getting ID's, so why should legitimate citizens? I would also add a provision to completely wipe the voter rolls one year before a presidential election. It's not hard to register to vote anywhere in the USA, and purging the rolls every four years would help eliminate names that aren't supposed to be there.
“Always love your country — but never trust your government!" -- Bob Novak (1931-2009)
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
And the Wasserman-Schultz
Submitted by Beukeboom on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 4:28pm.
And the Wasserman-Schultz comedy tour is underway.
Oh, I've just been handed a message from my friend to Ms. W-S
---
Dear Debs,
If you are going to bring up vote-rigging, you need to look first at your own political party since it has a lengthy history of doing such.
Sincerely,
Captain Obvious
do they ever listen to themselves...??
Submitted by wizardjr on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 4:54pm.
If it was harder for "everyone" to register then the election outcome would not be influenced at all given that those disenfranchised would be across the board.
Where the rubber meets the road is when they require everyone to re-register. All the dead people and out of towners will have problems. Awwww, tough beans. Wisconsin and Minnesota really need this. Minnesota is starting out right. They've got an ID bill in motion right now.
You did notice that the Kansas requirement takes effect AFTER the election, didn't you? Hmmmm, ya don't suppose that was deliberate do ya?
Wasserman-Schultz's selection of words says it all
Submitted by Galvanic on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 7:50pm.
DWS: " Voter intimidation has been the M.O. of the Republican Party, unfortunately, for many years now . . ."
The only open voter intimidation I've seen was imposed by the New Black Panther Party in Philadelphia. I'll bet they are not Republicans.
DWS: ". . . They don't like the outcome of elections when everyone from every walk of life gets to actually go to the polls and cast their vote. . ."
When everyone! Not every citizen. Everyone.
DWS:". . . They certainly don't like when we have record turnout of young people, record turnout of first-time voters. . ."
They (Republicans) don't like voter registration fraud, and neither do I. And that's just what ACORN was involved in, and rewarded with $ billions in stimulus money until O'Keefe exposed the criminal nature of the organization.
Registrars found thousands of fraudulent registrations perpetrated by the Democrats and their allies.
And THAT'S what the issue of proof of citizenship is about. With more than couple elections determined by a few hundred votes or less, integrity of the registration system is paramount.
DWS: ". . . They don`t like the outcome of those elections. So, instead, their goal now is to get in the way of those folks being able to cast their vote. . . "
Again, a reference folks, and not citizens or legitimate voters.
DWS: " . . . Again, And, you know, hopefully, if they can rig the election with the right makeup of voters that they prefer, then their candidates will be successful."
The only make-up of voters that the GOP appears to prefer are the legitimately registered voters. For a sworn officer of the Federal government (She's still a member of the House of Representatives) to indirectly suggest that "everyone" should be allowed to vote indicts her as an anti-Constituitonalist.
"...everyone from every walk
Submitted by Beukeboom on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 10:43am.
"...everyone from every walk of life..."
And with the Dems that includes dead ones, too. :-)
Stand Up
Submitted by vote24 on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 5:10pm.
This is the key to all future elections. I firmly believe that Democrats have been subversively defrauding election counts for quite some time. And not just a little bit. They seem to have an entire framework in place to discover just the right amount of votes at just the right times in just the right areas. I know I am open to being called paranoid since I don't have difinitive proof, but the circumstantial evidence is overwhelming. If you don't need I.D. to vote in this country, then the voting results are clearly and oviously unreliable. Where the hell are the conservatives with balls? Oh yeah, they're coming in 2012.
I agree.
Submitted by johnsonl on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 6:59am.
That's why they are fighting this so vehemently. This is the only way they can win elections. Example: Al Franken. The majority of us are center right. Voting is a privilege, not a right. Be a citizen, be a resident, be a non felon. These are not lofty goals, most people can achieve them and vote legally. For a nation that is majority center right, don't most elections seem a lot narrower than those numbers? Mere coincidence? I don't think so!
Why
Submitted by Bob K on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 5:13pm.
can't democrats simply show the same photo I.D. they have to produce at the welfare office, the check cashing joint, and the pawn shop?
BWWWAAAAAAA
Submitted by Master-of-Disaster on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 2:48pm.
Thanks, now how do I get coffee out of my keyboard?
Of course Richard thinks it's rigged...
Submitted by johnsonl on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 5:21pm.
she helps to rig them! It's "rigged" because if every state required a state issued I.D. to vote, since the majority of Americans are center-right, conservatives would rule forever! That's not FAIR!!
Hmmm...maybe that would push all the libtards into Kalifornia.
Stop voter fraud now
Submitted by Boil It Down on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 5:41pm.
Curbing voter fraud will ceratinly endanger the likes of Schultz and they are very well aware of that fact. Anything that promotes fairness and honesty in elections will be fought tooth and nail by those who know they've benefited from fraudulent votes. Maddow and Schultz just publicly admited this whether they knew it or not.
They're too stupid to realize it!
Submitted by johnsonl on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 7:00am.
Comes with that degree, I guess.
What a
Submitted by ProudAmerican58 on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 5:50pm.
Dumb and Dumber act they are.
Funny that the moochers, leeches, and ticks can show an ID...
Submitted by Dave. on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 6:01pm.
...to cash their government checks every month, but they can't produce one at a polling station?
Just how stupid do they think we are?
I think it's pretty obvious what is behind this.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
Compromise
Submitted by Kingfish17 on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 6:34pm.
As a compromise, when going to the polling place to vote, the moocher in question could bring along a clerk from the liquor store where he cashes his welfare check, to vouch for his identity.
Liquor stores are often closed on election day, so I think we can all agree that this is a Win/Win!
"You can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas...on the taxpayer’s dime." Barack Obama
Out of curiosity
Submitted by Model850 on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 5:57pm.
Although already a registered voter, out of curiosity I looked at the voter registration application for my state. The first question is "Are you a citizen of the United States of America?" (Yes/No)
Huh? Seems to me there should be an instruction under that question that says, "If you answered 'No' then please deposit this registration form in the nearest trash can, and have a nice day."
BTW, I have to show a picture ID when I vote. (There is a provision, however, for signing a statement attesting that you are who you say you are. Weak.)
Apparently...
Submitted by Tenebrous on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 6:41pm.
...to be liberal you have to make absolutely insane statements, lie more than the Sears Tower is tall, and walk around in a constant state of fear and paranoia. I know that liberals cannot think logically, but to have a psychotic discharge of emotional craziness whenever you talk? Somebody call the asylum, already! When you get done rounding up these two, please come pick up the trolls here, too.
Visions and Principles blog
Thank you Democrats
Submitted by pbthinker on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 6:59pm.
Living in Florida, I understand the Debbie seldom has a coherent thought. She will be the gift that keeps on giving, straw-man arguments and ad hominem attacks galore and seldom anything you can look back on and say, "That Wasserman-Schultz was right about this." She's a great fit, with Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the House Democrats because they thought they conducted themselves honorably as they were ramming Health Care down our throats.
The beauty of this is she'll be the spokesman for the Democrats who have to defend 23 seats in the senate. I believe she will say enough that a majority of the voters will recognize what a disaster the Democrats were, when they had power, and won't be voting them in again soon.
Testamonial for Voter Fraud
Submitted by HardRightTurn on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 8:36pm.
The Demagogic Pity Party of Woe-Is-Me knows they can't win elections without illegal voters and voting machine maintanence by SEIU union thugs.
To more fully comprehend the Left, one must read “Leftism As Psychopathy” by John Ray, M.A., Ph.D. Caution, it might scare you a little bit.
http://jonjayray.tripod.com/psycho.html
To shut her up is a snap
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 11:42pm.
Merely agree that we need to put measures in place to ensure that the voting will be honest.
This woman is right out of a
Submitted by mostlymoderate on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 1:57am.
This woman is right out of a Southpark episode. I hope we get to see more of her soon because she is simply a hoot!
What would Democrats know about a fair fight?
Submitted by Phryj1 on Sun, 04/24/2011 - 2:42pm.
Honestly, they exploit whatever legislative or executive resources they have access to to make sure Dems have the advantage in elections. Rewriting laws, selectively enforcing laws, fighting laws and regulations that might get in the way in the courts, gaming the system however they can. And they'll even ignore the rules/laws they create when they get in the way. Remember how Dems were allowed to substitute in Frank Lautenberg AFTER THE LEGAL DEADLINE when the Dem candidate was projected to lose badly?
They only advocate voter registration for those who typically vote Democrat. You never hear about Dems ever fighting for the voting rights of people who probably wouldn't vote for them. Example, they try to put voter registration centers in welfare offices, but you never hear about trying to make it easier for military members to vote.
Who do they think they're kidding? The only reason they could possibly be opposed to laws that protect the integrity of the election system is because they want to continue exploiting loopholes that allow voter fraud in their favor.
And speaking of vote-rigging, how about those SEIU techs maintaining voting machines in Nevada? So, I'm supposed to just take their word for it that they weren't tampering with the machines? Was ANYBODY keeping an eye on them?
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
because no postage was due!
Submitted by Injest on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 5:37am.
"You have literally, you know, hundreds of thousands of people who are risking their lives and dying to be able to have the franchise, to be able to actually vote and choose their leaders."
WOW!
Does this twit know that Gore in the 2000 election had thousands of military absentee ballots destroyed because they didn't have a "postage canceled" stamp on them?
And that the reason they didn't have a "postage canceled" was due to the fact that deployed service members are not required to pay postage on NPO/APO mail?
That even if they the service member had put "postage stamps" on their ballots there still would not have been a "postage canceled" stamp because no postage was due!
Yeah, Democrats have never
Submitted by wiwf on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 9:23am.
Yeah, Democrats have never vote-rigged before! Especially in Chicago!
Trunk Monkey
Submitted by Snilwar4 on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 11:14am.
Where is the trunk monkey button on my remote. These 2 are out there like Pluto. Swirling dervishes of dimwittedness, not as good as nattering nabobs but it is the best I could do.
What a bunch of baloney
Submitted by Lgbpop on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:16pm.
Liberals have no problem carding people before selling them booze or butts. Most anyone who is going to vote already has ID, except for the illegal aliens who just happen to slip through and vote under the present lax rules. If it bugs the Left, it had to be a good thing.