GOP Rebellion Stops Voting Rights Act (1 Viewer)

[hipsterdufus]

So after the Senate blocked an increase in the minumum wage, the House did one better and decided not to renew the Voting Rights Act.

GOP Rebellion Stops Voting Rights Act
Complaints Include Bilingual Ballots and Scope of Justice Dept. Role in South

By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 22, 2006; Page A07

House leaders abruptly canceled a vote to renew the 1965 Voting Rights Act yesterday after rank-and-file Republicans revolted over provisions that require bilingual ballots in many places and continued federal oversight of voting practices in Southern states.

The intensity of the complaints, raised in a closed meeting of GOP lawmakers, surprised Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and his lieutenants, who thought the path was clear to renew the act's key provisions for 25 years. The act is widely considered a civil rights landmark that helped thousands of African Americans gain access to the ballot box. Its renewal seemed assured when House and Senate Republican and Democratic leaders embraced it in a May 2 kickoff on the Capitol steps.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/21/AR2006062101910.html

 

[Blue Collar Joe]

So after the Senate blocked an increase in the minumum wage, the House did one better and decided not to renew the Voting Rights Act.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/21/AR2006062101910.html

Here's my question. Why should only the southern states have federal voting oversight? The north considered better? As for the bilingual ballots, what is the second language?
Personally, since you are required to be able to read and write basic english to become a citizen, and only citizens should vote, heII no we don't need bilingual ballots.
All citizens should be able to read a ballot. Otherwise, they shouldn't be voting.

 

[Diogenes]

The "temporary" provisions which would have been extended apply to the eleven states that had less than half of the eligible voters turn out in the 1964 elections. To extend those provisions is absurd. The best course is to just forget them and move on. Or if there is some perceived reason to continue them, at least update the reasoning for them to a more recent time frame.

 

[ShamMol]

Here's my question. Why should only the southern states have federal voting oversight? The north considered better? As for the bilingual ballots, what is the second language?
Personally, since you are required to be able to read and write basic english to become a citizen, and only citizens should vote, heII no we don't need bilingual ballots.
All citizens should be able to read a ballot. Otherwise, they shouldn't be voting.

There is no official language, so to not print in other languages is theoretically grouds for litigation. People are citizens without learning English (such as immigrant's children) and then there is the fact that people may feel more comfortable in another language. For example, I feel most comfortable in Gaelic (just kidding).

 

[jfuh]

Here's my question. Why should only the southern states have federal voting oversight? The north considered better? As for the bilingual ballots, what is the second language?
Personally, since you are required to be able to read and write basic english to become a citizen, and only citizens should vote, heII no we don't need bilingual ballots.
All citizens should be able to read a ballot. Otherwise, they shouldn't be voting.

Firstly, you do realize that voting is not a constitutional right right? It's a priveledge that is granted by the state, the same way a driver's liscence is a privelidge.
As pointed out earlier, why should there not be a second language? Is there any good reason why 2nd languages would not be good?
Basic english - mary had a little lamb - bla bla bla, that's the basic english requirement. If you took the test, you'd know. Hardly any similar to what is on the voting ballots.

Also there are a great many states that are regulated by this act. The only oversight that is regulated by the federal government is in the event that the state or district being regulated wants to make changes. Not big brother looking at what they're doing 24/7.
And let's not kid ourselves about this. These specific districts being overseen have been notorious in the past and even in the present for limiting minority turn out. Do you know which districts are being regulated?
I suggest you read up more about the voting rights act of 1965.
the bigger question you should be asking, is why do they not want something implemented in 1965 and successful since 1965?
Why do these GOP members alone not want this bill to pass?

 

[hipsterdufus]

This is all about voter supression. That has been the GOP strategy for years. The less people vote, the better it is for the GOP, especially when it comes to the poor or ESL citizens.

Have you ever been in a voting booth and read some of the proposed amendments? They're hardly the kind of English required to obtain citizen status. Printing ballots in multiple languages brings a larger majority of the populous into the equation.

 

[Paul]

If you cannot read English, then you should not be able to vote! How are you going to pick who to vote for? If you put another language on their as well, like Spanish let's say, then you are discriminating against all the other languages that people may speak. So now we should put French on there as well, German too. Japanese, Chinese, where does it end. This country was founded on religion, if immigrants want to assimilate and learn our language we would let them in our country. We wouldn’t just kill or banish anyone who entered our country based on skin color or where they are from.

 

[talloulou]

So after the Senate blocked an increase in the minumum wage, the House did one better and decided not to renew the Voting Rights Act.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/21/AR2006062101910.html

First the Voting Rights Act does not expire till 2007, right?

Second they have postponed the vote which is quite different than throwing the voting rights act completely out.....wouldn't you say?

Third their concerns have to do with certain states being singled out with requirements while other states aren't so they're considering possible amendments which will make it so all states have similar requirements? You got some kind of problem with that????

Sounds to me like you're getting hysterical and all conspiracy theory crazy making a mountain out of a mole hill.

 

[Diogenes]

This is all about voter supression. That has been the GOP strategy for years. The less people vote, the better it is for the GOP, especially when it comes to the poor or ESL citizens.

You got that right! The GOP strategy has always been to enforce the law so that only eligible citizens vote, and vote only once in each election. The Dem strategy has been entirely the opposite.

 

[jamesrage]

So after the Senate blocked an increase in the minumum wage, the House did one better and decided not to renew the Voting Rights Act.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/21/AR2006062101910.html

I guess a stop to bilingual ballots is a good thing.We shouldn't be wasting money on people who should already know our language.

I also guess the politicians need the money they'll save from not having bilingual ballots and interpreters at polling places to go for their cost of living increase in thier pay.

 

[jamesrage]

This is all about voter supression. .

I always thought only legal US citizens were allowed to vote. US citizens speak english and isn't one of the requirements for citizenship is to know enlgish?If this is true then how is it voter supression

 

[jfuh]

If you cannot read English, then you should not be able to vote! How are you going to pick who to vote for? If you put another language on their as well, like Spanish let's say, then you are discriminating against all the other languages that people may speak. So now we should put French on there as well, German too. Japanese, Chinese, where does it end. This country was founded on religion, if immigrants want to assimilate and learn our language we would let them in our country. We wouldn’t just kill or banish anyone who entered our country based on skin color or where they are from.

Why shouldn't they be allowed to vote just because they don't read english fluently?
There are a plethora of other languages available for voters, as long as is requested.
This is a country that was made from immigrants of all nationalities and cultures, sure English make up the majority of the spoken language, which is why foreigners learn english in the first place. However on what rational grounds should we prohibit other languages from being used on our ballots if requested?

 

[jfuh]

I guess a stop to bilingual ballots is a good thing.We shouldn't be wasting money on people who should already know our language.

I also guess the politicians need the money they'll save from not having bilingual ballots and interpreters at polling places to go for their cost of living increase in thier pay.

How much money is being spent on ballots?

 

[jfuh]

I always thought only legal US citizens were allowed to vote. US citizens speak english and isn't one of the requirements for citizenship is to know enlgish?If this is true then how is it voter supression

Read post 5 if you want to talk about english fluency.

 

[hipsterdufus]

I always thought only legal US citizens were allowed to vote. US citizens speak english and isn't one of the requirements for citizenship is to know enlgish?If this is true then how is it voter supression

Put it this way, the amount of English needed to get citizenship is far different than the amount of English needed to read acomplicated ballot initiative.

 

[Indy]

I always thought only legal US citizens were allowed to vote. US citizens speak english and isn't one of the requirements for citizenship is to know enlgish?If this is true then how is it voter supression

Um, no. It is required for somebody who wishes to BECOME a citizen, but not to somebody who was BORN a citizen. How is this confusing to you? You are trying to tie in a logical falacy: If you don't speak or read english then you are not a citizen. Not true. Plenty of citizens don't speak or read english. Am I happy with this? No, but it is how it is an our nation is required to provide for them.

 

[GPS_Flex]

English should be the national language in the USA. If you don’t speak it, you get an interpriter or deal with the fact that you need to learn English if you want to understand our laws, elections, fast food menus or the difference between the boys and girls restroom.

If you are too lazy to learn the language, go back to where you came from or let someone else hold your hand through life in the USA. It isn’t my responsibility to pay for the idiots who don’t want to adapt to the American culture and language when they get here. Let them adapt just like everyone else does.

 

[Billo_Really]

Originally posted by GPS_Flex:
English should be the national language in the USA. If you don’t speak it, you get an interpriter or deal with the fact that you need to learn English if you want to understand our laws, elections, fast food menus or the difference between the boys and girls restroom.

If you are too lazy to learn the language, go back to where you came from or let someone else hold your hand through life in the USA. It isn’t my responsibility to pay for the idiots who don’t want to adapt to the American culture and language when they get here. Let them adapt just like everyone else does.

200 years ago, english was not the spoken language here. You could stand to learn a few things if your going to use english to communicate. "Spelling" is a good start...

 

[GPS_Flex]

200 years ago, english was not the spoken language here. You could stand to learn a few things if your going to use english to communicate. "Spelling" is a good start...

This is rich. More than 200 years ago an English-speaking nation (United States of America) was formed here. Care to debate that fact?

As for the single word I misspelled, I almost lost it considering the source. Is that all you have? Come on Billo, you used to be better than this. How weak!

 

[Billo_Really]

Originally posted by GPS_Flex:
This is rich. More than 200 years ago an English-speaking nation (United States of America) was formed here. Care to debate that fact?

As for the single word I misspelled, I almost lost it considering the source. Is that all you have? Come on Billo, you used to be better than this. How weak!

In my neck of the woods 200 years ago, this area wasn't even part of the United States. Care to debate that, Mr. Wizard?

As for your "is that all I have" comment, that's all I needed. It wasn't that hard of a word to spell. You got that button in the lower right to assist you. Are you just lazy? Do you think people should have to work to understand your point of askew? With all the intolerance you have for other people and cultures, do you really consider yourself a good American? If your that intolerant of others, maybe you should move to Weimar, Germany.

 

[Paul]

Why shouldn't they be allowed to vote just because they don't read english fluently?
There are a plethora of other languages available for voters, as long as is requested.
This is a country that was made from immigrants of all nationalities and cultures, sure English make up the majority of the spoken language, which is why foreigners learn english in the first place. However on what rational grounds should we prohibit other languages from being used on our ballots if requested?

If you don't understand English, you cannot understand the issues. Unless someone tells you, but there is an error factor in that as well.

 

[jamesrage]

Um, no. It is required for somebody who wishes to BECOME a citizen, but not to somebody who was BORN a citizen. How is this confusing to you?

If someone was born here and does not know english then they have no business even voting.They are proably retarded or perhaps they are not loyal to this country.

You are trying to tie in a logical falacy: If you don't speak or read english then you are not a citizen. Not true. Plenty of citizens don't speak or read english.

What American citizens do not speak enlish?

 

[jamesrage]

How much money is being spent on ballots?

I have no idea,but I imagine it cost twice as much to print ballots in multiple languages, it would cost more money everytime a new language was added to a ballot and they might even use more paper than a regular ballot just printed in American.

 

[jamesrage]

Firstly, you do realize that voting is not a constitutional right right? It's a priveledge that is granted by the state, the same way a driver's liscence is a privelidge.
As pointed out earlier, why should there not be a second language? Is there any good reason why 2nd languages would not be good?
Basic english - mary had a little lamb - bla bla bla, that's the basic english requirement. If you took the test, you'd know. Hardly any similar to what is on the voting ballots.

I hear all this hogwash about basic english,but would what they have to know in order to pass a citizenship require more than just basic english?After all they have to know history and how our goverment is set up and many other things.

 

[26 X World Champs]

All citizens should be able to read a ballot. Otherwise, they shouldn't be voting.

That's why there's a Voting Rights Act to prevent people who believe what you just wrote to be true. There's no requirement for literacy to vote, period, nor should there be! It is, again, discriminatory.

What is it with the right wingers in this community? I've never seen a group of seemingly intelligent and interested people be so into denying their fellow citizens the most basic of civil and constitutional rights.