We need a central donation hub to save voting rights in America

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Wednesday August 28, 2013 · 3:17 PM PDT

2013/08/28 · 15:17

Voting has never been a right all Americans have enjoyed. Native Americans, African Americans, women, the poor, the "unlanded," immigrants, non Protestant Christians... The list goes on. Today it is those who would not vote the way the Republican Party thinks they should whose right to vote is being viciously, and successfully attacked by those unhappy Republicans. As those who came before us did, we must and will fight back. And we'll win.

An absolutely vital component of that fight is on-the-ground, practical, and tedious work to assist people in acquiring all the documentation -- and transportation -- the Republicans now insist on in a transparent effort to keep these wrong people from voting. These shameful voting obstruction laws are being challenged in the courts and legislatively. That is necessary and very, very good. These efforts deserve our appreciation, our help, and our funding. But so do practical, on-the-ground efforts to get people registered, get them all the necessary documentation (as well as the documentation necessary to get the necessary documentation), get them to and from their polling places, and to make sure that no one illegitimately tries to block them from voting once there.

These efforts are tedious, time consuming, and can frequently be quite expensive, especially when you add up all the people who need help navigating around all these new voter obstruction laws. There are great local, state, regional, and national groups working on this. But there doesn't seem to be a coordinated, central donation hub that people can donate to, perhaps on a recurring monthly basis, in order to do their part in the fight to protect voting in America.

Poll

16 votes Show Results

Would you contribute to such a fund?

16 votes Vote Now!

Would you contribute to such a fund?

Hell Yes!

10 votes

Probably

4 votes

Meh. Not sure.

1 vote

Probably not.

0 votes

Hell No!

1 vote

Loudly unaware and aggressively out of touch

polidiscoursor

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Monday January 14, 2013 · 8:36 AM PST

2013/01/14 · 08:36

The Republican party doesn't know how to fit into a societal landscape furiously reorganizing before their blinking and largely uncomprehending eyes. They are the party, after all, that for generations now has proudly, if rather grandiosely and ridiculously, boasting of their supposed ability to "stand athwart history" in their manliest stance and yell "STOP!" in their most Charlton Heston voice.

While such a self conception might have provided laughs for those outside the fold, for many in the right wing ranks it was an effective and, until recently, empowering way to view the world and their place and role in it. Basically, just being the loudest shouters in the room proved remarkably, almost magically, effective. They could get their way if they just dug in their heels and talked, and if necessary, yelled, above everyone else and soon enough: Presto! They get most or even all of what they want. And, like spoiled children, they have grown accustomed to getting everything they want.

But now... Now the magic is fading. It doesn't seem to work like it used to. Everything is falling away. There's a panic in their eyes. As they recite the old pieties there is often a blankness to their stares, stares which vaguely focus somewhere off in the middle distance. There's a desperate quality to their mantras. Throats tight and mouths dry, even they are beginning to doubt their own incantations. They seem to be increasingly consumed with preoccupations that it won't be long now before it all falls apart.

polidiscoursor

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Tuesday November 06, 2012 · 9:19 AM PST

2012/11/06 · 09:19

Update: To be clear, "True" the Vote is a sham, teabagger operation. I meant to second TBogg's call to flood their lines. However, as some have noted in the comments, this, as well as reporting their own operatives, might actually inflate their totals and lend credence to their cause in the future. I'm adding a poll below to get feedback about whether to take this diary down. Please also add you thoughts in the comments.

As TBogg notes, the group calling themselves "True the Vote" has set up a complaint hotline for reporting vote fraud, suppression, intimidation, etc. The number is 855-444-6100.

You can also report voting difficulties online here. The twitter hashtag is #watchthevote.

TBogg further notes that these people are probably going to be quite bored. Let's keep them company and make sure their time is not wasted in their efforts to document and respond to actual instances of voter fraud, intimidation, and attempted suppression.

Poll

9 votes Show Results

Should I delete this diary?

9 votes Vote Now!

Should I delete this diary?

yes

3 votes

6 votes

Mitt "No Turnaround" Romney: "Polls go up, polls go down."

polidiscoursor

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Wednesday September 26, 2012 · 4:20 PM PDT

2012/09/26 · 16:20

TPM links to an ABC article that includes this Romney quote"

Frankly at this early stage, polls go up, polls go down,” Romney said in an interview on Wednesday with ABC’s David Muir on the campaign trail in Toledo, Ohio.

Which of course leads, inevitably, to someone posting this Simpsons video:
Read More

Mitt's delusions: the 60 Minutes interview

polidiscoursor

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Friday September 21, 2012 · 9:56 PM PDT

2012/09/21 · 21:56

The excerpt of this Sunday's 60 Minutes interview (video) released by CBS is quite stunning in its documentation of a major party candidate for the presidency of the US in a state of denial and delusion so apparently profound that this in and of itself should disqualify him for the office. The title of the post presenting the excerpt, "Romney: My campaign doesn't need a turnaround," nearly says it all.

But the full import -- of the edited excerpt -- comes unsurprisingly at the end of the video released today. The transcript provided by CBS is below the fold, but (spoiler), at least at the time the interview was taped, Romney appeared to prefer to really not agree to the widely shared consensus view of the state of his campaign.

Put another way, he seems a little around the bend. Perhaps he was overly tired. Maybe he was just faking and knows things are pretty bad. But he insisted that things were just fine. He says no change is needed. He seems kind of manic.

polidiscoursor

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Wednesday September 19, 2012 · 1:12 PM PDT

2012/09/19 · 13:12

"That this is a guy that is, doesn't, obviously need to do this for a job..."

That. That right there. That little quote captures the condescension and false, yet still extremely arrogant and self serving, sense of noblesse oblige that is so off putting. What she meant was

You people are so infuriating, Why don't you people like us???!!?! Mitt and I aren't doing this for the pittance of a salary you people are offering. We are offering to help you people out the goodness of our hearts. WHY DON'T YOU PEOPLE LIKE US????!?!!?!?
You people really should be ashamed for not appreciating what we are offering to do for you. Now bring me my dinner and be quick about it.

polidiscoursor

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Monday September 17, 2012 · 2:44 PM PDT

2012/09/17 · 14:44

Okay, so there should probably be a 'probably' somewhere in the title, but it was already getting kind of long. But what if the first few minutes of the first debate actually did go somewhat along these lines?

Obama opens calmly and respectfully, waiting for Romney's inevitable bungled attempt at zinging Obama, either through one of the uglier tacks he been using lately or with the Obama's a nice guy, just over his head gambit. After only a few RWNJs in the audience manage to attempt to fake a chuckle, Obama gives Romney a coldly appraising look and says something like this:

Mitt, before all the events of that terrible night at our consulate in Benghazi had even played out, you issued a statement claiming that I actually sympathized with the murderers of our foreign service staff, including the ambassador I assigned to that country.
Now Mitt, I can assure you that I don't sympathize with those terrorists and I was, and frankly, remain, appalled that you would make such an outrageous and insulting claim. In fact, I'd like to take this opportunity to ask you to repudiate the outrageous lie that I sympathize with those who killed our ambassador and the three others murdered that night.

polidiscoursor

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Thursday August 30, 2012 · 10:07 AM PDT

2012/08/30 · 10:07

Various people and outlets on the left have thoroughly debunked Ryan's laundry list of right wing distortions and outright lies that made up his convention speech last night. Included in the many fine diaries here was this piece, which featured this archival video debunking of Ryan's lie that is so devastating that I can't resist the urge to poach it and repost it here:

What's interesting is that even the corporate media has been willing to call out Ryan's lies. It's not clear if this signals a new sense of journalistic pride in their work or if Ryan's lies were just so egregious that they couldn't be left to stand. I'll leave it to you to come to your own conclusions on that matter.

What is just as interesting, and very telling, is the reaction of the right to the general reaction to Ryan's lies. Get into your RWNJ reinforced hazmat suits, make sure you have your good towel, and, of course, don't panic. Let's go...

polidiscoursor

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Tuesday July 24, 2012 · 5:58 PM PDT

2012/07/24 · 17:58

LGF links to an article in The Telegraph:

My jaw is officially on the floor at this statement to Britain’s Telegraph by one of Mitt Romney’s advisers: Mitt Romney Would Restore ‘Anglo-Saxon’ Relations Between Britain and America.
As the Republican presidential challenger accused Barack Obama of appeasing America’s enemies in his first foreign policy speech of the election campaign, advisers told The Daily Telegraph that he would abandon Mr Obama’s “Left-wing” coolness towards London.
In remarks that may prompt accusations of racial insensitivity, one suggested Mr Romney was better placed to understand the ties between the countries than Mr Obama, whose father was from Africa. “We are part of an Anglo-Saxon heritage, and he feels that the special relationship is special,” the adviser said of Mr Romney, adding: “The White House didn’t fully appreciate the shared history we have.”

This is the attitude and kind of talking point that lurks just beneath Romney's characterization of Obama and his policies as "somehow foreign." It should come as no surprise that many right wingers are unabashed bigots and racists in private when they think they're in safe company. But here we see the hubris and delusion that everyone, or at least fifty per cent plus one of the electorate, shares their various prejudices.

But, of course, they'll soon be howling that anyone who objects to this unadulterated racism by the Romney advisor is actually the real racist.

polidiscoursor

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Saturday July 07, 2012 · 9:40 AM PDT

2012/07/07 · 09:40

Most people would probably agree that it is possible to have discussions that are respectful and perhaps even productive and mutually edifying with people who have different perspectives. In fact, doing so is essential to intellectual advance. Intersubjectivity in fact seems to be the key to our development and even survival, and this is true at all levels, personal, group(s), and species. There are of course positions that are ludicrous, bigoted, offensive, or otherwise wrong and unacceptable. But, I'm going to proceed based on the premise that there are good, decent people who want the best for other people and society as a whole who hold views that can be described in our current context as conservative or right of center.

Perhaps you reject this premise. If so, I'd be interested to hear why. But perhaps you do accept the premise. The next question is then: where do we find such people who are able and willing to engage in worthwhile discussion? I'll leave the definition of 'worthwhile' up to you. And the scope can vary widely as well, from commenting on individual sites/blogs to reading/listening to/watching people wherever, to traditional corporate media outlets.

These are long standing questions, though put in front and center lately. Just yesterday in an open thread, Meteor Blades linked to SE Cupp sabotaging a discussion and also linked to the vile Joe Walsh's Ashleigh Ashleigh Ashleigh reality denying tirade. Such actors are not discussing or debating in good faith and their only goal is to shut down real discussion. And I do not advocate in any way capitulation, pulling punches, or shying away from disagreeing and flat out calling an idea or a person just wrong, bad or even dumb if appropriate. I do mean a readiness to really listen and maybe even modify one's own positions and beliefs, no matter how foundational.

But where in the new media landscape can we go to find worthwhile and perhaps even productive and edifying discussion? Who on the right is worth reading, listening to, watching, and maybe even engaging with?

Or is it hopeless?

Poll

2 votes Show Results

Worthwhile political and policy discussion is

2 votes Vote Now!

Worthwhile political and policy discussion is

possible and quite frequent.

0 votes

possible but somewhat infrequent.

0 votes

possible but very infrequent.

2 votes

not possible.

0 votes

impossible to define so neither possible or impossible.

0 votes

don't know/not sure.

0 votes

Right wing discourse: "working at a higher level" and making reality irrelevant

polidiscoursor

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Monday June 11, 2012 · 12:49 PM PDT

2012/06/11 · 12:49

Steve Benen linked to Paul Krugman's piece on right wing political correctness, in which Krugman writes:

Today, however, the big threat to our discourse is right-wing political correctness, which — unlike the liberal version — has lots of power and money behind it. And the goal is very much the kind of thing Orwell tried to convey with his notion of Newspeak: to make it impossible to talk, and possibly even think, about ideas that challenge the established order.
.
.
.

Actually, this reminds me of an essay I read a long time ago about Soviet science fiction. The author — if anyone remembers where this came from — noted that most science fiction is about one of two thoughts: “if only”, or “if this goes on”. Both were subversive, from the Soviet point of view: the first implied that things could be better, the second that there was something wrong with the way things are. So stories had to be written about “if only this goes on”, extolling the wonders of being wonderful Soviets.

And now that’s happening in America.

Benen notes how right wingers in North Carolina and Virginia are using right wing political correctness in the service of climate change denial:

So, "sea level rise" might give people the impression that climate change is dangerous -- in other words, it might convey accurate information -- which necessarily makes the phrase inconvenient to those who deny climate change.

polidiscoursor

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Thursday June 07, 2012 · 12:59 PM PDT

2012/06/07 · 12:59

Reacting to the news that he dressed up in a Michigan State Police uniform, provided by his then Michigan governor father, Mitt Romney today accused President Obama of having dressed up in a Michigan State Police uniform, provided by his then Michigan governor father:

The fact that Barrack Hussein Obama would dress up as an American police officer is astounding and offensive. He violated the public trust by abusing and frightening his friends' dates, female students at the nearby female prep school, and innocent American motorists alike. This clearly disqualifies him for office and is, to be frank, weird and creepy. I mean, who would do something like that? Some sicko who knew he could just call his governor daddy if he ever got caught, that's who...."

When a reporter noted that Obama's father was never the governor of Michigan and could not have provided him with a state police uniform, Romney called for a chair, sat down, crossed and recrossed his legs several times and said "This is an unusual Interview. Let's start over." He then rose and left the room, ignoring the questions of the gathered reporters.

When a reporter asked a campaign aide about Romney's own experiences dressing up in a Michigan State Police uniform, provided by his then Michigan governor father, the replied, "What, that? That's just a harmless, youthful prank. Remember, we brought out Anne to tell you what a wild and crazy prankster Mr Romney is."

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We need a central donation hub to save voting rights in America

Loudly unaware and aggressively out of touch

855-444-6100: "True" the Vote's complaint hotline

Mitt "No Turnaround" Romney: "Polls go up, polls go down."

Mitt's delusions: the 60 Minutes interview

You people should be ashamed for not appreciating what Mitt is offering to do for you

How to make Mitt Romney's head explode in the first few minutes of the first debate

How the right is freaking out about Ryan's GM plant lie

[Updated] Romney advisor: Obama doesn't understand "Anglo-Saxon heritage"

Finding worthwhile discussion partners in new media: an actual possibility or fool's errand?

Right wing discourse: "working at a higher level" and making reality irrelevant

Romney accuses Obama of having dressed up like a Michigan State Police officer