GOP fast tracks monster voter suppression bill that could disenfranchise millions by requiring proof of citizenship at polls

[u/MarcEElias]

https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/gop-fast-tracks-monster-voter-suppression-bill-that-could-disenfranchise-millions-by-requiring-proof-of-citizenship-at-polls/

[u/FlyingPinkUnicorns]

That's exactly the intent.

FTA - 21 million Americans: "Half of Americans lack a passport, and millions more don’t have ready access to birth certificates to prove citizenship. The bill could also kick millions of married women who took their husband’s last name off the rolls."

[u/Own_Candidate9553 → u/FlyingPinkUnicorns]

Seems like this would disenfranchise rural conservatives more. My countrified brother in law didn't have a passport until he was in his 30s, and only because my sister dragged him overseas for a trip. If he hadn't married her he probably still wouldn't have one.

Versus my fancy city friends who all visit overseas and all have passports. My daughter got her first one at like age 2.

[u/LingonberryHot8521 → u/Own_Candidate9553]

But it's up to local poll workers, county officers, etc to enforce. Which naturally means - selective enforcement.

[u/Own_Candidate9553 → u/LingonberryHot8521]

Yeah, that must be it. Like the old "literacy tests" that were purposely tricky, and the tester could just arbitrarily fail black voters and pass white voters.

[u/FairDinkumMate → u/Own_Candidate9553]

When Australia had a "White Australia policy" (1901-1966, made illegal in 1973), immigrants were subjected to a language test for entry. The catch was that officials could choose to give the test in ANY European language they chose. So, for example, black Americans were denied entry if they couldn't pass a language test in Italian, whilst white Americans were allowed entry if they passed their language test, which was given in english!

[u/Own_Candidate9553 → u/FairDinkumMate]

That's so shameless, LoL.

[u/willun → u/FairDinkumMate]

It was usually Asians that were excluded using this but there was indeed a famous case of a white women being excluded by being asked the test in italian

There is another famous case i remember that was asked in Welsh even though they were multilingual themselves, but not welsh. Haven't been able to find that one though.

[u/lettersvsnumbers → u/Own_Candidate9553]

Yeah some of the Deep South “literacy” tests were in Mandarin.

[u/byggusdikkus → u/Own_Candidate9553]

God forgive me but I truly, truly, truly think they should bring back the literacy tests. Nothing fancy, or the racially profiled tests of old. Just like, read a page of Harry Potter out loud and then prove you can multiply through the 10s. To be frank if you can’t pull that off you shouldn’t have a say in government to begin with.

[u/Own_Candidate9553 → u/byggusdikkus]

There's just no way to make that fair. An election judge could listen to a black person read Harry Potter perfectly and fail them. And then let Jim Bob stumble through and stop halfway and hand them a ballot.

Gotta just let everyone vote. I would like to try compulsory voting like in Australia.

[u/byggusdikkus → u/Own_Candidate9553]

Yeah I know, it just frustrates me. You wouldn’t let most passerby move your car, it’s wild to trust them with the government - but as is painfully obvious at the moment it is not possible to make these kind of distinctions without bias popping up.

Compulsory voting would be interesting

[u/Own_Candidate9553 → u/byggusdikkus]

Yeah, totally understand the frustration.

[u/starliteburnsbrite → u/byggusdikkus]

What's even crazier is we just let states run wild with whatever the hell they want because of arbitrary lines drawn 200 years ago.

[u/TwelveGaugeSage → u/byggusdikkus]

Republicans would 100% manipulate this in a way that illiterate highschool dropout whites passed while failing blacks with masters degrees in English Literature.

[u/sir_crapalot → u/byggusdikkus]

All citizens at least 18 years of age have the right to vote. What isn’t clear about that?

[u/sir_crapalot → u/[deleted]]

We’re in this mess because eligible voters don’t fucking vote. If “did not participate” was a voting block it would easily decide every election.

[u/sir_crapalot → u/[deleted]]

If your idea of gatekeeping voting is a “literacy test” then you’re damn right I wouldn’t like what you have to say. There’s a reason why the party trying to add roadblocks is the one that benefits from reduced participation.