Mad props to Megan McCain

[HomerJS]

Stands up to the racists at the tea party convention.

http://themoderatevoice.com/62326/q...on-the-tea-party-convention-and-tom-tancredo/

Former Rep. Tom Tancredo as part of the opening speeches at the Tea Party convention proposed bringing back literacy tests as a requirement to vote.

For those who don't know literacy tests were used by southern states as a tool to disenfranchise black voters after the civil war up to the 60s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy_test

Monday on "The View" Megan hit the nail on the head and reiterated something I've said for years, the republican party will never be able to increase their tent to minorities as long as they allow these kinds of attitudes to continue.

 

[TruePaige]

In this day and age I do not see a problem with having a test to see if you are competent enough to vote.

 

[Brainonska511]

In this day and age I do not see a problem with having a test to see if you are competent enough to vote.

I do. You want to disenfranchise people based on some arbitrary standard.

 

[Xellos2099]

Actually, nowsday it made sense as everyone got a chance for "free" education; thus, if you are that bad, then it .... nvm, flame shield up.

 

[SamurAchzar]

In this day and age I do not see a problem with having a test to see if you are competent enough to vote.

From an operative point of view you are probably right, but this doesn't stand the test of civil rights. Unless someone is mentally incapable of looking after himself (and thus hospitalized somewhere), he should receive full civil rights, and this (unfortunately) among them.

 

[fallout man]

She's right-on-target, but she has no real pull on the geezers. I'm confident that there are millions of young, rational, conservative-minded people who would agree with what she has to say, but you'll never hear about it.

 

[Argo]

I don't necessarily see a huge problem with it either. IMO, though I wouldn't mind some "politics test" - do you understand what the candidate is about, or are you just voting for him/her because somebody told you.

 

[BoberFett]

I don't necessarily see a huge problem with it either. IMO, though I wouldn't mind some "politics test" - do you understand what the candidate is about, or are you just voting for him/her because somebody told you.

Solve that by removing the party designation on the ballot. It would prevent voting for party, which shouldn't even be on the ballot anyway. Political parties are private organizations, no reason they need to be officially recognized on a government ballot. If you can't remember which name to vote for and are just mechanically voting for the name with the (R) or (D) next to their name, I don't want you voting.

 

[Argo]

Solve that by removing the party designation on the ballot. It would prevent voting for party, which shouldn't even be on the ballot anyway. Political parties are private organizations, no reason they need to be officially recognized on a government ballot. If you can't remember which name to vote for and are just mechanically voting for the name with the (R) or (D) next to their name, I don't want you voting.

I would agree with that. I wouldn't even be terribly opposed if we somehow limited the power of political parties. The politicians should represent their people, not their parties.

 

[nageov3t]

In this day and age I do not see a problem with having a test to see if you are competent enough to vote.

it would kill democratic voter rolls in the inner cities.

 

[Cuda1447]

I agree 100% with eliminating R/D from the ballots. That's one REALLY good F'n suggestion. To bad it will never happen, as the R/D's have to create the law....

 

[Robor]

it would kill democratic voter rolls in the inner cities.

And Republican voter rolls in the rural areas. You know, the 'real Americans'.

 

[bamacre]

WTF is a "progressive Republican?"

 

[CallMeJoe]

WTF is a "progressive Republican?"

Theodore Roosevelt...

 

[daishi5]

Solve that by removing the party designation on the ballot. It would prevent voting for party, which shouldn't even be on the ballot anyway. Political parties are private organizations, no reason they need to be officially recognized on a government ballot. If you can't remember which name to vote for and are just mechanically voting for the name with the (R) or (D) next to their name, I don't want you voting.

I thought some city or county wanted to do just that, remove the (r) and (d), but it was not allowed because it would reduce the number of votes black candidates would receive.

 

[Mean MrMustard]

I do. You want to disenfranchise people based on some arbitrary standard.

Being able to READ a ballot is arbitrary?

 

[3chordcharlie]

I would agree with that. I wouldn't even be terribly opposed if we somehow limited the power of political parties. The politicians should represent their people, not their parties.

Reducing the power of parties should be a primary goal of anyone who supports democracy.

As bad as it is in the USA (looking from outside), Canada is rapidly catching up under our current Asshole-in-Chief (and the two before him).

Predictably, 40% of the population sees no problem (but screamed for the 13 years that the other party was in control).

 

[Moonbeam]

It has been my sad observation that almost all of the folk posting here can't comprehend what they read. I can't see why not being able to read would make them any less able to think than they alreqdy are.

 

[GoPackGo]

Dont worry...soon elections will be based on TV ratings....Lost brought to you by the Democrats, X-Files by the republicans etc...

Our education system is epic fail....

 

[brencat]

She's right-on-target, but she has no real pull on the geezers. I'm confident that there are millions of young, rational, conservative-minded people who would agree with what she has to say, but you'll never hear about it.

Wrong -- you heard it here from me! And you're right...there are a generation of (relatively) young conservatives growing up right now that reject the litmus tests of the geezers and favor a socially moderate fiscally conservative GOP. And the Tea Party movement is helping to reshape the GOP in that direction.

 

[HumblePie]

Solve that by removing the party designation on the ballot. It would prevent voting for party, which shouldn't even be on the ballot anyway. Political parties are private organizations, no reason they need to be officially recognized on a government ballot. If you can't remember which name to vote for and are just mechanically voting for the name with the (R) or (D) next to their name, I don't want you voting.

I can definitely agree with that.


Now here is my take on this. The reason the southern states originally wanted a "test" in the past was because a large majority of the population in the south was uneducated black people that had zero chance to attend schools to get an education. It was part of a double standard.

Now everyone has a chance to get an education. However, I still feel this is aimed at minorities. And also what form of literacy? English only? While it might be a good idea in theory, it is still impractical. To many legal new generation immigrants who are not English literate would not be able to vote. That is NOT the right thing. While southern states have many of their immigrants from Mexico that speak Spanish, the country gets immigrants from all over the world.

While it would be ideal for this country to vote based off informed decisions of an intelligent populace, it is wrong to try to enforce that. If an American wants to remain illiterate for their own reasons they have a right to. No one has the right to deny them any other Constitutional rights because they choose not to get an education or make informed voting decisions.

Personally, I rather there be a literacy and educational standards for our politicians before they could be voted into office.

 

[Robor]

Wrong -- you heard it here from me! And you're right...there are a generation of (relatively) young conservatives growing up right now that reject the litmus tests of the geezers and favor a socially moderate fiscally conservative GOP. And the Tea Party movement is helping to reshape the GOP in that direction.

You mean the group that paid Palin $100K to blabber to them? If so, LOL! :awe:

 

[drebo]

Citizenship and the ability to read/write in English SHOULD be a requirement to vote. I'm not so backwards as to believe that only property owners or people who actually had to pay taxes should be allowed to vote, but I do feel that in order to have some input on how the country is run, you should actually be a part of that country and society as a whole.

Immigrants who refuse to become citizens (or get visas) and who refuse to assimilate into our culture have no place in determining our policy. Ballots should be English-only and you should be required to prove citizenship in order to receive one.

 

[HumblePie]

Citizenship and the ability to read/write in English SHOULD be a requirement to vote. I'm not so backwards as to believe that only property owners or people who actually had to pay taxes should be allowed to vote, but I do feel that in order to have some input on how the country is run, you should actually be a part of that country and society as a whole.

Immigrants who refuse to become citizens (or get visas) and who refuse to assimilate into our culture have no place in determining our policy. Ballots should be English-only and you should be required to prove citizenship in order to receive one.

The problem is, I would agree with this in the future but not now. Until we force legal immigrants to be literate in English before gaining citizenship this can not be. Because technically I feel that since they aren't citizens they should not share all the same freedoms and rights Americans have just yet. Once the standard is set for all new immigrants to be required to be English literate, and with public education being a must, THEN I agree we can force voting standards to include being able to be literate.

Why not now? Because we can't force on something their right to be a fucktard if they want to be. Just because someone chooses to be an idiot doesn't mean they stop being an American or lose their rights as one.

An educated populace is of benefit to everyone. I fully believe schools shouldn't let kids "slide" or leave the schooling system until they prove they are literate and educated. I believe every American should go to school. Because once every American goes to school, is literate, and all legal immigrants are as well, this "test" becomes moot now doesn't it?

 

[outriding]

Citizenship and the ability to read/write in English SHOULD be a requirement to vote. I'm not so backwards as to believe that only property owners or people who actually had to pay taxes should be allowed to vote, but I do feel that in order to have some input on how the country is run, you should actually be a part of that country and society as a whole.

Immigrants who refuse to become citizens (or get visas) and who refuse to assimilate into our culture have no place in determining our policy. Ballots should be English-only and you should be required to prove citizenship in order to receive one.

How about basic understanding of the law?