Civil & Human Rights

(Update) GOP war on voting: Rigging elections to thwart the popular vote

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Alan Abramowitz, Alben W. Barkley Professor of Political Science at Emory University, and senior columnist for Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball, writes today Republican Electoral College Plan Would Undermine Democracy:

After losing the popular vote in five of the last six presidential
elections and seeing Barack Obama sweep to a surprisingly easy
reelection victory in 2012, Republican leaders and strategists are
understandably worried about their party’s prospects in future
presidential contests. There is no doubt that the GOP faces major
challenges as a result of the nation’s shifting demographics and a
growing Democratic advantage in the Electoral College.

Democratic presidential candidates have carried 18 states and the
District of Columbia with a total of 242 electoral votes in all four
elections since 2000, and another three states with 15 electoral votes
in three of those elections. In addition, three of the five states that
have voted twice for each party since 2000 — Colorado, Nevada and
Virginia, with a total of 28 electoral votes — clearly appear to be
trending Democratic. That gives Democrats a base of 24 states plus the
District of Columbia in which they have the advantage going into the
next presidential election. Those states have 285 electoral votes — 15
votes more than needed to win the presidency.

* * *

Several Republican governors and state legislative leaders in key
battleground states have recently expressed support for a plan to change
the method of awarding their state’s electoral votes from the current
winner-take-all system to one in which one vote would be awarded to the
winner of each congressional district in the state and two votes would
be awarded to the statewide winner. In the aftermath of the GOP’s 2012
defeat, this plan appears to be gaining momentum and was recently endorsed by the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus. On Wednesday, a bill to apportion electors by congressional district advanced through a subcommittee in the Virginia Senate.

Rep. Steve ‘Secession’ Smith wants to infringe on your First Amendment religious freedom

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Teabagger Little Stevie "Secession" Smith (R-Maricopa) is really making an ass-hat of himself this week with his: (1) House Bill 2291, a resolution of "interposition and nullification" to oppose any new federal firearms regulations. They're baaack! Arizona's Neo-Confederate dead-enders are back. This long-discredited theory is entirely unconstitutional. And (2) House Bill 2290, which proposes to  give disgraced former Senate President Russell Pearce a taxpayer-funded windfall as a parting gift for being recalled by the voters of his district, even though Ol' Russell was not out-of-pocket one thin dime of his own money in his unsuccessful recall bid. This guy, again. The Arizona Republic trashed this kiss goodbye to Ol' Russell in an editorial opinion today. Worst of really, really bad bills.

And now for the hat trick this week . . . (3) Little Stevie "Secession" Smith wants to infringe on your First Amendment religious freedom because some little junior teabagger "last year reported feeling mocked and embarrassed after she was the only one in her class to stand and say the pledge of allegiance" to the flag. 2 Ariz. bills push patriotic oaths in schools:

And all students in first through 12th grades would have to say the pledge of allegiance each day if House Bill 2284, sponsored by Rep. Steve Smith, R-Maricopa, passes.

Under current law, schools must set aside time for the pledge each day, but students may choose whether to participate.

Immigration Reform questions for Obama from the National Day Laborer Organizing Network

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Brownskin-201x300by Pamela Powers Hannley

Good questions from the National Day Laborer Organizing Network…

Key Questions for the White House on Immigration Reform 

1.  It is widely reported that the Obama administration has deported unprecedented numbers of immigrants, and it is widely suspected that the Department of Homeland Security is operating under a self-imposed a deportation quota.  Is there a deportation quota?  If so, where does it come from, and will it be reduced or eliminated as part of the President’s proposal on immigration reform? [More good questions after the jump.]

We elected Barack Obama to be the People’s President (video)

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Obama_inauguration_2013_commemorative_post_cards-p239098298749090121en84n_325by Pamela Powers Hannley

Today, President Barack Obama, our 44th president, started his second term.

Last November, in overwhelming numbers, a diverse coalition of Americans said we want this black man to be our president for another four years– not that hollow representative of the 1%, that child of privilege, that flip-flopping liar with the hidden corporatist agenda.

President Obama won the presidency by a larger majority than John Kennedy or Ronald Reagan, and he did so by inspiring a rainbow of Americans that he can better lead all of us through these challenging times to a better, stronger, fairer America. He continued the theme of togetherness in his inaugural address– specifically calling for unity, while giving a nod to groups who elected him– gays, Latinos, blacks, women, middle class workers.

We, the people, believe that induring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war…

This morning during the mainstream media banter leading up to the inauguration ceremony, corporate talking heads– one after another– parroted their gloom-and-doom meme about Obama's second term. Don't believe them. We the people will build our future– not the media talking heads, not the corporatists, not the Congress, not the state legislatures, not the courts. We the people must take responsibility to be the change we want to see in our country.

During the next four years, there will be times when we agree with President Obama and times when we don't. But we must remember that we the people chose him, and only we the people can help him be the best president he can be.

Our work is not over. This country faces many social and economic challenges. As the President said this morning, we must move forward together. In the coming years, let's help the President and our elected officials make the right choices– choices that will further equality, justice, and liberty for all Americans. We elected Barack Obama to be the People's President. Let's help him earn that title during the next four years. Watch the video below and remember how hard we worked for today and how jubliant we were on the evening of November 6, 2012.