GOP Thinks The Time's Right To Suppress The Youth Vote
By gladys46
@gladys46 (1205)
United States
March 9, 2011 2:23pm CST
Washington Post staff writer Peter Wallsten writes on 3/8/11: New Hampshire's new Republican state House speaker is pretty clear about what he thinks of college kids and how they vote. They're "foolish," Speaker William O'Brien said in a recent speech to a tea party group. "Voting as a liberal. That's wht kids do," Students lack, "life experience," and "they just vote their feelings."
New Hampshire House Republicans are pushing for new laws that would prohibit many college students from voting in the stte - and effectively keep some from voting at all.
The measures in New Hampshire are among dozens of voting-related bills being pushed by newly empowered Republican state lawmakers across the country promoting partisan clashes akin to those already roiling in some sates over GOP moves to curb union power.
Another bill would permit students to vote in their college towns only if they or their parents had previously established permanent residency there - requiring all others to vote in the states or other New Hampshire towns they come from. Another bill would end Election Day registration, which O'Brien said unleases swarms of students on polling places, creating opportunities for fraud.
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Is there any group left in America that the GOP has not so balantly disrespected, or discounted so clearly? Wouldn't it behove the GOP to at least attempt to explain to the youth their own political policies and how that might be for the betterment of future America rather than demonize them for voting their choice?
2 people like this
9 responses
@sierras236 (2739)
• United States
9 Mar 11
Actually, these changes are not that radical. In fact, many places in America you have to register prior to voting. There are cutoff dates between registration and voting. In Florida and a few other states, you need to show a valid ID such as Driver's license.
Dual voting for students can be a problem especially if parents ship them an absentee ballot which they fill out and send in and then they vote in the college town. (It is called double voting.) This would force them to choose what State/District they vote in. It would eliminate the question of them voting twice.
Now on a side note, college students are notorious for not voting. They are one of the groups that are least likely to vote. Sure, the vote liberal (mostly) but they simply don't show up at the polls.
1 person likes this
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
9 Mar 11
People used to have to vote where their permanent residence was. I don't see any reason why it should have changed. Today, more people vote by mail than in person anyway.
There has been so much voter fraud in the last decade or more. Time to start making sure that everyone who votes is actually eligible and in the right voting place. Here in Cincinnati, that was quite an issue in November. The court decided that votes what were cast in the wrong places still counted. Absurd.
Most people older than college age would probably agree with the House Speaker. When you're young, you do make foolish choices of all kinds - including votes.
@sierras236 (2739)
• United States
9 Mar 11
Most of the military actually votes Republican. (Due to the Republican's stance on handing out raises to the military.) But Military voting has been a problem and continues to be one. Most have to vote via absentee ballot and this is a controversial issue surrounding military votes. Not sure you are aware of that.
kenzie's point is valid. I don't know anyone who hasn't made a foolish choice when they were young. Many times it came back to bite them.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
9 Mar 11
First off, I don't care what this William O'Brien guy thinks of college students. There are plenty of "foolish" voters at every level. If he wants to say his constituents are foolish, than they can respond to HIS foolishness and vote him out. It is true that young people tend to vote liberal. Schools are indoctrinating kids in a major way even teaching them to sing songs worshiping Obama and at the college level kids have been assigned to write papers bashing Sarah Palin.
What's wrong with requiring people to be residents of the town they are voting in? That's the rule in Florida too. My wife had to drive almost an hour from her college to vote in her home town back in 2000 and she did it just to vote against Bush. If you allow them to vote in the state they go to school then they can vote twice by also voting in their home state. That is voter fraud and it happens. Nobody should be entitled to vote twice.
I know you'll support any voter fraud that benefits the democrats, but it has to stop. If they don't live at home then they can vote absentee.
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
10 Mar 11
As a politically and governmental active Granite statah, I have a to say on this one. First, go to the NH legislature's website and read the entire bill:
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0176.html
Second. As a resident who loves this state and it's proud libertarian and federalist heritage, I (like a large percentage of NH residents) are sick and tired of people coming in from out of state on part time residency and trying to change our way of life up here. The endless stream of flatlanders coming across that state line and the mentality they bring is becoming the absolute ruin of this state.
Third, I notice in this thread the voter fraud issue was discounted by people. Let me assure you it is a problem up here. It also adds to the larger outside interference issue. This is our state, we will decide what happens in our state government, we will decide our own legislative course in all matters pertaining to our state...not people who come here for a few months a year and complain about our laws or lack of laws or our way of life.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
9 Mar 11
I don't know why people shouldn't have to vote where they have a permanent residence. That's what I have to do.
I agree that many young people don't really understand issues, economics, or have any clue who or what they are voting for. I don't think it's unusual for anyone to state that we gain knowledge, wisdom and maturity with age.
I would be scared too, if I thought that I couldn't win without the votes of really unprepared people. Having to win over the votes of those who actually understand the issues could be difficult for Obama.
I guess what would worry me most as a Democrat is that the party depends on young, immature and unknowledgeable people in order to get elected. One in every five voters who voted for Obama were first time voters. These are the same people who a few months later couldn't name the Vice-President. There's no way to argue that they voted from any understanding of the issues.
I don't think any place should have Election Day registration and voting and all polls should require ID. I don't care how long you lived there or how old you are. There's no reason people cannot manage to register to vote before Election Day if they care enough to vote. If they don't care enough, their votes are probably not important to them and they are less likely to know what they are voting for.
@gladys46 (1205)
• United States
9 Mar 11
Rollo, I suppose it is difficult for many students to return home to vote, I believe that's why the election laws were changed to accommodate.
You know there are many Republican youth groups on campuses who are very active in their own party voter turn out. I wonder way these newly elected Republican leaders are not saying that they too are young and foolish!
Our youth are recruited to go to the front lines of wars, do Republicans feel that they too are young and foolish to volunteer for that service to our country?
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
9 Mar 11
The military did vote for John McCain. I honestly can't remember the last time the military voted democrat in a presidential election especially since every republican candidate over the last 23 years, excluding Bush 43, was a war hero. Republicans in general are more pro-military whereas to the left you have people like Elena Kagan that ban military recruiters from college campuses.
Since even you admit many students do vote absentee, why do you think they are being robbed of their voting powers? This wouldn't change their ability to vote absentee in the slightest.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
9 Mar 11
College students can vote via absentee ballot which would eliminate the very real possibility of them voting twice. Why would you think this is a hardship? It's very easy to mail a ballot, much easier than going down to the local town hall to register, etc. Isn't it better to avoid voter fraud?
You cited one Republican in New Hampshire, I didn't see any evidence of a "vast right-wing conspiracy" here.
There's also no evidence that anyone is trying to stop college students from voting at all, just from committing voter fraud.
As mentioned above, the military tends to vote Republican, perhaps because military service tends to sober and mature a young person?
@artistry (4151)
• United States
10 Mar 11
...Hey there gladys, Let me say that you stay on top of things, I am very impressed. "o) At the GOP summit, whenever it was and wherever it was, they spent the entire time it appears hammering out how they could destroy the Democrats. Go after the unions, drive down and suppress the youth vote, target anyone and anything that would help get Democrats elected. What they did in Wisconsin might have gotten them a win but it stirred people up and made the Democrats realize that they have got to fight to survive this blatant GOP assault. If they try to get this stuff into law where they require that the students parent's reside in the town for the kids to vote, there hopefully will be a challenge that will kill it. They are less than despicable in their methods. What a message to send to young people, "we don't want you to vote"! Crappers.
@gladys46 (1205)
• United States
10 Mar 11
Hi artistry! Ha ... I am impressed that you are impressed. I strive to be an informed American citizen! Hahaha! Opinions are all just fine but, I find that many here at the politics thread bring only one side of any issue! I guess that causes another view, such as my own to be attacked promptly!
Anyway, I find that republicans have long since used America's youngest children as talking points, as photo ops ... that age group can't vote and have no voice .. they stand calmly beside their parents basically silent! Now, we have republicans dissing America's college aged "liberal" youth to demonize!!
It seems education, albeit HIGHER EDUCATION acts as some sort of kryptonite on republicans and some of their supporters!!
As I asked before, why won't republicans just increase the age of voter eligibility ... they've overreached to distroy every other well-settled law in this land!
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
9 Mar 11
I hate to see stuff like this but in all honesty I cross my fingers every time I do and hope this will be the straw that breaks the camels back and that it will get people off their butts and be more active in the government. If people don't take an active involvement in what is going on in this country than you can believe the government will take away as many rights as they get away with.
@gladys46 (1205)
• United States
9 Mar 11
I continue to watch in amazement at right-wing supporters who obviously can't see how BIG republican government actually is! I thought they wanted "small" government to stay out of their affairs? Here we have newly elected (a comparatively small group) politicians attempting to force their intrusive "what's good for women" policies on all of America. Yet, they can't see the benefit to ALL Americans if All Americans had access to proper health care. Go figure.
@RobtheRock (2433)
• United States
10 Mar 11
College is supposed to be a place where you learn how to think. Thus, students learn and question things which they weren't permitted to do in high school. From grade school to high school we are indoctrinated with American values. In college, we learn truths that couldn't have been learned earlier. Thus, many form their own liberal values. We are able to question some of those indoctrinated values we learned earlier. So most of the college students (be they Republican or Democrat) are "thinkers." To people such as William O'Brien, this is a threat to whatever agenda he has.
@gladys46 (1205)
• United States
10 Mar 11
Rob, that's precisely the way I see this. I suppose Mr. O'Brien and his supporters do not understand "higher learning"!
If Mr. O'Brien was at all sincere in his use of voter fraud as justification, I remain perplexed as to why he never mentioned the "republican" youth on campuses who also campaign on same college campuses and vote for republicans! Can it be just "liberal" college students who are "foolish"?? I think not!
I've seen no litigation waged against any college election process ... mostly wild republican allegations and mostly unfounded.
