In today’s installment of ‘Math Republicans Do to Feel Better About Themselves’, ThinkProgress reports:
Virginia Attorney General Suggests Obama Stole The Election
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli ( R ) told a radio host he completely agreed with her assertion that investigations are needed to determine why President Obama lost “every one” of the states with photo identification requirements for voting, yet won re-election. Cuccinelli, who has lost most of the major legal cases he has brought since taking office in 2010, told the host she was “preaching to the choir.”On WMAL radio, hosts Brian Wilson and Cheri Jacobus pressed Cuccinelli about why he has not opened a major investigation into what they suggested was wide-spread voter fraud in Virginia — an assessment they made based on receiving unproven allegations by email from listeners. Studies have shown Americans are more likely to be struck by lightning than to commit voter fraud. Cuccinelli endorsed the idea of such investigations, but noted that he lacks the statutory authority to do launch an investigation…
Surely this mathematical mystery has nothing to do with the fact that ‘voter ID’ laws are universally aimed at preventing ‘the wrong kind of people’ (i.e., Democrats) from voting at all. Only a vulgar member of the RBC (reality-based community) would suggest that voter-suppression laws might be most successful in states where the levers of power are entirely in Republican hands!
Of course, as DougJ pointed out earlier, Cuccinelli will be running for governor in 2013, so we all have another year of listening to “one of the most divisive conservatives in the nation”. If only because so many of the Very Serious People, National Bloviators Division, own property in Virginia or go to dinner parties with the people who do…
***********
Apart from another round of the GOP Diet Plan (they turn your stomach), what’s on the agenda for this mid-week evening?
r€nato
Sore loserman.
EconWatcher
We Virginians ended George Allen’s odious career, and now we’ll end this guy’s. We just have to come up with a better candidate than frickin’ Creigh Deeds.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
Painting more figures!
As in, the evening’s plan.
kc
Sounds like he’s wasted a buttload of Virginia taxpayers’ money.
different-church-lady
No, honestly conservative guys, the chicken thinks you are hot and she wishes to have much more sexy time with you.
trollhattan
So, this Cuccinelli person has less power than Orly Taitz? MAybe he could launch that investigation if he were also a dentist and realtor?
We’ve got competition for him, evidently, in the weirdest governor candidate sweepstakes.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/11/minuteman-tim-donnelly-testing-waters-for-a-2014.html#storylink=cpy
Always gunz with these dudes.
Mandalay
Another cockroach crawls out from behind the woodwork…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-28/republican-senator-raises-new-questions-about-susan-rice.html
It shouldn’t be left to President Obama to go after these scumbags. It’s time for other Democrats to step up and start getting vocal about this bullshit.
Ben Franklin
Cuccinelli
We need to keep fucking that
chickenCapon.TenguPhule
It really will not end until GOP heads roll for sedition and treason. No fooling.
General Stuck
Though I was drafted, but volunteered for the Airborne, this is the sort of thing that caused me to hate every single second I was in the military. Besides the fact you could get thrown in prison for not showing up, which caused this anti authority punk at the time many sleepless nights. The whole question of GI. Government Issue was abhorrent to my senses. The thought that some entity owned my body was very stressful to put it mildly.
Destruction of government property is what it’s called. I knew a guy in basic who refused to wear his cap outside in the August sun and got prosecuted and courts martialed for letting his noggin get sunburnt. What stupidity assures a greater success rate for attempted suicide than a promise to put you in jail for failure?
FTA
Paul
If people like Cucinelli are so concerned about voter fraud and that photo ID cards is the only way to resolve it; then why doesn’t he propose to his fellow GOP members that the government will issue FREE photo ID cards to every eligible voter in this country? After all, that according to his logic would resolve voter fraud.
Or is this simply a way to make sure the poor (who may not be able to afford a photo ID card on their own) can’t vote in the first place if the have to pay for themselves?
jl
Later down in the post, there is there is this interesting passage:
” And while just four states had strict photo ID laws in effect in the 2012 election, deep red Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, and Tennessee, seven more had some photo ID laws in effect. Of those, Obama did carry four (Florida, Hawaii, Michigan, and New Hampshire). ”
So, only ‘strict’ voter ID count, and it is a deep mystery why Obama lost in GA, IN, KS and TN, all of which are states where pre-election polls said Obama was going to lose,
or
Cuccinelli is BSing and pandering to his future bigot primary voters.
I wonder which it is?
Ted & Hellen
What’s striking to me is how, even when they have clearly LOST fair and square, elected Republicans will still publicly talk like this.
When George W stole the 2000 and 2004 elections, was there even one prominent elected Democrat calling for investigations and charging fraud?
We are a pathetic, codependent party.
The Other Chuck
@jl: Well duh, if Obama won those states, then their ID laws clearly weren’t strict enough.
Time for Ken to spend more taxpayer money losing another case I guess.
West of the Rockies (formerly Frank W.)
Hmmm… who IS the most divisive conservative voice in America? We could break it down by pundit (Savage? Limbaugh? Beck? Coulter? Malkin?) or by politician (Bachmann, Steve King). In terms of truly doing the most damage to political discourse and intelligent thinking, I’m hard-pressed to point to anyone more destructive than Limbaugh. He’s got so many knucklehead listeners who believe every fart-thought this guy produces.
PurpleGirl
Cuccinelli, who has lost most of the major legal cases he has brought since taking office in 2010,
Reminds me of how Rudy G had all these perp walks of financial people when he was a prosecutor and most of the cases were thrown out by the judges for lack of solid evidence. On the other hand, Spitzer didn’t have that problem with his financial cases, I believe.
MattF
So, why is it going to be so hard to find a good Democratic candidate to run against Cuccinelli? A good candidate would win easily, and, you’d think, that’s what one would look for.
ETA: And, to repeat myself, a weak Republican is an opportunity for a strong Democrat. We really don’t have to match a weak wingnut with a weak Democrat.
Hungry Joe
If they want people to believe that Obama won because of tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of instances of voter fraud taking place in a number of states, they might want to consider coming up with, say, one instance of voter fraud in, say, one state. You know, just to get the ball rolling.
kay
Ohio has a voter ID law, has HAD one since 2006, which conservatives insisted was ALL that they wanted, at the time.
So conservatives have now upped the ante to PHOTO identification, which they will now do all over the country. This creep is already making a careful distinction btwn ID and photo ID, because that’s the new demand.
Placating them is useless. The fact is they don’t want certain people voting.
Steeplejack
Trying to figure out if I need a bigger money bin for when I win the Powerball tonight. It’s up to $550 million, $360.2 million for the cash option, and even after overestimating taxes that’s ≈$220 million in hand.
What would you do with that much money? I maintain that I would take a finder’s fee off the top–maybe 10 percent–and distribute the rest to family, friends and worthy charities.
Omnes Omnibus
@different-church-lady: Why do you hate the chicken?
Mike G
KFTCR.
Keep Fucking That Chicken, Republicans.
We’re going to see this meme so often it should have its own acronym, like ‘IOKIYAR’.
kay
@jl:
The article is inaccurate. Ohio has a voter ID law too.
eemom
I fucking hate that asshole, I fucking hate living in the state that elected him — and what I hate most of all is the shitloads of people who stood in line with me this past Election Day to vote against assholes like him, who don’t do that every. fucking. time.
dmsilev
Cat-herding. Otherwise known as coordinating setup and volunteers for our department’s annual open house next week.
ranchandsyrup
Going to go through photos from the charity event my wife and I helped with last night and write some thank you notes. The $ we raised last night goes to keeping the electricity on at shelters in the Philippines for sex/human trafficking victims for a couple of months. http://www.love146.org
Also, too, I love beating Reagan lovers over the head with your post title, AL.
briar
One loser talking to another
pat
Ya know, I never buy these powerball tickets, not wanting to waste so much as 2 bucks, but I would think that 220 million (a quarter billion… where have we heard of that sum before) might make one eligible to run for president.
something to think about….
Brachiator
WTF of the decade:
An opponent to a new German law which would ban sex with animals:
muddy
@Omnes Omnibus: Every time I hear about the chicken I can’t help but think of Gonzo from the Muppets, who is always having some salacious goings-on with the chicken.
WereBear
I actually am herding cats. But they are all worn out now, thank goodness.
MattF
@Brachiator: That’s… quite a euphemism. Does performing in a circus qualify as ‘alien to the species’?
KG
@Steeplejack: I’d probably buy the Phoenix Coyotes if there’s every hockey again. Or an island in the south Pacific where I’d name myself king.
ETA: the Caribbean would also be nice
Omnes Omnibus
@muddy: I believe Gonzo is actually meant to be some form of bird, so it’s all good.
Elmo
Unaccountably exhausted and constantly hungry. I think I’m coming down with something.
Or I have a tapeworm. But if that’s the case, he needs to step up his game, cuz I’m also gaining weight.
Felonius Monk
A parade of repug assholes fucking chickens. I long for the day when the chickens do the fucking.
jl
@kay: Thanks. Obviously weak voter ID laws are worse than none at all.
Sawgrass Stan
“Cuccinelli, who has lost most of the major legal cases he has brought since taking office in 2010,”
When will the Va. Infrared realize the Emperor has no teabags?
You can run on empty, but only for a little while, even if you keep saying the tank isn’t 99% empty, but 1% full.
elisabeth
@General Stuck:
I got a horrific sunburn while stationed in Georgia many years ago. My first class threatened to have me prosecuted for “destruction of government property.” Not sure, though, if that was before or after she offered to “take it to the supply closet” in order to finish our verbal dispute. I declined her offer; she’d have kicked my ass.
Tara the Antisocial Social Worker
We have a border collie to take care of the cat-herding. Occasionally she tries to herd snails, which is less successful.
General Stuck
And now for something completely different.
Web shown Spy flick for geeks. Cybergeddon
Not bad
ThatLeftTurnInABQ
In the old days they told us you could go blind from doing that too often. Not that it stopped anybody from trying, but still..
Felonius Monk
@Brachiator:
Turgidson
Not only that, but these laws were only on the books in states Obama probably wouldn’t have won even if every single eligible Democrat was chased to the voting booth by a Black Panther thug with a cattle prod.
So yeah, it’s a real mystery he lost the states with Voter ID laws. Let’s destroy ACORN again for this travesty! Idiot.
Alex
investigations are needed to determine why President Obama lost “every one” of the states with photo identification requirements for voting, yet won re-election.
Because voter ID laws were only passed in Red States by legislations composed of mouth-breathing morons, you knucklehead.
muddy
@Omnes Omnibus: No no, he’s a Frackle!
priscianusjr
Kyle
Obama To Have Lunch With Romney
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20529543
“Fetch me some more soup, Barry. Hey, why do they still call it the White House if you live here, heh heh heh”
muddy
I’m drinking wine and making holiday cookies this evening. I have a kiln cooling and I have to keep myself from peeking until it cools, always the hardest part.
I’m making my traditional recipes and also trying to invent ones that are gluten-free and sweetened with honey etc as I have multi family members with various food intolerances/dislikes. I’m making the standard ones first, and then try to adapt unusual ingredients to get close to the originals.
I don’t know why I got a bee in my bonnet about making cookies this year. I used to always do it, but once my son was out of middle school he was no longer interested. I have not done them in 15+ years. Suddenly this year it seems imperative, gods know why.
kay
@jl:
I was mad when I saw it, because it doesn’t matter if you put an ID law in. They just go to the next level.
In the states with PHOTO ID laws they’re now pushing for a cross-check with the feds because it is possible an illegal immigrant may have a driver’s license. That’s next.
Photo ID is not…secure…enough.
It doesn’t matter what you do. It won’t be enough. It isn’t about ID. It’s about making it difficult to vote.
PsiFighter37
@Brachiator: Good thing that’s not a law here. Gotta let the GOP run around and feel up the poultry real good…
Bubblegum Tate
My wife-to-be’s birthday is a mere 11 days after mine, and we decided that rather than give each other presents this year, we would take ourselves out to a very nice, moderately splurgey dinner as a co-birthday celebration. We’re a couple weeks late getting to it, but tonight is the night. Huzzah!
SatanicPanic
@Brachiator: I slow clap Mr Kiok’s courage for standing up for what he believes in
PsiFighter37
@Kyle: He’s too nice. Having to spend at least a lunchtime with that fool has got to be insufferable.
I hope Obama brings in Biden and they both sip on some beers and relax while Mittens makes an ass out of himself.
Higgs Boson's Mate
@Felonius Monk:
Leave Mickey Kaus out of this!
ThatLeftTurnInABQ
@kay:
Biometrics.
They’ll be happy when they can get biometric checks. Specifically, checks for too much melanin or the wrong mix of chromosomes.
Baud
@PsiFighter37:
The only thing I’m worried about is having to deal with the lies Mitt will spread afterwards about what was said at the meeting.
Bill Arnold
@Paul:
Number of the beast. Seriously. People used to be worried about invisible laser tattoos, now RFIDs and similar, maybe someday it will be viruses that encode the number of the beast in people’s DNA.
FlipYrWhig
@MattF:
Thin bench. I hope Tom Perriello throws his hat in the ring. McAuliffe seems like a clown, honestly.
Last time around I actually liked Deeds in the primary, but he was disastrous in the general. Just vanished into thin air.
FlipYrWhig
Oh, BTW, yesterday was my birthday. Yay.
auntie beak
wait, what? he lost hawaii? and new hampshire? and michigan? and florida? what is this guy smoking and can i have some please?
it would be so nice if, just once, some journalist actually challenged these asshats on their so-called facts.
dmsilev
@Tara the Antisocial Social Worker:
That should work; your dog just needs to be very very patient.
Omnes Omnibus
@muddy: Why can’t a frackle be a bird?
ThatLeftTurnInABQ
@Baud:
Maybe one of the serving staff will videotape it. Discreetly, of course.
kay
He supported the state-mandated vaginal probe, so it can’t be too difficult to nudge him into some Akin crazy rape-ramble, can it?
He probably has one ready to bubble up at any moment.
Xjmueller
Effing Terry McAuliffe plans to run for gov again in va. Not what I’d consider a good candidate. Other dems from northern VA may be a bit too liberal for downstaters. This could be a tough one for the Dems On the other hand we have two Dem senators. Cucinelli is a turd as AG and would be worse as governor. Hope a good Dem emerges. Fingers and toes crossed.
burnspbesq
Night two of the ACC-Big Random Integer Challenge.
The Big 12 has ten members, and the Big 10 used to have 12, but now has 14. The Atlantic 10 has somewhere between six and 23. You could divide the ACC into two divisions and make one of the divisions consist entirely of former members of the Big Least.
Fuck you, Mike Silve.
Baud
@ThatLeftTurnInABQ:
I know of a former CIA director whose recently out of a job who might be available for some private surveillance work.
Raven
@burnspbesq: GO ILLINI!
MattF
@kay: Cuccinelli is rather careful about what he says. There’s no doubt about his views, but he doesn’t go around saying dumb things.
ranchandsyrup
@burnspbesq: I’m going to watch the replay of Spurs scoring 3 against teh Pool.
aimai
@muddy:
Financiers are made without wheat, I think. I saw a nice recipe on the Smitten Kitchen a few years ago. Also, of course, you can make killer meringues with nuts, all chewy.
aimai
PsiFighter37
@Xjmueller: Creigh Deeds seemed like a good fit, which is why he won the primary in 2009. But he got absolutely creamed in the general election.
Unfortunately, I don’t think the bench is terribly deep for the Dems. This is where having Leslie Byrnes lose her LG bid in 2005 by inches really hurt – it would’ve added another Democrat with statewide name cred. The two who have it are both senators now…
aimai
@Bill Arnold:
Gawker has a film up of Cucinnelli explaining that he and his wife probably won’t get a SS number for their seventh child because the government can use it to track you.
aimai
Villago Delenda Est
They’re doubling down on the stupid.
As predicted.
The stupid motherfuckers learned nothing three weeks ago. Absolutely nothing.
quannlace
Will watch a ‘Charlie Brown Christmas’ for the umpteenth time. I saw it when it debuted in 1965 and yes, I am old.
And then will stay up for the PowerBall drawing. I bought a grand total of 2 tickets. One for me and one for my dog, Kate. Iif she wins i’m sure she’ll graciously cede me the bucks.
Anonymous
@Bill Arnold:
Strange, though, how these very same people are now the ones clamoring the most for everyone in the nation having photo IDs. There’s no belief they won’t throw under the bus in the name of political power.
Linda Featheringill
@quannlace:
Good luck to Kate! :-)
kay
@MattF:
I don’t know about that. He said this, and he also said “like many” he was thinking about not getting his 7th child a SS# because “it is used to track you”
That’s the chief law enforcement executive of VA, there.
I think he’s a little sloppier, little looser, more relaxed, talking to his base.
TheMightyTrowel
@muddy: I have a fucking awesome recipe for almond and honey cookies that are made with no flour. Lots of nuts though, obvs. If you want the recipe I can post it later in another open thread.
bemused
@Tara the Antisocial Social Worker:
We had a dog that once herded home a porcupine…carefully.
Suffern ACE
@aimai: he’ll, why bother with the birth certificate? They’ll home school anyway, so who cares?
Villago Delenda Est
@kay:
Just this.
The truth.
BruceFromOhio
Drinking heavily.
Finishing a Win7 install, and starting the next one.
Drinking heavily.
Trying to decide what to read next.
Drinking.
Watching the dvr of Leverage!
Did I mention drinking heavily?
Yeah, yeah, I think I did. Fuck, it’s only Wednesday.
ETA: Stuart what’s-his-name and this fucking rube have made it clear: land-holding whites-only voting was what the Forefathers wanted! You serfs there, stop all that singing, and get back to work.
Hal
Listening to Talk of the Nation today, and they had Ralph Reed bullshitting his way through the interview. At one point he talked about how gay marriage initiatives “only” passed by “51, 52, 53” percent of the vote, so basically, the votes were pretty much evenly yay or nay. Oh, and they happened in blue states, so I guess they weren’t legit.
He was then questioned on climate change and ran with some bullshit line about CO2 levels always varying, and that when “they”, I assume he means his fellow evangelicals looked at the evidence, they just don’t see any proof of global warming. Neil Conan asked him if he was aware that 99% of scientists disagreed, and he said yes, but again, “they” have looked at the evidence independently and disagree.
All around an irritating interview in which NPR gives a soap box to a disgraced moron who is not a Scientist, but allowed to make statements of fact regarding Science. Who apparently doesn’t know that a vote difference of 3, 4, or 5 percent is not splitting the vote 50/50.
http://www.npr.org/2012/11/28/166088834/social-conservative-politics-a-congressman-returns
Steeplejack
Anybody have any experience with this situation? I have a friend who’s freaking out because she’s going on a business trip tomorrow.
She stopped getting e-mail today, discovered that her Gmail account space had filled up. She agreed to the fee to up the storage limit but hasn’t seen that go through yet. It has been three or four hours.
Anybody know if those things take a while to go through? I use Gmail but am not remotely near my storage cap.
? Martin
Indeed. And did anyone ever get to the bottom of how Lincoln could get elected twice without winning a single state south of Mason-Dixon? What kind of fucking voter fraud was that?
The Fat Kate Middleton
Went to my +opinion doctor today. Despite all the pulled chins and ‘serious’ diagnoses in the months earlier, I was told I absolutely do not have Parkinson’s Disease (suffered by father, three uncles and an aunt). I believe I’ll drink another glass of wine. I told my husband I feel like the governor gave me a reprieve. I’m entertaining other ideas for celebrating this.
burnspbesq
@Raven:
They have looked good so far.
Steeplejack
@BruceFromOhio:
Dolly Parton was good on Colbert last night. They even did a song together. But, man, she’s getting that “too much plastic surgery” face. Not Joan Rivers bad, but getting close. A shame.
Suffern ACE
@The Fat Kate Middleton: hooray for you.
? Martin
@Steeplejack: She has 10GB of email and can’t find any to delete in order to save her business trip?
I’m not sure the delay on payment problem is the issue here.
arguingwithsignposts
@burnspbesq: Conferences That Can’t Do Math.
TheMightyTrowel
@The Fat Kate Middleton: Champagne truffles for everyone. :D
Mike in NC
Maybe Kookinelli will get struck by lightning before he has a chance to get elected governor. I’m glad George Allen lost his Senate race, but it seems the wingnuts are still making advances in Virginia. We left 5 years ago and now it’s happening here as well.
Mike in NC
@aimai:
They should at least ask for some of that free gummint birth control.
Mojotron
@MattF: If by “doesn’t say dumb things” you mean that he couches the stupid things he believes in enough weasel words so that you cant actually pin them to him (“I’m just asking questions here!”) and always does it with the right-wing talk radio crowd who laps it up so he knows he won’t get called out on it, then yes, that’s true.
bemused senior
[email protected]Steeplejack: Tell your friend to read this help about the search modifier size:
She can search for mail with attachments larger than a given size and download/delete them.
Steeplejack
@? Martin:
I’m checking all possibilities. She has several work-related e-mail accounts that funnel to her Gmail account and (I think) she doesn’t trust her employer’s (a nonprofit) archiving practices, so she saves everything in Gmail. She has been deleting messages since we identified the source of the problem, but the tap hasn’t turned back on yet. She has cleared some space, so I was wondering if there was a time lag on the payment.
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
@The Fat Kate Middleton: Congrats on the non-Parkinson’s diagnosis. I watched my father go through the end of his life with it. Also an uncle and a grandfather. I’m a little nervous about the next 10 years, that’s when it came on for them.
muddy
@Omnes Omnibus: Well, frackle, grackle, why not? Their species seems a little poorly defined. Still it’s funny to think about Gonzo when these chicken fuckers display themselves.
Altho I will say that Gonzo is sentient, while the chickens only squawk and hop about, so there is some disparity between their species. I used just to love it that a Muppet had a kink.
Suffern ACE
@Hal: the only question that Ralph should be asked is whether he thinks that the evangelicals would have helped swing the election more if they didn’t have such corrupt leaders organizing their voter mobilization efforts.
Maude
@The Fat Kate Middleton:
Oh happy day. This is wondrous news. So much worry lifted off your head. Sleep well tonight. Either that or pass out in a drunken stupor. Love your nym.
muddy
@aimai: Those look good! Too bad people financiers are not as sweet.
I am making some lime coconut meringues and also lime coconut macaroons.
Steeplejack
@bemused senior:
Thanks, we have done that, and she has cleared a good amount of space. But she has a bunch of other stuff she needs to do and was hoping the storage increase would be a quick fix for the time being. But so far (the last I heard) the flow hasn’t started up again.
WereBear
@Steeplejack: Ah, good suggestions came in before me.
Good reminder to keep a watch on that percentage at the bottom.
muddy
@TheMightyTrowel: I would love that recipe! I have one branch of the family that demands desserts be “paleo”, an idea I find a bit silly. I doubt paleo peeps were baking cookies.
Please post it !
Xjmueller
@PsiFighter37: It could be a long year… Fingers and toes will definitely be cramped by the time it’s all over.
Steeplejack
@The Fat Kate Middleton:
Congratulations! I have been under the shadow of “waiting for test results/second opinion,” and it truly is a relief when the news is good. Enjoy your celebration.
muddy
@aimai: I searched for Smitten Kitchen but due to the wine got a link for Smitten Kitten, which sells sex toys. I was briefly confused.
feebog
Recuperating after having a basil cell skin cancer removed from the side of my nose yesterday. Not really in a lot of pain, and I have a meeting tonight, and another tomorrow night, so it is going to be a short recuperation and back to business. Also, too, going to take some pictures of our “holiday tree” which is a 65 foot Canary Island pine. Our neighborhood council has funded the lights on the tree for the last few years. Always cool when your downtown business district is anchored by a huge, brightly lit tree for the holidays.
Steeplejack
@WereBear:
She has made sure the trash and spam folders are empty, and she has deleted enough other stuff that I thought she would start getting mail again. So I’m trying to think of all the things I can, no matter how odd. I guess I was hoping someone here would say, “Yeah, that happened to me, here’s how it played out.”
TheMightyTrowel
@muddy: I’m at work (it’s just noon here) but I’ll stick it in an open thread later – it will probably be the early morning open thread.
ETA: or the recipe thread if we have one.
Bobby Thomson
@? Martin:
Incorrect. Lincoln won Maryland and West Virginia.
Steeplejack
@WereBear:
She gets her e-mail through a client app that sucks it down from Gmail, so I doubt if she ever saw the percentage thing.
I use Outlook, so I never see the percentage thing either, but I have things set up to delete the messages on Gmail once they have been downloaded to my computer.
muddy
@TheMightyTrowel: Thanks, I’ll be looking out for it.
Big Daddy
What is so hard about showing a photo-ID to vote?? I mean, I have to show a photo-ID to buy a beer . . . how is it that I can vote for President of the United States without showing a photo-ID? (By the way . . . I think this issue had ZERO to do with Romney’s defeat, but it is a legitimate question.)
muddy
@Big Daddy: Because they brought the rule out without enough time for people to go through all the steps. Also there is a cost involved. If they want to do ID they need to start now for the next election.
Downpuppy
Once you’re done laughing about the AssPress and the bogus Iranian bomb graph, I’ve taken on Ohlemachers drivel about budget negotiations.
Not nearly as silly as that graph, but the crap he prints from McConnell & Hatch should make a hippo blush
Chris
@muddy:
This.
Frankly, go right ahead and issue a national ID card for all citizens if that’s what it takes. In the event of a fascist/communist/insert-favorite-totalitarian-bogeyman-here takeover of the country, it’s not like the FBI isn’t already capable of tracking us down.
gogol's wife
I love this blog. I’m just killing time waiting for my husband to come home, and I didn’t think I was that interested in the topic, but there are so many good chicken jokes in this thread, not to mention the snail-herding border collie, that I am laughing hard after a difficult day. Thanks.
dmsilev
@Big Daddy: Arrange things so that any citizen can get a photo ID with zero cost (either in money or in time) and then we’ll talk.
Otherwise, it’s just an obstacle to voting that doesn’t address any actual problems.
JR
I watched people turned away from voting in Florida because of the ID requirement. I saw people coming on the verge of tears because they were being turned away. I saw lines grow longer as equipment used to check IDs broke down.
Anyone who says Florida’s ID law isn’t “strict” is a shitbag who’s spilling over the brim.
GregB
Attorney General Koo-koo Nutty should be the gift that keeps on giving in the off year election cycle.
Ben Franklin
@The Fat Kate Middleton:
What was your symptomology?
Going to MRI,EEG, EMG on Thursday.
Anoniminous
@muddy:
That made my day. Thank you.
Anne Laurie
@Xjmueller:
Maybe someone could spread a rumor that if Susan Rice doesn’t get the SoS slot, she’s going to run for VA governor?
Just to watch the conservative heads explode?
eemom
@FlipYrWhig:
Happy Birthday!
IIRC you’re about 10 years younger than me so still on the south side of 40, perhaps? Enjoy it while you can. [sigh]
Tomorrow my son will be 14 and Monday my daughter will be 18. [sigh2]
Baud
The small business guy on Ed right now is awesome.
GregB
Ken Cuchinelli, a Bible in every hand and a politician in every vagina
Cuchinelli 2013.
Big Daddy
@muddy: I don’t know enough about when they brought this requirement out to argue that point, so I will concede on that for now. I do, however, know that it costs $25 in Florida to get a photo-ID . . . and I simply find it hard to believe that these hordes of voters are living their lives without having to show ID to buy alcohol or cigarettes, or to rent a car or board an airplane. That said, there are certainly folks who have never flown or rented a car, but how many people have never done any of these four things and therefore do not have an ID card? Come on. Is it really that difficult to scrap up $25 and get a photo-ID? The election is over, and frankly I’m glad that President Obama is back in there. (I’ve come a long way since “the day after.”) BUT . . . for next time . . . let’s find some reasonable way of ensuring voters are who-they-say-they-are. The bartender at the Outback will not be impressed with someone’s sob-story about why they are unable to produce a photo-ID, so why should our election officials settle for an even lower standard?
Steeplejack
@Big Daddy:
It usually comes as a surprise to most “normal” people that it is quite possible to survive in America without a picture ID, especially if you are elderly, low-income and/or don’t have a car. I did it for four or five years in the ’aughts. And getting a picture ID can be a time-consuming ordeal, especially, again, if you are elderly, low-income and/or don’t have a car–even more so in the post-9/11 security-theater environment. And it can be expensive, if you are poor, which is just as good as a poll tax.
All of those things impede your fundamental right to vote, and the requirements have been put forward by Republican administrations not as a solution to the (virtually nonexistent) problem of voter impersonation fraud but as an impediment to the wrong sort of people voting, i.e., poor and working-class Democrats.
WereBear
@The Fat Kate Middleton: That is a relief!
Though if you have symptoms, they are of what?
Steeplejack
@Big Daddy:
Poor people don’t rent cars or board airplanes. And if you look older than 30 you rarely get carded for alcohol or cigarettes. As I said above, I lived without a picture ID for several years recently, and I was carded on an alcohol purchase exactly once.
Dude, the people who can’t produce a photo ID aren’t eating at Outback. They’re working at Outback–in the kitchen.
PurpleGirl
@Steeplejack: Does she really keep every email she gets? If she doesn’t trust the office computer archiving, does she keep paper files? Short emails — like 1 page or less — can be printed out and then deleted from the computer and live in her paper files.
Paul
@Big Daddy:
Yup, it makes perfect sense. BUT the expense has to be born by the government, not by individuals. Otherwise, this is in effect a poll tax, which is illegal. And if you look, the GOP do NOT want the government to pay for it for obvious reasons (ie they want a poll tax). So, that’s a non-starter.
Paul
@Big Daddy:
Not for you and me. But your statement shows that you have no idea what it is like to be poor in this country. Sorry for being blunt.
PurpleGirl
@Anne Laurie: I like how you think. That’s a wonderful idea.
Steeplejack
@Big Daddy:
Somehow I know you will find this, too, shocking, but, yeah, it can be for a lot of low-wage workers–especially when you add to that missing work (and not getting paid) for, say, half a day to go to the (fewer and less accessible) DMV offices to get a picture ID.
Compare that to the “old” system in a lot of states. For example, I registered to vote when I got a library card at the library. I think I had to show some piece of personal mail with my current address on it, and in a couple of weeks the county voting board mailed me my voter registration card–for free! And I used that to identify myself when voting. Actually, I used it this time, too, even though I now also have a picture ID.
Steeplejack
@Paul:
Thank you. I have been biting my tongue.
Big Daddy
@Steeplejack: OK . . . working at the Outback, that’s funny, a little bit. “The Outback” was not a good example, but you get the point. I still find it hard to believe that elderly people are collecting Social Security, Medicare, etc., without having to produce photo-ID. I will concede that no one should have to pay for their own ID cards in order to vote. In fact, come to think of it, I did not have to show anyone an ID when I filled out my absentee ballot, so I yield. Good night!
Steeplejack
@PurpleGirl:
I’m sure she will address her long-term e-mail retention plan when things are less hectic. She got caught flatfooted and right now just wants to get the pipeline going again.
Big Daddy
@Paul: I do know. It’s been a while, but I know.
Raven
@Big Daddy: Douche bag.
BruceFromOhio
@Paul: Sorry for being blunt.
Fuck that. Never apologize for such things. How many of my splendid, loving, thoughtful neighbors and colleagues have nary a fucking clue what it takes to cast a fucking vote? Way too Gaia-damned many, that’s how many. Doesn’t make ’em bad, just makes ’em gullible, misguided, ignorant, so on, so forth.
@Steeplejack: And this, also.
@Raven: Cats, cut to the chase already. Don’t hold back.
Steeplejack
@Raven:
[Silent scream!]
JPL
@Big Daddy: In GA you now have to bring a dozen forms to renew your license. If you are a married female, it is not enough to bring your birth certificate because of the name change. You have to provide a marriage certificate. Since I’m no longer married, I didn’t think I would need it anymore, whoops..
There was a ninety year plus lady that moved here to be close to her son and they had to spend tons to overnight information from another state and then found out that was not enough.
Redshift
Well, I found out today that the company I work for is shutting down “at the end of the month.” As in, Thursday.
If anyone has tips for senior software engineer jobs in the DC area, let me know.
Steeplejack
@Raven:
Did we just get trolled by DougJ? The alternative is almost too depressing to contemplate.
JPL
@Big Daddy: you are a real ass if you don’t think 25 or more is a lot of money to someone.
You are sad creature.
Steeplejack
@Redshift:
That’s criminal, man. This has to have been in the works for a while, and to keep you in the dark until the very end is awful. My condolences.
JPL
@Redshift: ugh.. I am so sorry but hopefully you find something better soon.
burnspbesq
@eemom:
Kid will be home two weeks from Saturday. He has to go back early to audition for summer programs with big-ass ballet companies. In the grand tradition of kids everywhere, he’s now pissed at us for not forcing him to do more ballet when he was younger.
patrick II
@pat:
If I win I am going to buy a car elevator.
JPL
@patrick II: Are you going to buy cars to ride the elevator.
Steeplejack
@patrick II, @JPL:
LOL! A great one-two.
Central Planning
@Felonius Monk:
No, you’re thinking of the Goat Fuckers International Alliance. Splitters!
Redshift
@Steeplejack: It sucks, though for some reason it didn’t hit me quite as hard as some past layoffs and collapses. I do get a month of severance and health coverage, which helps some, but it’s still pretty sucky.
FlipYrWhig
@eemom: Thx! Alas, 41 now.
Steeplejack
@Redshift:
How long had you been there?
Also, what’s your specialty? I do some freelance Web database work and know a few people and companies where I could put some feelers out.
All my great “getting axed” stories are from when I was a contractor in the late ’90s. But those almost don’t count, because going in you know the gig is unstable.
Redshift
@Steeplejack: Nine years. I’m way out of practice in job-hunting and interviewing.
I’ve worked mostly in Java and C#, commercial software rather than front-end stuff. I designed and developed APIs and development kits in for the company’s online service for Java, .NET/C#, and HTTP/XML, and in the past year, I’ve learned Android development.
BruceFromOhio
@Redshift: Not sure it helps, but the hits weren’t that far away …?
Luck to you, citizen.
ETA: Interviewing skills a bit rusty?
Monkus
I’d vote for Michelle Bachmann ahead of this sociopath. I live in Charlottesville, so thankfully I’ll have another choice.
P.S. I love climate science. Cuccinelli is guilty of defamation.
Steeplejack
@Redshift:
I know a couple of .Net guys. I’ll see if they know of anything.
eemom
@Redshift:
Very sorry to hear this. I’ll keep an ear out too. My professional world is overwhelmingly lawyerized (ugh) but you never know…
different-church-lady
Just had a realization: McCain finished second to Bush in 2000, and became the nominee in 2008. Romney finished second to McCain in 2008 and became the nominee in 2012.
Welcome to the 2016 nomination Mr. Santorum. And best of luck to you.
rikyrah
@kay:
It’s all about VOTER SUPPRESSION
Maude
@Redshift:
Oh, crap.
danielx
@Big Daddy:
Actually, there are many people for whom $25 is the difference between keeping the lights on or not, or eating for a couple of days or not, probably including some people here. I’ve been there before and if you’re in that situation, the idea of paying $25 for a piece of government paper that says you are you is fucking preposterous.
Even on our side of the red/blue divide, there are many people who have the clueless “let them eat cake” mindset down pat. It’s not their fault and they’re not malicious, just clueless. Trying to understand what it’s like to be poor for someone who has never been poor is impossible. Although a lot of people are learning, unfortunately…and you have to learn how to be poor if you suddenly don’t have any income.
redshirt
@Redshift: Bummer. No advice other than good luck.
karen marie
@Elmo: Pregnant?
Patricia Kayden
@Mandalay: I agree. Where are other Dems (Senators and Congresspersons) on the Benghazi non-issue? Why aren’t they speaking up and defending both the President and Ms. Rice?
Does the President have to do every dang thing?
Patricia Kayden
@Xjmueller: Wouldn’t Obama have been considered too liberal for the southern part of Virginia, yet he still won? Any Dem is better than Cuchie. The Dems just need to get out the votes like they did on November 6th.
Kolohe
“If only because so many of the Very Serious People, National Bloviators Division, own property in Virginia or go to dinner parties with the people who do…”
Which are in areas and/or are people themselves that will vote against Cuccinelli. Well, assuming they turn out now with Obama not on the ticket also.
On the VSPs & The Village, there always seems to be a sense of dismay and even surprise, from people who advocate more power going to the Washington DC area, that people in the Washington DC area have an outsized proportion of power. It’s baffling to me.
Brian Knox
Obama won in Virginia, which does not require a photo id to vote. All that was required in Virginia was an “acceptable form of id”. One of the acceptable forms of id was a Virginia voter’s registration card, which does not have a photo.
So, our wonderful attorney general apparently doesn’t know the voter laws in his own state.