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• http://www.facebook.com/linda.petty2 Linda Petty

  Yep, I thought all of the gains of the 60s–2010 were givens now. The Republicans are trying to take them away. “Eternal Vigilance” my elementary school teachers in Marshall would talk at length about the role of education in the maintance of Democacy and about the neccesity of constant vigilance to keep our Democray. This is an internal threat that is willing to use any means necessary to defeat Obama. Sometimes, I think we, as Democrats, are slow to see what the Republicans are up to.

• Jim Hannington

  Plutocrats have taken over our government. They are steadily eroding the 99% of us who they think will not notice nor fight back. Yes we must not only be vigilant but also take action. We got the power in the 1960′s and ‘they’ have been eroding our constitutional power since then. If we don’t ‘participate’ by both running for office, educating ourselves on the issues and both volunteering and voting for the individuals who best support our will (republic form of democracy) then we get what we deserve. If not, the plutocrats will finish us off. The Matrix form of government is gradually eroding our will. It is both an electoral and spiritual takeover.

• http://www.facebook.com/gbuttner1 George E. Buttner

  If America didn’t have its current open border policy, we wouldn’t need Photo I.D. Voter Registration. We wouldn’t have crime in our streets or have to worry about home grown terrorist lurking in our mist. Our kids are graduating and can’t find jobs,while Obama gives amnesty to nearly a million illegals who could give a rats-ass about America. A Patriot!

• Geck461

  Our vote is our only voice in our democracy and it should be protected at all cost. Proving you are who you say you are is not too much to ask to assure every vote is a ligetiment vote.

• carolynpascoe

  I voted on Aug. 7 th in Michigan I needed a valid Michigan DL and had to check a box that asked my citizenship status. Both seemed redundate because I do have a voter registration card.

• Peggy rose

  My mother is a black female born in Georgia in 1922, this year Ga. law for driver’s license renewal was changed. Applicants are required to present a birth certificate along with numerous other documentation to renew their license. My mother and her siblings were born at home and their births were not recorded until the census was taken. They were not issued birth certificates. When Mom applied for social security the federal government accepted a copy of the census record as proof of birth. The Ga. Sec. of State would not accept the census record and issued her a temporary 120 day with no photo. You are required to a have valid photo I.D. to vote in Ga. How many seniors in Georgia are in the same situation? I don’t know how many people were born in rural Georgia before 1950 or when/if they were issued birth certificates but it does seem strange that they picked this year to change the rules.

• Donna Keyes

  Here in Texas during the last runoff election, I went to my usual polling place and found it closed. Since the Republican poll was open at its usual place, I went there to ask where i could go. I walked in to find one poll worker (they legally are supposed to have 3) and he directed me to where my poll had been moved — ten miles away. I drove there, thinking the whole time that voter ID was not the problem but that people had to go so far just to vote. I inquired there as to who I should talk with about this and they gave me the name of my county chairwoman. Several days later, I called her. She said that the Texas Sec’y of State had cut her funds and that there was not enough money to keep my poll open. I told her that the Republicans had theirs and that there was one guy running it. She said they typically didn’t pay any attention to the rules, but that the last time she tried that, she was denied even more funds. She also told me that there were actually more Democratic voters in my county than Republicans but that the Republicans seemed to have everyone convinced that it was futile to vote since they would lose anyway. As a result of this I am going to become the chair of my precinct… the only way to fight the injustice is to let your voice be heard… a bucket takes many drops to fill it… let yours be one of those!!!

• MADenson

  It gets insidious. Our litle community had a polling place, I was in charge. I also had a hard time getting volunteers for that one day every two years, and could not get anyone to go for the required training. Our precinct consisted of two small ones, and one day, unknown to any of us in either precinct, we were advised we were to vote absentee ballot. We took petitions to our County representatives and got no response. None. While I realize this is not direct suppression, it is suppression in this small rural community. It eliminates another community event. People would come visit at the polls, bring coffee and cookies, remind friends to come by. Now maybe they remember to mail in the ballot, and maybe they don’t. And fewer people really care.

• Anonymous

  Here’s the Maine Republican Chairman encouraging College Republicans to hide college buses that were to be used to take students to the polls:

  http://www.sunjournal.com/state/story/1066818

• Paula Douglas

  In Michigan, the REPUBLICAN governor vetoed a voter identification law, but the Sec of State, Ruth Johnson, had ballots made up and circulated to the polls with the question”are you a citizen” in some cases people were turned away when they refused to answer and mostly people administering the voting were confused about the question. Which is why the governor vetoed our on the first place!

• http://www.facebook.com/noble.savage.716 Noble Savage

  I have never wished to identify myself as being a member of any political party. I have always voted for candidates for any office based on their personal integrity and qualifications and do not consider their party affiliation. After moving to Oklahoma I found out too late that registering as an Independent (What is called here “No Party”) I am prohibited to vote in primary elections. Growing up in Texas I was taught in school that not only does everyone have a right to vote, but that I am not required for any reason to disclose how, why, or for whom I choose to vote. I know now that Oklahoma is not the only state with a “No Party” restriction. That is why I now believe that requiring anyone to disclose their party affiliation on their voter registration form is unconstitutional. I always had a sense that this was a questionable practice. Now I know why. I thought that we lived in the United States of America!

• http://www.facebook.com/noble.savage.716 Noble Savage

  I for one have not forgotten how George W. Bush was “elected” in 2000. That was just 12 short years ago.

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Tim-Adams/100003479178895 Tim Adams

  The Florida Legislature has enacted laws that make it more difficult for Minority Citizens to vote, in a Racially and National Origin type Dispate manner. Those effects make the laws Unconstitutional in consideration of Fedetal Laws.

• DotheRightThing

  So from your statement the border policy is the reason why there is crime in our streets and terrorists lurking. I thought the crime in our streets was a result of the growing poverty and lack of real justice for all in our country. You might be a patriot but you talk like a racist. Obama gave rights to “kids” who were born here without a choice. America is suppose to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. You wouldn’t be here if a relative hadn’t taken the great risk of coming to this country. Whether by choice, indentured servitude, or slave. I think we now need photo i.d.’s is to suppress the votes of poor, older Americans. You are a patriot that fought for our country, do you really think the rich give a rats-ass about veterans? I believe the proof is in the actions of our government. And try to remember that ONLY Congress can pass laws, not the President.

• http://www.facebook.com/larry.lightner.71 Larry Lightner

  Here in Nebraska we divide up our five electoral votes. As you probably know Nebraska and is very conservative and state’s majority has gone for Republican candidate for several decades. But, if one of the three congressional districts goes for the other candidate they will get one of the five votes. This happened in 2008 as the district which is essentially Omaha went for the President. The Republicans have never forgotten this. I this time the election board which is run by a conservative has sent out thousands of voter cards with the wrong address on them only to poor/African American parts of town. They claim is an honest mistake. They also tried to close polling places in those same parts of town. They claim it was to same tax payer money. This is all to get one little electoral vote. Luckily these problems made the news and got correct to my knowledge. But, many of the things that are going on the battle ground state are not being corrected. Where ever you are please please help your friends and family who will be experiencing these new barriers to casting their vote. Let the ones who tried to keep many away say “I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant.” Help people get the voter cards if that’s the new law. Make sure you or people you know have the right polling information. If you go to the wrong polling place go to the right one. It’s can’t be more than a mile away. GET MADE ABOUT THIS! You only need to show your rage for one little night, November 6th. If you know a person who usually blows the election off take them with you to make up for one person who won’t be able to make it through all the barriers. What could more important of a Tuesday night than your and your country’s future.

• http://www.facebook.com/mike.defazio1 Mike Defazio

  I live in Bradenton Fl. In 2004 and 8 if you went to dem. areas or poor parts of town police cars were everywhere. Lights on they would pull us over and just make us sit there then give our license back with no explanation. It was intimidating and people just left. I drove to the white rich part of town, no lines, no cops, no problem.

• Melissa DuCasse

  I am in Bradenton Florida. Cops sit at our polls in democratic areas and will pull you over or just hassle you for ID. It makes you nervous and I know some people cannot get out of work or are made to stay late on voting day. They are never open early like in the white conservative places.

• mike difazio

  I live in Bradenton too. I have been pulled over when trying to vote and made to sit in my car for an hour once. It does not happen in republican areas. They also close the doors early and many of my friends will not get to vote unless they go early cause their bosses don’t let them go. I don’t dare have an Obama sign in my yard here. It would lead to real trouble for me.

• Dorothy Fadiman

  I have gathered and documented MANY first person stories of voter suppression. Various interviews about this are highlighted in my film STEALING AMERICA: Vote by Vote (90 mins) stealingamericathemovie.org, which won a CHOICE Award from the Broacast Film Critics Association. Making this film was inspired by my own experience in Florida where I was doing election protection and many people reported trying to vote for Kerry, and their vote jumping to Bush on the touch screen! I learned, as I was making the film, that this was happening, in one direction, in at least 14 states. I have created a short documentary about this (6 mins.) as well as the full length film about many forms of voter suppression.

• Wes Norton

  Pennsylvania issue: Coincidence? Perhaps… then again???? I do not use my first name, preferring for a reduction of name confusion within the family and in my life, to use my middle name as the one by which I am known. This has been a 75 year issue. but never a big one. Last year I had to update my information for a PT job teaching at a major University, i have not seen my birth certificate in years, nor my SS card, I needed to match my ID with some nebulous federal DB. My pass[prt ( now expired) reads my whole name, with no initials. My driver’s lic. and most other ID reads FI, Middle name. Last name. I sign checks and contracts in like manner, FI, MN. LN. I could not get the job without presenting the SS Card with my “legal?” name on it. I had a hellacious time getting a duplicate card.

  That being a recent issue, I decided to call my voter registration board to see if my voter id. name matched the one on my photo ID. They did, and I got a new voter ID xard sent to me. I was happy and secure. I told my wife, and she said “check for me, honey”. Being a dutiful husband of 52 years, I did. Here is where the “S@#t hit the wall”. She has not missed an election in this precinct since 1973. Yet her registration had been cancelled because she was recorded as having registered in another county a couple of years ago. No matter that she voted this spring in her normal precinct. The cancellation had come from outside of our county in which we vote

  A search of state voter roles by our county commissioner’s office revealed that a person with the same name and birth day had registered to vote in a suburban town near our city. An internet search for this person did not locate her, and a local search of the town’s DB id not locate her. The only person with that name and birth date that came up in a public records search was my wife, in our current location,

• Dr. Valdea D. Jennings

  The American “1%” does not include a significant number of
  persons of color in general; the actual number of Afro-Americans is miniscule. This is not an accident. Furthermore,
  it is not the result of laziness, the absence of ambition or the lack of
  intelligence or aptitude. Until 1965 the obvious attempts of, what was then
  considered to be the majority, to
  prevent people of color (whatever their culture or origin) from rising above a
  certain level was generally accepted and supported particularly in the South,
  by the presence discrimination-both overt (i.e., By segregation) or subtly in
  other less obvious ways.

  The passage of Landmark civil rights legislation in 1965
  marked the beginning of the end of a dream that had been alive in this country
  since the end of “Reconstruction” The dream that segregation was created to fulfill. Namely, that no personal of
  color would ever be allowed to achieve the level of success and power that former
  slaves were awarded following the end of the Civil War.

  During the 47 years since the passage of that legislation, a
  significant portion of this so-called 1% (those who felt threatened and
  deprived of power & status by its passage) has been hard at work in “think
  thanks” and other centers of power under their control. However despite their
  best efforts to undo what was accomplished in 1965, the advent of ideas like
  affirmative action and other equal opportunity initiatives have allowed persons
  of color to “infiltrate” their highly “privatized” world. Four years ago in spite of their concerted
  effort to undermine progress towards freedom and the equality, the unthinkable
  and unimaginable happened, America nominated and elected an Afro-American man
  to the presidency of the United States.

  The fact that the election of Mr. Obama was met with joy and
  optimism around the world, particularly among knowledgeable people of color, only serves to increase the horror
  experienced by fearful Whites The failed efforts of this small powerful
  White minority to forestall the progress of people of color and the fear and
  loathing that it has precipitated, has been painfully evident throughout Mr.
  Obama’s presidency.

  I leave you with a question. What follows is a partial list
  of targets under attack by the “new conservatives”

  Teachers

  Doctors

  Civil servants

  The Post office

  Policemen

  Firemen

  Community organizers &
  Social Workers

  Unions

  How many of these areas have allowed Afro-Americans to enter
  the middle-class since 1965?

  To those of us who have lived long enough to have experienced
  the world as it was prior to 1965, the
  intention, motivation and goals of ideologues similar to some of these
  so-called “new republican conservatives”
  have always been crystal clear. We also remember the pain, suffering, sacrifice
  and those who were murdered during the struggle to acquire and protect our right to vote and access to
  other equal opportunities.

  NEVER FORGET

  Respectfully,

  Valdea D. Jennings, Ed. D.

• R Spears

  Yes, I had a voting problem. I have found no one interested in addressing it because: 1) it occurred in one of the only blue counties in a red state, 2) fixing it would not change the election results 3) groups addressing voter problems in TN are located in Nashville 4) it did not involve the current voter ID controversy and 5) it did not affect the presidential race.
  However, in my county alone, hundreds if not thousands of voters recieved an incorrect ballot when they went to vote. They were therefore not voting for the state house rep that would actually be representing them. Because voter’s state house districts are incorrect on state and local government election sites, most affected voters do not event know they did not vote in the correct state house district. I just happened to find out after I voted. All of this was “due to redistricting”. Excuse me, redistricting was not a suprise and it matters if you are allowed to vote for you state house representative. I was disenfranchised. Just unbelievable. Oh, and the local paper reported that the election went fairly well!
  From a very frustrated voter in precinct 2 of Shelby County TN.

• Mike Duncan

  I like you. You speak the truth. I live where you have to show ID. You don’t see illegals, but you see Latinos.

• Cynthia

  Yes, I stunned. I’ve never understood why there was no public outrage. I thought that folks would take to the streets. But there was only a stunned silence

• rafnarr

  My
  91 year old Grandmother is being bamboozled and harassed by the State
  of Pennsylvania. She can’t register to vote. They want ALL her marriage
  licenses to prove her original maiden name. They are making her jump
  through so many hoops. She has voted in more elections than most
  anyone…..She is staying strong but completely frustrated!!

• Dick Watson

  It is time for this PBS show to go down the same path as Sam Donadlson. This interview with Bernie Sanders is a rue. I am so tired of ” I should be doing my fair share”. I have done my fair share for 40 years and you criminals in Washington have stolen all of the tax payers money and paid your pals. The Democrats have had, except the last 18 months, the house, the senate for 6 years, the Presidency and could pass any vote they wanted without ONE Republican vote. And yet, the another criminal Bernie Sanders says the Repbulicans won’t help. You have not needed the Republican votes for six years. Blame where blame is do. It is time to clean the whole hill.

• Sue Seedorff-Keninger

  There is actually a good reason for this. In the primary or caucus you are choosing who will represent the party as their candidate (or not represent their party). In Iowa we need to declare a party affiliation to participate in the caucus or vote in the primary. You can then change your party affiliation to “no party” after the primary.

• Sue Seedorff-Keninger

  Actually, they needed the Republican Senators to pass legislation. Even though they are the minority, they are able to block legislation threatening a filibuster. This is something they have done over and over again. Our system is designed to protect the rights of the minority voices.

• http://www.facebook.com/pat.elgee.5 Pat Elgee

  Those states who have voter ID laws should be required to make a sincere effort to validate citizenship. I do not mean that the elderly should have to stand in line for hours like at the DMV! I watched a Republican rally where they were crowing that they had passed ID laws. This is voter suppression and must be stopped. Perhaps a complete democratic overtake of both houses would be able to get business done. Obama really needs to start having weekly “fire side chats” to inform citizens what is happening, what needs to happen, and who is working toward resolution and who is not.

• PadgettFromMarshallTX

  Why not use this issue as a Golden Opportunity to build a massive, grass-roots effort to assist all those who find obtaining an ID to be difficult for financial or any other reason ? Having adequate documentation (birth certificate, etc.) would be of long-term benefit for these persons as well.

• http://www.facebook.com/cinnamonape Jerry Drawhorn

  Sounds like someone getting paid to register voters added her name to their roster of registants to collect the $5 or so that is paid by the Party for new members. Did you check to see if the Party Affiliation was the same? If you want you can probably find out the person or group that registered her.
  This is the bigger problem – registration fraud…by paid collectors. As well those that are signature gatherers for initiatives. Fully 20-25% of signatures gathered are fraudulent (out of area, false, non-registered, fake, etc.).

• Ann

• DAVIDUSCG

  It’s really disturbing that in the year 2012, we
  still have voter intimidation. The Koch Brothers and the others your shows
  mention influencing voting by coercion is wrong. Further, in this election
  cycle, women have a lot to lose if the right gets their way. And birth control
  is an economic issue if women get pregnant without having access to birth
  control. If women told their husbands or significant others you will be
  abstinent if the take my birth control away, Democrats would win by a
  landslide. I heard Republicans say, birth control in their day was by having a
  woman put a penny between their legs and hold it. Women wake up. And that Senator
  who defined rape as legitimate verses violent rape. It’s never the case that
  rape is legitimate. And Rush Limbaugh calling the student a W…. and Mitt Romney
  has changed is view for which ever audience he speaks to. He is liberal in the
  main election, but just 5 months ago he was as far right as he could be. Who is
  this guy, really? And Paul Ryan wrote the language of the legitimate rape
  legislation with the Senator from Missouri. And, if we want another war, with
  no tax cuts for the middle class will pay the bills while their sons and
  daughters go off to war and they recently cut down a veterans jobs bill by 4
  Republican Senators who wrote the legislation because the Tea Party wanted to
  make the president look bad. The Republican Congress has done nothing but
  obstruct the presidents recovery plans. Citing Mitch McConnell two years ago “We
  have the job of trying getting this president unelected by not cooperating with
  him”. Americans need to be Leary of the right, they want to proselyte religious
  people as they are the moral party, yet they have affairs and are hypocrites.
  The only thing they have in common with the religious right is they need their votes;
  otherwise they actions are incongruent with the right. There are three entities
  in the Republican Party, the filthy rich which is the 2% and the Religious
  Right and the Gun Lobby. If your job goes to China, Malaysia, India, Mexico and
  that is where Mitt Romney created jobs, not here. It’s their global portfolio,
  not loyalty to Main Street. Obama ought to have let the big banks fail, keep
  the auto industry which he did, and invest in main street banks who succeed. After
  all, wasn’t the banks supposed to loan money after we bailed them out? They are
  sitting on 4 trillion in bailout money making a huge profit at our expense.
  And, our troops ought not to go overseas to fight for corporations such as big
  oil because they want to exploit these people. Al-Qaeda was made stronger by
  the war in Iraq and we gave them a recruiting bonanza when we didn’t fight the
  war where it started, Afghanistan.

• http://twitter.com/dmooresb dmooresb

  My dad voted today. Mom did not. She never received her ballot. Dad said he had called the county registrar several times but got no response.

  He told me today–I called the registrar’s office and was told that her registration status was “pending” because they did not have her birthplace.

  She’s been living at the same address since 1971 and voting in each election. How is it only now that her birthplace became a concern? Why were my parents not notified?

  This is happening in Ventura County, CA.

• http://twitter.com/dmooresb dmooresb

  By the way, this is happening in Ventura County, CA.

• scott gates

  How was that any different or was it worse than having the black panthers standing outside polling places with God Damned billy clubs! if that wasn’t voter intimidation what do you call it? And YES they were there again this election too!

• scott gates

  show me a link proving this statement. you can’t just claim something, have nothing to back i tup and expect people to take it for gospel.. quote the link or your misleading people with half truths and lies…

• scott gates

  i agree. i had 3 obama supporting get out the vote drives hit my front door.. why? cause i am registered democrat.. despite what others might think of me after my posts are disseminated…

• scott gates

  I think david you should never vote again after showing your complete lack of knowledge.. Show me where romney plans to make birth control inaccessible? where is he stopping walmart from carrying the pill? they sell it for 8 bucks without a prescription.. but don’t believe me.. believe that somehow the republicans will take that away.. along with voter rights, rights to mamagrams,,. and the right to choose.. .(to kill their unborns).. Which i actually believe SHOULD be restricted. we perform millions of abortions annually..

  go on and blame the top 2%, you know the ones that pay for 70% of ALL tax programs you enjoy! And who create more than 50% of all jobs we enjoy! but go on, tell another one.. your on a roll there.
  Al Quaida is on their heels buddy! didbn’t you hear obama at the last 20 speeches claim that? Osama is dead and Al-Quaida is on the run.. al-quaida is on their heels.. al-quaida just attacked us on 9/11 in benghazi and the WH lied about it for 20 days!

  you want some more?

• scott gates

  This is still happening in Florida.. read accounts of people using the touch screens, voting for romney, but registering a vote for obama.. yes it happens.. the pollers have since “recalibrated” the machines back to normal.. thanks.. i wonder how many additional votes were counted FOR obama before someone caught on and it was fixed.

  or the PA polling station with a giant mural of obama, his logo and his msg of hope and change.. at a polling place? the courts ordered it be covered, so they put a few pieces of paper over it.. nice and fair i see.. influence the voter by showing him images of the president while voting… thanks Philly. no wonder it was reported that romney didn’t get a single vote in some precints in PA.. i wonder why?