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Sure there is. But are we really going to say that it is the official stance of the entire Republican party to actively prevent black people from voting? Despit

by talmand 11y ago

Sure there is. But are we really going to say that it is the official stance of the entire Republican party to actively prevent black people from voting? Despite the fact that one of the leading Republican candidates right now is a black man? That is absolutely ridiculous and can only be the product of a childish and overactive imagination of a conspiracy theorist partisan nutjob that produces nothing of value whatsoever in a modern society. Maybe, just maybe, the problem you describe exists mostly on the local level and it's completely unfair to paint half the country as racists or bigots because of political differences? Are there people who actively scheme to prevent people from voting and/or get their candidate to win in nefarious ways? Sure. Are some of them Republicans? Yep. But some of them are Democrats too, they just target different people in different ways. All in all, this is the voter fraud of the modern age; using laws to give your candidate the advantage.

scarmig 11y ago
There's not a single policy or position that could be described as "the official stance of the entire Republican party," so you're demanding an unrealistic bar be met. The voter suppression schemes are transparent, and they are officially endorsed in the most recent Republican platform. If you want to deny their intent--decreasing Democratic votes--and effect--disproportionately removing black people's ability to vote--you might as well go back and claim that Southern literacy tests were a wholly benign attempt at improving good government. I'm not even sure how much we disagree, aside from equivocation about Republicans taking that position to increase odds of winning and Democrats taking the opposite to increase their odds. But the USA has a long and storied history of screwing over black people and their civil rights, so we should be especially sensitive about policies that target them to undermine their civil and political rights.
- talmand 11y ago
  >> There's not a single policy or position... That's exactly my point. I'm not the one suggesting it, I'm responding to it. >> The voter suppression schemes are transparent... Yes, I even stated that. My point is that I'm not willing to label half the country as to be a part of it. In fact, I'm willing to blame people among the Democrat party of doing much the same. I just don't say it's official Democrat policy so that I'm not blaming the entire group. >> literacy tests Which tests? Those run by Republican or Democrat members? >> I'm not even sure how much we disagree... On the face of it, I don't think we do. >> But the USA has a long and storied history of screwing over black people and their civil rights... Which I said, US history is rife with voter fraud or disenfranchisement, whichever term you prefer. I'm not sure where you're going with all this, since it seems you are agreeing with me. Am I misunderstanding?

by talmand 11y ago

scarmig 11y ago

There's not a single policy or position that could be described as "the official stance of the entire Republican party," so you're demanding an unrealistic bar be met. The voter suppression schemes are transparent, and they are officially endorsed in the most recent Republican platform. If you want to deny their intent--decreasing Democratic votes--and effect--disproportionately removing black people's ability to vote--you might as well go back and claim that Southern literacy tests were a wholly benign attempt at improving good government. I'm not even sure how much we disagree, aside from equivocation about Republicans taking that position to increase odds of winning and Democrats taking the opposite to increase their odds. But the USA has a long and storied history of screwing over black people and their civil rights, so we should be especially sensitive about policies that target them to undermine their civil and political rights.

talmand 11y ago
>> There's not a single policy or position... That's exactly my point. I'm not the one suggesting it, I'm responding to it. >> The voter suppression schemes are transparent... Yes, I even stated that. My point is that I'm not willing to label half the country as to be a part of it. In fact, I'm willing to blame people among the Democrat party of doing much the same. I just don't say it's official Democrat policy so that I'm not blaming the entire group. >> literacy tests Which tests? Those run by Republican or Democrat members? >> I'm not even sure how much we disagree... On the face of it, I don't think we do. >> But the USA has a long and storied history of screwing over black people and their civil rights... Which I said, US history is rife with voter fraud or disenfranchisement, whichever term you prefer. I'm not sure where you're going with all this, since it seems you are agreeing with me. Am I misunderstanding?