Democrats and voter restriction bills

[easyrider16]

I think the Democrats are making a mistake in their characterization of these voter restriction bills. They are calling them voter suppression and making them out to be the worst thing since Jim Crow. I don't think that criticism is going to sit well with independent-minded people.

I've looked at these voter restrictions and while I would agree that many of them are not great policy, they aren't really all that restrictive. For example, taking away Sunday voting might impact black voters who are used to being bussed after church. I think that's sh!tty policy. But is it restrictive? Those people can vote any other time it's available. If these bills get challenged in the courts, it's very unlikely they will get struck down, because they're pretty basic policy decisions.

I think what the opposition to these bills *should* be saying is that they're just not great policy, and they make voting less convenient and are transparent attempts by Republicans to give themselves an ever-so-slight boost in the next cycle. I think that's not reasonably disputable, and if Democrats were more reasonable in their criticisms, they might pick up some independent votes. Instead, they are going off their typical deep end, calling these things racist and direct attacks on black voters which is over the top in my opinion. It's not the hill they should die on. Vote against the bills, let them pass, and then use them in the next cycle to point out how awful Republicans are acting. That's a more winning strategy in my opinion than leaving the state.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2021/07/09/10145793 ... hats-in-it

[XtremeJibber2001]

I think what the opposition to these bills *should* be saying is that they're just not great policy, and they make voting less convenient and are transparent attempts by Republicans to give themselves an ever-so-slight boost in the next cycle.

Isn’t the state making it harder to vote suppression in and of itself?

[easyrider16]

Sure, in theory any restriction on voting is voter suppression. Even things like requiring you to register to vote before hand is theoretically a voting restriction. But states have the right to regulate their elections, and they have the right to set or change things like when and where people can vote. Which is why the Courts recently upheld one of these stupid bills, because their "restrictions" are of the typical type that states have been imposing throughout U.S. history.

Like I said, it's not good policy, what Republicans are doing. They're making voting more annoying and difficult, and I don't see why constituents would be anything but annoyed by it. But is it really racist? This I think is the problem with the Democratic party - if you're not on board with their "woke" narrative, they call you a racist or a bigot. That makes people who disagree with them and don't see themselves that way very angry. If Democrats had a more reasoned, moderate approach, it would capture more of the middle and be less likely to spur such vehement opposition from the hard-core right. In short, it'd win them more elections.

[XtremeJibber2001]

Like I said, it's not good policy, what Republicans are doing. They're making voting more annoying and difficult, and I don't see why constituents would be anything but annoyed by it. But is it really racist? This I think is the problem with the Democratic party - if you're not on board with their "woke" narrative, they call you a racist or a bigot. That makes people who disagree with them and don't see themselves that way very angry. If Democrats had a more reasoned, moderate approach, it would capture more of the middle and be less likely to spur such vehement opposition from the hard-core right. In short, it'd win them more elections.

Agree with this. While it’s deliberate and targeted, there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of racism. Just so happens the targeted changes impact people of color.

[boston_e]

Like I said, it's not good policy, what Republicans are doing. They're making voting more annoying and difficult, and I don't see why constituents would be anything but annoyed by it. But is it really racist? This I think is the problem with the Democratic party - if you're not on board with their "woke" narrative, they call you a racist or a bigot. That makes people who disagree with them and don't see themselves that way very angry. If Democrats had a more reasoned, moderate approach, it would capture more of the middle and be less likely to spur such vehement opposition from the hard-core right. In short, it'd win them more elections.

Agree with this. While it’s deliberate and targeted, there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of racism. Just so happens the targeted changes impact people of color.

Right - the Sunday voting thing was a direct attack on the "souls to the polls" efforts which are done by largely black congregations. I'm not sure if that is actually racist (one could argue that it is), but it is clearly a direct attack on making it less convenient for a block that would usually lean democratic to vote.

[Bigjohnski]

I can't believe how racist this thread is. This is all being done ABOVE BOARD and Way before the elections unlike what the democrats did illegally changing the rules DURING the last elections

[Fancypants]

Like I said, it's not good policy, what Republicans are doing. They're making voting more annoying and difficult, and I don't see why constituents would be anything but annoyed by it. But is it really racist? This I think is the problem with the Democratic party - if you're not on board with their "woke" narrative, they call you a racist or a bigot. That makes people who disagree with them and don't see themselves that way very angry. If Democrats had a more reasoned, moderate approach, it would capture more of the middle and be less likely to spur such vehement opposition from the hard-core right. In short, it'd win them more elections.

Agree with this. While it’s deliberate and targeted, there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of racism. Just so happens the targeted changes impact people of color.

Right - the Sunday voting thing was a direct attack on the "souls to the polls" efforts which are done by largely black congregations. I'm not sure if that is actually racist (one could argue that it is), but it is clearly a direct attack on making it less convenient for a block that would usually lean democratic to vote.

You do realize that Sunday voting is still included in the version that just passed the TX Senate?

[boston_e]

Like I said, it's not good policy, what Republicans are doing. They're making voting more annoying and difficult, and I don't see why constituents would be anything but annoyed by it. But is it really racist? This I think is the problem with the Democratic party - if you're not on board with their "woke" narrative, they call you a racist or a bigot. That makes people who disagree with them and don't see themselves that way very angry. If Democrats had a more reasoned, moderate approach, it would capture more of the middle and be less likely to spur such vehement opposition from the hard-core right. In short, it'd win them more elections.

Agree with this. While it’s deliberate and targeted, there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of racism. Just so happens the targeted changes impact people of color.

Right - the Sunday voting thing was a direct attack on the "souls to the polls" efforts which are done by largely black congregations. I'm not sure if that is actually racist (one could argue that it is), but it is clearly a direct attack on making it less convenient for a block that would usually lean democratic to vote.

You do realize that Sunday voting is still included in the version that just passed the TX Senate?

Correct. That’s why I said it WAS.

[Fancypants]

Just asking a question here.....If someone was too infer that banning Sunday voting was racist because African-Americans couldn't do "souls to polls" why wouldn't it be fine to suggest that the lack of Sunday voting for the White Christian community was exactly the same thing?

[daytripper]

Because white lives dont matter. Only black and Asian.

[XtremeJibber2001]

Because white lives dont matter. Only black and Asian.

Care to elaborate?

[daytripper]

Said mainly in jest, but that's basically what the media is implying lately, even in most commercials on TV lately.

[boston_e]

Just asking a question here.....If someone was too infer that banning Sunday voting was racist because African-Americans couldn't do "souls to polls" why wouldn't it be fine to suggest that the lack of Sunday voting for the White Christian community was exactly the same thing?

If Sunday voter drives were commonplace at predominantly white churches, the Texas Republicans would have been all for it.

[Fancypants]

Just asking a question here.....If someone was too infer that banning Sunday voting was racist because African-Americans couldn't do "souls to polls" why wouldn't it be fine to suggest that the lack of Sunday voting for the White Christian community was exactly the same thing?

If Sunday voter drives were commonplace at predominantly white churches, the Texas Republicans would have been all for it.

How do you know they are not common place. Do you live in Texas?