Comments on: We Need A Voters' Bill Of Rights http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/ Reality-based political commentary Mon, 25 May 2026 02:47:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: goode trickle http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/#comment-130435 goode trickle Fri, 07 Dec 2018 00:32:59 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=16205#comment-130435 Great article spot on... I find myself saddened that we have to have this discussion for something we should be leading on. In many Central and South American countries not only do they have early voting, it is also the only "holiday" that all businesses are required to close until after the polls close. Then it turns into an awesome fiesta. Unless of course shenanigans happen then there is hell to pay. Since we are looking at this little issue. We should also push to limit campaign season from the 2 year long cycle down to something reasonable like 6 months. personally i could go for 90 days... but hey that is just me. Great article spot on...

I find myself saddened that we have to have this discussion for something we should be leading on.

In many Central and South American countries not only do they have early voting, it is also the only "holiday" that all businesses are required to close until after the polls close. Then it turns into an awesome fiesta. Unless of course shenanigans happen then there is hell to pay.

Since we are looking at this little issue. We should also push to limit campaign season from the 2 year long cycle down to something reasonable like 6 months. personally i could go for 90 days... but hey that is just me.

]]> By: nypoet22 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/#comment-130434 nypoet22 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 17:06:38 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=16205#comment-130434 Yes, why stop at illegal immigrants, let's round up and deport all non european immigrants, keep the kids, deport the parents and lose the paperwork. and if the voters elect dems, take away the powers of their office like Wisconsin is doing, only to be restored when Republicans return to power. Yes, why stop at illegal immigrants, let's round up and deport all non european immigrants, keep the kids, deport the parents and lose the paperwork. and if the voters elect dems, take away the powers of their office like Wisconsin is doing, only to be restored when Republicans return to power.

]]> By: TheStig http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/#comment-130433 TheStig Thu, 06 Dec 2018 16:21:13 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=16205#comment-130433 CRS- What the hell is wrong with you Reactionaries? Let's get obsessive regressives! CRS-

What the hell is wrong with you Reactionaries? Let's get obsessive regressives!

]]> By: C. R. Stucki http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/#comment-130432 C. R. Stucki Thu, 06 Dec 2018 16:02:17 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=16205#comment-130432 What the hell is wrong with you progressives?? You can't make progress without thinking outside that legendary box!! For instance, who says citizens under the age of 18 should be disenfranchised? Every citizen should have the right to vote, regardless of age. And, why are we locked into that archaic "one-person-one-vote" idea?? Votes should be apportioned inversely proportional to income and/or wealth (i.e., poor people ought to have more votes than rich people.) Same for complexion - the darker you are, the more votes you should be entitled to! Let's get progressive, progressives! What the hell is wrong with you progressives?? You can't make progress without thinking outside that legendary box!!

For instance, who says citizens under the age of 18 should be disenfranchised? Every citizen should have the right to vote, regardless of age.

And, why are we locked into that archaic "one-person-one-vote" idea?? Votes should be apportioned inversely proportional to income and/or wealth (i.e., poor people ought to have more votes than rich people.) Same for complexion - the darker you are, the more votes you should be entitled to!

Let's get progressive, progressives!

]]> By: TheStig http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/#comment-130429 TheStig Thu, 06 Dec 2018 13:19:41 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=16205#comment-130429 Neilm-4. The desperate and illegal actions of which you speak are not of recent origin or confined to any one region of the country. Dirty and illegal tricks are as old as The Republic. Periodic crackdowns occur when public outrage demands it. Secret ballots are relatively new in the USA. Neilm-4. The desperate and illegal actions of which you speak are not of recent origin or confined to any one region of the country. Dirty and illegal tricks are as old as The Republic. Periodic crackdowns occur when public outrage demands it. Secret ballots are relatively new in the USA.

]]> By: TheStig http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/#comment-130428 TheStig Thu, 06 Dec 2018 13:00:03 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=16205#comment-130428 rdnewman - 1 I like your minimalist approach. I don't think there should ANY exceptions. All citizens should have the right to vote. Including jailed citizens. Including jailed citizens who are politicians by trade. rdnewman - 1

I like your minimalist approach. I don't think there should ANY exceptions. All citizens should have the right to vote. Including jailed citizens. Including jailed citizens who are politicians by trade.

]]> By: Mezzomamma http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/#comment-130427 Mezzomamma Thu, 06 Dec 2018 12:52:23 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=16205#comment-130427 Perhaps permanent disenfranchisement should be part of the penalty for any appointed or elected official who attempts to disenfranchise voters. Perhaps permanent disenfranchisement should be part of the penalty for any appointed or elected official who attempts to disenfranchise voters.

]]> By: nypoet22 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/#comment-130426 nypoet22 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 10:52:01 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=16205#comment-130426 @neil, to quote lily tomlin, it's going to get a lot worse before it gets worse. JL @neil,

to quote lily tomlin, it's going to get a lot worse before it gets worse.

JL

]]> By: neilm http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/#comment-130425 neilm Thu, 06 Dec 2018 06:09:46 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=16205#comment-130425 <i>the lower the percentage of the electorate that will be white and protestant, and the more difficult it will be for republicans to be elected</i> CW is spot on with this. Although getting 3/4 of the states to ratify this would probably take years, the raising of the issue in public will cause serious problems for Republicans who eke out a victory from a smaller and smaller base using more and more underhand tactics. In fact, this is a slippery slope for Republicans - the more they keep doubling down on white fear coupled with suppression, the more tarnished their brand will be with non-partisans and the oppressed. And the more daylight the Democrats shine on this, the worse it has to get to keep being effective. We are seeing blunt but shady tools giving way to desperate and illegal actions in NC. We are seeing the will of the people frustrated in WI. I don't expect it to get better before it gets worse however. the lower the percentage of the electorate that will be white and protestant, and the more difficult it will be for republicans to be elected

CW is spot on with this. Although getting 3/4 of the states to ratify this would probably take years, the raising of the issue in public will cause serious problems for Republicans who eke out a victory from a smaller and smaller base using more and more underhand tactics.

In fact, this is a slippery slope for Republicans - the more they keep doubling down on white fear coupled with suppression, the more tarnished their brand will be with non-partisans and the oppressed. And the more daylight the Democrats shine on this, the worse it has to get to keep being effective.

We are seeing blunt but shady tools giving way to desperate and illegal actions in NC. We are seeing the will of the people frustrated in WI. I don't expect it to get better before it gets worse however.

]]> By: nypoet22 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/#comment-130424 nypoet22 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 03:24:27 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=16205#comment-130424 the problem with that is that the right of every citizen to easily vote currently IS a partisan issue. republicans are overwhelmingly supported by white protestant males, and to a lesser extent white protestant females. every other demographic leans democratic, every other demographic is growing, and every other demographic is more likely to have their voting restricted. the easier it is for people to vote, the lower the percentage of the electorate that will be white and protestant, and the more difficult it will be for republicans to be elected. the problem with that is that the right of every citizen to easily vote currently IS a partisan issue. republicans are overwhelmingly supported by white protestant males, and to a lesser extent white protestant females. every other demographic leans democratic, every other demographic is growing, and every other demographic is more likely to have their voting restricted. the easier it is for people to vote, the lower the percentage of the electorate that will be white and protestant, and the more difficult it will be for republicans to be elected.

]]> By: Paula http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/#comment-130423 Paula Thu, 06 Dec 2018 01:39:04 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=16205#comment-130423 YES. Couldn't agree more. YES. Couldn't agree more.

]]> By: rdnewman http://www.chrisweigant.com/2018/12/05/we-need-a-voters-bill-of-rights/#comment-130422 rdnewman Thu, 06 Dec 2018 01:13:36 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=16205#comment-130422 So the 26th amendment reads <blockquote>Section. 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age. Section. 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. </blockquote> Would simply removing the last four words of Section 1 achieve your intent There have been reasonably accepted exceptions for, say, felony incarceration, though that might need specification. So the 26th amendment reads

Section. 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

Section. 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Would simply removing the last four words of Section 1 achieve your intent

There have been reasonably accepted exceptions for, say, felony incarceration, though that might need specification.

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