96-Year Old Woman Denied Voter ID Because She Didn't Have Her Marriage License

I saw this as well.
I think if they are going to pass a law that says you have to show an ID at the polls then they should be giving IDs at the polls and stop disenfranchising voters.

Agreed, Lisayou.

Thanks, Leen! Rachel is wonderfully insightful as usual.

You're welcome, Pianorama.

Probably with some doublespeak as usual.

Bill, I'm not saying They are all the same, I'm saying the Democrat Party is incompetent. They are not a united party, How can you accomplish anything when a third of your members vote against everything you propose to do. The term is "Reagan Democrats" and that to me is like saying "African American Klu Klux Klansmen".

Excellent video, thanks, Buckeye!

I grew up in Republican country in Kansas and believe me, we were proud to be Republicans and we were mighty proud of Eisenhower. But the Republican party today has no resemblance whatsoever to the Republican party of the 1950s. I voted for Nixon, I am sorry to say. And that was the last time I ever voted Republican. I consider myself an Independent voter but the Democratic candidates for President have had my vote in every election for the past several decades.

I too feel EXACTLY the same way, I just haven't been able to put as succinctly as you have! I have watched election after election where Rethugs have total control and totally wreck our economy then turn it over to Democrats who put the pieces back together only to allow rethuggs to get access back through lies. I still remember with pain what the did to Jimmy Carter, which was when i realized I totally hate all rethug politicians and their lying eyes. It only take approx 4 presidential terms for a new generation of voters to come on the scene fresh with ideology taught to them by rethugs in schools, churches and media. They control the airways which allows them to control the minds. This is where the Tea party rethuglicans came from fresh out of Falwell university.

You really make my day & night. No matter how dreary and bleak it seems to get, I know I can always count on you to say something that makes me laugh uncontrollable and changes my whole mentality. Keep it up cause I really need it.

Thank you for the video Buckeye. So much truth. I hope many watch and listen. The music was perfect.

Thanx, SFirman! I do enjoy posting these "entertaining" videos!

LOL

Excellent clip, Thank you!

You're welcome.

Malcolm X was an articulate and intelligent man. His interrogators show their racial prejudice in every word they speak.

Yes. I'd like to play this Malcolm X interview every time I hear someone complain about Affirmative Action.

The person who denied her was just doing their job, the people ho should be ashamed of themselves are lawmakers who pass laws that require this.

buckeye, I saw this coming. Democrats abandoned their base and the base stayed home. These people have been in politics long enough to know what happens when voters feel disenfranchised, the do not vote. When the electorate feels like we have been abandoned we stay home. couple that with politicians playing on people's emotions to the point that rage & fear trumps common sense, uninformed people will vote against their own best interest.

We can't forget those that voted those "a-holes" into Office! Those politicians couldn't get away with what they do if they hadn't been voted into those "seats of power" without the help of all those voters that vote against their own self-interests!

As they say, it takes two to tango!

So true, but how do you get people to give a damn about politics when they are hungry & homeless? I once sat on the board of an ASP (Aids Service Provider) and the issue was how to get low income people to take HIV tests to learn their status. The Government money was 75% testing 25% everything else. I had to convince them that people who live below the poverty line give less than a damn about HIV when their daily goal is to find something to eat and a place to live. Bring up the standard of living for people and then they will give a damn about maintaining that standard and vote.

Yes! Apathy is at the crux of the problem. As Pogo said "We have met the enemy and he is us."

Rethugs are just doing what they do. They're amoral, like corporations or crocodiles in a swamp. When you expand the swamp, as we did in 2010, they grow larger, stronger, and expand their territory. The weak and hapless are going to get chewed up.
This expansion has nearly covered our country in the mire and the crocs and corporations are snapping their jaws and lashing their tails about, leaving citizens who can't avoid them bruised, battered and eaten. We must shrink the swamp to where we can keep an eye on the bastards, limiting their ability to prey on those who are unfortunate enough to find themselves wandering too close to their feeding grounds.

These restrictive voting laws are spreading like a cancer . . . Leen61 posted a video here of Rachel Maddow's coverage that describes this.

Right on.

This is really depressing!

One shouldn't have to be filthy rich in order to run for public office, either - didn't used to be that way.

That's how you get to control things, limit access to the playing field and your limit the amount of players in the game.

High Five!

^5 RB@U2.

You're darn right!

Maybe because for the first 80 years for one to vote they had to be a man of wealth...a landholder or business proprietor. Everyone knew everyone else. Then after the Civil War things changed for the average white man. Things changed quickly after WWII, again, when blacks pushed for their right to vote. Of course, women fought for their right to vote and won that on August 26, 1920, so they only had to wait 144 years.

Do ya thunk?

Republicans have paid huge sums of money to think tanks to study just how to take over a country and enslave it's electorate without anyone even realizing it was happening.

Yeah, right is right! . . .

She seems to have all her marbles. I'd believe her over most of the politicians, that's for sure.

And the rest of us slaves . .

Great comment! I totally agree!

Good thing some of those celebrities who've been married multiple times don't live in the state of Tennessee. Can you imagine having to hire a moving van to carry all your documents to procure a voter ID . . . where are they going to draw the line I wonder.

So the day is gone forever when we can just take a walk down the street without carrying identification with us . . . so sad.

Consider the "source" of this story, OlBlue.

That should give one pause.

If there's one thing I know about Tenesseans is they treat "widers 'n orphins" with kindness and respect.

Most are very hospitable! They're world renowned for it! And I'll speak up for them as often as is necessary. Although they don't need anyone to take up for them. They'll "volunteer" it themselves!

Odds are she got confused and most likely didn't understand the requests that the DMV explained to her what she needed to provide proof of residency in her particular voting precinct.

This is a new form of voter suppression that is taking place in thirty four TB/GOP controlled States. It is a revision of the old poll tax that was outlawed back in the sixties. Don't shoot the messenger, here. Al Sharpton isn't the issue, please don't make the story about him, besides Rachel Maddow aired the story also, and she does an excellent job of investigative reporting.
It is extremely difficult to vouch for the entire population of a State, even a small one!

Even Rachel can "drop the ball"...remember, the MSM can jump to conclusions rather quickly and then backpeddle when the WHOLE story is found out.

Google "Tennessee Voter Registration Requirements" and one will learn what it takes to obtain a "Voter ID" card. It's not that it's oppressive or insurmountably difficult. It's just the Rethuglicans know that MOST people are lazy and if one small obstacle is put in their pathway, they will likely give up and not pursue getting the "photo ID".

And do you know what....they're correct!

And if that is all it takes to prevent a person from voting, then perhaps they shouldn't vote!

Sacrifice? Not much, is it? That should build a fire under us working class and poor to get out and VOTE!

There IS no excuse that I can see. It's a small "price" to pay for the right to vote in my book! Think of what our ancestors had to undergo to earn the right to vote! Have we become that shiftless and lazy?

EDIT: If we REALLY care about this issue, then we could VOLUNTEER to get our brothers and sisters to the locations so they can fill out the necessary forms and provide the proper paperwork to get that "voter ID" card. And THEN make sure they have a ride to the polling precincts on election day to cast their ballot!!! And, like here in Ohio, many states have absentee ballots now! How easy does it have to be before people exercise their RIGHT to vote?

Correct?

I don't think that laziness is the issue in this situation. This is a ninety six year old lady that has been voting for over seventy years. She has only missed one presidential election in all of those years, and that was because she moved prior to an election.I read the "Tennessee voter registration requirements" and this lady had more than enough documentation to register.
I don't like to stereotype people by referring to them as shiftless/lazy, because White people use to refer to Blacks by those terms, and it is insulting/unproductive!
Yes, I am currently involved in helping people prepare for the 2012 election.
My family/I have always been extremely passionate about voting, and protecting our rights.
I know that we are on the same side of the issue, I just don't want us to get caught up in pointing fingers when there is so much at state.

Remember, I was speaking in general terms and was not referring to her specifically. I was describing a scenario.

And you can't deny that there are people as I have mentioned.

Of course...it takes all kinds to keep this ol' world spinning.

So, I would appreciate it if you cut me a little slack and not critique everything I post as if it's my gospel I ascribe to.

Okidoki?

P.S. I only wish I have as good a grasp of my mental faculties as that lady demonstrated when or if I live to be that old.

Agreed Bill...Peace!

I don't think that is a good idea.

You never know!

We have to be careful not to give the GOP and the corporate elite any legitimate opening to give evidence that the protests are "MOBS" as they are trying to do. Never damage property or hurt anyone. Make them be the bad guys, that will do more to fuel the protests than anything else. Just look at how much attention the protests got after that goon cop Baloney pepper sprayed those girls.

I agree about the non-violent approach, but since the Elite are the real rulers of this country I see nothing they will change. They are absolutely planning for martial law within the next couple years. Being a military minded individual such as I am, knowing the correct time and targets is a huge advantage. Nothing will change, mark my words, these protests are very cool indeed and if anything people are finally waking up that there are more of us than there are of them. I believe Thomas Jefferson said it best when he said a revolution is needed every 20 years years to keep Democracy strong.

Seems to be mostly in the southern states where this sort of thing is happening. You are absolutely right, voting is a right. These kinds of restrictions make it harder for those who are poor, black, or old.

I agree it used to be mostly in southern states. But in the past year any state with a republican legislature has been pulling these underhanded tricks strickly for partisan advantage. Consider Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania ad infinitum. This is the greatest threat to free elections since Jim Crow laws. Thanks to the Justice Department, the ACLU, the NAACP and the League of Women Voters , at least someone is fighting this outrage.

If you check the list of states that have had their voting registration laws changed in the past year or two you'll see most are in the North. The Democratic voters in the South have been suppressed for a long time already so they're used to it by now.

Find out who the head of the Veterans organization is in the country and a congress person or senator you trust and voice your complaint. I think you'll get some help especially if it's an election year for them.My dad was a resident at a veterans nursing home.They sent me a bill I knew I had paid when I called and asked for proof,the top financial person told me"you won't be able to understand it"Maybe not but I knew how to contact the head of the veterans adm. in Trenton and actually spoke to him.He took care of my problem immediately.The superintendant at the nursing home called and wanted to meet with me about the situation.I received the red carpet treatment.He told me if I had any other problems please don't call Trenton.He made the smarty,financial guy, apologize they did an audit and found daddys bill was accurate and had a surplus of funds in his savings.No more problems with them.Wish you lots of luck.

Could you have appealed? Human beings should not be treated this way.

Good for you! sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease - you just have to squeak to the right person . . .

Appealing would mean a total humiliation of my privacy. I thought all veterans were entitled to care but I was wrong. It was quite apparent that she really relished her power over my life. Lucky for me I found a research study that took me for a while.

That's why God created lawyers....and the Devil....He does have a sense of humor.

Unfortunately, the Republicans of this era have no shame and no sense.

Most likely this woman would have voted Democrat . . .

Perhaps, pianorama.

But if she would vote for a Democrat or not, she is in the demographic the "radical right wing professional Republican politicians" ("RRWPRP") *believe* would most likely vote for a Democrat. That is precisely why they (the RRWPRP) create these - in my opinion - unconstitutional hoops for certain demographics of voters to jump through. They do it to suppress - again, just my opinion - the votes of people they *fear* may vote against them (the RRWPRP).

And since the courts are mostly owned by the same money who own the RRWPRP, they get away with it.

They've got away with it so far, that is. This may be another of the things about to change as a result of the "Occupy" movement. Although, it may not happen in the next 15 minutes. :-)

Excellent points; hopefully, it will change, and soon. This is just pure bullying as far as I'm concerned. Bullies often get away with their behavior until someone hits them over the head with a two by four . . .