Clay Jones for March 28, 2021

In 1963, it was Bull Connor in Alabama, using fire hoses on PEACEFUL, NON-VIOLENT children and adults asking for the right to vote.

In 2021 it is TrumpubliQans in Georgia and the only water allowed for those waiting in long, intentionally-planned suppressive voting lines is from the fire hoses of TrumpubliQan voter suppression.

They know that they cannot win elections if too many people vote. So instead of changing their policies to attract more voters, the strategy is to stop the “wrong people” from voting.

It is a given that most, if not all, of the rediculous statutes, will be successfully challenged – and republicans don’t really care – they figure that if they throw enough crap at the wall enough will make it to Trump’s Supreme Court and they will be vindicated, eventually.

Welcome to the new United States of AmeriKKKa – one state at a time!!

/SHEESH/

Time for a new voting rights act.

I do not see how this law can possibly pass constitutional muster. But with the current makeup of the SC, it probably will. This is one of the most undemocratic laws yet.

No American voter should have to wait in line more than a few minutes to vote. Any longer wait is de facto voter suppression, and a violation of the Constitution.

Everyone’s talking about the water thing because of course it’s ridiculous to criminalize giving someone water.

Meanwhile:

Under the bill, the election board will also have authority to temporarily remove local election officials and replace them with its own appointees.

People need to remember that this is coming right on the heels of tRump trying to bully Georgia’s governor into overturning the election results. And now, just three months later, we magically have a new law that gives the GOP-controlled state legislature the power to fire anyone from the local election boards for any reason.

Keep in mind that this is after three straight elections worth of very suspicious shenanigans in this state (hell, probably closer to 20 years once you realize that Georgia suddenly turned straight red when they adopted electronic count-only voting machines in 2000 and then suddenly started turning blue this year when they adopted a new system with a paper backup…that‘s not suspect at all).

Georgia’s new voting laws: required identification for mail voting and make it illegal to take food or water to voters in line.

It shortens runoff elections from nine weeks to less than a month and cuts the early voting period required for runoff elections from three weeks to one week.

The law allows the Legislature to appoint the chair of the State Election Board; previously, the board was chaired by the secretary of state.

I fail to see what the problem is…!

The question IS…why are they getting Away with this? Anyone? This is not an EQUAL RIGHTS MOVE!

It is unquestionable; the GOP has become the Fascist Party of America. There isn’t a Republican alive who embraces democracy.

Republican guy from Georgia explained the rationale behind the no drinks etc in line on PBS— said that it was a violation of the rule against campaigning within 200 feet of the polls. I doubt that it would hold up in court, but changing it to say you can’t give drinks to those within 200 feet probably would. Which gives the Republicans a problem. They could just manage the polling stations so that no one was waiting in line more than 200 feet away, but that only happens to the people they want to keep away from the polls—- 200 miles away if that could manage it.

First, let me be clear that I think the current wave of new laws is a blatant attempt to suppress voting to the advantage of the Republicans. They have basically admitted it.

That said, the ban on offering food/drink to those in line is related to laws prohibiting campaigning near a polling place – something I hope most folks would agree is a good idea. The rule (food/drink) exists in a number of states and is to shut down attempts to circumvent the campaigning rule.

I would focus on what another poster noted – that long lines that make this relevant are the real problem. We do need a national conversation to define a set of standards for running elections. It should be an agreed to minimum minimum for access to the polls, and while technically the states could set their own rules, it would make it much easier to criticize and defeat some of these onerous restrictions and give folks more confidence in the system.

Brilliant.

Georgia is not the only state. There are 253 similar bills in 43 states. Find out what is going on in your state.

Hat’s off and kudos to Clay Jones. I’ve notice a serious reduction in the number of poli-comics since Biden was elected. I don’t think he is providing the raw comic material such as former PINO trump did constantly. However, Mr. Jones has provided us with daily comic relief throughout the last year, and long before. I don’t recall a single day that he didn’t post a comic that gave us a chuckle while shaking our heads sadly. Thank you good sir!

My father used to tell me, once I had reached voting age, “Son, if you don’t vote you don’t count.” Georgia is merely modifying that maxim to “Certain people don’t count so we’ll see to it they don’t vote.”

Aren’t those cops breaking the law by providing water to voters waiting in line?

What if Georgia had a really big company that already made bottled water and could commit to distribute water free to everyone voting on Election Day. A company so big, and prominent, and important to Georgia that it wouldn’t be criminally prosecuted.

In a similar example of republican over-reach/misinformation/propaganda, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, Miss., has said that, in shortening early voting, “Voting on the Sabbath would offend God”. She refers to “The Sabbath” as Sunday, since there can be no other day as Sabbath, no matter what your religion, and ignoring the fact that in her last election she held rallies on Sunday after leaving church, and said that Jesus supports her. Is she insisting that only her religion is legal?

Sadly too true.

Off Topic:

Chag Pesach Sameach & “a zissen Pesach” (a sweet Passover), everyone!

You know why I’m always spouting off? It’s because if I don’t say something, certain assholes will harbor the unworthy notion that I just don’t give a damn what they do. Mistake.

’Begs the question: “Why is this form of slavery different from every other form of slavery?”

The GOP must change. What it changes into will determine if it will survive or die.