Republicans Believe Fewer People Voting Helps Their Cause
They’ve been against almost every effort to increase voter rolls, including motor voter registration, same-day voting, and registration by mail. Now, Brad Friedman of Bradblog, who’s done much work on the Republican war on Democracy, has unearthed a video from 1980, where Paul Weyrich, co-founder of, among other things, the Heritage Foundation and the Moral Majority, and who is often referred to as “the founding father of conservatism”, is shown speaking to 15,000 preachers in Dallas in 1980 about the Republican philosophy on voting:
“Now many of our Christians have what I call the goo-goo syndrome – good government. They want everybody to vote. I don’t want everybody to vote. Elections are not won by a majority of people, they never have been from the beginning of our country and they are not now. As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.”
Has “bradblog” been featured on “alan.com” before?
It sounds oddly familiar.
We all know Colmes draws the rightwing lunatics like a yard light draws bugs late at night. Rightwing lunatics are like “June bugs”, only with a longer lifespan. June bugs are usually gone by October and launched into their next life as fertilizer.
October 13th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
My bad. I confused Brad with VinnieP.
October 13th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
fact is 50% of the population shouldnt vote. they don’t know crap except what the “drive by media” tells them.
-Rush quote on the media
all these dumb idiot young people who were taught by a bunch of liberal lice are brainwashed. education teaches you to be a liberal, life teaches you to be a conservative. these young voter’s education doesnt start untill they get out of their dream World (college).
October 13th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Elitist, anti-American, anti-democratic, and despicable.
October 13th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
but true
October 13th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
liberal rottweiler, you just described obama to perfection.
October 13th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I wonder if Rush actually understands that some people believe the idiocy he spews. It cracks me up to see people quote him. It’s like quoting Harry Potter, or Woody Woodpecker.
Rush Limbaugh is a character people. The stuff he says is fiction. It is not meant to be taken literally.
October 13th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
heh heh huh uh doooby doooby wooo
I wonder if Alan actually understands that some people believe the idiocy he spews…..bla bla bla
you got a point? at least I actually listen to both sides and dont fall whole heartedly to what the right says. unlike you leftys.
October 13th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Rush el limbo was the first nut who called Obama “the messiah”. Now Foxy news is blaming Farrahkan.
October 13th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Alanisaconservative posts the smartest thing he has yet posted:
heh heh huh uh doooby doooby wooo
You might want to quit while you are ahead, AIC. I doubt you will top that statement.
October 13th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Republicans don’t want minorities to vote ,period.
October 13th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
….And, again, this is around the time the Republican party started going to Hell in earnest.
Paradoxically, it was beginning to be overrun by evangelists.
October 13th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
“Republicans don’t want minorities to vote ,period.”
very true
October 13th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Let’s take a look at Weyrich’s statements…
“I don’t want everybody to vote. ”
Well, I agree. I’d prefer that only informed citizens vote. The “informed” status isn’t dependent upon education, occupation, etc. Just knowing the basics. How feasible it is to institute something like this is another debate.
“Elections are not won by a majority of people, they never have been from the beginning of our country and they are not now.”
What? Maybe he’s referring to the Electoral College? Other than Presidential Elections, the majority DOES tend to rule… “Rock the Vote” and all that… and the reason the Repubs are worried that so many new voters are registering.
“…our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.”
Who is “our”, and why are they different from the “voting populace”? I’m seriously confused…
October 13th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
“…liberal rottweiler, you just described obama to perfection.”
People get the idea Obama is elitist because of the national inferiority complex, which leads a great many people to mistrust and resent anyone who demonstrates that they have an active intellectual life.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Alan, at a Republican rally recently, Sara Palin reprimanded her own supporters! It is pretty hyterical!
Go here and find out more…. http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/10/13/politics/fromtheroad/entry4518952.shtml
October 13th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Nice link Joel – that is pretty damn funny!
October 13th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
@ALANISACONSERVATIVE: at least I actually listen to both sides and dont fall whole heartedly to what the right says.
Is that supposed to be a joke?
When have you said or thought anything that deviated one iota from the far right line?
I love how the wingnuts in this country really want people to believe they’ve looked at any issue objectively and then reached their conclusions. I’ve never seen any evidence of it.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
@CHERYL CARROL the majority DOES tend to rule
Except in 2000 and 2004.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
well paul,
I dont believe in Reagan’s “war on drugs”…I dont believe the government should make abortion illegal…I dont believe in prayer in schools…and I dont believe the miltary should be the police of the World (dont know if that is right wing) aka. relief in rawanda etc. I have said it a few times on here. you should be like um cara find and quote everything.
October 13th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Alinisaconservative blames the Gipper:
I dont believe in Reagan’s “war on drugs”
Nixon started the ‘War on Drugs’.
October 13th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Reagan quadroupled it (sp)
October 13th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
I agree with you Alanisaconservative, the War on Drugs is idiotic. We have had admitted drug users as Presidents, and yet there are folks rotting in jail for doing the same thing. I know both Palin and Obama have admitted to past drug use, yet I have heard neither speak out about making sure that folks doing the same things they did don’t end up in jail. (I don’t know about McCain or Biden, whether either of them has admitted to drug use. I obviously don’t believe Bill Clinton’s BS about ‘not inhaling’)
Pretty damn idiotic, hypocritical, and unfair.
‘The War on Drugs’, we have declared war on our fellow Americans, and yet it seems to give few people pause.
October 13th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
It goes to the basic statistics as to the number of registered Democrats versus of Republicans PLUS, the statistics of new registrations and the percentage of Democrats in that population.
Since they don’t really support evolution, they have a blind eye to the fact that Republicans are a declining species…they are getting closer to qualifying for the endangered species act….
Unless, Sarah has a rifle and helicopter…then she’ll excellerate the natural selection porcess.
October 14th, 2008 at 12:27 am
Does anyone know know how many possible Republican voters ACORN has registered?
Just Asking.
Rod from Canada
October 14th, 2008 at 2:18 am
“Does anyone know know how many possible Republican voters ACORN has registered?”
wow, what a racist statement, I cant believe it!
October 14th, 2008 at 2:22 am
“education teaches you to be a liberal, life teaches you to be a conservative.”
Generosity teaches you to be a liberal, selfishness teaches you to be a conservative.
Inclusiveness teaches you to be a liberal, exclusiveness teaches you to be a conservative.
Love teaches you to be a liberal, fear teaches you to be a conservative.
October 14th, 2008 at 9:50 am
You’re a pretty smart bear, TCNY. Great post.
Frankly, though, when it comes to drugs (and a lot of other stuff, actually), I’m probably a lot more conservative than any of you.
In my opinion and experience, the drug war’s more like a drug arm-wrestling match. Until serious and immediate consequences are enacted for breaking drug laws, the demand for illegal drugs will still be met with ample supply.
I saw too many burned-out, used-up, wasted lives in high school, and they’re part of an aggregate that’s costing our country BILLIONS of dollars today.
Don’t get me started on the meth epidemic, which isn’t just taking a toll on our country’s human and government resources, like other drugs– it’s resulting in real commercial (buy a former meth house and see what happens! try to buy sudafed!) and environmental consequences (how’d you like a little toxic meth in your groundwater? careful your kids don’t run into an abandoned meth lab in the woods!).
Sorry folks, I’ve about had it with illegal drugs, but especially meth.
Legalizing drugs would, indeed, compound addiction rates. We have enough problems with alcohol.
October 14th, 2008 at 11:20 am
I think what alan meant is fewer stupid people voting would help their cause.
Check out this man on the street interviews from howard stern.
Voters that are voting for obama don’t have a clue, but they are going to vote for obama anyway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyvqhdllXgU&eurl
October 14th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Cheryl,
Most educated people are pi**** off because dogs, cats, Disney characters and fake NFL football players have been registered to vote.
Pair that with the people I saw testify yesterday who were the very people ACORN is supposed to help and I see an organization that either needs a complete overhaul, or just to stop completely.
October 14th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
“education teaches you to be a liberal, life teaches you to be a conservative.”
True, the realities of life such as working hard and having your money taken is a valuable lesson. That’s why the older people get the more conservative they get. As you get older you also see how the government doesn’t really help people.
Generosity teaches you to be a liberal, selfishness teaches you to be a conservative.
Proven false in so many studies. Conservatives donate much more $$ than liberals. Liberals donate to causes, conservatives donate to organizations that actually help people. Proof? Compare the recently relesed tax returns of obama/biden and mcsame/palin. I could even say compare bush/cheney and gore/kerry/edwards tax returns.
Inclusiveness teaches you to be a liberal, exclusiveness teaches you to be a conservative.
Tell that to joe liberman. ONE thing he disagreed with the democrat mindthink got him kicked out of the party.
Where is the inclusiveness on differing opinions in the democrat party?
Love teaches you to be a liberal, fear teaches you to be a conservative.
Is that why the left always plays the fear card of the republicans over ruling roe vs wade? Or obama repeating over and over “they’re going to tell you I have a funny sounding name, that I don’t look like those on the dollar bills?” Any prominent republican said that yet?
One only needs to look at the person that posts here under the name sarah, she hates everyone that has an opposing opinion and isn’t ashamed to write it. How inclusive is that? Where’s the love for her fellow man?
October 14th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
@CHERYL CARROL the majority DOES tend to rule
Except in 2000 and 2004.
Paul, sorry to out you as a liar but bush won both the popular vote (62,040,610) and the electorial vote in 2004 against kerry (59,028,444).
The facts are easily found on the internet.
October 14th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Awww, poor T2P. I thought we were just sparring friends. I didn’t think you hated me.
By the way, tell the kids how you justified the Oklahoma City bombing last month. You said it was because of Timothy McVeigh’s outrage over Waco and Ruby Ridge, if memory serves.
Remember? You brough up Ayers, I responded with the Republican, right-wing militia ties of Timothy McVeigh.
That’s when you said Timothy McVeigh justified his bombing the federal Alfred P Murrah building, because he was protesting the government, and Waco and Ruby Ridge? Remember?
And I pointed out that Randy Weaver and David Koresh basically refused to cooperate with law enforcement officials who were acting within the letter of the law; instead, the men encouraged their friends and family members to train their guns on these law enforcement figures, even kililng some in the process?
You disappeared for awhile, and never did explain yourself.
I guess that’s really why you’re ticked at me, and I can understand that. You unwittingly revealed your sympathies with anti-government, right-wing militia terrorist groups.
Sorry if I hurt your feelings. I don’t hate you. But I am a little more enlightened about you. Courtesy of….You.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
T2P said:
I’ve become decidedly more liberal the older I have gotten. When I was at my most conservative, I hardly earned enough to pay income taxes. As I have gotten older, and earned more, and payed more income taxes, I have become much more liberal.
I think you are thinking of yourself, and generalizing accross the population. About half of us are liberal and about half of us are conservative (though most everyone thinks they are moderate).
Liberman has disagreed on more than one thing (presumably you are referring to the war) Up to, and including, who should be president. That’s a pretty big disagreement there.
The Republicans are pretty much ‘all war on terror, all the time’, or were, right up until the economy blew up.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Cheryl,
Have you considered that 10 million new obama voters in los angeles/san francisco/new york won’t have any impact at all on the presidential election? California & new york already vote democrat.
October 14th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
I always knew you hated me, it wasn’t a secret to anyone that read your words. Hve you also forgotten that you wrote you hated me?
Show the kids the link, the proof is in the pudding. Hey, have you stopped beating your kid yet?
The point I made was after 9/11, many on the left blamed america (chickens coming home to roost, etc) for the attack. That we (America) brought the attack on ourselves by our actions in the middle east and israel.
I them reminded the clueless that when timmy bombed the federal building that NO ONE on the left ever even considered asking what caused the attack. I was pointing out the hypocrisy and double standards that people like you like to use on a daily basis.
I like how you use the word basically, nothing like trying to hide from the truth.
Acting within the letter of the law? Have you ever heard of the Posse Comitatus Act? Want to take a shot at explaining what role general wesley clark had in supplying the military to waco. Go ahead and use google, this isn’t a test, it’s an education.
Tell me what you found about the Lon guy, the shooter that killed randy’s wife as she was holding their baby. How many did he kill at waco?
I didn’t reveal anything of the sort, you loose use of the facts might give you that impression but that’s all it is, your impression.
Are you a hypocrite?
How do you feel about obama hanging out with terrorists that failed to kill people ONLY because they weren’t as competent as timmy.
Are you voting for someone with sympathies with anti-government terrorist groups?
Let me ask again…
Are you voting for someone with sympathies with anti-government terrorist groups?
October 14th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
The interesting facts to me are:
1) Acorn is the one notifying the state authorities of all these questionable registration ATTEMPTS
2) None of the ATTEMPTS to register a false name have resulted in any voter fraud…in other words, none voted….or would since the registrations were rejected.
It is important to note, also, that this red herring is all about sour grapes of republicans who fear a worse loss than 2006. They want to shade the argument over “voter fraud” to cover their many attempts at limiting, intimidating, or dumping votes in the past.
A rallying cry for the ground team of Democrats is, “Never again will you rob America of voting for their choice for president”
October 14th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
“Are you voting for someone with sympathies with anti-government terrorist groups?
Posted by Truth2Power”
Wow….what a great channeling of Tail Gunner Joe McCarthy!!! Nice job….
My response….
“Have you, at last, sir, no decency left?”
Your question is unamerican, and a disgrace.
October 14th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Are you a hypocrite?
T2P: “How do you feel about obama hanging out with terrorists that failed to kill people ONLY because they weren’t as competent as timmy.
Are you voting for someone with sympathies with anti-government terrorist groups? Let me ask again… Are you voting for someone with sympathies with anti-government terrorist groups?”
Wowee. You really think I hate you? What is it with you? I don’t even know you (or care about you) well enough to hate you! :)
True, with your right-wing-militia terrorist dronings, you’re a little scary sometimes, but hey, you’ve inspired my husband and me to buy a gun, and that’s the first step to becoming a Republican, right? Just kidding.
Anyway, the answer to your stuttering question, is NO, I am not “voting for someone with sympathies with anti-government terrorist group.”
I’m voting for someone who sat on a board with a university professor who used to sound a lot like YOU (Mr. Posse Comitatus Waco-sympathizer), back in the 1960s.
Incidentally, the government’s action in Waco was cleared by a level-headed, clearthinking Republican minister named John Danforth. By bringing up Gen. Wesley Clar, it’s clear you’re a conspiracist and a right-wing-militia terrorist sympathizer yourself.
As for Randy Weaver, his ties to the Aryan Nation were being investigated.
October 16th, 2008 at 11:37 am