Well, it was a good day at the polls, but...

[MrMickeysMom]

Our job in PA is far from over with this voter ID process.

I was standing in for the Democratic committee and had my certificate to watch the count, get updates and basically question and report if I thought voters were being delayed too long because of this voter ID "question" they were trained to ask.

"May I see your photo ID?", was asked to each voter. I knew this would be a problem for some, and one, in fact, complained that because one inspector insisted on asking this, the voter thought the line was getting too long, which made people turn away. True, some people turned away because they were trying to get to work, and I saw them return later.

However, I did warn the judge at this district that I would call into the authorities because I did had been given this complaint. I must say that an official from the Obama campaign followed up in a timely manner and even came to the polls later on (under control later on).

We have to defeat the notion that photo ID will be needed. This is just a warning shot. I do NOT like what this portends. There are too many mothers with babes in arms, children at the end of arms, people working job(S) and brittle elderly with walkers and portable oxygen requirements to put up with the 4 voting booths per district in response to the needs of the people.

We must do better, now that we've "dodged the bullet" of the Obama re-election. WE HAVE TO!

Thank you for your thoughts!

MMM

[MrSlayer]

1. I really don't have a problem with voter ID.

I had a problem with them trying to implement it before everyone had a chance to get one. Now everyone knows about it and there is plenty of time. By 2014 everyone should have one and it won't matter. Plenty of other states have it and it's fine, they gave enough time before the law took effect. That was the issue, not the idea itself.

[MrMickeysMom]

2. Disagree about the ID...

... unless you're talking about a first time "voter ID", which I already have.

Who needs anything else? And, regardless of the time, who needs a PHOTO? It's unnecessary, and it's prohibitive of those who cannot take the extra steps.

Extra steps are for what reason? I dunno either.

[MrSlayer]

3. I think that given enough time, it's not that big of a deal.

But that's me. I don't see it as an undue burden if implemented fairly.

[Mc Mike]

4. You're right. Voter ID laws aren't trying to protect us

from voter fraud, they're trying to defraud the voters.

There are no incidents our repug state government can point to, of prosecuted in-polling place fraud, where someone came in and voted illegally in person, pretending to be another voter. They are a hurdle and poll tax designed by ALEC, to get rid of low-income constituencies, elderly, students, minorities. Turzai openly bragged about the real purpose for enacting the law, on camera. Our doltish 2 term state attorney general prosecuted zero cases of polling place voter impersonation. The repugs liked his job performance so much they made him governor.

A ton of good groups came together to fight the law, to provide legal first aid for the voters, and to safeguard our citizens' right to the franchise. We need a court ruling to overturn this blatant poll tax.



It was a good day for my part of the PA polls, but the Dems lost every Western PA county except Allegheny, in the formerly Democratic stronghold 9 county western under-arm of the 'T'. That freak Rothfus shouldn't even be representing Amway, let alone our state. This erosion is very real, and shows why the repugs keep on visiting our area for presidential campaigning. They're trying to steal the state, here in the western part of the state. They're also driving a red wedge between Ohio and the Blue Northeast - Mid Atlantic, to further consolidate their ongoing attempted theft of Ohio.

[Curmudgeoness]

7. I don't know much about Rothfus,

but I cannot imagine he will be worse than Mike Kelly, who won in my district. I am proud to say he didn't win in my county, but that doesn't make me feel much better. It took the joy out of me. (Well, some of the joy.)

[Mc Mike]

9. My wife and I donated to Eaton, as well as Maggi.

I couldn't go to those districts to campaign, but Eaton held fundraisers right in my neighborhood. Unfortunately, she wanted more money from me to attend than I could give. I did canvass for Altmire when he defeated Hart, but didn't canvass for Altmire or Critz this time around. Doyle is my rep and didn't need my help, but he's going to be awfully lonely in the Western PA congressional delegation. I was out for our side in this county, to oppose the voter suppression ID law, to back Prez O, and to protect the election, so I couldn't go into other districts to get out the vote.

Did you see a statistic on how the 2.74 million voted for Dem congressional candidates in PA, and 2.67 voted for repug candidates, but due to gerrymandering, we have only 5 out of 18 Federal Representative seats, instead of 9 or 10? I saw it on Maddow's blog, or TPM, or Brad blog, but can't locate it now. It's a fact that we only have 5 now, and we have a dem registration edge of over a million voters in this state, and PA has a total of 18 Federal reps. If you've seen the report I'm referring to, please let me know where.

[Curmudgeoness]

10. I was supporting Missa Eaton with all I had

because Mike Kelly is so fringe and also because I know Missa and know that she would have us in mind all the time she was representing us. I warned her about the fundraisers that she was holding, that they were too pricey for many people, and that she needed to meet more people and let them get to know her much more than she needed money. Maybe I am naive, but I know that many people will vote for candidates that they have met, and it is obvious that she would never meet Kelly's finances no matter how many people donated to her. Yes, there is a place for higher priced fundraisers, but meeting the voters is not to be dismissed. Near the end of her campaign, she finally was having inexpensive events, so maybe she saw this too. I wish she could have won.

I did not see those statistics, but that really is incredible. But I will say that I saw results that showed either a lot of Repubs did vote for Dems, or many Dems voted for Repubs. So, although the gerrymandering has really caused some serious problems, the voters were also not all that committed to party.

[Mc Mike]

12. We gave to everyone we could, in state and out. Ms. Eaton's LeMont fundraisers were 1/2 mile from

our home, but I could give 2 good U.S. senators 50 bucks for the price of one fundraising event. Most of the neighborhood we're in couldn't afford the cheapest level of contribution. She got the same level of support we gave Casey.

I wish she could have won, too. But if lame repugs like Raja and Rothfus and Toomey can come back and run over and over again, a normal human candidate like Missa can try again.

We do have a million more registered Dems, so whatever number of voters defected from their side to vote our way in PA, that number was far outweighed by losses from our side, whether by defection or electronic vote shaving.

[Pat Riot]

5. They didn't even ask at my polling place.

Of course I live in a mostly black, urban neighborhood which is at least 99% pro Obama, while you're out there is red Dicky Scaife land.

I agree about the ID's but I also think it's inevitable, so we might as well work on getting everybody one before the next election cycle.

I believe what we must work on now are things that get ignored after the elections are over. Overturn Citizen's United by whatever means. Abolish the electoral college and have a true national popular vote. Make these electronic voting machines have a paper receipt so any vote switching "glitches" can be corrected by recount.

If anybody knows where I can volunteer to work for these causes, let me know.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. I suppose it was good that they asked for ID

as long as they didn't give anyone a problem if they didn't have one. When they asked, that at least made it clear to voters that they will need one in the future. I was asked, I told them that I did have one but understood that I did not need it to vote in this election, and I refused to show it when they tried to push it. Well, one woman tried to push it, the other agreed with me that I did not need to show it. Of course the first woman added that I will need it next time. I said if that was the law, I would be ready. But it was good that they asked at an election with large turnout, so the people will know.

[MrMickeysMom]

8. You see... this is just IT...

We already HAVE a voter ID process for everyone who ever registers to vote in Pennsylvania, so to create laws targeting a process that already exists for reasons that don't exist doesn't make sense.

I'm still carrying around the voter ID I obtained in 98 when I moved to PA. I obtained it the same day I got my driver's license. IT'S a separate ID to vote. My driver's license is a separate license to drive. One required registration and the other required an additional photograph.

One's renewal requires a photo and the other didn't require a renewal. So, what is it that the people should know, again?

[Curmudgeoness]

11. I understand what you are saying,

and I am still fighting this Voter ID law and hope to see it go the way of the dodo. But I also think that having it repealed is a pipe dream....at least with the government we have in Harrisburg. So, if this law stands, it is a good thing that everyone gets warned ahead of time. I am not supporting this voter suppression law, but I am being realistic that it will probably be used in the future. I want every voter to be aware of this. And if it doesn't pan out for the Repubs and the law disappears, no harm.