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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"Voting is a privilege."
Last edited Mon Jul 9, 2012, 05:20 PM - Edit history (1)
I just heard someone on Faux News say this during a "debate" over voter id laws Repugs are using to disenfranchise voters. I understand there is a technical legal argument that voting is not a right because you have to be a certain age and it can be taken away from you for being convicted of committing certain crimes but it's NOT a privilege. A privilege is a benefit enjoyed only by a person beyond the advantages of most. Do they want most Americans to NOT have the ability to vote?
Every person who is eligible to vote has a RIGHT to cast their vote. This is yet another of their pathetic excuses to try to pass these egregious laws that are clearly designed to reduce Democratic votes and the privilege claim is absolutely ridiculous. It just tells me these people are pure fascists who only want citizens who vote for THEIR SIDE to have the ability to cast their vote and that's exactly what they're trying to do.
UPDATE: Media Matters has a great blog post on this segment.
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/07/09/fox-guests-voter-id-law-defense-voting-is-a-pri/187020
handmade34
(22,757 posts)and it is our responsibility to be educated about the process... when things start being considered privilege, that is when those things can be taken away...
jillan
(39,451 posts)pinto
(106,886 posts)1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Amendment 19 - Women's Suffrage.
1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
PavePusher
(15,374 posts)Laelth
(32,017 posts)Lies, lies, and more lies from Fox. Nothing new there.
-Laelth
Tigress DEM
(7,887 posts)It's a "privilege" that ALL Americans should be allowed to practice responsibly, like driving a car or having children. Some people lose their privileges to basic rights by their own irresponsible behavior.
So maybe all those clowns who voted for this obstructionist, rethug Congress should have their voting rights revoked on grounds of the damage done to the nation under GW's watch?
I'm just saying...
Here is a good article which talks about it in an enlightened fashion:
Voting: A Right, A Privilege, or A Responsibility?
Tig
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)It's a good reminder of how the state\federal partnership operates.
The constitution mostly only draws lines at what states can't do. Since elections determine local representation (congressional and state districts, along with county and municipal divisions), election laws and regulations are best left to states and counties.
Anyone who is concerned about the integrity of elections, get to know your county clerk.
kiranon
(1,727 posts)disenfranchisement. IMHO.
treestar
(82,383 posts)What a thoughtless use of words that is. To get a job on Fox you must have to prove you are stupid and dumb.
lpbk2713
(42,766 posts)"Faux" and "News" have nothing in common.
Faux is the propaganda arm of the RNC, largely subsidized by Rupert Murdoch.
RedStateLiberal
(1,374 posts)"Faux News" = False News
As infuriating as it is, I watch it occasionally to monitor RNC propaganda.
Time for change
(13,718 posts)If FOX "News" thinks that voting is a privilege, then someone should ask them who they think should have the right to determine who gets to exercise that "privilege". Though I wouldn't want to hear their answer.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)from here out. The fact that it is a constitutional right does not trouble the catapulters of the propaganda.
pa28
(6,145 posts)If voting is a privilege instead of a right for those who legally qualify you open up a door with some unpleasant things on the other side.
I wonder if this person would be OK with the idea of having voting "privileges" revoked due to tax arrears or delinquent child support payments.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)progressivebydesign
(19,458 posts)spanone
(135,874 posts)JHB
(37,162 posts)I'd wish the fate of all useful idiots on them, but that would mean we'd already lost.
closeupready
(29,503 posts)instantly. And I think it's a right, personally.
Th1onein
(8,514 posts)Used to explain their suppression of votes. Sorry lying bastards.
RedStateLiberal
(1,374 posts)Of course, Megyn Kelly parroted him by repeating the claim that "voting is a privilege." The opposition guy (didn't catch his name) gave no response to this claim but did do a great job of presenting the facts such as the minuscule amount of voter fraud and the large number of voters who will be disenfranchised by voter id laws. And, as usual, they tried to talk over him and change the subject.