Eric Holder, Voter ID, and the Chicago Way
And here in his hometown is the latest foray into election engineering, courtesy of former presidential chief of staff and current Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, with assistance from Chicago’s African-American aldermen:
Because of strong demographic changes, Chicago is undergoing its decennial redistricting with a vengeance. The biggest demographic change is the drop in the percent of African Americans, an incredible 19%. Other ethnic groups have been stable with the exception of a rise in the city’s Hispanic population. So, one would expect that under the standard redistricting principle of wards being carved up into equal population units, African Americans would be a lower percentage in some wards than they have been and Hispanics would be higher. The total population of any ward, however, would remain roughly equivalent.
In an effort to keep African-American aldermen in power, Emanuel and his cronies have cut up the wards into different sizes, with white wards on the north and lakefront each having 56,000 inhabitants and black wards having closer to 51,000. Making the white wards larger and thinning out the black wards preserves the wards of African-American alderman, while disenfranchising whites. This is racial discrimination.
Like the Black Panthers in Philadelphia intimidating whites at the polls, this is not going to be high on Holder’s lists of concerns. Nor are liberals in Chicago, or elsewhere, going to have an apoplectic fit over it. Don’t count on the ACLU hauling Emanuel into federal court or even standing in front of the television camera’s lens to denounce it, as the ACLU has done with South Carolina’s attempt to bring integrity to the voting process.
When it comes to South Carolina — or any other state — trying to preserve the honesty of the electoral process by requiring some form of voter identification, watch out. Voter integrity is the last thing Obama, his Justice Department, and his base want for 2012.
It can’t be said too often enough. You have to show ID for so many things – cashing a check, using a credit card, applying for SNAP ect. What’s so bloody different about showing ID to vote? I’ve done it for years in Kentucky, and my mother, who has no driver’s license, has a non-driver’s ID card that was no trouble at all to get.
speaking of voter ID and Chicago….it is now required by law to show an ID in order to purchase drain cleaner in Illinois….it is STILL NOT REQUIRED to show an ID in order to vote in Illinois.
go figure!
Speaking as a Republican election judge in Chicago (with over 30 years service, off and on), I must reply that that last sentence is not true.
When registering to vote, the registrant must present proof of residency at the claimed address. The proof does not have to be a formal photo ID – it can be a utility bill with name and address.
But some form of proof must be presented.
A voter may register by mail. But then, the first time the voter appears at the polls, the voter must show proof of residency to the election judges.
At subsequent elections, no proof is required, but the voter must sign a ballot application, and the signature is checked against a signature on file.
This system is obviously not perfect. But it is far better, IMHO, than Wisconsin’s practice of allowing same-day registration and counting the ballots cast by same-day registrants before verifying their registrations.
“When registering to vote, the registrant must present proof of residency at the claimed address. The proof does not have to be a formal photo ID – it can be a utility bill with name and address.
But some form of proof must be presented.
A voter may register by mail. But then, the first time the voter appears at the polls, the voter must show proof of residency to the election judges.”
from your own words….it’s still NOT REQUIRED TO SHOW A PHOTO ID as I’ve stated. I don’t see how that is sooooooo hard to understand.
No, that’s not what you stated. I quote”
“it is STILL NOT REQUIRED to show an ID in order to vote in Illinois”
“an ID” – not “a photo ID”.
If you meant “a photo ID”, you should have written that.
As a matter of strict fact, a person wishing to register to vote in Illinois must present proof of residence at the address claimed, either when registering, or on the first occasion of voting.
It’s not a particularly strong class of ID, but it is ID and must be shown before registering, and registration must precede voting.
Thus the person must “show an ID” before voting. Is that clear enough?
sheesh…okay, IT IS STILL NOT REQUIRED TO SHOW A PHOTO ID in ILLINOIS. for common sense purposes a proper ID has a photo, it it doesn’t have a photo then it’s not proof of identification since there’s no way of verifying that the holder is the real person in the so called ID.
okay. so, you can’t buy drain cleaner without a photo ID but you can vote without one. still an idiotic situation in the state of illinois where voter fraud is rampant. saying that it’s better compared to another state is still not an excuse.
And how does one present proof of residency?
How does the hand holding a gas bill or some other document with the stated address prove that it dwells in that abode?
With so many false drivers licenses and stolen Social Security numbers floating around who knows if the hand holding them is even legally in the States.
If that is immaterial to the current administration then throw out all the laws. Who needs them?
Everything is irrelevant and Holder says that lying is a state of mind.
The City of Chicago Water Department is a cesspool of corruption. It has two kinds of employees: those who are crooked and those who look the other way. (Michelle Obama’s father was a long-time employee of that department.)
One way well-connected people in Chicago save money is simply to not install a water meter during construction of a business. Free water for life… paid for by everyone else in the city.
It is not difficult for an employee to generate water bills with the addresses of vacant lots and then give those bills to an alderman. The alderman then gives them to people who owe him favors (such as city employees who got their jobs with his assistance). The return favor is to register to vote, using the water bill as “proof” of residency, and then vote (Democrat) in every election.
I was born and raised in Chicago and know the ins and outs. Believe me, if they want candidate X to win, he will win.
How does the hand holding a gas bill or some other document with the stated address prove that it dwells in that abode?
It doesn’t. But it proves that somebody lives there. If the person registering is someone else, that will blow up when the real resident registers. I might add if the real resident is already registered, it doesn’t work.
The fraudster could only register for a new arrival who hasn’t registered himself. Not really a lot of use.
Incidentally, lots of voter registrations are challenged. Before each election, the Board of Elections mails every voter a card with his registration information. Those that are returned to sender are flagged as challenged. If the voter doesn’t re-confirm his residency, he gets struck from the rolls. Other groups can also file challenges.
Is the system foolproof? Hardly. But it’s far from the unchecked fraudulence of some people’s lurid imagination.
The Libtards will stop at nothing when it comes to ending our constitutional rights. Breaking the law is nothing new to a liberal and their ideology.
This is all about re-electing liberal democrats and has nothing to do WITH someone’s voting rights. The Obama administration is all about corruption and greed. IMPEACH HOLDER NOW!!
If Obama loses the elction all he will have to do is declare that he, in fact, won. Erick Holder will back him up and the Republicans will just stand by. That’s what’s happening in the Fast and Furious fiasco and his “recess” appointments.
You have to show a government issued picture ID to fill out your I9(mandated by the Federal Gov’t) to get a job. Do any of the people without the proper form of ID have jobs?
I predict the scutiny over the counted votes will create a situation where we won’t know who won the election until December 2012. Obama will not win the election, though. He is fated for one term.
Superb piece, as always, Abe. But I’m intrigued – nearly one-fifth of black Americans have left Chicago? Where did they go and why did they leave? I’d be very interested to see the explanation for that. Of course, I know a goodly amount of them left in order to traipse to D.C. after the Community Organizer (doubtless to become Czars or help Michelle choose just THE right hooker belt to strap across her pot belly). But that group can’t possibly account for ALL of the blacks who’ve left Chi-town. This is intriguing.
Mostly to the suburbs. Blacks have more money than they used to, and some suburbs are nearly as run down as city slums.
In the city, there is continued loss of housing in the worst slum areas, though nowhere near as bad as in the 70s and 80s.
In other areas, household size has shrunk. There are lot more single elderly people living alone, single young people, childless couples, or couples with one or two children occupying housing that used to hold couples or families with many children. This is true for blacks, as with other groups.
Also, the city has torn down just about all of the old high-density public housing projects. The former residents have spread out – some to the suburbs, some pushing others out to the suburbs. Section 8 rent subsidies facilitate this.
Another factor has been the redevelopment of the near-south and near-west areas around the downtown core. These formerly run-down areas, mostly industrial and warehouse, were extensively rebuilt as upscale condos and townhouses, and filled up with mostly white upper-income buyers. (Also Asians: I see lots of Indians, Chinese, and Koreans.)
Finally, as noted, the hispanic population has increased; in the general churn of vacancies and rerentals and resales, spaces have been taken up by hispanic arrivers, or by hispanics growing up (they have relatively high fertility).
Ditto Detroit: Blacks there are either upper income or poor. The rest have moved to the ‘burbs.
The money line in this article is right on: Anything that enhances the integrity of the voting process works against Obama.
Chicago political corruption almost took Florida in 2000 and the Daly’s tried to count the vote over and over and over until the outcome went to algore. T. They learned in 2008 and even in my state I know of three people that turned in voter registration violations. What ever happened in all cases including those with the fraudulent documents given to the police. ZERO, ZIP, NADA. And you want us to have faith in our elected officials?
Emanuel and his cronies have cut up the wards into different sizes, with white wards on the north and lakefront each having 56,000 inhabitants and black wards having closer to 51,000.
Is there a source for this? Because this would be blatantly illegal under the Supreme Court’s previous rulings on “one-man-one-vote”. Maps with differentials as small as 1% have been disallowed. I find it hard to believe that a 10% variance would pass muster.
Click on the link in the article. It will take you to Crain’s Chicago Business, which is the source for this.
Emanuel and his cronies have cut up the wards into different sizes, with white wards on the north and lakefront each having 56,000 inhabitants and black wards having closer to 51,000.
Is there a source for this? Because this would be blatantly illegal under the Supreme Court’s previous rulings on “one-man-one-vote”. Maps with differentials as small as 1% have been disallowed. I find it hard to believe that a 10% variance would pass muster.
It’s not the first time! Eric Holder was supervising the cover up of the murder of Kenneth Trentadue in federal custody.
http://anoblelie.com/
When voting for Federal or Provincial elections in Canada, each eligible voter receives a card in the mail, with his/her name on that card and well as all information pertaining to polling stations, and contact information in case there are errors or adjustments to be made regarding the voter. (Those who did not receive a card are urged to register through various announcements, be it through the media or pamphlets delivered to each home.)
On election day all voting citizens are expected to “bring that card, as well as legal ID with a picture” – driver’s license, medicare card, etc.
Your name is then crossed off the list when you register to vote at the polling station.
It’s simple and it works! If we can do it, the U.S.A. can do it. Unless of course, Mr. Holder gets away with it!
It used to be something like that when I lived in Arkansas (not sure what it’s like now). Here in Washington state, we vote by mail. You read that correctly. We vote * by * mail.
there’s no voter fraud here. nope, no, uh uh. Move along now please.
13. Canada
It is the same in Texas. The problem is early voting. This is where one place accomodates multiple precincts. The operators of the sites are not the normal folks and do not know the locals. In many precincts the operators have a local feel and during regular voting fraud is probably not happening. Absentee voting basically has no control. A nursing home voting is an example. One active person at the front desk can send out a lot of controlled votes. Another ID “getting” probem is many avoid being current as they have warrants out for their arrest – normally driving related. This is huge and rarely discussed. One way around this is ignore the expiration date but what about the address? ID should have a current address and it should be in the voting precinct. A great solution is a national ID – helps to vote and avoid ID theft. Simple but too obvious.
Q: when does the obvious answer become lunacy and blatant racism?
A: when the dem’s start using shaming tactics.
shame on you for wanting to know about his ______ (b.c., SS#, college records, writings, etc., take your pick). that’s just crazy and racist.
you are nuts to think that facilitating (forcing illegal gun sales to murderers, rapists, etc.) in the killing of hundreds (and maybe many, many more) Mexicans and American border guards was a criminal act.
wanting everyone to have some form of i.d. to vote in the U.S. is just plain looney tunes, and racist.
when dem’s have no way to counter an argument or obvious situation (or fraud) that has exposed their underwear, they just start calling everybody on the other side bad names (i.e. birther, teabaggers, racists). i guess they figure that it has worked so incredibly well in the past, why change now? probably also beats having to run on a complete, dismal and utter record of failure.
i have to admit, it has been a hoot watching the media scramble to get behind the absolutely audacious antics of our washington keystone cops. some comedians could get big laughs driving that overloaded cop car on stage and having clowns holder and crew pile out. what a circus we have (probably not) elected.
So under this administration you are required, as a living breathing citizen, to BUY a private product for which you will have to present ID but somehow, that ID will disappear when it comes to voting?
Police State 2012: No Need to Wait, It’s Already Here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKkFoSt6aKQ&feature=player_embedded#!
What are blacks going to do when hispanics overtake them as the biggest minority group?
The great mistake of hispanic immigration advocates was to let their numbers exceed, say 11% of the population. Better to have blacks be a slightly larger % so that they’re always around to blame. Against such a large backdrop of black ghetto, hispanics here in Chicago are not as “oppressed” as elsewhere.
Mr. Miller, great article. I love the ‘joke’ you threw in there when mentioning the ACLU and ‘integrity’ in the same sentence. That was a knee slapper!
As for Uhbama’s stratagem and future moves, just talk to Uhbama’s barber. Apparently our ‘brilliant’ CiC told an intern to ‘..never get between a Black man and his barber’.
For, ‘future reference’ the CIC then told the intern to watch the craptastic, ‘Barbershop I, II’ to learn this ‘factoid’.
Yeah I wonder why Uhbama’s college transcripts and heaps more of his life aren’t disclosed? His ‘full brilliance’ would be on display.. riiiight.
I’ll say it again. Holder is a black extremist, white-hating “reparationist” who will do anything to screw the “man”, and has. He is the worst Attorney General in the history of the United States and should be impeached if there is a procedure by Congress to do so.
He has interfered in state affairs to the point that he is now a de facto president, Supreme Court justice, and sheriff, all rolled into one.
His hypocrisy can be seen in Arizona (Arpaio), Black Panthers (Phila), voter fraud across the country, including ACORN, releasing terrorists/murderers from GITMO, Fast & Furious, botched FBI investigations, botched AFT investigations (even if under Treasury), opposing the Patriot Act (earlier on), opposing federal level lawsuits concerning Obama’s birth certificate and other documents, etc.
The Chicago way is the way of corruption that is ruining the country. Holder, Jarrett, Axelrod, Van Jones (where was his vetting?), Carol Browner (the red), Geitner’s corruption/tax evasion (and that of the spouses of several Obama nominees/appointees), etc. – they are the cancers that are destroying our country. Our last chance to save America is Nov. 6, 2012. After that, some of us will end up in the Obama equivalent of the gulag on some trumped up charges.
That’s how communists and their toadies work.
Now is the time to take a stand. We will not get a second chance under Chairman Obama.
Remembering the revelations from previous elections, i.e., that certain groups organized efforts to have individuals cross into states to vote (illegally), I’m frankly surprised at Attorney General Holder’s views. Clearly, the states have reacted to the revelations of radical voter manipulations of prior state voting laws. Dr. Miller’s linkeage to Chicago politics (no definition necessary)provides clarity as to animus. Frankly, states must have the power to require that those voting be entitled to vote, and that such persons prove they are who they say they are. The hard push to quash ordinary identity proof appears to be an intentional facilitation of illegal voting by radical democrats. This is both immoral and shameful.