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Could Obama’s efforts to strike down military voting extension cost him election?
Hot Air ^ | August 4, 2012 | Howard Portnoy

Posted on 08/04/2012 6:08:13 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

It is no secret that Barack Obama never served in the military. In fact, he doesn’t seem to be that big a fan of our men and women in uniform (at least the ones who aren’t gay). And unless pictures lie, the feeling is mutual.

One retired Army officer so dislikes Obama’s policies toward the military that he has publicly stated his view that the president is “undeserving of the title Commander-in-Chief.” That would be Congressman Allen West, who wrote on his Facebook page:

I am appalled at the Obama administration’s actions to bring a lawsuit against the State of Ohio for the early voting privileges it extends to our Men and Women serving in uniform. To have the Commander in Chief make our US Servicemen and Women the target of a political attack to benefit his reelection actions is reprehensible. The voting privilege extended to these Warriors who represent the best among us should not be a part of the collective vision of this inept President who is more concerned about his reelection than sequestration. As a Combat Veteran, for this President to unleash his campaign cronies against our Military is unconscionable… how dare this President compare the service, sacrifice, and commitment of those who Guard our liberties not as special and seek to compare them to everyone else.

The lawsuit West alludes to was filed jointly in mid-July by the Obama for America campaign, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and the Ohio Democratic Party. Its purpose was to strike down part of an Ohio law that grants members of the military an extra three days to cast their votes.

The Daily Caller’s Holly Bensur cites a report by the Department of Defense’s Federal Voting Assistance Program specifying the primary “reason for military voter disenfranchisement” and that is “inadequate time to successfully vote.” The report was sent to the president and Congress, but Democrats nevertheless wrote in a complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio that the law is “arbitrary” and possesses “no discernible rational basis.”

The president and his minions have a point. Why should individuals who put their lives in harm’s way to defend the nation deserve special treatment? If they can’t get to a polling place in a timely fashion like the rest of us, that’s their problem.

Naturally, the question of why Obama is taking such an unfeeling position arises. He will claim it’s in the interests of fairness. Cynics will argue that it is a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise members of a voting bloc in a critical swing state whose ballots are likely to favor Obama’s opponent.

But if his motivation is the latter, then consider two facts: (1) Ohio, according to the 2010 census, has only 8,261 active military personnel. (2) In 2008, Obama carried 44% of the military vote nationally. Even if every service member in Ohio is registered to vote (which is unlikely) and even if the vote is distributed in proportions identical to 2008, his actions will block a little over 4,600 votes.

It could be a meaningful difference in a state he needs in his column to win a second term. But it could also create epic backlash if the 1,088,465 service members nationwide vote in solidarity with their Buckeye State brethren, not to mention the countless millions of civilians who are staunch supporters of our fighting men and women.

One things that’s for sure is that the story, with its negative optics for the president, isn’t going away. The Marine Corps Times reports that a consortium of 15 military groups, including AMVETS, the National Guard Association of the United States, the Association of the U.S. Army, have asked the judge in the case to dismiss the suit. Regardless of the outcome, Obama stands to lose the vote—and respect—of many.


TOPICS: Ohio; Campaign News; Issues
KEYWORDS: 2012; military; obama; ohio
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1 posted on 08/04/2012 6:08:30 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Obama is bad to the bone. He is a thug and unrelenting hypocrite. Let everyone see how foul a spirit dwells in the liar in chief.
2 posted on 08/04/2012 6:13:28 PM PDT by Armaggedon
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To: Armaggedon

I agree 100 percent!


3 posted on 08/04/2012 6:20:58 PM PDT by TNoldman (AN AMERICAN FOR A MUSLIM/BHO FREE AMERICA.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

People are being a bit dishonest about this case. What the Dems in Ohio are asking for is to return to the old early voting schedule where everyone would have the opportunity to cast votes early. The state legislature decided that the only people who could vote early were military, and no one else. The people potentially being disenfranchised here are not military, but the people who in the past were also able to vote early, i.e. everybody else. What is the problem with everyone having the opportunity to vote early?


4 posted on 08/04/2012 6:29:53 PM PDT by stormer
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To: Armaggedon

cost Obama the election? Obama is not going anywhere ,the only thing that will stop him from being president is very old age ,then he has a wife and 2 kids to take over the palace


5 posted on 08/04/2012 6:41:41 PM PDT by molson209
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To: stormer

Dear Barack Husseinovitch,
Do not make bitter the Praetorian Guard!


6 posted on 08/04/2012 6:43:12 PM PDT by Terry L Smith
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Could Obama’s efforts to strike down military voting extension cost him election?

I certainly hope so. Let us pray. Then we can celebrate.

7 posted on 08/04/2012 6:51:48 PM PDT by concerned about politics ("Get thee behind me, Liberal")
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To: stormer

Article II, Section 1:

The Congress may determine the time of choosing the electors, and the day on which they shall give their votes; which day shall be the same throughout the United States.

Which DAY! Not which week or which month.


8 posted on 08/04/2012 7:01:50 PM PDT by garyb
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To: stormer

I wondered the same. The first story seemed to have the dems in a huff that the ACORN round up in Ohio would be unfairly disadvantaged if only military voters were granted an extension. They definitly want parity between the dead and illegal voters to make up for extended military votes. However, I only scanned that first story bit came away with the idea that early voting is available there and that over seas military votes are the concern.


9 posted on 08/04/2012 7:14:53 PM PDT by RitaOK (NO ROMNEY, NO COMPROMISE. NO WAY. NO HOW. NOT NOW. NOT EVER.)
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To: stormer

Yeah I want to vote Today,Right Now I have a Right,I want to Vote Now,Right Now tonight!
There is a reason they call it Election DAY! You go on the DAY,not weeks or months ahead. If its not important enough for you then Tough,Stuff, it you dont care or pay attention enough. The Troops in Harms way have all kinds of difficulty they and they alone deserve leeway in getting their votes in for Obvious reasons,their lives are on the line,not like the Frauds and lazy jerks who might miss a tanning session or golf game or dancing with the Stars!
Go On Election Day and STFU


10 posted on 08/04/2012 7:23:11 PM PDT by ballplayer
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To: stormer

Yeah I want to vote Today,Right Now I have a Right,I want to Vote Now,Right Now tonight!
There is a reason they call it Election DAY! You go on the DAY,not weeks or months ahead. If its not important enough for you then Tough,Stuff, it you dont care or pay attention enough. The Troops in Harms way have all kinds of difficulty they and they alone deserve leeway in getting their votes in for Obvious reasons,their lives are on the line,not like the Frauds and lazy jerks who might miss a tanning session or golf game or dancing with the Stars!
Go On Election Day and STFU


11 posted on 08/04/2012 7:23:30 PM PDT by ballplayer
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To: stormer
People are being a bit dishonest about this case. What the Dems in Ohio are asking for is to return to the old early voting schedule where everyone would have the opportunity to cast votes early.

The Washington Times doesn't share your view:

On July 17th, the Obama for America Campaign, the Democratic National Committee and the Ohio Democratic Party filed suit in OH to strike down part of that state's law governing voting by members of the military. Their suit said that part of the law is "arbitrary" with "no discernible rational basis."

Currently, Ohio allows the public to vote early in-person up until the Friday before the election. Members of the military three extra days to do so. While the Democrats may see this as "arbitrary" and having "no discernible rational basis", I think it is entirely reasonable given the demands on servicemen and women's time and their obligations to their sworn duty.

Source: Washington Times article

They aren't suing to extend other people's voting deadline; they're suing to remove the military's deadline extension.

12 posted on 08/04/2012 7:45:52 PM PDT by Bob
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I’m certain all the military ballots will go out IN TIME for our men and women in uniform to vote in a TIMELY manner and have their votes counted-—(SARCASM intended).

You know Bath-House Barry and Soros and all the commies in the administration will see to it that our military are SHAT upon, as per usual.


13 posted on 08/04/2012 7:56:56 PM PDT by Mortrey (Impeach President Soros)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Could Obama’s efforts to strike down military voting extension cost him election?

Probably not. My guess is he is only going to get 40% or less of the military vote any way. My worry is;
Looking at the Real Clear Politics Electoral map, I think Lil Barry is gonna win in a walk. He owns all or damn near all of the populations centers with large amounts of Electoral Votes. Romney may have the most states, but there ain't enough electoral votes there.

14 posted on 08/04/2012 8:06:26 PM PDT by Tupelo (TeaPartier ..... but no longer a Republican)
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To: stormer

Leave it to you to come in and deliver the Dem talking point. As usual.


15 posted on 08/04/2012 8:21:22 PM PDT by nhwingut (Sarah Palin 12... No One Else)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Photobucket
16 posted on 08/04/2012 9:11:46 PM PDT by baddog 219
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

In my opinion any American veteran who supports owebama needs immediate psychiatric evaluation.


17 posted on 08/04/2012 9:20:56 PM PDT by 43north (BHO: 50% black, 50% white, 100% RED)
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To: Bob

First off, that’s not an article, it’s a blog post. Second of all, this law has nothing to do with people that are deployed - it only affects people in uniform living and present in the state of Ohio.


18 posted on 08/04/2012 9:57:21 PM PDT by stormer
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To: nhwingut

Sorry to let the truth get in the way of your perceptions...


19 posted on 08/04/2012 9:59:29 PM PDT by stormer
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To: KitJ; T Minus Four; xzins; CMS; The Sailor; ab01; txradioguy; Jet Jaguar; Defender2; ...

Active duty ping.


20 posted on 08/04/2012 10:02:42 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
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