Denying Our Soldiers The Vote

IBD Editorials ^ | September 23, 2010 | INvestors Business Daily staff

[Kaslin]

Election '10: The Department of Justice is failing to enforce a law that protects the voting rights of soldiers overseas. They're allowed to fight and die for their country, but they can't vote for its leaders?

Last Saturday was the deadline under the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE) for states to have sent unmarked absentee ballots to soldiers overseas so they can exercise the same right to vote as those they risk their lives to protect, including Afghans and Iraqis.

The MOVE Act, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support last year, says states must provide overseas ballots 45 days before a federal election. Waivers can be granted under certain circumstances, but only if states can prove the votes of service members can still be cast and counted.

Five states — Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island and Washington — were granted waivers. Other states have indicated they were having difficulty complying, though it's hard to fathom what prevents them from ensuring service members from their states can vote.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who co-authored the law, says that despite repeated inquiries, DOJ has provided no substantive information on the level of compliance or how Justice intends to enforce the MOVE Act.

"This law represents the most meaningful reform in this area in decades, but it is not going to enforce itself," Cornyn wrote in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder.

"Full compliance by the states depends on the DOJ making it a priority. The disenfranchisement of military voters must come to an end. If it is allowed to continue, it will represent a shameful failure to honor the heroic service of those who defend America."

[Clintonfatigued]

Isn’t it touching how devoted to the troops the ‘Rat Party is?/s

[Silentgypsy]

Snarrrrrrrrrrrrrllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

I was wondering what the status was on this. This is the absentee ballots case correct?

[Darksheare]

Done with full knowledge of the political overmasters.

[Gene Eric]

Only scumbags would work towards making the Military vote an impossibility.

[Ev Reeman]

Dems who deny our military their vote are the most disreputable dishonest and evil creatures on the face of this planet. And make no mistake, the ones who do deny them are all liberal abd dem, not one conservative in the bunch.

[IrishCatholic]

Only the dead and illegals can vote bookmark.

[Kaslin]

According to the article, yes

[Tzimisce]

Meanwhile the libs are pushing for illegal aliens, convicted felons and non-citizens to vote.

Have a nice day.

[Kaslin]

Of course they do because the rats know they will vote for them

[Sergio]

Make sure our troops can vote bookmark.

[dljordan]

Don’t we have this problem every election cycle?

[NoLibZone]

The Gopers should start a public Congressional investigation on why those that risk their lives fro our freedoms are being denied the right to vote.

Would be HUGE!

[ExTexasRedhead]

Our military has friends and family that can certainly vote to remove the political hacks from office who are not stopping this outrage. This must be investigated and stopped.

Call your Senators and Congressman and tell them that they either get involved in stopping this national disgrace or We The People will replace them too.

[WAW]

Absolutely reprehensible.

[raptor22]

Ping

[prophetic]

Every election cycle this crap is used by the democrats to deprive the military their legal rights to vote and have it counted properly!!
Additionally we must note that with a new but highly corrupt Attorney General Eric 'Black Panthers' Holder is again breaking the law by allowing felons to vote while barring the simple and basic rule that folks who just arbitrarily show up at any old polling station MUST show a valid ID (Drivers license).

EVERY election cycle this same old corrupt democrat stunt is used and they have some flunky old partisan judge rule in their favor to say that same old lie "blacks & minorities may be dis-enfranchised by requiring to show a drivers' license"

This stinking corrupt practice MUST STOP!!

[prophetic]

"Full compliance by the states depends on the DOJ making it a priority. The disenfranchisement of military voters must come to an end. If it is allowed to continue, it will represent a shameful failure to honor the heroic service of those who defend America."

Gee, since when did the democrat party apparatus really care about the military? Just look at their voting records for folks like that dead log of a politician John F'n Kerry and you see a long & consistent record to disarm, cut and render impotent everything concerning our brave troops and their support systems at home, while giving full leverage and benefits to America's enemies around the world.

[SkyPilot]

The Dems have really hated military voters, but their hatred turned murderous after the 2000 election, when absentee military votes clearly put GW over the edge.

In fact, it was Joe Lieberman, Gore's running mate, who went on the Sunday shows and answered the panel's question to him about counting military votes.

Lieberman broke with Gore and the Democrats in a shocker, and answered in the affirmative.

Gore's lawyers, goons, and handlers were watching the show, and went ballistic. But, their charade had been broken: they could not "find" more magic votes in Palm Beach and Broward County FL - and toss military votes in the trash because the Democrats didn't approve of the way the ballot envelopes were sealed.

I was overseas during that election, and before the 2000 campaign, helped run our annual voting registration drive.. All we did was hand out registration application for each states absentee ballot - that's it. We were actually investigated after that election by a team from the GAO and DoD - whose only recommendation was that we didn't try and reach even more service men and women and dependents who were physically apart from our location.

The Democrats hate military voters - because they vote primarily Republican. However, during the 2008 election, almost every black and Hispanic enlisted person I have ever talked to (and also a great many women of all race) told me they vehemently supported Obama.