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Allen West Gives Thumbs Down To Gingrich's Call To Bring Back Voter Literacy Tests
talkingpointsmemo ^ | 05/17/2011 | Eric Kleefeld

Posted on 05/17/2011 2:35:22 PM PDT by Reese Hamm

Newt Gingrich is facing criticism for yet another idea he has floated during his presidential campaign -- that the country bring back tests for voting, which were banned by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as a tool used to suppress African-American voters. Now, Think Progress reports, none other than Tea Party favorite Rep. Allen West (R-FL), an African-American, is disagreeing -- and referring to the sort of discrimination that his own parents faced.

(Excerpt) Read more at tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: allenwest; literacytest; newtgingrich; racebaiting; thinkprogress
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Also from the article:

"In the pre-Voting Rights Act era, the Jim Crow states used literacy tests as a means of preventing African-Americans from registering to vote. Local registrars (who were all white) would often exempt white voters entirely or only give them a simple task, compared to a complex series of civics questions given to black citizens. (Here is an actual literacy test used in Alabama.)"

Think Newt could pass?

1 posted on 05/17/2011 2:35:26 PM PDT by Reese Hamm
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To: Reese Hamm

The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of
entrusting a man like him with the presidency. It will be easier to
limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the
necessary common sense and good judgment to an electorate willing to
have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far
more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails us.
Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast
confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The republic can
survive a Barack Obama. It is less likely to survive a multitude of
fools such as those who made him their president.”


2 posted on 05/17/2011 2:38:04 PM PDT by CGASMIA68
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To: Reese Hamm
Think Newt could pass?

No doubt at all.

But I still don't want him as president.

3 posted on 05/17/2011 2:38:45 PM PDT by Gondring (Paul Revere would have been flamed as a naysayer troll and told to go back to Boston.)
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To: Reese Hamm

Newt continues his crusade to make Ron Paul look sane.


4 posted on 05/17/2011 2:40:31 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: Reese Hamm

Will someone post the Alabama test? (I can’t open it)


5 posted on 05/17/2011 2:40:40 PM PDT by ansel12 ( JIM DEMINT "I believe [Palins] done more for the Republican Party than anyone since Ronald Reagan")
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To: ansel12
"(I can’t open it)"

You failed. No ballot for you!

6 posted on 05/17/2011 2:41:19 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: Reese Hamm

This is so over the top stupid, it’s hard to believe.


7 posted on 05/17/2011 2:43:23 PM PDT by Drill Thrawl (How much longer can the charade last?)
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To: Reese Hamm

While I do believe in voting requirements (age 25, tax payer, etc), I do not believe that literacy should be one of the requirements.


8 posted on 05/17/2011 2:44:14 PM PDT by Retired Greyhound
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To: Reese Hamm

Newt is nuts


9 posted on 05/17/2011 2:44:15 PM PDT by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Happiness)
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To: Joe 6-pack

“Newt continues his crusade to make Ron Paul look sane.”

Ain’t it the truth.


10 posted on 05/17/2011 2:45:28 PM PDT by traderrob6
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To: Reese Hamm

One has to wonder if Gingrich still has two feet given he has put both up his arse these past few days... =.=


11 posted on 05/17/2011 2:45:59 PM PDT by cranked
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To: Joe 6-pack

Freaking hilarious ! Laugh post of the day !


12 posted on 05/17/2011 2:49:12 PM PDT by onona (Fullly aware that I may be totally)
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To: Reese Hamm

THE ONLY voter test that there should be....did you pay taxes in the previous year (more than you got back), or are you MARRIED to someone who did!


13 posted on 05/17/2011 2:50:05 PM PDT by goodnesswins (Unlike the West, the Islamic world is serious.)
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To: Reese Hamm
Now, Think Progress reports, none other than Tea Party favorite Rep. Allen West (R-FL), an African-American, is disagreeing -- and referring to the sort of discrimination that his own parents faced.

There is no doubt that discrimination took place against blacks, but the Voting Rights Act was not the solution. Getting rid of it is a good idea. And, at the same time, maybe we should only allow people not on the entitlement payroll to vote. That is, if you have a vested interest in voting for Democrats because they pay you to vote, maybe if you are unemployed and receiving payments, maybe you should not be allowed to vote until you get a job.

That is the illiterate and ignorant of what voting responsibilities and rights entail should not be allowed to vote.

Those receiving unemployment benefits from the Federal government should be removed from the register until such time that they have jobs and are not dependent upon the government.

14 posted on 05/17/2011 2:50:09 PM PDT by olezip
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To: Reese Hamm

Newt, we hardly knew ye....


15 posted on 05/17/2011 2:54:14 PM PDT by Steel Wolf ("There are moderate Muslims, but Islam itself is not moderate." - Ibn Warraq)
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To: Reese Hamm

Instead of a literacy test for voters, why don’t we adopt a morality test for politicians?


16 posted on 05/17/2011 2:54:26 PM PDT by Mr. Lucky
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To: Reese Hamm
Bob Beckel IS running Newt's campaign!
17 posted on 05/17/2011 2:54:32 PM PDT by TexasCajun
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To: Reese Hamm

Isn’t it racist to decree that a literacy test discriminates against blacks? It’s tacitly admitting that most blacks are illiterate.


18 posted on 05/17/2011 2:55:07 PM PDT by Mr. Blond
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To: t1b8zs

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years.


19 posted on 05/17/2011 2:56:18 PM PDT by mgstarr ("Some of us drink because we're not poets." Arthur (1981))
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To: Mr. Blond
Newt, Please quit now.

Your completely nuts.

20 posted on 05/17/2011 2:57:12 PM PDT by scooby321
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