John Kerry: Let the People Vote

Let the People Vote

By John Kerry

For too many years, American politics has been divided between two types of people: those who want more people to vote, and those who want fewer people to vote. Just last week, the Bush-packed Supreme Court heard oral arguments about the kind of law we’ve become all too familiar with these last years: an Indiana law putting more roadblocks in the way of people who simply want to vote. (Talk about a not so subtle reminder of why some of us filibustered Sam Alito’s nomination two years ago this month.)

Well, it’s troubling to me that now we see another kind of effort to keep people from voting in Nevada. But this time, it’s not the Republicans trying to limit the vote, it’s a fight within our own Party.

Every Democratic Presidential campaign should condemn this effort in a heartbeat. This is just plain and simple a matter of principle not politics; the Party that marched alongside Dr. King and stood up with President Kennedy to open the schoolhouse doors in Alabama needs to be the Party of enfranchisement not disenfranchisement in Nevada this Saturday. Some convictions are just too important to be bent and broken to try and tip a few votes this way or that.

***

Here’s the bottom line. I understand people gut it out to win on Election Day. But certain tactics make victory pyrrhic – empty – hollow – and it’s not worth winning if you lose what really counts in the process. And you know what, if the Culinary Workers had backed someone besides my choice in this race - Barack Obama - I’d still say it’s right for every candidate to make sure these workers get to vote.

Read more: http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/specialguests/2008/jan/16/let_the_people_vote

More and more each day, John Kerry represents the soul of the Democratic Party.

AlterNet weighs in on Clinton attempting to suppress the vote: http://www.alternet.org/story/73782

I think any liberal pol worth his salt sees where the Clinton campaign is headed in principle if not the precipice as well. The Black Caucus and others are following suit based on many things, sadly justified by the negatives originating from GOP style planning coming from the Clintons who are sure this served them well in securing Bill's second term- at great great cost.

What can they be thinking? Why are they doing this?

Bash him tomorrow! It ain't easy being John Kerry. He isn't the greatest "people-pleaser", doesn't talk pretty on the campaign trail, but this guy is ALL Business. I like him every day.

:hi:

He is all business. That is why I love him.

even when speaking for someone else. The first time I saw him in person was in NJ when he was out in early September 2005 to get support and volunteers for Corzine. He was impressive, very eloquent about Katrina - and already speaking of how the Bush response had allowed people to see behind the curtain. (He was the first person I heard use the Wizard of Oz analogy, he was also wam and even funny. He got the Corzine people names of over 500 people willing to help in an extremely Republican county.

The local newspapers gave him excellent reviews - all saying some variation of, if he were like this in 2004, he would be President. But, as someone who was obsessed with watching the campain on CSPAN, if anything he was better in those last weeks of October than he was there. He was every bit as good in CSPAN footage of 2003! The media rarely showed more than a minute or two of his rallies. Just tight shots that mostly showed their talking head who summarized Kerry's speech or simply said where he was and spoke of the race.

I love his concluding paragraph:

"Whether it’s scrubbing African-Americans from the voting rolls, challenging the registrations of people with Hispanic surnames, or not providing enough voting machines in the neighborhoods of working families, the right-wing has spent years denying people the right to vote in the pursuit of raw political gain. All this time, Democrats have stood up for the rights of all people to cast their votes. We need to remain that kind of Party -- voter suppression is wrong, all the time, anywhere.

Open the caucus sites, and let people vote."

And I love knowing that he WOULD have said the same thing no matter who the union endorsed.

"(T)he Party that marched alongside Dr. King" should "let the people vote" instead of trying to suppress the vote.

Excellent reminder (sad that it's needed) from Senator Kerry.

:kick:

Gobama.

...President. :) Thanks, Senator Kerry!


Also noted that the CCEA (local Clark County teachers) did not agree with the state teachers union decision.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4094964

http://www.lvrj.com/news/13860932.html