Jack & Jill Politics

Cross-posted on MyDD.com

Remember this?

George W. Bush: There’s an old saying in Tennessee. I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee, that says: “Fool me once…”
George W. Bush: [pause]
George W. Bush: “… shame on…”.
George W. Bush: [pause]
George W. Bush: “Shame on you…”
George W. Bush: [pause]
George W. Bush: “If fooled, you can’t get fooled again.”

Clip from American Blackout

This week, the big story involving race and politics in America is happening right now. Only you can’t fully see it yet. It’s a story from the past and soon to manifest in the near future. See, Karl Rove is confident that things don’t look so dark for Republicans despite the ominous polls on the horizon. That’s because he’s fooled Americans once at the polls in 2000 in Florida. He fooled us again in 2004 in Ohio. Now he’s planning to fool us once more.

How do I know?

Because I’ve been keeping an eye on efforts to do something. To Do More Than Vote.

There are some folks laying in plans to create voter confusion, suppression, intimidation. There are also some people working hard to prevent another round of disenfranchisement aimed at low-income people, seniors and particularly, minority voters. Things like:

Harsh and Burdensome Voter ID Requirements
Barriers to voter registration
Provisional Ballots
Long lines and inequality in resource distribution at the polls
Disenfranchisement of citizens with past felony convictions
Emerging suppression strategies
Cause for optimism—fighting voter suppression and winning

There’s something you can do about it. Here are a few ideas…after the jump.

1. Get Educated. See American Blackout which tells the story of the re-emergence of Jim Crow-style voter supression. Or check out PFAW’s report entitled: The New Face of Jim Crow: Voter Suppression in America. There’s a theme here.

2. Video the Vote. Document voter monkey business and maybe consider putting it on YouTube. Make sure you read the guidelines first though.

3. Volunteer with Election Protection 365. Your help is especially needed in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida.

4. Be a Poll Watcher on Election Day. If you see something goofy going down, call the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR VOTE to report it right away.

5. Call for Change. Help motivate people to vote. Disenfranchisement is discouraging, disillusioning. That’s the point. That’s what they want. To keep people from voting. Encourage others to prevent their right to vote from being taken away. After all, they can’t steal all of our votes. And plus it’s too close not to call.