Ping, Michiganders!

Ping, people in other states who should find out if the GOP is planning similar challenges in your area!

Ping, Republicans who should be disgusted at this legally-questionable and gutless intimidation tactic!

Ping, John McCain, who should immediately be called upon to demand that his supporters do not engage in such blatant voter disenfranchisment.

http://www.michiganmessenger.com/4076/lose-your-house-lose-your-vote

Briefly, the article reports that the Michigan GOP is gearing up for a major voter-challenge effort, and that the Macomb County GOP is cross-referencing lists of foreclosed-upon homes.** Obviously, their motivation is that those who have lost their homes are more likely to vote Democrat (and are more likely to be minorities). And, their efforts - especially since they are being pretty open about their plans - are geared to suppressing turnout and to eliminating votes from people who do make the effort to go to their polling place. Many of those challenged will walk away in frustration without voting the challenged ballot, they will tell others not to bother showing up, etc.

This is reprehensible, and shows the true intentions behind the Republicans' efforts at their so-called voter reforms and the voter ID laws that were so all-fired important to the GOP. Now, they're not after people who are not supposed to be permitted to vote (and believe me, that was not a real problem), THEY'RE AFTER AMERICANS WHO HAVE FALLEN ONTO HARD TIMES!


* I'm assuming that they won't challenge Republicans and/or people who look like them who show up on the foreclosure lists.

** Foreclosure laws differ in different states and I'm not familiar with Michigan's. But, in AZ, people would still be eligible to vote even after their home is foreclosed-upon, especially if they are still in possession. The lender generally takes several weeks to evict the unfortunate foreclosed-upon-family. If they were made homeless, they would probably still be eligible to vote at their home's polling place, but that gets murkier.