Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
▼
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Former NorCo Judge to Decide Voter ID Challenge
Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson will decide the legal challenge to Pennsylvania's controversial Voter ID law. He's just started his second term as a Commonwealth Court judge. Prior to that, he sat on Northampton County's bench for 11 years.
30 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
Judge Simpson is a Republican. DO you really think he is going to give anything but a partisan decision? If you believe anything else you probably also believe in Tinker Belle and the Tooth Fairy. If this decision is being made by a panel of judges, it will go along partisan lines. it truly is a shame. We deserve better.
ReplyDeleteI dont think he'll be partisan? I personally think the law is a pathetic sham as evidenced by the State's admission that there has been no evidence of past in person voter fraud. However, the question here is whether it can be legislated or not? If the legislature decides to spend millions on a law ( similar to what this one will cost) to eradicate the tazmanian devil in pa. even though there is no evidence that there are any here, I guess they can do it...I hope I'm wrong but we elected these morons and now we are paying the price...
ReplyDeleteYou think Judge Simpson will ignore the law and Constitution bc he is a Republican. Under that logic, no Democrat judge could decide this matter either.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a specific and concrete basis for asking Judge Simpson to recuse himself, you can make that known. But an anonymous comment on a blog won't cut it.
And I agree that the voter ID law is bad law by the way.
" If the legislature decides to spend millions on a law ( similar to what this one will cost) to eradicate the tazmanian devil in pa. even though there is no evidence that there are any here, I guess they can do it"
ReplyDeleteIf there is no rational basis for the law, it will fail in court.
Great Bernie..I sure hope you are right..If this is the case, just the state's admission that in person voting fraud does not exist
ReplyDeleteshould kill their case..
No damn i,t the law must stand. That is part of the teabagger [lan to elect Rommney. We must stop these poor old people an dthose of color from voting. We use to have a poll taxc but the damn communist liberals took that away from us. How do we get the "right" people elcted.
ReplyDeleteDo you want to continue to live under Islamic Kenyan Communist rule?
If there is a problem why couldn't both parties come to an agreement on something for the betterment of all people in the Commonwealth?
ReplyDeleteThere is no reason for this law as evidenced by the State's admission that there has been no evidence of past in person voter fraud.
ReplyDeleteAs the past Chairman of the Election Commission in Northampton County I believe and stand by my statements that this is only going to cost us money. There is no REAL need for this law other than to make the already deplorable voter turn out even lower than it is.
* - (not the radio show)
ReplyDeleteFight the Power!
You mean we let the poor, old people and coloreds vote?
ReplyDeleteNext thing you know they'll let rag heads, jews, gooks, slant heads, pork chops and those other "no speaky the english" welfare people vote.
I even hear they may let crazed women in cheap ridiculous heels from WE vote.
This state is going to hell in a hand basket. Remember.......
IF YOU AIN'T WHITE YOU AIN"T RIGHT
This law is the best recruitment tool the Democratic party has going. If allowed, the outcry on Wednesday Nov 7th, will be LOUD. Hundreds of thousands of voters, Dems and Republicans, will be denied thier constitutional right to vote. The Republicans who be stopped from voting will revolt and see for themselves the sham being perpetrated.
ReplyDeleteO h and the lines to actually get in the polls to vote, will be very long. Estimates are it will take 10 times as long. So ALL voters will be affected. How many people will leave the line and just not vote. This will be both parties and independents.
ReplyDeleteI hope Justice Simpson declares that it is perfectly legal to require whatever identification is necessary to access any form of government assistance is the same form of identification needed to vote.
ReplyDelete6:47, You almost have the bigot schtick down, Uncle Remus.
ReplyDeleteIs this the same Simpson that had to change the first name in a previous election cycle ?
ReplyDeleteActually, Judge Simpson has always referred to himself as "Robin." I remember that from back when he was practicing law. I've heard the stories about him calling himself Robin to fool people into thinking he was a she, and vote for him. Those stories are just that - stories.
ReplyDelete7:19. That's an excellent point.
ReplyDeletec, 20 years ago, that would happen.
ReplyDeleteBernie, you are not that naivette to state that this won't come down along party lines. You know better. If Judge Simpson wants to get ahead he will do what the party bosses tell him to do on this issue. Get real.
ReplyDeleteI am that naive. Although I think judges are far more political than they pretend, they serve 10 year terms precisely so that they are less susceptible to politics. They are retained, not re-elected. Finally, in my own experience, i believe the bench tries very hard to be fair. I love to make fun of judges, especially when they play hookey or try to run the county. But when it comes to the law,I think they try very hard to get it right.
ReplyDeleteCall me naive. Let me have one uncynical thought.
Bernie , what if it were 1791 ? Would our forefathers want this ?
ReplyDeleteI have read a few of Judge Simpson's opinions, and have heard him speak at a conference- I think he is fair and considered in his decision-making. This is an interesting case, because the arguments are based in part on the PA constitution, which has stronger voting rights language.
ReplyDeleteI think it is better to have a non-Philly or Pittsburgh judge on this case- even though they are all somewhat political, the politics are different in the burbs.
11:39, I'm not that old. But in those days, black people could not vote. Women could not vote. In many instances, people who owned no real estate could not vote. But I get your point. The law fixes a problem that does not exist.
ReplyDelete11:46 - and that's the way it should be. But it's worse now because we have to put up with ricans and other "no speaky the english" welfare animals, rag heads, gooks, slant-heads, asians and the like.
ReplyDeleteI hear they might even let a witch in cheap and rediculous high heels vote. Amazing!!!!!!
now male jews should be allowed because they have money and will vote against those catholicker perverts.
Remember...................
IF YOU AIN'T WHITE YOU AIN'T RIGHT
BO, why do mormons wear that funny underwear?
I have not known Judge Simpson to be anything but fair and his integrity is impeccable. I can't believe that he would make a decision as important as this one along party lines. That's not who he is. However, its also been stated (and I believe it) that whatever the opinion handed down it will go to appeal.
ReplyDeleteOne question Bernie, what purpose does "Uncle Remus" serve at all on this blog. Is there a reason you just don't block his posts as you have with others?
The Voter ID Act will eliminate a large pool of democratic voters, which is really not a bad idea. It will rightfully restrict the pool of voters to those who are truly Americans. It will eliminate the societal leeches and flush them to wherever they originated.
ReplyDeleteAlthough this may appear controversial to some, think about the quality of US Presidents elected during the period where the coloreds and women were unable to vote. Some of the greatest presidents came from this era. Returning to this is a fantastic idea.
Deo Vindice!
If you are too stupid and/or lazy to secure a FREE ID and show it at the polling place, and you don't vote because of it, your apathy is justly rewarded by this law.
ReplyDeleteThis law will illustrate just how big a problem is out there. The law is a re-raising of the bar. No more outreach to beg people to vote. If they are not willing participants and do not value enough their right to vote to make a reasonble effort to overcome the "monumental voter suppression effort by the right", then fuck 'em. Millions have made the supreme effort to provide that right and if one doesn't exercise it under the guise of being suppressed by the evil right, they are not worthy of a say in how they are governed.
-Clem
If this is indeed a massive voter suppression effort by the right, it's perhaps the worst plan ever.
ReplyDeleteYes, give people over six months (after plenty of advertising) to get an ID they likely already need (or should need) for a multitude of other reasons.
Yes the Democrats are trying to use the issue to gin up enthusiasm among their voters, but the bottom line is that anyone who wants to vote has plenty of time to get a proper ID. And if they forget their ID at the polls? They can still fill out a provisional ballot and later prove their ID.
Ooooh those wiley Republicans, what a dastardly plan!
Huntress, I allow Uncle Remus bc I believe he is trying to show us how absurd it is for people to make racist anti-Semitic or sexist remarks. hey are so laughably out of place that you begin realizing the viewpoint itself is absurd. I think that's his point. I would not allow the comments if I thought he actually meant them.
ReplyDeleteYou can also vote absentee without an ID, as long as you know the last 4 digits of your social security number that is. That way the people who can't drive to a PennDOT center (Yet can drive to the polls?) can still vote.
ReplyDelete