Voter Purge Over Citizen Status Sours Floridians on Republicans

[Purveyor]

Florida residents erroneously subjected to a Republican-led effort to purge noncitizens from voter rolls said they’re furious, and several promised to vote against the party’s presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, as a result.

In interviews with 35 of the 2,625 people the state moved to prevent from voting, all but two said they’re U.S. citizens, with about a third identifying themselves as Republicans and another third as Democrats. They included a Cuba-born physician, a U.S. Army soldier who served in Afghanistan, an entomologist originally from Canada and a taxi driver from Haiti.

The attempt to remove potential noncitizens, led by Republican Governor Rick Scott, may hurt his party in the November presidential election by alienating voters being courted heavily by Romney and President Barack Obama, a Democrat. Three of the past five presidential elections in Florida have been decided by less than 3 percentage points. The state has the most electoral votes of those viewed as competitive by both campaigns.

Among those targeted was Rolando Baster, 60, of Miami, an ear, nose and throat doctor originally from Cuba who said he has been a U.S. citizen for a decade and has always supported Republican candidates. This year, he said, he plans to vote for Obama because of the “trouble” he was caused by Scott’s administration.

MORE...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-02/voter-purge-over-citizen-status-sours-floridians-on-republicans.html

[JRLeft]

1. There will be a huge backlash against republicons.

Republicons are on the verge of stamping themselves as a permanent small tent party.

[yellowcanine]

2. What the Republicans haven't figured out is that the right to vote is non-negotiable for

a majority of Americans. Mess with it at your own party's peril.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

3. I predicted this would happen. First, the ads have diminishing returns. There are only so many ads

to air before people start tuning out. Second, these voter ID laws could hurt even elderly Republicans who have never driven before; or, women who got married and changed their last names as a result, and who now are being challenged. Third, those rural folk who may also be poor and can't get to a DMV or, for whatever reason, cannot get or afford the proper ID...they will revolt. And finally, we are witnessing the voter purge. The Republicans aren't even trying to be discreet about this. We all knew about the voter caging back in 2000 and 2004. Now the Republicans are being upfront and in-your-face about their deliberate attempts to disenfranchise voters.

[Lucy Goosey]

5. I would love to see these vote supression tactics backfire big-time

...looks like that might be happening!

[otohara]

6. Well Deserved Blowback

Rick Scott, you're next on the chopping block.